TEST TRAVESTY

More education bashing from the Houston Chronicle editorial board:

Advising students that the answer to any question on the American Revolution is likely to be George Washington bears not even a slight resemblance to teaching. Yet more than one teacher defends the practice of suggesting answers without context in lieu of teaching the subject.

Chronicle columnist Rick Casey revealed and disparaged this dispiriting custom in an April 25 commentary after a substitute teacher showed him the regular teacher's Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills review sheet. The sheet listed key historical names, dates and other facts for students to memorize and then regurgitate on test day.

At first impression, this is teaching at its worst. Upon greater reflection, this effort to raise test scores without learning is education accountability at its worst.

Of course, the Chronicle is assuming that Texas education is broken and needs to be fixed. I'm of the opinion, however, that education is working exactly as intended. That is, knowledge and thinking aren't nearly so important as doing what you're told, in this case passing the TAKS test: don't think about it; just do it! High stakes standardized tests are simply another manifestation of the discipline and authority culture in which our schools are steeped.

Click here for the rest.

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