I think educational leaders (I have been making my voice heard in a few venues, most recently this morning) need to begin to challenge these assessments due to the issues of inequality for all children. We have moved from testing endurance to testing technological proficiency. When will the powers that be consider the best way to assess learning of content? And content exit exams are not the answer…
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What I think we really need is to have a more realistic approach at the center of the argument. If what we need to do is better prepare our students for a 21st century workforce, we need to provide them with a 21st century education. That is one that does not espouse archaic Carnegie units for graduation and standardized assessments as measures of achievement. We need classrooms without walls; we need project based instruction and project based assessment; we need personalized learning plans for all students that appeal to their interests and their talents while they support their areas of need. We need students who can read and write for a variety of purposes, make change and leave a tip without use of their cell phones. We need to have our students play and exercise more and take advantage of more authentic learning experiences and get them out of INDUSTRIAL age K-12 assembly line classrooms. We need to offer “Option Two” type programs to ALL students and forget about the way we are used to “doing” education in the country. We need to move towards a system, like Finland, where they have virtually NO standardized testing and very high international academic achievement.
We aren’t preparing our students to work on farms and in factories any more. We aren’t preparing them to work in a suit and tie, in a bank, or in a shoe store for their entire lives. The youngest billionaire in the world (Mark Zuckerberg) goes to work in cargo shorts and flip flops. Most work places offer creative outlets for game playing and relaxation. Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook, and even the banking industry aren’t looking for “schooled followers.” They want creative leaders and problem solvers with original ideas! We are NOT preparing our students for an uncertain world five years from now. What is the federal government doing to help us get the students where they need to be? Reauthorizing ESEA? Supporting National Standards and National assessments? It isn’t enough. What we need is a TRANSFORMATIONAL OVERHAUL in the way we “do” education in this country. And I’m frightened that the “powers that be” (including a whole host of non-educator politicians) think that common standards, national assessments, and holding teachers accountable for student achievement will get us there. They won’t!
We need to redefine the role of the teacher and the training of the teacher. We need to redefine the definitions of achievement, of learning and of preparation. We need to celebrate creativity, teach independent and collaborative work habits, demand ethical behavior, model service, foster leadership and promote a love of learning in our children. None of that can be assessed on a standardized test! We need to cut the crap, and do what is GOOD and RIGHT for all students. We need to embrace a new type of education in this country, and neither political party gives me much hope today.
I am all for improving education and student achievement. However, current reform efforts miss the mark, as the end result will be the transformation of schools into testing factories. Will this prepare our students for success in today's society? Is this what we want for our schools?
All we need to make this a reality is for people like Danielle, you and other leaders to tell their state departments to stop sending the test. Just say, "We won't give it, so don't send it." Once district leaders start doing this, real reform will happen automatically. Someone has to start it, though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this.
Like.
DeleteGreat to hear a principal who is on the right track and encouraging others to do so as well. Keep fighting the good fight!
ReplyDeleteAmen sister! Mark that is/was the plan drastic problems need dastic changes.. TRUE leaders will risk their jobs to do such as you suggest. I am leaving education in the USA after 25 years service to get in touch with a transformational and progressive institution abroad just similarly due to the reason s you stated. Yours in the fight...
ReplyDeleteGreat to hear, Bill. I'm happy for you. If not for family obligations, I might ask you to pack me in your suitcase.
DeleteGood luck.
I agree that our educational system is in dire need of transformation and I agree with much of what you are saying but I also clearly understand what happens to
ReplyDeletefuturistic minded or turnaround principals that get results doing things differently in outdated school systems. Eventually they get run out of thier position. Conspiracy Theory is alive and thriving in many public school systems and a lot of people will turn thier backs on you the first chance they get just to detract from thier lack of vision and skills. It is sad because it is simply a slow death for public schools and many are riding it out because of the money.
Well said!
ReplyDeleteI am with you Eric and I appreciate the comment that was made by Mark; if you give the test, you are promoting it as well.
ReplyDeleteHere is the thing though...schools are funded (often) by political dollars and there is a measure of accountability that our governments need to show that they are working. We can continue to say that these "tests" are not working, but until someone gives a better measure that can be easily accessible by the public, things won't change. If you want to REALLY measure if your school has been successful in the development of a student, wouldn't we have to take into account what they do after they leave our schools? Then, how long would you follow them for? Until they are 20? 30? All the tests show is that kids are good or bad at school; they have nothing to do with the real world. The problem is that when most elections happen within 2-4 years, candidates need results now. They are not willing to build a system that really looks at long term data.
We can complain about it as much as we want, but the reality is until educators offer a better alternative that serves both our children and political interests (I hate that it even exists but it is reality), we are seemingly going to be stuck with the same type of testing. As many would say, we need to bring solutions, not problems.
Just my two cents.
George: Problem is that we (educators) cannot bring solutions if we are not invited to be part of the decision-making process. If this were the case then I think politicians would be offered more solutions that they could handle. Question then becomes, would they listen? Current efforts at reform and accountability have little to do with learning. Project-based assessments, portfolios, internships, gallery walks, showcases, etc. do. Many educators, including ourselves, preach this.
ReplyDeleteAhhh...good point BUT you and I both know that with the power of social media, educators have a much larger audience and influence then ever. 20 years ago, if you had a plan, you may send it to government and who knows where it would go. Now if you built a solid plan, you could send it to government, post it to Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc., and get a movement going. All of those things that you talk about could be part of a plan, but in reality, the public needs to see a plan of exactly how those will work. You do not necessarily have to get the politicians to listen first, but if you get voters behind it that could win or lose an election, you would have a much better chance. You have a major influence on education in the states and a large audience; educators need to start using this to make change.
DeleteFor your reading pleasure (actually displeasure) http://njleftbehind.blogspot.com/2012/02/nclb-waiver-update.html
DeleteI couldn't agree more with @GeorgeCouros that alternatives (I do believe there needs to be many, not one) to the for-profit testing in the US is critical. This is political as well as work related. A powerful way for admins to begin to change the outcomes for learners is to ensure that they are actively and powerfully learning as well. This means being a teaching-practitioner who is deeply knowledgeable about the pedagogical, social, and content aspects of the work. By this I mean being researchers, not simply reading a synopsis of research in an ed journal. It means working as theorists in our schools and collaborating with teachers about practices, hunches, outcomes.
ReplyDeleteDeep knowledge is composed alongside rich work in collaboration with others. We cannot wait for Trenton or another site of power to make the conditions we need. We will need to do this as best we can for ourselves and with each other. Accessing social media to communicate, contextualize, collaborate, and compose better learning outcomes for students is an important method.
There's a lot of rhetoric about testing but little will happen until we can demonstrate student achievement in powerful and measurable ways.
Eric,
ReplyDeletePowerful post. I feel terrible whenever I read about the standards movement, NCLB, and now the Race for the Top or whatever it is called. Quantifying elective success? Crazy stuff.
I noted the phrase "virtually NO standardized testing and very high international academic achievement" and wanted to know how much testing your kids have to endure in their K-12 career and how much you feel would accomplish what you need at the school level, or at least placate those who want to "know" learning is happening in your schools.
In BC, we are talking about the new BCED plan which focuses on personalized learning and a move away from traditional "factory learning". This also has us looking at the role of testing. Currently, a student would do a week of morning literacy/numeracy tests in grade 4 and in grade 7, then would need to do five 2-3 hour exams in high school (Eng10, Sc10, Math10, Socials 11, and a Language Arts 12) in order to graduate. So 30 hrs. total give or take, K-12. Some believe this to be too much, and though the tests are far from perfect (that's long post in itself) I would like to keep them, although hopefully in a somewhat more evolved, open-ended format.
How does this compare to your jurisdiction? What would work for you? And, maybe this is for everybody who has been weighing in on this issue too, can we get by with none at all? Thanks. PJ
Peter,
DeleteStudents are tested in grades 3-8 and 11 once per year. Testing at the high school level for 11th grade students currently takes 3 days. However, NJ adopted the Common Core Standards and will be a part of the PARCC consortia so testing during high school will occur during grades 9-11 (twice per year). This is way too much in my opinion.
Yes, already way too much and soon to be way, way too much. As a guy who is known to make a chart or two, I'm not even sure what I would do with all that information. PJ
DeleteI really like the thinking Mrs. Shanley put together in her response to the article. I would like to echo the fact that until we decide to make meaningful, research based, changes in the way we do things in our own buildings, and stop complaining about the changes others what to make, we will continue to lose ground. This fall we shut off the bells (for several days), grouped students by interest(not age), and let them choose their own learning experience with the parameters set by staff based on curricular considerations. It was a scary experience for staff (and administration) but we learned so much about ourselves and our students that we have determined that we MUST do it again. We have to quit tinkering on the edges of changing our antiquated system, cut ties and experiment with doing things differently.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting discussion. However, there is a flaw in the analysis, and that is the assumption that "educational reform" is "misguided." I would suggest (I am not unique in this perspective) that the "educational reforms" exemplified by standardized testing are part of a very well conceived and organized effort by the "powers that be" (including a whole host of non-educator polititions and corporate leaders) to purposely undermine public education in favor of a private for-profit educational system. What a wonderful way to stimulate the economy! Create a multi-billion dollar, highly profitable educational industry. The only problem is, education will not be for everyone, it will be for those who can pay. With the rising gap between the haves and have nots in this country, fewer and fewer Americans will have the opportunity to get a good education (which will in turn further widen the socio-economic gap). We cannot let this happen! A true democracy requires an educated citizenry. A true democracy requires a public education system that is available to all citizens. Yes, it is important to improve the curriculum and make it more appealing and relevant to the students (project based learning is one way), but if we deal with the government policies (which are driven by corporate policy makers) as simply "misguided," the battle will be lost.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with your position that there is an attack being waged on the concept of public education for all. It is often disguised as an effort to improve or reform education or provide accountability to the system. I believe the main issue is the loss of local control as we have moved to state and national standards and policies that govern the definition of achievement for all. I understand the concept that no matter where our students grow up they are going to have to compete/participate at a national or global level for jobs or even be responsible citizens. Until we remove the corporate or political influence from the oversight role we will end up with over simplified ways to define achievement and attempt to hold our system and individuals accountable. In such an era of innovation, transparency, networking, and availability of information, I believe true reform will be a redefining of teaching and learning as described by Will Richardson on his Blog Post Rebranding Teachers.
ReplyDeletehttp://willrichardson.com/post/18319852144/rebranding-teachers