Heather spoke on Passing tests, while you spoke some on Taking tests. It is certainly a topic that will keep us thinking. I agree that over emphasizing taking tests ruins reading. . .from personal experience! I'm not sure that I agree that standards make us better teachers though. . . I was thinking of comparing that statement to baking or cooking. For me it would be important to make things that tasted great, even if I wasn't taking it to the fair to be judged. Maybe a personal sense of pride by doing a good job. I also get that there are a lot of lazy teachers out there that would just watch you tube vids with their class if there was no accountability also. My fav thing was your blurb on the report "cards" giving both the positive info for the student YET keeping parents informed of perhaps problematic areas for their child.
What's the difference between standards and taking tests on those standards? Do we have to test every standard? How else can we have standards help to guide our teaching, but not lock students into a pre-packaged tests--otherwise known as teaching to the test? Good ideas to think out here Sarah.
Interesting take on grades. What would you suggest for transitioning the kiddos from not having grades to having them? I think if it isn't handled carefully, it could be just as damaging.
Heather, In order to tranisition students from no grades to grades I think that maybe if you started with the specific assignments as I talked about in my yodio would be a good start. Letting the child see how the "points" can make a difference, but yet not crushing their spirits. It will also allow the students and the parents know why the child recieved those points. I wish they did a system like this through every year! Once the students are able to process the points per assignment you can show them later a total of points like you would for grading and how those points can affect the total and eventually a grade. This is all just ideas and speculation!
Jill, I think the standards are what is truly the problem. They are setting the standards to a level that most students are going to have to spend most of their time studying to take instead of truly learning what reading is. It would be great if they spoke to more teachers to find out what they feel the standard should be because they work with the kids everyday and understand what is truly going on in the classroom and with the students. I also believe that as a teacher it would be good to know what I should be teaching in order to help my students be successful. While working in the classroom this week the teacher talked about the "Oaks test" at least 4 times. This is what a question will be like on the "Oaks test" so you will need to understand this. It was interesting. I wish I had a complete solution to the problem, but to be honest I am not sure we will get away from standardized testing.
Heather spoke on Passing tests, while you spoke some on Taking tests. It is certainly a topic that will keep us thinking. I agree that over emphasizing taking tests ruins reading. . .from personal experience!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that I agree that standards make us better teachers though. . . I was thinking of comparing that statement to baking or cooking. For me it would be important to make things that tasted great, even if I wasn't taking it to the fair to be judged. Maybe a personal sense of pride by doing a good job. I also get that there are a lot of lazy teachers out there that would just watch you tube vids with their class if there was no accountability also.
My fav thing was your blurb on the report "cards" giving both the positive info for the student YET keeping parents informed of perhaps problematic areas for their child.
What's the difference between standards and taking tests on those standards? Do we have to test every standard? How else can we have standards help to guide our teaching, but not lock students into a pre-packaged tests--otherwise known as teaching to the test?
ReplyDeleteGood ideas to think out here Sarah.
Interesting take on grades. What would you suggest for transitioning the kiddos from not having grades to having them? I think if it isn't handled carefully, it could be just as damaging.
ReplyDeleteHeather,
ReplyDeleteIn order to tranisition students from no grades to grades I think that maybe if you started with the specific assignments as I talked about in my yodio would be a good start. Letting the child see how the "points" can make a difference, but yet not crushing their spirits. It will also allow the students and the parents know why the child recieved those points. I wish they did a system like this through every year! Once the students are able to process the points per assignment you can show them later a total of points like you would for grading and how those points can affect the total and eventually a grade. This is all just ideas and speculation!
Jill,
ReplyDeleteI think the standards are what is truly the problem. They are setting the standards to a level that most students are going to have to spend most of their time studying to take instead of truly learning what reading is. It would be great if they spoke to more teachers to find out what they feel the standard should be because they work with the kids everyday and understand what is truly going on in the classroom and with the students. I also believe that as a teacher it would be good to know what I should be teaching in order to help my students be successful. While working in the classroom this week the teacher talked about the "Oaks test" at least 4 times. This is what a question will be like on the "Oaks test" so you will need to understand this. It was interesting. I wish I had a complete solution to the problem, but to be honest I am not sure we will get away from standardized testing.