Philosophy on standardized tests

[Guest guest]

Rick,

Did Jan turn the big 3-0 and you didnt tell us?

If she just recently had a birthday, tell her for us happy happy birthday and

if so, let me know when it was, so I can send her a note.

Thanks,

and

[Guest guest]

There is a real mixed philosophy on the use of standardized tests. U.S.

education doesn't measure well against many other countries. In Math

and Science we are about equal to Greece in the last study I saw. There

has been a long and continuing effort to change this, but slogans and

minor shuffling haven't done much. It will take dollars, changes in

teacher training (and re-training) and some changes in social attitudes

and support.

For a long time the number of kids identified as learning disabled was

continuing to grow, particularly in schools in central cities because

these kids didn't get measured and the school looked better. There is

now is a positive move to stop using this simply as a means of removing

low scoring kids from the tested group. Still, there are kids who,

regardless of how well the teaching is done, simply will not be measured

as anything but a 'failure' by the standard tests. Most kids with down

syndrome are among those. I don't like a test which is guaranteed to

declare my child a failure, and that is at least one reason why many

parents do not want their children included in the testing.

I expect that the children with down syndrome will not be included in

standardized testing in the long run unless the parents insist on it

(rather than sometimes the other way today) because these kids really do

not reflect the teaching to the majority of children in the class. You

can be quite sure that the countries with scores much higher than the

U.S. not only don't have cwds in their tested group, they may also have

selected students tested.

An interesting example is SAT scores. At one time Nevada had the

highest average scores in the country. This was because only 3% of the

students in the state went to colleges that requires SAT testing and

pretty much only that select group took the tests.

I am against any environment which significantly impacts the self image

of a child/adult with down syndrome. Self image is fragile enough that

we don't need the schools to hurt it. Unless feedback is handled really

well, testing can be harmful to our kids. It can also be used to make

unrealistic negative predictions about what they might be able to learn

given enough teaching.

Rick ....... dad to 30 year old Jan

[Guest guest]

I think Jan's birthday is January, the same day as my daughter's (if I

remember from last year :-) When the birthday greeting were

circulating, I remember thinking about what a different world Jan was

born in to, wondering how children with DS were received, 25 years

before was born. Hopefully Rick will confirm this before I

start any incorrect birthday rumors :-) Right now, is very

happy to tell everyone who will listen " I be 4 now, I be 5 on my

birthday " and if they show any interest at all, she gives more details

" I have a Clues Clues party, I have a Clues Clues cake, I get presents,

etc. etc. etc. " Interesting because she can articulate " Blue " very

well, but when she tries to put it with Clues, it becomes Clues Clues.

Oh well, everyone (at least everyone with preschoolers) knows what

she's talking about!

, mom to (7), (5 on Jan 16th, DS), and (3)

linman42@... wrote:

>Rick,

>Did Jan turn the big 3-0 and you didnt tell us?

>

>If she just recently had a birthday, tell her for us happy happy birthday and

>if so, let me know when it was, so I can send her a note.

>

>Thanks,

> and

>

>Click reply to all for messages to go to the list. Just hit reply for messages

to go to the sender of the message.

>

>