Re: Johnny can't read but his feeling are okay! -- Dracut Information Resource Forum

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Date Posted: 07:29:11 06/13/01 Wed
Author: Mary
Subject: Re: Johnny can't read but his feeling are okay!
In reply to: Naturally 's message, "Johnny can't read but his feeling are okay!" on 07:41:12 06/09/01 Sat

You're right, we should definitely not "mollycoddle" students to the point that they are not challenged by learning. However, I don't think that by re-examining the MCAS we are in any way suggesting that we're bent on "sacrificing good for perfect", or are against any kind of standards in education. Also, I don't think your comparison of a high school student passing the MCAS is akin to that of a lawyer passing the bar exam, or an electrician getting his or her license. Of course, exams are an intrinsic part of a student's existence. There are exams strewn throughout schools, at every level. But I doubt that professors of law have to alter their methodologies, only to focus on the bar exam and whether or not a law student passes. Of course passing the bar exam is the ultimate goal. But there doesn't seem to be any sacrifice to effective teaching techniques, in order to ensure that this is accomplished.

I think the question is more about the idea of one exam being the ultimate deciding factor of whether or not a student knows enough to graduate from high school, and how much is sacrificed when all emphasis is focused on this ONE test. Don't you think that there are other alternatives, better teaching techniques, where children actually retain and understand what they're learning on a much deeper level? Teaching to encourage a deeper knowledge is, after all, a quality of higher education.

This has nothing to do with an aversion to combating literacy or trying not to hurt self esteem to the point of absurdity. The arguement you're make is a bit exaggerated. I think everyone agrees that something needs to be done about education, but it's a very complex issue. I think the points you make here over-simplify and generalize in order to promote the MCAS. But it is not so simple, and that is precisely why the MCAS needs to be re-evaluated.

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