Corey wrote:

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now, are we the only state that requires passing a standardized test for graduation?

that is where i really think standardized testing gets out of hand...

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CT has a test in 10th grade (CAPT's) that you have to pass in order to graduate high school. You can still go on to the next grade if you dont pass but you do have to retake the parts you failed and pass them in order to graduate.

our other tests are given from grade 3-8. Only the even numbered years count (4,6,8) and the other years are considered practice. They are called CMT's which stands for Connecticut Mastery Tests. This week long test has been given since I was in school.

Do not get me started on how I feel about them. 

apies wrote:

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mctex wrote:

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I'm absolutely against them.

Tests are such an arbitrary way to measure intelligence (even just academic intelligence, which is only one of many forms in which it comes), and the self-esteem blows to kids that don't perform well on them can be incredibly damaging.

One of many reasons we are opting out of the public school system.

Good luck to Henry, and to you. Are you familiar with Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences? The curriculum at Alexandra's school is based on it, and it's really helped expand my thinking surrounding the relative importance of academic skill in terms of gauging "intelligence" as a whole:

http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.htm

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tx, i'd love to hear your thoughts on how you think teachers should be evaluated in terms of student performance.

 

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Man, isn't that the million dollar question. I completely understand the intent of NCLB, especially when instituted by a business-minded president: if you want to measure the quality of a process, measure the quality of its product. Great proxy.

Except we all know how that turned out.

I have no idea what the answer is, as it's a really complicated question. Is the mission of the public school system to provide a standard one-size-fits-all education to the masses? Because I think that's what NCLB has created (if anything), and who knows, maybe that's what the goal should be. In which case the tests are fine, and teachers can be evaluated sufficiently based on their ability to turn out test zombies. (I just wish they'd report the results in aggregate, and not to the individual kids.)

I'm not sure it's fair for parents to expect much in terms of personalized education from the public school system. The resources just aren't there. I think parents who choose the public school system need to consider its limitations and act accordingly -- i.e., don't freak out if your kid isn't fitting into the "system". The system is not life, and if you've never seen a life success story that began with academic failure, it's only because you aren't paying attention. (And since we're in HT... and for the love of God, don't medicate your kid because s(he) can't fit into the mold!) Take it for what it's worth, and augment your kid's education outside of school by helping them identify what their strongest intelligences are and how to build upon them. (I think that should be the case with any parent -- public or privately schooled -- but I think contingent upon the mission of a private school, those parents might be able to more reasonably expect assistance from the school in that regard).

And I get that it's a shit ton of work for parents who are working two jobs and treading water financially to manage all of that. (And since we're in HT... and it's the rampant  impossible situation that we've created that began with "women can choose to do anything" that is now "women must do everything" is the unfortunate and unintended consequences of the women's movement that are just now coming to light.)

(Did I just say that? Oh.yes.I.did!, LOL.)


I'm not sure I answered your question at all, LOL. The short answer: IHNFI. I'm curious to know what YOU think! <3

ETA: I'm reading your post now.


-- Edited by mctex on Tuesday 13th of April 2010 09:00:30 PM

apies wrote:

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i'm not sure what our elementary level tests are called, but in 9th & 10th grades, they take the S-test and in 11th grade they take the NJHSPA (nj hs proficiency assessment).

in nj,students must past the HSPA to graduate. of course there are exceptions - special ed students who fail it after 3 attempts and cannot pass the alternate assessment program (AHSA) can be exempt. but a regular student who cannot pass on any of 3 attempts or pass the AHSA program cannot graduate with a diploma (they get a certificate of attendance instead).

in our district, their 8th, 9th & 10th grade standardized test scores on the S test serve as predictors for how they will do on HSPA. if they score below the "proficient" level, they are given the HSPA elective for that subject area (either math or language arts). in these classes, they work on basic skills (like reading comprehension for LA) as well as test taking strategies.

the HSPA is 3 days of 2.5 hours of testing. while it's not fun, it's no where near as bad as it was when i taught in denver. i think they did 11 hours of testing per year there? their tests were not linked to graduation though.

and just for the record, i did my student teaching in georgia while i was at emory and they had the GGT (georgia graduation test) which was linked to graduation.

while i'm not a fan of high-stakes testing, i also think that they, in a way, help students prepare for SATs and ACTs. i have had several A students in my class fail the HSPA for language arts. how is that possible? i really don't understand that.

i do know that the entire testing industry is completely unfair and corrupt. one standardized test used at our school (i cannot remember which, but i'm thinking it might have been some AHSA tests) were supposed to be graded by volunteer teachers who were supposed to drive 2.5 hours to the grading site.  um, no teachers volunteered, so instead, the testing company used their own employees to grade them.  these are people without degrees in education or possibly, any degrees at all (they could have been people working in the mail room for all we know).  the test results were VERY low across the board and because we cannot appeal the results, we'll never know why or who graded them or anything else for that matter.

i'm so torn about how to fairly evaluate teachers.  right now in many parts of our country, part of teachers' salaries are based on students' performance on these types of tests.  is that fair?  probably not.  so how do we evaulate teachers fairly?  the entire concept of classroom observations is crap because the administrators who are supposed to do the observing are so busy with so many other responsibilities that they spend 10 minutes in a teacher's room and then complete a 1 page form with feedback.

the system is SO broken and the standardized testing is just one small piece of the problem.

i daily see kids who are SO bright - gifted even - who have fallen through the cracks over the years.  one of my students was arrested 2 weekends ago for robbing his friend's house while he was high.  i was heartbroken to hear this - this is a gifted kid who was dealt a SHIT hand in life.  he started stealing long ago because his mother wasn't providing him with food at home and he was stealing to eat (his father is long gone).  if someone, anyone, had responded to his change in behavior 3 years ago, this kid would probably be in honors classes.  but instead, for 3 years, teachers allowed him to walk into their rooms, talk at him for 40 minutes and then watch him walk out and become someone else's problem.

all of these things add up to why i feel this career is leading me in another direction.  i feel so passionately about these kids who cannot prove their merit on standardized tests or in classrooms sitting at desks for 40 minutes that i really think that my long-term plan is to open a private school for students who are not succeeding in the traditional school setting for whatever reason.  and we will have counseling as part of the regular curriculum.

students today need teachers who genuinely care about them as people and not just look at them as another body sitting in another desk producing another paper to grade.  where are all the "why's?"  ...  WHY is this student failing?  WHY has this kid absent 12 times this quarter?  WHY can i never get a parent at this number to return my phone calls.

until we have our profession return to the state it once was - filled with teachers who care about the minds and hearts that they are shaping - our students will continue to be apathetic to their grades, disrespectful to their teachers, peers and themselves, and underachieve in most areas of their lives.

but even after all of that, i still point much of the blame at the parents who have washed their hands of the educational process.  :)


-- Edited by apies on Tuesday 13th of April 2010 03:30:05 PM

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We agree regarding the red. :)

Regarding the green -- I can completely see you doing this, and I think you'd be great at it. I really hope you do it. I think the cause is so noble and important. Some of the stuff I've learned in exploring OT w/Victoria is so astounding in terms of what someone knowledgeable can do to help these kiddos; some of what I've learned through my own counseling and health journey is that most of the things I once would've called "self-discipline" or "will power" problems are so much greater than that. I hate that our system just casts out so many people that aren't unwilling or unable, just different.

Regarding the blue -- I agree completely. I just don't know what can realistically be done to fix it (which isn't to say we shouldn't try... I just know that *I* don't know).

How frustrating it must be to be in your shoes. Those kids are super freaking lucky to have you.