Trauthwein says...STAAR season is here…so what!

As the calendar changes from March to April, and the painful memories of Dez’s “catch” give way to Spring Training and the hope of a healthy season for the Rangers, we in the education world finally accept the fact that STAAR is HERE! There’s no escaping it…there’s no more, “Oh, that’s okay, we still have (blank) months until STAAR.” It’s the time of year where teachers lay awake at night hopelessly counting number 2 pencils in their head wishing nothing more for just one more month, or week, or day, or hour, or minute, or even second to make a difference. Well, to steal a quote from the great Aaron Rodgers (you see how it tied back into the Dez catch?), “R-E-L-A-X.”

Friends, we’ve worked our rumps off since day 1 and we’ll continue to work them off until day 180 because that’s who we are! Take solace in the fact that WE have all done our part to make a difference in our students’ lives this school year. No matter who or what these kids were on August 25^th, I can guarantee that each and every one of them is better today. And they’ll be better tomorrow, and the next day, and the next. My point is, yes, it’s STAAR, and yes, it’s important, BUT it’s NOT everything!

When I think back to my years of schooling, my first memory is not of the SAT or any other standardized test, but it’s about the relationships I had with my classmates, teachers, coaches, and administrators. I don’t remember what grades I got in the 3^rd grade, but I’ll always remember the time I sat on our class sink, and being the “husky” child that I was, snapped it clear off the wall! Yes, kids will be kids and they all laughed at me, but you know who didn’t? Mrs. Hencher, my teacher. Even though I was a fool to think that sink would hold my weight, Mrs. Hencher helped me dry off, assured me that it was no big deal (even though it totally was!), and even walked me down to the nurse so I could change my now soaked clothes. At that moment, she didn’t care what type of student I was, she was only concerned about my well-being as a person and for me to not feel like I was an outsider in our classroom community. From that moment forward, there wasn’t anything I wouldn’t do for Mrs. Hencher and there wasn’t anything she could challenge me with that I wouldn’t accept and give 100% effort on!

I’m not saying that STAAR isn’t important because it definitely is and definitely has its place in the educational hierarchy, but remember, it’s two days. If we do our part and truly inspire and motivate and love these children the other 178, those other days typically take care of themselves! So I challenge you with this: “What will your students say and remember about you in 25 years?”