the PARCC and other absurdities
I'm listening to the radio and they're saying that 1,000 APS students so far have opted out of the PARCC.
This is what has to happen but the fight gets more intense as the PED tells us that if schools have too many students opting out, the school's grade will drop.
Big woo! I truly believe that parents, their kids, and teachers know better. We are starting to see the absolute absurdity of a grading system to evaluate schools. We are the ones who see the ridiculous amount of stress generated by this test. Most importantly, we see that this is about test publishers building their business and making decisions regarding education for the purpose of making more money.
The sad part of all this is that if the PARCC isn't supported, schools run the risk of a drop in funding. That is always the bottom line. No, we don't care if our school drops a grade, but we do care that our own school has the resources it needs to help our kids learn.
Parents and teachers are about community and the young people in those communities. Test publishers, state education departments, and legislators are about the almighty dollar. I think we are ripe for an educational revolution.
Isn't that what we are talking about? To me, it's no less than what the Industrial Revolution was. We have technology that has and is changing the world. We don't have to gather our kids into artificial environments anymore. We can't even hang onto the argument that we should send our kids to school for the socialization skills they need to acquire. Are you kidding me?
The problem is that revolution is never painless. There are sacrifices that have to be made to move forward. Today, the fear is that if we change how we deliver instruction and embrace technology, educators will lose jobs. Is there a way to change without teachers losing their livelihoods?
Yes, there is, if we stop listening to legislators and other political agencies and start listening to the teachers. They know what they're doing. If anyone knows your child as well as you do, it's their teacher. Bring the power back to the teachers, with support from their students and parents, and no jobs have to be lost. Except maybe in the test publishing industry.
This is what has to happen but the fight gets more intense as the PED tells us that if schools have too many students opting out, the school's grade will drop.
Big woo! I truly believe that parents, their kids, and teachers know better. We are starting to see the absolute absurdity of a grading system to evaluate schools. We are the ones who see the ridiculous amount of stress generated by this test. Most importantly, we see that this is about test publishers building their business and making decisions regarding education for the purpose of making more money.
The sad part of all this is that if the PARCC isn't supported, schools run the risk of a drop in funding. That is always the bottom line. No, we don't care if our school drops a grade, but we do care that our own school has the resources it needs to help our kids learn.
Parents and teachers are about community and the young people in those communities. Test publishers, state education departments, and legislators are about the almighty dollar. I think we are ripe for an educational revolution.
Isn't that what we are talking about? To me, it's no less than what the Industrial Revolution was. We have technology that has and is changing the world. We don't have to gather our kids into artificial environments anymore. We can't even hang onto the argument that we should send our kids to school for the socialization skills they need to acquire. Are you kidding me?
The problem is that revolution is never painless. There are sacrifices that have to be made to move forward. Today, the fear is that if we change how we deliver instruction and embrace technology, educators will lose jobs. Is there a way to change without teachers losing their livelihoods?
Yes, there is, if we stop listening to legislators and other political agencies and start listening to the teachers. They know what they're doing. If anyone knows your child as well as you do, it's their teacher. Bring the power back to the teachers, with support from their students and parents, and no jobs have to be lost. Except maybe in the test publishing industry.
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