Oooooh.....Slate.com has an article calling you guys out.
Take a look at the link and tell me what you think.
That rhymed.
If you're feeling adventurous, you could even make a project out of it.
Do you think you could learn everything on that test by the end of the week?
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
I completely agree with Slate.com. Standardized tests are making sure that teachers teach the wrong things, in the wrong way. They have to try to teach their students everything they'll need for their test which leaves no time for information to sink in and truly be learned.
It's asoundingly like slavery; fine if you're fast, but woe upon you if you're not.
Your point about speed is interesting.
On the other hand, couldn't you enroll in a school that offers traditional "drill, repeat, memorize" classes in history and English?
I wish that they had the test without the answers written down. I started mentally taking the test only to find out at question two that the correct answer is marked. I hope for their sakes that the test that they took didn't have the answers marked. I just think that most kids don't pay attention to their teacher.
'Drill, repeat, memorize' only really works if the last part does. For instance, I have noted that plenty of kids can 'drill and repeat' for a couple of days when that's all the teacher is talking about, but couldn't remember it to save their lives later in the month.
OK. So im gunna get beat on for this but... I agree with Slate.com with the "No Child Left Behind's" standardized tests making the teachers teach the wrong things, however even if we didnt have those tests how are the teachers gunna teach EVERYTHING in history. And the tests that was done, those students might know differnt info than our students @ West Valley. What im trying to get @ is that were not gunna be able to learn everything (all though ill give you alot of those questions where common sense)and people in different places know different things. So its not really fair for them to test one section of students and say that goes for all of us...
and yes I know I had alot of errors in that
@Nono
Those are facts that every 17 year old should know or at least be familiar with. Your what? 14-15? Crack open a book and get a head start!
@article
LOL!
The No Child Left Behind Act not only forces teachers to teach the wrong things, but by basing "sucess" on standardised tests they give kids who aren't good test takers an unfair disadvantage. I spent most of middle school working hard to maintain a D average yet on the ITBS and WASL I was above the 95th percentile. Does something not seem wrong here that kids who actually make an effort to do well in school fail epically on tests for reasons other than not knowing the subject matter?
I think it is sad that Americas youth in general are so ignorant. One reason I came to RLA is because I think that I do better with the self directed learning but it seems less self directed every day.
I don't fault our educational system for the ignorance of kids; I fault parents for putting their kids in the public school system. The article was absolutely right as to the ignorance of high school students and the mistake of putting standardised tests in the way of useful learning. Allot of parents expect miracles from their children and are quick to blame the schools for any shortcomings. We shouldn't be surprised at the result of our government pumping kids full of nothing but mathematics and socialist propaganda; this will pave the way to a new world mind set that History, Religion, and truth are unimportant to building a high tech. and modern world. My generation doesn't want to learn from our mistakes, we want to make new and bigger ones. This is why there are Private Schools. We wouldn't continue to go to a store with insufficient, faulty and overpriced merchandise; In the same way I am confident that we will turn to private schools when we realize that public schools are no longer functional.
I think Kuribo.Jones hits the nail on the head. Education begins, and in many ways, ends at home. If you come from a family that values education as a worthy end unto itself, you'll do the same. If not, well, you'll fail tests like the one mentioned in the Slate.com article because you just don't care. There's only so much teachers and schools can do.
Post a Comment