Tuesday Open Thread
In the "we can dream, can't we" category, what do you see for education in Seattle in 2062?
The Happiness Initiative, Sustainable Seattle, and the Next 50 present the 2nd Annual Dream A Sound Future Competition
The Happiness Initiative is a national project offering tools and resources to communities and individuals seeking to enhance their well-being. The mission of the Happiness Initiative is to work for a just, healthy and resilient society where all people have the opportunity to pursue happiness. Based on the Seattle Area Happiness Initiative indicators for sustainability, you can present your ideas on how you see the region in the next 50 years and the steps to get there. Think of the year 2062. Imagine thriving economy, culturally diverse society, carbon emissions free highways, healthy oceans and lush forests. How do we arrive at such a future? What is our best-case scenario?
Our contest asks residents of all ages to share their dreams and visions for a Sustainable Seattle in the next 50 years. The question we would pose to them would be: Where do you see Seattle education in the year 2062? What can we do as a community to start implementing and changing our school systems.
The Dream a Sound Future Competition is calling all visionaries to express these ideas through art, spoken word, dance, song, video, formal presentation, or other medium of choice.
Second, go to www.sustainableseattle.org/
Finally, start formulating and mapping out your dream
Open to all Puget Sound Residents
Submissions accepted March 1st - April 23rd
Award Ceremony on May 12th, 2012 at Seattle Center - Prizes, Performances, and Fame!
Comments
They will be meeting next Monday around 5 pm at the Starbucks at Roosevelt Center.
Sexual predator stalked McClure students via Facebook.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/avantgo/2017806172.html
-JC.
The School Report Cards showed a lot of improvement in some schools from 2009-2010 to 2010-2011 but was this just "smoke and mirrors hype"?
I can answer that but only in regard to 8th graders ready for High School Math ==> mostly 100% hype.
Grade inflation appears to be rampant and especially at certain high minority / high poverty schools.
I've done a report using actual data from OSPI testing and compared it with the MS School Report cards "Ready for HS Math" percents.
The District is not only optimistic but seemingly fraudulently optimistic in the case of certain schools.
The schools with among the best correlation of 8th grade MSP math pass rate and "Percent ready for HS math" are mostly Low Poverty/Low Minority schools. Exception is Washington Middle school which is doing quite well.
Check it out HERE.
Conversely some of the most bizarre deviations from MSP 8th grade math pass rate and "Ready for High School Math" percents are occurring at schools with high poverty/ high minority populations.
Of particular concern would be the middle schools where the 4 TFA corps members with conditional certificates are now teaching. Aki Kurose has 3 and South Shore K-8 has 1 TFA CM.
Check it out.
Aki MSP pass rate = 36.4%
yet ready for HS math = 77%
and South Shore K8 MSP math pass rate = 37%
yet ready for HS math = 93%
So How do Mark Teoh and the gang come up with this "ready for HS math" percent stuff? and is this number supposed to actually mean something?
Sure looks to me that the Principals of these two schools that requested TFA CMs needed to stay in the good graces of Enfield.
Here is a list of reliability values for 8th grade math. It is the best I can come up with for a measure of math grade inflation.
The 2011 Middle School cohorts
Reliability::School
1.00 C Blaine K8
0.84 Washington
0.83 Hamilton
0.83 Eckstein
0.77 Whitman
0.73 Denny
0.70 Mercer
0.67 McClure
0.67 Madison
0.63 Salmon B K8
0.58 TOPS K8
0.47 Aki Kurose
0.46 J Adams K8
0.42 Pinehurst K8
0.41 So Shore K8
0.39 Pathfinder K8
0.36 Madrona K8
0.25 Orca K8
Note: I could not find a Middle School Report card for Broadview-Thompson K8.
Does anyone know why Orca's 8th grade math scores have been so abysmal? Doesn't appear to be a high-poverty school. Low ELL too. Their elementary math scores look ok, but not 8th grade.
-Math mom
What is each test measuring? i.e. what is the material on the OSPI tests? I saw on the sps site that ready for HS math means C or better on anyone of several "advanced" classes. Is the material on the test just not being taught to all the students or are they getting inflated grades on the subject?
Ben
@lkvarner
Requiring 80% of Seattle teachers 2 agree be4 schools can convert to a creative approach isn't democratic, its autocratic.
Oh Puhleeze! Like the ST is democractic!
What is it with these people and the Creative Approach schools?
I'll have to ask Tim Burgess if I see him on Thursday.
- not a mob fan
Last year was the first year for measuring the 2008 Math Standards in high school. The Algebra EoC covered most of the Algebra Standards (with the exception of about 3 standards on quadratic equations "these were omitted" as being unfair to Integrated Math students)
The Geometry EoC needs to be revised because it only covers about half the geometry Standards (again the Integrated Math students would be at a disadvantage if all the Geometry standards were covered).
However with the coming CCSS we will be back to square one .... as there will not be end of course testing for math classes.
CCSS testing looks like another "Bergeson WASL math disaster" extended to 45 states at huge expense. There are around 8 "mathematical practice standards" and around 300+ content standards in the CCSS. The testing it appears will place a lot of emphasis on the Practice Standards and not enough on the content standards.
As for what is going on with those Grade Inflated Middle School "Ready for High School Math percents"
The key defect is in assuming that middle school math grades are a reflection of math knowledge.
I would suspect that at AKI Kurose .... for teachers in years one and two to stay employed it is best to give higher grades than are merited and that disruptive students are NOT to be sent to the office. This compounds problems rather than solving them.
How can South Shore's 8th grade MSP math pass rate of 37% possibly give anyone confidence that 93% of those students are ready for high school math? This looks like lying about the Math Achievement Gaps. Principal Keisha Scarlett at one time was an SPS math coach ... perhaps she could explain it to us. Where's Mark Teoh's explanation?
The SPS System was designed NOT to offer any high school math classes below Algebra I .... so apparently the tools need to indicate that way more students are ready for high school math than are actually prepared.
The SPS results on the Algebra EoC show what a major scam this is. Keep in mind $800,000 on "Discovering Books" and $400,000 in Professional development to get the continuation of the high school math debacle.
TFA is just another part of the scam.
War On Words: NYC Dept. Of Education Wants 50 ‘Forbidden’ Words Banned From Standardized Tests
From the CBS-NYC article:
"The word 'dinosaur' made the hit list because dinosaurs suggest evolution which creationists might not like, WCBS 880′s Marla Diamond reported. 'Halloween' is targeted because it suggests paganism...Words that suggest wealth are excluded because they could make kids jealous. 'Poverty' is also on the forbidden list...In a throwback to 'Footloose,' the word 'dancing' is also taboo. However, there is good news for kids that like 'ballet': The city made an exception for this form of dance. Also banned are references to 'divorce' and 'disease,' because kids taking the tests may have relatives who split from spouses or are ill...
Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said the DOE is simply giving guidance to the test developers.
'So we’re not an outlier in being politically correct. This is just making sure that test makers are sensitive in the development of their tests,'"
The List:
*Abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological)
*Alcohol (beer and liquor), tobacco, or drugs
*Birthday celebrations (and birthdays)
*Bodily functions
*Cancer (and other diseases)
*Catastrophes/disasters (tsunamis and hurricanes)
*Celebrities
*Children dealing with serious issues
*Cigarettes (and other smoking paraphernalia)
*Computers in the home (acceptable in a school or library setting)
*Crime
*Death and disease
*Divorce
*Evolution
*Expensive gifts, vacations, and prizes
*Gambling involving money
*Halloween
*Homelessness
*Homes with swimming pools
*Hunting
*Junk food
*In-depth discussions of sports that require prior knowledge
*Loss of employment
*Nuclear weapons
*Occult topics (i.e. fortune-telling)
*Parapsychology
*Politics
*Pornography
*Poverty
*Rap Music
*Religion
*Religious holidays and festivals (including but not limited to Christmas, Yom Kippur, and Ramadan)
*Rock-and-Roll music
*Running away
*Sex
*Slavery
*Terrorism
*Television and video games (excessive use)
*Traumatic material (including material that may be particularly upsetting such as animal shelters)
*Vermin (rats and roaches)
*Violence
*War and bloodshed
*Weapons (guns, knives, etc.)
*Witchcraft, sorcery, etc
But we might, in those circumstances, survive as a bowl of pap.
War On Words: NYC Dept. Of Education Wants 50 ‘Forbidden’ Words Banned From Standardized Tests
From the CBS-NYC article:
"The word 'dinosaur' made the hit list because dinosaurs suggest evolution which creationists might not like, WCBS 880′s Marla Diamond reported. 'Halloween' is targeted because it suggests paganism...Words that suggest wealth are excluded because they could make kids jealous. 'Poverty' is also on the forbidden list...In a throwback to 'Footloose,' the word 'dancing' is also taboo. However, there is good news for kids that like 'ballet': The city made an exception for this form of dance. Also banned are references to 'divorce' and 'disease,' because kids taking the tests may have relatives who split from spouses or are ill...
Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott said the DOE is simply giving guidance to the test developers.
'So we’re not an outlier in being politically correct. This is just making sure that test makers are sensitive in the development of their tests,'"
The List:
*Abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological)
*Alcohol (beer and liquor), tobacco, or drugs
*Birthday celebrations (and birthdays)
*Bodily functions
*Cancer (and other diseases)
*Catastrophes/disasters (tsunamis and hurricanes)
*Celebrities
*Children dealing with serious issues
*Cigarettes (and other smoking paraphernalia)
*Computers in the home (acceptable in a school or library setting)
*Crime
*Death and disease
*Divorce
*Evolution
*Expensive gifts, vacations, and prizes
*Gambling involving money
*Halloween
*Homelessness
*Homes with swimming pools
*Hunting
*Junk food
*In-depth discussions of sports that require prior knowledge
*Loss of employment
*Nuclear weapons
*Occult topics (i.e. fortune-telling)
*Parapsychology
*Politics
*Pornography
*Poverty
*Rap Music
*Religion
*Religious holidays and festivals (including but not limited to Christmas, Yom Kippur, and Ramadan)
*Rock-and-Roll music
*Running away
*Sex
*Slavery
*Terrorism
*Television and video games (excessive use)
*Traumatic material (including material that may be particularly upsetting such as animal shelters)
*Vermin (rats and roaches)
*Violence
*War and bloodshed
*Weapons (guns, knives, etc.)
*Witchcraft, sorcery, etc
http://publicola.com/2012/03/27/sen-tom-with-republicans-again-this-time-as-subject-of-a-campaign-finance-complaint/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=publicola
As per usual, LEV chooses to associate with a real doozie.
understand ... Maria ( Goodloe Johnson) really did a great job". After I pass them, I turn and see that it is indeed Director Sherry Carr. I stop to tie my shoe and hear a bit more. The gist is that the public are fools, and that she, Ms Carr knows better. It was really sad.
Frankly, I'd enjoy hearing why anyone, on the school board or otherwise, thinks Maria Goodloe-Johnson "really did a great job" as superintendent given the flat-to-down student achievement metrics and many crises she left behind. Obviously, I strongly disagree she did a great job, but I'd like to better understand how anyone can think that. Anyone want to try to explain it to me? Is it just the typical "the job is hard, we can't expect actual results from highly paid executives" argument or is there something more?
Since several directors voting records were 100% MGJ and Sherry Carr was one of those directors, it is easy to see this conversation happening.
I wonder what Ms. Carr thinks of:
(1) The State Auditor's Office
(2) State laws and school board policies
(3) The SPS math scores from the last decade
(4) Her votes to extend MGJ's contract
(5) Her vote for the NTN contract without reading it.
(6) Enfield's incredibly inaccurate School Board action reports
(7) The Middle School progress reports that show 8th graders ready for high school math at AKI and South Shore and her vote for TFA.
I see Ms. Carr as incredibly consistent in her dedication to Education Reform ... which comes at the expense of Seattle students
YUP MGJ was terrific from her viewpoint.
perhaps you could not find a report card for Broadview-Thompson because someone did not want it to be found. it was shown at a staff meeting and the scores were abysmal. I hope you can find them. the school is on third year ayp.
just saying.
just saying.
- Yes, I was THAT student
Some people thought MG-J was great (but just needed more time.)
"Great" because, in their minds perhaps, the following pertains (in what has become a sad, sad world for public education):
Good education is expensive, and as schools are expected to do more for more people with struggles (poverty, etc) it would, in an ideal world, become MORE expensive: Schools do a pretty good job now (I know, I know, there are struggling teachers and struggling students, but overall...) but there are a lot of students who have great need, need that, if one wants to meet it in the school, requires FTE and resources, no cheap way to do it.
Public money is going to other things (for whatever reason: War; deb payment, health care, pensions, corporate tax breaks, you name it.)
Some say the cure for all this is to standardize the system, make it into a more efficient production line. To do this, they say we must quantify everything and put it into little data boxes to measure and sift and add and subtract..Hence, EVERYTHING is being geared around standardized tests.
As the system is thue "rationalized," some say, it will be "better" This "better" is usually attached to the achievement gap, for, I guess, it makes good sound bites and allows for an easy sell.
Standardized tests: Allow for the the struggles of a bunch of individuals to supposedly quantified to the barest categories and metrics: "Black" children score this number of percentage points less than "white" children. There's your "achievement gap," all tidy, even though "Black" refers to both generational African Americans and new African immigrants both (go figure: I guess they're the same) and never mind that "African American" or "White" ignores all the myraid pieces that make a child. Also never mind that percentages on tests don't really tell us hardly anything about the true nature and outcomes of education...
Never mind all that, the result is that "some people" ( Broad, Gates, Duncan, NWEA, MG-J...) believe, or want to believe, that the whole system can be rejiggered into a sort of business-like widget factory, with measurable inputs and outputs, and all things will be fine. They seem to think that the "public" is a bunch of angry bloggers, not the citizens that elect boards; that boards are impediments (the supe needs to MOVE, ya know, be nimble! Like business!); that unions are bad because each school should be like a factory, where the manager can fire at will and "hire the best" (test preppers); where private enterprise can use its magic to do things without all that damn public bellyachin'...
Hence, there are a lot of people who think MG-J was "great" because she was Broad-trained, Broad and Gates and Boeing supported, she was business minded (sitting on the board of NWEA as it sold us the MAP test...remember the need for these tests...), she was no-nonsense, she was didn't like the union (came from a non-union district), was "data-driven..."
Some people are convinced that that stuff is the cat's meow: If we'd only given her more time, then the system would become this wonderful business, uh, system, that was, itself, "data-driven."
I think that that might best be why they like her: "Data driven." Rather than try to actually support students (can't afford it, ya know) we use "data" to supposedly make the whole thing more manageable.
Of course, real education goes out the window with this model, but the nonsense has been circulating so long it no longer matters: It's taken a life of its own.
THAT'S why some like her, including our own Boeing-bred Sherry Carr: It's "the future!" and it saves us from having to actually admit we won't ever, never, nuh uh support public ed and struggling students as fully as we should.
"...looking at that list just makes me want to use as many of them in a sentence as possible for maximum extra credit."
Right. Because it would be a creative challenge. Now, if you were THAT student sitting down for your HSPE, and you were tired of the BS, you might well write a whole writing piece using every last one of those horrible, horrible words. And you would "fail" (along with your entire school - read: school staff)
because you just weren't being standardized enough.
so with those shifted times - and wide awake fully engaged goof offs in 1st and 2nd period, instead of 1/2 awake goof offs ...
the focus will be, what did the teacher do wrong to cause poor little victim goof off to be a goof off?
LetsStartAt6AM
A middle school on the list that I know did this for sure, changed the grade scale for an even distribution of % intervals for levels of 4 (90+), 3 (80-89), 2 (70-79), 1 (60-69) for grading. The levels still mean 4- Exceed Standard, 3- Meet Standard, 2- Approaching Standard, 1- Needs improvement. So the grades never showed "failing."
It was an attempt to put a square peg into a round hole. Standards based measures and % do not mesh well. No maliciousness or subterfuge. But I predicted this outcome. No one failed on paper even though they were at levels 2 and 1 in terms of success.
Problematic to say the least. Good luck with that, guys.
- not there any more
I'll take a crack at this.
To be clear, I do not believe that Dr. Goodloe-Johnson, on the whole, did a good job. That said, she did make some progress in some areas.
For at least ten years before she arrived, Seattle Public Schools had been completely un-managed. Joseph Olchefske used "site-based management" as an excuse to abdicate all authority and Raj Manhas didn't do anything. Dr. Goodloe-Johnson, for all of the damage that she did, instituted some management into the District.
Take a look at her Strategic Plan. It is not an academic plan; it is a management plan. It is all about establishing management tools, structures, and procedures.
She is an evil person with malice in her heart, and she didn't exactly get the trains to run on time, but she at least wrote a train schedule - and we didn't even have that before she arrived. So, for those who care most about order, she was good. Not for me.
I note that Blaine does well on your measure not because so many of their kids pass a class that prepares them for HS, but because the kids they sort out to take (and pass) that course also pass the MSP (about 75% of the class). They must offer a lower level math class and presort and assign 25% of their kids to that class. Most K-8s don't/can't do that. In my experience, the K-8 Math teachers know whatlevel their kids should be assigned to in HS regardless of what class they passed in 8th grade. The real issue is that nothing lower than Algebra I is being offered in the HSs. How is that even possible?
"Thanks, Dan. I wonder why the math inflation is highest at the K8's, is that because these schools are too small to offer Algebra? I wish every school had the Algebra option for 8th graders, instead of just "Math 8.""
First reaction is its because teachers are giving grades that are not indications of actual math skill as contained in the 8th grade standards, or these teachers are not covering enough material. (always a possibility given the social promotions in the SPS ... where are those interventions?)
Remember I calculated the Inflation factor based on MSP Math 8 results, which does not require much algebra.
My longer response is going to be a bit of a ramble.
Here is what I know. At TFA academy virtually every 8th grader takes algebra. The TFA EoC algebra results are far far better than the TFA 8th grade math results. These are the exact same kids taking both tests. (with the exception of one kid who did not take the EoC). Teaching algebra in grade 8 is definitely not getting as many kids doing well on MSP Math 8 as one might believe should be the case.
The Common Core State Standards while claiming to be internationally benchmarked to high performing counties are NOT. CCSS does not have a lot of Algebra in grade 8. I think this is because CCSS is essentially another one size fits all minimum standard and look for fuzzy tests ala WASL from the Smarter Balanced Consortium, which is designing assessments and is headed by Mr. WASL Joseph Wilhoft.
Some place in the SPS kids need to master arithmetic if you look at the "Discovering" Adoption video footage, you will find the Sealth principal and Math dept head strongly advocating for "Discovering". The Math Dept Head said that her kids could not learn with traditional methods....... Well here is news those kids are not learning much with Discovering and Sealth methods. {{SPS has a K-8 mess... that was hardly a reason to buy four more years of mess. Remember the Board knew that "Discovering" was rated as mathematically unsound and spent $1.2 million on it anyway}}
Sealth HS percent of kids at level 1 (well below standard)
42.8% <=2011 MSP EoC for those completing Algebra I class (and only 30.4% passed)
29% <=2010 HSPE math testing old standards (grade 10) (49% passed)
36% <=2009 WASL grade 10 (39.5% passed)
42.5% <=2008 WASL grade 10 (38% passed)
=========================
The biggest problem in math in the SPS is TOP DOWN defective math leadership. Materials and Practices known to work are ignored and what is pushed is what has repeatedly failed.
Perhaps the k-8 schools have more generalists who believe what the Central Admin has been pushing, which is also what the Board has been approving.
In the vindictive SPS best do what you are told, which often is not what works.
Keep in mind that Sealth is now an IB school (whatever).
==========
I agree that Algebra in grade 8 should be an available option for kids that have mastered the mathematics below Algebra I. However the SPS rarely requires much in the way of mathematical mastery anywhere.
Thanks for your thoughts. Everyday Math followed by Connected Math Project is hardly a math preparation for anything.
Your description exposes the holes in the sham known as "Differentiated Instruction" when huge differences in knowledge and skills are present in larger math classes.
I think in a K-8 school a walk to math approach to grouping would help. Needless to say better instructional materials are needed. If teachers are actually using CMP as advised, then a huge change in instructional practices is needed as well.
Keep in mind the SPS ignores data and research on a pretty much continual basis.
You wrote:
"Grades (in my experience) are as much about handing in the work as they are doing well on the exams."
This means that grades may be Fraudulent. There are math skills to be mastered and math content to be learned. Grades should be a measure of that. If homework counts more than 25%, then grades may not be measuring learning. ==> Thus the Grade Inflation where the curriculum is the 2008 Math standards and the grades are a long way from being a measure of what the students are to be learning.
Note above Sealth EoC Algebra results --- did 42% of the Algebra Students at Sealth receive F grades?
A level 1 on the Algebra EoC is an indication that the student knows very little algebra.
As you wrote:
The real issue is that nothing lower than Algebra I is being offered in the HSs. How is that even possible?
At Seattle High Schools this is possible because Susan Enfield as CAO and Superintendent said that no classes below Algebra I was the plan for high schools.
This thinking is based on the flawed reasoning that students will rise to the level of expectation. In fact this is not true. There is a theory on ZPD ... the zone of proximal development..... when a kids zone is 2 years below Algebra ... the result for an algebra class will be in most cases failure or a Gift Grade.
As you can see from the Grade inflation data ... there is a lot of Gift Grading going on because both the Superintendent and the Board refuse to fix anything.
For that matter the District refuses to even look=> No careful review of achievement gaps or solutions has ever taken place. Instead the Achievement Gaps are used as justification for any number of things. TFA CM's at South Shore and Aki Kurose are just latest in a stream of poor decisions.
Thanks for the report. Very disturbing.
What variables determine math scores on School Report Cards?
My 8th grader is using a CMP math book with supplemented material. Hard to know what is happening.
Lost in a sea of stats
To assess your child in math ....
Try the Singapore Placement Tests
HERE.
Start with grade 3 and see how it goes.
If a student can pass grade 6 Singapore assessment, they are more than ready for Algebra. This will give an idea that our nation is a ways away from being internationally competitive in math.
As for how the district calculates the percent of an 8th grade Middle School Class that will be ready for high school math, I have no idea.
At South Shore k-8 in 2011 the percent of 8th graders scoring at level 1 (well below basic) on the MSP math = 35.8%
Yet the South Shore k-8 school report card has 93% of students ready for Algebra.
This of course makes no sense at all. So what is going on with the math grades at South Shore? How does Mark Teoh's REA department generate 93%?
If SPS was really interested in closing achievement gaps..... a place to start would be with the truth ... 93% ready (NO WAY).
==========
Also for South Shore's Black 8th grade students 57.7% tested at well below standard (level 1)
KSB thinks that TFA for South Shore .... is a strategy for closing achievement gaps because the principal requests it. Is this rational?
Evidence free decision making by the Board once again.
Excellent question.
I referenced TAF in Federal Way as that was the only school I could find that had essentially the same population of students in the same test year taking both the 8th grade Math MSP and the Algebra EoC.
TAF EoC Algebra results are HERE for 49 students.
TAF 8th grade MSP Math results are HERE for 50 students
Algebra EoC
lev 4 => 30.6%
lev 3 => 55.1%
lev 2 => 8.2%
lev 1 => 6.1%
8th grade MSP
lev 4 => 12%
lev 3 => 28%
lev 2 => 28%
lev 1 => 32%
Note that for algebra only 7 out of 49 students failed to meet standard with 3 well below standard.
In 8th grade Math MSP 30 out of 50 students failed to meet standard with 16 well below standard.
but not Broadview-Thompson K8.
Adams Parent
Do you think the kids can do algebra but not general math (and how is that even possible?), or that they value one test over the other and thus try harder? Isn't the school's founder an occassional poster here-I would like to see her take on the situation. The stats alone aren't telling the whole story.
Lost
Great question what does it all mean?
I've found other places that definitely back up what we see at TAF.... pass rates are lower on Grade 8 MSP math than on Algebra EoC. (at TAF we get to see true for same kids).
I suspect that perhaps access to calculators may have something to do with the answer to this. I do not know for sure what the current rules are for when Calculators are allowed on the MSP but I think that on the Algebra EoC a calculator is OK for 100% of the test. Perhaps a current teacher can tell us.
The entire thrust of SPS Math focus is way off. There seems to be an SPS belief that conceptual understanding can be attained without a command of math skills. The fact is that number sense is critical and comes from dealing with numbers.
In several Asian nations the multiplication tables are learned at a very early age. In Ed USA this would be taboo as memorizing the facts before a student is able to understand the full picture of multiplication would be avoided.
For centuries the Indian students have been learning the multiplication table through 16x16. Many Chinese students learn the multiplication facts through songs at a very early age.
I have no idea what it all means except that the leadership in SPS math is bizarre and that is why current results are much worse than in the high performing nations and SPS results for low income students are declining relative to several other districts and the state as a whole. The syllabus from Singapore in the early grades contains far fewer standards and requires teaching to mastery level. In EDM mastery is not emphasized and there are a large number of topics at each grade level that are repeated year after year after year.
The District is not looking for solutions nearly as hard as they are looking to cover up the facts. The lack of interest in investigating math achievement gap academic causes and looking for reasonable courses of action toward solutions is complete negligence. {{Just authorize TFA and call it good.}}
I think that's one of several problems.
Another is that kids who can't do grade level math are still passed into the next grade. In math, once kids are a year or more behind they're unlikely to catch up.
Another problem is that teachers up through middle school don't have to take much math in college themselves. Many of them do, but they don't have to in order be certified.
Another problem is the reluctance to assign enough practice. Practice is ridiculed among some educators as "drill and kill," little or no practice is assigned as homework and not enough is done in class.
Any thoughts regarding cognitive development? When I was a kid I we took algebra in 9th grade, geomentry in 10th grade and algebra 2 in 11th. My child has been recommended to take Honors Geometry in 9th grade. He is one of the youngest kids in his class. I have concerns about cognitive abilities to deal with the abstract prematurely. I'm mostly worried about algebra 2 in 10th grade.
When I look at TAF's scores, the thing that immediately comes to MY mind is that a good EOC test, taken right after the year when the child learns the material, is much more useful (and seems much more legitimate) than the blobby, amorphous MSP/HSPE tests. And while I don't think the calculator issue is irrelevant, I think the test format (and timing and content) is far more critical. What do you think?
We took measures to make sure that whatever MSP was testing and our kids didn't pass, would not kill them in Geometry for 9th grade. So far, so good, but there's always room to continuously learn and improve.
Are you able to find out why Broadview's Middle School report card is not available for people to see?
thx
an interested parent
I wonder what the NWEA test makers were smoking?
I am trying to find out where the Broadview Thompson school report card may be. I wrote Marty McLaren.
Also Cliff Mass has a great blog posting HERE
We Can Fix the K-12 Educational System
"The Road to Hell is Paved with Good Intentions"
Some good-intentioned, but misinformed, folks in our state legislature, on the editorial board of the Seattle Times, among the very rich, and some major foundations are now hell-bent to "solve" the education problem with a devilish brew of charter schools, teacher assessments, union bashing, and "ed reform" ideas. These folks are well meaning but fail to understand the real problems, and their solutions will quickly fail while crippling efforts to make real improvements. (In fact, the jury is already in for a number of their failed panaceas--like charter schools and small high schools). The Seattle Times has reported and opinionated about the conflict over "ed reform" including the debate in the state legislature and the unhappiness of the frustrated ultra wealthy (e.g., Nick Hanauer) in getting their way: see this article as an example.
We can solve the K-12 education problem, but we need to throw away ideas that quick fixes and "market reforms" will do the trick. We need to get down to basics and become willing to learn from countries that are successful. This blog will describe a different approach, one based on fundamentals. Some basic tenets I believe are important:
1. No more jumping from one edufad to another
2. We need to define exactly what we want kids to know
3. We must insure that teachers have deep subject knowledge of what they teach.
4. Teachers must be respected and given substantial autonomy
5. Education approaches must be guided by empirical testing and research
6. Ed schools need to be reformed and improved.
7. Pre-school education is a critical component of future learning.
8. All kids are NOT going to college, and that is NOT a problem. K-12 education should be flexible to allow varied directions.
9. Good education costs money.
So lets talk about these points:
That WASL/HSPE experience makes complete sense. Around the time my kid started SPS, I downloaded the middle-school science WASL and thought that the concepts tested were reasonable, but that the format made the test as much one of English composition as science.
This would seem to be a general failing of discovery math. When the bulk of the math instruction is verbiage rather than algorithmic or symbolic, it's gotta be harder for ESL students or anyone who's reading skills are lagging.
Maybe some emphasis on a "connected" approach would be useful, but it seems like 1 day a week reading and writing about math and 4 days DOING math would be better than the inverse.