Why do some parents dislike the SOLs so very much?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It stresses my kid out. And it's not really a test about her and what she's learned. It's a test of the school and how they did. Why should she have to get all worried and worked up about it?

So if your child got passed advanced on every SOL test, it would only be due to the school and not your child, right? Would you tell her that she got passed advanced at all?

My kids always pass advanced, they've never asked - I've never told them. They are of no value. I work with a 4th grader who will probably not pass his 4th grade test. Totally a product of his home life. His teacher tries, I fill in the blanks but it won't happen. His SOL test will test his mother and his home.

This is BS. Especially when it's the teacher who doesn't try, as in our case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It stresses my kid out. And it's not really a test about her and what she's learned. It's a test of the school and how they did. Why should she have to get all worried and worked up about it?

So if your child got passed advanced on every SOL test, it would only be due to the school and not your child, right? Would you tell her that she got passed advanced at all?

I've been proud of her scores and shared them with her. But I don't understand your point. These tests aren't for us to validate how well she's learning. We already know that based on her grades. Uncle Sam wants these tests. Why should I allow the govt to decide to give my kid a test she would rather not take? It doesn't actually teach her anything - it actually detracts from classroom time that could be spent more productively, How is the SOL good for my child? If she'd rather not take it, why force her?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you all feel about VA getting rid of the writing test in 5th grade. Now there isn't a writing test till 8th grade? Your child won't have an actual writing test for 9 years of schooling.

I'm more concerned about the fact that they teach very little writing in ES, at least at my kids' school. There is so much focus on accelerating math that I think they forget about the other stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

it's not really a test about her and what she's learned. It's a test of the school and how they did

The school system will never see it that way. Never. I say that even though I agree with you.
Know that your child will be better off if she passes these things.
One way to care about her feelings is make it a certainty that she passes.
You say maybe you don't care if she passes. You will be made to care

This "you will be made to care" that you and other poster's keep throwing out is ridiculous. What will happen is the child will be given remediation over the next school year, which in my opinion is what should happen if a child fails the SOLs. The school will actually have to take the time to really teach the child what he or she should have been taught in the first place. As far as I see it, the school will be made to care.

[Anonymous]

The standardized tests only test how well a child does on a standardized test. It may be an indicator--but, it also may not be. It is a myth that the tests test what they are supposed to test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because this generation of parents like none before thinks it knows more about education than educators.

"Educators"? Do you think teachers -- the only "educators" who really matter -- are fans of the SOLs?

I would like my kids' teachers to get to spend their time teaching according to what they think is important and to get to spend testing time on testing in ways they know to be valid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Because this generation of parents like none before thinks it knows more about education than educators.


"Educators"? Do you think teachers -- the only "educators" who really matter -- are fans of the SOLs?

I would like my kids' teachers to get to spend their time teaching according to what they think is important and to get to spend testing time on testing in ways they know to be valid.

+1 million

I'm a teacher and a parent. I don't like SOL's for my child or for my students.

[Anonymous]

PP +1 also agree that writing skills in ES have taken a back seat. ( just compared to when my oldest was in 3rd grade ----we no longer have weekly writer's workshops as an example)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP +1 also agree that writing skills in ES have taken a back seat. ( just compared to when my oldest was in 3rd grade ----we no longer have weekly writer's workshops as an example)

The point though is that without any required writing test, there is no motivation to teach writing. No one is holding the teachers accountable. FCPS has no required writing test to take the place of the SOL. At least with the old system, the 4th and 5th grade teachers knew they had to make writing a priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It stresses my kid out. And it's not really a test about her and what she's learned. It's a test of the school and how they did. Why should she have to get all worried and worked up about it?

So if your child got passed advanced on every SOL test, it would only be due to the school and not your child, right? Would you tell her that she got passed advanced at all?

I've been proud of her scores and shared them with her. But I don't understand your point. These tests aren't for us to validate how well she's learning. We already know that based on her grades. Uncle Sam wants these tests. Why should I allow the govt to decide to give my kid a test she would rather not take? It doesn't actually teach her anything - it actually detracts from classroom time that could be spent more productively, How is the SOL good for my child? If she'd rather not take it, why force her?

What if your child would rather not do her homework or turn it in? What if she would rather not take the end of unit test? FCPS is not a child driven educational model. Do you spend all day doing whatever you want to do all day? That is a privilege only for the rich.

[Anonymous]

DC's 3rd grade teacher was given grammar books to use with the kids. The teacher decided not to use them because the children didn't like them and there was no requirement to teach grammar. Now we have a child who has to catch up on grammar over the summer in order to handle 4th grade work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Because this generation of parents like none before thinks it knows more about education than educators.


"Educators"? Do you think teachers -- the only "educators" who really matter -- are fans of the SOLs?

I would like my kids' teachers to get to spend their time teaching according to what they think is important and to get to spend testing time on testing in ways they know to be valid.

+1 million

I'm a teacher and a parent. I don't like SOL's for my child or for my students.

That's because you know they're a reflection on you.

[Anonymous]

I'm a teacher and a parent. I don't like SOL's for my child or for my students.


That's because you know they're a reflection on you.

Not either PP. Retired teacher here. The tests are a mess and ruining education. The teachers are teaching to the tests because that is what they are directed to do. Their jobs depend on it. Good teachers try to get around it, but there is no avoiding it. If you think these tests are a good thing, then you have no understanding of what they are or what they mean.

If you are a baker and your pay depends only on how well you bake a coconut cake--what are you going to spend your time practicing? Chocolate? Maybe a little. Pound cake? Sometimes. But, you are going to spend most of your time perfecting the coconut cake. Sure, you might even bake a batch of cookies now and then, but most of the time will be spent on coconut cake.

Education is the same way. The teachers and schools are being judged on how well their students pass a test. If something is not tested, it may be presented to the kids--but will it really be emphasized and taught? Just be sure the kids know how to fill in bubbles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I'm a teacher and a parent. I don't like SOL's for my child or for my students.


That's because you know they're a reflection on you.

Not either PP. Retired teacher here. The tests are a mess and ruining education. The teachers are teaching to the tests because that is what they are directed to do. Their jobs depend on it. Good teachers try to get around it, but there is no avoiding it. If you think these tests are a good thing, then you have no understanding of what they are or what they mean.

If you are a baker and your pay depends only on how well you bake a coconut cake--what are you going to spend your time practicing? Chocolate? Maybe a little. Pound cake? Sometimes. But, you are going to spend most of your time perfecting the coconut cake. Sure, you might even bake a batch of cookies now and then, but most of the time will be spent on coconut cake.

Education is the same way. The teachers and schools are being judged on how well their students pass a test. If something is not tested, it may be presented to the kids--but will it really be emphasized and taught? Just be sure the kids know how to fill in bubbles.

If you are a baker and there is no one holding you accountable you could make great cakes or very poor cakes. The only way you know is if people stop buying your cakes. In the school system there is no way for people to opt out of a local school other than moving which is very costly. It's also difficult to ascertain whether people are moving because of a teacher or not because every year you get a new one. Most people don't move because of one bad year. If you had the same teacher year after year then yes, real estate would tell more about the effectiveness of the teacher.

[Anonymous]

And in your analogy of the baker, we should have more SOL tests for diversity of learning, not less.