Yeah but...

Imagine that a business has a new employee come in and he/she is highly effective in their work.  Not only are they dedicated to the job, but also show an immediate affinity.  In addition, colleagues and co-workers enjoy having him or her around and the overall performance is just outstanding.  In addition, the bottom line of the company begins to experience positive results.  Now imagine - at the end of the quarter the CEO steps forward and says "Yes, this new employee is doing everything right.  We all love working with him/her and our profits have increased.  How ever, I am sad to say that he/she has not passed a specific test and therefore can no longer remain here as an employee.

Now imagine that a new substitute teacher arrives at your child's school.  That teacher is effective immediately and has an instantaneous rapport with the students.  In fact, if one was to interview the students they would all say (without hesitation) "We want him/her to be our teacher!"  The children go home and talk to their parents about this teacher with high regard.  When the teacher walks down the hall students come up to him/her and say things like "I learned more from you today than I have all year" or "You should be our teacher" or "You're the best teacher I've ever had".  Despite all of this, the principal of the school - as well as the local board of education, and even the state all say "I'm sorry, but the teacher has to pass a test in order to teach."

This is my life.  My intelligence lies in the ability to get in front of a roomful of kids and teach them better than any teacher they have ever had in their entire lives.  The problem is - I can't pass a test.  I know my subject matter mind you, and can teach it better than anyone.  For some reason - and I don't know why - my intelligence has never been able to transfer over to a test.  You want to talk about Epicurus and the impact he had on the evolution of modern western thought?  I can talk about it, teach it - AND make it interesting.  Want to talk about blues guitar player Robert Johnson and the impact he had on the evolution of American music?  I can talk about it, teach it - AND make it interesting.  Want to talk about why music - in this day and age of sensory based disabilities as well as lack of overall physical movement - should be taught kinesthetically as well as artistically and emotionally?  I can do it AND teach it that way as well.

The point of this rant is that - despite having years of varied teaching experience as well as three years of study at the best music conservatory in the world (Juilliard) as well as almost ten years of professional performance experience as well as kids of all ages walking up to me in the hallway and saying things like "That's the best class I've ever had in my life" - the state is telling me I can't teach.

Teaching is an art form and in many cases the ability as well as intelligence to master an art form lies above and beyond what any question on a fucking test can tell you.

Sorry - but I had to get this off my chest.