If you cannot avoid standardized tests...
[email protected]
IF YOU CANNOT AVOID STANDARDIZED TESTS...
...then just invalidate the results.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a short piece from the February 2000 issue of
Home Education Magazine's online newsletter . They unfairly called this
"Sandra Dodd Cheats on Tests." I never did! I'm simply and subversively
recommending that in the absence of the opportunity to avoid them altogether,
the second best option might be invalidating them. (The paragraph beneath
appeared in the newsletter too; I've added links but not text to it.)
UNSCHOOLING.COM
On the topic of testing: I have a very serious suggestion which will seem
like a joke, but I'm absolutely soberly recommending this:
Cheat.
Don't cheat to get a better score or a worse score. Just invalidate the test
either by taking too long, or making a pattern with all the answer marks in
odd-numbered sections, or using dice to decide anything for which the answer
isn't absolutely obvious to the child.
If the parent and child both know in advance that the scores could not
POSSIBLY actually begin to attempt to reflect the child's "actual" knowledge
or intelligence or aptitude or value, then that number will lose its juju and
its ability to harm the child-parent relationship.
Of all the things I believe strongly, one which has changed my life as
profoundly as any one other belief is my personal knowledge that test scores
can and do (can't fail to) affect the treatment a child receives at his
parents' hands. High scores, low scores, average scores--no matter. Parents
cease to treat the child as his original, known self and color him soul deep
with that number.
My life would have been different. My husband's life would have been
different, without those 5th and 8th grade ITBS scores. I venture to say
without even knowing who is reading this that your life would have been
different, and specifically I believe your life would have been better, had
not you been branded with a number on your "permanent record" (there's a big
mean scary joke, the "permanence" and important parts) as a young innocent
ten or thirteen year old full of potential, at some unknown point on a
learning curve which might soon be at its settled-out point, or might just be
beginning.
~~~ Sandra Dodd
Unschooling.com offers a free monthly newsletter , message boards ,
weekly essays , an email list and more just for unschoolers. And now they've
added Sandra's folder . Check it out!
The editor of Home Education Magazine's online newsletter is Carol Narigon.
Return to essays and articles or Radical Unschooling .
Additions? Complaints? Questions? Write SandraDodd@...
...then just invalidate the results.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is a short piece from the February 2000 issue of
Home Education Magazine's online newsletter . They unfairly called this
"Sandra Dodd Cheats on Tests." I never did! I'm simply and subversively
recommending that in the absence of the opportunity to avoid them altogether,
the second best option might be invalidating them. (The paragraph beneath
appeared in the newsletter too; I've added links but not text to it.)
UNSCHOOLING.COM
On the topic of testing: I have a very serious suggestion which will seem
like a joke, but I'm absolutely soberly recommending this:
Cheat.
Don't cheat to get a better score or a worse score. Just invalidate the test
either by taking too long, or making a pattern with all the answer marks in
odd-numbered sections, or using dice to decide anything for which the answer
isn't absolutely obvious to the child.
If the parent and child both know in advance that the scores could not
POSSIBLY actually begin to attempt to reflect the child's "actual" knowledge
or intelligence or aptitude or value, then that number will lose its juju and
its ability to harm the child-parent relationship.
Of all the things I believe strongly, one which has changed my life as
profoundly as any one other belief is my personal knowledge that test scores
can and do (can't fail to) affect the treatment a child receives at his
parents' hands. High scores, low scores, average scores--no matter. Parents
cease to treat the child as his original, known self and color him soul deep
with that number.
My life would have been different. My husband's life would have been
different, without those 5th and 8th grade ITBS scores. I venture to say
without even knowing who is reading this that your life would have been
different, and specifically I believe your life would have been better, had
not you been branded with a number on your "permanent record" (there's a big
mean scary joke, the "permanence" and important parts) as a young innocent
ten or thirteen year old full of potential, at some unknown point on a
learning curve which might soon be at its settled-out point, or might just be
beginning.
~~~ Sandra Dodd
Unschooling.com offers a free monthly newsletter , message boards ,
weekly essays , an email list and more just for unschoolers. And now they've
added Sandra's folder . Check it out!
The editor of Home Education Magazine's online newsletter is Carol Narigon.
Return to essays and articles or Radical Unschooling .
Additions? Complaints? Questions? Write SandraDodd@...
tamlvee
--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., SandraDodd@a... wrote:
loved school. I felt very smart, I caught on very quickly. I could
see outside the box. I got "straight A's" Then jr. high happened,
and that was the end of my academic confidence. From then on I
couldn't score well on anything. I no longer felt special, just
dumb. While my grades went up slightly in high school and I gained
some confidence through student government I knew I could never be
the lawyer I had dreamed about for so long. No teacher ever treated
me like I knew anything. I still caught on quickly and paid
attention to EVERYTHING going on around me. I learned the material,
but that didn't matter, I couldn't score well on any test I took. I
completely bombed the SATs. No one ever encouraged me to go to
college anyway. No one ever told me about going to community college
first and work my way to a four year school. No one ever told me
about financial aid or student loans. I was ignored, because of bad
test scores. I thought college was only for smart rich kids, because
that is what I was told through being ignored.
I have no doubt I would have become a lawyer and my life would be
very different if one teacher, one mentor, or even one of my parents
would have encouraged me to go for it anyway. Bad test scores = no
college, that was the message I got.
I wouldn't change my life now. I'm happy where I am. I'm happy I
have a business where I can be with my children. I'm happy I've
learned all about unschooling. I'm happy that my children don't have
to go to public school and have all the confidence sucked out of
them. I'm happy they won't take a standardized test, if I can help
it. But if they do I will surely have them "cheat":)
Thank you Sandra, for sharing this with us.
Tammy
>been
> IF YOU CANNOT AVOID STANDARDIZED TESTS...
>
>
> ...then just invalidate the results.
>> My life would have been different. My husband's life would have
> different.......This really hit home with me. All through my grade school years, I
loved school. I felt very smart, I caught on very quickly. I could
see outside the box. I got "straight A's" Then jr. high happened,
and that was the end of my academic confidence. From then on I
couldn't score well on anything. I no longer felt special, just
dumb. While my grades went up slightly in high school and I gained
some confidence through student government I knew I could never be
the lawyer I had dreamed about for so long. No teacher ever treated
me like I knew anything. I still caught on quickly and paid
attention to EVERYTHING going on around me. I learned the material,
but that didn't matter, I couldn't score well on any test I took. I
completely bombed the SATs. No one ever encouraged me to go to
college anyway. No one ever told me about going to community college
first and work my way to a four year school. No one ever told me
about financial aid or student loans. I was ignored, because of bad
test scores. I thought college was only for smart rich kids, because
that is what I was told through being ignored.
I have no doubt I would have become a lawyer and my life would be
very different if one teacher, one mentor, or even one of my parents
would have encouraged me to go for it anyway. Bad test scores = no
college, that was the message I got.
I wouldn't change my life now. I'm happy where I am. I'm happy I
have a business where I can be with my children. I'm happy I've
learned all about unschooling. I'm happy that my children don't have
to go to public school and have all the confidence sucked out of
them. I'm happy they won't take a standardized test, if I can help
it. But if they do I will surely have them "cheat":)
Thank you Sandra, for sharing this with us.
Tammy
[email protected]
In a message dated 6/12/02 12:25:46 PM, stvan3@... writes:
<< I learned the material,
but that didn't matter, I couldn't score well on any test I took. I
completely bombed the SATs. No one ever encouraged me to go to
college anyway. No one ever told me about going to community college
first and work my way to a four year school. No one ever told me
about financial aid or student loans. I was ignored, because of bad
test scores. I thought college was only for smart rich kids, because
that is what I was told through being ignored. >>
Tammy, this is really, really sad.
It might not be too late to go to college. I don't know your geography or
finances, but don't write it off forever and ever!
Sandra
<< I learned the material,
but that didn't matter, I couldn't score well on any test I took. I
completely bombed the SATs. No one ever encouraged me to go to
college anyway. No one ever told me about going to community college
first and work my way to a four year school. No one ever told me
about financial aid or student loans. I was ignored, because of bad
test scores. I thought college was only for smart rich kids, because
that is what I was told through being ignored. >>
Tammy, this is really, really sad.
It might not be too late to go to college. I don't know your geography or
finances, but don't write it off forever and ever!
Sandra
tamlvee
--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., SandraDodd@a... wrote:
a Child Development Associate Credential. To keep that credential
current I'm required to take a college course in a specific time
frame. I've not ruled out a BA in something, LOL. Don't really know
anymore. A short time ago I thought about a teaching degree, but no
more. I'm almost 40 and time with my children is precious right
now.
I wanted to stand as an example of the correctness of your article.
I'm living proof of how damaging test scores are. I had honestly
never thought about it until I read your words today. I did not fail
the system the system failed me. I actually feel freed by your words.
Thank you.
Tammy
>I
> In a message dated 6/12/02 12:25:46 PM, stvan3@a... writes:
>
> << I learned the material,
> but that didn't matter, I couldn't score well on any test I took.
> completely bombed the SATs. No one ever encouraged me to go tocollege
> college anyway. No one ever told me about going to community
> first and work my way to a four year school. No one ever told mebad
> about financial aid or student loans. I was ignored, because of
> test scores. I thought college was only for smart rich kids,because
> that is what I was told through being ignored. >>geography or
>
> Tammy, this is really, really sad.
>
> It might not be too late to go to college. I don't know your
> finances, but don't write it off forever and ever!I have not written college off. I have about 60 credits and received
>
> Sandra
a Child Development Associate Credential. To keep that credential
current I'm required to take a college course in a specific time
frame. I've not ruled out a BA in something, LOL. Don't really know
anymore. A short time ago I thought about a teaching degree, but no
more. I'm almost 40 and time with my children is precious right
now.
I wanted to stand as an example of the correctness of your article.
I'm living proof of how damaging test scores are. I had honestly
never thought about it until I read your words today. I did not fail
the system the system failed me. I actually feel freed by your words.
Thank you.
Tammy
Betsy
**I have not written college off. I have about 60 credits and received
a Child Development Associate Credential. To keep that credential
current I'm required to take a college course in a specific time
frame. I've not ruled out a BA in something, LOL. Don't really know
anymore. A short time ago I thought about a teaching degree, but no
more. I'm almost 40 and time with my children is precious right
now. **
As more colleges offer more kinds of Distance Learning on the internet,
you may be able to find something that meets your needs that you can do
from home at whatever time is convenient to you.
(My husband is working on a teaching credential this year. We are
certainly hoping that he will be able to do a lot of his continuing
education online in the future.)
Rick went to traffic school online when he got a speeding ticket a
couple of years ago. That was a lot more pleasant than spending a whole
Saturday locked up with a bunch of other scofflaws listening to the
world's longest lecture.
Betsy
a Child Development Associate Credential. To keep that credential
current I'm required to take a college course in a specific time
frame. I've not ruled out a BA in something, LOL. Don't really know
anymore. A short time ago I thought about a teaching degree, but no
more. I'm almost 40 and time with my children is precious right
now. **
As more colleges offer more kinds of Distance Learning on the internet,
you may be able to find something that meets your needs that you can do
from home at whatever time is convenient to you.
(My husband is working on a teaching credential this year. We are
certainly hoping that he will be able to do a lot of his continuing
education online in the future.)
Rick went to traffic school online when he got a speeding ticket a
couple of years ago. That was a lot more pleasant than spending a whole
Saturday locked up with a bunch of other scofflaws listening to the
world's longest lecture.
Betsy