Graduation Speech High School Diplomas - 1106 Words

â€Å"I had been enrolled in a math resource classes from the ninth grade, and was instructed at a slightly lower grade level than my classmates. Despite this, I was repeatedly administered the TCAP on a higher grade level than the one at which I was taught. As a result, I was unable to pass the math section by the end of the senior year† (page 73). The TCAP exams selected to be given to Latricia were incorrect, she was required to take the same exam multiple times, however, they were at a higher grade level than the one she was enrolled in. â€Å"According to the Tennessee Department of Education Annual Statistical Reports, between 1995 and 2007, a total of 32, 233 students statewide were denied standard high school diplomas and given special†¦show more content†¦As an educator, the goal should be to guide students to success and helping educate them of their rights. In some cases, it’s also helping to guide them to obtain the proper accommodations needed in a timely manner. New teachers must also take into account students social and emotional well being, this is a topic that is often brushed off and disregarded. School should also be a place where students have opportunities to interact with peers and acquire positive social skills. A place where students learn how to deal with a variety of emotions throughout the day. Felipa Gaudent shared her story in, Alligator-Crocodile, where she talked about how standardized tests are also affecting the expectations of what young students in kindergarten should be learning and retaining information. â€Å"As result, many kindergartners now spend the majority of their time completing meaningless worksheets that their teachers hope will improve their academic performance† (page 105). At Felipa Gaudet’s school the principal decided not to place all the school’s focus on testing, allowing Felipa to still have freedom in her classroom to work with real needs of her students, such as social and emo tional wellbeing. â€Å"Studies of preschool and kindergarten-aged children indicate that social and emotional skills are better predictors of success and satisfaction in later life than are academic skills† (page 110). In this story the principal and the teacher