This "New" Way of Learning

My child, brilliant, beautiful,
Full of life & shining bright
Wakes up on a school day
Feeling sick.
Tummy problems.
Nerves.

Where he used to look forward to school,
He now seeks any way possible to not go.
It isn't his teacher that's the problem, she's wonderful.
It isn't the kids, he has some great friends.
It's this new way of learning.

It prevents him from truly being him.
It's these moduals & testing.
They make him feel stupid.
Which make his nerves fray,
Which leads to anxiety & tears,
Almost every day.

This is not what I want for my child.
This is not what he deserves.
I will not allow it.

My child, brilliant, beautiful, 
Full of dread & light fading.
Comes home from school

Dragging his feet,
No smile.
Rough day at school,

Now for the homework.
But mama can't help.
I don't understand this "better" way.
But I do understand that it's hurting my child.

Nothing that makes a brilliant child feel less than brilliant is good.
All kids are brilliant, but all kids are not the same.
They do not learn the same.
They do not all have the same strengths and weaknesses.
They are individuals. 

They are meant to be creative and inquisitive.
They are meant to learn by playing, by doing.
They are meant to enjoy being a child.
They are not meant to sit for hours taking a test that does not benefit them in any way.
They do not have the maturity or the mind for this yet.

Challenging kids is necessary and important.
I'm not against setting standards.
I'm against the way we're being forced to accept them.
I'm not against hard work and pushing through.
I'm against the tears of frustration and anxiety of each and every child.

I'm sick of my heart breaking each day my baby looks at me with eyes brimmed in pain.
(Yes, pain.)
I'm going to fight for him.
I'm going to do what ever it takes to make this right.

My child is not a "guinea pig"
My child is not a test subject
He is not a dollar sign or meant to be a rich man's revenue.

My child is brilliant and beautiful,
Full of life.
I'm going to make sure his light keeps shinning bright.
I'm going to fight for him.