Keep on digging Pearson

[mrswagbhinav]

We've had over a decade of standardized testing in the US. It's time to put the test, to the test. The original goal was to narrow the achievement gap and

boost our scores relative to the rest of the world. Well a 2013 study has found no support for the idea that No Child Left Behind has narrowed the achievement gap. Our scores on the international tests have not only failed to rise, they're slightly down. I am 7th grader in New Jersey and up till last year our standardized testing was the NJ ASK, it was written test that took five days to administer and it was grades 3-12. Now Pearson who's reputation among us and most parents is equal to Time Warner Cable's reputation among us, came up with the PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PARCC)This is like the NJ ASK, only the questions are all in A and B format which has two questions that correspond with each other, it's all on computers and tablets, and the negativity to it is insane. Everyone hates the test: the teachers, students, most parents. It basically takes what we have learned about standardized testing in the last couple years are puts it down the drain. For the survey the proccedes each section of the PARCC most of the 7th grade wrote a five-paragraph essay on why the PARCC is bad. It was hilarious most people were just bashing Chris Christie and others Pearson. Not only the content of the text horrible, the technology we use to take it is laughable. We take them on Chromebooks and iPads. Half the time I spend taking the test was switching questions or waiting for the text to pop up when I type something. It can hardly keep up with 10 WPM, much less my 80 WPM. I think the only way to solve this is by getting heavy feedback from students and teachers. 90% of the material taught at my school (and probably at most schools) are testing related So basically I'm learning what to expect on the test, then failing it anyway. Fuck dude, how's the education system in Europe? What do you think about all this bs?

 

 

 

 

 

Source: 

  American students face a ridiculous amount of testing. John Oliver explains how standardized tests impact school funding, the achievement gap, how often kids are expected to throw up.       

[Fred Castellum]

Doesn't help that the mentality among lots of students is to do bare minimum so they can spend their time elsewhere. Standardized tests are a brilliant way to hold back the progressive students while setting a bar at which others can just linger at.

 

It's like a transient testing standard that somehow keeps coming back to bite those who have the potential to excelled in education. There has to be some initiative to inspire students to achieve more, something to instill the ambition we had back then. 

[Jaybird]

Americans do not test the best but we have a lot of creative and deteined minds which leads to our countries success. Standardized test are just a way to create uniformity but it in it self is flawed. They are more of a mind game than they are a test.

[TheKDub]

We just need to get rid of all these fucking bullshit standardized tests already.... They aren't doing anyone any good, they are just causing more stress for students...

[mrswagbhinav]

Doesn't help that the mentality among lots of students is to do bare minimum so they can spend their time elsewhere. Standardized tests are a brilliant way to hold back the progressive students while setting a bar at which others can just linger at.

 

It's like a transient testing standard that somehow keeps coming back to bite those who have the potential to excelled in education. There has to be some initiative to inspire students to achieve more, something to instill the ambition we had back then. 

This may surprise you but most of this generation's youth are not dumb-asses addicted to their mum's phone. We all plan ahead. We play in bands, join a team, practice all day, work on our hobbies. About 40% of my grade is doing math a year ahead their grade level. Another 15% is doing math two years ahead. A measly two people are doing math from 3 and 4 years ahead of their grade level. The competition is insane as well. You need to do everything to be successful. You need to play a sport, have good grades, be two years ahead in math, be socially active. That's an awful lot of stress for no reason. My parent's generation had very little competition. They just did above average, which wasn't hard because average was a 50/100 and moved to the USA. School in general is nothing more than a fictional environment developed over centuries to condone individuality and freedom of expression. What is taught is irrelevant subjects in today's advancing world and exposes you to unnecessary emotional distress and physical violence.

[Fred Castellum]

We just need to get rid of all these fucking bullshit standardized tests already.... They aren't doing anyone any good, they are just causing more stress for students...

Stress? Standardized tests are usually a walk in the ballpark... they aren't hard at all really... 

 

The student mass just does bare minimum to pass them in most schools... hence the low standards of education. Standardized test sets a bar for education to be passable but that bar is too low and nothing it does inspires ambition to go above and beyond.

[mrswagbhinav]

The student mass just does bare minimum to pass them in most schools... hence the low standards of education. Standardized test sets a bar for education to be passable but that bar is too low and nothing it does inspires ambition to go above and beyond.

 

 

What do you know about the student mass? It's constantly changing and you're 21 and probably out of college with a job. The student mass imo is anyone in school above age 11. You talk about standardized tests and they can be easy but you completely ignore my other points. We don't even have the time to study for them. This is my typical day: I get around 1-2 hours of homework a night and play soccer for which I have training for everyday (Not there at the moment because my coach is at a wedding) I get home around 6:30 and then shower. At 7:00 I eat dinner with my family which lasts around an hour. So at 8:00 I start my 1-2 hours of homework which doesn't even count for the studying I have to do afterwards. I get done with homework and study till 11:00 Then wake up at 5:00 the next day to get ready for before school band practice. (I play Bb Clarinet)

 

[Firearm2112]

I took PARCC. 

 

It was the easiest fucking thing ive ever had to take. So please stop bitching about it. 

[mrswagbhinav]

I took PARCC. 

 

It was the easiest fucking thing ive ever had to take. So please stop bitching about it. 

I'm not complaining about it being hard. It was fucking easy. Hell, I finished it in under 20 minutes and we were given 90. I'm complaining about the concept and the reason behind it.

[Firearm2112]

I'm not complaining about it being hard. It was fucking easy. Hell, I finished it in under 20 minutes and we were given 90. I'm complaining about the concept and the reason behind it.

Ah yes. I completely obliterated all the sections, in 20 minutes or less.  There was a few parents who opted their children out of the test. Fucking parents. Trying to shield their kids from the real world. The survey part was my absolute favorite! The teachers in the room would walk by the kids who were on the survey and say: "(student name) tell them how you really feel!" 

 

even though standerized testing is a waste of time, i quite enjoyed it. i was very creative with my surveys and the one English writting response I got to do. 

 

Did you have to use the math online calculator? The text inputter in calculator were terrible

[Trik'Stari]

Standardized testing has ALWAYS been a joke to me. I've gotten A's on literally every standardized test I've ever taken, barring math tests (that require actual skill).

[Fred Castellum]

This may surprise you but most of this generation's youth are not dumb-asses addicted to their mum's phone. We all plan ahead. We play in bands, join a team, practice all day, work on our hobbies. About 40% of my grade is doing math a year ahead their grade level. Another 15% is doing math two years ahead. A measly two people are doing math from 3 and 4 years ahead of their grade level. The competition is insane as well. You need to do everything to be successful. You need to play a sport, have good grades, be two years ahead in math, be socially active. That's an awful lot of stress for no reason. My parent's generation had very little competition. They just did above average, which wasn't hard because average was a 50/100 and moved to the USA. School in general is nothing more than a fictional environment developed over centuries to condone individuality and freedom of expression. What is taught is irrelevant subjects in today's advancing world and exposes you to unnecessary emotional distress and physical violence.

Surprise me? Haha I haven't had a nice surprise in a long time.... 

I never said this generations youth are dumb-asses. I'm just pointing out the obvious flaw in the standardized tests, in which creates a low bar of achievement and no drive to push it higher. I like how you are analyzing what you see around you and elaborating to me what you perceive in your idea of what it takes to be successful. I would like to point out however that there are many things that you still haven't been faced with yet so there is still much knowledge and wisdom to be obtained, I myself have much to learn about various things... I will have to disagree with you on what it takes to be successful, there are many ways to be successful and many self perceived definitions of what success is. Some people are successful because of their focus on one field of education, some are successful due to good planning of the future, some are successful by pure luck such as being in the right place at the right time, and some are successful because of their position in life. Successful in what? Financially? Successful in finding his/her own happiness? Or successful sociality? Spreading your time and getting a taste of sports, academics, and socially will make you a jack of all trades unless your some prodigy that excels in one thing, or happen to excel in all things you try to do. What is success to you? 

 

What is the average we are looking for here? Average of the typical student in the US? Or the average of the nations education compared to the rest of the world? I find that the comparison to the rest of the world to be the utmost importance in such a discussion, of course I'm not saying the in nation comparison should be overlooked however since it is vital to the making or breaking the point we are at now. 

 

 

What do you know about the student mass? It's constantly changing and you're 21 and probably out of college with a job. The student mass imo is anyone in school above age 11. You talk about standardized tests and they can be easy but you completely ignore my other points. We don't even have the time to study for them. This is my typical day: I get around 1-2 hours of homework a night and play soccer for which I have training for everyday (Not there at the moment because my coach is at a wedding) I get home around 6:30 and then shower. At 7:00 I eat dinner with my family which lasts around an hour. So at 8:00 I start my 1-2 hours of homework which doesn't even count for the studying I have to do afterwards. I get done with homework and study till 11:00 Then wake up at 5:00 the next day to get ready for before school band practice. (I play Bb Clarinet)

What I know about the student mass is from my prior experiences in education, stories of prior experiences from people older and younger than me such as my younger brother who is still in school. 

I have never been to college so I can't speak about my personal experiences in higher education such as that. I am employed so I do have standing on talking about my opinion and experience of how it is when you leave education and are out on your own. 

 

I don't know everything but I do like instilling conversation and thought on such things, I think you've come under the impression I'm belittling your generation which is not my intention. My intention is to try to get others to think about such topics, discuss, brainstorm, share ideas, and learn.

 

Push yourself to improve! Raise the your own standards! It can only do you good in the future.

[mrswagbhinav]

Ah yes. I completely obliterated all the sections, in 20 minutes or less.  There was a few parents who opted their children out of the test. Fucking parents. Trying to shield their kids from the real world. The survey part was my absolute favorite! The teachers in the room would walk by the kids who were on the survey and say: "(student name) tell them how you really feel!" 

 

even though standerized testing is a waste of time, i quite enjoyed it. i was very creative with my surveys and the one English writting response I got to do. 

 

Did you have to use the math online calculator? The text inputter in calculator were terrible

There was one but we had an option of a hard calculator and I immediately took it. We weren't allowed to use our own however. Only theirs and they weren't scientific. Yeah I had a lot of fun with the survey. I was bashing Chris Christie and Pearson and wrote a five or six paragraph "essay" hell I somehow incorporated his weight into the thesis

[mrswagbhinav]

Surprise me? Haha I haven't had a nice surprise in a long time.... 

I never said this generations youth are dumb-asses. I'm just pointing out the obvious flaw in the standardized tests, in which creates a low bar of achievement and no drive to push it higher. I like how you are analyzing what you see around you and elaborating to me what you perceive in your idea of what it takes to be successful. I would like to point out however that there are many things that you still haven't been faced with yet so there is still much knowledge and wisdom to be obtained, I myself have much to learn about various things... I will have to disagree with you on what it takes to be successful, there are many ways to be successful and many self perceived definitions of what success is. Some people are successful because of their focus on one field of education, some are successful due to good planning of the future, some are successful by pure luck such as being in the right place at the right time, and some are successful because of their position in life. Successful in what? Financially? Successful in finding his/her own happiness? Or successful socially? Spreading your time and getting a taste of sports, academics, and socially will make you a jack of all trades unless your some prodigy that excels in one thing, or happen to excel in all things you try to do. What is success to you? 

 

What is the average we are looking for here? Average of the typical student in the US? Or the average of the nations education compared to the rest of the world? I find that the comparison to the rest of the world to be the utmost importance in such a discussion, of course I'm not saying the in nation comparison should be overlooked however since it is vital to the making or breaking the point we are at now. 

 

What I know about the student mass is from my prior experiences in education, stories of prior experiences from people older and younger than me such as my younger brother who is still in school. 

I have never been to college so I can't speak about my personal experiences in higher education such as that. I am employed so I do have standing on talking about my opinion and experience of how it is when you leave education and are out on your own. 

 

I don't know everything but I do like instilling conversation and thought on such things, I think you've come under the impression I'm belittling your generation which is not my intention. My intention is to try to get others to think about such topics, discuss, brainstorm, share ideas, and learn.

 

Push yourself to improve! Raise the your own standards! It can only do you good in the future.

Well we have a LTT community in the middle school I guess that's a start. There's only three people but it's probably more than many middle schools. What we are taught is you need to be a jack of all trades to get into a decent college and get non-minimum wage job. We are literally brainwashed into thinking that and it's probably not true but we've believed it for such a long time it gets to us.

[Firearm2112]

There was one but we had an option of a hard calculator and I immediately took it. We weren't allowed to use our own however. Only theirs and they weren't scientific. Yeah I had a lot of fun with the survey. I was bashing Chris Christie and Pearson and wrote a five or six paragraph "essay" hell I somehow incorporated his weight into the thesis

I also opted for the hand calculator, as the computerized one was useless. Nice man, I also had a lot of fun on the survey. I said stuff like "To the guy who is reading this, just stand up and walk out. This isn't worth the minimum wage you get paid to sit and read through all these surveys" and "Hey CEO of Pearson, how about you sell a few of your yachts, and use that money to fix the shitstorm PARCC is. Whats that? You don't have the money for any of that because Chris Christe spends your salary on food?"

 

ahh the days of parcc. so wow. much fun

[Fred Castellum]

Well we have a LTT community in the middle school I guess that's a start. There's only three people but it's probably more than many middle schools. What we are taught is you need to be a jack of all trades to get into a decent college and get non-minimum wage job. We are literally brainwashed into thinking that and it's probably not true but we've believed it for such a long time it gets to us.

Is it? I guess from your experience it's like that, however from what I hear from others still in school now that is not the case. It's good to test the waters of different things, but it's not necessarily going to get your far if you spend all your time doing all these different things because you think it's to be expected of you. 

 

It's pretty standard for my generation to all go to higher education and graduate with a degree to find a nonstandard job, I took a different route. There is no one static recipe for achieving everyone's universal definition of success. Everything is dynamic, and you should do what you believe is in your best interest to get to where you want to be. 

 

If you know your being brainwashed then your technically not brainwashed right? No need to be a jack of all trades if you don't want to be. Go dabble in different things, find out what you like doing and keep doing it.

[mrswagbhinav]

I also opted for the hand calculator, as the computerized one was useless. Nice man, I also had a lot of fun on the survey. I said stuff like "To the guy who is reading this, just stand up and walk out. This isn't worth the minimum wage you get paid to sit and read through all these surveys" and "Hey CEO of Pearson, how about you sell a few of your yachts, and use that money to fix the shitstorm PARCC is. Whats that? You don't have the money for any of that because Chris Christe spends your salary on food?"

 

ahh the days of parcc. so wow. much fun

What grade are you? 7th over here

 

[Firearm2112]

What grade are you? 7th over here

 

high school

[mrswagbhinav]

high school

but like which half, first 2 years or second 2

[Trik'Stari]

Is it? I guess from your experience it's like that, however from what I hear from others still in school now that is not the case. It's good to test the waters of different things, but it's not necessarily going to get your far if you spend all your time doing all these different things because you think it's to be expected of you. 

 

It's pretty standard for my generation to all go to higher education and graduate with a degree to find a nonstandard job, I took a different route. There is no one static recipe for achieving everyone's universal definition of success. Everything is dynamic, and you should do what you believe is in your best interest to get to where you want to be. 

 

If you know your being brainwashed then your technically not brainwashed right? No need to be a jack of all trades if you don't want to be. Go dabble in different things, find out what you like doing and keep doing it.

I don't think I've EVER so strongly agreed with a comment in the entire time I have been on LTT.

 

I'm going to college now, but only to get my foot in the door and open myself to knew avenues. I look at a job in networking security as a means to an end, not as an end itself. I don't want to be a network admin when I'm 50, I want to be officially "retired" (have enough income to->) and free to pursue my own hobbies and interests as a means of making money, things like case designs, black smithing, game creation (I have ideas) etc.

[Zeke]

Not gonna speak for the entire Europe, but our Russian PARCC analogue is retarded.

(Guess what, it's hard to make one unified test for a country that occupies ~8 timezones)

[BuckGup]

I just took them and they are really dumb. Also if you discuss anything about the tests you get suspended 

[mrswagbhinav]

I just took them and they are really dumb. Also if you discuss anything about the tests you get suspended 

Really?! Well everyone discussed questions and certain specifics so we should all get suspended...

[mrswagbhinav]

Is it? I guess from your experience it's like that, however from what I hear from others still in school now that is not the case. It's good to test the waters of different things, but it's not necessarily going to get your far if you spend all your time doing all these different things because you think it's to be expected of you. 

 

It's pretty standard for my generation to all go to higher education and graduate with a degree to find a nonstandard job, I took a different route. There is no one static recipe for achieving everyone's universal definition of success. Everything is dynamic, and you should do what you believe is in your best interest to get to where you want to be. 

 

If you know your being brainwashed then your technically not brainwashed right? No need to be a jack of all trades if you don't want to be. Go dabble in different things, find out what you like doing and keep doing it.

If I lived my life the way I think I should it would definitely be much better. But it's not possible. It is physically but with the type of parents I have it's not. My plan is to go with the "flow" for a couple more years then pursue whatever interests me. If it requires a degree then I'll go to college.

[Guest]

PARCC tests prevented me from learning and fucked up my Science, Math and all other classes due to the schedule my school had. I got a lucky A in science last quarter but it would've been a 95% instead of a 90% if we had another test that would have existed without PARCC. Don't get me started on math...