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08
Testing our schools: Blessing or curse?
Aug 29, 2007Khristopher Brooks reported last week that seven Southwest Virginia schools failed to make adequate yearly progress ... as defined by the No Child Left Behind law.
But are the tests fair?
Some critics don’t think so and the story notes that failing to meet just one of 29 objectives can cause a school to fail ... and a single failing school can result in the district receiving less than wonderful marks.
There’s a bigger question, as well. Has the focus on testing been a net-good for education in this nation? Some don’t think so.
Newsweek reports in “Three Ways to Fix Troubled Schools” that the test-prep culture has infiltrated elementary schools to an alarming extent:
Teachers spend most of the year drilling kids in order to help them perform well on exams. The administration encourages it: “What gets taught is what gets tested,” admits the principal. Depth of understanding, context, creativity and intellectual curiosity are forgotten in the effort to raise scores. Social studies and science are put on the back burner, too. [Reporter] Perlstein asks the right question: is this fill-in-the-blank culture making our kids smarter or are we merely teaching to the bottom?
My children are in private school. There is testing, but not to the same extent as in the public system. This translates into greater educational freedom.
Just this week, my daughter, who is in the 5th grade, came home excited about time spent examining onion skins under a microscope in her science class. A religion assignment examining the ethical dilemmas of the Michael Vick case was thought-provoking in a different sort of a way.
These are the sorts of lessons that teach a child how to think, not what to think. Is that what we are sacrificing with the increased focus on testing?
Posted by Andrea Hopkins A slap on the wrist
Aug 23, 2007... is pretty much what David Davis’ aide, Timothy Hill, is getting for his escapades on Wikipedia. The Knoxville News-Sentinel reports that Hill will be required to attend “conduct classes” to atone for his bad behavior.
According to the News-Sentinel, Brenda Otterson, Davis’ chief of staff, released this statement about Hill’s punishment:
“After reviewing Timothy’s misstep and his overall performance as press secretary, the congressman believes Timothy is a valued employee who made a mistake. ... Moreover, we have learned that editing of Wikipedia files is a relatively common occurrence among many government and private sector offices. ... Consequently, Timothy will be required to take congressional operations classes in September in order to give him a better understanding of House rules and the restrictions governing the actions of congressional employees.”
Show of hands. Who believes the lesson that Hill has learned from all this is to cover his tracks better next time?
Fixing health care
Aug 20, 2007My two columns on health care reforms have generated as many responses as anything I’ve written lately. Perhaps this proves that health care is the No. 1 domestic issue heading into 2008.
So, I offer this open thread. Give me your best suggestion to reform health care ... and we’ll discuss them here.
It’s race week
Aug 20, 2007OK, so this isn’t usually a topic for the editorial page, but there is no escaping it. It’s race week in Bristol.
For anyone who might have forgotten what week was approaching, the huge displays of beer, soft drinks and bottled water in one’s favorite grocery store offer a subtle hint.
What’s your favorite thing about race week? The visitors? The big events themselves?
I vote for the Blue Lizard transporter parade. I’ve already got my eye on a prime spot along the Volunteer Parkway to watch with the three bambinos. Sorry, teachers. They’ll be sleepy on Friday. The parade’s an annual tradition.
The straw poll
Aug 13, 2007Pondering the Iowa straw poll for a few moments. My first reaction was that this looks more like a county fair than a way to determine which candidates have the juice to go all the way.
Be that as it may, these thoughts come to mind.
1) Since Rudy Giuliani and John McCain chose not to play and Fred Thompson can’t decide if he’s in or out, does Mitt Romney’s win matter?
2) What does it say about Mitt Romney that he would spend millions to “win” a largely symbolic victory?
3) By contrast, Mike Huckabee spent almost nothing and came in solidly in second. I like Huckabee. He seems like a competent, down-to-earth fellow. Will he get traction now?
4) Tommy Thompson has already dropped out. Will we see Duncan Hunter and some of the others who didn’t get traction do the same?
