What else could you have done?

 

Test scores are back. Here in Florida we have officially entered into "What else could you have done?" season for teachers. For you non-teachers out there, this is the time of year that you hold classroom teachers responsible for all of the woes of the world. You hold up the test score of a random student and ask them why the student didn't meet the arbitrary standard set forth by the state. Most often teachers will have an explanation, after all we spend a lot of time with these kids. Most often that explanation involves things that are out of our control. Invariably we are asked the question, "What else could you have done?" 

Don't misunderstand me. I understand that in many business situations this is a very valid question. But in education it is more of an accusation. If every student didn't meet the standard then it has to be your fault. You must have not done enough. You must not have done enough to close the gap, or build the plane while you are flying it, or develop grit (all my teacher peeps get it). 

This one little loaded question can have grave consequences. For a new teacher it can make them feel insecure, and uncertain. For the teacher that is barely holding on it can be the final straw that makes them change their career. And for a great many teachers, this question will cause them to become disenfranchised with the educational system. They will feel like there is nothing that they can do that is good enough. They will lose their passion. These educators might leave the profession, but a more frightening outcome is that they will not. They will remain in their position, apathetic until they retire. 

What else could you have done? The real answer is that we do not know. If we knew, we would done that thing. We did all the things we knew. Why can't that be enough?