Educational Readings -' shonky' standards data

By Allan Alach

The big issue in New Zealand before the end of May will be the government’s release of  data that will supposedly show children’s achievement against the set national standards in the 2012 school year. For many reasons this is a very dubious exercise of minimal value. One of these reasons is the lack of validity of the national standards process, which has been examined by Waikato University Professor of Education Martin Thrupp. I’ve written an appraisal of a newspaper article about Martin’s findings, and intend to follow up with a review of his full report.

My initial analysis:

New Zealand’s national standards in education are not national or standard.

I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allan.alach@ihug.co.nz.

This week’s homework!

Skills Versus Content in the Early Grades (via Bruce)

‘For decades, U.S. schools have been engaged in a failed experiment that attempts to cram more content into a typical teaching day than is humanly possible. Schools ask children to learn overwhelming content at younger and younger ages without taking the time to build the foundational skills needed for learning or behavioral success.’

http://bit.ly/13A5gfP

Dystopia: A Possible Future of Teacher Evaluation

Warning: do not read while holding a hot coffee or tea. May be hazardous to mental health. Antony Cody outlines a nightmare scenario for 2018.

http://bit.ly/12zru0c

To encourage creativity, Mr Gove, you must first understand what it is

Sir Ken Robinson, commenting on UK Education Secretary Michael Gove’s view of fostering creativity in education. Gove is a true technocrat and so Sir Ken is able to shoot big holes in his ‘paint by numbers’ nonsense.

http://bit.ly/11LcIXC

School leadership and the new cult of personality: some thoughts on extravagance in Academyland (via Joce Jesson)

Observations from UK about the pitfalls of Academy (a.k.a. charter) schools:

‘..the new corporatisation of schools, with high salaries, bonuses and performance-related pay for a few are a threat to these public service values. Intentionally.  They are meant to create divisions – between school leaders and teachers, and between teachers and teachers.’

http://bit.ly/18TyNUa

Sussex academy pays £1 heritage.00,000 to use 'patented' US school curriculum (via Joce Jesson)

As the proposed model for charter schools on New Zealand allows for free choice of curriculum, the door is open to whatever the proprietors deem to be suitable. The teaching of creationism, in religious themed schools is one example. However there is another probability, the purchasing of complete curricula from overseas, and thus depriving the children of their heritage.  I wonder how parents would feel if they were aware of this? Here’s an example from the UK.

http://bit.ly/19Nv347

The Ultimate Education Reform: Messy Learning & Problem Solving (via Bruce).

Canadian educator Ian Jukes is a must see, if he’s in your locality. He has a farsighted vision of where education should be headed, and his presentations are stimulating and entertaining. Here he introduces an article by Tim Holt.

http://bit.ly/14PfRm8

Parents, Students, Teachers…Meet Pearson Publishing

Following the theme, often expressed, that we need to look overseas to see what is coming our way, this article about Pearson Publishing (including Adobe, Scott Foresman, Penguin, Longman, Wharton, Harcourt, Puffin, Prentice Hall, Allyn & Bacon) is very revealing.

http://bit.ly/169FmU3

Government to introduce charter hospitals

‘The National Government has today announced plans to introduce a number of charter hospitals, similar to their charter school counterparts, in major population centres around the country. The hospitals, which would be owned, operated or sponsored by private enterprises, would dissociate themselves from the current public health system and not be required to follow the regulations that most health institutes are beholden to.’

http://bit.ly/1206rYf

31 Signs You’ve Been A Teacher Too Long

C’mon, ‘fess up - how many of these ring true?

http://bit.ly/10UJxeg

New Zealand's Got Talent? The role of schools in talent development

It has been a wet weekend and by chance I have watched parts of talent shows on TV. What impressed me were the individuals that, until they begin their presentation, are often discounted by judges and viewers. One young man had a debilitating lisp which disappeared as he began to sing.

Contestants are judged by what they can demonstrate.

This ought to be the basis for education. Imagine schools premised on the development of gifts and talents of all students rather than assessing them on their ‘success’ in standardised tests and then only in a narrow range of subjects.

Creativity is not in the forefront of teacher’s minds. The arts seem to have reduced to formulaic illustration or decoration rather than the ultimate form of personalised expression.

Sir Ken Robinson, a leading authority on creativity and innovation, believes that finding one’s passion changes everything. Although widely admired his advice is not translated into action by schools still focusing their programmes on achieving in literacy and numeracy. As a result many young people leave school unsure of their talents – worse still many feel alienated.

This is not to demean literacy and numeracy but for teachers to ‘reframe’ them in the service of authentic student inquiry learning.  Placing personalised student inquiry learning central would make a real difference but few schools do this.

It is easy to see where schools place their importance by the hierarchy of subjects and the time allotted – the arts at the rear. Add in standardised testing and this results in very narrow view of intelligence and an overvaluing of particular sorts of abilities and stifling of others.

In recent decades politician have had far too much influence for ideological reasons – much of it to provide data ( in literacy and numeracy) to allow, so called, parent choice, competition through league tables and, in many countries, the privatisation of education as seen in the Charter School movement; the provision of standardised tests in now big business.

Schools seem unable to provide the real alternative – to rethink the purpose of education for the 21^st Century, to really value the diverse nature of human talents, and to celebrate the diversity of their students. Ironically NewZealand teachers can access the ideas of Elwyn Richardson who provided the genesis of a solution in the 1960s in his recently re-published book by the NZCER ‘In the Early World.’

In many respects we need to go back to the creative days of the 60s but this time to do it properly!

There are inspiring models of creative education to draw inspiration from. Sir Ken is impressed with the Reggio Emilia schools of Milan established in the 60s.  The Emilia schools are true community schools where the curriculum is child directed and teachers take their lessons where student’s interests dictate. The curriculum is built around projects in which students make discoveries from a variety of perspectives. The teachers consider themselves as co- researchers learning alongside their students. Many older NewZealand teachers will recognise such a holistic approach.

There are still schools, where there is courageous leadership, that continue to base their curriculum on the provision of exciting experiential experiences that naturally integrate literacy and numeracy and encourage collaboration between teachers to access a range of disciplines.  Innovative Brazilian businessman Ricardo Semler has establishes his Lumiar Schools along similar lines.  I know of New Zealand schools that make use of American middle school educator James Beane’s concept of developing curriculums around student generatedquestions.

Chinese bor nAmerican educator Yong Zhao  believes that American education is at  acrossroads. He worries about the increasing standardisation of education believing that this approach will be disastrous to the future of America – particularly as China is doing its best to develop creativity in its own system.  He believes that America needs a ‘citizenry of creative individuals with a wide range of talents to sustain its tradition of innovation’.

One idea Zhao shares in his book ‘Catching Up or Leading the Way’ is to build on school talent shows – school assembly performances in the New Zealand situation.  I envisage New Zealand schools building curriculums around integrating science and maths fair projects, and art performances, as part of an on-going years programme.

Yong Zhao believes that such activities recognize a broad range of talents, they teach children to respect each other, to take initiative and responsibility, to appreciate that they all have different talents and to provide opportunities to discover new talents.  Such presentations, exhibitions and demonstrations encourage students to face consequences of their choices and actions; facing public audiences of their parents and families does take courage. Add in the range of sporting and extra curricula activities (both of which need to be mainstreamed into the curriculum) and schools would be transformed.

Most of all, writes Yong Zhao, such ‘activities sends a strong message to the community… that our schools value different talents, that their children are talented in different ways’. ’Lastly, he writes, ‘the activity helps all the children to be proud of their strengths rather than focusing on their weaknesses’.

 Most schools now accept Howard Gardner’s idea of multiple intelligences independent of each other. Gardner writes ‘that we are born to be good at something but poor at others. As a result, each of us has a unique talent profile.

As long as school focus on the importance of academic learning, concentrating on literacy and numeracy, schools discriminate against other talents.

Expanding the definition of success means how we measure success – success that cannot be measured through standardised testing. Indicators of success would need to include student products, teacher observations, and classroom and school wide performances.

Schools Young Zhao writes, need to be held ‘accountable for providing the best educational environments for all students’ rather than ‘holding schools accountable for raising test scores’. He writes, ‘we need to hold schools accountable for ensuring all students have the same high quality educational opportunities’

We don’thear our current Minister talking about the personalisation of learning, ‘the drive to tailor education to individual need, interest and aptitude so as to fulfil every young person’s potential’….’ Giving every single child the chance to be the best they can be, whatever their talent of background’

Schools who wish to focus on discovering and cultivating the strengths of each individual child instead of focusing on proving and remedying their ‘deficiencies’  as measured by questionable standards need to ask some pertinent questions ( from Riane Eisler 2000):

1.     Are each child’s intelligences and capabilities treated as unique gifts to be nurtured and developed?

2.     Do students have a real stake in their education so that their innate enthusiasm is not dampened?

3.     Do teachers act primarily as lesson-dispensers and controllers, or as mentors and facilitators?

4.     Does the curriculum not only effectively teach students basic skills as the three Rs of reading writing, and arithmetic but also model the life-skills they need to be competent and caring citizens?

5.     Is the structure of the school, classroom one of top down authoritarianism or is a more democratic one?

6.      Do students, teachers, and other staff participate in school decision making and rule setting?

Seems like good questions?

 Does New Zealand have talent? Or are we leaving it to chance?The latter I think.

Time for schools to step up.

Educational Readings - Sir Ken Robinson, Kelvin Smythe,Diane Khan,Bruce Hammonds et all

By Allan Alach

 

One of the zillions of overseas websites that I follow includes a weekly ‘Secret Teacher’ blog. It strikes me that there maybe many teachers out there who have very strong feelings about educational matters in their own country, but who are naturally afraid to speak out due to employment matters. Having been hit by the clobbering machine myself in late 2011, I can sympathise with this.

Darwin finally had a good idea!

I’d like to offer the chance for any disaffected teacher to sound off in absolute anonymity. If you would like to do this, email your article to me and I will post it as a Secret Teacher posting on The Treehorn Express. Avoid defamatory and abusive language, both for legal reasons, and also because that’s the approach beloved of right wing trolls - we don’t need to descend to their level. Rational, well reasoned and well referenced articles are much more powerful!

I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allan.alach@ihug.co.nz.

This week’s homework!

The Current School Reform Landscape: Christopher H. Tienken (via Kevin Woodley).

-      Christopher Tienken, Ed.D. is an assistant professor of Education Administration at Seton Hall University in the College of Education and Human Services, Department of Education Management, Policy, and Leadership.

This video is about the USA educational scene, however it is very relevant, in most part, to New Zealand and Australia. A great watch.

‘Is it necessary to have every child master the same exact material at the same level of difficulty?’

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEkN8Sgca0I&feature=youtu.be

Spelling and grammar test for all 11-year-olds to tackle poor literacy

-      Up to 600,000 (English) schoolchildren will be required to sit a new exam in spelling, punctuation and grammar amid fears that almost a quarter of pupils are starting secondary education with substandard literacy skills.

While GERM down under may be causing grief, things could be much worse.

http://bit.ly/12kjtfL

The Power of Metaphor

A commonly expressed concern of the intensely limited focus on the 3Rs that is implicit in GERM, is the neglect of the arts. This article by Pat Buoncristiani provides another window on how this will affect vulnerable children’s development.

http://thinkinginthedeepend.wordpress.com/2013/05/12/447/

How to escape education’s death valley

Sir Ken Robinson - no other introduction needed.

http://bit.ly/160UqTw

 

Could it be our understanding of ‘Quality’…that is BROKEN, perhaps?

Blogger Tony Gurr, writing from Turkey ( proof of the international nature of the battle for true education) touches on a vitally important issue - what is ‘Quality’? Tony includes the vital reference here, Robert Pirsig’s ‘Zen and the Art of Motor Cycle Maintenance,’  a discussion of Quality. If you’ve not

read that book recently, or not read it at all, then you have some homework. I’m on my 3rd copy, having read the preceding copies so many times that they fell apart. This understanding of quality underpins the battle for holistic, rich, child centred education. You will note, in Pirsig’s book, many similarities between standardised education and the lack of quality that he contends is destructive to modern life.

http://bit.ly/14gkWnp

Shonky Data and Shabby Journalism – Must Be National Standards Time Again

Save Our Schools NZ blogger Dianne Khan has joined the ranks of contributors to The Daily Blog. Here’s her excellent first contribution.

http://bit.ly/16t4XX9

Education Should Liberate, Not Indoctrinate

Another excellent link to Yong Zhao - one of the main players in the international anti-GERM disinfectant battle.

http://bit.ly/101EyvO

 

How do Finnish kids excel without rote learning and standardized testing?

More of the same but no less valuable for that. Finland remains our most effective tool in the battle to disinfect schools from GERMs.

http://bit.ly/12yIvXg

The biggest topic in New Zealand education this week was the debate in parliament on the Education Amendment bill that will pass legislation to establish charter school. Here are postings by Bruce Hammonds and Kelvin Smythe about this.

New Zealand education. A choice between Creativity and Charter Schools

http://bit.ly/13pZRVa

Charter schools are …

http://bit.ly/YN7AhE

New Zealand education. A choice between Creativity and Charter Schools

I am going to keep this posting simple.



Pro Charter Schools

The Charter School movement is gathering momentum and schools need to be aware of the pros and cons - and to share this awareness with their Board of Trustees and their parents generally.

First watch John Banks of New Zealand being positive about Charter Schools in this video clip.  ( 7 minutes)

Then as an alternative watch Auckland University education lecturer Prof Peter O'Conner explaining the pitfalls of Charter Schools ( 10 minutes)

Anti Charter Schools

And to conclude watch  (19min)Sir Ken Robinson vision of a  creative education as  an alternative to the American No Child Left Behind ( NCLB) - a programme of standardised teaching - an approach where many see National Standards leading to.

I know where I stand.

Where do you?

For those who want to get the full picture of education over the past century and where it might go in the future watch this illustrated video of Sir Ken

To learn more about No Child Left Behind (USA) watch this 7min video clip

And to learn what is happening in Australia  ( 5 min)

Educational Readings - narrowing the curriculum

By Allan Alach

 

One of today’s items discusses the myth of lagging US schools, and, as I noted in my introduction, this equally applies to schooling in other countries. This is no coincidence, and is consistent with the practice of disaster capitalism (Naomi Klein). This either takes advantage of various disasters in order to impose neo-liberal policies (blanket introduction of charter schools in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is an example of this) or, if no disaster happens to conveniently arrive (Christchurch earthquake) the neo-liberals create their own ‘disaster’ through manipulation of the media. Claiming that schools are failing, in order to justify ‘reform’ is an example of this. I’m sure you can think of many other examples.

I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allan.alach@ihug.co.nz.

This week’s homework!

More Evidence that Test-Based Accountability Narrows the Curriculum

Time to say ‘We told you so?”

‘A new academic study has found that test-based accountability measures in the United States have narrowed the curriculum in schools. A statistical analysis published in the latest issue of Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis concludes that there is strong evidence that class time devoted to mathematics and English has increased while the share going to science and social studies has decreased in response to school accountability measures.’

http://bit.ly/11G2O4g

Finland: The Lighthouse of Progressive Education and Divergent Learning

Yet another US educator sees the light. The problem is that is our politicians, wherever, who are blind. Ah well, we can all work hard for a cure.

“If John Dewey was alive today, he would see his words on child-centered and problem-based learning put into practice in Finland.”

http://bit.ly/13QI1g3

“We’re Number Umpteenth!”: The myth of lagging U.S. schools

The myth of lagging New Zealand/Australia/Canadian/…. schools as well, seeing as this the prime justification used by GERMers to bring in school ‘deform.’ Alfie Kohn dismantles this myth from the USA perspective; however his arguments are equally valid all over.

http://wapo.st/108mPyb

The Industrial Classroom

‘In resisting standardized testing, today’s teachers are part of a rich tradition of struggle against dehumanization in the workplace.’

There’s nothing new under the sun, as the saying goes.  Nothing new in this article either; however its a good overview of the antecedents to the present educational nonsense.

http://jacobinmag.com/2013/04/the-industrial-classroom/

Why I’m anti-rubric (via Michael Fawcett)

A basic overview of the problems with rubrics, which should encourage everyone to investigate further!

http://see.ludwig.lajuntaschools.org/?p=302

Leading the way in education - instead of following the failing neo liberal agenda

Bruce Hammonds’ interpretation of Yong Zhao’s book “Catching Up By Leading”

Yong Zhao

‘Why right wing politicians in New Zealand would want to follow the failing neo-liberal agenda of the USA is more to do with politics than education.’

http://bit.ly/YGK8oq

 

 

"School Time" in New Zealand (via Bruce Hammonds)

What can be learned from New Zealand's school schedule?

Educator and blogger Adam Provost in this post writes about a recent trip to New Zealand, in which he examined the country's school model. Provost includes a detailed account of the school day, which includes daily "teatime" to relax and collaborate and 10 hours of professional development over a six-day period, which is built into the schedule’.

http://bit.ly/10uVSWw

Yong-Zhao: Leading the way in education - instead of following the failing neo liberal agenda

Yong - Zhao

'Education in America  is at a crossroads', writes American educator Yong-Zhao

Ironically while China is busy trying to transform its test orientated education into a talent orientated system, writes Chinese born but now a respected American educator Yong- Zhao, America ( and now New Zealand) is moving towards a standardized test driven culture.

Why right wing politicians in New Zealand would want to follow the failing neo-liberal agenda of the USA is more to do with politics than education.

In America they have the No Child Left Behind testing programmes based around literacy and numeracy and in New Zealand we have National Standards.

Why we follow the failing approaches of the USA, the UK and Australia when we could be leading the world into developing a system that focuses on developing the talents and gifts of all students shows a lack of direction by those who profess to lead our schools. Schools cannot just be simply against such standards, which increasingly sound like whinging, they need to be leading by articulating a creative alternative.

To thrive inrapidly changing world countries like New Zealand needs to cultivate adiversity of talents of all citizens if we really want to be seen as an innovative country. Cultivating this student creativity and imagination is one thing our New Zealand schools have never done with the exception of a few creative teachers.

Yong- Zhao, in his book  ‘Catching up by Leading’, points out the damage being created by the American NCLB, and even more strongly, writes that schools that comply ‘are actually undermining their strengths by overemphasizing high-stakes testing and standardisation’.

There are lessons we can learn from America (and the UK and Australia) – of what not to do! Particularly as we rate higher in international testing than such countries. We need to lead rather than follow.

In America the NCLB has resulted in school teaching to the test and the reduction of time for subjects not tested. As well teachers, to score well, have changed their instructional focus and teaching styles. Some American schools have even resorted to cheating.

Schools in America (and other Western countries who follow the same neo- liberal agenda) spend valuable teaching time on test preparation (another form of cheating?). Already schools in New Zealand are, disturbingly, ensuring their teaching focuses on their ensuring test results are impressive – and this self- interest can only get worse. And if you read KelvinSmythe the Ministry is ensuring the ‘shonky’ National Standards results show improvements to 'prove' their value.

If schools do not make a collective stand and present an alternative beyond objecting to National Standards it will be too late.

The reasoning behind the NCLB in America resonates to what is happening in New Zealand under this government.

According to Zong Zhao it goes like this:

American education is in a crisis.

This crisis is proved by the ‘achievement gap’ (ignoring, of course, poverty issues).

The ‘achievement gap’ results from poor teaching; teachers who hold low expectations of their students. (John Key said as much as this prior to the elections). This is not helped by self-interested teacher unions.

Teachers are to be seen as complacent or lazy.

The solution is hold educators accountable for producing measurable outcomes including publishing of school performance data thus providing information for parent school choice and the possibility using performance-based teacher pay.

Standardisation and centralisation of curriculum and assessment are essential ingredients for obvious reasons.

All students have to be held to the same standards and need to be assessed by the same tests otherwise it is impossible to compare how much students have learnt or to distinguish good teachers and schools from poor ones. Until tests are standardised as in the UK and Australia results will remain ‘shonky’.

The consequence of such standardised teaching leads to the homogenisation of student outcomes and a diminishing of student talents in areas not being tested.

National Standards practically define what ‘good ‘education is; they become the default curriculum. A ‘good’ education is defined as a school being able to show good scores in a literacy and numeracy. Such a ‘good education’ deprives students the opportunity to develop talents in other areas. In addition children who do not perform well will be shamed and seen ‘at risk’ doomed to get more of what they cannot do while their unique gifts are ignored.

Developing talents of all

Theoretically schools can teach more than defined by the Standards but in reality schools will ensure they do well in areas that affect their reputation by focusing on areas that ‘count’.

As a result of such a narrow agenda schools will produce students with a narrow range of measurable outcomes.

Yong- Zhao writes that this approach in America will limit the production of creative and imaginative individual with a wide range of talents the very people China is determined to produce!

New Zealand educators need to confront such a narrow interpretation of education and present an alternative based on an education that develops the talents and gifts of all students.

It is morally wrong, Yong-Zhao writes, ‘to place all responsibilities on schools and teachers. While schools can definitely do a lot to help children overcome certain difficulties, their influence has limits.’

Worse still, Zhoa writes, the NCLB is ‘putting America in danger’….into a deeper crisis ‘because it is likely to lead increasing distrust of educators, disregard of students’ individual interests, destruction of local autonomy and capacity for innovation, and disrespect for human values’.

We are well on the way  in New Zealand to follow America into such a depressing scenario.

Now is the time for schools to see the big picture and to collectively present an alternative vision; a vision implicit in the all but side-lined 2007 New Zealand Curriculum which sees students as ‘seeking using and creating their own knowledge.’ All it needs is a greater emphasis on developing the gifts and talents of all students.

Yong-Zhao believes 'American education is at a crossroads' and 'we need to change course'. 'We need to move away from focusing on the past and move towards focusing on the future'  We need to leave the test driven road and move towards the road to innovation and creativity.

New Zealnd should be a leader  in developing this new discourse not a follower..

For the keen an interview with Yong Zhao

Educational Readings - testing! testing! no time for teaching!

By Allan Alach

Testing is pretty much dominating the educational scene in Australia as the time approaches for their poor kids to be ‘naplanned.’ Good luck kids. Sorry you have to go through this.

Hypocrite!

If it’s any help, you may be interested to know what your Minister of Education, Peter Garrett, thinks about you and your parents’ rights.

https://treehornexpress.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/parents-are-stupid-people/

Hard (impossible?) to believe he used to be the singer of Midnight Oil, a politically minded rock band. Hypocrisy then, or now, Peter? One or the other, mate - you can’t have it both ways. Guess there are some rather disillusioned fans out there, not just in Australia.

I welcome suggested articles, so if you come across a gem, email it to me at allan.alach@ihug.co.nz.

This week’s homework!

Problems in American education: let teachers teach.

Letting teachers teach would also solve most problems in New Zealand and Australian education...

http://bit.ly/17ZhkGA

The Coming Revolution in Public Education

As Bob Dylan wrote: ‘The times they are a’changin…’  Keep fighting against GERM, people. We are winning.

‘It's always hard to tell for sure exactly when a revolution starts. Is it when a few discontented people gather in a room to discuss how the ruling regime might be opposed? Is it when first shots are fired? When a critical mass forms and the opposition acquires sufficient weight to have a chance of prevailing? I'm not an expert on revolutions, but even I can see that a new one is taking shape in American K-12 public education.’

http://bit.ly/14UBhCz

Education Reform Party is Over -- What a Mess!

More of the same.

Some market-driven "reformers," undoubtedly, are motivated by profits. Mostly, I suspect, it is the egos of the true believers in Big Data that have kept this testing alive. With the help of the best public relation flacks that money can buy, the top corporate "reformers" and the top state and federal accountability hawks might be able to fend off the evidence-driven protests of teachers. But as these testing outrages grow, they will not be able to stop the ridicule. As more of these absurdities are lampooned, we get closer to the endgame chorus of, "Good night, the party's over."

http://bit.ly/184vol1

Eighth grader designs standardized test that slams standardized tests

‘A 13-year-old eighth grader in upstate New York woke up on Sunday and decided that it would be funny if she designed a standardized test that made fun of standardized tests.’

http://wapo.st/Y1bvas

Online education is mostly a fantasy

The neo-liberal dream is to replace teachers with online education (e.g the Khan Academy, that Gates has described as the future of education). They dream of rooms of computers with children logged on to their own online ‘teaching’ (indoctrination?) software. No troublesome teachers to worry about, think of the money to be saved and profits to be made. Not so fast, GERMers, maybe you should read this.

http://bit.ly/Yd8Tsk

Back to the past!

Testing, Testing… But Not Teaching

-How standardised classroom tests are producing some frightening outcomes in the US.

‘Migration to Finland however, is not an option for New Zealand teachers. Although many of them would probably share Jerry Conti’s fears about where the undue emphasis on standardised classroom testing is leading us, and the damage it is doing to children’s creativity.’

http://werewolf.co.nz/2013/05/testing-testing-but-not-teaching/

High-stakes test time for state's schools

‘Preparations for standardized testing include assemblies, free food, high-tech analyses’

As Bruce Hammonds comments, ‘God help us!’

http://bit.ly/17AoJhh