In the Best Interest of Students

When I was going through school counselor education 20 years ago and doing my internship, I dreamed big of what it meant to do what is in the best interest of students.As I have grown into my job, I have learned that others don't always dream the way I do.  I have an intern now and she is just like me in a lot of ways! She is a dreamer and I catch her saying some of the things I did way back then. The state board of education often has different ideas of what it means to do in the best interest of students- of utmost importance is raising test scores!! Why? I am not sure I have a good answer. I do know that my logical side knows that schools have to have some measure of accountability and there has to be standards and rules to ensure that students are being taught. I would like to see a mix of what the state wants with what most of us educators want.

Here is my dream list of "best interest of students":
1. Students would get to take elective classes (band, orchestra, choir, art, etc.) instead of having to replace them with 1 or 2 remediation classes.
2. Every kid would have at least one good friend.
3. Every mediation would end up with both kids liking each other.
4. Department of Child Services would protect every kid I was worried enough to call them about.
5. Middle school kids (especially girls) would have a good self-esteem and never resort to self-harm.
6. Kids would have a chance to be graded more on homework and projects than tests and quizzes.
7. We would have no attendance issues because kids would love to come to school every day.
8. Middle schoolers would get recess every day.

I am fortunate to work in a building where my administrators believe that counselors and teachers act in the best interest of students. Administrators also have to adhere to practices required by the state, and sometimes I don't doubt that they would like to follow their big dreams of making sure each kid enjoys their school experience by not having to always try to bring up test scores. As I sit in case conferences the school psychologists often emphasize that a student's IQ really does not change much over the years, so a student with a low IQ is always going to struggle. So why not let them have some fun elective classes along the way?

I just want to say, that it's OK to dream big for kids, because educators who do that will build relationships and make it fun for students even if they do have to "teach to the test."  I love the teachers and administrators in my building because they do exactly that. We have great morale among the teachers and we have lots of fun days for the kids. My dream now is that every school building would be like the one I work in!