-- creating the impression that there is a universal standard, truth, etc. -- taking away whatever little autonomy teachers have to suit curriculum to a particular
class and forcing them to teach to the test -- the notion that worth and social standing have something to do with passing these tests...
(which no one in private schools has to do) and the corollary that failing these tests
means you're a failure. -- the notion that there's a level playing field -- forcing teachers to choose sides and making it obvious whose side they have to choose to keep their job. -- putting money in the hands of bureaucrats and pedigreed academics who vouchsafe the virtue of these tests,
rather than paying teachers better, adding sports/art/crafts to curriculum,or maybe feeding the kids or taking them to the dentist. Have
you ever tried to learn something with a toothache?
I'd better stop now. My blood pressure...
Joanna JBrown72073 at cs.com wrote:
>Dwayne quoted:
>
>
>>If students like the Hallway Hangers are to be
>>motivated to achieve in school must not be at the
>>expense of their self-esteem but in support of
>>it.
>>
>>
>
>I can't think of a more efficient way to violate this principle than these
>moronic testing regimes. Is it deliberate? I mean, I know it's deliberate to
>undermine the public schools in the interests of privatizers and tax cutters,
>but is it also deliberately trying to create a sense of failure? ('To make
>kids feel hopeless and willing take a job at any price' as someone--not
>particularly a radical--said at a meeting the other day).
>
>Jenny Brown
>___________________________________
>http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>
>.
>
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>