Sample questions for Teabaggeres

[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.

the reason the education is better is because they get better teachers attracted by lower pay, right? that's it?

 

[Bob]

In my experience, private school teachers seem to have more freedom and be happier with their jobs.

and why do you think they are happier?

 

[hkem1]

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?

Yes, if someone gave me the dimensions of a trapezoid and the formula, I would not have any problem calculating the area. I would not have had any problem doing that in 5th grade either.

Did you even read the link? They give the students those formulas when they take the tests. So they are not testing whether the student knows how to calculate surface area of an object, but rather if they can plug numbers into a formula.

Again, The student does not need to know these formulas for the 5th grade FCAT.

In fact, a high school student does not need to know these formulas to take the SAT.

 

[hkem1]

and why do you think they are happier?

Well when I go back to school on Monday I can ask some of them who have taught in private and public schools why they like private better, but for now I will just guess.

• Since most of them have terminal degrees in their respective field, they probably like that they get to focus solely on teaching rather than the "babysitting" that many public school teachers have to deal with.
  
  
  • Private school teachers probably deal with more students who want to be there, rather than students who have to be there.
  • At my school, teachers get free housing if they want it.
    
    
  
  There are probably other reasons, but that is all I can think of for now.

 

[hkem1]

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?

Bob, what are you talking about? They give the students the formulas when they take the FCAT. When you presented the questions on this thread, you did not give us formulas.

 

[30ashopper]

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?

"Dumb students" it seems, are the problem. The current model doesn't take that into account, yes? Your wife is a teacher correct? She holds the same views you do? What district does she teach in? Her students have a right to know.

 

[scooterbug44]

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.

I love how you assume everyone who ISN'T a teacher has been getting pay raises, isn't contributing anything to their retirement, hasn't had any benefits cut, and hasn't made any sacrifices over the last couple of years.

Between the recession and the oil spill, what you described is still far better than many have had it.

Many of us pay for our own health insurance (if we can get it) in addition to contributing 100% of our retirement WHEN TIMES ARE GOOD.

And I'll sit down and take any standardized test you want - I'll even bring my own #2 pencils. My teachers didn't worry about what our IQs were, or make excuses, they just taught us all.

 

[sunspotbaby]

"The more I look at standardized tests, the more I realize that we have, as parents, been kind of sold a bill of goods."
She says the tests are not accurate measures of accomplishment, create undue anxiety for students and are used to punish schools

Mother hopes others will opt out of standardized testing - CNN.com

 

[ASH]

do you consider the questions age appropriate?

I don't think you give 5th graders enough credit for what they do know. Ever heard of the tv show, "I'm not smarter than a 5th grader"?
I've watched that before and am amazed at the things a 5th grader is expected to know. I'm fascinated by their intellect.

 

[DIXIE CLEANS]

Oh dear. My first political post.

I am impressed with most 5th graders and I think generally teachers are doing a good job with what they have to work with. Just bums me out that so much emphasis is placed on obscure concepts and subject matter that (for most) won't be used ever again in life. For instance, I'd like to substitute lessons in calculating the area of a trapezoid with being able to balance a checkbook. I'd like to substitute lessons in worm anatomy with lessons in diet/dangers of obesity in humans. I'd like to substitute Ancient European History with being able to find our states and present day countries on a map. More language, more computer skills, more business skills, more communication skills. Make those the core and make the rest of it electives where students can explore those things that interest them.

Also need a class that teaches them professions and provides a roadmap of subjects in school they would need to study in order to get there.

Rambin' on, ya'll! OK, back in my corner to lurk.

Dixie
xoxo