OK. Obama/Duncan/Gates School "Reform" Model: The results Are IN !!! Today's NYT: P. A1

[savebigbird]

109. We get it.

You love standardized testing.

And in theory, I think many parents and teachers would agree with you in that standardized tests do generate data pertaining to student learning and that national academic standards do provide direction on what content would be taught on a national scale.

However, are we being critical enough of what these standards and testing are focusing on? I don't think so. I think the reason many are fearful of Common Core, for example, is because there are real fears that curricula are being narrowed down to low level skills and a lack of depth of understanding. In essence, are we "dumbing down" the curriculum?

Also, standardized tests reward students, teachers, and schools for their fact-based knowledge. Creativity is generally not measured on these tests, nor is ingenuity. These are facets of thinking that our country has been lauded for internationally for many years. If students aren't going to be recognized for these qualities on standardized tests, will they continue to develop them?

Many of the people I talk to, who are directly involved in our public education system, think we're changing far too much and too quickly and that there isn't enough contemplation and consideration of projected outcomes before reforms are put into place.

Those are just my thoughts.