Sample questions for Teabaggeres

[scooterbug44]

I don't understand why it is so unfair.

The same test is being given to the same age/grade kids. The kids are all taught by teachers who had to get the same training and meet the same education standards to get a job in the same geographic area (so they are comparing the same economic, social, and ethnic groups). The size of the classes and the length of the school year is mandated by law. The textbooks/course materials are standard.

The only true variable is the teacher.

And the test scores are just PART of what is being used to evaluate the teachers.

My teachers would be saying "bring it on", not whining.

 

[Teresa]

I have heard from teachers that teaching the test is all they really do now. The guidance counselor spends all her time overseeing the testing for the school. The entire school is centered on the test. Is this true or not true? If this is true, then why not pay teachers according to the test as well?

Are our schools improving because of testing? Are they improving despite testing? Or are schools deteriorating because of a test-focused curriculum and philosophy?

I'm interested in finding real answers because education is so critical. Just because teachers are making more than 18K these days does not mean their pay is anywhere near what it should be. Yes, we need to have extremely high expectations of all teachers because that's the right thing to do. We also need to pay them well. Seems to me a teacher should be evaluated based on many criteria, perhaps including overall student performance on a test - surely there are ways to examine the test data and evaluate the results fairly.

 

[futurebeachbum]

When you tell me what the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow is, I'll answer your questions...

Is that an African Swallow or a European one?

 

[Bob]

Then all the elementary teacher needs to do is start teaching like all the other "loser" teachers with no other interest than their paycheck and start teaching the answers to the tests so the kids pass and the teacher gets paid accordingly.

I say this hoping the teacher you speak of is above this style of teaching. The above statement was made because this has been in the news as a response from some teachers as the only way to protect their income. These teachers need to go away, period.

Teaching is a noble career that should never be considered lightly because these are the professionals equipping the future generations to continue the course of this questionable nation.

I personally couldn't do what they do.

do you consider the questions age appropriate?

 

[Bob]

I don't understand why it is so unfair.

The same test is being given to the same age/grade kids. The kids are all taught by teachers who had to get the same training and meet the same education standards to get a job in the same geographic area (so they are comparing the same economic, social, and ethnic groups). The size of the classes and the length of the school year is mandated by law. The textbooks/course materials are standard.

The only true variable is the teacher.

And the test scores are just PART of what is being used to evaluate the teachers.

My teachers would be saying "bring it on", not whining.

do you consider the questions age appropriate, and do you know all three answers?

 

[Bob]

don't bother to answer, i've seen enough

 

[Bob]

I don't know where you got these sample questions but I find it unlikely that they would ever be on the 5th grade FCAT. The reason being that they give those formulas to students on the reference sheet when they take the FCAT.

So if they do require students to perform those calculations on the FCAT, all that the student has to do is plug in numbers to a formula. I think it is reasonable to expect a 5th grader to know how to do that.

http://fcat.fldoe.org/fcat2/pdf/mg5rsr.pdf

they are sample benchmark questions for the 5th grade FCAT test, and you can apologize for being a knucklehead in private if you like. did you know the answers. do you think your 10 year old would know?

 

[Bob]

Unfortunately, this plays out a little differently in the real world. The underpaid teachers work at private schools where, in a lot of cases, the education is better. Public school teachers seem to be the resentful ones despite having a better comensation package than that of their private school counterparts.

next monday i'm taking 10 percent of your salary due you for your advanced degreed education. next you will kick 5 percent of your post benefit compensation for your retirement. you have been hit with a 15 percent pay cut in an already low paying job. you have not had a pay raise for 5 years. how do you feel?? i know, it's nice.

 

[Bob]

I don't understand why it is so unfair.

The same test is being given to the same age/grade kids. The kids are all taught by teachers who had to get the same training and meet the same education standards to get a job in the same geographic area (so they are comparing the same economic, social, and ethnic groups). The size of the classes and the length of the school year is mandated by law. The textbooks/course materials are standard.

The only true variable is the teacher.

And the test scores are just PART of what is being used to evaluate the teachers.

My teachers would be saying "bring it on", not whining.

yes, a student with an 80 iq will test just as well as a 120....who knew???? the only variable is the teacher. damn, joebob it's black and white, and i'm white!!!!!

 

[Bob]

Teacher pay would be decided according to a yet-to-be determined measure of student performance on standardize test along with other criteria determined by local school boards.
Current teachers could remain in the tenure system but new teachers would have to be re-hired each year.
I am sure that there will be some form of tenure allowed after a teacher has been re-hired for a certain number of years. The main point is that not all merit performance will be be based solely on student's standardized tests. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would realize that is ridiculous.

you have not an idea of what you speak, nor have you had much of a clue in your entire tenure here. those questions are published benchmark questions for 5th graders. they are entirely inappropriate for 10 year olds, and no one here has addressed the question. you do not know how to answer these questions yourself. The idea of merit pay partly based on test scores cannot be implemented fairly because of inumerable factors, the least of which is student ability in the face a standardized testing. how do you test someone who is only capable of putting his chair under the desk at the end of the day? okie dokie?