My Article on Teacher Evaluation Running in the Indypendent

A slightly longer version appeared in the Indy a few weeks ago and got a lot of hits for this blog. Here's the link: My Article on Teacher Value-Added Data Dumping in The Indypendent

If you get the hard copy, please share with your colleagues.

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In the print edition of The Indypendent

Norm,

 

Lots of good information in the article.  Three things I would like to add.  

 

While teachers will be forced to prepare for reading and math tests for survival, and they can argue that teaching to the test is teaching if the tests align with standards,  where will the time be to teach social studies, geography, science, family living and sex ed, art and music, health ed, safety, foreign language, and just being able to build community in the classroom with fun stuff and trips?  Imagine a generation growing up without the tools that these areas teach which are necessary for survival as adults.

 

In addition, with these attacks and phony measurements, who will really willing go into our profession?  Certainly not those who know what a real education is and  what our kids really need.

 

And lastly, who will send their kids to these schools?  I know that -  wouldn't - and neither would savvy parents with a few extra bucks for tuition. A local Catholic school here is advertising computer programs, art and music as selling points - reading and math to attract parents.   Our schools will condemn our kids from families of poverty, mostly kids of color, to a life without the realized joy of a meaningful education and  the skills of survival.

 

Loretta Prisco