Posted on 07/05/2012 3:05:26 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
“Dad hasn’t been well, so our trips are limited.”
Sorry to hear that...please get better.
“I guess that I don’t know the rules, but if you’re referring to testing, I don’t have a problem with it. I’ve seen the tests here in Texas on math and if you can pass the test you know the subject. If teachers are “teaching to the test” then they are teaching math - which is a MAJOR IMPROVEMENT in education.”
I believe there was a question of some students who didn’t test well being put into SE classes so their scores didn’t didn’t pull the average down.
“I believe there was a question of some students who didn’t test well being put into SE classes so their scores didn’t didn’t pull the average down.”
There is always a certain percentage of people that test well, and a certain percentage of people that don’t test well. There is NO REASON for that to vary from state to state or school district to school district.
The bottom-line is that if a particular school district doesn’t “test-well” then they’re ALMOST CERTAINLY being taught wrong.
Hopefully NCLB can smoke that out, since the states and locals don’t seem to be able to do anything but MAKE EXCUSES.
“There is always a certain percentage of people that test well, and a certain percentage of people that don’t test well. There is NO REASON for that to vary from state to state or school district to school district.The bottom-line is that if a particular school district doesn’t “test-well” then they’re ALMOST CERTAINLY being taught wrong.”
In some districts the kids who didn’t test well were then re-classified as special needs kids to keep their low scores from dragging down the districts average. Hence the spike in Special Ed students.
Under NCLB low test scores meant loss of ranking and other penalties.
“In some districts the kids who didn’t test well were then re-classified as special needs kids to keep their low scores from dragging down the districts average. Hence the spike in Special Ed students.”
Agree - and, apparently, here in Texas we’re cracking down a bit on that.
“Agree - and, apparently, here in Texas we’re cracking down a bit on that.”
That should make it easier on all concerned especially the teachers who can now concentrate on the kids who truly are special needs and the special needs kids as well.
As he starts high school next year, his math classes are at the college level.(still can’t spell) He still uses the organizational techniques his beloved “Special” teachers taught him.
Yes, it was for services.
Women and minorities affected the most /s
A lawyer I know used to work there. Was head of legal in fact.
“if you’re referring to testing,”
Nope, but if you like testing I would think that you would want all schools to take the same test so that we can learn who is really doing a better job and why.
“dallas”
With JR around who wouldn’t want to join a union./s
We are an anti-union household. Wife’s a teacher and hates them.
I put the /s on in case you didn’t realize that I was joshing.
“Nope, but if you like testing I would think that you would want all schools to take the same test so that we can learn who is really doing a better job and why.”
ABSOLUTELY. It’s stupid to have differing tests for different schools. It still better than nothing, but not much better.
The most absolute WORTHLESS criteria is grades - of course.
“The most absolute WORTHLESS criteria is grades - of course.”
I feel the same way about tests in many cases. I know too many that score in the 99th. percentile on the college boards and can’t make it through college because of the lack of common sense. I actually prefer the Socratic method in many ways. There is one group that has had success with psychological testing for medical school. It predicts very accurately the ability of someone to complete the course and be successful, but it assumes equal intelligence. Remember there are some kids that have problems with tests that do fine with oral exams.
“I feel the same way about tests in many cases. I know too many that score in the 99th. percentile on the college boards and can’t make it through college because of the lack of common sense. “
Maybe so, so we’ll have to disagree. I picked up on a pattern with my kids - that is when they get nasty, get an attitude, and treat my like crap when they’re being taught reading or math, it means that they are actually LEARNING. It was the surest sign.
Likewise when today’s schoolteachers bitch about standardized testing and “teaching to the test”, I know it means that their worst nightmares are coming true and they’re actually having to TEACH something useful to their kids. They just HATE THAT.
So maybe something is better than tests - but until VERY recently, every college that was worth ANYTHING required it for EVERY applicant. Obviously they saw some value in it too.
“they’re actually having to TEACH something useful to their kids. They just HATE THAT.”
This is where we really disagree. The teachers I know hate being programmed for every minute of the day and not having the flexibility to change when what they are being forced to do does not work for their students. Everything teachers do these days is coming from Washington and the State Departments of Education, a misnomer if I’ve ever heard one. The teachers aren’t teaching what they want but what the politicians lackeys decide they should teach.
Teachers make a great scapegoat for the political class. Note I’m not talking about Union first teachers I’m talking about the real teachers. They also have to deal with the discipline problems that the private schools dump on them along with the ones they already have. There was a term used when I started 30 some years ago that is not PC these days. PPP for piss poor protoplasm. Try being judged on a your effectiveness when you have a bunch of them in your classroom, or one really disruptive one that it takes months to remove. The politicians now say that they have solved the problems by removing tenure or whatever and all the kids will all be able to count and know their colors day one in K. Many don’t even know their own name and they have normal IQ’s. Testing is not going to solve that problem even though I agree you need a benchmark. Colleges, we have too many and too many that shouldn’t go to college and too many that major in Studies and become Teach for America or whatever it’s called “teachers” that the politicos like because it saves a buck.
We need to get back to basics and tell DC and the state politicians to buzz off and let the locals handle education. Anyone that thinks teaching is easy should spend a week handling a classroom by themselves. Visits don’t count. A classroom of medical students is stressful, because they want to be spoon fed, but God protect me from an elementary classroom where what you teach really matters.
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