Thursday, December 09, 2004

End-of-course tests bring new angst to classes By BRIDGET GUTIERREZ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Published on: 12/08/04 I believe I have bloggd about this before. The state of Georgia has adopted End-of-Course-Tests. These are in addition to the graduation tests students must pass to exit high school. There are selected core courses for which the state have designed an end-of-course test. It does not replace the teacher's own final exam, but it is madated that it has to count as 15 percent of the student's grade. As with all standardized tests, I have this tension. On the one hand I like that we can hold this test in front of the students, especially this generation of kids who expect grades to be handed to them rather than earned, and say this is what you have to do to show that you know this. On the other hand it forces teachers to "teach to the test," and it also says that we while we want all students to meet certain standards, we also want them to look alike. Where is the diversity and individuality there? Anyway, on ecould go on forever about this. End-of-Course testing is here to stay. And the stakes are high for students, as well as for schools trying to meet Adequate yearly Progress. 11:33:35 PM    comment []

School Blackboards Are Turning White and Interactive. A growing number of teachers have traded in their chalk for an expensive computer touch screens. By By ERIC DASH. [NYT > Education] Ah, the day is coming, and soon,  when a genereation of students will be raised and never know the thrill of scratching your fingernails on the blackboard to annoy the squeemish! Interactive Whiteboards are an exciting new technology that, according to this article, may become more and more widespread over the years. The teacher  and students can actually touch and "write" on a large screen, and the info will be saved for future reference, whether for review, or by students who missed a class. I always welcome new technology. Love it, in fact. I imagine, however, that as technology available to teachers increases more and more rapidly, an older generation of teachers who are still trying to master the point-and-click of a mouse will become incerasingly distanced from their younger peers who are more technologically inclined and accustomed to the rapid change. I can already see this happpening where older teachers at my school have extreme difficulty managing thier new-fangled electronic gradebooks on the district's server, which are now required. I could see schools 10 years from now where a student attends one class where the teacher uses this interactive white board and all sorts of other technological stuff, then goes to another teacher's class where the the textbook and the chalkboard still rule. This may not be such a bad thing. Technology is not meant to replace tried and true teaching methods. Nor should we ever give up the pleasure of reading a real book, or writing in your own hand. But we do need to keep up with the times. And if the technology is there, and has the capability to make our jobs easier or present information in a manner that is going to keep the students' attention, then I say let us welcome it and use it. 11:10:32 PM    comment []

Children of Hispanic Immigrants Continue to Favor English, Study of Census Finds. English remains the language of choice among the children and grandchildren of Hispanic immigrants, despite continuing waves of migration from Latin America. By By RACHEL L. SWARNS. [NYT > Education]   The Times reports that a study of the census indicates that Hispanic immigrants are following the same trends as European immigrants of the past who became monolingual English speakers by the third generation. This observation gives the lie to xenophobic claims that Spanish speaking immigrants don't want to learn English. The fact is that in order to succeed in the United States one has to be proficient in the languge of commerce and business and education and government and everyday life. And because of this overwhelming truth, non-English speaking new arrivals to this country are sending their kids to school where they are learning English. Sadly by the third generation, many of them will have in fact lost their native tongue, and become monolingual English speakers like the rest of us. How much more rich it would be to have a generation of fully bilingual, fully bicultural citizens who could in fact bridge the divides that the anti-immigrant fearmongers are so afraid of. As a teacher, I will continue to encourage my immigrant & refugee students to retain their language and culture, as--for one-- it will give them versatility and a distinct advantage in life. 10:44:01 PM    comment []