I Was the Valedictorian
I was the high school valedictorian, and all of my A's made everyone proud.
I knew how to play the game. I brought in a box of tissues for extra credit. I paid attention to what was going to be "on the test." I conferenced with my teachers regularly, and I did just what they wanted. What I didn't do was learn very much.
My high school chemistry teacher invited us to a special breakfast before every test so that he could "help" by prepping us on the questions. On my first college chemistry exam, my score was 50 percent. College freshmen were expected to actually understand and apply the concepts. I quickly changed my major from biology to business.
Our teacher in U.S. History gave my high school class the test the day before so we could "review." My friends and I would look up the answers to the multiple-choice questions and memorize them. For 24 hours "a, b, c, b, d, e, e, a, b, c," was our litany to the history gods. At a workshop 20 years later, I was embarrassed to realize that I didn't know the purpose of the Gettysburg Address.
In French, we conjugated verbs. I memorized all the fruits and vegetables, and the words for buildings in a city, and I could order food. What I could not do was communicate, even after two and one-half years of classes. I couldn't speak, listen, read or write anything in French.
Now, I teach French and Spanish. My career is dedicated to changing the experience of students in FWPS world language classes. Our standards for world languages are nationally aligned, and they are clear — communication, culture, connections, comparisons and communities.
We spend a lot of time on communication. From the second week, French immersion students are speaking French every day of class. Long before they learn to read or write the language, they are truly communicating in French. Throughout the year, they are also learning about culture, connections, comparisons and communities — standards that were often overlooked in the past — creating an outstanding world languages experience in FWPS.
With SBE, success in our district is no longer about figuring out the game. Students are evaluated based on demonstration of what they have learned, and grades accurately reflect a student's knowledge. This means that our students, Valedictorian or not, will be better prepared for college and careers than I was, despite all of my A's.
Meghan Schumacher
French and Spanish Teacher, Federal Way High School
World Languages Department Head
National Board Certified Teacher: World Languages Other Than English
Posted: November 9, 2011