Politics is never fun. Someone said there’s only two really fun days for a president: The day he wins the election and the day he opens his Library. All else is too much work..Not something the Fink ever has to worry about, right?
While I’m not a huge fan of standardized testing, I don’t see a clear alternative. SOMETHING has to keep educators “on the rails.”
If we let everyone do their own thing then the quality of education will vary drastically from one school to the next – creating yet another social problem that someone has to “do something” about.
The complaint I hear most often is that it “forces teachers to teach to the test.” So you’re saying it forces the schools to teach my kids math and reading comprehension and expects them to be at a certain level at a certain age? How deplorable. We must stop this right now!
I understand the argument – to a point – I just don’t think it holds up under the realities of a nation with thousands of schools in varying social and economic conditions. The point of primary education is to give kids the tools they need to learn. Math and Reading are those tools. Standardized tests are the way we measure whether the kids are being taught those tools.
Arts and music are important too but we HAVE to make sure our kids can read and add first. If there’s a way to make sure kids throughout the nation are being taught these critical skills without standardized testing I’d be interested to hear it.
Considering how many idiots over the years have wanted to ban “The Wizard of Oz” from school libraries, I got some real enjoyment from this entire arc. By the way, some of the biggest idiots I know were home-schooled. Just saying.
Well said, cdward. Standardized tests have multiplied like rabbits, to the point where they are a major intrusion upon a teacher’s opportunity to present much of the content that makes courses more interesting.And, apparently, based on the criticisms from so many on the right, the testing regime isn’t working. (Just about anyone who has ever taught could have predicted THAT outcome.)
Conservatives love to point to the "good old days (the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s) when education was “so much better.” They might be correct. We valued teachers more highly, offered more programs, and did far less standardized testing. Maybe there’s a lesson there for advocates of “education reform.”
Of course, back in those “good old days,” critics yearned for the halcyon days of the 1940s and 1950s.
Sorry, cdward, but YOU are wrong!!!!! Nab is correct. Maybe you & your son are among a VERY FEW with actual teaching capabilities!!!! My son’s schools had a number of “teachers” who looked like they were some models, or something ( Look at me; I’m gorgeous! ). I seriously doubt that they were “stressed”! Kids that needed help never got it. Not to mention the grumbling about salaries ( that they really never deserved ). So, back off!!!!! YOU don’t know what YOU’RE talking about.
A number of principals around Atlanta were convicted recently for changing test answers to trick the state into thinking they had learned what they were supposed to have been taught.
.you could see the amazement on their faces despite the clear evidence. They had cheated and lied to enrich themselves..Any teacher teaching to the test rather than teaching and trusting the test to prove they were taught is also cheating and lying for the same reason. Furthermore, as you improve reading, there is no reason for the reading material to not include arts, sciences, civics, history, et cetera. The whole purpose of reading is to take in information..Some teachers definitely don’t understand..Admittedly, some tests are poorly designed but even that shows the teachers have failed to teach the administrators and legislators the real purpose of the test.
There is a clear/simple alternative to standardized testing: vouchers. Those who use the vouchers will steer toward the school with the curriculum they need. Without guidance from Big Brother.
they educated kids in the 50s and 60s and then they thought for themselves and told the military to pound sand over involuntary servitude in Vietnam. The powers that be don’t want that to happen ever again.
And to those of you that say they should go “in defense of their country”, if war was declared or they attacked us it would have been different, much different. All wars since WW2 have been actions to protect corporations profits, many of which employ few if any Americans or even pay taxes to our government.
All that is wanted is workers with papers in hand, not workers who can think for themselves. They are all in jail or trying to run their own businesses which will be illegal or unprofitable due to the laws made to help the monopolies.
Kali39 over 9 years ago
Politics is never fun. Someone said there’s only two really fun days for a president: The day he wins the election and the day he opens his Library. All else is too much work..Not something the Fink ever has to worry about, right?
biglar over 9 years ago
While I’m not a huge fan of standardized testing, I don’t see a clear alternative. SOMETHING has to keep educators “on the rails.”
If we let everyone do their own thing then the quality of education will vary drastically from one school to the next – creating yet another social problem that someone has to “do something” about.
The complaint I hear most often is that it “forces teachers to teach to the test.” So you’re saying it forces the schools to teach my kids math and reading comprehension and expects them to be at a certain level at a certain age? How deplorable. We must stop this right now!
I understand the argument – to a point – I just don’t think it holds up under the realities of a nation with thousands of schools in varying social and economic conditions. The point of primary education is to give kids the tools they need to learn. Math and Reading are those tools. Standardized tests are the way we measure whether the kids are being taught those tools.
Arts and music are important too but we HAVE to make sure our kids can read and add first. If there’s a way to make sure kids throughout the nation are being taught these critical skills without standardized testing I’d be interested to hear it.
TheNerdV2000 over 9 years ago
Cutting music and arts for more standardized testing was the idea of 1 in god knows how many parents on the grounds of, and I quote:
“Music and arts are a waste of time. Children should be doctors and lawyers, not musicians and painters.”(I watched “Dead Poets Society”)
nosirrom over 9 years ago
In the 50’s everyone knew that 7 × 13 = 28!!!!!
neverenoughgold over 9 years ago
Well, there was just a tiny bit of satire in today’s strip…
UpaCoCoCreek Premium Member over 9 years ago
Kill yourselves now!
Cerabooge over 9 years ago
Thank you, cdward.
Godfreydaniel over 9 years ago
Considering how many idiots over the years have wanted to ban “The Wizard of Oz” from school libraries, I got some real enjoyment from this entire arc. By the way, some of the biggest idiots I know were home-schooled. Just saying.
Old Texan over 9 years ago
There was a governor of Texas, John Connally, who tried to initiate a program to test teachers. It didn’t work.
mpguy2 over 9 years ago
Well said, cdward. Standardized tests have multiplied like rabbits, to the point where they are a major intrusion upon a teacher’s opportunity to present much of the content that makes courses more interesting.And, apparently, based on the criticisms from so many on the right, the testing regime isn’t working. (Just about anyone who has ever taught could have predicted THAT outcome.)
Conservatives love to point to the "good old days (the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s) when education was “so much better.” They might be correct. We valued teachers more highly, offered more programs, and did far less standardized testing. Maybe there’s a lesson there for advocates of “education reform.”
Of course, back in those “good old days,” critics yearned for the halcyon days of the 1940s and 1950s.
potrerokid over 9 years ago
Sorry, cdward, but YOU are wrong!!!!! Nab is correct. Maybe you & your son are among a VERY FEW with actual teaching capabilities!!!! My son’s schools had a number of “teachers” who looked like they were some models, or something ( Look at me; I’m gorgeous! ). I seriously doubt that they were “stressed”! Kids that needed help never got it. Not to mention the grumbling about salaries ( that they really never deserved ). So, back off!!!!! YOU don’t know what YOU’RE talking about.
potrerokid over 9 years ago
Look who’s talking!!!
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace over 9 years ago
A number of principals around Atlanta were convicted recently for changing test answers to trick the state into thinking they had learned what they were supposed to have been taught.
.you could see the amazement on their faces despite the clear evidence. They had cheated and lied to enrich themselves..Any teacher teaching to the test rather than teaching and trusting the test to prove they were taught is also cheating and lying for the same reason. Furthermore, as you improve reading, there is no reason for the reading material to not include arts, sciences, civics, history, et cetera. The whole purpose of reading is to take in information..Some teachers definitely don’t understand..Admittedly, some tests are poorly designed but even that shows the teachers have failed to teach the administrators and legislators the real purpose of the test.
jbmlaw01 over 9 years ago
There is a clear/simple alternative to standardized testing: vouchers. Those who use the vouchers will steer toward the school with the curriculum they need. Without guidance from Big Brother.
route66paul over 9 years ago
they educated kids in the 50s and 60s and then they thought for themselves and told the military to pound sand over involuntary servitude in Vietnam. The powers that be don’t want that to happen ever again.
And to those of you that say they should go “in defense of their country”, if war was declared or they attacked us it would have been different, much different. All wars since WW2 have been actions to protect corporations profits, many of which employ few if any Americans or even pay taxes to our government.
All that is wanted is workers with papers in hand, not workers who can think for themselves. They are all in jail or trying to run their own businesses which will be illegal or unprofitable due to the laws made to help the monopolies.
gammaguy over 9 years ago
These days, accounting seems to be one of the more creative professions… especially when combined with politics.