tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post5375369657298945570..comments2023-09-22T10:28:16.650-07:00Comments on America's Future: The Inside Story: This Week: Bubble-Torture for the KiddiesChalk Dusterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08983784261421373401noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-36486357795298304162011-05-10T14:40:24.029-07:002011-05-10T14:40:24.029-07:00Thank you all so much for your readership and supp...Thank you all so much for your readership and support. Your comments have inspied me to write more, and (anonymously, of course) further expose the curruption of our inner-city schools by this hopelessly flawed sytem. One day, I will get rid of the alias, but right now I have my own interests to protect...you know, keeping food on the table. I'm pretty sure that if I used my name it would get to admin somehow and I might lose my job, I have heard of that vioation of rights happening to teacher-bloggers before.<br /><br />One of my previous posts: "Standardized Testing: The Measurement of Students and Teachers" goes more deeply into the effects of these tests on children and teachers, and society as a whole. Some of my other posts are strictly descriptions of daily classroom experiences. I love writing those because it gives a peek into the daily life of inner-city teachers and students, not only the diffuculties, but the joys and victories of teaching as well.<br /><br />I am deeply touched and grateful that you all have taken the time to read my blog and offer your opinions, and they are always welcome.<br />For those of you with blogs, I will read, comment and add them to my list!!!<br /><br />I wanted to respond to each of you individually and I will in time. Yesterday I actually did (it was loooooong) but then when I tried to post my comment IT DISAPPPEARED!!! Needless to say I had to walk away for a while.<br /><br />Thanks again. Bless all of you!!! Let's keep fighting for the rights of Americas children any way we can!!!Chalk Dusterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08983784261421373401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-2671219693529380902011-05-10T06:02:38.650-07:002011-05-10T06:02:38.650-07:00So very nice to see a teacher being straightforwar...So very nice to see a teacher being straightforward about the travesty that is our NCLB testing system. The school where I work tested in April. Leading up, we spent all spring working the kids through packets of release-questions. There was almost no real learning at the school, just classroom after classroom, of kids learning how to answer questions correctly even if they didn't know the answers, and teachers going to greater and greater lengths to keep them motivated. As one of the school's remedial tutors, I went through sack after sack of candy, because of course nothing I was teaching the kids was interesting enough that they would want to learn it for its own sake.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03753976886480861015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-22486229541484704562011-05-09T12:19:17.117-07:002011-05-09T12:19:17.117-07:00funny? yes, but not if you realize it's entir...funny? yes, but not if you realize it's entirely accurate. Interesting? yes, but only if you're actually surprised by any of it. Cool? DEFINITELY not. Frightening? That would be my word for it.Tracy Bradyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01037055266403699864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-37888746141764106572011-05-09T11:23:24.974-07:002011-05-09T11:23:24.974-07:00Accountability is nothing more than code for more ...Accountability is nothing more than code for more control for those outside the classroom over those who are in the classroom. Public education is under assault and high stakes standardized testing is the blunt instrument used by deformers to vilify teachers and deamonize public education so that corporations can make a dime at the expense of our children. <br /><br />This is a fantastic post. I'm going to share a link to this post on my blog. Thx for sharing. <br /><br />JoeAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15047405950514440042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-14473883482300442682011-05-09T10:47:24.252-07:002011-05-09T10:47:24.252-07:00I teach in a GED program and routinely see the sam...I teach in a GED program and routinely see the same thing-every question is middle class centric. Even the questions on the "ethnic" passages are from the middle class perspective. And yes, sometimes I also get these questions wrong. Sometimes, as far as I'm concerned, all the answers they offer are wrong. I have a Ph.D.!!! I'm obviously not a bad reader. And I see the same thing in terms of time and testing conditions-I have ADD students who could pass if that didn't require sitting absolutely silently for an hour and a half. I have students who can answer every question right if you turn on music as they're doing it, but put them in a silent room, they get half the questions wrong. These tests are not testing anything of academic value. They're testing a-one's ability to sit still, b-one's mastery of middle class instinct, c-one's ability to eliminate 3 out of any 4 options. It's not how you build an educated citizenry, that's for sure. <br /><br />democracysedge.blogspot.comdemocracy's edgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16962079171743555214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-72533454290601718232011-05-09T06:26:24.754-07:002011-05-09T06:26:24.754-07:00duh...forgot to link my blog http://3rseduc.blogsp...duh...forgot to link my blog http://3rseduc.blogspot.com as I also, like you, talk about education and the like.3rseduc / handsinthesoilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03218555891546800241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-34041940595364374512011-05-09T06:16:46.262-07:002011-05-09T06:16:46.262-07:00I am becoming a follower of your blog. I finished ...I am becoming a follower of your blog. I finished state exams 2 weeks ago. We lost two unused math test books. We had a missing exam that turned up after I'd called the state in a panic. Our tests were late getting turned into the state because of some fed-ex fiasco. I'm the lucky sucker who is the district coordinator of all these **lovely** exams and so hopefully I have a job next year after this insanity. Sigh. I hate being the person delving out torture aka tests to children.3rseduc / handsinthesoilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03218555891546800241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-11443411407763728702011-05-08T21:47:46.823-07:002011-05-08T21:47:46.823-07:00Wow, it is SO refreshing to hear from a public sch...Wow, it is SO refreshing to hear from a public school teacher who dares speak the truth! I removed my children from public school for specifically the things you so adeptly point out, and I regularly endure scorn for doing so. How are teachers and students to have any chance against a system like ours, especially in an environment that instills fear into anyone who dares speak up? You are fighting the good fight and if there is anything I can do to help, please let me know! I have marched in DC to encourage change and I jump at every opportunity to speak out. Although I will continue to educate my children at home, unless or until there are drastic changes, I am not yet ready to give up on this country's public education system. Our teachers, our children, need our support - I am here to support you.A Sky Full of Starshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17239173485025335438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-56295881628839521072011-05-08T20:30:59.385-07:002011-05-08T20:30:59.385-07:00Yeah, I try to keep it about them, but sometimes m...Yeah, I try to keep it about them, but sometimes my anger gets the best of me.Chalk Dusterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08983784261421373401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3677625880025493774.post-47387256100889821452011-05-08T20:21:50.259-07:002011-05-08T20:21:50.259-07:00Excellent! This is about the students, not you!Excellent! This is about the students, not you!Pete Zuckerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16708676684946013529noreply@blogger.com