Re: SAT writing test of little use

[aburke5054@aol.com]

If teacher education programs are vacuous, is that only the fault of 
policy makers, DOEs, and districts?  Doesn't that first say something 
about a profession that tolerates it?

Art

-----Original Message-----
From: Miles A. Myers <milesmye@pacbell.net>
To: arn-l@interversity.org
Cc: milesmye@pacbell.net
Sent: Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:40 am
Subject: FW: [arn-l] SAT writing test of little use


-----Original Message-----
From: Miles A. Myers [mailto:milesmye@pacbell.net]
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 3:06 PM
To: 'arn-l@interversity.org'
Subject: RE: [arn-l] SAT writing test of little use

The various comments about the "SAT writing test" have ignored two 
important
considerations. First, the SAT hardly qualifies as a writing test. The 
test
provides 25 minutes to write something and another bundle of 40 minutes 
or
so to answer multiple choice items. No one I know calls the 25 minute
section an actual writing test. It might qualify as an e-mail item. And 
a
zillion studies have shown that the mc items measure (maybe) useful 
things,
but these things are not in and of themselves a measure of ability to
compose an essay---argument or otherwise. Second, side comments in these
stories always mention that high school grades are usually the best
predictors of college success. Think about that fact a bit. Teachers
examining student work in the classroom usually turn out to provide the 
best
information about how students are doing in various subjects, skills, 
and
concepts. And, yes, I agree that "usually" does not mean "always." 
Thus, an
investment in the intellectual development of K-12 teachers might save 
us
plenty of wasted testing dollars. Please note I did not day 
"professional
development."  That label, as used (and mandated) by policy makers, 
policy
wonks, DOE and districts, has often stripped teacher education programs 
of
their intellectual content. Miles Myers

-----Original Message-----
From: arn-l-owner@interversity.org 
[mailto:arn-l-owner@interversity.org] On
Behalf Of Monty Neill
Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 2:07 PM
To: arn2-strategy; ARN-L
Subject: [arn-l] SAT writing test of little use