Testing, testing
Ah, yes. The dreaded Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.
I never thought I'd have to hear the phrase again. You know the one I'm talking about.
"Read the directions silently to yourself while I read them aloud. They say..."
Now I'm the one saying them. I am trying SO hard not to adopt a sarcastic tone when I read this stuff! I have to read it word for word, and it's awful. I even have to make the kids read the sample problems. "Look at problem S1. What is the correct answer?" Pause. "Yes, that's right. C is the correct answer because Becky loves her dog. C is marked as the correct answer on the answer sheet."
AAARRRGGGHHH!
I never thought I'd have to hear the phrase again. You know the one I'm talking about.
"Read the directions silently to yourself while I read them aloud. They say..."
Now I'm the one saying them. I am trying SO hard not to adopt a sarcastic tone when I read this stuff! I have to read it word for word, and it's awful. I even have to make the kids read the sample problems. "Look at problem S1. What is the correct answer?" Pause. "Yes, that's right. C is the correct answer because Becky loves her dog. C is marked as the correct answer on the answer sheet."
AAARRRGGGHHH!
posted by Suzy at 1:54 PM
6 Comments:
Now it's your turn to torture your kids the way you were tortured as a child. Of course, you are also being tortured right along with them, only you don't have to actually take the test. I'm still laughing, though. Sorry. Glad I don't have to administer any tests like this...yet.
Yeah, just you wait until NCLB gets its hands on music.
"Higher standards! It's shameful that our children can't tell a B flat from an A sharp! We need more testing! And by the way, all that "fun" you have in class?? None of that any more. Your kids must be able to play the xylophone with 40% proficiency or your school will be labeled "in need of musical assistance," at which time we will take away all funding for music programs and expect you to rectify the problem."
I'm just hoping that somebody realizes how idiotic this is and stops it. Soon.
Wow--talk about bringing back memories.
I never much minded the Iowa tests. Or at least that's how I remember them now. They were mindless and stupid but you didn't get homework and you got to chew gum. Pretty cool actually. :)
not to mention that they don't even use real numbers. i remember doing the "boat" question and then the "apple" question. it is really a test in matching shapes.
i'll trade you. i'll read ITBS stuff and you dissect the leg.
Well, at least in 8th grade the choices are ABCD/JKLM, not the shapes. The worst part of the Colorado tests were those stupid stories that you had to write, like "My life as a pencil." Remember those?
To get our scores up, our kids have been doing a program of test prep. They have done it in math, social studies, and language arts--1 week each. It's awful that we have to waste so much time on teaching the kids how to take this stupid test. I guess on the bright side, though, maybe we can raise our scores this way and get off the dreaded "schools in need of assistance" list.
i remember the shapes! hopefully middlers are able to know their numbers by now! lol
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