Gonna be a fight -- chorus vs test prep

[punkin]

I am glad we don't have to fight with our kids' schools, never have. We have had only a few schedule issues and they were all handled quite easily. I LOVE OUR SCHOOLS!!

You have no idea how a difficult school district can turn the simplest thing into a battle.

 

[okeydokey]

I disagree that the school is necessarily looking out for the child's best interests. The school is looking out for the school administration's best interest. The school is measured by how students do on standardized tests. Dh is a public high school teacher and he is now forced to do all sorts of things that aren't in the children's best interests, but will yield higher test scores no matter what.

I'd be in the guidance counselor's office ASAP.

This is true. I'd fight it.

 

[MushyMushy]

My daughter's middle school has the same rule. If you don't score proficient or above on your state standardized test, you can be pulled from "Extension" courses to take a test prep class. Band and chorus meet during "Extension" daily.

Fortunately, my daughter has always done well on the tests. But every year when they start, she is abjectly terrified because her entire goal in life is to play French Horn in the pit orchestra of a Broadway show. She knows that if she fails the tests, she will be pulled from Band. Talk about high stakes testing!

Still, I think if the situation ever occured, I would do exactly what you are planning to do - go into school and insist they put her back in Band.

Has your daughter taken the state tests for this year? Maybe when her results come back, they will be more willing to accept her in chorus.

Good luck!!

That's so outrageous to me! The kids who don't perform well on tests NEED something in their lives that they can excel at, whether it's music, sports, art, or whatever. I can't believe they would pull them from that for test performance.

They haven't taken their tests yet -- it's next month. We've already gotten several reminders to make sure they are well rested, well fed, don't get sick, don't make appointments for those days. Our schools also take practice tests 4 times in a school year to see where they need help. FOUR TIMES! Those practice tests are as long as the real tests, and they take two half days to get through. Right there are 8 half days that are wasted on these godforsaken tests.

Can you tell I hate them? I could rant and rave for days about them.

 

[MushyMushy]

Oh, here is what they do for practice testing: http://www.successforall.net/elementary/4sight.htm

Fun stuff.

 

[FSUDisneyGirl]

Fight it.

Contact the Chorus teacher...ask her if the Chorus program is a 4-year program. Will your daughter be in "beginning Chorus" as a 10th grader with all of the 9th graders if she misses it next year? If it will put her at a disadvantage, definitely fight it!

I'm a music teacher. I had students last year who could barely read (3rd grade) and told me that they came to school only so they could go to our musical rehearsal after school. Your daughter may be one of those kids form whom music is her main reason for coming to school. She deserves to be in Chorus. Fight it!

 

[monsterkitty]

I am sooooo glad I teach in a school that puts the best interests of kids first! While we do require that students 3 or more years behind in reading, who are not in special ed or ELL, take a Literacy block, we do try to accomodate the wants and needs of the kids. If the child absolutely needs that Lit block but still wants band and choir, we will work it out. Maybe we do an alternate day thing where they go to band one day, choir the next, or even Lit one day and band the next.

Is this the best solution? Probably not but it does work for us and it lets the kids still get the help they need and the classes they want and excel at.

Fight hard and good luck!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My dd's "homework" this week is doing packets to prepare for the MAP test. The tests start on Monday.

 

[kamikazecat]

I am also a HS music teacher and I say fight this. One of the biggest honors a kid can receive in my music program is a 4 year band/choir award. This is a huge deal at my school and kids get a special medal to wear at graduation. I have had students give up being valedictorian/salutatorian honors to stay in band rather than take honors courses and give up a 4 year award.

It makes me sick when schools don't value their elective classes as important. Many times the elective classes are the reasons the kids come to school. I am sure your daughter will get plenty of test prep in her other classes.

Good luck and please keep us posted.