No child left behind huh? - AfroChat - African American

Vegence · December 18th, 2004, 04:45 PM

Is it me or is the name misleading? I think what they meant to name it was "NO CHILD LEFT UNTESTED".

As a parent,
I find that this whole way of trying to "standardize" the way children are supposed to learn will ultimately lead to destruction in the school systems.
I am all for challenging our kids but the way they have this set up is more so that they can label the kids "challenged".

Something else

what happened to the funding that was supposed to come from the Bush Cabinet to help the teachers better prepare these children to take these PASS OR FAIL testing methods?

WTH ????

Blak · December 18th, 2004, 08:14 PM

Standardized testing aint shitt and never been. They need to improve the pay for, and quality of, teachers....make sure that black kids and other minorities can learn some things in school relevant to their heritage, and they need to think about separating boys and girls for certain subjects where it is determined they learn differently. All the stupid testing in the world wont do and daamn thing if something is not done about the results.....which are BS results. All these results show is who taught to the test, and what kids are good at multiple choice tests......it proves not a damn thing at all. :mad:

DBlack · December 18th, 2004, 11:34 PM

Standardized Testing is essential. You have to have objective methods of measuring aptitude. Once you do away with standards, then how do you guage education quality and aptitude levels in people?

The problem I think is the quality of the standardized tests. It's important that they not have any cultural, religious or political bias.

But I don't think this is the real problems with the No Child Left Behind Scam. See, the idea is a great one: HOld schools accountable for their lack of achievement. But here's what people miss out on; You can't put two competing schools together, expect the same results if they both started the 'race' at a different starting point. Schools should have a baseline which evens the playing field. Because the right and fair way to expect results in performance is to give all schools the same resources, THEN and only then can your fairly hold them accountable.

The lack of education reform is the probably the biggest disservice the American Government as given to it's citizens. This results in not only kids being left behind, but reeks of abandonment.

naskiecenye · December 19th, 2004, 12:39 PM

There is a problem with the no child left behind scam do you think just because the teacher are teaching the children for the test and thats just what they are going teaching them so that they can pass the test, are these children really learning material or are they just memorizing stuff to pass a test and thats exactly what they are doing. Ask some of those kids what they learned a year ago and they wont be able to tell you because they only memorized it. Then it goes right out of there heads. Children learn best through experiences and thats something the school system just dont get

Blak · December 20th, 2004, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naskiecenye

There is a problem with the no child left behind scam do you think just because the teacher are teaching the children for the test and thats just what they are going teaching them so that they can pass the test, are these children really learning material or are they just memorizing stuff to pass a test and thats exactly what they are doing. Ask some of those kids what they learned a year ago and they wont be able to tell you because they only memorized it. Then it goes right out of there heads. Children learn best through experiences and thats something the school system just dont get

For real....and you sure as hell dont determine if the child has learned from experiences by having them fill in a bunch of stupid circles, choosing a b or c....to see what has been memorized. School needs to have a variety of testing types and be more practical.It should tailor to who is in the school too....this one size fits all crap dont work.

Good post.

DBlack · December 20th, 2004, 10:24 AM

Blak,

You said something interesting in your post: "School needs to have a variety of testing types and be more practical.It should tailor to who is in the school too....this one size fits all crap dont work."

Can you elaborate on the part in bold? Why should a schools aptitude tests 'tailor' to it's specific students? And how will that provide an accurae measure of their aptitude in comparison to goals, standards and scores nationwide?

originata · December 20th, 2004, 11:21 AM

In many ways I think American schools are dumbing down but I guess that's another topic.

There should be standardized tests but the problem is that we all know how public schools are severely lacking but then people act like they don't know why the scores are so low. As a product of public schools many times on these standardized tests I was looking at material that I've never seen before and I don't think that would be much better now. You can't not prepare students for these tests and expect them to score high. The low test scores should be more of a gauge of the curriculum moreso than the students.

Artvein · December 20th, 2004, 12:11 PM

This is just another way for the bush family to make money, since his brother Neil, started the standardized testing business in Texas when he was the governor after the saving/loan scandle. His other brother jeb, got into the act when he became governor of Florida and the idea was pushed during the first bush run for president, back by rod page( resigned from cabinet) superintentent of schools in texas. (CBS News story) The story went on to state the progress reports of students were inflated to make him look like the testing was working in texas. This has been prooven to false, by the guy who blew the whistle on the false reporting of numbers.

Blak · December 20th, 2004, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dBlack

Blak,

You said something interesting in your post: "School needs to have a variety of testing types and be more practical.It should tailor to who is in the school too....this one size fits all crap dont work."

Can you elaborate on the part in bold? Why should a schools aptitude tests 'tailor' to it's specific students? And how will that provide an accurae measure of their aptitude in comparison to goals, standards and scores nationwide?

Tailoring the way they are taught material. There is nothing wrong with using different methods to teach kids.....it really should tailor to the student population. The best way to get the student to know a specific set of things laid out by the state is a good idea IMO. Not all student learn alike....and when they get to high school....not all students have come from elementary schools that got them to the level they should be at. You cant use the same methods with kids who went to good primary schools as ones who went to crappy ones. Schools are not created equal so the teaching styles are gonna have to differ at some point if those who are behind are to get a fair chance to be ready for college at age 18.

The only thing you an I disagree on is how to tell that the kids have in fact leanred what they need to know. I disagree with the testing method just like I disagree with SATs which dont exist in my country.

I know for a fact I would not have gotten in a good school if I had to do SATs.....and here I am...in grad school. Those tests are not fair or accurate IMO....not at the college level, nor at the elementary or high school level.

Blak (If I did not answer your Q... let me know :) )

elmb · December 22nd, 2004, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naskiecenye

There is a problem with the no child left behind scam do you think just because the teacher are teaching the children for the test and thats just what they are going teaching them so that they can pass the test, are these children really learning material or are they just memorizing stuff to pass a test and thats exactly what they are doing. Ask some of those kids what they learned a year ago and they wont be able to tell you because they only memorized it. Then it goes right out of there heads. Children learn best through experiences and thats something the school system just dont get

I think that school is the foundation, then we as parents have to take what they have learned { so you have to be a part of the curriculum and things going on in your childs school } We then expound on that. I personally want my children held up to the same standards as white children. I want to know where they are having problems so that I can get them extra tutoring.

It is one system, sorry to say. There is a difference between jobs out there for those who passed the reguar college with the regular standarized testing and those who needed tailored testing...It's called Corporate America and McDonalds. Don't sell your children short. They can do just as well if not better if we stand behind them and tell them so instead of fighting that they can't do it. You can ALL things through Christ that Strengthens You.