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Re: [Phys-l] NCLB petition



A few comments to the comments

________________________
Joel Rauber
Department of Physics - SDSU

Joel.Rauber@sdstate.edu
605-688-4293



| >
| > 10. Emphasizes minimum content standards rather than maximum
| > development of human potential.
|
| Without minimum content, without basic skills, I would think
| it is EXTREMELY difficult to achieve maximum potential.

Bashers of high stakes testing seem to forget that we have the testing
because the educational system was seen to be failing at even imparting
basic skills. And they are certainly a prerequisite.

|
| >
| > 11. Neglects the teaching of higher order thinking skills
| which cannot
| > be evaluated by machines.
| >
|
| Teaching such is not precluded--it is the JOB of the teachers
| to work on such along with the basics. The very fact that
| such cannot be evaluated IS part of why it is not strictly
| part of the uniform assessment, but again, this IS part of
| the teacher's responsibility to their students.

Yes, but even more importantly it is the repsonsibility of the school
administration to pass the message to the teachers that such teaching,
beyond the test, is valued and will be rewarded. If such is not the
case than the teachers would simply be doing what they are being hired
to do; i.e. teach to the test.

|The quality of the tests used are a STATE
| matter, something that teachers, teacher unions, voters in
| general should have some voice in.

A problem is that they really have very little voice in the tests.

| Rick [Who DOES want a way to be sure that HS graduates can
| read, write, and do basic math.]
|

Me too.

I see nothing wrong with testing per se, and its nothing new. Way back
40 some odd years ago, I was thoroughly tested in my elementary school.
I well remember filling in bubble scan achievment tests. A difference
was that it didn't occur every year. I vaguely remember being tested
either 2 or 3 time in the first 8 grades with a major set of achievment
tests. Their were other smaller standardized testing done.

I suppose that there was also a difference in attitude, i.e. (and I'm
guessing) that it was seen more as a test of me rather than a test of my
teacher.