Strickland on Education
March 29, 2008
Many of us have been eagerly awaiting Governor Ted Strickland’s reform plans for Ohio education. According to the Columbus Dispatch, it looks like we will be waiting a bit longer.
One major contention with many Ohio educators is the Ohio Graduation Test that students must pass to graduate. Surely you have heard complaints about this test. You won’t see those in this blog though. I am an educator and I believe in accountability. This is an assessment tool that tests students on material that they theoretically should have learned by the 10th grade year. However, this test covers things from 8th and 9th grade as well. Both students and teachers should be held accountable and although this may not be the most perfect way to do so, it does need to be done.
To find out more about Strickland’s plans, check out the dispatch blog.
I will leave you with this thought…it makes me a bit nervous when state legislators who have little background in educational theory begin to make or tinker with educational policy. Just because someone went to school, does not mean they understand how students learn.
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I also believe in accountability. However, I question the value of an exam required for graduation that tests 8th-10th grade knowledge. High school teachers are between a rock and a hard place when middle school students, who are not ready for high school are promoted along with the class.
Currently, my daughter is in the top 4% of her suburban school’s senior class. Although she has had a few teachers who demand excellence (AP Calculus and Government, for example,) more of her classes do not. In her psychology and sociology classes, she is still given art projects and work sheets. She dropped an honor’s physics class mid term with an A+, because the work was sophmoric.
Students rise to expectations. Although there are high standards in some individual classes, in this particular suburban school system, the bar has been set quite low.
I expect that the solution to our educational crisis has to do with a bit more tough love in the lower grades, only promoting students who are ready to do higher level work. In that way, perhaps we can test 12th grade work for graduation and not 10th. Perhaps teachers can present material at an appropriate level without having to dumb down the approach.
Just a few thoughts from a frustrated public school mom.
“Students rise to expectations. Although there are high standards in some individual classes, in this particular suburban school system, the bar has been set quite low.”
Betsey, I could not agree with that statement more. If little is expected from students, you will see little from most.
Betsy & Ben -
Thanks for leaving comments. I agree that students do rise to the expectations that are set by the teacher. I have found that to be very true in my own teaching career. We have students at all levels and need to make sure we are addressing the needs of all students, not just the majority.