I am NOT crazy, I am NOT hypersensitive, my kids are average NOT failing, I am not upset because they are not successful; I do not do this for fun or for glory. Staying up all night researching, driving back and forth to the Capitol in Oklahoma City, speaking to parents, printing copies (TONS of them) out of your own pocketbook, scheduling and attending meetings with superintendents, principals, parents, legislators all over the state, making 65+ legislative phone calls a day, listening and restraining ALL self control during committee meetings is NOT my idea of a FUN exciting time!
However, when your children and your family have experienced the FAILING system first hand and move to get away from it in order to choose wisely and attend an AMAZING school with AMAZING people and now it is crumbling right before your very eyes….me, I TAKE ACTION! I learned over time to follow my gut instinct, to not take things at face value, to question things and follow my gut. God gave us a “gut feeling” and intuition for a reason!
These are some of the items that make me so sad and the reason I continue on this exasperating journey and adventure, despite how miserable the journey is along the way. Despite my mental and emotional nervous break downs, despite the time, effort, money and my lack of ability to pretend like everything is “hunky dory,” or pretend that ignorance is bliss when in all reality it is far from blissful.
Here are some of the initial questions and documented information I received that made me begin to question EVERYTHING, and I still have yet to receive a single response that refutes or explains any of it. Let’s begin:
1. These standards and this education reform are “state-led” --- according to what? Please explain this: https://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/vision-education-reform-united-states-secretary-arne-duncans-remarks-united-nations-ed
NGA Office of Federal Relations
“The mission of the National Governors Association (NGA) Office of Federal Relations is to ensure that governors’ views are represented in the shaping of federal policy. NGA policy positions, reflecting governors’ principles on priority issues, guide the association’s efforts to influence federal laws and regulations affecting states.”
2. ALL data and “biometric” feedback stays local --- How? Where does the local server connect? The State Department. Where does the State Department server connect? The US Department of Education. And please explain #7 on this state website WAVE system, and why was the link inactivated:
3. These are ONLY standards NOT curriculum! If the standards set the bar, such as, I am going to run a marathon…don’t I need proper attire like running shoes, running clothes, etc. If I want to be able to run 21 miles then don’t I have to go out and practice by actually running? The standards drive the ENTIRE system all the parts, the entire package. I would not want to go run a marathon in a business suit! Therefore, the education standards also drive the high-stakes testing, the common-core aligned textbooks, the digital software programs, the worksheets, the benchmarks, the modules etc. So in essence if standards are the goal, curriculum is the plan, the road map to achieve the goal. Transforming education through assessments and accountability in order to meet the STANDARDS!
http://www.cgcs.org/Page/244
http://www.achieve.org/accountability
4. According to PISA, NAEP, etc. our high school dropout rate is horrendous, children are illiterate and dumb, so we MUST test their progress in order to ensure they are prepared for 21st Century College and Career! Who actually believes ANY of these false statistics? The fear tactics and the scare tactics of failure are over the top. Did you know that students across America are reading 2-3 grade levels higher than you or I EVER did? Four and five year old children can read at a rate we used to read decades ago starting in 3rd grade. Remember Dick and Jane? Is academics and a test the ONLY tool to monitor growth? Does the overall cumulative schoolwork and effort the student portray over the ENTIRE school year not worth any value? My child is receiving 90’s and 100’s on spelling tests and math quizzes, they have memorized and understood the concept of multiplying, dividing, adding, and subtracting and can even pay for their own items with their own money when we head off to the store. I am blown away daily by their increased vocabulary, their ability to relate cause and effect, think outside the box in solving problems, adjust and adapt to socializing with other students both negatively and positively, learn from their mistakes, model responsibility and structure, learned and struggled when they have not been responsible through actions, discipline, and consequences, engage in imagination, draw surprising and inspiring pictures/artwork, and develop unique and expanding journal entries with further punctuation more details and lengthier sentences. Does ALL of this not count for anything for him/her to move onto the next grade level without passing a standardized state test? What individual honestly thinks that a 3 hour test given to young children could possibly dictate the end-all/be-all to whether or not that student deserves to move forward? Imagine just for one moment how you would have felt growing up if your destiny to attend 4th grade (or any additional grade level) depended on whether or not you scored satisfactory or unsatisfactory on one 3 hour state test?
I find it strange that each of us went through learning and achieving our entire lives and the ONLY anxiety over testing was strictly the ACT/SAT, how stressful was it? The preparation, the results, don’t you recall what standardized testing did to your stomach? Now fast forward that feeling down to the 8-9 year old students in 3rd grade right now! And their teachers that are being evaluated based on the results.
I feel so sad for our students that are being subjected to mental anguish because an adult somewhere down the line that believes the only way to show or compare student progress is quantifiable data and hours worth of anxiety stricken standardized high-stakes testing!!!
Students and teachers are way more valuable than ANY given test score, and I already refused to allow that to define mine. I chose to opt-out of ALL testing and benchmarks because I came to the conclusion that my child is more than a statistic and that I prefer the classroom instruction time to be used for genuine well-rounded learning NOT teaching to pass a test.
P.S. Define a 21st Century skill or college and career ready anyways, we all seemed to achieve just fine without common core or workforce development, America is the MOST innovative country in the entire world. Where is the evidence to prove any of this? Just because it sounds great generalized on a website does not mean it is practical and/or necessary to be considered successful. Don’t buy into these labels of propaganda.
Have you looked up the definition of “RIGOR” – is that the fun engaging and nurturing environment that promotes a joy for teaching or learning?
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