Re: teachers in trouble in VA

[kber <kber@EARTHLINK.NET>]

Mickey

first, I am not an English teacher, although I did teach 8th grade
English and reading for one year in the past.  I do loave poetry, and in
the past hae been very fond of Herbert.  Yet I do have to question the
sanity of the state dept if they are going to use Herbert as an example
of a metaphysical poet.  Not that he isn't, no, that's not my point.
Given the scope of English and American literature, it would seem to me
that to include even one poem by Herbert, much less the several
necessary to justify his having been a question on the SOLs seems to me
a striking imbalance.  Frogive my sarcasm, but is it possible the E.D.
Hirsch has a fixation on Herbert?  The gentel Englishmen wrote some
wonderful poems, but is not normally considered as having had major
influence on other poets, is he?

Besides, and this is far more basic question, how do you properly assess
understand about and knowledge of poetry by multiple choice questions?

Is there as wise English teacher out there who can illuminate my por
beclouded mind on these two issues?


Ken Bernstein

Mickey VanDerwerker wrote:

> Hi guys,
> Just sharing this bit o' information on Virginia teachers.  This is
> only one
> of several incidents that have hit the press.
> Mickey
>
> Daily Press
>
> Sunday, Aug. 12, 2001
>
> Officials claim SOL letter jeopardized test security
>
> SURRY - When Mary Farley looked at the Standards of Learning tests
> her 11th grade English students were taking this spring, she thought
> something was missing: female authors, black poets, American
> essayists.
>
> So she wrote a letter to the state education department, as well as
> the Daily Press and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, looking for answers.
> What Farley, chairwoman of the Surry County High School Language Arts
> program, got instead was a call from Surry school officials telling
> her to stop asking questions.
>
> Virginia education department officials called the Surry school
> system to complain that Farley had jeopardized the security of the
> test by using an example related to a specific author featured on
> some versions of the test. Some of the questions, known as field test
> questions, will be used on future versions of the English test.
>
> Before sending the letter to the media and the state, Farley shared
> it with her principal, Rita Holmes, and the school superintendent,
> LaVerne Daniels, who both agreed she should send it, Farley said. But
> once they got word from the state, Farley said, she was told not to
> push the issue and try to retract the letter from the papers she sent
> it to.
>
> No disciplinary action was taken against Farley by the school system.
>
> Holmes would not comment on the issue. Daniels could not be reached
> for comment.
>
> Associate Surry School Superintendent for Instruction Marion Wilkins
> said she does not feel the state was threatening Farley, but she said
> state officials clearly did not want the issue raised publicly.
>
> "The state is receiving a lot of heat from all levels and this was
> probably just another issue," Wilkins said.
>
> Both Farley and Wilkins said Farley's letter was general in its
> references to the tests and did not reveal specific test questions.
> Farley's letter outlines her concerns about the impression her
> students are left with after taking a test with only one female
> author and few, if any, minority authors on it.
>
> Her letter does refer to authors Jonathan Swift, Dylan Thomas and
> George Herbert being on the tests she saw, though she does not say
> which of their works were used. She does say that students would have
> to know that Herbert is a metaphysical poet and would need to know
> about that type of poetry.
>
> The letter does not quote specific passages or questions from the
> test.
>
> Cam Harris, an assistant superintendent for the state education
> department, received Farley's letter. While she would not normally
> contact the superintendent after getting a letter from a teacher, she
> said she did so in this case because of the security issue.
>
> "This particular letter exposed some items best kept out of the
> paper," Harris said.
>
> Farley insists the state should have responded to her personally
> since she feels she raised valid concerns.
>
> "I was hoping I would get a letter or a call," Farley said, adding
> that she just wanted to know that her concerns had been heard and
> someone would look into it. Farley said she also tried to contact
> Harris by phone, but never got through.
>
> "The problem has not been reconciled," the teacher said. "Every
> problem I have raised, no one has addressed it."