tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post7907157806374657352..comments2024-03-29T01:46:51.442-04:00Comments on Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: Parents don’t look the other wayLisa Nielsenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-92222026071952470572012-05-29T23:17:16.413-04:002012-05-29T23:17:16.413-04:00Sounds like you have a guest post in ya Anonymous....Sounds like you have a guest post in ya Anonymous. Feel free to email me a submission. I think readers here would love an elaboration on these thoughts and ideas.Lisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-60358642107307622582012-05-29T22:52:46.550-04:002012-05-29T22:52:46.550-04:00At the same time, an ideal (emphasis on the word i...At the same time, an ideal (emphasis on the word ideal) strategy would be a "squeeze": pressure from the top down and bottom up. If you get the right prominent voices attached to a movement like this, there may be greater influence in Washington.<br /><br />Oh, and I think we need a "Roger and Me" type of documentary that is a muckraking look at testing/textbook companies like Pearson. It might get mainstream people thinking some more about what's happening.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-58274042835744870512012-05-29T22:45:49.313-04:002012-05-29T22:45:49.313-04:00Agree. Overly complicated. i believe that testing...Agree. Overly complicated. i believe that testing is the most expensive and least effective ways to assess kids. I also believe parents have rights over schools in protecting kids. <br /><br />Crazy I know, but I think this should be left to folks as follows: parents, schools, communities/districts, states. <br /><br />Look all these politicians send their kids to private schools where this crap doesn't exist for a variety of reasons. This whole thing is a sham and a debacle, but in the meantime, some folks are getting very rich and some kids are getting very sick.Lisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-82970323504497568492012-05-29T22:40:52.724-04:002012-05-29T22:40:52.724-04:00Fair enough. So ... what's your take on the o...Fair enough. So ... what's your take on the opt-out application process for NCLB? It seems overly complicated (shocking, I know). <br /><br />If the administration wants to change the law and is concerned that Congress hasn't done anything to change NCLB in five years because they can't agree on what to do (again, this is shocking), why don't they just put a temporary freeze on the testing requirements for a particular number of years and ask for student date from states after that freeze period so it can compare it to data from testing and they can show that testing isn't necessary?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-84253938156087543072012-05-29T22:32:28.873-04:002012-05-29T22:32:28.873-04:00Of course we look at an entire picture. This is bu...Of course we look at an entire picture. This is but one of more than a thousand articles in just one blog, but in relation to the focus of this particular article, Texas is taking actions that are leading the way when it comes to standardized testing.Lisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-42901108104333938932012-05-29T22:27:34.083-04:002012-05-29T22:27:34.083-04:00I never said that you should stop working on one i...I never said that you should stop working on one issue to work on another, I just think that you need to look at the entire picture here, because as much as there is an attack on students' learning via high-stakes testing, there is a coordinated attack on students' learning via politically motivated changes to statewide curricula (sp?). It's an issue to take on and pay attention IN ADDITION TO testing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-47748679694600400212012-05-29T22:20:35.434-04:002012-05-29T22:20:35.434-04:00Anonymous,
You don't stop working on one issu...Anonymous, <br />You don't stop working on one issue just because another issue exists. I agree with the issues you point out and the more people working to address each of them, the better.Lisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-83132234939730552222012-05-29T22:17:27.897-04:002012-05-29T22:17:27.897-04:00But if the curriculum is still being changed to su...But if the curriculum is still being changed to suit the political whims of TPTB, testing or no testing, there's still harm being done.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-29921292703164979592012-05-29T21:59:45.927-04:002012-05-29T21:59:45.927-04:00You can see what Texas is doing at the link below....You can see what Texas is doing at the link below. In short, school districts, one by one, are passing a resolution that says an “over reliance” on standardized high stakes testing is “strangling our public schools and undermining any chance that educators have to transform a traditional system of schooling into a broad range of learning experiences that better prepares our students to live successfully and be competitive on a global stage.”<br /><br />So far, more than 100 districts have passed the resolution which asks state education officials to take a new approach to assessing students.<br /><br />http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/in-texas-a-revolt-brews-against-standardized-testing/2012/03/15/gIQAI5N0VS_blog.htmlLisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-38981355666461266142012-05-29T20:03:49.697-04:002012-05-29T20:03:49.697-04:00You should talk more about that stuff, too. In ad...You should talk more about that stuff, too. In addition to testing being dangerous to our educational system, there are dangerous people who are making decisions based on the whims of their own beliefs, which aren't shared by everyone. This affects children as much as a push to test, test, test, and can be just as harmful.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-4185146152936634252012-05-29T19:40:10.736-04:002012-05-29T19:40:10.736-04:00Yes @Anonymous, the things you point out are not t...Yes @Anonymous, the things you point out are not those which I would hold up. What the parents, ed leaders and others are doing to stand up to this madness is what I applaud.Lisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-9058478520260412232012-05-29T17:17:28.744-04:002012-05-29T17:17:28.744-04:00You're using Texas as something to hold up? S...You're using Texas as something to hold up? Shouldn't it be the opposite -- after all, this is a state where a group with fringe political views is driving massive changes in science and social studies curriculum that because Texas is the largest purchaser of textbooks will have a ripple effect throughout the country. And we're not talking about minor things, but things like the complete whitewashing, Christian-izing, and Republican-izing of American history.<br /><br />Plus, Texas is also the state where a judge sentenced a student to time in jail for truancy because she kept missing school in order to support her family.<br /><br />Texas? Really?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-43859706826465578272012-05-29T07:33:11.283-04:002012-05-29T07:33:11.283-04:00If you dare ~watch how any child can learn ANYTHIN...If you dare ~watch how any child can learn ANYTHING if interested just as we do as adults!<br /><br />http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/sugata_mitra_the_child_driven_education.htmlBetteAnnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537008916403438066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-42489328969862773232012-05-29T07:29:49.932-04:002012-05-29T07:29:49.932-04:00wow. The poor children who are not FREE. Free to e...wow. The poor children who are not FREE. Free to explore what interests them and to have parents who send them off to be babysat at an institution where they are punished by rewards and dangling carrots. Where they are taught to sit down, be quiet and laughed at if they ask questions. Where they are humiliated by having to even ask to use a rest room. ACK!<br />The old and vastly growing obsolete notion that a system can teach anything will only be a faint memory in the near future, unless we can have *schools* like Summer Hill~ A FREE school. Somehow those words are an oxymoron though when put in the same sentence. We do not need teachers, just people of all ages who are interested and excited about learning new things.BetteAnnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05537008916403438066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-82732716892687966252012-05-28T20:22:13.742-04:002012-05-28T20:22:13.742-04:00The problem is the conversation. Look NO up. You...The problem is the conversation. Look NO up. You can do what you feel forced to do and I will do what is right for MY family. Do you really think incentives, test rewards and etc is praticed at my home. NO. The reward is a good life. Self worth. But you weren't talking to me, because I do not have conversation after the word NO. Dale Lynn Franks (wish I could make a profile, time is short and my kids brains are to calling) Good DayAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-11935257141909862292012-05-28T20:11:05.335-04:002012-05-28T20:11:05.335-04:00You are WRONG Anonymous. Due to the way you were ...You are WRONG Anonymous. Due to the way you were educated I do not expect you to, not only know, but also understand The United States of America. This dear Anonymous is a REPUBLIC. And it is worth keeping they it was. I was lucky. My education came before social justice and any left tipping thought. I hope to protect my children come next April. What my children were put through at age 7 will never happen again. I had no idea I would ever have to protect them from school. I hope I get the support this fine Mother and her son have. God Bless America even the idiots. Dale Lynn FranksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-70445311945615203012012-05-28T09:00:44.811-04:002012-05-28T09:00:44.811-04:00I am old school. I do things like corporal punish...I am old school. I do things like corporal punishment. I certainly don't go around touting student rights on floats in 21st century Ed parades. However, I agree with this article 100% because true old school respects parent choices. I only lay out what to outcomes are, then ask the parent what they want. If they opt out of all of my options, they are saying that they want to deal with it. Ergo, I tell them to come on up. That's on discipline. This test thing isn't much different. <br />Me: Your kiddo needs to test.<br /><br />Parent: I don't want him to test.<br /><br />Me: Okay, but what will he do during the test? Most of the school is testing. I'll honor parent choices, but I won't do favors.<br /><br />Parent: That's your call.<br /><br />Me: Nope, it WAS my call.<br /><br />Parent: Just have him work on homework.<br /><br />Me: Which teacher should I especially assign to watch you kiddo do this HOMEwork? Sounds like a favor there.<br /><br />Parent: Fine, I'll keep him home.<br /><br />Me: Sounds good, I'll just need something in writing saying that you kept him home Bc you didn't want him tested. Also that you recognize this affects his attendance, any attendance incentives, test reward incentives, etc. That way I can justify a blank test to this silly state that issues the nonsense.<br /><br />There are enough natural consequences in the system. I don't need to invent new ones.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-58751105194917544122012-05-27T20:03:25.917-04:002012-05-27T20:03:25.917-04:00The primary purpose of any educational establishme...The primary purpose of any educational establishment is to provide a service. This case was a customer service failure plain and simple. Had this happened to my son, I may well have been in the Principal's office giving him a dressing down for his impertinence. But, in fact, I would have expected to have had a close enough relationship with the school and its staff for my request to be readily acceded to, since I was never a parent who could be satisfied with dropping my child off at the school gate and hoping for the best, and maybe that's an issue in there somewhere. One thing I learned from my years as a stay-at-home dad, however, is that many people believe it's perfectly okay to behave towards mothers in ways that they wouldn't dream of behaving towards me and the only reason for that was because I'm a man. Perhaps the world needs more Boadiceas and fewer acquiescent sheep who have forgotten their responsibility to their children.Bob Collierhttp://www.parental-intelligence.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-82722145430808443502012-05-27T09:11:52.195-04:002012-05-27T09:11:52.195-04:00I find it so cowardly that 'Anonymous' ref...I find it so cowardly that 'Anonymous' refuses to reveal his true identity yet is quick to criticize and inflame the conversation about testing, Nazis, etc. if a parent feels it is in the best interests of his/her child to abstain from taking the state standardized test so the child does not have to suffer emotionally or psychologically, I wholeheartedly support that. I taught over 20 years in Texas and we 'talked' testing from day 1 to the last day to prepare for the next year. I tried to absorb much of the pressure put on us as educators but the students feel the pressure and recognize the significance of the high stakes tests. Many times I had students with severe stomach aches, throw up or crying because they were so afraid they were not going to do well on the tests. I wouldn't want my child to go through that for 6 hours a day for two to three days straight during testing week for an eight year old.Kim Caisehttp://kimcaise.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-68597052110332257962012-05-27T08:41:26.979-04:002012-05-27T08:41:26.979-04:00I'm not sure it'd be far off the mark to s...I'm not sure it'd be far off the mark to say that taking the autocratic approach might be the result of the workings of a limited mind.Lisa Cooleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13395200368753029675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-82691137428309471292012-05-27T08:40:02.738-04:002012-05-27T08:40:02.738-04:00Well, I guess I walked into that one, but...it'...Well, I guess I walked into that one, but...it's there for means of comparison. A principal doesn't have to to be autocratic in application of New York's rule about high-stakes tests. He opted to be autocratic.Lisa Cooleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13395200368753029675noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-24146597663960415202012-05-27T08:37:24.130-04:002012-05-27T08:37:24.130-04:00Well, this happened right at the beginning of the ...Well, this happened right at the beginning of the discussion Anonymous. Not at the end. When we have teachers like those who say, "I hate these tests and that we are forced to give them..." it sounds familiar. Teachers carrying out orders that they hate. Parents being threatened with having their children taken away. The reason the analogy comes to mind early on is because forcing a child to do things that parents and even teachers know can cause harm reminds us of others who also carried out the orders they were forced to do even though they knew they were wrong. The heroes are the ones who stopped following the heard and led the way into doing what is best for society.Lisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-26095603853518587302012-05-27T08:32:52.960-04:002012-05-27T08:32:52.960-04:00Ha. Anonymous. You are funny. I'm sure it woul...Ha. Anonymous. You are funny. I'm sure it would be easier for you to believe there was an ulterior motive, but alas, tis not true. I've shared the 1000+ articles that I've published on my blog (that has no advertising) because I work to support and do what is best for children. I'm happy to say my reward is knowing of all the children, parents, and educators who have benefited as a result.Lisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-72912708309265048812012-05-27T08:29:38.340-04:002012-05-27T08:29:38.340-04:00Courtesy of Wikipedia:
"Godwin's law (al...Courtesy of Wikipedia:<br /><br />"Godwin's law (also known as Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies or Godwin's Law of Nazi Analogies[1][2]) is an observation made by Mike Godwin in 1990[2] that has become an Internet adage. It states: "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1."[2][3] In other words, Godwin observed that, given enough time, in any online discussion—regardless of topic or scope—someone inevitably makes some comparison to Hitler and the Nazis."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8318734518772387227.post-70357668155589501382012-05-27T08:29:30.760-04:002012-05-27T08:29:30.760-04:00No. You are wrong. The schools can be required to ...No. You are wrong. The schools can be required to do testing. They can not force a child to take them against parental wishes in many states including New York. Additionally, bullying and threatening a parent and reprimanding a child for doing what the parent as well as educators and even some politicians acknowledge is wrong for our children is erroneous and egregious. <br /><br />Check out current events where you will find that states like Texas are taking the lead in the opt out movement and taking back their rights. It is parents like Christine and children like Joseph who will lead the charge and make a difference. Rather than attack and tell them to follow orders, they should be applauded. Fortunately, that is what is happening not only in New York, but around the nation by parents and teachers who have woken up and are fully invested in doing what is best for children.Lisa Nielsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07759123507185453030noreply@blogger.com