Fw: [eddra] ethos of failure

["gerald w. bracey" <gbracey@erols.com>]

These two posts showed up on my EDDRA website.  Thought they might be of interest to ARN as well.

Monty, Bob---Is anyone doing a comparative study these days?  I know SREB did something early.

JB


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Sandy Tarantino 
To: Connie Gilhooly ; gerald w. bracey ; eddra@yahoogroups.com 
Sent: Thursday, January 09, 2003 9:15 AM
Subject: Re: [eddra] ethos of failure


I am an elementary teacher who moved to North Carolina from Colorado last year, having been totally persuaded by the state's hype about radical improvement.  I'll cut to the chase and tell you the NC tests are absurdly easy compared to those in CO.  

My students were so poorly prepared that by December last year I was in fits, convinced none of my kids would pass their End of Grade Test (which they need for promotion).  My assistant principal (from Ohio, interestingly) took me aside and told me not to worry - the test was a lot easier than I was imagining.  He was right, and every one of my kids passed.  

I can tell you not 1/4 would have cut it in Colorado.   They weren't prepared to construct written explanations or diagrams of their answers in math, complete graphic organizers, or answer higher level reading questions in their own words.  Then again, if they had failed the test in my old Colorado district, all they would have lost was some funding for next year. 

No doubt, the bar is lower in North Carolina than Colorado.  I believe we need a national test so we're not comparing apples and oranges.  Folks are freaking out in one state and smiling smugly in ignorance in another.  Kids lose both ways. 

 Connie Gilhooly <bvelcgilhool@mdeca.org> wrote: 

  I encourage everyone to put Texas Proficiency Test in your search engine and look at what Texas uses for their state proficiency where everyone is doing so well. Compare a Texas 8-10th  grade test to an Ohio 4th grade proficiency test.  Your jaw will fall open when you see how much more difficult Ohio's elementary level test is in comparison to the Texas high school test.  This is why Ohio is ranking low by Federal standards. Our standards are too high. (Students must score about 81% to pass.) 


    From: "gerald w. bracey" <gbracey@erols.com>
    Date: Mon, 06 Jan 2003 13:36:14 -0500
    To: eddra@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [eddra] ethos of failure




    The message from Mike Moody says that in Nebraska they operate under an "ethos of failure."

    This is rather curious and perhaps a sign of a disinformation campaign.  In TIMSS, for example, only six nations of the 41 participating scored significantly higher than Nebraska in math and only on of 41 did so in science.


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