My weakness is tests, I'm much happier to write a paper on a topic.

Tamar Mag Raine
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IM: tamarmag48
Oakland Mayor's Commission on People with disabilities


> [Original Message]
> From: Trisha Cummings <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Date: 9/30/2004 6:49:34 AM
> Subject: Re: [DGV] Halting Progress for the Disabled (fwd)
>
> 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.