The following report from an anonymous 3rd grade teacher is EXACTLY why we wont play NYSEDs game when it comes to these tests. Testing children on material that they wont be able to comprehend for another 2-3 years? Completely unconscionable. I do realize its an individual family decision on how to handle the testing, however, think for a moment back to developmental stages for our children when they were babies. Would you test a newborn on being able to speak in full sentences (~2-3 years above their developmental stage)? Would you expect a two year old to be able to to know and write the entire alphabet (~2-3 years above their developmental stage?) Using older children as an example, would you expect your 8th grader to be prepared to take the SAT exam (typically administered in about 11th grade)? These obviously ridiculous examples are equivalent to what NYSED is having our 3rd graders tested on. Those that feel its important to have testing and standards are not wrong--I agree that we do need to ensure that children are reaching milestones at appropriate stages, but NYSED is SO very far away from being able to even recognize what those milestones are. ~Christine (WNY parent of 6th and 3rd grade students who refused the tests) Reflections on todays test from a 3rd grade teacher: This is my first year as a third grade teacher since the high stakes testing began. I was a 5th grade teacher for the previous 10 years and have been teaching for 19 years. I have never experienced anything like what I experienced with this ridiculous state test. I am still traumatized so I can only imagine how my students felt. I watched as they started hyperventilating, putting cold paper towels on their head and banging their heads down on the desk. The reading passages were so far above grade level, it made me sick! I wanted to rip up their tests and send them all back to NYS with a not very nice message on them. I witnessed children falling apart and was sick to my stomach. I watched abuse of children the past three days and there was nothing I can do about it!!! I am not allowed to disclose what was on that test but I will say one passage today was a level S, which is a fifth grade level and another was a level X, which is a 6th grade level!! What on earth do you think an 8 year old can do with this material??? I want to drive to Albany with a copy of the test and watch John King take it!!! (but of course I am forbidden to have a copy of it as I sign off as though I have CIA secrets) This madness has to stop!!! I hope the opt out movement will open some eyes! Since when did men in suits get to decide how to test my students?? You have no idea what you\\\’re doing to these kids and their teachers!! Sadly, I don\\\’t think you care!
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 22:07:40 +0000
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