This is an interesting New York Times article on text-language showing up in formal papers kids turn into school.
Well, I can attest to that. J., knowing my background as a journalist, will always have me proof her work. And lo' and behold, if it's not an actual misspelling, it's something like "R U going...." Yeah, that's going to get by Mr. Heinen with flying colors.
Also, she's relieved. She took her last WASL test until the big one in 10th grade yesterday. I asked her if she wanted to take it early in 9th grade, just to be done with it and it was like I had just suggested that she poke herself with a hot needle. Okay, never mind.
But if anyone thinks those kids don't discuss the test with each other, with their friends, grandparents or parents, well, they do. I have a force and energy question (something to do with a pipe) that I've pretty much memorized right now, due to the fact J. repeated it so many times to see if she'd gotten the right answer (yeah, I have a biology degree too, so I get the science questions as well.)
Showing posts with label WASL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WASL. Show all posts
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Middle School, Where Parents Seem to Check Out, or Maybe They Just Get ELR'd to Death
The meeting last night at my daughter's middle school was fairly well publicized.
It was about the fact that the school is trimming the time it devotes to electives, science and social studies, so there can be more time for math, writing and reading, where many of the kids there flamed out on the WASL, this year and last.
I just wish that those that blindly support the WASL and NCLB could have been at that meeting last night. There were teachers (math) in tears, angry parents and a frazzled principal. This was not something the school had a choice in, but was mandated from above, since we're in the second year of AYP (probation for a school, I guess.) This, even tho we received kudos in a letter from the gov and OSPI on how well we increased our scores. But not enough, I guess.
Of course, my daughter refused to go to meeting, and I really can't blame her. I wouldn't be there either were it not for the fact I'm the PTA secretary (kicking myself here to nodding yes to this three years ago.)
But all, in all, out of a school of 740 kids, there 30 parents there, maybe representing 20 kids, mostly the honors kids. So do the rest not care that science and social studies are being sacrificed to the WASL/NCLB juggernaut? I think that many of the parents do care, but schedules and other problems get in the way. Or maybe they don't understand what's happening. I know I had the feeling of walking in on a conversation that had already started.
I know when they start throwing words around like ELRs, GLEs, and Content Fundamentals, even my eyes glaze over. But when frankly, they tell us that they emphasized writing, reading and math because of the WASL, and ditched electives, science and social studies, because there won't be any WASLs in the near future that count, it makes ed reform sound pretty clinical and heartless.
But at least 20 parents did come to this meeting. As you may have guessed, getting any parent to any middle-school PTA meeting is a challenge. The most we ever got, 350, at the welcome back barbecue, was a surprise. Must have been the burgers, which we ran out of.
Finally, here is an interesting link to the Charlette Observer story on "The Sorting Hat Syndrome."
It was about the fact that the school is trimming the time it devotes to electives, science and social studies, so there can be more time for math, writing and reading, where many of the kids there flamed out on the WASL, this year and last.
I just wish that those that blindly support the WASL and NCLB could have been at that meeting last night. There were teachers (math) in tears, angry parents and a frazzled principal. This was not something the school had a choice in, but was mandated from above, since we're in the second year of AYP (probation for a school, I guess.) This, even tho we received kudos in a letter from the gov and OSPI on how well we increased our scores. But not enough, I guess.
Of course, my daughter refused to go to meeting, and I really can't blame her. I wouldn't be there either were it not for the fact I'm the PTA secretary (kicking myself here to nodding yes to this three years ago.)
But all, in all, out of a school of 740 kids, there 30 parents there, maybe representing 20 kids, mostly the honors kids. So do the rest not care that science and social studies are being sacrificed to the WASL/NCLB juggernaut? I think that many of the parents do care, but schedules and other problems get in the way. Or maybe they don't understand what's happening. I know I had the feeling of walking in on a conversation that had already started.
I know when they start throwing words around like ELRs, GLEs, and Content Fundamentals, even my eyes glaze over. But when frankly, they tell us that they emphasized writing, reading and math because of the WASL, and ditched electives, science and social studies, because there won't be any WASLs in the near future that count, it makes ed reform sound pretty clinical and heartless.
But at least 20 parents did come to this meeting. As you may have guessed, getting any parent to any middle-school PTA meeting is a challenge. The most we ever got, 350, at the welcome back barbecue, was a surprise. Must have been the burgers, which we ran out of.
Finally, here is an interesting link to the Charlette Observer story on "The Sorting Hat Syndrome."
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