Reply to Why do some parents dislike the SOLs so very much?

Forum Index » Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

Reply to "Why do some parents dislike the SOLs so very much?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote]
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.  [/quote]

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.

[/quote]

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]

Teaching to the test does not mean teaching to the curriculum.  Teaching to the test means they spend crazy amount of time having the student memorize only the information the tests cover and doing practices tests so they understand the format of the test.  The tests are not about interpreting and applying concepts learned throughout the year, they are about memorization.  [/quote]

Then you have bad teachers.[/quote]

Do you understand what SOLs are?  Have you taken one?

By middle/high school, a child's classroom tests should be based not only on their knowledge of the subject, but their ability to interpret the subject. It should be preparing them for college.  SOLs are all about memorization.  They are multiple choice tests.  In elementary school, that sort of testing is fine.  But in middle and high school, time needs to be spent developing a child's ability to analyze and interpret, not memorize.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics