I received a letter from my child's school today stating they would begin Curriculum Based Measurement in the classrooms. For those who may not know what that is, it is a weekly testing procedure. I use this in my special education classroom because it allows us to see if a student has made great gains or losses within a week (so we can alter their Individual Education Plan if needed).
It is fine in a small Special Ed classroom (10:1 student to teacher ratio), but to test a large class of kids it is an EXTREME waste of valuable instruction time.
In the reading portion, each child is tested on three separate probes initially for one minute each. Then it is done once a week thereafter for EACH student. The only thing it does in the case of regular ed. students is make a handy dandy growth chart. That is ALL!
Knox County is already data rich and analysis poor. We do not need MORE testing. Especially this kind that does nothing but make a school a nifty graph they can show the higher ups to say "See, look how thorough we are."
Life Is A Comedy For Those Who Think...
Sunday, September 11, 2005 at 11:46 AM
Data Rich Analysis Poor...
Tennessee Jed said...
Hey Sweet Girl! I know what you mean about information that has no way yet to be used.
I guess we just gather and gather until someone wants to use and twist it up to screw us out of our part.
Jed's quote of the day: Damn the man ain't a new idea, it is just new to me!
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red molly said...
Sounds like it is too much documentation and not enough teaching and of course it's the students that suffer.
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Mountain Girl said...
That's right, RM. More of our find governments work. Thanks for stopping by!
Blessings Abound!
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