I received a letter from a veteran teacher who recognized herself as my teacher Mrs. Ratliff, whom I wrote about in chapter 9 of my recent book The Death and Life of the Great American School System. When I read about all the schemes to measure the worth of students by the test scores of their students, I thought about Mrs. Ratliff, who was both my homeroom teacher and my literature teacher. She had high standards, she was no-nonsense, she demanded the best of her students, and students lined up to get into her classes. I wondered if there would be more Mrs. Ratliffs, in light of the new demand that everything and everyone be measured by standardized tests. Mrs. Ratliff didn’t give any standardized tests. I wondered what she would think of the autocratic, mindless new world in which we live now.
Beverly Hart wrote (and I post here with her permission):
Dear Diane:
I was reading your latest book and came to the chapter “What Would Mrs. Ratliff Do?” The more I read about her, the more I realized that I was reading about myself! I was stunned to see the parallels: I teach high school English (and U.S. History), I insist on accuracy in students’ writing (do it over until you get it right), I wield a hefty red pen, I am stingy with A’s (you really have to earn an A, none of this grade inflation), and I love teaching the great writers and thinkers. (For many years I also taught Latin until, unfortunately, it died out.)
I am in my 45th year of teaching at the same small rural high school in central Illinois and am teaching children of my former students. I believe passionately in the value of a strong public education system, and I am troubled when bureaucrats who really know nothing about teaching proscribe from on high and reduce the art and science of teaching to standardized test scores that are based on many untenable assumptions. I feel like an anachronism as I try to uphold standards of excellence in a world of mediocrity.
I know why I have continued to teach for these many years—it’s all about my students. I get positive feedback from former students who have gone on to success in higher education and in careers. “Thank you, Mrs. Hart, for teaching me how to write” is an oft-heard comment. I also have my current students evaluate my classes anonymously. Recently my American Studies students (a double period class that integrates American literature and U.S. History) evaluated how the class was going so far after the first 9 week grading period. “I love this class” appeared on several papers. “You can definitely tell you enjoy teaching this class” wrote one student. “You really know your stuff. I’m excited to have a teacher who loves history so much” wrote another. “I appreciate your passion in this class. I come in here every day, and I learn” stated another student. I have a whole file bulging with student evaluations, but one comment has really stuck with me: “A very good teacher, the kind of teacher that makes it worth coming to school.” No standardized test can ever measure the impact of the Mrs. Ratliffs of the world.
For 14 years I served on the Board of Education in my home district and am now also an assistant principal with a focus on curriculum and professional development (in addition to a full teaching load). I certainly give the taxpayers their money’s worth. When students attempt to dissuade me from giving them an assignment, I remind them that I have to give them their money’s worth. Groans and the rolling of eyes follow this lecture about no free lunch.
Well, I have rambled on, and now it is time to close. I admire your taking a stand and speaking out on the state of public education in this country. I remain a strong advocate of a quality public education system that has made this country great.
Sincerely,
Beverly Hart
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Love this woman! Can we put her in a natural history museum? Education reform may have made her the last of her kind.
Your 2nd paragraph says it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The first sentence of the second paragraph says it all…”I am in my 45th year of teaching at the same small rural high school”. What other company can say that about the majority of their employees. An employee who has been with one company/job for 45 years and is still passionate about the job? I can’t think of too many, in fact I can’t think of one. This is a job people go into be cause they have a passion for it and what a shame so many (or should I say the few) want to take that job away from them. )-;
Great letter and this teacher/admin knows the truth of teaching. You have to have a passion for it. Through this passion students know and feel how much teacher’s care about education. I remember my high school English teacher, I don’t remember her name but I do remember how excited she was about teaching English which in turn made me interested in what she was teaching. You can’t get that type of passion by testing and teaching to the test. To all you passionate educators, you rock!
I had a teacher like this, in college actually. I never got better than a C from her and I knew I wouldn’t but I kept taking her classes in grammar, writing and literature because I knew I was learning a lot. Evelyn Baer, at Thiel College. I saw her recently at a reunion and she’s still sharp as a tack 40 years later. The moral of my story? Grades mean nothing – it’s the learning that counts.
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/16651-noam-chomsky-on-democracy-and-education-in-the-21st-century-and-beyond
NOAM CHOMSKY is often interviewed in Truth-Out.org Chomsky also takes a stand against testing and many other “dumbing down” techniques imposed in 21st Century Education.
I recently evaluated a young teacher at my school who is talented, has high standards for her students, and integrates engaging, high quality activities into her lessons. When the scores on the state test came in her students scored at about the 50% range. She was devastated. What went wrong? She didn’t teach to the test. She didn’t prepare them for four days of sitting for hours to take a multiple choice test. I tried to encourage her not to give up on her teaching style. We talked about figuring out a way to balance it with activities that require more sustained effort and work in some test taking strategies. We talked about how difficult it can be teaching these high poverty kids. Also, the PARCC test is around the corner and no one knows yet what it really will require. How I yearn for the good ole days when a teacher like her could shine. When education policy was in the hands of real educators, not hedge fund managers and corporate CEOs. When teachers like Mrs.Hart were respected for their knowledge and expertise. I hope my young teacher will survive and find her confidence. She is the kind of teacher I would want teaching my own children. Damn those standardized tests!
Scary that so many of the new teachers these days base their self-worth/teaching ability on less-than-valid test scores. Even scarier is when admins do it….
Maybe you are unfamiliar with my state of Louisiana, but here it is our state legislature that has mandated that teacher’s job performance is tied to test scores (VAM). It’s not my choice, it’s their law. I am a strong advocate for my teachers, and have been to our Capitol to speak against the unfair laws that harm teachers and students. It guess its easy to be an armchair quarterback when you haven’t ever held a football…
Bridget, are you hiring?…I think we need to clone you as an administrator here in Louisiana. We need you and more just like you. Thanks for all that you say and do.☺ It’s an inspiration and gives me renewed hope. We must not lose our hope as educators.
ummm… “small rural” – the school is probably under enrolled – maybe it should be closed and Chartered out? can’t have rural kids with the … the … the … ya know.
Diane: I know it’s not exactly on topic, but I couldn’t figure out how else to send this to you. I just ran across an exceptional article by a student in the Huffington Post. Not always a friend to teachers, I know, but THIS young man is!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/luis-ruuska/jeff-bliss-rant_b_3253307.html
Thanks for everything you do!
Thank you, Ms. Hart, for giving us all the gift of what Diane Ravitch learned from you.
Long live Mrs. Hart.
My senior English teacher sounds a lot like Mrs. Ratliff; only mine was Mrs. Vass. We wrote “in-class themes” on assigned novels and I was extremely happy to earn a C. The highest grade I ever received on a writing assignment was a B (and 12 minuses); I was ecstatic! No one misbehaved in Mrs. Vass’ class; she demanded respect and she got it. She was intent in preparing us for college, and she did a wonderful job. I never had a college English class as tough as my senior English class. I can’t imagine what I would have missed if a chunk of that year had been taken up with standardized test after standardized test. I will be forever thankful to Mrs. Vass for making me write all those in-class themes and research papers. No standardized test could have effectively evaluated the knowledge I gained in that one year.