Not on the Test

[majormana1]

came home in 4th and 2nd grade and said we just had our last music class and no art this year.

[littlesongbird1]

@majormana1 That sticks! I loved my art teacher, may she rest in peace and our music teachers were awesome. You know, check out a community center or the YMCA. They may have a program or two you can enroll your children in.

[majormana1]

this song is so right its scary. im 26 oldest of many sibs the youngest is 4. i live in indaina but sibs are in illinois where pre k is required now wich is ridiclous. in kindergaten when i was in it you learned numbers, alphabet and manners we played rest of time i was a litle bored. now they want 3 yr olds to read and write. 3rd graders learning math i didnt see till jr high. 2nd graders learning geogrophy. art and music use to be big deal they arent i remember when sibs now 17 and almost 16

[lelenina2]

I always get taught everything that is not on the test, and when the test comes, I still somehow manage to whip out those 100%'s. My secret is to eat Smarties right before taking it.

[trferguson22]

teachers at my school work their tails off...even outside of school hours, which most people don't know. How many people do you know that work off the clock?

[hmacw]

@trferguson22 That's not the point of this. The song says nothing about how hard they work; it's about the educational system as a whole, specifically testing. Something which largely is out of the control of most teachers.

[ruth8826]

Very relevant and appropriate for what is going on in education today. I live in the Atlanta metro area and I have seen firsthand the effects of focusing on the test. The big cheating scandal in APS schools were driven by "the test". Everything in schools is driven by the test. I encourage teachers to teach the students to be lifelong readers not to score the minimum on the GA CRCT reading test.

[mikdemps]

Harry we miss you.

[glasscitadel12]

Just stopped by to say that i love "It's Not On The Test"!! The Chapin Brothers!!!!

[bobeagle007]

A little bit creepy..too many little kids about...he's probably a good man and stuff but  it made me feel a little bit uncomfortable.

it would have been better if a woman sang the song..

[hmacw]

@bobeagle007 No. It wouldn't have been. It's sad that you, and so many others, can't look at something as innocent as this and find it "uncomfortable" and "creepy".

Mostly because the abuse of children has caused this mindset.

[bobeagle007]

@hmacw ..Aww don't feel sad..It's just my opinion.

[abcwritestartread]

If we teach our kids properly how to read, write and spell, they are up to any challenge. I have ALWAYS resisted the tendency to focus all my teaching energies on "The TEST", yet in teaching my kids lots of disciplines, they have always scored well on "The Test". Unfortunately, supervisors (who often have NEVER taught successfully!) and teachers are succombing to the pressure. Good curriculum choices like Saxon Math and Sing, Spell, Read & Write make testing a snap. LOVE this song ! xo

[Gawaine687]

good song! clever how he starts it off as a simple kids song and that is how it is framed, but it evolves into a commentary that we as older people can appreciate!

[brownlow4lyf]

..and I was in a school that had a large focus on creative and performing arts (compared to most others) & can easily see how true this song really is. Because a "large" focus is now hardly one at all.. because it's not in the test.

[brownlow4lyf]

Seriously fucking glad to be out of primary & secondary education system now.. I feel sorry for, and am concerned, about all those who have yet to finish. Especially because it's just getting worse and worse.

This song is so incredibly true.

[LHZZ12MM]

"Debate is a skill that is useful to know, unless you're in congress or talk radio; where shouting and spouting and spewing are blessed..'cause rational discourse was not on the test"

Ironic how Chapin who is a liberal Democrat includes these lyrics. Perhaps he is of the REAL old school Democrats who believe in these things (like all Americans do), not the radicals who've taken over schools and government the past 40 years who canned civics from the education system. Let's get back to basics.

[emrauscher]

Funny, but unfortunately, very true.

[bryankia]

Well said

[kyletop1]

An excellent song! 

[faavil]

what blows my mind, is that here in Australia we are fast approaching this type of education and our administrators haven't got the intellegence to look at other countries and ask, "is it working?"

[abmez1]

@faavil

our administrators are not educators- thats the problem.

[brownlow4lyf]

@faavil Fast approaching? It's already happened in Australia. It's just a matter of how much worse it's going to get as the national curriculum and other measures are created and implemented.

[gsloop]

Next two weeks are for testing. Just helping the students and teachers relax.

[reasonandcommonsense]

This is exactly where we're headed. No funding for a well rounded education. The only thing that will matter is a score on a state standardized test. Stop Florida Senate Bill 6. Save our public schools!

[VocalMusicFreak]

@reasonandcommonsense

It's where we're headed? Honey, we're here all ready.

[TheApplesauce8U]

THIS IS AMAZING.

[ajo101]

The last lyric is scary but true. :S

[rhalas]

Hahaha, beautiful!

[Leyvegetayable]

Tom you were my childhood

[toocoo4ggg]

i hated music and art im so glad im in high school now so i won't have to take that shit anymore it's so FUCKING boring

[vampireninja97]

Wow you must have a gray life then.

[tonowicz1]

hahaha, I've got a job in the factory if you need it. No imagination required.

[jimmyd692]

toocoo4ggg,

Thanks man! You've perfectly illustrated the point of this song...

[jtlockman59]

I love this one. much more powerful that 'you can't spell smart without art'.

Also, he looks like John Lithgow.

[crichins16]

This song describes how I feel about NCLB. I am sure glad I was homeschooled... I hate it when my teachers (before I was homeschooled) would teach to the test.

[kdctjohnson1]

With No Child Left Behind (NCLB) this is how we often feel. Poor kids!

[TheArtseducator]

This is spot on! Who do I contact to get copyright permission for an educational video I am developing in South Australia? It will be for educational purposes and non profit?

[MW277j]

And you salamone95 are the product of teaching for the test.

[Thunder0013]

I wonder if you even know what the song is about...hmm...most likely not...

[HeadlineVideo]

Great song! Not so great situation with our schools.

[kittsandco]

love the song... kind of sums up a big part of why we homeschool! never, ever, teach to the test!!!

[acpren]

catchy song. Enjoyed this video

[xOhsm2loverOx]

this literally sums up exactly how i am feeling in school! genius whoever made this video! i am in love!

[formerwolf]

Think this should be shown to teachers giving SOL tests to help reduce stress.

[psychoticblackcat]

Wow/ I know that they say not to teach to the test...but there really is a problem in this country. We need arts and science...and critical thinking...how do other countries find the balance for great test scores and still have arts...maybe we should be looking at their methodologies to find the balance...instead of just giving test after test...

[mrspectormusic]

I have not heard of any other country that emphasizes standardized testing to anywhere near the degree done in the United States. And yes, there is more arts education in other countries, as they value its importance. For those very reasons students learn more in other countries. Arts are important to brain development. "Teaching to the test" is all that is done in American schools today, just like in that song! That really squelches critical thinking and creativity!

[ackermanforhouse]

I'm a teacher in Florida, where the FCAT rules each year up to the March test date. I love these lyrics, and will be using it (with permission, of course) in some presentations that I will be giving soon to groups of parents here in the Orlando area. It hits home, and Tom has done a great job with the video too.

[krzykitty]

You see...we LOVE to teach! But children are really missing out on a well rounded education because of these ignorant tests!!

[krzykitty]

As a teacher myself...THIS VIDEO IS SOOO TRUE.

We are ALL sick of NCLB....!!!!!!!

[Boriskasparov]

Judging on the quality of the music u do need arts education in school!!

[ligyro]

the white girl at 1:02 is in my class. your so hot rachelle i love you lol

[legomastahp]

creeper.

[nomphrons]

I'm in this video im the blonde haired kid at 0:56 no joke I know everyone in there!

[ligyro]

then why does your profile say you're 28 huh nigga?

[legomastahp]

fuck you little asshole thats my goddamned brother so shut the fuck up and let my damned bro say however old he is so back off fucking asshole! go fuck a goddamned doornob! ignore the thumb, ring, index, and pinky finger I'm holding up asshole.

[lublyannaline]

com on man

that's my 10 year old brother you said that to. Not cool, just watch the video.

[legomastahp]

I know all the kids in that vid hahahahahahhahahahahaha

[bocataz]

Interesting lyrics.

[mklempner]

An important song that needs to be seen as widely as possible.

[pegget76]

beautiful!

[biglevo]

This song is the best thing I've heard for a long time

[lyoung50]

As a retired teacher married to the retired program administrator for the first NCLB Standards test for the state of Arizona, I LOVED this video!

One of the reasons why, if I was starting a career now, I likely would choose a different field.

[lyoung50]

As a retired teacher who is married to the retired project administrator for the first NCLB state standards test in Arizona, I absolutely loved this!!

One of the reasons why, if I were starting a career now, I would choose a different field.

[Chillaxes]

i like this song! 5/5

[ultrahedgehog]

I am a student, and I must say, this song is intensely- and extremely unfortunately- true.

[aimster1015]

I saw this video first yesterday at an All Arts meeting for Wake County, NC.

I have a great appreciation for this song! I'm an elementary art teacher, so I agree strongly with the message of this song.

Thanks Tom!

[Jehu10]

Tom,  If you happen to read this, would you post your video of "A study's about to Begin"? I have the DVD (Bought it for the song,"Flowers are red"). I'd really like to refer some city (small town) council members to the video !!!!

[Pujc]

ez kuravicces!

[timwarneka]

Hooray for Tom and John! :-)

[dhwlf]

I've been teaching 25 years, public and private. Testing, in any form will NEVER weed out bad teachers, just as it will never develope critical thinking skills. Some teachers, myself being one, teach what IS on the test and how to think...you CAN to it simultaneously. It's called CREATIVITY, something some teachers never had/have/will have. Come on guys, teach the test and more....you really can do it. BE A TEACHER, take a challenge! I love teaching and no government program will stop me!

[sdingledine]

Hi, I like your comments....I'm new, but realizing that all this complaining about the test is not going to change the fact that you have to do both...teach to the test and how to think, solve problems, etc., etc. What are some of your creative examples of finding the balance?

[bopeuph]

@dhwlf

I definitely agree with you here, but some of the "unimportant" teachers (arts, sports, etc.) are losing their jobs because their subjects are not on the test. This is where some of us have major problems.

[bubba2barbie]

@dhwlf Harry Chapin's song, "Flowers are Red" is good too. I think it is on the Living Room Suite album. It's about a kid in 1st grade who paints his flowers different colors and the teacher insists flowers are always red. Tag line from the kid after this "Flowers are red. I don't see flowers any other way than they always have been seen"

[corpakneazle]

@dhwlf Yeah, except a lot of the time teachers aren't allowed to teach anything outside of standards, and they aren't allowed creativity and are told only to follow inefficient guides and nothing else. And it's not like their time is limitless.

[Tamalpaisproductions]

@corpakneazle I have heard many examples of what you are talking about recently. It is particularly hard for young teachers with fewer experiences of incorporating academic material into creative formats. They are more susceptible to an administrator's admonitions to stay "on task". There are fewer mentors. In 1987 more teachers were in their 15th year of teaching than any other year. In 2007, our schools had more first-year teachers than any other kind! Huge numbers leave after 3 years.

[TheBlazingBrain]

@dhwlf Before you start getting creative, you might want to brush up on your English.

[jasobres]

I miss Tom's mustache.

[teachtolerance]

This is going to be the opener for our next staff meeting...I laughed and cried...so ridiculous...

[yurbud]

vote this up on social bookmarking sites.

This won't let me post links, but I've posted this to digg, buzzflash, reddit, and propeller.

[joyousdawn]

best video ever...and also why I lost my desire to be a teacher.

[alex10159607]

lol

[16ozchocolate]

My band director played this song with a projector before the start of our prism concert, which features music, chorus, and dance for every taste. Current legislation in my state, if passed, will make the class of 2011, the last class to have band in middle school and high school doesn't have "beginning band." This way the members of our community know that what they saw that night won't be available, if action isn't taken.

I love academics, dance & music. People like me shouldnt feel hindered.

[KelseyL97]

ive seen him in concert at my school once. I hate this song but it has a wonderful message

[lalaa98]

i only know the song because song of the week in Mr. Sperling's class. i am lion/aliajah healy. hi!

[upperperkdrumline]

Sports, they forgot sports! For my school, at least...

[CourageInPatience]

I think all administrators and CONGRESSPEOPLE should have to see this video. What irks me so is that creativity comes second to NCLB. I'm okay with accountability, ok? I mean, I've taught with teachers who showed cartoons every day, prior to standardized testing coming about to the degree it has today. But there has to be a happy medium between the insanity that is NCLB and lazy-ass-bum-teachers showing cartoons to bored students. I love to TEACH. High-stakes-testing I hate.

[OhioTeacherGuy]

Funny, but sad to say it's very true!

[sschmid]

I teach beginning strings (orchestra) at several schools. In January, one of my principals (no doubt under pressure to do well) told me that in order to *prepare for state testing* my class would have to be cut for six weeks. We fought it and eventually got back 50% of our normal class time, but I know that the kids lost a lot in the process. I can't help but think that the message we sent to them was: "the arts are not important." The arts ARE important, and we have a curriculum as well!

[kyragtopgirl]

OH MY!!! It is so true. It would be so sad if we stop to think about it all, but after all we don't know how to do that...it wasn't on the test!!

Seriously, what has happened to us in one generation? I took a test in 8th or 9th grade. We didn't worry about it all year. In fact, we didn't even know about it until the day we took it. We spent about two or three days on it, and then went on with learning. The district I work for prepares a

ALL year and then has two weeks of testing!!

[boringcom]

Love the tune. Not gonna enter the flame war. Spend some time in a classroom (like a full year) and tell me NCLB and the like aren't killing the teaching profession. jbb

[YouHaveAllYouNeed]

Unfortunately standardized testing has been around a lot longer than the No Child Left Behind Act. Parents do have power. If EVERYONE opts out - things will change. Teachers for Teaching not Testing. Money for programming, not companies that publish standardized tests. This is a colossal waste of money that does not put children first.

[YouHaveAllYouNeed]

This should be an inspiration to all parents to JUST SAY NO TO STATE TESTING. Few parents know that they have the right to sign a waiver stating that they do not want their child to participate in standardized testing. Your principal will try to convince you to participate because they too are being pressured. Only parents have the power to stop the wasting of millions of dollars on testing instead of teaching. Form a coalition of parents at your school today to just say NO to state testing!

[janet444]

I'm not sure that will cause the change that is needed. Schools that opt out of nclb won't get funding. Schools that fail the tests face sanctions. We need to find a way to eliminate or at least completely overhaul this ridiculous law. It's hurting every kid in America, it's hurting teachers, and it's hurting public schools.

[TiL9856]

This is unfortunately a truer song than most know.

[kwerky]

No Child Left Behind is the WORST thing to ever happen to modern education. The teachers really do have no choice under this legislation but to teach ONLY the tested material, and nothing else related to critical thinking. Of course, the people who shoved No Child Left Behind down our throats aren't known much for critical thinking themselves, are they?

[bopeuph]

And to the music teachers who want the chords and lyrics to this song: transcription is a very important part of our music EDUCATION; it would only help to improve yourselves by learning this song by a musician's most powerful tool: his ear. You may have gotten by without it so far, but it's never to late to learn!

[HYPNOSISWORKS123]

Hey Tom- Saw you at the NYSUT RA and loved your song. I am spreading it to all the teachers I know. Mike

[GingerL53]

Tom,

You were terrific at the RA. Too bad you were preaching to the choir. As my bumper sticker reads

01/20/09

[stuartxandxthexave]

Ha. I just took the last part of the math MSA today...

[ljmusic69]

Where can I get the chords and lyrics for this? I'd like to play it for my friends and family, the school board that I work for and the influential people in our community. Can you tell I'm a music teacher?

[Sfireblue]

John Taylor-Gatto in his book "Dumbing Us Down": "What is currently under discussion in our national hysteria about failing academic performance misses the point. Schools teach exactly what they are intended to teach and they do it well: how to be a good Egyptian and remain in your place in the pyramid...School is an essential support system for a model of social engineering that condemns most people to be subordinate stones in a pyramid that narrows as it ascends to a terminal of control."

[ilovenc17]

favorite part:

"thinkings important, its good to know how

someday you'll learn to, but someday's not now"

as an aspiring high school math teacher, this video really hits home for me. i hate the thought of a strict, NCLB-based curriculum that won't allow my future students to actually have FUN while exploring math...

[speedkiller2]

nice song

[Phillies100]

no child left behind is to promote educatin for schools

if the school doesn't reach the students reach the goal they should lose art

you need to be smart to have fun

[Phillies100]

i mean if a student doesn't reach a goal

no fun

No reach goal no get fun

i am an indepented

[pdsimpson]

Poor Phillies 100 - you spent too much time watching baseball. You should have spent more time in spelling and creative writing writing classes.

[GarrisonHat]

Debate is a skill important to know

Unless you're in Congress or talk radio

Where shouting and spewing are blessed.

Because rational discourse was not on the test.

[Phillies100]

i wacth every phillies and bluejays game and look at my old spelling list form k-12

go phillies

[bopeuph]

I think someone should educate their self on proper grammar and spelling (and even proper trolling) before lecturing what's right in our schools. Go back and get your diploma.

[djparrish01]

bopeuph... You are right. However, someone ELSE should know that the word is HIMSELF or HERSELF. "Their self" is completely wrong! When needing to use the 1st person plural reflexive pronoun, the word is "themselves." In YOUR sentence, you'd use either HIMSELF or HERSELF, depending on whether the "someone" to which you're referring is male or female.

[PstScrpt]

"Their self" is completely wrong!"

Sure, that's what I learned in school 15-20 years ago, but it turned out to be wrong. "Him or her" has proven too cumbersome as a replacement for using "him" as generic, so "they" is becoming accepted as both singular and plural, just like "you" did a couple hundred years ago (eliminating "thee"). The loss of precision is annoying, but if you're arguing against common usage, thou art wrong.

[writer47]

Um, I didn't write it, but I enjoyed it. The gaff was a joke, referring to the error in the post above...

[writer47]

Are you saying that artists are not intelligent? Google "artist" and "estimated IQ"

[MaydayadyaM]

Great video. Calbaptist, I think that the corniness is part of the point. The sing songy approach to such a serious message adds to the irony. It's what makes it more effective.

[EvilGorm]

"Rational discourse (which doesn't exist anymore) is not on the test". That says it all!

[scotteluv]

Great job on the song and the video (I would love to get the chords to this song too and play it for my class). I am a teacher and it is amazing how much more is packed into the curriculum every year, with very little thought going into the educational significance of what we are asking our kids to learn. Emotional intelligence, problem solving, the value of diversity, etc. are things that are not given enough time and emphasis in our culture, much less in nationally mandated currcula. Wake up!!

[drwaynewright]

Bravo!!!!! This is so true, and it needs to change!

[SammyLaDue]

i am a republican and do not approve of this message

[actionfan3]

Congratulations? We don't care if you're republican or not. It's very true because Arts programs have funding cut daily.

[walrusluvr]

What does being a republican have to do with it?

[kdcadman1129]

I am an educator republican...and I DO! Have you read and thought about the NCLB requirements?

[writer47]

I take it that Republicans believe that art, music, and drama should not be taught. Funny, I thought Republicans prided themselves on their refinement and culture. Hmm. Thanks for filling me in.

[mrspectormusic]

Although I am a lifelong Democrat, I don't know that you can make such generalizations.

For instance, in the presidential campaign, did you hear Republican candidate Mike Huckabee speak of education? He had by far the best ideas on education, IMO, of all the candidates! (I wouldn't have voted for him though, due to other isses.) He proposed to scrap NCLB, and to bring back a LOT more arts education. He is a musician himself, and apparently has done a lot for arts education in Arkansas.

[lublyannaline]

The little blond boy at about 55 seconds in is my little brother! Yay!

[riantbuffo]

watch?v=xk59ZcYUW6Y

[stwalraven]

How sad! How true! Wake up America! These are our children, our future!

[reynoldsfamily]

Man you are so right - the current educational methods are lacking in every way - u go man!

[senoramath]

fantastic in every way, including the video. I don't think it can be done better.

[senoramath]

fantastic--there is nothing wrong with the video or the song.

[calbaptist08]

The message in this song is spot-on. The video, however, seemed a little bit corny. I feel it could've been done better. Great message, mediocre video.

Just my opinion, though.

[dsjakes]

Then grab a camera and make a reply.