ACT SCORE SCANDAL

[Solus]

You work cheap, TT. I do not agree with FQ - money did change hands, they should all go to jail for fraud and corruption. They got paid, remember? To be teachers and admins, not to game the system and involve thousands of students in a fraud on the taxpayers.

Then I must ask, what about teachers who "teach" to the test?  They know what the test will cover and teach it specifically, sacrificing other things that should be taught in the place of the extra emphasis on the test contents.

They too are just as guilty of violating their contract by not teaching what their course should cover in order to give the kids a better chance to pass the test.

When so much of a kids future is based on the results of a single test and not what a good teacher will know about how well their students are doing, you are creating a situation where the kids will suffer if the test material is not emphasized in the classroom.  The emphasis is not being place by the teacher, but by some "bureaucratic wisdom" from a political agency.

[MikeBjerum]

Solus,

They also need to go!  The students that are taught to the test are easily caught.  If they do not know the theory or the principles of the subject they will be quickly caught through the system.  My profession has a National Board test that we are required to pass.  Students that purchased the compend to pass the test had a 50% pass rate.  The students that studied the text book and teacher's notes had nearly 100% pass.  The compend was every possible question you could be asked on the test (actual test questions), in multiple choice (like the test) with the answers in the end of each section.  However, memorization of key words and answers failed the students when they were faced with situations that needed reasoning and/or formulas to find the best answer.

I like essay questions and tests that require you to show your work.  These tests both catch those that don't know the fundamentals, and they help those that know the information and theory but screw up on the exact numbers or words offered in multiple choice or t/f.

[twyacht]

If there are cheaters teaching my kid, I want them to be successful cheaters.
You know, the kind that DON"T GET CAUGHT.  
But, as they say, Them that can't do.......

Maybe they could get tax attorneys and other lawyer types to teach "pro bono".....

Of course I already saw a quick MSM snippet about "No Child Left Behind",...aka "It's Bush's Fault" even though Ted "I'm still sober cause I'm dead" Kennedy wrote it.

They should be FIRED....and for cheating on a standardized state and/or fed test.......

Let's see....

Conspiracy
Fraud
Conspiracy to commit fraud
Unlawful acts against a minor(s)
Misrepresentation during the committing of a crime.

Oh, being asshat liberal cheating bastards
Fine the NEA.

Disband the Dept. of Ed.

Damn shame.

[Rastus]

TW...you got me thinking.  If they used the US Mail then that is mail fraud....ouch.

Sic'em postal inspectors.....ya'll need the revenue.

[tombogan03884]

While I agree with the things posted here the fact remains, If a kid has curiosity, and wants to learn, all he needs is to be taught to read, his own desire to learn will take it from there.
On the other hand, a gullible slacker with no curiosity, or interest will remain a dumb ass with the best of educations.
The problem, in this particular case is the transformation of education into simply another unionized "industry".
Modern teachers are generally factory workers who simply wish to get their production accepted by the QA dept.
As in any socialist organization whether it is correct, and functional is irrelevant, all that matters is will QA "buy it".

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

One of the guys over at Confederate Yankee is a teacher and he has been posting a series of "Letters From The Teacher".  Several of them have addressed the problems with "critical" mandatory testing.

If you care to read further, you can find them here http://confederateyankee.mu.nu/

Will have to scroll down to find them.

[Timothy]

Coincidentally, I was listening to a Glen Beck segment on Sirius today that kind of spoke to what Tom said.

Beck is self educated....like me with some college and self taught.  Most would agree that he's a pretty bright fellow and while I don't want to toot my own horn too much, I'm no slouch myself.  I've taken many an engineer to task and in most places I've worked and I might be the smarter guy in the room rather than the dumbest.  My current employer couldn't find his ass with both hands and a flashlight!

Curiosity is the key to knowledge, high school and advanced schooling give you the basis for learning but the task still remains with the student.  I have little doubt, had I applied myself more seriously in my education, I surely would have gone further but, it remains to be seen if a college education would have done anything more than stifle my curiosity.  My conservative attitude and my ability to aggravate my instructors is nothing new!  Most professors cringed when I entered the classroom because I made THEM think rather than the opposite.  It didn't hurt that I was a grown man at the time and not some snotnose kid right out of HS...

[fightingquaker13]

That would have made you worth your weight in gold to any real prof. 18 year olds who tow the line are boring. You WANT a student with some RL experience who will get in your face, hell, you take them out for beers after class.
FQ13

[Timothy]

That would have made you worth your weight in gold to any real prof. 18 year olds who tow the line are boring. You WANT a student with some RL experience who will get in your face, hell, you take them out for beers after class.
FQ13

If you believe that Jay, then get back into the game....kids are getting the short end of the stick in most schools.  A teacher that doesn't take offense to someone disagreeing with them is pretty rare.

[fightingquaker13]

If you believe that Jay, then get back into the game....kids are getting the short end of the stick in most schools.  A teacher that doesn't take offense to someone disagreeing with them is pretty rare.

Timothy, look at my record and style on this board. Love me or hate me, I speak the truth as I understand it, take shit with a smile and rolling eyes, and offer snark in response to insults, in hopes of getting a serious debate going. I'm the same way in the class room. You can accuse me of a lot of things, but being someone who wants "yes men" is not one of them.
FQ13