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[Son of a Preacher Man]

It's a delicate balance to strike between forcing failing schools / pupils to to follow a suitable course, and yet not restrict good schools from teaching bright pupils something worthwhile. Our current government has got it badly wrong in the UK.

Never talk politics with me. I have Views.

[Newtylicious]

I cannot put how much I hate teaching to the test into words.. I just can't. I don't mean to come across as conceited or anything here, but I'm 100% sure I'll pass the OGT(Ohio Graduation Test), which every class, even though I don't have to take the test until next year, is making a big deal about. This is mostly because the kids who took it last year realized it didn't count, screwed around on it, and earned us some of the lowest scores in the state. I've gone off on a few teachers about the teaching to the test. And when the kids take it this year, and their scores come back low, I probably can offer the best explaination, a very ironic one too. The didn't pass because of teaching to the test through their elementary and junior high years. The OGT is quite different than those tests, which were taught to.

I want to smite the OGT though really, mostly the math portion. If someone explains their answer well, and gets the *wrong* answer. They get more points than someone would if they got the right answer, and their explainations sucked(if the problem was 5 points, 3 of them are for the explaination, 2 for the answer). My friend and I are considering pulling that, he gets all the right answers, and fails. I get all wrong answers, but good explainations, and pass(I suck at arthimetic, yet know what I'm doing and my friend always manages to have right answers). I can't imagine the state would be too happy to hear about that.

I often feel as if the teaching to the test restricted me throughout school, and still is. I thought I would finally be rid of it in high school. I'm not sure which I'm more tired of, teaching to the test or American History(I don't think I'll write about this now, 7th grade was the only year I didn't do Amer History, that was because history was the gifted class and we wuz speshul)

[FredAkbar]

Your mention of the kids screwing around on that test reminds me of the STAR testing here in northern California. Once kids found out that it doesn't go on their personal record, half of them totally blow it off, usually by filling in the answer bubbles at random, or by making smiley face designs with the bubbles or something . Of course people try to explain to them that it still affects them, since how much funding our school gets is based on things like this test, they don't seem to get it (or else don't care; we're in junior class now so I guess they could just figure we'll be out of here pretty soon anyway).

[dchoby98]

Back when I took it, the reward for doing well (top 20%, I think) in the MEAP (Michigan Education Assessment Program) test was a $1000 scholarship! I was happy!

There are some tests that can get you huge cash -- the PSAT/SAT combo, which can get you National Merit awards, come to mind. Those are times it's worth playing the game.

[Newtylicious]

Well, this year I'm taking both the SAT or ACT. Yet, I'll have taken the SAT twice prior to the PSAT(that's sophmore year, right?). Isn't the PSAT for the National Society thing you mentioned? Otherwise I don't see the reason for me to take it.

[dchoby98]

PSAT is for preparing for the SAT, and qualifying for the National Merit Scholarships. Nothing more that I know about.