"From Sunday's PG. A superintendent that is not influenced by Gates and Broad money.
http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/Op-Ed/2015/02/01/Make-our-kids-future-ready-enough-with-the-standardized-testing/stories/201502010059
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What are you doing? Where is there anything about BROAD or GATES? What is the connection!
Broad Gates is well known for school reforms that rely heavily on standardized testing to measure results. Except when district results are bad and they somehow get hidden.
How do you know the Avonworth Superintendent is not influenced by Broad or Gates oranyone else?
His position here is shaky and inconsistent regarding Assessments and Standardized Testing.
We know precisely what skills students have learned when we see them engaged creatively in learning experiences. Good teachers know this and do this.
AND, they are not intimidated by one test per year that shows whether or not students are able to think critically since it demonstrates BASIC "future readiness" preparation that schools are there to
ensure.
One test a year?! That's not what PPS reported- because there are all the practice tests to prepare for the big test that counts. PPS, having introduced many new tests over the past decade, recently gave itself a lot of credit for somewhat scaling back the number of tests per grade per year.
"In the fourth grade alone, there are more than 33 required tests"...
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2013/11/03/With-more-than-270-tests-at-Pittsburgh-schools-this-year-when-is-enough-enough/stories/201311030067
YES. You are absolutely correct! But THAT is PPS and PPS is without a clue about how to teach anything to anybody.
All that testing does nothing but prove they are not giving students the experiences that are needed to think critically or be creative or to problem solve.
The incessant testing (and with very poor tests!) is completely counterproductive. All that testing is a PPS routine that accomplishes nothing except failure, more failure, tension for students & teachers, serious waste of time, opting out physically and mentally,
There is not an educator (with experience or expertise) anywhere hat will agree what PPS is doing.
THERE IS ONLY ONE TEST A YEAR THAT IS REQUIRED AND THAT IS ONLY IN READING, WRITING, MATH and SCIENCE!
JUST ONE TEST IN EACH during the entire school year!
Not 2 or 3 or 33!
Just one test required by who?
Assessment Required
PPS may REQUIRE 33 TESTS; but the state of Pennsylvania requires ONLY TWO tests every year.
In Grades 3 to 8, a READING and MATH TEST are REQUIRED every single year.
During grades 3 to 8 WRITING and SCIENCE are only TESTED TWICE.
AT the High School level there are only THREE tests that are REQUIRED-----ONE LITERATURE, ONE ALGEBRA, and ONE BIOLOGY.
So, currently in grades 3 thru 12--that's a total of 9 years----every student is REQUIRED to take a TOTAL of 20 tests over 9 years in school!
7 READING TESTS (over 9 years)
7 MATH TESTS (over 9 years)
3 WRITING TESTS (over 9 years)
3 SCIENCE/BIOLOGY TESTS (over 9 years)
ALL other testing is A PPS DISTRICT DECISION!
The USDO, NCLB or PDE do NOT require it!
The issue that is missed is that as a student-- all the tests are "required" that is what you are given to do. 33 tests take up a chunk of your school life. Opt out...what will you be doing while the rest test? Add to that, the rest of your time is a version of "test prep"- if you go to PPS-- you are affected at every level. This is what the superintendent was saying--it is hard to nurture individual learning when learning and creativity are passed over .
There is absolutely no need for "test prep". The only preparation necessary for students to "ace" the ONE required state test is to have learned the very simple, basic, straightforward skills that have been very clearly identified for the past 15 years. The skills have NOT changed; but, the are NOT embedded in PPS content across grades and subjects.
It is unconscionable that very few if any CO admin can even tell you what those skills are that constitute the "standards!"
We must become ADVOCATES for students who don't have a chance for success in PPS!
1:30
Define this advocacy...and be specific?
Why are you not making your case 1:30 in a way that informs the public at large? Begin to build the case methodically PPS's failure to educate our children in the last 15 years. This is the kind of advocacy needed. You clearly have done your research and have the journalistic skills to make an impact and begin the debate. There is such a thing as 'ghost' writers.
"Journalism has one pure pursuit and that is the Truth"
Speaking truth to Power...
8:38 and 9:05 and 3:58 and 1:30
Not to pile on but in the words of Joseph Pulitizer___" Put it to them briefly so they will read it clearly, so they will appreciate it picturesquely, so they will remember it, and above all accurately so they will be guided by its light."
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