Adequate Yearly Progress

by Roxanna Elden

Her tone suggested she knew all she needed to about Lena’s hometown, some big city Up North where everyone was in a hurry and no one went to church.

This crowd spent too much time around teenagers to respond to demands for cheerfulness.

Accusing someone of defending the status quo in education was like accusing them of defending Goliath in the story of David and Goliath. It was a charge that had to be answered.

1. Don’t depend on a man. 2. Don’t ever, ever become a teacher. Also, added at this very moment: 3. “There is no way you are wearing those pants to school.”

This monologue had inspired vigorous head nodding from Mrs. Rawlins during the interview and had probably gotten her the job. Also, they really needed someone to work with low-level readers.

What Lena hadn’t anticipated, however, was the vast amount of explaining she’d have to do when she introduced . . . almost anything.

He shouldn’t have had to explain what a crow was, but he’d seen even the simplest concepts derail students’ understanding.

Hernan was glad he’d remembered to write the newest thing-to-write-on-the-board of the day. In its entirety.

What Kaytee never discussed, even with herself, was that she sometimes felt relieved when the morning bell rang and Yesenia’s seat remained empty. She’d caught herself thinking that Yesenia, when she did show up, used much of her potential to make Jonathan Rodriguez yell.

Soon2BDrJ @OpenUREyes101 @Back2Basix As a doctoral candidate who has researched cocreative processes, it is clear to me that both of your conjectures re: facts vs. thinking skills are based on limited pedagogical knowledge, as well as the assumption of a false dichotomy between evidentiary information and evaluation proficiency. #Stupid.

Watching one of her favorite activities become an instrument of torture made Lena’s soul feel . . . threadbare.