The Writing Test

It's an anxious time at our house right now. The State Writing Test (mandatory for 4th, 7th and 10th graders) is tomorrow. My beautiful and normally laid back child's anxiety level is through the roof right now. Jacob is required to pass this stupid test since he is a 7th grader. He's been practicing quite a bit and even took some tutoring classes, but since his learning disability incorporates reading and writing this test is extremely difficult for him. We are praying earnestly that he will be able to complete this test and receive a passing score.

I heard a speech by Hillary Clinton this past Saturday. Normally I do not listen to campaign speeches. I truly detest politics, but I was doing some things in my kitchen and had the TV tuned to Fox News. She was campaigning in Texas, I believe. Anyways she started talking about education and what she wanted to do if elected. What caught my attention was the No Child Left Behind remarks. Her intentions are to dismantle this absurdly ridiculous program. She needn't say more. She's got my vote. I think the NCLB program is the most damaging program in our educational system. I don't disagree that our children and schools need safeguards in place to make sure we are educating them, but this program doesn't do that. What it does do is increase stress levels on kids, teachers, and parents to epic proportions. Every spring I watch my child experience various degrees of meltdowns (and I know for fact that he is not the only one) in order to survive testing season. If your child is in a gateway year, they learn basically nothing, but how to take a test that entire school year. Our educators are pushed to the limit in order to meet the lofty goals set up by the state. I have no idea what her other ideas are -- universal healthcare, college tuitions, foreign policies -- who knows? All I heard is what I've been waiting to hear for years -- someone finally willing to change something I personally care about.

Lord, I so pray for calm heads to prevail in order for Jacob to pass this test. I pray for his ability to concentrate and his ability to get his thoughts onto the paper. And, I pray that as in the past he will be able to say -- Jesus take the pencil!