I’ve started a new Facebook page called Teachers Speak Up on Testing. This one is designed specifically to gather teachers’ and others’ thoughts on the standardized testing that is being expanded so widely across the country. How is it working or not working in your school? What aspects of teaching and learning do the tests measure — or not measure? How is it affecting teaching? And if you’re a teacher, please visit the site, become a friend, and share a story to describe some powerful learning that would be taking place in your classroom if your kids weren’t prepping for or taking a test.

The proliferation of ill-considered tests has grown so painful and counterproductive for students, teachers — and now parents — across the country that we can no longer ignore it here. But we invite teachers to not only share their experience and analysis of tests in their area, but also to tell the positive stories of learning in their classrooms that goes beyond the tests — or that could happen more often if the tests did not take up so much time and resource. We hope you’ll share your stories and your thoughts on our new “Teachers Speak Up on Testing” Facebook page.