[kshe95girl]

I find it interesting that no one had brought up the fact that more tests= more $.
Where is that going to come from since Gov "Alien" Scott has vowed to slash $ for schools?

[Swimmom32]

Originally Posted by num1baby

Ok. I love the post, but have a few comments. I don't know the solution to Standardized Testing, but one needs to be found. I don't want to sound conceited, but I am smarter than the average bear. I have a decent IQ (above 140), and am able to learn new ideas very quickly. I love to learn. I am constantly reading. I read novels, non-fiction, anything I can get my hands on. I have very serious issues with standardized testing. I refused to take my SATs because I knew how badly I did at tests. I had to take entrance exams for admission to college. I failed spectacularly. I will admit that math is my biggest weakness, so I didn't expect huge scores in math. However, I did expect decent scores in reading. I was reading on a college comprehension level at age 9. I failed the reading section of the test. I only got 2/100 right. Tell me how someone with an above average reading ability only gets a 2% on a reading test? When the test administrator saw my score, she gave me another test. This one was a completely different style test. I got a 58% on this one. It was the same test. It was written a bit differently, but the same test. She told me that she knew my scores were off, but that was all she could do. I had to take all remedial classes before fall term started. I was able to complete all of the Reading classwork in one hour. Btw, I went on to graduate from college with a 4.0 GPA. Based on my tests, I shouldn't have been admitted to college.

I hate standardized tests. I don't think they give an accurate reading of the student at all. They are a waste of time and money. They force teachers to focus on a very limited set of things. These kids aren't getting a well-rounded education. I don't believe in letting them watch movies, but we are too focused on passing one test and not on getting them ready for the real world.

I agree that not enough parents work with their kids at home. Too many think that all learning should be done at school, and it is not their job to teach their kids. Of course there are others that are working 2 jobs and don't have the time to spend with their kids. I make sure to sit down with my daughter and go over her homework with her. I want to make sure she understands the directions and that she knows I am available to help explain things to her if she gets stuck. She also gets bored with her homework, so we also get workbooks and we have educational tools to use at home. The teacher doesn't have time to make individualized lesson plans for each child, so I have to make sure that my daughter doesn't get lost in the shuffle. It is up to me as a parent to make sure she is getting the education she deserves. If the schools aren't equipped to push her to a higher level, it is up to me. I will not blame the schools if my child isn't educated enough to compete in the workforce. It is my job to make sure she is ready. I can go on and on here, but I think you all get my point.

As I said before, I don't know how to fix the mess that is Standardized Testing. I really wish I did. I also wish someone else could come up with an idea that would work. I don't think it is fair to give raises based on these completely flawed tests, but at the same time I don't think people should get raises just for showing up. We do need to find a solution though and I hope we find one soon.

I absolutely agree with you. We have 2 children 1 of which learns slower than most of the kids but she is very smart, she has a lot of trouble passing these FCATS which I'm completely against and yet all her tests in school and classwork/homework show she is a B student. Our son is in HS and is a Sophomore and is an average student who really cant test very well either. I don't think that TESTS are fair or as the End All especially that they MUST pass the FCAT to graduate HS. I don't think that they measure what a child has actually learned because there are some things on those tests that the teachers never had a chance to get too so I hate FCATS or any Standardized testing.. I can see Final Exams in all their classes but I'm sorry not all children learn the same. Now I do think teachers should be paid on some sort of Merit as well and I don't think that "BAD" teachers should have tenure..I know 1st hand some bad teachers that had failed my child miserably up North which was why she was held back in 3rd grade..It was a god-send in the end but they kept promoting her even though she shouldn't have been as her teacher back in 1st grade was awful and 2nd grade she was so old and yes had tenure she didn't remember sometimes what she taught and what she didn't...and we dont have the Spanish Problem the Poster was talking about as I never heard of such a thing...

[Swimmom32]

Originally Posted by algia

Please stop being insulting to me and tell me what my experiences have been.

When we lived in SoFla, every single job I applied for required being Bilingual, all the jobs they had at the employment agencies I used at the time required me to be bilingual in Spanish.

Lucky "YOU" that you did not have this problem. I wish I could say the same thing.

There is no paranoia, you're probably mingling in a tiny little circle and have not been directly affected by this. I have, there are tons of people in my family/friends that can attest this so, again, Lucky you, I wish I could say the same.

I dont know where you were applying however most teachers in my childrens school..elem and HS do not speak Spanish nor was it a requirement to be bilingual...

[Swimmom32]

Originally Posted by algia

We have family in SoFla and my husband could not get a job down there anymore either without speaking Spanish.
That's why we moved to Orlando, and then when Orlando took a dive we moved here.

I never said I had a problem with the clerks, we get along just fine. I was talking about when I was looking for jobs and the job description required it. That's all. As far as I am concerned it should be in schools casually at this point.

My DH works in Miami and wasnt required to speak spanish and he has a very good job...and whatever job he applied for never was it a requirement..yes we live here in South Florida!!

[vaughanwilliams]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

I find it interesting that no one had brought up the fact that more tests= more $.
Where is that going to come from since Gov "Alien" Scott has vowed to slash $ for schools?

I believe he is proposing that the local school districts find the money any way they can, short of raising taxes. If it were up to me, the local districts would tell Scott to shove it and sue. This is a good example of taxation without representation.

[bbronston]

Originally Posted by vaughanwilliams

I believe he is proposing that the local school districts find the money any way they can, short of raising taxes. If it were up to me, the local districts would tell Scott to shove it and sue. This is a good example of taxation without representation.

I completely agree with you and kshe95girl regarding any form of unfunded mandates but I wonder if you've spoken out on any of the other unfunded mandates to the states that came out of Washington over the past few years. Just keeping it real...

[algia]

I think It would be beneficial not only educationally/culturally speaking, but also since SoFla is Spanish driven and many jobs require it, UNLESS, they just want Hispanics to live there and everyone else move elsewhere.

It make little sense to educate in English, have Hispanics not do so well, then when entering work force be required to speak it for a majority of jobs down there anyway...a bit of a catch 22!

Originally Posted by Donna-501

I don't agree with that. I think that if you want to learn it that you can but don't think it should be a requirement.

[craigm1841]

Originally Posted by algia

I think It would be beneficial not only educationally/culturally speaking, but also since SoFla is Spanish driven and many jobs require it, UNLESS, they just want Hispanics to live there and everyone else move elsewhere.

It make little sense to educate in English, have Hispanics not do so well, then when entering work force be required to speak it for a majority of jobs down there anyway...a bit of a catch 22!

Multiple people from South Florida have told you that spanish is not a requirement for employment, and you are still sticking to your outlandish belief....

Interesting.

[Maggi07]

Originally Posted by bbronston

I completely agree with you and kshe95girl regarding any form of unfunded mandates but I wonder if you've spoken out on any of the other unfunded mandates to the states that came out of Washington over the past few years. Just keeping it real...

I agree with you. However, you can only do so much, you know? Issues that are important to people are the ones that are going to show up on their radar. I'm absolutely positive there are many things that have gone on in politics that I am not aware of and wouldn't like, but no one can follow everything all the time.

[beachmouse]

Originally Posted by kshe95girl

I find it interesting that no one had brought up the fact that more tests= more $.
Where is that going to come from since Gov "Alien" Scott has vowed to slash $ for schools?

Don't worry, I'm sure Jeb!'s brother's company will cut the state a deal on that sort of thing, and ..... hey I just saw the tooth fairy!