excerpt from the link: According to the NY Post, the tests were also replete with corporate logos and commercial product names, like Mug Root Beer, the LEGO game Mindstorms, IBM, the soccer league FIFA, and the comic book and TV show “Teen Titans” – though the state insists that these companies did not pay for that privilege. The NYSED spokesperson explained instead that this occurred because the passages were drawn from "authentic texts."
4th grader came out smiling again, even though he didn't get to finish the test. He said he had gotten through the body of his essay and still had to write the conclusion, but he was very happy he had gotten that far. Again, he liked the passages (wombat, weaver birds, how to make a candle) and could recall a lot of details from them and about what he had written.
7th grader came out looking shell-shocked and ready to cry. Said that he didn't get to finish one short response and only put one of two details for it, ended in the middle of the sentence and had to go quickly to essay because there were only 10 minutes left. Said he wrote so fast he felt like his hand was on fire. He said a few kids in his class (superintendent's program) were crying before the test was over and many didn't finish. He said the teacher had to pry the test from one kid's hand (kid is super-smart and capable) and that he just kept writing and crying until teacher took paper away. For their class, I think Day 2 was disastrous and it looked like almost all the kids felt that way. the parent of a 4th and 7th grader (the "test matters" grades). You can share my comments anonymously if you'd like.
"4th grader who does well in school, usually a very confident, relaxed boy, had several hysterical crying fits because he was sure that "I'm going to fail the ELA, this will be the worst summer of my life, I will have to go to summer school and probably repeat 4th grade because I write so slow I will never finish in time." For what Benchmark's are worth, he got a 100% on multiple choice. (I told him if he was in danger of being withheld I would pull him from public school so he has nothing to worry about, the tests are hardly a measure of what he knows.)
7th grader who also does well in school but typically an anxious worrier, seems to basically have tuned out, will not talk about tests, did not do well on Benchmarks and seems to have disconnected himself from the whole process."
"seeing my little girl not able to pull herself emotionally together, after leaving the test room has my blood boiling! She's a child that doesn't really struggle with academics but the way these exams are given and written are very stressful for even the average child. I can't imagine how it is for the children who are more challenged by academics. I really dread next weeks math exams. Math seems to frustrate her and I am scared it will actually make her sick."
"My 3rd grader, who reads and writes above grade level, couldn't finish in the time allotted and woke up at midnight last night having an anxiety attack about finishing the test today. We've struggled with math this year and I'm dreading next week."
excerpt from the link:
ReplyDeleteAccording to the NY Post, the tests were also replete with corporate logos and commercial product names, like Mug Root Beer, the LEGO game Mindstorms, IBM, the soccer league FIFA, and the comic book and TV show “Teen Titans” – though the state insists that these companies did not pay for that privilege. The NYSED spokesperson explained instead that this occurred because the passages were drawn from "authentic texts."
excerpt from the link, comments:
ReplyDelete4th grader came out smiling again, even though he didn't get to finish the test. He said he had gotten through the body of his essay and still had to write the conclusion, but he was very happy he had gotten that far. Again, he liked the passages (wombat, weaver birds, how to make a candle) and could recall a lot of details from them and about what he had written.
7th grader came out looking shell-shocked and ready to cry. Said that he didn't get to finish one short response and only put one of two details for it, ended in the middle of the sentence and had to go quickly to essay because there were only 10 minutes left. Said he wrote so fast he felt like his hand was on fire. He said a few kids in his class (superintendent's program) were crying before the test was over and many didn't finish. He said the teacher had to pry the test from one kid's hand (kid is super-smart and capable) and that he just kept writing and crying until teacher took paper away. For their class, I think Day 2 was disastrous and it looked like almost all the kids felt that way.
the parent of a 4th and 7th grader (the "test matters" grades). You can share my comments anonymously if you'd like.
More excerpts from the comments in the link:
ReplyDelete"4th grader who does well in school, usually a very confident, relaxed boy, had several hysterical crying fits because he was sure that "I'm going to fail the ELA, this will be the worst summer of my life, I will have to go to summer school and probably repeat 4th grade because I write so slow I will never finish in time." For what Benchmark's are worth, he got a 100% on multiple choice. (I told him if he was in danger of being withheld I would pull him from public school so he has nothing to worry about, the tests are hardly a measure of what he knows.)
7th grader who also does well in school but typically an anxious worrier, seems to basically have tuned out, will not talk about tests, did not do well on Benchmarks and seems to have disconnected himself from the whole process."
"seeing my little girl not able to pull herself emotionally together, after leaving the test room has my blood boiling! She's a child that doesn't really struggle with academics but the way these exams are given and written are very stressful for even the average child. I can't imagine how it is for the children who are more challenged by academics. I really dread next weeks math exams. Math seems to frustrate her and I am scared it will actually make her sick."
"My 3rd grader, who reads and writes above grade level, couldn't finish in the time allotted and woke up at midnight last night having an anxiety attack about finishing the test today. We've struggled with math this year and I'm dreading next week."