Reply #32: Standards schmanders

[Donna Zen]

In another post on this thread, I mentioned that the school where I teacher is poor...excedingly poor. Years ago we threaded some SAT prep into our curriculum, because our kids could never afford SAT prep. This fall it became apparent that there was no "standard" to justify that prep work. Every grade that I enter into the computer must be keyed to a standard. Without a standard, the prep had to go. Okay. Gone.

Two weeks later the state announced that "test" that the juniors take will be the (drum-roll) the SAT test. Note: I'd just pulled that prep and had no way to justify it.

Solution: I now am teaching the SAT prep and lie about the standard. I just stick it in under some over-worded, meaningless standard.

Fortunately, the kids get it. They want to do well, and could care less what standard is shown. One of their favorites is a thing that I call SAT charades. We laugh til we cry...but they are not likely to forget it.