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Ok, this is our first year here and I am so tired of hearing "EOG, EOG".
I'm a teacher, so we hear it all the time at work, and my kids have heard it all year in school. My daughter said all year she hears how they have to pay attention because what they are about to learn could be on the EOG. She says she feels they are more concerned with teaching her about a test than what she needs to know and if she hears it any more, she's going to scream.
WHY is there so much hype about this test. the kids are bringing home thick homework packets of EOG test prep, they have days of practice tests in place of curriculum, and are told they can fail if they don't pass the EOG.
Shouldn't a test measure what a child knows, and not what we've prepped them to know for the test?
We had a state test where we were,but there was not so much emphasis on it being the "end all" and we didn't spend the year teaching to the test.
My daughter's science teacher didn't teach science all year (middle school) and took several "leaves" and passed out worksheets when she was there. Now she is gone for the year and they have had subs, yet she is told this big science test is a huge part of her grade-doesn't seem fair.
Why such a big deal about tests? Please share what I am missing.
The standardized tests are not part of their grade as far as I know. This year's test are particularly important because of the new curriculum, but the results won't even be available until October!
Anyway, maybe how heavily it's emphasized is school by school because my middle schooler hasn't gotten much about the tests until last week, which was the week right before the tests (YR school, they're testing this week). No packets except for optional practice. I think they've had some test taking strategy sessions after school which is always beneficial.
Anyway, I know there are major limitations to these tests and have heard others complain about the same thing, but we really haven't had too much of that. Some kids seem to internalize the stresof them more than other too. We;re almost done and it's been fine.
The school Mine are taking them next week It is a New school so many are not sure But The school started preping over spring break the teacher have been keeping on track teaching as normal but then reviewing an hour or so each day,Most of the kids are well prepared , Notes have come home to the parent keep every thing normal/eat well/be on time .We have a 3rd grade taking them for the first time and I have been in the class room when the teacher were reviewing, Most of our kids are ready and do good , I do not under stand why any school would not have work books etc ( some must have not order them !) long before now! It crazy to do the push and stress the children/youth out over it, I know after next week lot of kids will be less stressed!In most schools,
The EOG student test results are also used to rate the overall performance of the school and teaching staff which triggers other things if the school is not performing up to expectations, such as parents then being allowed to request their children to be transferred to another school unless that has now been changed.
Wake County has some great school teachers but the school board keeps making drastic changes like the wind blows and I'm glad my son will finally be graduating out of the WCPSS later this month.
The EOG prep situation is out of control down here. It makes me C-R-A-Z-Y because these tests are to judge the school and teachers, not the kids. I have to un-do all the stress they put on the kids every year. My kids are really hating school by the time EOGs roll around.
We moved here from a top district with top scores in NY and they NEVER did this kind of talking about it up there. They actually trusted that if they taught the curriculum it would all show up on the tests. Crazy, I know.
I think it depends on the teachers and the school. I have a 3rd grader, so this is her first year of EOGs, and also a 6th grader. They have definitely talked about it and the 3rd grader has been asking her sister about it some, but I don't think they've talked about it all year long. It's just in the past month or so that they've been prepping the kids for it and I don't think it's all day prep or anything, more like the homework they're getting is formatted like the test.
FTR, I am not a fan of the tests, and especially timed tests at all. The timed tests make my 6th grader very anxious and are not a reflection of what she knows. I think it totally teaches the wrong message, too, "hurry up and get it done and guess if you have to" vs "take your time and do your best". Which is a better attitude for an adult to have? I know I'd rather work with someone who is careful and thoughtful and does their best than someone who hurries through a job just to get done with it.
Well, my DH has been having to take timed aptitude tests as part of recent job interviews, so I do think that while annoying, it's a still a skill they need to learn.
I think it depends on the teachers and the school. I have a 3rd grader, so this is her first year of EOGs, and also a 6th grader. They have definitely talked about it and the 3rd grader has been asking her sister about it some, but I don't think they've talked about it all year long. It's just in the past month or so that they've been prepping the kids for it and I don't think it's all day prep or anything, more like the homework they're getting is formatted like the test.
FTR, I am not a fan of the tests,
Same here. My 3rd grader just started dealing with the EOG prep in earnest recently, and like the poster above, it's not all consuming. And most of it is not content based but rather making sure the kids understand the strategies associated with taking standardized tests - reading the instructions, crossing out answers that don't make sense as you work towards the correct answer, BUBBLING CORRECTLY on the answer sheet - if a kid gets one off in the order, the whole results get skewed.
I wish we didn't have to deal with the tests, and I especially wish the teachers didn't have so much seemingly riding on the outcomes. I know my DDs teacher is FANTASTIC and I have no idea why someone thinks two tests are going to prove that. She is doing so many things to make the kids relax about the testing though, and it's appreciated. They will have a special breakfast each morning in their classroom, each day there will be a note from their parent(s) on their desk to encourage them, she calls the tests by a silly name to reduce the stress about it, they made lucky t-shirts in class this week for the testing (they researched various lucky symbols for homework), etc. And these are all AIG kids who will probably perform the best out of the entire grade on the tests. The school also does an incentive program where students who use their test strategies during the exam (showing work on scratch paper, going back and reviewing answers/checking bubbling, etc) can earn tickets to put in a drawing for a few big prizes. It's all kind of silly, but my kid has no anxiety about these tests.
Along with hating the testing for the kids and the teachers, I am in Durham and know that many eschew the schools here because they are looking solely at the schools' scores. I think a fair number of those parents that claim to hate the tests and the focus on testing then turn around and dismiss a whole school or system because of said scores. Can't have it both ways, people!! Frustrates me!
Last edited by jill7930; 05-16-2013 at 09:14 AM..
Reason: grammar/clarity
The EOG prep situation is out of control down here. It makes me C-R-A-Z-Y because these tests are to judge the school and teachers, not the kids. I have to un-do all the stress they put on the kids every year. My kids are really hating school by the time EOGs roll around.
We moved here from a top district with top scores in NY and they NEVER did this kind of talking about it up there. They actually trusted that if they taught the curriculum it would all show up on the tests. Crazy, I know.
they don't talk about them much at all at our school, so we must be a great school. I guess your school is on the verge of falling into "don't want to go there" status.****
**** tongue firmly in cheek.
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