The History Test

[Makalakumu]

In MN, because of No Child Left Behind legislation, we are now instituting a standardized test in Social Studies. I can see the point in making sure students know about history, but I can also see this turning into an instrument that measures what is "approved" and nothing else. Have we reached a point where we are so managed where our ability to absorb propaganda now has to be tested?

 

[tshadowchaser]

a standardized test in Social Studies is not in and of itslef a bad thing. Having discussed certian parts of world and US history and people in volved and seeing people look at me with a look of confusion because they have no idea who or what I am talking about is frustrating. Students in high school should have a basic idea of the events that occured in this counrty and the people involved. As foe the world , well, it is difficult to judge what is happening today without some idea of what may have caused those events.
I think that we should also consider teaching history from the view point of other countries not just our own. People might be surprised how other countries view events agaist what is tought in our schools

 

[tellner]

My wife handles the statistical side of the NCLB data for the Portland school district. This sort of thing is a big part of our dinner table conversation. And from what she sees in her job and hears from teachers your fears are very well founded. Everything, and I mean everything ends up sacrificed on the altar of the standardized test. Innovation is actively discouraged. The Federal government in theory allows some alternatives to the multiple choice scantron. In practice, Oregon spent years and millions of dollars trying to jump through the necessary hoops to get a writing test that involved actual writing approved. After showing up with over six thousand pages of explanation of the methodology and proposed standards the Department of Education sent them back saying something that unusual required "thorough documentation" with no hints as to what they might consider good enough.

The trends from all over the country are depressingly consistent. If it isn't designed to make the kiddies regurgitate the correct multiple choice on command it has to go. The survival of the school is quite literally at stake. NCLB applies to Title I schools which means they are financially over a barrel and tend to have students who come into the educational system with more problems. If you're not in compliance you get your air supply cut off. And you start off with the biggest challenges to compliance.

The Administration's push for Charter Schools doesn't do diddly. The data show that they don't do any better than the public schools. But they have the advantages of union-busting and the orderly transfer of public funds to private for-profit corporations. Fully private and parochial schools are not covered by NCLB, so they have the freedom to do what they want, and with the Office of Faith Based Initiatives they end up getting a big scoop of Federal largess these days. The richer schools that aren't subject to Title I are not really affected either.

There are some good things. A national standard allows people to see how their schools are doing nationally. But for the most part it's just another way of punishing public education.

 

[Ninjamom]

.....just another way of punishing public education.

I see it more as a way of controlling, more than punishing.

Just this last week, courts in Calif. ruled that all home-schooling parents must have teacher certification, or their children would be non-compliant for compulsory education, and therefore subject to truancy prosecution. Children do NOT belong to 'The Government' (whatever THAT might be), and shouldn't be treated as property to be managed or controlled.

 

[Makalakumu]

I see it more as a way of controlling, more than punishing.

Just this last week, courts in Calif. ruled that all home-schooling parents must have teacher certification, or their children would be non-compliant for compulsory education, and therefore subject to truancy prosecution. Children do NOT belong to 'The Government' (whatever THAT might be), and shouldn't be treated as property to be managed or controlled.

Wow. Simply amazing! Unfortunately, I think that will be the trend, however.

I wonder if "the government" will be providing opportunities to obtain a "license" to homeschool?

 

[MBuzzy]

Already done in CA. They have a fairly high high school rate and are now requiring official teaching certificates to home school children.

I always thought that standardized tests were crap when I was a kid and I still do. Teachers should be able to adjust their teching style and content to the needs of the class. In addition, this takes away a teacher's ability to make judgement calls.

 

[Marginal]

In MN, because of No Child Left Behind legislation, we are now instituting a standardized test in Social Studies. I can see the point in making sure students know about history, but I can also see this turning into an instrument that measures what is "approved" and nothing else. Have we reached a point where we are so managed where our ability to absorb propaganda now has to be tested?

Seems more like a kneejerk reaction to those embarassing polls which feature kids not knowing who our allies were in WW2 etc than the state looking for a chance to cram propaganda into children's heads.

 

[cstanley]

I believe that any parent who can afford to send his children to private or parochial schools and does not do so is an irresponsible parent. Government schools are a tool of the Left for destroying this nation's sovreignty, its heritage, its religion, and its soul.

 

[Ceicei]

I believe that any parent who can afford to send his children to private or parochial schools and does not do so is an irresponsible parent. Government schools are a tool of the Left for destroying this nation's sovreignty, its heritage, its religion, and its soul.

What about those parents who cannot afford to do this? What are they then?

 

[tshadowchaser]

way to many parents in this country are POOR. Sending their children to private schools is way out of the question , because putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads is more important. Should they be penilised , or should their children be penilised, because they are poor.
Some who home school do not have degrees yet they do a much better job of instructing their children than public or private schools.

 

[Big Don]

School vouchers sound better and better all the time.

 

[Makalakumu]

An idea that would be better then vouchers would be to just let the parents decide where to take the per pupil money for their child's education and spend it where ever they wish. Even on, god forbid, home schooling.

School, as an institution, is just too limited to meet the varied needs of everyone's education. It's not working because we ask of it the impossible.

It's not the government's job to be parents for our children.

 

[cstanley]

What about those parents who cannot afford to do this? What are they then?

They are unfortunate, indeed. School vouchers may be an answer...or they'll provide the future Democratic voters churned out by the government schools propaganda machine.