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<DIV>Actually, I do not intend it as a slam on public education. I mean it as a
statement regarding the limitations and dangers of current testing
practices. The folks who set standards and the accompanying
education measurements need to understand fully that high stakes testing
determines not only what is taught but what is left out. Examples:
Common Core Standards emphasize math and literacy. STEM
standards completely ignore the arts. I see the State Board is looking at
an increase in Physical Education, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but with
finite time and resources every mandate means something else gets left out. In
public education we need to broaden the vision concerning what students
need to know and that isn’t something we do with our enphasis on the current
high-stakes, standardized tests. And when we use those tests as the
gatekeeper criterion of whether a teacher gets a pay raise, or whether a school
is defined as successful, we further ensure the majority of the educational day
will be spent on rote learning. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When we consider testing goals, the primary reason should be that
testing students will tell the teacher what needs to be retaught (formative
evaluation) and the teacher needs to have the skills to determine
alternative pathways for that reteaching. Other testing goals should
never supersede this one. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Additionally: I’m wondering whether the increased additional physical
education requirement is at least partially driven by the fact that PE classes
have more students than math classes, thus mitigating the need for more
classrooms and teachers. The legislature should love that
rationale. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Sue H </DIV>
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<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=kmmos1@frontier.com
href="mailto:kmmos1@frontier.com">Kenneth Marcy</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Sunday, August 18, 2013 12:58 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=scooterd408@hotmail.com
href="mailto:scooterd408@hotmail.com">Scott Dredge</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Cc:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">viz</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Vision2020] FW: Standardized Testing</DIV></DIV></DIV>
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<DIV class=moz-cite-prefix>On 8/18/2013 12:30 PM, Scott Dredge wrote:<BR></DIV>
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<DIV dir=ltr>This is a good slam on the public education system on many
different levels. Thanks for posting.<BR></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Yes.
For one thing, it illustrates that adjustable furniture could be used in
classrooms, thus extending their usefulness from smaller, younger people to
larger, older people, all of whom need educational
services.<BR><BR><BR>Ken<BR><BR><BR>
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<DIV>With thanks to Sue Hovey.</DIV>
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