An archived stack of papers: 'Testing'
Dear You
In a stack of papers called Reform.
- Aug
- 09
- 2009
Dear Students:
Hi. Welcome to a new year and a new day! This is going to be the one when you do all those great things you’ve always wanted to do, when you’ll prove everyone wrong, when all your teachers will help instead of hinder you, when you’ll become an interesting person by being interested in lots of things, when you’ll realize that you have more control over your... read more
Feeling The Crisis
In a stack of papers called Instruction.
- Mar
- 28
- 2009
I don’t know about you, but I have a truckload of students who are suffering from the current financial crisis. Mom and dad are struggling to pay the mortgage, the bank is foreclosing, boxes are jam packed as they get ready to move tomorrow, students suddenly know far too much about what a short sale is, and school suddenly seems terribly distant. Writing that essay about a theme seen in One... read more
Too Legit To Quit?
In a stack of papers called Testing.
- Sep
- 07
- 2008
My school met AYP and API. However, due to some subgroups not meeting their goals, we missed APR. And, good news, we’re still not a PI school. But we’re a PI district so we have to behave as if we are a PI... read more
I Scratch My Head
In a stack of papers called Legislation.
- May
- 14
- 2007
A few schools in my district failing to meet their goals impacts all schools next school year. In order to ever move out of Program Improvement (PI) status, the term given to districts like mine, all 11 schools in my district must meet their goals for 2 consecutive years. Roughly, that’s 26,400 students, 1,100 teachers, 35... read more
One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Problems With NCLB
In a stack of papers called Testing.
- Jan
- 28
- 2007
There’s a large problem with the English California Standards Tests (CST). These tests come to students every year around April and are the result of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), better known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). [Update: This same problem applies to Social Science since those questions are handed out by grade level, not be course enrolled... read more
The Usefulness Of Testing
In a stack of papers called Testing.
- Jan
- 07
- 2007
Test data becomes useful when it does a few things. I do not believe that any standardized test currently given in my state does these things. If we found a test that could do even half of these, I’d be ecstatic.
Test results rock when:
measuring what is taught, not the other way around; teachers get them in time to inform the current year’s... read more
AYP, API, And Horse Pucky
In a stack of papers called Testing.
- Oct
- 05
- 2006
Two observations from this past Wednesday’s inservice. We spent the time talking about and looking at some test data, specifically with regard to our AYP. We did not make our AYP. Adequate Yearly Progress, that sounds like a horrible thing to miss. These two observations are about why we missed that AYP and they are both incredibly ridiculous,... read more
If Not The CAHSEE, Then What?
In a stack of papers called Testing.
- Aug
- 22
- 2006
The California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) is not perfect. It lacks modifications for special education students. It fails to take into consideration the multiple ways students grow. Nor does it acknowledge the disparity in learning environments that exist across the state. The CAHSEE has problems.
But am I really to believe that it is entirely a terrible idea? Is there nothing good about the... read more
High School Is Memorex
In a stack of papers called Unorganized.
- Apr
- 11
- 2006
Most students don’t view high school as “the real world.” My seniors got to the idea that Siddhartha doesn’t think any of it is real, the life he leads and the people he meets. I pressed and asked if that’s the way teenagers feel about high school. When bad news comes from school, does it really matter? What about good news? In the grand scheme of things, does it have an... read more
An Open Letter About STAR Testing
In a stack of papers called Testing.
- Apr
- 10
- 2006
Dear Student:
We begin STAR testing tomorrow. You just finished with the CAHSEE a few weeks ago, the AP tests are around the corner, and you know that semester finals aren’t too far off. In short, there’s hella... read more