Lots of debate being generated over our stories on post EOG "celebrations" and such.
One argument I'm hearing a lot is: "We need a break after those stressful tests."
Isn't that what summer vacation is for?
9 comments:
Anonymous
said...
yes--let's start summer vacation early for those who do not have to remediate. Or do the EOGs closer to the end of school and remediate those who need it after the mandatory 180 days.
I am really surprised that you, Skip, do not see how hard your children and the teachers work to prepare for these end of grade tests ALL year long. I spent the morning at Jefferson's field day and the excitement on these little faces is priceless! Beleive it or not you can learn many lessons from having fun! I saw lessons in cooperation, sharing, sportsmanship, and math (example: dividing the class equally for a relay race)just to name a few! I find it offensive to these kids who have studied hard all year and worked to do their best to have all this negativity in the paper. Let's let our children be children, and reward them for doing their best throughout the year!
All this negativity in the paper? Maybe you could point to me where that is?
Where did anybody say the kids and teachers aren't working hard to prepare for the tests?
Did you miss this line in our editorial? "That all may be fine. There is nothing wrong with celebrating and having fun."
Maybe you could help some of our readers understand what "lessons" are learned while watching "Over the Hedge" at the mall or while bowling.
I don't ask that sarcastically -- there may, in fact, be lessons. But surely you would agree it's a topic worthy of debate and discussion, which is all we are initiating.
Even if you don't, please don't undermine your position by saying that I don't see how hard children and teachers work -- that's totally putting words in my mouth and attributing something to me that simply isn't true.
Skip, excellent points you made, and I did not mean to put words in your mouth. It IS a point worth debating. I am only expressing my opinion. Everyone reads the newspaper and interprets words and stories differently. I am sure you know how hard our students and teachers work all year. The "negativity" I was talking about comes from lines such as " stress release or too much partying", "That's because, as parents know, the dirty little secret of the last two weeks of school is this: IT'S PARTY TIME" and "something has to be done about the rampant playtime in late May and early June". Maybe I am totally misreading the Star's view. I do know that my children have had homework every night since EOG's and my son will have another math test or possibly two before the school year ends. Hopefully some of the teachers will write to the paper and explain to those readers you are referring to why they choose certain rewards. Apparently there are many readers who have questions. I am only exercising my right to voice my opinion. Thanks.
It seems to me that while The Shelby Star has spent a great deal of energy putting together articles that suggest that the students who passed their EOG's were "partying," they have also failed to report on the many achievements students have received at various schools throughout the county. Where was The Shelby Star when Crest High School held a math fair, in which many AP mathematics classes presented their projects to math classes, teachers, principals, and school board officials? When Crest High School's Chamber Choir received a perfect score at contest, where was The Shelby Star? One day, out of one hundred eighty, students take a break to celebrate their achievements and The Shelby Star makes sure to write numerous articles, suggesting students merely "party" the last few weeks of school. Instead of writing articles about a day of bowling or movies, why doesn't The Shelby Star write an article about the high passing rates of these tests?
Thanks for those responses -- check out the editorial in Sunday's paper for just a few of the positive stories that appeared in The Star this past week.
I work in the school "system" and can tell you first hand, the days after EOGs are pretty much wasted. Remember "exams"? The "reward" was to escape summer school. Don't want to harm anyones' self esteem. Let's get back to basics!
There he goes again. Hayes is grasping at ways to bring down upper cleveland county, esp. Burns High. He doesn't even have the facts straight. One of the students that hasn't been "challenged" in honors classes is a friend of mine, and he failed English this past year! As far as the writing test goes, you had better look further back to find the problem. Students with writing problems don't just appear at high school. The problem is in middle and even elementary.
9 comments:
yes--let's start summer vacation early for those who do not have to remediate. Or do the EOGs closer to the end of school and remediate those who need it after the mandatory 180 days.
I am really surprised that you, Skip, do not see how hard your children and the teachers work to prepare for these end of grade tests ALL year long. I spent the morning at Jefferson's field day and the excitement on these little faces is priceless! Beleive it or not you can learn many lessons from having fun! I saw lessons in cooperation, sharing, sportsmanship, and math (example: dividing the class equally for a relay race)just to name a few! I find it offensive to these kids who have studied hard all year and worked to do their best to have all this negativity in the paper. Let's let our children be children, and reward them for doing their best throughout the year!
All this negativity in the paper? Maybe you could point to me where that is?
Where did anybody say the kids and teachers aren't working hard to prepare for the tests?
Did you miss this line in our editorial? "That all may be fine. There is nothing wrong with celebrating and having fun."
Maybe you could help some of our readers understand what "lessons" are learned while watching "Over the Hedge" at the mall or while bowling.
I don't ask that sarcastically -- there may, in fact, be lessons. But surely you would agree it's a topic worthy of debate and discussion, which is all we are initiating.
Even if you don't, please don't undermine your position by saying that I don't see how hard children and teachers work -- that's totally putting words in my mouth and attributing something to me that simply isn't true.
Skip, excellent points you made, and I did not mean to put words in your mouth. It IS a point worth debating. I am only expressing my opinion. Everyone reads the newspaper and interprets words and stories differently. I am sure you know how hard our students and teachers work all year. The "negativity" I was talking about comes from lines such as " stress release or too much partying", "That's because, as parents know, the dirty little secret of the last two weeks of school is this: IT'S PARTY TIME" and "something has to be done about the rampant playtime in late May and early June". Maybe I am totally misreading the Star's view. I do know that my children have had homework every night since EOG's and my son will have another math test or possibly two before the school year ends. Hopefully some of the teachers will write to the paper and explain to those readers you are referring to why they choose certain rewards. Apparently there are many readers who have questions. I am only exercising my right to voice my opinion. Thanks.
It seems to me that while The Shelby Star has spent a great deal of energy putting together articles that suggest that the students who passed their EOG's were "partying," they have also failed to report on the many achievements students have received at various schools throughout the county. Where was The Shelby Star when Crest High School held a math fair, in which many AP mathematics classes presented their projects to math classes, teachers, principals, and school board officials? When Crest High School's Chamber Choir received a perfect score at contest, where was The Shelby Star? One day, out of one hundred eighty, students take a break to celebrate their achievements and The Shelby Star makes sure to write numerous articles, suggesting students merely "party" the last few weeks of school. Instead of writing articles about a day of bowling or movies, why doesn't The Shelby Star write an article about the high passing rates of these tests?
Thanks for those responses -- check out the editorial in Sunday's paper for just a few of the positive stories that appeared in The Star this past week.
Well at least the students had to go on Memorial Day so the ones who scored low could retest. Where's the logic?
I work in the school "system" and can tell you first hand, the days after EOGs are pretty much wasted. Remember "exams"? The "reward" was to escape summer school. Don't want to harm anyones' self esteem. Let's get back to basics!
There he goes again. Hayes is grasping at ways to bring down upper cleveland county, esp. Burns High. He doesn't even have the facts straight. One of the students that hasn't been "challenged" in honors classes is a friend of mine, and he failed English this past year!
As far as the writing test goes, you had better look further back to find the problem. Students with writing problems don't just appear at high school. The problem is in middle and even elementary.
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