Why do some parents dislike the SOLs so very much?

[Anonymous]

Another example of what happens due to testing being removed. Last year all of the science units were taught prior to the 3rd grade SOL test. Now, there is still an entire science and social studies unit to teach before the end of the year.

[Anonymous]

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

No. You should give the baker a list of things he should be able to bake and let him figure it out. The teachers know how to teach. We don't need to have high stakes testing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

No. You should give the baker a list of things he should be able to bake and let him figure it out. The teachers know how to teach. We don't need to have high stakes testing.

They do that already. They are called year at a glance and pacing guides. How do you find out if the teacher has taught them and if the students understand them? Our principal lets her teachers do what they want for the most part and she doesn't review the student's work.

[Anonymous]

They do that already. They are called year at a glance and pacing guides. How do you find out if the teacher has taught them and if the students understand them? Our principal lets her teachers do what they want for the most part and she doesn't review the student's work.

Not the same thing. The tests are more important. You really don't get that, do you? The teachers and school are being judged on what the test scores are.

[Anonymous]

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


No. You should give the baker a list of things he should be able to bake and let him figure it out. The teachers know how to teach. We don't need to have high stakes testing.

Exactly. The idea of having more tests is ridiculous. You will only get the prescribed cakes even with more tests. Meanwhile, a great teacher has an idea for a lemon strawberry cake, but that cake is not on the list. That could be a very popular and interesting cake, but it will not be baked. Ever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They do that already. They are called year at a glance and pacing guides. How do you find out if the teacher has taught them and if the students understand them? Our principal lets her teachers do what they want for the most part and she doesn't review the student's work.

Not the same thing. The tests are more important. You really don't get that, do you? The teachers and school are being judged on what the test scores are.

I agree the students (and parents) should be judged as much or more than the teachers and school, but I don't understand what you think I'm not getting. I still think we should have end of year tests for subjects and that those grades should be made public so that people can see how a school is doing. It's the state's decision what to do with those scores related to teachers and schools. I don't want the teacher to be able to teach whatever they want to or not want to. I want my child to demonstrate some minimal competency at the end of the year as measured in a test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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


No. You should give the baker a list of things he should be able to bake and let him figure it out. The teachers know how to teach. We don't need to have high stakes testing.

Exactly. The idea of having more tests is ridiculous. You will only get the prescribed cakes even with more tests. Meanwhile, a great teacher has an idea for a lemon strawberry cake, but that cake is not on the list. That could be a very popular and interesting cake, but it will not be baked. Ever.

The tests are for minimal competency. I don't really care if a lemon strawberry cake is made if the baker doesn't know how long to cook a cake for. If they are for minimal competency, isn't there still plenty of time for a lemon strawberry cake once a week?

[Anonymous]

Maybe you'd prefer the state do away with the governor's awards of excellence based on SOL test results? I would agree to that. We don't need to award schools solely based on top SOL results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

No. You should give the baker a list of things he should be able to bake and let him figure it out. The teachers know how to teach. We don't need to have high stakes testing.

Most do, some don't. For this to work you would have to allow us input into which teacher and school we want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

They do that already. They are called year at a glance and pacing guides. How do you find out if the teacher has taught them and if the students understand them? Our principal lets her teachers do what they want for the most part and she doesn't review the student's work.

Not the same thing. The tests are more important. You really don't get that, do you? The teachers and school are being judged on what the test scores are.

Kinda like the real world, right?

[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.

The tests reflect what is in the curriculum. So by saying they "teach the test" you mean they teach the curriculum. Which is how it should be.

You seem to forget that teacher quality had gone downhill. That's what this is all about. The notion that the "teachers know best" as a monolith is ridiculous. Yes, there are good teachers, but not ALL of them are good. What teachers fear more than anything is accountability (which is what teachers' unions were beginning to protect them from). So, spare me. I remember what brought this all on in the first place. It wasn't pretty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

The tests reflect what is in the curriculum. So by saying they "teach the test" you mean they teach the curriculum. Which is how it should be.

You seem to forget that teacher quality had gone downhill. That's what this is all about. The notion that the "teachers know best" as a monolith is ridiculous. Yes, there are good teachers, but not ALL of them are good. What teachers fear more than anything is accountability (which is what teachers' unions were beginning to protect them from). So, spare me. I remember what brought this all on in the first place. It wasn't pretty.

I don't think teacher quality is what it is all about. I think children going through the US school system should exhibit some degree of proficiency in certain subjects deemed important.

[Anonymous]

. I think children going through the US school system should exhibit some degree of proficiency in certain subjects deemed important.

Don't think you understand the law of unintended consequences.

[Anonymous]

The tests reflect what is in the curriculum. So by saying they "teach the test" you mean they teach the curriculum. Which is how it should be.

You seem to forget that teacher quality had gone downhill. That's what this is all about. The notion that the "teachers know best" as a monolith is ridiculous. Yes, there are good teachers, but not ALL of them are good. What teachers fear more than anything is accountability (which is what teachers' unions were beginning to protect them from). So, spare me. I remember what brought this all on in the first place. It wasn't pretty. [/quote


Even if it were true that teacher quality has gone downhill, these tests are not the way to improve teacher quality.

Please enlighten us more about what brought this all on.

[Anonymous]

One thing that is bringing on changes are more ELL students and more SpEd students. Increasing rates of autism and other learning disorders in the population. The rates are high.

Also, birth control is available and being used by more responsible adults and less so by less responsible adults.

More children are born out of wedlock.

All of the above affects schools way, way more than a few "bad teachers".