A Smart, Smart School

The next time your school administration or the parent community laments the lack of standardized tests, you have the perfect gift for them in “𝗔 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹”.

Under the leadership of Mr. Keene, the school was a fine, fine school with fine students and fine teachers. Students drew and painted and read and sang. One day, Mr. Keene’s appendix burst and he had to be rushed to the hospital. In comes Mr. Tatters, a staunch believer of tests, with the ambition of turning the school into a smart, smart school. Changes in school policy led to a plethora of tests, and tests all days of the week, until they reached a point where students had no more answers and teachers were too tired of grading. They limped back home at the end of the day. When teachers and students could not take it anymore, they went to meet Mr. Keene at the hospital. Finally, Mr. Keene returned and out went Mr. Tatters. Students drew and painted and wrote poems and sang once again and the school became a smart, smart school in the true sense of the word!

Are tests that important? Is learning to score well for a test more important than learning to satisfy your curiosity? This is a thought-provoking read-aloud for students, as well as during coffee mornings or parent information nights to rehash the message of learning over tests.