WWTBAM Bored

Today was the first day of our annual standardized testing cycle. I stayed at school until 7:55 last night (the alarm system arms at 8:00) and was back up there at 6 this morning getting things prepared. (as school test coordinator, I get OCD and recount things a jillion times) These 3 days are why we work the other 10 months so there can't be any slip-ups.

I had a district level test monitor/observer in my office an hour before we began testing. Our little school has done well the last two years and they wonder why. I always love doing something with someone looking over my shoulder. Fortunately, the only thing she could find fault with was that our 6 hallway monitors/proctors seemed to be sitting too close to one another.

Only two more days to go. At least the people from the State Dept. of Education usually show up on the first day if they are coming. Maybe they will skip us this year.

I hate standardized testing. Our district is putting so much emphasis on it that they asked parents donate breakfast items and drinks for each morning of testing.

Kids are even allowed to chew mint gum in some classes because it stimulates the brain.

Emma has a really great teacher, that should be enough...

Like it or not, standardized testing is an essential life skill. How else are the youth of our nation going to get on Jeopardy or WWTBAM?

lilclyde54 wrote:Today was the first day of our annual standardized testing cycle. I stayed at school until 7:55 last night (the alarm system arms at 8:00) and was back up there at 6 this morning getting things prepared. (as school test coordinator, I get OCD and recount things a jillion times) These 3 days are why we work the other 10 months so there can't be any slip-ups.

I had a district level test monitor/observer in my office an hour before we began testing. Our little school has done well the last two years and they wonder why. I always love doing something with someone looking over my shoulder. Fortunately, the only thing she could find fault with was that our 6 hallway monitors/proctors seemed to be sitting too close to one another.

Only two more days to go. At least the people from the State Dept. of Education usually show up on the first day if they are coming. Maybe they will skip us this year.

The sentence I've bolded above is the reason I loathe standardized testing.

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I hate standardized testing. Our district is putting so much emphasis on it that they asked parents donate breakfast items and drinks for each morning of testing.

Kids are even allowed to chew mint gum in some classes because it stimulates the brain.

Emma has a really great teacher, that should be enough...

I suggest strawberry gum; it improves memory.

TheConfessor wrote:Like it or not, standardized testing is an essential life skill. How else are the youth of our nation going to get on Jeopardy or WWTBAM?

Essential but insufficient.

Well, except for the Makeups and the Pack-up I have to do, we are now officially done. I had two instances this testing cycle that illustrate how important (actually how much pressure they feel) teachers feel it is to be here for testing. One of our teacher's mother has been in the hospital with a very serious illness for 3 weeks. The Saturday before we began testing on Tuesday, she had a heart attack in the hospital. She is literally a few steps from Death's Door. Yet, her daughter was up here every day for testing because she was afraid her students might suffer a let-down in motivation if she were not here. We had to hold up the start of testing for about 5 minutes yesterday because a teacher was so sick that she had to regurgitate a couple of times. Still, she toughed it out and got her students tested for the same reason.

Standardized testing can be a wonderful tool for both student and curriculum evaluation if used in the manner for which they were designed. Unfortunately, that is not how they are usually utilized in todays world of education.

TheConfessor wrote:Like it or not, standardized testing is an essential life skill. How else are the youth of our nation going to get on Jeopardy or WWTBAM?

Passing the test seems to be the least worry of most of those here.

lilclyde54 wrote:Well, except for the Makeups and the Pack-up I have to do, we are now officially done. I had two instances this testing cycle that illustrate how important (actually how much pressure they feel) teachers feel it is to be here for testing. One of our teacher's mother has been in the hospital with a very serious illness for 3 weeks. The Saturday before we began testing on Tuesday, she had a heart attack in the hospital. She is literally a few steps from Death's Door. Yet, her daughter was up here every day for testing because she was afraid her students might suffer a let-down in motivation if she were not here. We had to hold up the start of testing for about 5 minutes yesterday because a teacher was so sick that she had to regurgitate a couple of times. Still, she toughed it out and got her students tested for the same reason.

Standardized testing can be a wonderful tool for both student and curriculum evaluation if used in the manner for which they were designed. Unfortunately, that is not how they are usually utilized in todays world of education.

Madeleine finished up today, too. She's only in third grade but there was still pressure on her class to do well. The school she attends is a level 5 and they want to keep it that way. Tomorrow they are having a party for 100% attendance for the 3 days of testing. She is REALLY excited.

Bob Juch wrote:

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:I hate standardized testing. Our district is putting so much emphasis on it that they asked parents donate breakfast items and drinks for each morning of testing.

Kids are even allowed to chew mint gum in some classes because it stimulates the brain.

Emma has a really great teacher, that should be enough...

I suggest strawberry gum; it improves memory.

If only I could remember why that works . . . . --Bob

Toq, Madeline's school doesn't have to worry about staying a 5 next year. We are taking a new test this year (Mississippi Curriculum Test 2) and they can't use it for accreditation purposes this year. Our accreditation model has two components. One is the performance component and the other is the growth component. You can't measure the growth component without a baseline measure. This year's round of tests will establish that baseline. Therefore, everyone will hold their accreditation level for the 2008-2009 school year.

We still have to meet the AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) requirements of No Child Left Behind because the feds don't make any allowances for new tests.

lilclyde54 wrote:Toq, Madeline's school doesn't have to worry about staying a 5 next year. We are taking a new test this year (Mississippi Curriculum Test 2) and they can't use it for accreditation purposes this year. Our accreditation model has two components. One is the performance component and the other is the growth component. You can't measure the growth component without a baseline measure. This year's round of tests will establish that baseline. Therefore, everyone will hold their accreditation level for the 2008-2009 school year.

We still have to meet the AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) requirements of No Child Left Behind because the feds don't make any allowances for new tests.

I didn't know that the MCT2 was not for accredidation. Thanks for the heads up.

Madeleine finishes up on Wednesday. When are y'all done?