tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post7511883633532238188..comments2023-10-23T09:23:22.051-04:00Comments on Your Schools: Resistance builds as CMS test week continuesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-85414228977239871842011-07-07T08:07:23.471-04:002011-07-07T08:07:23.471-04:00All Exam Questions exams are included in all follo...All Exam Questions exams are included in all following packs, now you have to decide that which pack is most suitable for you.Exam Questionshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07136497038676594549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-57442056699658827242011-04-07T16:38:07.448-04:002011-04-07T16:38:07.448-04:00In response to 'Anonymous 8:54 am':
Althou...In response to 'Anonymous 8:54 am':<br />Although I was impressed by my student's critical thinking skills in realizing the potential impact failing the field test on purpose would have, in no way did I encourage my sixth graders to fail. I told them that they should do their best on the field tests, as they should in everything they do, whether or not it counts as a grade. <br />Just wanted to set the record straight. Thank you.<br />Courtney Krameracremarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03170631242135305157noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-17827603323345322332011-04-07T16:36:37.074-04:002011-04-07T16:36:37.074-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12328983641322023786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-57467219198968698412011-04-07T09:24:16.577-04:002011-04-07T09:24:16.577-04:00If all of this testing continues, the NC legislatu...If all of this testing continues, the NC legislature needs to allow a LOT more calendar flexibility so that our children truly have 180 INSTRUCTIONAL days with any testing days considered additional.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-38577463940189235702011-04-07T07:46:34.076-04:002011-04-07T07:46:34.076-04:00Bolyn, Seriously? The purpose of these tests is ve...Bolyn, Seriously? The purpose of these tests is very clear and has been made so. They are meant to measure teacher performance plain and simple.<br /><br />Are you proposing that CMS has concocted Pay for Performance as a ruse in order to test how parents are educating their kids?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-7389141669752923202011-04-07T06:59:26.178-04:002011-04-07T06:59:26.178-04:00WHAT DO THEY KNOW AND WHEN DID THEY KNOW IT?
The ...WHAT DO THEY KNOW AND WHEN DID THEY KNOW IT?<br /><br />The complaints about specific test questions are beginning to shed some like on what CMS wants to know. It appears, from the blog comments, that the school system is interested in discovering what information a child learned outside the classroom. In other words, how well are parents preparing their children to enter formal education.<br /><br />This might make sense. Teacher's biggest complaint is they shouldn't be held responsible for what students don't know. <br /><br />As an example: if a teacher asks a 1st grader how much is 1 apple plus 1 apple and the student says "what's an apple" then the part of the lesson plan based on "learning starts with common knowledge and experience" just gets wiped-out.<br /><br />It may be worth considering that the test have multiple purposes.<br /><br />Then again we could go with the other blog comments that the test were designed to irritate and inflame the community while dooming the children to jobs selling fries because of lost classroom hours. <br /><br />Bolyn McClung<br />CMSdollars.com<br />PinevilleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-498156225532329372011-04-07T06:40:30.574-04:002011-04-07T06:40:30.574-04:00My third grader took the science test yesterday. ...My third grader took the science test yesterday. He is a straight A student in the TD program. There were 50 questions. He said that he guessed on about 60% of the questions because they were not about things that his science class had ever studied. My sixth grader took the social studies test. She too is a straight A student in all honors classes. She said that she guessed on about half the questions - using test techniques she has learned to eliminate obviously incorrect answers. The questions related to subjects that she has not studied yet. How can these tests possibly be useful if over half the questions do not track the CMS course of study?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-50520104940795502942011-04-06T23:37:52.976-04:002011-04-06T23:37:52.976-04:00Anonymous 8:32--I too hate that the community has ...Anonymous 8:32--I too hate that the community has little voice in the direction of CMS, but this is nothing new. Under busing no one had any say over where their children would attend school. And as I recall every school had to be in lockstep on curriculum daily.<br /><br /> Ever since busing ended, many outside interest groups, such as the UNC Chapel Hill Center for Civil Rights, Gary Orfield at the UCLA Civil Rights Project, Roz Mickelson at UNCC, and Richard Kahlenburg with the Century Foundation have attempted to insert their opinions into our local assignment issues. You can find links to several of these folks on Meck Acts' webpage. And at their next meeting you might ask Meck Acts' leaders how they feel about busing and a community's right to choose how they will assign students.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-10166387526966270822011-04-06T20:40:22.368-04:002011-04-06T20:40:22.368-04:00I wrote the Speech and Debate curriculum and was n...I wrote the Speech and Debate curriculum and was not asked permission to have my intellectual property sent out to a testing company. I wrote the curriculum to help save programs. This curriculum has now been implemented in school systems across the country. I am proud of this and always willing to share the materials, but am incredibly irritated that my materials were sent to a company to be used for crafting a "test" without my permission. As CMS didn't pay for the rights to use my curriculum in the first place, I feel more than justified in my ire as I see that something that was created to provide resources for teachers and quality materials for students has now been bastardized for profit by a testing company and for a school system.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-65030684544500352162011-04-06T20:32:23.356-04:002011-04-06T20:32:23.356-04:00Anon 7:50,
Both of your points are indeed tr...Anon 7:50,<br /> Both of your points are indeed true. The equity issue slices in many directions for all socio-economic levels as well as the busing issues that have plagued this community for eternity. One point that was passionately voiced last night at the MecklenburgACTS meeting was the loss of a community voice in the direction of CMS. Many parents are concerned that outside political interest groups of all persuasions are trying to inject a product with little or no proven worth into what should be a local decision. It's unfortunate that the BOE has bent over for the Broad zombie leadership manifesto in the name of what's best for your student while ignoring the daily beatings and lack of security many students "enjoy."<br /><br />"Comrades!" he cried. "You do not imagine that we pigs are doing this in a spirit of selfishness and privilege?" Many of us actually dislike the milk and apples. I dislike them myself. Our sole object in taking these things is to preserve our health. Milk and apples (this has been proved by Science, comrades) contain substances absolutely necessary to the well-being of a pig. We pigs are brainworkers. The whole management and organization of this farm depend on us. Day and night we are watching over your welfare. It is for your sake that we drink that milk and eat those apples."<br /><br />Animal Farm, George OrwellAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-34932219009026144302011-04-06T20:27:41.424-04:002011-04-06T20:27:41.424-04:00Here's where the test questions have come from...Here's where the test questions have come from...teaching experience is "ideal".<br /><br />Job Description from Measurement Inc:<br /><br />Responsibilities<br /><br />Write test items in reading, mathematics, science, or social studies at the elementary, middle, and secondary levels. Training and very specific writing assignments will be provided. Assignments are completed on a contract basis, and the item writer completes assignments off-site.<br /><br />Qualifications<br /><br />A bachelor’s degree is required. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching in the subject and grade level. Experience in writing test items is also desirable. The ability to write in accordance with externally imposed specifications is essential.<br /><br />Salary<br /><br />The amount of payment varies by item type but ranges from $15 to $30 per item accepted, depending on content and format.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-28248043006074465082011-04-06T19:50:57.992-04:002011-04-06T19:50:57.992-04:00I am glad people are up in arms about this; but ho...I am glad people are up in arms about this; but honestly there are more things in CMS that are concerning to me. For example the wasteful spending of the transportation department and the lack of equity for students. That to me is a more pressing issue that the Observer is ignoring.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-40593114439239164872011-04-06T19:19:47.878-04:002011-04-06T19:19:47.878-04:00The insanity of field tests and PfP reminded me of...The insanity of field tests and PfP reminded me of George Orwell's 1984, especially these quotations:<br /><br />"The essential act of the Party [CMS] is to use conscious deception while retaining the firmness of purpose that goes with complete honesty."<br /><br />"Power is not a means, it is an end. One [Pete] does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one [Pete] makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship."<br /><br />"The purpose of Newspeak [Petespeak] was not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to the devotees of Ingsoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible."<br /><br />"It was like swimming against a current that swept you backwards however hard you struggled, and then suddenly deciding to turn round and go with the current instead of opposing it. Nothing had changed except your own attitude; the predestined thing happened in any case."<br /><br />"Until they [teachers] become conscious they will never rebel, and until after they have rebelled they cannot become conscious."<br /><br />"It's the one thing they [CMS] can't do. They [CMS] can make you say anything - anything - but they [CMS] can't make you believe it. They [CMS] can't get inside you."Wornout_Teachernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-83584369734279246432011-04-06T19:15:07.971-04:002011-04-06T19:15:07.971-04:00Teachers should be able to participate in a confid...Teachers should be able to participate in a confidence vote on Dr. Gorman's leadership. I urge all parents to speak at this Tuesday's school board meeting to demand that the school board send a survey to all CMS teachers that would allow them to vote on whether they have confidence in Dr. Gorman's ability to lead them.<br /><br />Dr. Gorman has been in his job for six years. If teacher morale was low when he took the job, he has had ample time to change that. If not, than the low teacher morale that sullies the current educational climate has happened on his watch. Either way, Dr. Gorman has not done his job.<br /><br />While he cannot be blamed for the repeated teacher layoffs year after year or the lack of pay raises, Dr. Gorman is to blame for trying to implement this ridiculous system of standardized testing that cuts into instructional time and the pay for performance plan that is linked to it. There is no excuse to spend $2.3 million on testing plus an exorbitant salary of $93k for Mr. Baxter's position at a time when fourth grade students will find themselves in classes of 32 students (next year) because of more teacher layoffs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-90729783847173454332011-04-06T18:23:31.714-04:002011-04-06T18:23:31.714-04:00Half A League
Half A League
Into The Valey Rode T...Half A League<br />Half A League<br /><br />Into The Valey Rode The 600Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-34895670921908063722011-04-06T17:55:02.094-04:002011-04-06T17:55:02.094-04:00You know , as a CMS teacher I thought I was living...You know , as a CMS teacher I thought I was living a nightmare when Gorman fired many of our top performing Math and Science teachers . I thought it was the end of the world when he replaced some caring productive Principals with detached ineffective “strategic staffer” Administrators. But to read about some of the questions on the field test for kindergarten students truly confirms…CMS is being run by a mad man!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-34169196949470088262011-04-06T17:45:39.938-04:002011-04-06T17:45:39.938-04:00I just took one of the field tests today.
If anyon...I just took one of the field tests today.<br />If anyone wants my answers-<br />ABACADABA, CAB, DAD, BAD, AAA, CCC, DDD, BBB.<br />Anyone with kindergarten level vocab can take the chemistry field test!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-11526398919539614302011-04-06T17:44:51.391-04:002011-04-06T17:44:51.391-04:00Can someone explain why 5th graders took a field t...Can someone explain why 5th graders took a field test in science today when NC already has a 5th grade EOG in science? Why would CMS pay for a test that NC is already giving?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-60154773578929477442011-04-06T17:43:05.282-04:002011-04-06T17:43:05.282-04:00Yeah, but it posts some REALLY long comments. I...Yeah, but it posts some REALLY long comments. I've noticed that sometimes comments with web links get filtered, but that's not consistent either. Oh well -- I'm still mystified by the system, but at least I finally know where to find the disappearing comments.Ann Doss Helmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03511764376105157616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-17734771600115055252011-04-06T17:24:45.769-04:002011-04-06T17:24:45.769-04:00Ann, I finally divided my post into small paragrap...Ann, I finally divided my post into small paragraphs rather than one long paragraph. Then it stayed posted. Perhaps it filters for ease of reading. I was beginning to think it just didn't care for my opinion!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-84182714500082085842011-04-06T17:01:48.003-04:002011-04-06T17:01:48.003-04:00To the person trying repeatedly to post: Sorry! I ...To the person trying repeatedly to post: Sorry! I checked the spam filter this morning, but it kicked into overdrive this afternoon. I just restored the ones that weren't duplicates of your message. I have no idea why it was being filtered before and was finally posted intact.Ann Doss Helmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03511764376105157616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-91075096778242183522011-04-06T16:56:34.213-04:002011-04-06T16:56:34.213-04:00Also, Kindergarten students are required to WRITE ...Also, Kindergarten students are required to WRITE answers (as SENTENCES) to answer social studies questions. Writing is a language arts objective, not a social studies objective at this age. You can't determine a child's social studies knowledge if they were unable to WRITE the answer to the social studies question, because in that question you are testing their WRITING ability. Anyone who has taking a basic assessment methods class in college knows that. This is akin to asking a dyslexic child to read word problems on a math test. They will fail because they cannot access the math question, based on their reading ability. So these students have the math test read to them because the math test is supposed to assess their MATH ability not their READING ability.Wornout_Teachernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-72471435120263114702011-04-06T16:52:19.563-04:002011-04-06T16:52:19.563-04:00One Kindergarten science question asks students to...One Kindergarten science question asks students to identify which tool is used to measure the wind. The "answer" is a "wind vane." First, that is not the commonly used term for that item; the commonly used term is "weather vane". Second, it doesn't "measure" anything, it indicated wind direction. An anemometer "measures" wind speed. Yes, KINDERGARTEN test. I feel like I am living out the novel 1984. Testing is learning. Bubbling is thinking.Wornout_Teachernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-75570786177034066692011-04-06T16:49:04.314-04:002011-04-06T16:49:04.314-04:00There are questions that could border on violating...There are questions that could border on violating students' equal access to education. A question asking the student to tell two symbols of Christmas, with one of the possible correct answers being, I quote, "Baby Jesus". Student would receive 0 points for the question if they could not name any symbols of Christmas. So, if you do not celebrate Christmas, and schools are not encouraged to display religious symbols around Christmas, you would get that question wrong, thus potentially lowering your final score, if the test were theoretically a part of a student's grade in the class. That is wrong. These tests are testing cultural knowledge and background knowledge, not what students are learning in school.<br />Some other gems:<br />Tell what a veteran is and why we celebrate Veterans' Day.<br />Tell why we celebrate Memorial Day (which we don't, except for having the day off from school!)<br />Tell why/how we celebrate Earth Day.<br />OH, these questions are on the Kindergarten test by the way.<br />Yes, this really is happening.Wornout_Teachernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4020455191286536580.post-30472963506173142522011-04-06T15:57:01.823-04:002011-04-06T15:57:01.823-04:00One more try--repeat of repeat of repeat that have...One more try--repeat of repeat of repeat that have all disappeared-- Anonymous who sought answers at her school--You acted in a very reasonable manner by approaching your principal with your questions. You were wise to recognize that not all information coming forth on this blog may be accurate or complete (the nature of the beast).<br /><br /> I wish that CMS could reveal the test questions (after the tests have been taken) so the public could judge accurately what's going on, rather than relying on blog reports.<br /><br /> I think all sides, including CMS and the media, have erred on how this has been presented to the public. This issue is overshadowing everything else, with crucial budget decisions coming up soon. Shame on everyone for creating such a sense of hysteria!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com