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Reply to all those who said something about seniors who cant read: Haven't you ever heard of disorders? especially in simple math???? what is it called when you cant read...isn't is dislexia or something? my friend cant spell very well or read..does that mean they should get held back? highschool is suppose to get you ready for the future and help you on that....not take it away from you.
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When someone can't read or write-it is call illiteracy. Illiteracy stems from someone not learning how to read or write (that does not mean that they CAN'T learn-they just haven't) Dyslexia is a condition where the words jump around. People with dyslexia can learn to read, they just have to learn a different way. For some people, it helps if they read upside down. For others, sometimes using a colored jell over the page. The problem with a lot of school systems is that they don't have the resources (or the want) to try to teach these people the way they need to be taught so they can learn. Not just with reading but with everything. So now, with "No child left behind," schools are spending what little resources they do have to teach a test, instead of teaching the students. IMO, I'm afraid that many children will be left behind.




Cat

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When someone can't read or write-it is call illiteracy. Illiteracy stems from someone not learning how to read or write (that does not mean that they CAN'T learn-they just haven't) Dyslexia is a condition where the words jump around. People with dyslexia can learn to read, they just have to learn a different way. For some people, it helps if they read upside down. For others, sometimes using a colored jell over the page. The problem with a lot of school systems is that they don't have the resources (or the want) to try to teach these people the way they need to be taught so they can learn. Not just with reading but with everything. So now, with "No child left behind," schools are spending what little resources they do have to teach a test, instead of teaching the students. IMO, I'm afraid that many children will be left behind.




Cat
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do you realize that some people just cant learn? I dont know math and D@mn do I try my hardest I try so hard I'm in tears half the time because I still cant get it...what I'm saying is why should the people who REALLY want to learn and try their hardest be punished? if the teachers dont want to teach why should we be punished?iif some student preffer to be screw ups why should we be punished? if schools cant afford to teach why should we be punished? they will just waste more money on building more schools because so many people will be left behind.

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Good point, Cat, especially when certain parts of the exam cover things that the class has not had the opportunity to learn.
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I had to take the MCAS and I almost failed the math part because certain parts of that section contained Trigonometry. I don't know very many sophmores that take trigonometry. Maybe the creators of the test do. I dunno.All that matters is that my friends and I passed. Being the first class to needto pass the MCAS (2003), I am glad to say that all of my friends and I will be walking across the stage and getting our diplomas on June 7th!!!!!!!!

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I think there are both pros and cons to testing.  There are some things a person should be able to do to get a high school or college diploma, like being literate and able to do simple math.  On the other hand, "make or break" tests that call for recollection of specific facts are, to me, problematic.  Which facts about U.S, history should people know?  And who should decide?  By the way, in 1968 I passed the U.S. Army intelligence test with flying colors - having not read the questions.  I just made pretty patterns on the answer sheet. ;D  I guess genius will out  ;)
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Basic math? sucks for me then because I can't do %'s some decimal problems, fractions and long division  :'( :-[

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I agree that everyone who graduates HS should be able to read and do simple math, but I don't think it should matter if they can do 20 problems in 20 minutes or in 60 minutes.  
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Hear, hear!!!  I never used to have probs with taking tests, but this year, for some reason, I'm an absolute nervous wreck!  The onset of my juvenile Alzheimer's isn't helping me much either, LOL  :)

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I agree that timed tests are not fair, and I hate standarized tests and memory based tests too.  I always give essay based take-home exams in my classes, and at least a week to do them.  The questions never have a right or wrong answer, but require the development of an argument supported by facts drawn from the reading assignments.  Grades are based on the use of facts and clarity of writing, not opinion.
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These were always my favorites.  Even if they weren't take-home.   ;)

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You can never really fail anything if you are provided a chance to do it again, right? End Quote

I don't know about other states, but here in Massachusetts, this is the first year that students have been allowed to "do it again".  Originally, if you fail the MCAS test on the first try, that's it; no diploma for you, dummy.

After a *lot* of high school seniors failed the test by a very small margin (sometimes only one point), and the threat of a lawsuit, students were finally given the  chance to re-take the test.

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I don't know about other states, but here in Massachusetts, this is the first year that students have been allowed to "do it again".  Originally, if you fail the MCAS test on the first try, that's it; no diploma for you, dummy.

After a *lot* of high school seniors failed the test by a very small margin (sometimes only one point), and the threat of a lawsuit, students were finally given the  chance to re-take the test.
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That ideology never made any sense to me. The idea of having too many kids fail that the bar has to be lowered in order to pass more idiots. Failure is an everyday thing, right? Or is it that unnatural and alien to our lives that we have to become pill-popping, sue-happy automatons at the first sign of mediocrity. F**k that. No wonder the guy who served my Panda Bowl this morning graduated with a 3.5 GPA and has a degree in liberal arts, sociology, or psychology, or whatever ::) Such a system makes me doubt about the intelligence people who are higher up than me, so bollocks to those morons. Some of them have PhDs and can't even spell right even after the effects of the 'shrooms have worn off!

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That ideology never made any sense to me. The idea of having too many kids fail that the bar has to be lowered in order to pass more idiots. Failure is an everyday thing, right? End Quote

I don't believe that the bar should be lowered at all.


I do believe the schools and teachers should be given adequate resources and proper tools.

One teacher should not have to teach 50 kids at the elementary school level.

History books should cover events that happened *after* World War 1.

When I was in high school our books were so old the pages crumbled, the ink was faded, and a lot of the information was inaccurate.  My science book taught that there were only 7 planets in the solar system, and that there was no way to prevent childhood diseases such as polio, measles, and mumps.

It's just another case of decision-makers putting the cart before the horse.

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If a lot of people fail a test, it is not a matter of lowering the standards. There could be something wrong with the test-not the people taking it. Tests are not foolproof. The people who write the tests make many mistakes. I have even heard that on one test, someone misquoted certain authors. It really doesn't make any sense that students have to learn certain authors when the writers of these tests can do whatever they like-Literary licence? I just don't believe in standardized tests-ANY OF THEM!


Cat
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I agree CatV, but I do think that they ARE a nessary evil. I am sure that you can see the difference in grading standards just within the school that you taught in with the different instructors. Now imagine that statewide. If we all just released students after they graduated each HS, then the colleges/Universitys will have to get involved, and have thier own standardized test that would be statewide as an entrance exam. (Some do now but its not enforced since most schools allow you to substitute your SAT/ACT scores or if you have had advanced classes in HS to "clep" out of some subjects if your scores are high enough) I can almost see a worst case senario happening where some kid from district X is excluded because a high percentage of students from that area fail out the first year. However if you came from district Y, your good to go. Unless your a genius and can figure a way to make a fair for all test, I dont see this changing anytime soon.

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F**k that standardized s**t! You don't have to take them if you don't want to, but you also have to live by your choices and accept the consequences, so if it takes an exam to pass a class and go up into something better, then bite the f**king bullet, take the damn thing, and stop whinning about it, you know? You can never really fail anything if you are provided a chance to do it again, right? I dunno. I'm a screw up and I'm just some white, suburban punk, so what the heck do I know, you know?
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ummm...you dont make sense on some of the things you said in this post......and I do take it.....so there....