"Schooling was interfering with his education" explains Dan Brown.This in itself is a powerful statement that echos the opinions of many students. We've all sat through classes where the teacher is monotone, boring, and repetitive.I have discussed classes with many of my friends, and they all unanimously agree that Tuesday/Thursday classes are the worst. Instead of allotting fifty minutes for the class, we are required to attend for an hour and fifteen minutes. Don't get me wrong, there are some classes where the extra time is necessary in order for the class to be educational and understandable, but there are many that could fit into a fifty minute time slot. It seems that teachers often times drag on for the sake of keeping students the entire time. In my opinion, when a lesson is complete and all questions are answered, the students should be allowed to leave. If the students are not engaged, they lose interest and "zone out". Instead of pure lecture, students should be given the opportunity to interact with their classmates. It was always torture for me in elementary and middle school to resist talking in class then fearing break-detention for talking in the halls when we changed classes. I have enjoyed the interaction that EDM310 allows. Twitter, Blogging, Skype, and other social networks have proven to be wonderful educational tools. I have been able to connect with classmates inside and outside of class as well as educators who share great ideas, tips, and information. Sadly, most of the information I run across has to be pushed aside so that I can attend to busy work for other classes. It would be nice to sit down and read something I was interested in and chose myself, but college makes this hard to do. Although it is at times frustrating, college has allowed me explore information and broaden my perspective.It seems reasonable to say that in college, we must take the good with the bad. Not everything is interesting and exciting, but it is still necessary.
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| "High-stakes tests develop a love of Learning." |
This post is concerned with the emphasis placed on standardized testing scores. The scenario presented is comical. "I have a journal article about how students who use pencils at home have lower standardized test scores. So, for the love of test-taking, we need to stop our students from taking home pencils." As educators, we should encourage students to "take their pencils home". Not only do students need their pencils to complete homework, but they are also tools that allow for creativity. "We're teaching for students to pass standardized tests" This statement was from a friend who is currently student-teaching. She exclaimed that this practice is stupid, and I agree. Only teaching students to pass standardized tests disregards Bloom's Taxonomy of Thinking. They are not taught Critical Thinking skills, Analysis, Application, or Evaluation. I feel that only teaching students to pass standardized tests affects their success in later education, such as college. It seems that the hierarchical concern with scores stems from funding concerns and status. The focus should remain on the STUDENTS' complete education and not simply getting by grade-to-grade.
Good post Nicole. I agree with you in the fact that schools are only teaching children to pass the standardized test and nothing else. This could possibley effect their later edcation, such as college. Students need to be taught critial thinkging skills as well as other ways to research.
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