First of all let’s address the standards in which you are referring to (Common Core). These standards are ridiculous in every sense of the word! You want 6 year olds to know what ziggurats are and a kindergartener to know what molecules are (look at NY ELA modules)? They are developmentally inappropriate! They are learning their name and the names of their classmates. Be realistic. Secondly, we are testing too much! My kids sit through hours and hours of useless testing. Assessments are important when they can inform the teacher on a student’s growth. Tell me how standardized tests do this? They don’t ….the results come out 5 months after the test. They give a score, but nothing else. Teachers can’t see the tests, so how can they see what Junior answered? How was Junior confused? Then, there is the expectation that a 4 year old can sit in front of a computer to take a test. This is child abuse! It is child abuse for a 3rd grader to sit through hours of testing. And it is in poor judgement that a special needs student be tortured with these as well. All of this has resulted in kids hating school. If all they are ever told is they are a failure, then why would we wonder why they drop out of school? Kids need choices. Maybe they aren’t cut out to be a rocket scientist, but would make a great carpenter. Let’s foster that talent and stop thinking “one size fits all”. Why do states have to have testing? To compare with other states? To compare with the rest of the world? How much does this testing cost? Lots! Why don’t we take that money, put it into programs that foster economic growth, like art and music? Offer children after school activities that are inspiring, like music, dance, art, sports. You know, things that are fun, but foster student worth. We are not moving in the right direction with education “reform”. It is causing more problems. If you want to improve education so the US compares to other countries, like Finland, then take a good hard look at how they do it! We will not get the same results by trying to implement the opposite ideas! Stop demoralizing teachers and students! You are getting nowhere on that stationary bike!
Posted on: Fri, 09 Aug 2013 02:15:53 +0000
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