Interview with Teaching Professional continued...

I interviewed a current teacher about what she thought about the PSSA's.

Q: What are some strategies to teaching to the PSSA test and how do you carry them out in a classroom?
A: Discovering facts for one. I teach them to pull facts out of various paragraphs and to underline/circle them as they read. By forcing them to pull facts from the text, they can more easily draw connections and better understand the point of the text. I then make them create some inferences about what they read. For example, in preparation for the crucible, I ask the students to decide how the language affects the story. That is, I model the language from the PSSA’s so they become familiar with it. In addition, I also “create a lesson based on content”. I take some important content from the test and I prepare a lesson or two on it. I teach this to the students where I find it necessary or where it fits into the curriculum. Layering is also a good suggestion. Layer information for the students! I also suggest giving the students various samples of information, genres, writing prompts etc. You really have to go “above and beyond then pull the connection” in order to reach these kids. My last lesson was based on teaching travel narratives. Not only are the students looking at and understanding the genre and various samples of it, but they are also analyzing text and writing a paper in proper format. This lesson supports the PSSA because the test asks the students to understand genre, analyze text and write their own pieces of literature with proper structure and format.

Q: Do you introduce topics and units as, “We will be doing ­­­________ in preparation for the PSSA test? If not, how do you approach it?
A: We have PSSA’s coming up soon, so we have been preparing for a while now. What we do is “take all of the strategies we learned this year and apply them to the PSSA’s”. For example, the students just had a quarterly exam in which the questions were modeled off of the PSSA’s. The students had to understand the text, find the facts, draw conclusions and make inferences before they could answer any of the questions on the test. I made it impossible for them to be able to answer the questions without reading the entirety of the text. I give them plenty of time in class and as long as they apply the strategies we have been using the past few months, they will earn a good grade.

Interview with Teaching Professional

Q: What would you personally change about the PSSA’s and why?
A: I wish it had more open-ended questions instead of so many multiple choice questions. As objective as the questions may be, there are multiple things to get out of it”. Students can look at a simile and think they know what it means but get confused when the answer they had in mind is not an option. They get extremely flustered.

Q: In one sentence, how do you teach to the test without teaching to the test?
A: “Go above and beyond and connect it to the test”.

Q: What is the hardest part of teaching the test/administering the test?
A: Making the students care about the test is the most difficult part for me. There are no stakes for the students so they definitely do not take the test as serious as they should. Plus, state-to-state, the standards are so different so there is almost no bearing on the results. Students just see the PSSA test as a test they have to take. They do not consider it as important, let’s say, as an in-class test they will receive a grade on.

Q: Would you abolish the PSSA test if you could? Why or Why not?
A: I would not necessarily abolish them, I would refine them. First of all, I would make standards universal across all the states so that when the states compare the scores, everyone is placed on the same scale. For one, “ESL student should NOT have to take the test nor should the Special Education students”. They need to create tests specifically for ESL and Special Education students if they want to assess their comprehension and knowledge. It is completely unfair that those students are graded on the same scale of the other students. I might even raise the stakes on the test if it were up to me!

How are teachers helping non-proficient students become proficient?

Not only are teachers teaching above and beyond the PSSA test, they are also using previous scores to help better prepare students. During the annual curriculum review, academic areas are attempting to align their curriculums with the state standards. Although this has been done before, teachers are trying to not only model and mirror the PSSA standards, but they are also trying to add additional information and requirements that even better prepares the students. For example, the PA state standards requires students to “Read and respond to nonfiction and fiction including poetry and drama” (Standard 1.3.11.F). Instead of simply having the students read and respond to the pieces of literature, the teachers are also requiring that students can respond in various ways including writing short stories and essays, creating multimedia projects, identifying what constitutes fiction and nonfiction and be able to categorize various works under their designated category. Thus, every academic area can cover the material, and more, that will help every child be successful on the PSSA’s. In addition, the teachers are made aware of the students who have performed at either a basic or below basic level. The teacher develops lessons and supplemental materials that both address the PA standards and also meet the needs of the individual students. Any non-proficient student also has the opportunity to have an individual learning plan and have full access to Study Island at both school and at home to improve their skills and knowledge.

So what ARE the benefits to NCLB?

Of course there are always two sides of a story. NCLB is no special case. There are some benefits to NCLB that have emerged from the law. Below are some:

• The creation of a revised reading curricula to assist lower level readers
• More reading materials made available for student access
• Hire new staff that better meets the needs of the students

• Reassignment of existing instructional staff that is capable
• Hiring of reading/writing specialists
• Hiring of reading/writing coaches
• Reassignment of reading specialists to meet student needs
• More access to professional development

So NCLB does have its perks but too often, schools cannot afford to restaff, buy new materials, pay for specialized instruction etc. If the school does not meet AYP, they do not receive ANY additional funding for that school year. So then, how does the state expect schools to pay for these sorts of accomodations especially in an economy like this one?

NCLB varies from state to state

So why does every state use a different test and standard to decide whether its schools are reaching the required progress under law? Why don't we have mandated tests across the country that are absolutely identical?

With some states accusing one another for lowering their bar by using easier tests and lower standards to make their school look better, there needs to be a universal test for every state. All states should have the identical test as each other so that all the states are teaching the same information for the same test. With a variation in test, some states are teaching less valuable information and/or are teaching at a much different rate than other states. Some states are performing far better than other states on the PSSA's and thus receive more recognition and funds for their school. However, they are receiving these perks unfairly. By lowering their bar and/or having an easier test, schools are providing misleading information.

Why can't we all just have the same test?
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But What About the Special Education Students?

So NCLB may or may not assure that student is really left behind in school. The way I see it is the 'regular' students are definitely given the attention and tools they need to succeed with the PSSA's. They are trained in writing, reading, answering questions, critical thinking, application, synthesis and analysis to perform well on the big PSSA test. Students practice thier vocabulary and the development of a sufficient 5-paragraph essay throughout the school year so that they are thoroughly prepared for the test in the spring. So, maybe NCLB is not so bad for these 'regular' students that take the test. But, what about those students who do not have to take the test. That is, what happens to the special education kids? Why does NCLB not refer to or really suggest guiding these students to be able to take a reformed PSSA test? Why does NCLB only effect the 'regular' students? Why is it that yet again, special education students ARE being left behind?

How does teaching to the test make teeaching/learning more difficult?

Because of the PSSA's being a requirement in school:

1. Teachers have to teach to the PSSA test even if they think the material is unimportant or not worth teaching.

2. Students learn information based only on the test

3. Months of time are spent on teaching the PSSA

4. Students have a difficult time making outside connections to the information they learned (except for the connection to the test)

5. Students feel extreme pressure on test days

6. Teachers are overwhelmed with what they have to teach the students and how to best prepare students for the test

7. Students miss out on some valuable knowledge and the opportunity to read quality literature because they are spending their time on test preparation.

What do you think the benefits to teaching to the test are?

Are their benefits?

Do you think the PSSA's are a good representation of student knowledge?

How to teach to the test without teaching to the test

As a future teacher, I am reaching out to other teachers who have some suggestions on how to teach the PSSA content to students without directly stating to the students, "we are going to work on Persuasive essays because that is what is on the PSSA's". I don't want to directly teach the test but I want to best prepare my students. Here are some of my suggestions:

Teach the students the test plus more-If they are working on Persuasive essays, teach them how to write Persuasive essays AND apply it to real life. Work on some vocabulary words and strategies to writing the essay.

Do vocabulary exercises everyday at the beginning of class- kids will be learning vocab without directly relating it to the test.

What are some of your suggestions?

NCLB- What a Joke!

I have seen NCLB do wrong to our students with my own eyes. This past spring, I visited Shaw Middle School in Philadelphia. It is 90% African American and it is located in a fairly rough, economically-deprived area. This school has a lot of problems with violence, gangs and dropout rates. The biggest problem this school faces is that they were not meeting AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) for a few years so they were having a lot of difficulties getting funding. Since they were lacked funding, the school was not getting what they needed to better prepare the students for the test. This is were the problem is really rooted.

I was in a classroom of 9th grade Math students. They were struggling with the geometry unit which is a significant portion of the PSSA test. The students worked hard during class time and were trying to understand what the teacher was writing in the board. Most of the students took notes but continued to look puzzled. The class ended with the students working independently on some problems in the textbook. Then the bell rang.

I asked the teacher after class why the students were having such a hard time with this unit. She explained to me that the school did not have enough money to buy books for all the students, so a lot of the students only learned geometry in the classroom. Students were not assigned homework on a daily basis because they could not take the books home with them. I then asked her why she did not supplement the students with some handouts of basic rules, examples and practice problems. She replied by saying that each teacher was only allowed to have X amount of copies per semester (she said some ridiculously small number that I cannot recall). She said that she had to ration her copies each week. She blamed this problem on the loss of funding the school received a few years back. She explained that the school has not been able to catch up and off set the economic situation.

This is an absolute shame and it needs to change!

What if you were a parent and your child went through this in high school?

Do you think it is fair that they schools with problems get less funding and those schools that do well get more funding?

Reasons why NCLB does not work

When a school does not meet AYP, it is usually because an educational program is lacking. In order to fix this problem, schools need extra funds, remediation programs or other assistance. Instead, the NCLB act does nothing to this nature to assist the cause. How could we support a program that abides by these stipulations?

Testing is not coupled with plans and funding to remedy the problems that are detected from testing the students. Instead, a system of increasing punishment is provided that places the schools resources in danger of being taken away. Often times, this creates a smaller chance of success for the students and teachers alike. Because schools and teachers are punished if they fail AYP, the incentives are to set lower expectations rather than higher expectations to increase segregation by class and race and push the low-performing students out of school entirely. In addition, the schools, districts and states manipulate the system by excluding students who are projected to not do well and to create classifications for dropputs so that they reduce the amount of unfavorable results.

With this said, why would anyone agree with the NCLB act?

Do you agree or disagree with NCLB? Why/Why not?

What other problems come from these types of manipulation by the schools?

What are the challenges to teaching to the tests?

Shouldn't schools that aren't reaching AYP be given extra funding to achieve better scores?

Great News Article

Check out this article on the web below. It is quite controversial. I am wondering if other states will jump on the same wagon as Minnesota and begin to refute the NCLB act. What are your thoughts?

No Child Left Behind: GOP senators want it to be history
DFLers won't necessarily support a Republican effort to pull Minnesota out of the controversial federal school program.
By NORMAN DRAPER, Star Tribune


Legislators have the much-maligned No Child Left Behind law in their cross hairs -- again.
When the legislative session cranks up next month in St. Paul, Republican senators will be ready to introduce a bill that would end Minnesota's participation in NCLB. The federal program is aimed at forcing schools to improve their students' test scores, and slaps many of them with penalties if they don't.
"What we want is to make a real firm stand for local control," said Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, who added that he represents Senate Republicans on this issue. "We've had five years of the No Child Left Behind regime, and I think it's safe to call it a failure now. We're giving it an F and trying to take back our schools."
Senators and representatives from both parties have tried to yank Minnesota out from under No Child Left Behind's requirements over the last few years, but to no avail. For one thing, thumbing their noses at the federal government has a price: The loss of federal school funds.
According to the most recent estimates, Minnesota could forfeit $250 million a year if it decided to buck No Child Left Behind. Also, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been a supporter of the program, though his office was not available for comment on the current proposed legislation.
And ultimately, such efforts have gotten pushed behind more important education priorities, such as funding schools.
Nationally, the law, which was signed by President Bush in 2002, is up for reauthorization. But efforts to change or scrap it altogether have gotten mired down in Congress. Democratic presidential hopefuls have attacked it, and several, including Hillary Rodham Clinton and Bill Richardson, have said they will end it. Several leading Republican presidential candidates -- Mitt Romney, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani among them -- have voiced support for the law, according to published reports.
In a nutshell, No Child Left Behind aims to have every child proficient in reading and math by 2014. Every year, schools are responsible for making sure their students attain testing goals in reading and math. Schools can be penalized if a certain percentage of students -- including percentages of student subgroups such as black, Hispanic, poor and non-English-speaking students -- don't meet testing goals that rise every year.
Minnesota educators have generally opposed No Child Left Behind, saying it forces schools to devote too much time and money to testing and can result in tough penalties, such as the forced reorganization of entire schools if they fail to meet their goals for too many consecutive years.
Michel said the state can absorb the loss of federal funds because of all the money it would save by not having to adhere to the law. Indeed, a legislative auditor's report released in 2004 said that Minnesota schools would have to spend tens of millions of dollars to meet No Child Left Behind's requirements. Michel thinks the law's detractors include plenty of DFLers, but he is uncertain how much bipartisan support Republican senators can muster for a total withdrawal from the program.
"My sense is that there is bipartisan agreement that [NCLB] is not working," he said. "There may be some who don't want to go quite as far as withdrawing from it. I think we're just negotiating the terms of the divorce here."
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville and the leader of a previous effort to get Minnesota out of NCLB, said she wouldn't necessarily support the Republican effort.
"I think they're Johnny-come-latelies," she said. "To me, it's kind of cheap words right now when the president is sinking into the mud on so many issues, and now they can divorce themselves from him on this."
Greiling said that her position on NCLB has evolved into an "amend-it-don't-end-it" stance and that she wants to wait for Congress to decide what to do before committing to state action.
"It's not really a state action anymore," she said.

NCLB's aim

The No Child Left Behind, his framework for bipartisan education reform that he described as "the cornerstone of my Administration." President Bush emphasized his deep belief in our public schools, but an even greater concern that "too many of our neediest children are being left behind," despite the nearly $200 billion in Federal spending since the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). The President called for bipartisan solutions based on accountability, choice, and flexibility in Federal education programs.
Less than a year later, despite the unprecedented challenges of engineering an economic recovery while leading the Nation in the war on terrorism following the events of September 11, President Bush secured passage of the landmark No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB Act). The new law reflects a remarkable consensus-first articulated in the President's No Child Left Behind framework-on how to improve the performance of America's elementary and secondary schools while at the same time ensuring that no child is trapped in a failing school.
The NCLB Act, which reauthorizes the ESEA, incorporates the principles and strategies proposed by President Bush. These include increased accountability for States, school districts, and schools; greater choice for parents and students, particularly those attending low-performing schools; more flexibility for States and local educational agencies (LEAs) in the use of Federal education dollars; and a stronger emphasis on reading, especially for our youngest children.

Source:http://www.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.html