Comments on: Educational whiplash: We’re ahead. We’re behind.

By: Fulton County Parent

Fulton County Parent — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:38:01 +0000

Couldn’t agree with CCP more. If your child is even remotely interested in pursuing a technical degree in college that demands math competence, you should check out traditional math classes offered by K-12, Georgia Virtual Academy, of the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth and Duke University’s Talented Program (if your child scores high enough for admission). The math offered in GA’s public schools will not provide the proper foundation.

By: Cobb County Parent

Cobb County Parent — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:00:40 +0000

To Math 88: I agree with they majority of your statement, but I’m not willing to say the root of the problem is the teacher (even though I’ve met some really bad ones). That said, I think the crux of the issue is that the incentive is placed on a “grading” result and that number (to determine mastery) is then massaged and twisted to whatever the propaganda machine wants to say.
Parents (and teachers) need to wake up. The dumbing down of the curriculum (especially the new math track) and the implementation of Standards Based Grading (which we commonly refer to as Stupids Based Grading here in Cobb County) are just the first steps. Why do kids need to work hard when the educrats can make it all appear better than it is with push of a button.
Were you aware that when using SBG completed homework is not even a requirement for calculation of a grade? What message, pray tell, do you think we’re sending the adolescents? Look a little at that and you might have trouble sleeping at night. I do. Which is why my kids not only do the busy work that is sent home, but they also do Mommy assigned homework and my eldest does traditional math online with Johns Hopkins University. He’s not even in HS yet and I’m making sure he learns Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra II from beginning to end. This ping-pong curriculum is nowhere near “rigorous.” Anyone that believes the new math is the panacea has drank too much of Kathy Cox’s kool-aid.
Do the math yourself and see that Cox is breaking her elbow to pat her back in congratulations over a passing score that is in reality an “F”. Also… pay more attention to the CRCT cut scores. Heck yeah, more kids are passing, but in certain topical areas, 41% of correct answers gets you a “pass.” Cox can’t screw with NAEP’s cut scores, so she just spins the up-tick of points, which we all know was not statistically significant to begin with.

By: ScienceTeacher671

ScienceTeacher671 — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:23:40 +0000

Of course, it's not just a Georgia thing -- here is a New York Times article stating that "New York State’s fourth and eighth graders made no notable progress on federal math exams this year, according to test scores released on Wednesday, sharply contradicting the results of state-administered tests that showed record gains."

By: math 88

math 88 — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:21:48 +0000

Our students do not study. Our students do not give one single thought to school after the school bell rings in the afternoon. Our students hardly give ANY thought to school DURING the school day. Our students routinely FALL ASLEEP during testing. Our students do not do homework. Our students think that if you want to go to college, you snap your fingers and it happens. Our students think it is acceptable to live off the system just like their parents because they know nothing else. Our students have broken homes. Our students live in extreme poverty. But the root of the problem is the teacher. I understand now.

By: ScienceTeacher671

ScienceTeacher671 — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 12:59:53 +0000

By 8th grade, only 49% of Asian students, 43% of white students, 18% of hispanic students, 11% of black students, 13% of children eligible for free-and-reduced lunches, and 6% of students with disabilities are proficient in math according to the NAEP results.

I find that extremely sad. Extremely sad.

By: Mary

Mary — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 05:57:04 +0000

“…By 8th grade, half of even our white and Asian subgroups fail to meet the proficient standard. ”

The spots and stripes are starting to show. Sad.

By: ScienceTeacher671

ScienceTeacher671 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:41:48 +0000

@EducationCEO – that is an interesting – and sobering! – analysis. Overlap between subgroups would also be interesting – for instance, in my part of the state ELL are predominantly Hispanic, but near Atlanta I understand that some might also fall into the Black and Asian subgroups?

Remembering that the premise of No Child Left Behind is that on the whole, “dominant” subgroups are doing well, but many of the students who are poor, minorities, or have disabilities are not, two things strike me about this analysis:

(1) Even if our “targeted” groups have improved, 80-90% of those children are still not proficient.
(2) By 8th grade, half of even our white and Asian subgroups fail to meet the proficient standard.

I concur that it’s not quite time to break out the bubbly – but it might be time for a good honest look at education in Georgia.

By: EducationCEO

EducationCEO — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 03:41:14 +0000

@Dekalb Conservative: Thank you! The test has a possible 500 point so why are we breaking out the sparkling cider for 278???

I actually spent several hours looking at the numbers for all AYP subgroups:
http://www.examiner.com/x-18090-Atlanta-Educational-Reform-Examiner~y2009m10d16-Is-your-states-Department-of-Education-misleading-parents-and-constituents

72% of SWD performed Below Basic (8th Grade)
50% of Black students performed Below Basic
47% of Free and Reduced Lunch eligible students performed Below Basic
41% of Hispanic students performed Below Basic

This is only for 8th grade…4th grade is not much better.

By: Soo, you should take a look at your grammar

Soo, you should take a look at your grammar — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:02:58 +0000

“I’m a teacher and I’m horrified by the bad writing…”. You need a comma in between the two independent clauses. Be careful throwing stones, please.

By: Soo

Soo — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:28:13 +0000

If some of the posters in this blog who claim to be teachers really are, then that may be part of the problem. I’m a teacher and I’m horrified by the bad writing, grammar and spelling by some of them. Ever heard of proofreading? How did you ever graduate from college?