Wednesday, April 13, 2011

04.13.11


04.13.11, originally uploaded by colemama.

Cattails are populating the culverts around campus these days. They lean gently as the breezes dance through and then reclaim their upward stance. Their slight flexibility insures survival as too rigid would likely lead to breakage...and yet, they show strength, especially in numbers!

My usual segue is lacking between image and words, but the onset of this week's high stakes standardized testing and its implications is becoming increasingly and ridiculously out of control. Though not limited to Florida (which is even more frightening...), the effects of one test performance score not only impacts the student's promotion/graduation status and the school's 'grade,' but also the livelihood of the teacher (i.e., their evaluation and possible employment), as well. All of us want accountability for our tax dollars, but these issues are considerably more complicated than the politicians are treating them. Worse, the focus is still not on student learning, another complicated issue not solved by the emphasis on a single test score. Lorenzo Walker campus, Naples, FL

2 comments:

  1. Sorry this stress is upon you. I couldn't agree with you more. As if a score proves anything about a student's progress. It also implies that every student needs to learn the same stuff to the same degree to do well in life!

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  2. So well put - But maybe what the quantifiers want is a population obedient people - not a population of thinkers and problem-solvers.

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