tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6071572443948722504.post3730529150493952564..comments2023-07-11T08:41:43.863-07:00Comments on Leslie Hall @ Inkspot: How to Get Good at It (Whatever It Is)Lesliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06876702627115609073noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6071572443948722504.post-24403423211123828552012-07-14T09:19:22.666-07:002012-07-14T09:19:22.666-07:00Okay. I won't worry then, but feel free to yel...Okay. I won't worry then, but feel free to yell at me for posting too much or, you know, just because you want to.<br /><br />You are correct about the results from the test. Definitely needs more specific results if it's to be really useful, but I feel that talking about it is a much bigger topic (There are parts that I really like too . . .)<br /><br />I look forward to reading your thoughts on alignment with curriculum. I wonder if we'll see changes to the tests as Common Core becomes the standard, or if we'll just get a variation of what we see in the book you suggested (and, sadly, what I see happening even here in Madison) where schools keep aligning curriculum to the tests.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6071572443948722504.post-13596099036060595112012-07-12T10:03:39.745-07:002012-07-12T10:03:39.745-07:00Please don't worry about commenting too much--...Please don't worry about commenting too much--I appreciate talking with a reader. Heck, I appreciate having a reader.<br /><br />So what happened was that you received an overall content area score, but no scores on specific indicators (standards, or benchmarks, or what the Wisconsin terminology is for expectations for students), which meant you could see a child has trouble reading, but you can't diagnose whether the trouble is in decoding new words, using context clues, identifying main idea, or any other specific skill. Is that right?<br /><br />And I've heard the other problem, too, that the tests don't align with curriculum. That is a big problem. I'll try to wrap my mind around writing to that one. <br /><br />Thank you--I appreciate the conversation.Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06876702627115609073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6071572443948722504.post-54689416853876308892012-07-12T04:51:04.288-07:002012-07-12T04:51:04.288-07:00I believe that I am going to be quite upset with y...I believe that I am going to be quite upset with you for telling me that book title. Most of me just wants to avoid reading it, but that little part of me that can't let go of a theme is going to insist that I do read it, and it will probably make me angry.<br /><br />I do not mean to fill your blog with my comments. It would be better for me to start my own blog I think. But I do want to correct myself. I did not mean to say the results were withheld. We saw the results expressed as a number in relation to other numbers (and those numbers were mostly correct in the ballpark of my kiddos academic success compared to each other). We just were not allowed to know what the kids were tested on, other than "Reading" and Language Arts" and "Math". Inevitably looking over their shoulders while they tested suggested that at least a portion of the test had nothing to do with our curriculum and other portions used different terms than I used in class. <br /><br />I agree with you about the use of the test. Tests should be one piece of the puzzle and in that context they can be enlightening. But I want the tests, even if used as only one part, to be valid indicators of student success. I've been reading through your back-blog and I love what you have to say about both interest in content and in valid sources (classic lit vs modern).<br /><br />Thank you again for expressing your thoughts about testing. And I promise not to respond (to this post) again!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6071572443948722504.post-36276472261732610392012-07-12T00:38:03.641-07:002012-07-12T00:38:03.641-07:00I think what you describe is the great challenge. ...I think what you describe is the great challenge. Reading your comment reminded me of Tested: One American School Struggles to Make the Grade by Linda Perlstein. That book breaks my heart--for the teachers and the students.<br /><br />I don't understand witholding results from teachers--it seems like immediate results could allow teachers to implement immediate intervention. What could possibly be the reason for such a policy?<br /><br />And--we could discuss this for hours, and maybe we will someday, but a last thought for today--a pencil and paper test offers a snapshot of student performance from a given moment in time. Decisions with far-reaching consequences should take into account information from a variety of sources: performance on standardized tests, portfolios of student work, teacher evaluations of student performance, and so on.<br /><br />Keep fighting the good fight is all I can say. Kids need someone on their side who has faith in them. We all need that--but kids especially do. Your students are lucky to have you.Lesliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06876702627115609073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6071572443948722504.post-44098336351439970682012-07-11T04:23:32.294-07:002012-07-11T04:23:32.294-07:00I love the idea of helping students find their mas...I love the idea of helping students find their mastery. I still encourage mine to find what they love and to push themselves to become learners. But the question is, how do we do this in today's political climate. When everything is a test, there's no time for simply reading or doing or imagining about those things that do not get tested.<br /><br />For a time, I thought I'd just ignore the tests. Teach. Give the tests when required. Ignore them. Teach. But I work with low socioeconomic status (SES) kiddos. When they do poorly on the tests, they are judged failures. I am also, but I can live with that. I can not live with people thinking my kids are dumb. I cannot live with them thinking they are dumb.<br /><br />There is an error in the paragraphs above. It's one that I didn't catch for a long time. The error is in the assumption: Tests are irrelevant to teaching. Sadly that's been the truth for far too long. In Wisconsin, the WKCE is given at the end of the 1st quarter, but the grades do not come back until the 4th quarter. It's given too early for me to feel like I've had any real impact on the students learning and the results come back too late to show me where they struggle. A psuedo-replacement, the computerized MAPS, gives results immediately but teachers were not allowed to see the tests or to know what skills were being tested until the last few weeks of school.<br /><br />My friend Monster (You know her as Stephanie) introduced me to your blog. I have found hope in your thoughts and the thoughts of some of the linked blogs: Testing that's relevant. Testing that seeks to find strengths instead of tricking students into the wrong, but close, answers. Can it be done?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com