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Thursday, April 26, 2018

POEM #26- Proficient






"Proficient"

four kids
all proficient readers
according to the state test

case study #1
he greets me with a polite, "hello, miss"
then hunkers down 
sideways in his seat
always has a book
always has a next book in mind
regularly reads 30-45 minutes without looking up
doesn't mind chatting with me but
shy about presenting books to peers
completed book log is turned in every week

case study #2
he saunters into class
five minutes late
chooses two or three picture books
bumps noisily against several desks
settles with a few noisy thumps and jostles
chomps gum as he opens book
fingers brush against phone
eyes rove constantly
flips a page
when he sees me watching

case study #3
she flings the locker wide
gestures at the top shelf
five thick library books
stacked spine out
i am reading, she says.
why do i have to fill out a reading log to prove it?


case study #4
identified as gifted
brilliant writer and thinker
high proficient, almost advanced on state tests
reads only if Diary of a Wimpy Kid is available
otherwise, stares blankly into space
or doodles on scratch paper

four kids
all proficient readers

not in my book

(C) Carol Wilcox, 2018

2 comments:

Mary Lee said...

Seems like a couple of them are merely proficient test-takers...

LOVE that ending!

Glenda Funk said...

Amen! I totally agree w/ you and love the way you personalize the generic "proficient readers." I hate standardized tests.