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^ I didn't want to be the first to point that out. But true.
In my first post on this thread I mentioned that we asians love test taking. So It does not compute to me when other parents want to opt out their snowflakes. Its like they are getting rid of the competition without us even trying.
Regrettably, I can not provide them as they were not listed. Here's the passage:
Quote:
Pepper pungencies are also compared by using chromatography. Chromatography is an analytical technique that separates the chemical components of a mixture. After separation, the amounts of each component are quantified. Chromatography can determine how much capsaicin is in a pepper. It can also determine how much allyl isothiocyanate is in wasabi. If two chili peppers have the same amount of capsaicin, it can be assumed that those peppers are equally "hot." But the same assumption cannot be made when comparing chili peppers to wasabi. There's no way to know if equal amounts of capsaicin and allyl isothiocyanate cause equal degrees of pain. So chromatography cannot definitively judge this contest.
It isn't even possible to directly measure and compare nerve responses, since two different types of pain receptors are involved. Wasabi and chili peppers are like pungent apples and oranges. There's no objective way to declare one more potent than the other. This friendly competition won't be shared anytime soon. Everyone is free to chime in with an opinion. You just have to try both of these pungent powerhouses, then root for your own favorite flavor of pain.
Imagine a special ed or an ESL student having to decipher that passage.
Actually critical thinking and the ability to deduce what is implied are completely lost on kids today, they are taught to memorize, regurgitate and receive praise regardless of performance.
And why is this? They're being taught how to test, not how to think!
I agree with parents who object to these tests that they are just more common core ridiculousness that doesn't really test anything, union BS, etc, etc,etc.
But life is all about BS, and it gets worse when you become an adult in the real world, were the amount of BS can reach absurd levels.
So might as well get your snowflakes use to it. My kids are only 2 and 4, but I'm not opting them out when its their time. At the same time, I would shed no tears if enough parental uproar either changes or gets rid of these tests.
We are also asian, so we are genetically good at test taking.
FWIW, the amount of standardized testing has increased over the years. Are these tests of any value other than for statistics? They are losing instruction time to test prep and testing. The only ones benefiting from the tests are testing companies, test designers, and the flunkies hired off of Craigslist who score the exams.
How about utilizing the student's quarterly grades to determine whether or not Fauntleroy has mastered enough skills to advance to the next grade? Years ago, when I rode my dinosaur to school, a student would be left back if they weren't performing up to set standard for that level. When is the last time anyone on Long Island heard of a student being held back? Schools are too concerned with feel good social promotion than what's best for the student.
FWIW, the amount of standardized testing has increased over the years. Are these tests of any value other than for statistics? They are losing instruction time to test prep and testing. The only ones benefiting from the tests are testing companies, test designers, and the flunkies hired off of Craigslist who score the exams.
How about utilizing the student's quarterly grades to determine whether or not Fauntleroy has mastered enough skills to advance to the next grade? Years ago, when I rode my dinosaur to school, a student would be left back if they weren't performing up to set standard for that level. When is the last time anyone on Long Island heard of a student being held back? Schools are too concerned with feel good social promotion than what's best for the student.
Here's the deal. I was a high achieving asian kid, and now a successful doctor.
From a very early age, I knew that all the crap we learned in school, even all the way into med school is essentially useless and has very practical application in real life. I always felt the purpose of school and tests was not to actually learn, but to weed out those who have the discipline to study from those who don't, and reward the high achievers accordingly.
I guess its good that they are trying to fundamentally change the way we teach kids from route memorization to now this Common Core method (which seems like non sense to me actually).
Here's the deal. I was a high achieving asian kid, and now a successful doctor.
From a very early age, I knew that all the crap we learned in school, even all the way into med school is essentially useless and has very practical application in real life. I always felt the purpose of school and tests was not to actually learn, but to weed out those who have the discipline to study from those who don't, and reward the high achievers accordingly.
I guess its good that they are trying to fundamentally change the way we teach kids from route memorization to now this Common Core method (which seems like non sense to me actually).
You can't weed out the underachievers and high achievers at the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade levels. For years, parents have fought to have students with disabilities mainstreamed into the classroom. Weeding them out, or sitting them together in their own area of the classroom, as well as taking the brightest students and sitting them in their own area, is discriminatory. Come junior high and high school, yes, there is weeding in the form of honors and AP classes. At the secondary level, the wheat is separated from the chaff.
What message are the children being given when their hopes are crushed in 3rd or 4th grade because a test is poorly designed? The standardized testing the students are sitting for this week are a mess. There's material which is too advanced for grade levels, there are poorly worded questions. They couldn't even deliver the correct exam electronically to a number of students.
I understand and appreciate your perspective, but I feel that too much instruction time is lost to exams which are not helping the students. You mention rote memorization; how many of our students are learning how to answer test questions...a set format as opposed to having the opportunity to expand their minds through literature, art and music? What works for the scientific brain isn't always best for the creative mind.
I don't really agree with this part. From what I've seen, writing out the ways you can arrive at an answer is not just busy work. It is meant to make the student visualize why things like grouping in 10s or 100s is quicker/easier. It is a basic step needed at 3rd/4th grade to illustrate the point, not busy-work IMO. Being told "this way is faster" won't teach them when/why to apply the shortcuts that they went over in school at some point in the past. Knowing how to solve the problem and being able to explain why - that's the purpose. That kind of thing teaches kids to expand their thinking.
73-58... you'd be surprised how much faster they can be even compared to some adults of today. Would that happen without CC while continuing things the way they have always been?
With all due respect, I politely call that daft!
If they understand the nature of the problem and can solve it, there is no need to visualize (buzzword) anything. Kids can learn the way we learned. Most of common core is a giant beta test of academia hypotheses with no real proof of efficacy in the day to day yet...with corporate wolves waiting in the wings to crank out pricey curriculum sets to match... An attempt to punch up our poor results nationally in STEM and make us more competitive. It's not of utmost importance to all kids any more than a new volleyball net.
I don't understand. Taking the test would weed out the underachievers? I got one kid is high achiever, the other one is special need. I would make sure they both take the test (I think the special need would be modified test). Life is a test. When I go for job interview, they give me test. I don't see why we can't train them to early on.
On the side note, I went to School Budget meeting. They said the government modified the test this year. It's more to reality and shorter. They also released 75% of the questions (or categories) to teachers now so the teachers can address what area their kids are lagging. They said the tests mainly is not hard. There would be some questions that very very hard to sift out normal and smart one. I think a lot of people just picked out those tough questions and bombard these tests.
Regrettably, I can not provide them as they were not listed. Here's the passage:
Imagine a special ed or an ESL student having to decipher that passage.
I see nothing wrong with this as a reading comprehension passage. What questions were asked? Some ESL students could figure it out as could some SE kids - some won't get it, so what's the problem? How will anyone know what work is needed without evaluating the students?
Your initial question is irrelevant when its answer is described in the passage itself. I did not know the answer when it was asked, but I do know after reading the two paragraphs. Who will be harmed by this question?
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