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Suzie Nestico

Father: Why I didn't let my son take standardized tests - The Answer Sheet - The Washin... - 0 views

www.washingtonpost.com/...ABkgICTB_blog.html

edu_news administrator all_teachers curriculum education reform education standardized tests standardized testing

shared by Suzie Nestico on 27 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • My wife and I had Luke “opt out” of No Child Left Behind standardized testing (here in Pennsylvania known as the Pennsylvania System of School Achievement, or PSSAs).
  • Last week I did just that. I looked at the test and determined that it violated my religion. How, you might ask? That’s an entirely different blog, but I can quickly say that my religion does not allow for or tolerate the act of torture and I determined that making Luke sit for over 10 hours filling in bubble sheets would have been a form of mental and physical torture, given that we could give him no good reason as to why he needs to take this test.
  • ch a reason for opting out of the PSSA testing will negatively affect the school’s participation rate and could POTENTIALLY have a negative impact on the school’s Adequate Yearly Progress under the rules of No Child Left Behind.
  • ...7 more annotations...
  • The point was to give Luke some experience in how to conduct planned civil disobedience in a lawful manner.
  • This time, instead of having Luke sit through another meeting, he researched the Japanese earthquake and tsunami as a current events project.
  • I asked Luke what he thought about it all. He just smiled. I also asked him what some of his friends were saying. According to Luke, they did not believe that NCLB and PSSAs were going to be used to evaluate the school. They didn’t know about AYP and the sanctions that came with it. Luke’s friends just thought the tests, “were used to make sure our teachers are teaching us the right stuff.” My guess is that is what most parents believe. Why wouldn’t they believe it? They’ve been told for nine years that we are raising standards, holding teachers accountable, and leaving no children behind. Who wouldn’t support that?
  • That, of course, is the real problem. NCLB and the standards movement is a political bait and switch. Sold as one thing (positive) to the public and then in practice, something radically different (punitive). This is probably one of the biggest reasons I decided to do the boycott—to make my community aware and to try and enlighten them of the real issues.
  • My answer is that the government is not listening. Teachers, principals, teacher educators, child development specialists, and educational researchers have been trying to get this message out for years. No one will listen.
  • Civil disobedience is the only option left. It’s my scream in a dark cave for light. I want teachers to teach again. I want principals to lead again. I want my school to be a place of deep learning and a deeper love of teaching. I want children exposed to history, science, art, music, physical education, and current events—the same experience President Obama is providing his own children.
  • Maybe civil disobedience will be contagious. Maybe parents will join us in reclaiming our schools and demand that teachers and administrators hands be untied and allow them to do their jobs—engage students in a rich curriculum designed to promote deep learning and critical thinking.
  • Suzie Nestico on 27 Mar 11
     
    Another PA parent opts his child out of PSSA standardized testing as a measure of civil disobedience.  Word of caution:  This can very much hurt a school's Adequate Yearly Progress and ultimately the school may suffer.  But, what if this movement spread amongst parents?  What then?  Would the government take over the school?  Change is hard.
Suzie Nestico

Are We Over-Testing Our Students? - Santa Cruz, CA Patch - 0 views

santacruz.patch.com/...e-we-over-testing-our-students

students standardized testing common core standards education education reform civics democracy current events

shared by Suzie Nestico on 27 Mar 11 - No Cached
  • Every single reporting period, I have to remind parents that this assessment is just a snapshot of their child: one hour, one day.
  • Our students are children, for goodness sakes. It troubles me that my students know the acronyms, such as STAR, CAT and MARS, for certain tests and assessments, yet they can’t remember their times-tables or the order of the planets.
  • As adults, we make silly mistakes like this all the time—yet, we’re expecting second- and third-graders to do this four times a year to show us how they’re  progressing in a certain subject.
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  • Perhaps, reducing the amount of testing and data collection would reduce the panic for everyone—and these children can stop worrying. 
  • Suzie Nestico on 27 Mar 11
     
    Reminder from a teacher that a test is a simple snapshot of what a child may be able to do.
nicholas t

Florida receives a $30 million grant from BP - 0 views

www.cnn.com/...index.html

grant oil spill Florida

shared by nicholas t on 12 Apr 11 - No Cached
  • jared p on 12 Apr 11
     
    See what had happen was a tourism from florida received 30 million dollars from BP. This money was granted to test waters and seafood around the gulf to make sure it was up to standards. The money will also be used to clean up the area and make sure that it is safe for all tourisms once again. This will take place over a three year period. Florida has already received $82 million dollars since april 20, 2010 for these efforts.
  • Angela S on 12 Apr 11
     
    I think it's a good idea that they gave money to fix the water and make sure everything is back or normal or at least close to being back to normal. The fact that Florida has recieved $82 million dollars is not good beause it's so much money, but it's morely BP's fault because of the spill.
  • nicholas t on 12 Apr 11
     
    Florida gets a grant from BP that is more than $30 million dollars to help clean up the giant oil spill in it's ocean.
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