Teachers caught cheating on student test scores

[Flopper]

What so many people don't realize is that teaching, can be a really hard job, particular in the intercity schools. The districts put a lot pressure on teachers in schools scoring below grade levels on standardize tests. Usually these are intercity schools, where many of the students have little interest in learning and parents are not very supportive. These schools offer a tremendous challenge for our teachers. Unfortunately many of these teachers burn out after just a few years and seek the better schools in the suburbs.

 

[AllieBaba]

Er..I'm in school, Ravster. Had a short break of a few weeks.

Which has nothing to do with being able to recognize the fact that these teachers are liars and cheaters.

I see you're again supporting the liars and cheaters. Way to go!

Don't be silly. The teachers cheated and deserve to be fired.

I was discussing the merits of the test.

You suck at constructing strawmen.

She bridles at the criticism that her beliefs are, ipso facto, not facts. If she is in college, that is one that does not teach critical thinking skills.

Er...I was responding to RAvi's ad hominem attack..that's a straw man?

Lol.

PS..I got an A in critical thinking. Thank you, thank you, I'll be here all week.

 

[Tank]

What so many people don't realize is that teaching, can be a really hard job, particular in the intercity schools. The districts put a lot pressure on teachers in schools scoring below grade levels on standardize tests. Usually these are intercity schools, where many of the students have little interest in learning and parents are not very supportive. These schools offer a tremendous challenge for our teachers. Unfortunately many of these teachers burn out after just a few years and seek the better schools in the suburbs.

Intercity = Blacks

 

[initforme]

"If scores improve, that can mean teachers are doing a better job of teaching the subject but it also can mean that teachers are teaching to the test which is quite different. "


Well if a teacher is going to be rated on test scores then why would they not be teaching to the test. If I were their administrator I WOULD FORCE THEM TO TEACH SOLEY TO THE TEST if that is how my school is evaluated. A pure no brainer here.

 

[Flopper]

"If scores improve, that can mean teachers are doing a better job of teaching the subject but it also can mean that teachers are teaching to the test which is quite different. "


Well if a teacher is going to be rated on test scores then why would they not be teaching to the test. If I were their administrator I WOULD FORCE THEM TO TEACH SOLEY TO THE TEST if that is how my school is evaluated. A pure no brainer here.

Some administrators do just that. They push teachers to spend inordinate amounts of time drilling students on question types that are most likely to appear on the test. This may improve test scores but it doesn't mean the students have a better understanding of the subject. They are simply able to answer a few more questions correctly.

Hours of class time spent preparing and taking these test would be better spent actually teaching the students. The tests rarely benefit the student, rather they benefit administrators who use them as a crutch in evaluation schools, principals, and teachers. It's really not hard to tell who the really good and bad teachers are and you certainly don't have to waste tens of thousands of classroom hours to do so.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Teaching critical thinking skills, objectively evaluating material and ideas, searching out the evidence and vetting it for bias and clarity, learning to vet one's own bias, then teaching how to write powerful thematic and emphatic essays would be far better than teaching to a test.

initforme's handle certainly instructs us to the type of character of this individual.

 

[initforme]

"Teaching critical thinking skills, objectively evaluating material and ideas, searching out the evidence and vetting it for bias and clarity, learning to vet one's own bias, then teaching how to write powerful thematic and emphatic essays would be far better than teaching to a test."

Of course it would be. Thats the point. But when you are going to be evaluated mostly on test scores then what choice does a teacher have?

As far as my handle, I live in america. America is now purely all about materialistic wealth and greed. This is undeniable. We call ourselves a nation of Christians but our culture surely doesnt resemble that. Thats what my handle is all about.

 

[St.Blues]

They're just following orders.......... What a bunch of sellouts. Fuck em all.

 

[JakeStarkey]

"Teaching critical thinking skills, objectively evaluating material and ideas, searching out the evidence and vetting it for bias and clarity, learning to vet one's own bias, then teaching how to write powerful thematic and emphatic essays would be far better than teaching to a test."

Of course it would be. Thats the point. But when you are going to be evaluated mostly on test scores then what choice does a teacher have?

As far as my handle, I live in america. America is now purely all about materialistic wealth and greed. This is undeniable. We call ourselves a nation of Christians but our culture surely doesnt resemble that. Thats what my handle is all about.

Some of the smaller school districts manage to try to do right, if the parents are actively involved and know what they are about with their children's education.

America has always been about materialism and acquisition of wealth, and we Christians fall very short of what we preach. We are witnessing big government by both major parties concerning education. Tea Party is big government, too, when it whines about "moral values" and everybody has to be the same.

 

[Patrick2]

The government school system is rotten to its core. We need a privatized system before this country goes down the drain.

 

[JakeStarkey]

You have no way to competently and fairly finance your pie in the sky dream, Patrick. If you don't like it, then pony up and either home school or send your kiddos to private school.

 

[Flopper]

The government school system is rotten to its core. We need a privatized system before this country goes down the drain.

80% of the children in the world have access to some form of free public education. The countries you'll find with no public education are among the poorest in the world. Public Education in America began long before the founding of the nation. It's supporters included George Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin.

A public educational system, with all it's faults is certainly better than the alternative.

http://www.hrw.org/legacy/campaigns/crp/promises/education.html