My students have been taking standardized tests since March 1st. and will take the last one tomorrow. Each day there is a different subject area test administered first thing in the morning. The daily teaching schedule is altered, and we have shortened class periods. On top of that, the weather has not cooperated, and we have had indoor recesses all week. I can’t wait to be able to say TGIF!

This week is exhausting for the students who are taking the tests and the teachers who are administering them. My 7th graders are used to having 20-25 minutes to get outside and get some fresh air before they go to lunch. The boys usually spend that time burning off some pent-up energy by playing basketball or football. Needless to say, the energy level is VERY HIGH this week with no place to let off some steam. The boys have taken to making paper airplanes – some sophisticated ones – from our classroom stash of looseleaf and colored paper. Some of my colleagues are surprised to see paper airplanes flying every which way when they walk past my classroom. I am not usually one for chaos, but this was controlled chaos.

Time is a thief, and these middle-schoolers are already growing up too quickly. If I can give them some time to just be kids and use their creativity and laugh – a lot – then why not? As long as the planes get put back in the “hangars” when it’s time to get to work, these student “pilots” have my blessing.

When I hear words like aerodynamics, float, lift, speed, and balance flying around the room alongside the airplanes, I know there is learning going on. When I see one of my airplane “engineers” going back to the supplies to make changes to their glider designs or completely start over, I know there is learning going on. I don’t need a standardized test to prove that to me.