Are Standardized tests an effective way of measuring learning?
Standardized tests just tell you where your children rate compared to others in that age group. What a shame really, our children are individuals. The Bible even says, "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they MEASURING THEMSELVES BY THEMSELVES, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise." 2 Cor. 10:12 Don't stress... ;o)
How does the No Child Left Behind Act affect students?
I think it affects only general education students because they have to pass the state exams. If they don't they have to repeat the grade. (I think this is pointless because there are limitations to how many grades can be repeated.) And they will end up being left behind when they do not promote them. Special needs students don't have to pass the state exams. If they fail, they will still be promoted anyway. Am I right? I am just guessing as this is what I think No Child Left Behind Act means. Grade retention is for people who are conservative. Social promotion is for people who "think outside of the box". For example, a twelfth grader who does well in school but fails on state exams would not receive a diploma. Is that leaving this student behind? Yes! It is stupid to have this student repeat the grade when he has difficulty on state exams. Why would they even force him to be even more behind by having the student repeat the grade? He could be already in college but no he is still in high school.
Are Oregon schools going to fail the Smarter Balance Test for Common Core Standards?
I can't speak to Oregon specifically, but I can say a few things about Common Core and the effects of high stakes testing in education.The Common Core State Standards are not terrible by themselves, but they are caught up in the current educational politics that have turned the focus on better standards into more accountability and testing. In my humble opinion, and the opinion shared by many educators and by Diane Ravitch, this is a disservice both to students and to what the CCSS are really trying to achieve.If this accountability wave is like any of the others before it, the first year will see high failure rates compared to previous state tests, which many people will attribute to the fact that the new standards are a good, tough challenge for students that have been allowed to perform at low levels for too long before. Then the scores will start to go up in the following years, which many of the same people will attribute to improvements in the education system spurred on by CCSS.In actuality this cycle of an initial dip, followed by an increase, is the natural result of any new high stakes testing. Teachers struggle at first to prepare their students well for this new test, but they adapt and learn how to teach better to the test, and as a result their students are better prepared for the test in later years.The important distinction is that the teachers are better teaching the test, not necessarily the standards. In a perfect world, every test perfectly measures the students' mastery of the standards, but every educator knows that this is far from the case.There is a chance that your child and many of his classmates will fail their tests this year. Any educator worth a damn won't give those scores much weight, but the educational system, which is controlled more by well-meaning but educationally ignorant politicians, may dole out consequences to failing students and schools, which is a shame.
Why are teachers such spoiled brat socialists?
like the ones in chicago last week. i hate teachers. there arrogent overpayed spoiled children who complain when some thing goes wrong. they work only nine months out of the year they have unions they get FULL HEALTH INSURANCE for crying out loud! they earn over 30 thousand a year on average (not bad for working only nine months) they get payed a fortune to push socialism on to the kids. teaching has got to be the easiest most over paying job on earth. these spoiled brats dont know how good they have it. id like to fire every teacher and make them get a real job you know one in the private sector where you actually have to work to survive