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 testing in our own classrooms 
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how will reading this book influence the way we, as individuals, construct our classroom tests? given we will still have to administer those that dpi and our county systems require, but how will this alter the way we test, what we ask, and how we use that information ?


Thu Jan 30, 2003 5:54 pm
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Location: Maiden Elementary
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I don't know Airlie. But, just like Kerr had a "Master Plan" that he thought was wonderful for California residents, we have "Master Plans" for the wonderful residents in our classrooms. (NCLB / EOG) :cry:
Cindy


Fri Jan 31, 2003 2:00 pm
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i think i will be very alert to making certain i test for content mastery. i can't control the EOG or other DPI requirements but I can shepard my little universe. i have thought differently about my slower students all week.


Fri Jan 31, 2003 2:11 pm
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I understand what you mean about looking at your slower students differently. I wish all classroom teachers would do that. As a Title I Reading teacher, I have some teachers who look at me as someone who will get a few of these "slower children" out of their hair for 40 minutes. I am concerned about the effect all this testing will have on them and how they will be perceived by next year's teachers. In my situation, I try to do more informal, on the spot testing of their reading skills, in which I see their progress, but it often doesn't show up where it "counts".

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Sat Feb 01, 2003 10:49 am
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That makes me think of one of my students. I have one child who was reading on a primer level at the beginning of the year. (I teach third grade) He is a resource student with "an IQ of low-70-something". (supposedly)

Well, I bring him up because at the beginning of the year I had a conference with his parents--nice and very poor people. They told me that they want their child to go to college. They didn't get to but they want to make sure he does. I was telling them that his IEP would follow him through life and that with the proper modifications and changes to them over time that he could do it, but that we had to make sure he learned to read this year as time was ticking away and it would be harder to teach him at an older age...

I am wondering if I believed it then (that college was an option for him). Or did I just say it? I am not sure. I know I didn't have huge expectations of his ability then. (guilt, guilt) But as time as passed, this child has several times made me stop and ponder his true ability. He and I have a sense of humor that the others aren't right there on... (Randy will say that doesn't mean anything as my sense of humor is on an 8-year-old level-- :lol: but...) We have conversations that are very interesting. His communication skills and social abilities are very high. If he thinks he can get away with it, he just writes down any ole answers, though. If I call him on it and push him for more, he goes back and does the work correctly.

This kid has made gains this year and it must be because his parents believe in him so much. They have gotten him a good tutor. And slowly, his teacher has come to see his true ability and pushed harder than she would have--guilt, more guilt.

Confidence has to start from the outside of a child.

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Sun Feb 02, 2003 6:24 am
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I really feel the same way when I am assisting classroom teachers in
testing and often times they look at IQ tests as the only sufficient test
score. As a title I reading teacher, I seek to remediate the needs of all
the children I serve to help them become successful readers. I am certainly not against EOG's either or various tests that measure knowledge learned but often times they DO NOT. That is
when I become frustrated with our educational system.


Mon Feb 03, 2003 7:32 pm
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I am all for assessing children to see their progress. In my kindergarten classroom, this happens on a daily basis. I just have a huge problem with the EOGs. There is so much pressure put on these children. Last year, we had children in tears, throwing up, not sleeping, etc... because they knew that if they didn't pass the test (3rd & 5th) that they would fail. Their teachers were very supportive and told them that they knew the info on the test, that they had done well on each reporting period, etc...
But some kids just don't test well. Would you knowing that your score on the test determines your fate? It is just too much. I agree that kids need to be tested on the info they are taught. I just think that at some point we need to step back and consider how the test affects children emotionally and physically. :cry:

DANA


Tue Feb 04, 2003 9:27 am
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My niece's eight year old daughter Kat, started 2nd grade this year in Raleigh. She came home from school crying on the second day, because her teacher said they had to start getting reading to prepare for the 3rd grade EOG. For three days in a row she came home crying. Kat, is a very bright child who takes things like this seriously. Why do we do this to innocent children so soon in their education?


Tue Feb 04, 2003 12:10 pm
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Just like Kathy and Collette, I am a Title I reading teacher and I try to get the children to feel as comfortable as possible when we do our county reading test. I also see students at the end of the year getting stressed and sick because of the EOGs. I agree; why do we have to put 8-9 year old children through this? Last school year (when we received pre-EOG scores at a reasonable time), I had a former Title I student score instructionally at a primer level in third grade on her beginning of year informal reading inventory. When she took the pre-EOG, she scored a level 3. I still picked her up for services in Title I that year because I knew her background. My point is that, in this situation and how many others, it was a lucky guessing game for her. Someone who doesn't know this child's background would say she is a level 3 she's O.K., and then she would have fallen through the cracks. Kristi said in class last week the same thing happened with one of her students. I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that when I was in third grade, attending school in the same system I teach, I did not feel stress and my teachers did not appear stressed. Through all that, I still made progress, graduated and attended college.

Kim


Tue Feb 04, 2003 1:31 pm
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The whole time I was reading the second part of the book where it talks about how people began to be fanatical about the SAT becaus of how much rides on it, I thought about my 3rd graders taking the EOG. They and their parents are just as fanatical. If people are so appalled at 17 and 18 year olds being stressed by a test, I can't imagine what they would say if they could watch my 8 year olds cry and get sick over it. The rest of their lives may not be depending on their score but there summer sure is. To them, summer might as well be the rest of their lives. I try to remind parents that being a 4 in reading or math is NOT the most important thing in the world. There are so many other things that contribute to success and I personally do not believe that a high IQ is the most important. :?


Tue Feb 04, 2003 8:30 pm
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As a k-1 teacher, I recall one student of mine, a very bright girl who did very well. She understood content well, scored well on papers and was a very good student. At the end of the year I was very surprised when she said (as I administered the IRI for the last time) that she had been scared to death the first time she was given the test. At such a young age, she was already experiencing the stress related to test taking.
Diane


Tue Feb 04, 2003 10:30 pm
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I was very surprised and concerned about a comment I heard from a student several years ago. His school did not meet or exceed growth expectations on the EOG's. He was talking to someone from a school which did exceed expected growth. He said, " You go to that smart school. My school is a dumb school." I think that it's terrible that there is so much resting on the results of a test that even children see the status of a school based on test scores. :(


Wed Feb 05, 2003 2:14 pm
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I was thinking of Airlie's comment about looking at her slower kids differently this week...so have I. This year all of the first grade teachers have a large "low" group of students, so we have been referring them to SSMT for classroom mods. In the meantime, I have really noticed how one of the students has been making more progress than before. He seems to be more confident with himself, asking questions and giving answers. I remember reading that someone made the comment that confidence often comes from the outside for many students and I would have to agree with that statement. In giving him that extra support it is as though he is more confident. He seems really interested in learning and that is a great improvement for him. In seeing this, I have been watching this low group more closely and thinking about their future. This book has been a real eye-opener not only about testing but about the future in education for these students.


Wed Feb 05, 2003 3:27 pm
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When I first started teaching I would be so proud of what my smart students could do. After 25 years of teaching, I know my smart children will excel and be challenged by just throwing in opportunities for them to problem solve and be self-motivated to learn. It takes little effort from me. I learned to judge my teaching on my lowest student. I see my low students as my challenges for the year. When they are successful, then I can be proud.


Wed Feb 05, 2003 4:13 pm
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