Thoughts on Testing

In my last post on the commentary "Learning From Abroad" I mentioned that one feature of high performing schools in other countries is that assessment is used not so much as a way to hold teachers accountable for student learning, but as a diagnostic tool and information to shape instruction.  Assessments are also closely linked to the curriculum.  As the parent of two children in public schools, I am appalled by how much instructional time is devoted to state testing.  What I have been reading about testing in Ed Week is also disturbing.  In her article "Duncan's Alarm on 'Failing' Schools Raises Eyebrows", Michele McNiel reports that Arne Duncan reported to Congress that as many as 82% of the schools in this country may not meet AYP.  At the same time that state and federal governments are raising the bar by increasing the scores needed for students to pass the tests, school districts around the nation are cutting teachers, eliminating librarians, shrinking music and art programs, etc.  All of this will only serve to make it even more difficult for students to learn, teachers to teach, and schools to meet AYP.  Does this make sense?

Learning from Abroad, April 6, 2011

This commentary by Robert B. Schwartz, Ben Levin, and Adam Gamoran is the second in series of 7 articles that I will be reading closely.  "Learning from Abroad" is looking at the educational systems and practices in industrialized countries that are faring well in the big international studies such as Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA).  The countries with higher-performing schools include Finland, Singapore, Japan, and Ontario, Canada.   The working group on the "Futures of School Reform" is looking at the question :  "What would a new state system in this country look like if it were redesigned based on the best international evidence and experience?"  I am so relieved to know that scholars and researchers from the Harvard Graduate School of Education are investigating this issue.  It makes a lot of sense to me to be looking at educational systems that are clearly successful and learning from them.  Some of the lessons mentioned in this article:  Successful education systems focus attention and energy on what is going on in the classroom between teachers and students.  Schools provide on-going support and training for teachers. I wonder if this is also paid for by the school districts.  I have seen many professional development workshops for teachers in this country, all with a rather steep participation fee! Time is also set aside during the school day for teachers to collaborate.  A school culture is created where teachers are expected to be continually learning and refining their teaching craft.  Assessments are used not so much to hold teachers accountable for student learning, but to diagnose and create more appropriate lessons.  Successful systems provide early intervention to struggling students.  All teachers are trained to diagnose learning disabilities.  Students and families in need of specialized help receive it.  Funding for education also is more stable and reliable.  These are just some of the factors leading to the success of the educational systems in high performing countries.  Education in the United States seems so political. One of the other things the working group identified as critical is the ability to focus on improvement and not blame.  Having attended school in the United States, Germany, and Austria, I see the value in looking at how other countries and cultures handle education and issues such as assessment, school violence, support for ELL students, inclusion of children with developmental disabilities, etc.  I am looking forward to reading the other commentaries in this series.

Ed Week, April 6, 2011: Zero Tolerance

Gara LaMarche raises many valid concerns about the Zero Tolerance policies that have taken over our schools in his opinion piece "The Time is Right To End 'Zero Tolerance'".  Here are just a few statistics:  Nationwide suspension and expulsion rates:  3.3 million students were suspended or expelled in 2006!  This amounts to 1 in 14 students.  Less than 1 in 10 of these suspensions or expulsions were for violent offenses.  Apparently most of these were for things like tardiness, disrespect, or violating dress codes.  It is even more alarming that in 2006 15% of black students, 7% of Hispanic students, and only 5% of white students were suspended or expelled. These numbers reveal that these suspensions are particularly unfair towards students of color.  In New York City, a recent study showed that there has been a 76% increase of suspensions of children 4-10 years old since 2003. Schools are increasingly calling on the police and juvenile courts to handle school-based misbehavior.  This leads to things like the anecdote reported in the article where two friends horsing around in a school in Colorado were charged with felony mischief and third-degree assault for denting a locker.  According to LaMarche many of these suspensions and excessive punishments reflect the tactics used in the adult criminal-justice system.  But haven't we been learning in our MAT courses that children and students are not developmentally the same as adults?  Shouldn't young people be given a chance to learn from their mistaken behavior before the police and courts get involved?  The Zero Tolerance policies have gone too far.  I would say it is time for some common sense and the pendulum to swing back towards reason.

Ed Week, April 6, 2011: Principals

In the April 6, 2011 Ed Week under Policy Briefs I found an article that should not be overlooked:  Principal's Role Vital, Groups Assert.  Apparently good principals also have a significant impact on student achievement.  Both the New York based Wallace Foundation and the Center For American Progress are calling for national guidelines for evaluation of principals and definitions of principal effectiveness.  Evaluations should assess a principal's leadership skills, including the ability to improve teacher effectiveness and retain teachers.  The Wallace Foundation also called for federal support to create leadership academies for principals.  Based on my experience as the parent of two children enrolled in public schools and my observations and volunteer work in different Salem-Keizer schools, I would agree with this article.  At Grant Elementary, in particular, I have been extremely impressed by the principal.  He is bilingual, which is important for a school with a Dual-Language Program and a large Hispanic population. He makes his expectations clear to the students.  I accompanied a group of 75 fourth graders on a field trip to the Oregon Garden recently.  The Principal actually assisted with loading the kids onto the bus and then got on the bus and went over his behavior expectations. He talked about being respectful, responsible Grant Grizzlies. He emphasized being respectful of both plants and people.  He also said he hoped everyone would have fun and learn something new.  He stood on the front steps of the school waving until the bus was out of sight!  As a chaperone on the field trip I can attest that his method of mentally rehearsing his behavior expectations with the students worked.  He took the time to get on the bus and see us off.  By taking the time, he showed that it mattered, the students mattered, and he cared.  In my observations at Grant I have seen many, many examples of this principal's commitment and strong, effective leadership. I agree with the article's statement that "Principal's are uniquely positioned to ensure that excellent teaching and learning spread beyond single classrooms".  I have seen that this principal has positively shaped and influenced the culture of the whole school.

Ed Week, February 23, 2011

This tidbit is a part of the Research Roundup:  "Exercise and Math Skills".  In a study published in Health Psychology researchers  divided 171 overweight children ages 7 to 11 into three groups.  One group of kids got 20 minutes of aerobic activity in an after school program.  The second group got 40 minutes.  The third group got no exercise.  The study revealed that the more exercise the children got the greater the brain activity in the prefrontal cortex.  This is the part of the brain used for complex cognitive processes, moderating social behavior, and making decisions.  Apparently a regular exercise program can help overweight children do better in math and goal-oriented tasks.  Researchers at the Georgia Prevention Institute at Georgia Health Sciences University will be looking at this in greater depth, by extending this study from this initial 3 month project to a full year.  This study makes me really question the wisdom of reducing or taking away recess time or P.E.  I do not think that only overweight children reap the cognitive benefits from moving their bodies.   I have seen recess and P.E. taken away as a "consequence" and because of budget cuts.  I have also noticed that if I allow my own children time after school to hang out on the playground, play tag, or go for a walk, when they come home and sit down to do their homework they get it done much faster!   On the days we go straight home and the kids try to get their homework done,  they struggle and it seems to take much longer.  Viva la Recess!  Viva la bike rides! Viva la P.E.!

Ed Week, January 26, 2011

The article "No-Pass, No-Drive Laws Spreading"  by Mary Ann Zehr is very interesting.  I had no idea that 27 states now have a system that requires students to attend school, behave, and study in order to get their driver's license before the age of 18.  It makes sense to me that a driver's license would be a very enticing carrot for high school students.  Apparently, critics are saying that although these policies seem to make intuitive sense and anecdotal evidence indicates they are successful, they are not supported by research.  I think critics rightly argue that "No-Pass, No-Drive" policies fail to address the underlying reasons that a student may skip school (housing issues, family problems, lack of social-emotional skills, academic difficulties etc.).  One study published in the Educational Research Quarterly in 2000 found that "No-Pass, No-Drive" policies combined with counseling in Kentucky were effective.  One of the very disappointing aspects of this issue mentioned in the article is that some parents will try to get around this policy and truancy laws by enrolling their kids in "homeschooling" programs.  Some parents are thus undermining schools attempts to get kids to come to school.  If the students are not there they cannot learn. I do think, however, that New Mexico may be carrying this all a little too far by requiring "near proficiency" or better on state tests for reading and math before a minor is allowed a driver's permit.  What do you think?

Thoughts on Physical Education

As part of the News in Brief section, ED Week reported that a California appeals court ruled that parents can require public schools to offer physical education.  Apparently the state education code in California requires elementary schools to offer 200 minutes of P.E. every 10 days.  Middle schools and high schools are required to offer 400 minutes every days.  I thought this was interesting for many reasons.  Although I had for the most part not great experiences in P.E. in school myself, as a parent I want my children to have P.E.  I can see that kids today need to get up and move!  I want them to be healthy and find physical activities they love.  I wonder if the increasing pressure to have students perform well on state tests is behind the move to eliminate P.E. classes that prompted these parent's lawsuit?  Could budget cuts be behind the attempt to do away with or reduce P.E.?  I know that my nephew, Andrew, who attends a public school in Davis, California, lost his second recess this year.  Apparently due to the fiscal crisis in California,  teachers have had a furlough week added onto their furlough days.  Teachers decided to do away with the second recess because they felt they did not have enough time for academic subjects with all of the lost instructional time.  It seems to me that schools  and teachers are being squeezed both ways.  They are being held accountable for making sure their students pass state tests on the one hand.  On the other hand, the situations in schools are becoming more challenging due to the budget crisis.