A comment from a reader in response to Arne Duncan’s statement that white suburban moms are angry because the Common Core tests just showed them that their child is not so brilliant and their school is not so good:
“This angry, white, suburban mom IS angry–but it’s not because I was delusional that my children are “brilliant” or that our suburban public schools aren’t that good. We have funding issues, to be sure, but that has NOTHING to do with the amazing teachers, staff and kids. This angry mom gets the national and state agenda to try to get us to run away–FAST–from our traditional well-loved schools. And it’s not going to work if we keep pointing out their warped and sneaky agenda!
Nice part about insulting white, suburban moms is that we get ANGRY! And we love to gossip! And we love social media! So bring it on, Arne. You have just angered some pretty protective she-bears…”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Only a fool drunk with power and fueled by the arrogance of billionaires would make such stupid remarks and deepen the ranks of his enemies. Duncan is such a fool, dim-witted, calling out a mass of opposition he will certainly regret.
Duncan must be a drunk fool then! Do check out the tirade of commentary in the “Answer Sheet”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/11/16/arne-duncan-white-surburban-moms-upset-that-common-core-shows-their-kids-arent-brilliant/
The comments are flying in so rapidly!
Wonder if he is any kin to Mayor Rob?
Sure sounds like they visit the same clubs..
Ira, Arne Duncan is the witless salmon swimming close to the she-bears . . . . .
Hahaha — Yes, too close!
Ira,
If I may add to your first statement: “Only a fool drunk with power and fueled by the arrogance AND MONEY of billionaires would make such stupid remarks and deepen the ranks of his enemies.”
Arne isn’t the brightest bulb in the chandelier. He got his job because he was one of Obummer’s pick up basketball buddies. That was his only qualification!
He’s in for a whole shitstorm of trouble now!
Yes indeed. What an irony that Arne Duncan, of all people would be making comments about other people’s intelligence. The guy is an extremely dim bulb.
I wonder…Does A. D. want us White suburban moms to tell our children they have no ability to succeed because of their ignorance determined by a Test Score?
Has this man been talking to the Book Giants to curb the White Women so he can keep stuffing his pockets?
You are correct A.D……My kids are not as brilliant as I thought.
They were much more brilliant than I thought!
AND YOU appear to be much more ignorant than I thought..
Expect a lawsuit for your discriminatory remarks……after you are fired..
This comment was posted on the answer sheet. I didn’t get the readers name. I will check back.
All need to read this:
Duncan is schlepping CC for the corporate establishment that created it. The CCSS is an abusive micro-managing apparatus that guarantees teachers will teach to the test and mandates an educational pedagogy of fear, coercion and punishment. Despite slick subterfuge and propaganda to the contrary, the architects of the CCSS, backed by wealthy billionaires, ARE soft peddling an apparatus of mind control. “Career and college ready,” is a slogan that once deconstructed, reveals an educational structure that undermines creativity and freedom and while institutionalizing obedience and control.
The CCSS imprints upon the minds of children an experience based on radical behaviorism without their consent. Like pawns in a massive chess game, as early as KDG, children are denied experiences that enhance their love of learning and instead are forced to participate in massive amounts of high stakes testing and an education that emphasizes fear and compliance.
There are two forms of education in this World. The first is to provide children with opportunities to achieve and develop from the inside out. This form of education enhances children’s pre-existing capacities and gifts. A second form of education we have observed expressed in totalitarian regimes who imprint upon the minds of their young citizens what the leaders of the state value. This is the CCSS.
You want data? Here’s your data: 30 years of standardized testing on the formative minds of children and over 26% of Americans have a mental illness of one form or another. Gap between rich and poor at it’s highest ever and the middle class is shrinking like never before.
Who are these people peddling the CCSS? Follow the money trail and it leads back to the same greedy rich white suits, the corporate establishment, who tanked the economy in 2008, specialize in high speed derivatives trading and peddle billions of dollars of influence at the highest levels of government.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/11/16/arne-duncan-white-surburban-moms-upset-that-common-core-shows-their-kids-arent-brilliant/
Actually, none of the things you describe are required in the Common Core. Though it does seem to show up in the implementation and in the tests.
I agree about the money trail, though.
Maybe, subconsciously, Arne wishes to be fired. Why did he try to marginalize the wrong bear? Oh my!
We are talking The Polar She Bears…cousin to the Grizzly
Black she bear, brown she bear, white she bear, does it make any difference when someone, something is threatening her offspring?
BRAVO!
This is RACIST
A caval donato non si guarda in bocca!
Marge
Parla lei l’italiano?
Is that the same as: “En bocas cerradas no entran moscas.”
In closed mouths flies don’t enter.
One of my favorite Spanish aphorisms.
I believe, if I translated correctly after my four years of study in Italian molti anni fa, that it’s “Don’t look at gift horse in the mouth” . . . but I could be wrong.
correction: “a gift horse in the mouth” . . .
Will that be on the test?
When the White Soccer Moms hear of this discriminating comment….A.D. needs to buy wither a pair of good motorized soccer shoes or a ticket to ‘Anywhere but the White House”
It was angry “soccer moms” that put an end to the graduation test in Wisconsin a few years back. I think Arne stepped in it this time.
How can he be allowed to keep his job after such a statement..?
Makes no sense..
Yep…Guaranteed ..A.D. has helped to dig a hole he can not get out of……
I agree. To disrespect mothers and women with this comment shows tremendous arrogance and ignorance. President Obama, you are ultimately responsible. To remain silent is shameful.
I just finished reading “The Answer Sheet’s” article which quotes Duncan and I do not think I have ever seen the commentary section grow as quickly… there were 615 comments before I came over to Diane’s site and I am willing to bet there will be several hundred more by the time I finish this writing. I sure hope the ever-so-thick Duncan or those who surround him notice the article and realize Duncan’s words have started a firestorm!
Here’s an idea for a bumper sticker:
I’m A Fantastic White Suburban Mom & I Vote
Or —- My Second Grader Is Smarter Than Arne Duncan
Marge
Where can I buy that bumper sticker??
My dead Lab is smarter than Arne Duncan. Please sign the petition.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-arne-duncan-secretary-education/w0DYCDDm
Linda, I am very sorry to hear about your labrador. They are a beautiful breed of dog.
I am signing the peittion . . . .
I’m having them printed as we speak.
I’m working on a set of acronyms
FASM = Fascinating American Suburban Mom
FWSM = Fascinating White Suburban Mom
FBSM = Fascinating Black Suburban Mom
FLSM = Fascinating Latino Suburban Mom
FAASM = Fascinating Asian-American Suburban Mom
…
What do you think!
good acronyms!
Love “My second grader is smarter than Arne Duncan”…
zlike
Where can I buy one of those???
We need them now.
I’ll buy one.
Marge, I predict you could make some fast cash selling those.
Yep —- trying to save public education!!
Send the link to buy one! I’ll post it on my facebook and others will buy!
I will buy many. Please post.
Make your own bumper stickers here:
http://www.vistaprint.com/bumper-stickers.aspx?mk=%2bmake+%2byour+%2bown+%2bbumpersticker&ad=b&crtv=30345367219&psite=mkwid%7cipujki6k&device=c&GP=11%2f17%2f2013+3%3a44%3a56+PM&GPS=3012581548&GNF=1
Thank you. We have placed an order!
Marge
So…A.D. says to the innocent children of White Suburban Moms..
“You are not as smart as you think you are”
And this mad person is in charge of our education…
You are right Arn…..
They are not as smart as I thought they were…
THEY ARE SMARTER!!
So our schools suck, our teachers suck, are kids are dumb.
And I have been in charge of all that for five years now, said Arne Dumbcan.
He’s been terrible for existing public schools. He’s done real damage.
Been great for charters, though! Too bad that’s 5% of schools.
Existing public schools would have genuinely been better off if his position had been left vacant. It’s ALL downside for public school parents.
lol…but so true
I’d LOVE to see Arne Duncan evaluated by the same measures he lays at the feet of public school teachers…..
Well, “moms” are silly and sentimental and Arne Duncan is a hard-headed CEO who looks at the data.
They never should have changed “superintendent” to “CEO”. These dopes actually believe they are dressing down employees rather than dealing with citizens.
Duncan thinks he’s running a company.
Hello All – Hasn’t the Education Department GOBBLED up enough of white suburbs van taxpayers’ money? We aren’t as stupid as he thinks we are.
Send Arne your old basket ball hoops with a note –We are sick and tired of jumping through YOUR hoops!!
MARGE
I think this is a wonderful idea, people posting photos of actual Common Core materials:
It’ll be hard to pat the “moms” on the head and dismiss their concerns when ed reformers are faced with evidence “on the ground”, like photographs.
As enrichment and exposure, this is fine. But it should never crowd out other types of critical learning and other modalities of learning, such as experiential, counting manipulatives, songs and dances with counting, real life application stories and problem solving thet involve counting. This workbook as the main focus is deplorable and very one or two dimensional.
Don’t you hate Arne Duncan?
One just wants to flatten him out and turn him into a workbook.
It would be fun to fill in his bubble with a nice, crisp, newly sharpened pencil.
Love this comment 🙂
He sure sounds like a bubble- an empty one.
enrichment????? How so???
Joseph, by enrichment, I mean very specifically that it should be something to be exposed to just for the sake of yet another experience in counting; it should NOT be a focus or high stakes component. . . in fact, “high stakes” shold be removed from the reform conversation altogether because it implies that educators cannot be trusted. . . . . .
If iI had to quantify, the workbook could make up no more than 1 or 2 percent of a child’s week in class. I would probably put this enlarged on a smart board with some music in the background so that kids could play with the board. . . . but not more than as a learning center, and only out there to play with for a week for several minutes once a week per small group of children who rotate.
Yes, I do think there is value in print, even at a young age, but again, the question becomes what kind, for what purpose, and with what kind of time frame and lens being focused. . . . .
I’ll second this. It looks a lot like my kindergarteners homework also. Arne Duncan keep sticking your feet into your mouth, you are only helping the cause of kicking you and CC right out the door.
(:::). Arne, Stopped short in the middle of his losing game —Saying: “Lions & Tigers & Bears , oh my! ” FASCINATING!!
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What are the five boxes for? Enrichment? You’re kidding, right Robert?
Every kind of experience has merit, but the question becomes what the proportions and time spent on them are . . . . . . . One could make a case that even 5 minutes per year filling in bubbles in this work book have no value. . . . others can make cases otherwise.
For me, the problem is not the workbook, but the time and effort and high stakes attached to it. To me, it would be a last component, as kids need to learn to count in meaningful, tangible ways. One always progresses form the most concrete to the most abstract when teaching new content. This test prep is an abstraction, and certainly, it in itself is not a valid or reliable way of testing a child’s skills in counting. There are multi-modalities. . . . . mulotiple inteliigences. . . . that’s a no-brainer, I think.
I am having trouble understanding this workbook.
I love that they actually name the kindergarten CC lessons “test prep” 🙂
It’s in the right hand corner of that photo.
“It’s not test prep!” “But it says test prep! Right there!”
I could not agree with this angry suburban mom more.
I would just lke to politely and gently add that there are angry suburban moms of color, angry urban caucasian and non-caucasian moms who share angry suburban white mom’s cause; the overlap and alingment is perfect. There are moms who don’t speak any English who share the cause. There are moms whose first language is English and who use food stamps to pay for their children’s food supply. There are even moms living with other moms. They are all permently fixed in the center of that Venn diagram.
The she-bears and tiger moms have been roused from their lairs, and their babies are not far from behind.
Pity the fool who is in proximity to the offspring when mom is nearby . . . . . .
Varying levels of melanin are nothing more than that: pigmentation.
Sometimes, I think Obama and Corey Booker and people like them have used this trait and politicized it. Could George Bush or Al Gore have pulled off what Obama has as easily? Could they have fooled so called “minorities” as much?
The trick does not/will never work.
Run for your life. Here come the bears and tigers ready to pounce . . . . .
Love it Robert! Commissioner King has felt the claws of those tigers and bears a plenty.
Let’s all go for a spree at the maul . . . . . . . .
And by the way, you’d be surprised what the dads are saying also . . . .
http://thetruthoneducationreform.blogspot.com/2013/02/what-kind-of-father-will-you-be.html?view=snapshot
Love it!
My child had to write a graded extended response in her LA class in preparation for the ISAT test. She was immediately docked 25% because the her answer to the prompt was off topic. Her teacher noted that her ideas and thoughts on the reading were much more complex than the what was asked in the prompt but writing off prompt is not allowed.
I was speechless. Still am.
My students occasionally give a great answer to a question that I did not ask. The question is always whether the student misunderstood the question and could have answered any question about the material or if the student mearly memorized an answer and planned to use it no matter what question was asked.
She did not memorize an answer, she wanted to share her ideas about the story. A teacher would be able to critique while acknowledging the off topic response, particularly in literary analysis. There would have been a learning opportunity to enhance the complex ideas and work on the mechanics of writing. This is not possible when teaching for the test.
That is the conundrum facing the person evaluating the answer. How much credit to give the great answer to a question about a price ceiling when the question concerned a price floor? Many elements of the two answers are the same, but does the student understand that? Why did the student not answer the question that was asked? These are unknowable answers for those looking at the written response.
Hello — REMEMBER — there is no truth to the rumor that all suburban mommies across the NATION are keeping their children home from school tomorrow, Monday, November 18th. ; – ) (Wink, wink)
Monday marks the beginning of Education Week & hmmmm, it’s Revolution Day!
Marge
Post that idea on Facebook.
I have heard that people are removing their pictures from Facebook and replacing them with a solid red background upon which the following words are written:: STOP THE CORE!
I saw it on Susan Ohanian’s blog -http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_cartoons.php?id=973
Talk about marginalize. Does he believe the non-white suburban moms don’t exist? Are they happy that finally, their children are recognized for what they truly are – failures???
What is wrong with this man?
Not to mention that white, suburban moms elected Obama. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
It’s baloney.
I live in a rural area and there’s broad and deep dissatisfaction with both Duncan and Governor Kasich on ed reform among public school parents here.
They’ve seen huge protests in urban areas, Duncan is now admitting he’s lost suburban parents, and rural parents aren’t fond of him either.
I don’t know who supports him, other than lobbyists and pundits.
It seems as though there are MANY. people who are not fond of their Governor. New York State is unhappy with Governor Cuomo for not heeding the requests to fire Commissioner King.
And many of us here in Florida are also very unhappy with our Governor and his education minions. Judgement is coming.
Please sign and share my petition to have Arne Duncan removed as U.S. Secretary of Education. Enough is enough! https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-arne-duncan-secretary-education/w0DYCDDm
Did already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saw this on BATS last night – I was #211. Now there are 961!!! Even if we can’t get 99,000 signatures in the next 29 days, it will hopefully send a message. “Hello. . . . Whitehouse. Are you even paying attention? Are you listening?”
King hearing in Mineola
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2013/11/nysed-commissioner-king-booed-at-common.html
Snowfall is white. Personally, I consider myself more of an olive-y/peach-y color.
lol..
Me too
Duncan presents a real political dilemma for conservative ed reformers. Do they abandon him and take the political advantage his unpopularity offers to attack Democrats and elect more conservatives?
Duncan has endorsed the whole GOP ed reform wish list, which is why they never go after him- he gave them everything they want and more, but they could probably do (slightly!) better with a hard Right conservative politician.
Shifting alliances in the politics of ed reform! LOL
They better seat another roundtable, stat. Get me David Brooks on the line!
In instance after instance, the Obama administration has delivered on the conservative agenda. He is almost indistinguishable from George Bush, Jr. With regard to civil liberties, he’s actually a LOT worse. Clinton gave the GOP welfare reform, the Defense of Marriage Act, NAFTA and a raft of other free trade agreements, and a balanced budget. And they couldn’t stop talking about what a Socialist he was. Some thing with Obama. He’s just about as right-wing as they come. The Repugnicans and the Dimocrats are two rival criminal gangs who spend almost all their time squabbling over who gets the loot and the power. Obamacare is ROMNEY’S program. Obama’s middle eastern policies are those of the Neocons of the Bush administration. His education policies are a ratcheting up of G.W.’s NCLB. He has been a disaster.
It’s time to give up the pretense that we have two political parties in this country with rival philosophies. We have two rival gangs, with their rival colors, red and blue. And both are simply tools and wind-up toys belonging to the few, to the oligarchy from which they take their orders and their checks.
cx: Same thing with Obama.
Robert,
You see right through these sparkly new neo-liberal democrats, and you have articulated their bad politics perfectly.
What’s in a label?
Time for a serious third party.
What shall we refer to it as?
Carter had glimmers of neo-liberalism as did Kennedy. But they were the least offensive. Roosevelt and his era were the real thing, although he horribly and wrongfully ignored the Holocaust.
I say Bernie Sanders for President . . . . or Liz Warren.
Yes, thank you. This is why I’m loving Russell Brand’s comments about the U.S. and the U.K. right now. I fully expected Obama to toss out NCLB in the first four years, never expected him to make it worst. From what I’m reading is that he lives in a bubble surrounded by “Yes” men (and women), no challengers on the advisory committee, no one to tell him he isn’t wearing any clothes. Combine all this with a real need for election reform that isn’t based on the dollars and PR campaigns. Not such a great choice to run the Fed either (more head on the sand). Throw in the TPP secrecy and we have a president who has strayed farther from his campaign promises than any other in history. And I had such hopes in the beginning. Common Core is just one of the many problems we are looking at thanks to Big Money and a spineless, self serving White House.
“Obamacore” is the perfect soundbite.
Duncan has been a disaster and should be forced to resign. Unfortunately, Obama would appoint another privatizing tool to the job.
Obamacore vs. Obamacare: There are no winners. . . . . . . Score: 0 to 0, last quarter . . . . . .
Spot on Rpbert!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go here and sign this petition..to fire this man
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-arne-duncan-secretary-education/w0DYCDDm
I am always amazed at how outraged I can feel after remarks like this. Isn’t it what we expected from him? Yet, it is unacceptable. As I stated earlier in another post.. Arne, You have to be kidding me. That comment was sarcastic and condescending. Perhaps you forgot to take psychology 101 and realize that what Your cronies in educational reform are implementing is both developmentally inappropriate for elementary children and ignores the basics of student learning. Krashen i + 1, Vygotskey…ZPD.That is data for you. Arnie…go back to school. Reread you educational theory, none of which, I’m sure, Michelle Rhee, Joel Klein, nor Pearson have read.
Parents should mark their kid’s tests, tests preps, and results INVALID and mail them back to Arne Duncan. It’s just like junk mail that needs to go “back to sender.” U.S. Department of Education c/o Arne Duncan 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20202. You probably want to black out personal information so it doesn’t get collected. That sounds so paranoid but yet, a reality.
Actually, I was going to recommend that the kids address the envelopes but they probably won’t be able to do that since they are so below-average. Here’s a bumper sticker: My honor student is now below-average but I’m still a proud parent.
It’s the nonsense curriculum and straight jackets from the No Child Left Behind Act
for the last 10 years that is dumbing down teachers and kids.
Schools have no say in this. If kids are less brilliant, it’s due to the commercialization and federalization of the system and curriculum testing, not the schools.
If 70% of students fail the test, it is not the students, it’s the test. Common sense.
Otherwise, those rotten teachers have been giving their classes stupid pills.
The urban schools have been under attack for awhile and their cries were ignored. Now this nonsense has hit the suburbs. What a surprise that suburban parents don’t take their rhetoric as gospel. As a group, along with their urban and rural counterparts, they will not be silenced.
Arne is either deluded or a fool. We need someone making decisions that realizes education is not a business and children are not commodities. Arne out. King out. Princeton Review out. Let’s take back education and put it in the hands of the true experts. It can’t be too soon.
Amen. You have my vote.
****When confronted with the truth through lower test scores and other indicators, the unhelpful response, in Arne’s view, is to say, “Let’s lower standards and go back to lying to ourselves and our children, so that our community can feel better.” The more productive response for a community or a state is to ask, “What can we do to get better, so our students can graduate from high school, succeed in college and be competitive for good jobs?” Because other communities and states are asking themselves that question and making smart improvements to their schools and education systems.****
So, now he’s going to try to terrify everyone into thinking children from other communities and states will have the edge over their own children? I despise fear-mongering.
People already act on fear. I know several people who are not taking care of their future financial needs because they moved to a town with “good” schools or they are paying for private schools they really can’t afford
Where is the edge in an economy on the brink of collapse? We will need brilliant and creative efforts in small business creations, not test takers competing for fast food outlets.
In less than 30 words Duncan has made a 180 degree turn on all that he has vested his entire career. Now, he is implying that parents have no choice on how their child is educated. His foundation was built by corrupting the Chicago Public Schools in the name of ‘school choice’. I guess the choices are there if they do not cross the boundaries of fiscal benefits for himself or his mother 🙂 Also, this is the same person that has preached that all students, including severely learning disabled children, should be subjected to abusive standardized testing in the name of global competition and measuring classroom effectiveness. Now, he indicates standardized tests are only for brilliant children NOT the average student. Duncan’s hubris and arrogance is only superseded by the onset of early dementia. He needs to go, quickly…
Mary Judge: IMHO, you have hit on a key aspect of high-stakes standardized testing.
If you think of a primary function being that of labeling, sorting and ranking in order to justify lifelong rewards and punishments, i.e., like so many hazing rituals establishing hierarchy and worthiness, then everything else falls into place.
For the rheephormistas, critical to the success of their whole enterprise is miseducating the general populace so that there is widespread acceptance of the inequities involved. For example, getting people to enthusiastically support the mind-numbing and stress-inducing testing regime [with its associated docility and low-level skills training] for the vast majority while simultaneously cheering on the increasingly smaller number of young people who get a full, enriched, life-affirming schooling. *Hint: google the schools that the rheephormistas and/or their children have attended/attend, e.g., Harpeth Hall, Cranbrook, U of Chicago Lab Schools, Sidwell Friends, Lakeside School, and so on.*
While I am interpreting your remark a bit, I think you are correct in suggesting that ArneRhee&Co. have long been attempting to make everyone believe that “brilliance” and “average” are not only revealed, but confirmed, by standardized tests. Hence, the biggest rewards will go to the ‘most deserving’ while the rest get what’s left over, if anything, because they just don’t ‘measure up.’ It’s all in the numbers—Rheeally!
In the words of the owner of this blog: BALDERDASH!
“Statistics are no substitute for judgment.” [Henry Clay]
😎
Please join me in putting a stop to this #edreform madness. The numbers on this petition are climbing fast…Remove Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-arne-duncan-secretary-education/w0DYCDDm
I signed
I signed.
Marge
Can you visualize hundreds of thousands of mama bears chasing Arne across the country to tear into a piece of him? He wouldn’t make it past the white house steps. There’d be nothing left to tear into.
See the rubric developed for Arne by Susan Ohanian
Arne Duncan: Measures of Effective Leadership
http://susanohanian.org/cartoons.php
So what can we do to create a positive change?
Is it possible to get state-level ballot measures that would allow an opt-out option for testing? I am thinking of an opt-out option that would not punish schools for non-participation and would allow a child to attend school and receive alternative activities?)
There is no excuse for the statement AD made because a government official should never disrespect the concerns of the people. He needs to make a sincere apology. However, there is some truth that people didn’t get upset until things affected them directly. In the end, this may be a good thing if more people questioned the testing.
When it was the poor people and their teachers in inner-city schools complaining about testing and the unfair labels put on their schools, these suburban moms kept quiet. How many suburban moms cared about the closing of the schools in Chicago or the mass firings that took place in DC?
Were these moms upset over testing when their schools scored high? I think NCLB made the stakes high years ago and there was little to no complaints until now. From what I read and what people here (with way more knowledge about testing) write, standardized testing is flawed, period.
In my town scores were always relatively low compared to surrounding towns. The attitude seems to be charter schools, state takeover and privatization is OK for others, but their town with “good” schools don’t need that.
I hope this leads to a movement where people stand up for public education everywhere. I wonder if these suburban moms will be OK with some changes that may remove some money from their local schools for the benefit of poorer districts.
In all fairness, were people really complaining before this? l would think many did not know to complain. Maybe I’m wrong… or naive. My feeling is that we were all too trusting to understand what was really happening-or going to happen — and that is why so many of “us” were quiet. Common core just started. When else were “we” supposed to speak out? When it was being planned by the coterie that did not include “us” and was unbeknownst to us?
NCLB and the punishment by testing started about 2001. CCSS just started, but the high stakes testing is over 10 years old.
The term “high stakes testing” is often used here, but test may be high stakes for some, no stakes for others. The “high stakes” exams that my children have taken have usually been teacher written, teacher graded exams that determine class grades and class standing. Those are the exams that create stress, not standardized exams that do not change a course grade, prospects for graduation, or admission to college.
When I refer to “high stakes testing”, I am referring to the stakes for the schools I know it didn’t affect the student’s grade, but there were potential punishments for schools.
Teachers stressed out over how their students will perform on the tests will affect students to some degree. Maybe the grade isn’t affected, but it isn’t an ideal situation to have a teacher worried about standardized test results.
So the students are not relevant to the definition of “high stakes”? Interesting prioritization of concerns.
concernedmom
Under NCLB only Title 1 schools that failed to meet AYP were punished with resource draining SINI status. Very few affluent suburban schools were impacted. The school that suffered the most were high poverty elementary and middle schools with diverse populations (sub-groups of 12 or more, individually subjected to AYP requirements). In NY the advent of CCSS aligned Pearson tests impacted affluent suburban (think Long Island) schools for the first time since NCLB started. The outrage regarding punitive reform measures should have started 12 years ago.
TE: because of all the “college and career ready talk” many younger children have the perception that these tests do matter in determining their future. And they carry the weight of their school “ranking” on their shoulders. Shielding our children from the reality of these stakes has become as issue unto itself (whether it is opting them out or telling them at home that the tests mean nothing; and at school some teachers do a better job of what to say than others).
I suspect the younger children are getting that impression from their teachers.
Most definitely they are getting that impression in school — because it’s coming from the top down. It’s not coming from the parents. Quite the opposite; parents are desperately trying to diffuse the pressure — at least, this parent and all those she knows is….
TE,
For me and what I observe, high stakes, even it does not directly affect my young child’s “grade”, can still have a profound effect on his education.
My child attends a school that is constantly under pressure to get the student body to preform well on these tests than it is a concern that directly affects my child. If one of the consequences is the well-respected principal may be fired that’s an issue.
There is a lot more to school than quantifiable academics at this point in my young child’s life.
Concerned,
As your students become older it will be more difficult for them to be emotionally manipulated by the schools and they will come to realize that these exams are generally no stakes, not high stakes. It will be teacher written exams that will cause the late nights and anxieties, not academic progress exams.
TE,
I don’t believe my child’s school emotionally manipulates him. If you took that away from my responses, it is just a reflection of my poor writing skills.
I don’t know if this goes into effect in 2014 or 2015, but a law passed that In NC if a third grader fails the reading EOG, they will have to attend summer school. If a child fails the reading EOG and the teacher believes the child is reading at grade level, the teacher will put together a portfolio and the child may be promoted if the portfolio is approved. If students don’t reach grade level by the end of the summer session, they will be retained in third grade. The plan is make 3/4 combo classes and there is a chance if a child catches up to the 4th grade level they will be promoted mid-year.
In the bill, it stated that the students and parents will be made aware of the child’s progress. So in the future in NC, at least for third graders there will be some stakes attached to these tests.
Concerned,
It is not so much your comments that caused me to write about emotional manipulation, it is reading the comments of others about the stress caused by wanting to please the teachers, keep them from being fired, etc..
I agree that these exams may become high stakes exams for the students in the future, but they might also be seen as high opportunity exams. Boys typically do better on standardized exams than their grades would suggest, so I think it possible that some students might pass the third grade exam when the teacher would have retained them. What does the proposed law say should happen in that case?
Something similar came up with my middle son. He received a B- in his precalc class (a class that he found completely mind numbing) but scored 298 ( or maybe 296, I don’t precisely remember) out of 300 on the standardized mathematics MAP exam. Which was the better indicator of mathmatical ability? I think it was the score on the standardized exam.
I am going to start sounding like Duane here. The grade your son received in his precalculus class was a subjective evaluation of his course work by the teacher. It really tells you little about what he did well and what he needed to work on. It doesn’t even tell you what the teacher felt was important. The MAP score is another measure that requires computer test taking skills which your son apparently has. I don’t know what those tests look like and what the student is required to do. Did the content mirror that of the course? Was he required to demonstrate his knowledge in the same way in both situations. “In the olden days” we were required to solve problems without the use of “clues” (Choice of answers) provided by multiple choice tests. I suspect his class followed that pattern rather than the ” eeny, meeney, miney, moe” of multiple choice.
Because I know how things turned out (18 credit hours of math at the university with an honors course in the fall and a graduate course in the spring of the senior year of high school) I can say that the standardized test score was a much better indicator of mathematical ability than the teacher assigned grade.
That was not exactly what I was getting at. His precalculus grade was not a prediction of mathematical ability. It was a statement of how he performed in that class according to the grading protocols of that class. For whatever reasons, your son did not demonstrate his knowledge to that teacher in the way that teacher prescribed. That is not a judgement of your son or the teacher; it’s just a fact. It’s great that his abilities were confirmed for you by the MAP test. If this is the NWEA MAP test, I found it less useful at predicting future performance for my special education students. Even if they had not ignored IEP and 504 plans, the students were walking billboards for all the confounding factors that distort not only results but performance predictions as well.
I think we are in agreement about the standardized exam giving a valuable second opinion about a students mastery of the content of the course, independent of the individual teacher’s opinions and prejudices.
Perhaps for gifted adolescent boys, teacher assigned grades are walking billboards for all the confounding factors that distort the understanding of the material being taught.
I think you need some practice in close reading.
Perhaps you could help me read your comment.
I interpreted it as saying that a 16 year old successfully taking an upper level graduate class in mathematics was evidence that a B- in precalculus did not accurately reflect the mastery of mathematics of that student as a 14 year old.
How was I mistaken?
You are, as you said, interpreting. Close reading involves reading what the writer says.
Again, perhaps you could restate your position in a mother way so I can understand it to your satisfaction.
No TE, I reread my posts. They are clear.
TE,
Thanks for your thoughts. I also wondered what actions are taken if a student passed the standardized test, but is still considered failing by the teacher. From what I read, there doesn’t seem to be anything in the law addressing that. So they seem to believe no one could possibly pass the test who is not at grade level, but they do believe someone could fail the test who is at grade level. However, these laws are hard for me to follow and I usually have to read them several times (and even then I miss some details).
I believe at this point in time, students generally are not held back in 3rd grade. I was told holding a child back increases the probability that the child will drop out of school.
Standardized exams can only show if a student has knowledge of the subject matter. While that may be the most important of all, a teacher usually grades based on other factors including class participation, turning in of homework on time, etc. I remember I lost points in a HS class because my folder wasn’t well organized.
In a science class with a lab, a student may have the book knowledge but not be able to preform lab work and write related lab reports. That would not be captured on a standardized test. In other classes there may be a public speaking portion, etc.
I agree that standardized tests may have value in some areas, but I think there is work to be done to use them better.
As far as if the test is an indicator of mathematically ability. It would depend on the quality of the test. If the test is just a list of problems, without giving an indication that the student knows how to apply the problems, then it could be both the test and the class are not a good indicator of mathematical ability.
I agree that teachers grades are based on many things, including bringing in Kleenex boxes in some of my student’s classes. Comportment seems to play a large role in the downgrading of male students performance in classes.
The math test was the state mandated exam, I believe produced by Pearson. My spouse and I initially put too much weight on the teacher assigned grade and considered changing plans for our student, but after having him talk to a math professor at the local university, we went ahead and sent our student to the university for his math classes for the final two years of high school.
About a third of students attending non-elite colleges have to take remedial courses. That does suggest that even the high school graduates that desire to go to college are often ill prepared.
On the other hand, the best prepared students are entering college with over a year of college credit. Giving students the opportunity to excel and some students will excel. It does increase the educational gap, however.
What does a typical remedial course look like?
What role does the fact that a much higher percentage of students are going to college than ever before play? What percentage of students a completing 2 year programs? What percentage are completing 4 year programs? What conclusions can we draw?
There is a higher percentage of high school graduates going to college, but because there is a much higher high school graduation rate than in the past, the difference between the percentage if high school graduates going to college is higher, but I think not much higher. Perhaps the requirements for high school graduation have changed.
My institution’s remedial course focuses on algebraic operations and solving equations, emphasizing linear and quadratic equations. Salt Lake City community college offers courses in arithmetic and a workshop in fractions.
Also is there a perception at the college level now that Profs (often far more interested in their own career advancement than actually helping still growing minds) that they will have to teach less than they do? I recall one young professor at my small alma mater actually saying to me in college that it was not fair to her that she had to teach me some things about reading a score in an independent study about opera history. I was 19. We paid over $25,000 a year (in the 90s) for me to there and it was a liberal arts school, not a music conservatory. My perception was that she just wasn’t interested in showing me or teaching me things. She just wanted to flaunt her knowledge and get tenure. I was appalled (but too young to know to mention it to anyone). Perhaps there is an epidemic of people not wanting to show their students certain elements they might need to be shown even at the university level.
I will add again—kids need to master the metric system if we are to be globally competitive.
And I mean still-growing, not still as in to quiet or stop.
I think a lot more professors are being pushed into an excessive research mode especially in the sciences where they are more likely to be able to generate money for the universities. I remember my father being so annoyed with the trend that when he gave money to his Alma Mater, he designated that it be used for professors teaching undergraduates. He found it criminal that a student and/or their families could be spending tens of thousands of dollars to attend college and be taught by graduate students. Of course, now we have another even more nefarious switch to underpaid adjunct faculty and a shrinking tenured faculty that are there basically to produce revenue and prestige.
Liberal arts colleges are still great places for learning. I have been very impressed by the commitment to teaching at places like the Claremont colleges, for example.
I will defend graduate students teaching a little. Some of my TA’s have been strong, some have been weak. The strongest go on to teach their own classes, and generally students like them better than the faculty. The weakest are generally weak in all areas and end up leaving the program.
I will defend graduate students teaching “a little” too. Some of them are far better teachers than the professor. I attended a fine liberal arts college where the professors still hold the major responsibility for teaching, perhaps because it is a college and not a university. A few departments have graduate students but on the whole the college is dedicated to the education of undergraduates, which they have done very well for 175 years.
Flood the White House with emails to replace with Linda Darling Hammond. The petition only calls for his removal. Replacing him with Rhee won’t help.
A letter to Arne Duncan, from Long Island’s belovedly out-spoken crusader for children and education, Dr. Joseph Rella, Superintendent of Schools in the Comsewogue School District located in Port Jefferson Station, New York. http://atthechalkface.com/2013/11/17/guest-post-by-joseph-rella-a-letter-to-arneduncan/
Let’s face it. Most people do not become active unless it affects them directly. Americans have many things they should get angry about, but just don’t. If it takes a personal stake in things for folks to get angry, so be it.
I have always thought of Arne Duncan as a clueless a.., who is not bright enough to be anything but a follower of other people’s visions. ( Even if those visions are heinous).
With this statement he has made, he shows his contempt for anyone who does not embrace his so called philosophy wholeheartedly. He is part of the new brand of Democrats (and republicans) who believe the hoi polloi do not have the brains to think for themselves and make informed decisions for their own and their children’s lives.
Or maybe he just wants to get rid of public employee pensions just like everyone else.
In Louisiana it’s high stakes for kids in certain grades and in some districts for all grades because the test results affect placement & scheduling options. 4th & 8th graders can’t be promoted to the next grade and seniors who aren’t allowed to graduate.
From AP:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Education Secretary Arne Duncan says he regrets his “clumsy phrasing” in singling out white suburban moms for opposing new higher academic standards.
In a statement released Monday, Duncan defended the sentiment that parents need to realize schools aren’t performing as well as they think — but said that applies to all parents, not just suburban moms.
Duncan faced criticism from conservatives, parents and teachers unions over his Friday remarks about critics of the Common Core State Standards. The remarks were reported by Politico.
Duncan has consistently shown little patience for critics of the standards being implemented in 45 states and the District of Columbia. But his comments went a step further and added elements of race and class.
He says he regretted the remarks, but did not apologize for them.
Well he said many times they are state led and not controlled by the federal government so why is he even speaking about them at all? He is a liar and a hypocrite.
Call the White House, ask for Arne’s resignation: 202-456-1111
Arne Dunce -an messed up. He needs to resign.
call the White House, ask for Arne’s resignation: 202-456-1111
Linda — Thank you for the phone number!!! I will call and ask others to as well !!
Marge
Share this photo, visuals help, write White House phone # on the back:
Linda — I love it when a picture is worth a THOUSAND WORDS!!!
Marge
I have so many more! Sign petition too:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/remove-arne-duncan-secretary-education/w0DYCDDm
Poor Arne. His cranium so like the interior of his basketball . . . . . . round, hollow, and smelly…..
Would I that I were Dennis Rodman. . . . . SLAM Dunc-an. . . . . SCORE!
Just goes to show… he does hear us….
He may hear but he can’t listen!
I meant to say that too!
And it’s just not that heDOESN’T listen but he CAN’T because his whole way of being is such that he absolutely knows that he should be (at least in his mind) where he is in this point and time. He worked hard and deserves to be where he is (at least in his mind) and he knows what is best (at least in his mind) not because he has been a practitioner (teacher) nor because he has read the detailed research and rebuttals (his brain couldn’t handle it and that Ivy league degree means absolutely nothing to this midwest born and bred boy) but because he is Arne Duncan-Man in Charge!
Makes me want to down a quick shot of whiskey for devoting that much time and energy to such a putz.
(but you do have a way with words!) Duncan clearly lives in the ivory tower.
Hell, and I don’t even drink whiskey!
Good Evening — Hmmmm. I can’t help but think ,Suburban moms I know have adopted many children from many diverse backgrounds. Wonder if Arne Dunce- an knows this ? Just Sayin!
Marge
“Well, Marge, my response to you is: do not confuse the issues, they’re still suburban moms.”
Sincerely,
Arne
Psst, Kerry my man, please note and take care of this terrorist
“Once a suburban mom always a suburban mom and we know where to find you!”
President Obomber
Thanks, Diane, for posting this!!! (My jaw was on the ground!)
We are fighting the good fight here in upstate, NY, drawing attention to the cause every chance we get. This constant rhetoric of us “failing” is really demoralizing teachers who work hard EVERY day with EVERY kind of student. We try our best even though each kid coming in doesn’t come armed with the best for a variety of reasons. Thanks for calling attention to this when it feels like we are constantly being criticized…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/11/19/white-suburban-mom-responds-to-arne-duncan/
“Just so you’re clear that I’m not a bored housewife, I work full time.”
I’m confused – did AD call anyone a bored housewife?
In reply to Ali Gordon’s link.