General Discussion

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)

34. Same here. Went to school in the 50's and 60's

Fri Nov 15, 2013, 12:17 PM

Nov 2013

and took those same tests. Again, so special test prep.

Teaching content appropriate to the age of student and the class being taught is the key.

I wound up transferring my children from very good public schools into an excellent private school because of a bullying problem with my oldest son. At the private school, not only were the classes smaller, no more than fifteen kids per classroom, but they were simply taught a lot more. They'd be learning new content the next to the last day of school, whereas in that same good public school, textbooks were turned in a week before and the kids spent the final week watching movies.

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When Parents Yank Their Kids Out of Standardized Tests [View all] xchrom Nov 2013 OP

"that tests are not reliable or valid measures of what students know," Bandit Nov 2013 #1

There is nothing. bemildred Nov 2013 #3

+1 xchrom Nov 2013 #4

Hey Princess, how are ya? bemildred Nov 2013 #5

fabulous and nostalgic. xchrom Nov 2013 #8

Well, on the whole. bemildred Nov 2013 #13

oh wow -- i love old matchbooks. xchrom Nov 2013 #14

Yes, I've always liked old things, old tools, old books, old pictures, old people. bemildred Nov 2013 #17

This is so true. JimboBillyBubbaBob Nov 2013 #23

Humans are not simple things, to be characterized by simple tests. bemildred Nov 2013 #27

+1 nt Sheri Nov 2013 #38

Is that a sincere question? LWolf Nov 2013 #11

wen i was young -- it wasn't until my sophomore and junior year in high school xchrom Nov 2013 #15

I have been so fortunate, LWolf Nov 2013 #59

Portfolios of work may be more reliable indicators. For example, pnwmom Nov 2013 #37

where we live in Tennessee d_r Nov 2013 #2

Sounds to me like they're using a lot of time taking tests LuvNewcastle Nov 2013 #12

yup d_r Nov 2013 #22

When a student opts out of the test, can she also opt out of the test prep? Jim__ Nov 2013 #6

+1. The testing days are a small part of the time wasted on this empy endeavor. winter is coming Nov 2013 #9

Wish America would adopt the Finnish way libodem Nov 2013 #7

Good for them. Those tests are a waste of time and money. LuvNewcastle Nov 2013 #10

I went to school in the 1950s and 60s frazzled Nov 2013 #16

Practice tests, analyzing trick questions, roody Nov 2013 #18

Can someone tell me what "teaching to the test" actually is? As opposed to teaching? AlbertCat Nov 2013 #19

I'm just saying I don't think that's possible frazzled Nov 2013 #21

Richard Feynmann illustrated this problem in his bio. ieoeja Nov 2013 #25

You haven't explained anything to me frazzled Nov 2013 #28

Teachers used to teach physics. Now they teach answers to problems. ieoeja Nov 2013 #32

No, they don't; you can't say that universally frazzled Nov 2013 #40

That seems to only becomes an issue it the test material is known... Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #39

The vast majority of learning problems for a kid are out of the teacher's control. n/t ieoeja Nov 2013 #42

I don't see how this applies... Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #43

from my ignorant perspective as an outsider, MattBaggins Nov 2013 #51

Before slinging insults, try debate. As an ignorant outsider I should be easy to defeat.... Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #57

+1. jsr Nov 2013 #61

This message was self-deleted by its author guyton Nov 2013 #26

That's not testing's fault, it's values' fault frazzled Nov 2013 #30

The tests reinforce those "values" Scootaloo Nov 2013 #60

Instead of teaching them something new, first they do worksheets to prepare for the practice winter is coming Nov 2013 #55

Same here. Went to school in the 50's and 60's SheilaT Nov 2013 #34

now that it is they being measured, teachers are revolting. mopinko Nov 2013 #20

The teachers have always been measured, it was just done indirectly before. LuvNewcastle Nov 2013 #29

I like teachers. I have lots of them in my family. DisgustipatedinCA Nov 2013 #58

The testing story is a MAJOR story Renew Deal Nov 2013 #24

Ten years ago, this sort of awareness might have stopped NCLB. n/t Orsino Nov 2013 #31

dog and pony shows are for the circus lunasun Nov 2013 #33

this is how we take back our schools--and our government yurbud Nov 2013 #35

From what I have heard from my kids, the new tests lean more on word problems bhikkhu Nov 2013 #36

Common Core Assessment Myths and Realities: Moratorium Needed From More Tests, Costs, Stress xchrom Nov 2013 #41

Sounds like the tests MIGHT need to be improved... Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #44

might? that's the least they could do. xchrom Nov 2013 #47

I imagine improvements are planned, but the testing cannot be scapped... Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #53

Taking it out of the hands of the educators is the stupidest thing you can do MattBaggins Nov 2013 #52

Nonsense... Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #56

H.L. Mencken agrees with the teachers and parents. Tierra_y_Libertad Nov 2013 #45

I was so excited when they did this. It is great to see parents, teachers, and students stand liberal_at_heart Nov 2013 #46

Texas has paid the Pearson Co. TBF Nov 2013 #48

i hate to say this -- but some us are just good testers. xchrom Nov 2013 #49

I completely agree TBF Nov 2013 #50

I day dreamed through most of my classes and then got in the 90s MattBaggins Nov 2013 #54

i was pretty good at tests -- but i had a girl friend who skipped out on most of high school xchrom Nov 2013 #62

For-profit standardized testing industry can't be trusted jsr Nov 2013 #63

K&R Teachers at Seattle�s Garfield High School are heroes! B Calm Nov 2013 #64