the testing is only one of the problems with the law.
but, yes, they teach only to the test. i agree with
the idea of accountability, but another way is needed.
some people just do not test well.

--- Trisha Cummings <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi Beth,
>
>   Sorry to hear about your Dad's house. I was just
> down in Palmetto =
> visiting my best friend - 9/9 thru 9/19. Held my
> breathe on Ivan. Both =
> for down there and up hear - it spawned 37 tornados
> here in the NoVa So =
> Md area.
>
>   The testing is really dumb. Amber's class was the
> first one that had =
> to pass Virginia's SOL's to graduate from High
> School. I remember the =
> years of preparing the kids - so much wasted class
> time - days learning =
> the proper way to fill in bubbles - what a waste of
> time - the kids now =
> take the tests on the computer. Whole months where
> spent in prep for the =
> tests - so the never finished other stuff. Some
> classes where all about =
> teaching the test. So the kids don't know anything
> but what on the test. =
> Amber always ace'd the tests - ironically you can
> fail the class and =
> still pass the test.=20
>
> After years of helping out in Amber's classes - what
> needed is more =
> individual time with the kids - and sad to say what
> is really needed is =
> parental involvement - the idea that its all the
> school's problem - is =
> balderdash!!! More attention needs to be paid to the
> kids home lives - =
> how can kids who are hungry, take of themselves,
> live in squalor and =
> have drug or alcohol addicted parents ever learn
> anything. Maybe we need =
> state boarding schools for some of these kids.=20
>
> State colleges here charge $12,000 for tuition for a
> year - the high =
> school puts out $9,000 per resident child and charge
> parents $12,000 for =
> non-resident kids. Ummmm, not sure what extra $3000
> is for. But at that =
> rate they are matching the colleges - and there the
> kids get room and =
> board also.=20
>
> We need to look at why the kids aren't learning and
> fix that. I think =
> the real problem is people are more worried about
> their individual =
> monetary welbeing and screw the kids - becasue now
> testing is a big =
> industry and people would lose their jobs - so
> better give the kids a =
> mediocre education......=20
>
> I saw the difference parental involvement means in
> the kids education - =
> and we really need to start by educating parents.=20
>
> Amber is enjoying college and doing fine.=20
>
>                                Trisha
>
> =20
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Elizabeth Thiers
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 9:25 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [DGV] Halting Progress for the Disabled
> (fwd)
>
>
> And I don't think that's quite what was intended by
> the original bill.
> High stakes testing equals lots of money.
>
> Beth t the OT
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: St. John's University Cerebral Palsy List
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Trisha Cummings
> Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 7:25 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [DGV] Halting Progress for the Disabled
> (fwd)
>
> Hi Ken,
>
>    I just did a paper on testing and education and I
> was disgusted by =
> =3D how
> education is being degraded in an effort to make the
> scores to keep =3D =
> the
> Feds $'s. Did you know one special population child
> not passing the =3D =
> test
> can mean the whole school fails?  Then they blame
> the =3D =
> teachers.........=3D20
>
>                                           Trisha
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: ken barber [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Wednesday, September 29, 2004 7:42 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [DGV] Halting Progress for the Disabled
> (fwd)
>
>
> i am afraid it is too late to not get you started.
> by the way "no child =
> left
> behind" was mainly written by Ted Kennedy (and
> bought off on by bush)and
> definately something i was against. i am not against
> education at all, =
> but,
> this bill was not the way to go.
>




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