what data doesn't show

Yesterday was a teacher workday.  As a student, I never really understood the purpose.  Isn't every school day a workday for teachers?  Oh, but I was clueless.  They are so needed.

So I went in yesterday after getting some minis from the Christian Chicken (Chick-Fil-A), arriving around my normal time but feeling so much more relaxed.  We recently finished units in my science and math classes, and I had one last set of tests to grade before our faculty meeting at 8:30.  I graded a few and was pleasantly surprised how well my kids were doing.  I know they can do the work, yet many of them, for reasons I'm still figuring out, just often won't.  So I'm grading to Vitamin String Quartet, and one of my pumpkins- who has a learning disability in math- made a 110%.  100%, and not only did he try every last one of the bonus questions, he got all 5 of them right.  I literally teared up.  This kid.  Geez.  As many times as I have paced that classroom, as many activities as we have done on the SMARTBoard, as many task cards and learning stations as I have set up, as many times as we kicked it old school with just a pencil and paper, as many times as I have stood on a chair while singing and dancing the Order of Operations (seriously, my principal has video), as many times as none of it seemed to matter...it does matter.  It matters because he is getting it.  My work matters.  Do you know how incredible that is, when your work matters?  I hope you do, friends.  I hope you do.  I shared his score with teammates and colleagues, and we celebrated all the way down to the faculty meeting.  I even Instagrammed that 110%- I'm so stinkin' proud of this kid.

Faculty meeting was business as usual- safety updates, policy reminders, etc.  We looked at benchmark data- celebrated some and looked for ways to improve all.  And then news of school report cards that are coming soon.  The long and short:  teachers and schools are being 'graded' based on student achievement on standardized testing.  Teacher scores are based on student growth.  School grades are based a little on growth but a lot on proficiency (read:  grade level on standardized tests).

Please hear me clearly:  I have no problem with accountability.  Good teachers are not afraid of being held accountable for what we do all day.  We should be showing a year's worth of growth for a year's worth of school.  I'm totally on board, in theory.  But I live it daily.  And because I live it daily, I must tell you what data does and does not show.
This set of data does not show that he has already, in January, shown over a year's worth of growth- 3.6 (3rd grade, 6th month)-5.2 (5th grade, 2nd month).  This data will show that 5th grade, 2nd month is not proficient in 6th grade.  This data does not show that 110%.  It doesn't show my teaching strategies, and it doesn't show how this student has responded and grown.  This particular set of data will show 'not proficient'.  Period.  
And that's a crying shame.

By the time I got home that afternoon, I was feeling quite discouraged.  After my spirits were so high- my work matters!-, they were dashed.  I was feeling down when I felt led to read a weekly blog that I usually read on Mondays.  I usually read on Mondays, but I just felt like I couldn't until today.  I know- weird.  It's a blog written by my friend Jennifer Smith of Create In Us ministries, and you can view her blog here.  This particular blog is about knowing your worth.  Knowing the worth of God's work- His work is YOU!!  When work matters, it changes things.

It's disheartening when you pour your heart and soul into it, and someone still can't see the worth of your work.  It can be anywhere from outright insulting to just being overlooked.  We've all been there.  Your children don't seem to notice the meal you've prepared.  A colleague doesn't notice something you worked hard on to help them.  Your spouse doesn't notice when you picked up an extra chore.  A grade you've earned or the feedback you receive doesn't reflect the time you put into a project.  You've worked your tail off and someone else is recognized while you are seemingly overlooked.

But you're not overlooked, friend.  Not in the least.  Not in any of the above situations, not in any other circumstance.  You're seen.  More than seen, you are valued.  Do you hear me?  When it feels like someone can't see the worth of your work, there is Someone who sees.

More than the worth of your work, can you see the worth of His?  Because the fact of the matter is, your worth is more than that of your work.  Your worth is more than that of your work, because You are His work.  His work.  Just as yours is to you, Jesus' work is precious to Him.  His work matters.  You matter.

Praying you might know the worth of His work this week,
Kayla