(My grandson read this blog and added a few sentences. He tried to insert a video of himself responding to the blog, but I said no, absolutely not!)
A few weeks ago, I went with my eight-year-old grandson to Philadelphia with a friend of his who is the same age. Four grandmas, two grandsons. We visited the Liberty Bell, Constitution Hall, the Science Museum, and the Reading Market. A wonderful weekend.
I asked him what he was doing in school, and he said they were learning how to fill in bubbles to take a test. He said, without my prompting, “this is a really stupid way to find out what I know. If I don’t fill the bubble in correctly, my answer is wrong. If I color outside the lines, the computer marks it wrong. I am not good at coloring in tiny spaces. And I know so much more than they ask.”
Then came testing time, and I asked him if he would be taking the tests. This child, you should know, is a voracious reader who retains everything he reads and is passionately interested in animals, dinosaurs, and everything to do with science. He has a prodigious vocabulary. He told me that he was not taking the tests. I asked why. He said, “I don’t mind taking tests. I like taking tests. But I think it is wrong to evaluate my teacher by how I answer questions on the tests.”
And he doesn’t read my blog.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
What a kid!
Wonderful!!!! So it must be the DNA–market that stuff, quick!!!
What union does he take his marching orders from?
: ) : ) : ) : ) : )
Now just imagine if he was a 13 year old special needs child with dyslexia to boot and was suspended for “insubordination” after being told to “read” in front of all his peers. That is why our school ended up on the wall of shame special mention.
Are you completely sure he doesn’t read your blog, Diane? Kids these days are very internet savvy you know. : )
When my son was in eighth grade they were required to take the state’s standardized tests twice. After exceeding benchmarks the first time he admitted guessing his way through the test the second time. I told him,”Don’t do that, they’ll blame your teacher!”
He replied in bewilderment, “Why would anyone blame my teacher because I didn’t try?”
Now he’s in the Navy and just graduated from rescue swimmer school. The attrition rate in this program is 70 percent, the second highest in the Navy behind the SEALS and identical to the PARCC/SBAC failure rate.
Even the Navy has opt out. It’s called “Drop on Request.” Not so with Common Core tests.
My son had to take a 90 minute writing test twice because the computer ate his first test. That’s when we started opting out my children.
What an insightful and thoughtful grandson and so confident in his response.
A wonderful argument for genetics. 🙂 Your grandson sounds like a wise person, far wiser than the reform crowd. That is the kind of intelligence testing doesn’t measure.
So funny, as The Indignant Teacher’s mom, I asked Kieran, Jill’s oldest son, what he was going to do about the PARCC Test? He clearly stated, ” Maah, I know if momma was still alive, she & I would go together to my school & I would opt out. That’s what I want to do, especially b/c my school will close in June.” (BOSTONPUBLICSCHOOLS)
He went on to say that his father wants him to take the test & said that he had to do what he said.
I reassured Kieran that one day, all of his momma’s beliefs & articles & all the other ED-REFORMERS will overturn all this testing & one day, we will return to teaching the entire child.
” DADA, doesn’t get it ,” he replied. I could hear Jill clapping.
Go forward…
Uh oh. If your grandson were a Hoosier school child you’d most likely have the Stand for Children” folks calling a press conference and declaring him as a “political pawn” and accusing his teacher of creating a “little lobbyist”. It was declared by more than a few Hoosier “leaders”, journalists and commenters this past legislative session that children this age are not capable of having such perspective without heavy influence (aka “brainwashing”) from their teacher. I hope the press will be kinder to your grandson’s teacher and to him and his parents than they were to the children of New Castle, Indiana. I bet their grandparents are just as pleased with them as you with your grandson. I just wish that there had been more profound support for that class and that teacher. Our state “leaders” certainly owe them apology for forwarding their letters to media instead of appropriate response back to them in proper forum. I was quite ashamed of my state government during that time but then it got so much worse. I am very happy to see you applaud a very sensible decision and I wish all children could have such support in their choices to not comply. It warms my heart to see a grandmother step up and defend a choice that will most likely bring unpleasant reactions. Hope his journey is not as rough as those kids in Henry County IN. Thanks for being a strong voice for so many and particularly for your own grandson.
Your grandson is a leader. He has followed his inner heart. We need more kids like him. I know you are proud.
Similar words were heard from students throughout NYS the last two weeks.
Just goes to show that 8yr olds are wiser than many adults.
Out of the mouths of babes. Sad that children are more perspicacious than these “test” writers.
I put my hope in the kids. They feel free to tell the truth. My granddaughter feels the same way about the tests and she is a straight A science and math student. We are fighting the testing here in Las Cruces, New Mexico and have had several meetings for parents and shared information about the tests and even let folks try out the tests. Dr. Patti Wojohn leads the Borderlands Writing Project is is organizing much of what is happening.
Intelligence is not about what you remember. It is about what you can do now, first with some guidance and then on your own. Why are we measuring what is remembered and not what kids can do? Move the assessment to the classrooms and empower teachers as professionals to guide the learning.
Dear Dr. Ravitch:
There is an old saying about “Apples do not fall far from its trees.”
Congratulations on your wisdom that proves to pass down onto your grand children.
It is time to remind each other one of the four principles from Buddha, the greatest philosopher on earth.
DO NOT quickly believe in the saying from people with authority, scientific knowledge, and wealth IF those sayings are for their OWN GAIN and OUR LOSS in DIGNITY, PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY, CAREER, FREEDOM, and CIVILITY.
I am sure that you and many other conscientious teachers, and parents have wonderful and marvelous time together in Chicago this weekend. My profound love, respect, and appreciation are with you and all other conscientious teachers and parents who dedicate precious time, energy, knowledge, and money to PRESERVE American Public Education with its original INTENT = DEMOCRACY for all children in order to develop their body – mind – spirit in fulfillment of their own UNIQUE and POTENTIAL talent. Lots of love and appreciation. May King.
Your grandson sounds just as precious as you, Diane. It was so nice to finally meet you. You seemed in good shape and getting around really well – I was so glad to see that.
Thank you, Diane and everyone from NPE, for organizing this weekend. It was great to put a few names with a few faces, although I wish I’d had more time to talk to some people. The weekend had a rather somber tone given what we’re up against, but there was also a lot of spirit and hope.
Thanks for all you do.
“Testing Irony”
He passed the test
By opting out
He proved his zest
For thought, no doubt
Dr. Ravitch, I like your grandson and agree with others on here that he has inherited your ideas, etc.
This Friday, May 1st, I am taking 35 children from grades 2nd through college to the Grand Canyon for a Ranger program. They are taking the day off from school. This is through my church, the Sudanese Education Foundation, and Hispanic ministries. The Rangers don’t do classes on the weekend, so we decided since schools are cutting out field trips, we would take them. Our low-income kids need these kinds of trips. I took students every year for nine years on this trip. My colleagues no longer do hardly any trips. No funding and no time due to teaching to the test. I look forward to this, as most of these students have never seen the Canyon or mountains. I know these trips open their eyes to possibilities.
One of the Sudanese girls told me that when she handed in the permission slip for school (her parents signed it), the school secretary made a face and said okay. I’m sure the schools aren’t happy about it. I’m okay with that.
The boys and girls will remember this trip. I still recall field trips I took when I was in elementary school. They were some of the happiest moments I spent in school. I loved being able to spend time with my peers in a more casual setting where we could talk about all kinds of things. I love seeing my teacher more relaxed and smiling as she sat and talked with us on the bus. My friends and I are all grown up and married with kids of our own but when we meet up at reunions we recall the fun field trips we took. You are right field trips are essential because they encourage exploration of our world and that opens the door for more possibilities. Kudos to you for making time to do this with your students! Wish more educators would go out on a limb like this. Wish more principals would allow them to.
You may both want to see this documentary, which was screened at the NPE conference:Defies Measurement, by Shannon Puckett
https://www.facebook.com/defies.measurement
After reading articles posted in your blog about how distressing and psychologically disturbing the tests were we opted out as well. I was on the fence but when my child came down with a flu bug on the day of the test and an anxiety spell a week before the test I interpreted this as a sign that his body was telling him and I that something was dreadfully wrong with this test. It was quite easy to opt out. Our district was sympathetic.
Too bad the writers of the CCSS don’t realize how smart our children really are. Our kids can see behind the rhetoric. They know the difference between gibberish and learning.
And no exam can test good old common sense (a test that many of our legislatures would not be able to pass if it were given).
Kudos to your grandson and all the other bright youngsters out there who are learning right from wrong in spite of the required curriculum.
Test scores don’t fully represent a student’s ability. They don’t say anything about the student’s athletic strength, creativity in arts or development in independent thinking, which are also very important components of his/her education. Even evaluation on solely academic terms is unfair. Some students may be very active in classroom discussions but tend to not do well in exams because of the pressure. Every educator should take into account that students are unique individuals and teaching and testing should also be designed to allow such differences. Also, very often the people who make these standardized tests are not those who are closest to the students and thus know them best.
What a clever boy! I wonder where he gets that from! I hope he retains it. 🙂
I had one in First Grade last year raise their hand in the middle of the test and ask me if he got a question correct or not. I told him I couldn’t answer that question. He asked when they get the tests back corrected. I told them a computer would be correcting them and they wouldn’t get to see specific answers-whether they were right or wrong. This 6-year old said “why are we taking these tests if it won’t tell me what I need to work on?”. Out of the mouths of babes.