Today's reflection is on the 4 hours I spent on Tuesday proctoring CSAPs for Fort Collins High School. It was one of the most mind numbing things I have ever done. I spent most of the day counting the seconds in a minute. I also tried counting the seconds in 10 minutes, I only got to around 600 before my mind wondered away...It is amazing how many different songs will go through your head when you are forced to sit in complete silence. So, my view of the CSAP is that it is a good thing, in theory. I do believe that education needs to be accountable to the public and that CSAP is a good way, in theory, to get rid of bad schools and teachers. The problem is that it gets in the way of learning. The weeks that CSAP happen are really hard on the students who have to take them. Can you really expect a student to get anything out of a class when it has been reduced to 35 minutes? Also, the students are completely burnt out after spending 4 hours taking the test. It also poses problems for upper classsmen who are in rigorous AP classes because their class time is reduced as well. Honestly, CSAP's are bitter sweet for me because I understand the need for them, and even agree with that need. In this sense they are sweet, however they are bitter because they have many issues that affect students negatively.
Here is a good blog that offers further information and perspective: http://www.headfirstcolorado.org/blog/index.php/category/accountability/
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