Sophomores' CAPT scores

[Nicole]

[QUOTE who="ymzSuggestions that the test is too demanding would quickly be debunked if parents actually had access to review actual tests. Education is not a holy mission, it is an industry now.
[/QUOTE]

Personally, I am not a big fan of standardized tests. They have their inherent flaws. They are not an absolute reflection of a child's ability.

But, parents DO have access to the tests. In Granby our kids have practice exams (actual tests, just like SAT practice exams). They score them and bring them home. Parents are able to see what the actual test contains and can pinpoint areas where their child struggles.

Granby doesn't go overboard preparing kids for the exam, thank God! You should see some other districts, like Simsbury. They pretty much "teach for the test". I think it's sad that these tests have become such a focus in school. We need accountability, but if a district goes overboard it is at the cost of the student.

[Nicole]

You said this very well.

Teacher wrote:

Parents need to look at the test and see how it pertains to their own child. These tests do not reflect everything that children are learning. Some children are not developmentally ready for critical comprehension. If a child is a good reader , but poor writer, their reading score is lower because it involves writing. Have you seen these tests? Connecticut has one of the hardest tests in the nation. As long as your child is making gains each year then that's what is important. These tests should be based on the individual not as a whole. Also students that have IEPS and can't read are expected to take these tests as well.
As a teacher about to have tenure after 4 years, I must say that these "reasons" are not excuses, but obstacles that give us insight into our children's lives. When we have to work with students that have environmental factors that hinder their learning we need to step up and help them. Yes, more resources are needed for these students. I do not complain about my salery, although it is %10,000 less then fairfield county(sorry, I guess that was a complaint). I don't claim to slave over assignments at home, but I do grade papers and create lesson plans after work hours. I am passionate about my job and make learning fun. I teach learning skills, time management, responsibility, organizational skills, along with reading and writing, character education, current events and I know for a fact that I am responsible for these students to learn. Oh, I also work as a social worker, mentor, and "parent" to my children. NCLB, we get it, ok. However, there are students that miss multiple days of school, do not have parents that come to open house and parent conferences, never respond to email, do not give their children money for lunch and let them play video games until the wee hours of the morning, so they do not have to deal with them at home. I also do not work in Bridgeport, Hartford, or New London, nor would my stress levels be able to handle it. Have you ever worked in the inner city or worked with children in general? Even in wealthy communities, children are prone to peer pressure you could never even imagine. UNlike wealthy communities, children in Bridgeport do not have many outs.