Teachers thought to be role models in society are, of course, not supposed to lie, but it was the one that was harmless and did not deceive. She wanted to shield the emotions of the students. Being so young, they are not supposed to have eyes full of dread and fear just because it is state testing day. It was the least favorite day for all the students. It is not their fault, as the state expects them to get over it, but even the state does not know how.
She saw how students so full of life with shiny faces were entering the classroom with empty eyes, and the shaking legs and zoning out demonstrated how nervous they were. Being sarcastic and adding humor, the teacher told them it was her favorite day of the year. Why? Because the smell of freshly printed notebooks was her favorite. By singing a Christmas song that says it’s the most wonderful time of the year, she tried to make the students feel comfortable and relaxed. It was an assurance for the students that everything really would end up fine!
But deep inside, she knew the battles inside their head and hearts. The worst battles are the battles in which most humans end up losing. Especially for the students who were new in the school, spoke different languages, were suffering from a disability, or were not well-off financially, it was an extra burden. It does make sense, as the tests were only made for a specific group of people who were doing well in all areas and were satisfied with life at school and in general. The other ones were not even kept in mind.
Take the example of one math question that looks very easy and fun to solve, but has paragraphs like the kids are studying an English literature course, and dense vocabulary that half of the kids don’t even understand. Even she, being a teacher and having a degree, struggles with understanding the language. How can they expect kids who are supposed to experience life and the beauty it holds to go through so much frustration and not turn into adults with anxiety?
Who would think of the students who learn differently? While some are geniuses at handling mathematical problems, others can grasp theoretical concepts too well. Even if a student grows up solving these tests, is it still worth it?
While she took the test, a student broke down. It was heartbreaking for the teacher to see a little girl cry over not doing well at a test. She told her how she did her best but couldn’t do well and feared her family would be ashamed.
The burdens get way too heavy for these ten-year-old children, and these metrics are not for them. To get the multi-million-dollar contracts, the state is destroying generations! Although the teacher hates how the system speaks, she returns every year because she knows she might help a little human carry a considerable burden.
So, she lied to protect, and she knows what to do next, too. Once the test is over, no matter the score, she will ensure each student knows how proud they have made them! This is all that matters.
