After An Educator's Journey
Out of the classroom & into the universe
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Once upon a time, I taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders. Now I’m retired and working on new ventures.
Tag: MCAS
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As I sat down to write about my personal opinions about PARCC and standardized testing in general, I came to the realization that a single post might not be enough. Over the course of the next week, I’ll be posting about PARCC and some of the reasons it merits the attention of anyone connected to…
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School Committee Meeting: Wednesday, January 20, 2016 All members present. Twenty-seven items were posted on this agenda which included an Executive Session to discuss contract negotiations and consideration of contract extensions for two Assistant Superintendents. Although most of the meeting was routine, there were two points that caused longer discussion: STEM at Lowell High and…
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We are at that time of the year when high stakes test prep is kicked into gear. I try to keep the required and inevitable test prep low-key and casual, if that’s even possible, because, for goodness sake — the kids are 10! Here in my urban classroom, however, the tension and stress can be seen…
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Most of the time when I see this phrase, it’s not a good thing. Today, however, there was an unintended consequence that fell into the plus side of the education balance sheet. In anticipation of state testing, my students have been practicing writing to a prompt for a couple of weeks. This week, we practiced…
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Yesterday, we – my class and I – wrapped up our standardized state testing for 2013. What a long, strange, trip it has been. Starting last March with our Reading MCAS test, my students have been demonstrating their knowledge of third grade skills. That’s right, last March, when we were 7 months into our academic…
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My students started their state testing yesterday. While it continues to aggravate me that my kids are getting tested as if it were the end of the school year (which, believe me it is not!), the test is here and we need to deal with it. By the way, did I mention the test is…
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There are no brackets. There are only anxious and tense teachers and students. Stressed to the maximum. And the cracks are starting to show. We are in the middle of our test marathons. Last week it was MEPA – Massachusetts English Proficiency Assessent, given to 15 out of my 22 children to assess their growth…
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Caught a news article in today’s Boston Globe – which you may or may not be able to read depending on whether or not the Globe is instituting its $16-a-month subscription fee. Here it is, just in case: State aims to test its youngest students (October 2, 2011). I’m relieved to hear that this is…
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I have a new definition for “March Madness” and it has nothing to do with playing a sport. This March, we have the following on our docket: MELA-O (ELL assessment), MEPA (ELL written assessment), District Math Benchmark, MCAS Reading, and report cards. And of course there are always assessments for RTI/TAT tracking and reading progress…
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With the Common Core Standards, we — that means teachers — are bracing for new and improved standardized testing. An article in the Boston Globe this morning (link here) floats the idea. MCAS may or may not be replaced by a new Common Core test, presumably aligned to the new standards. If you read the…
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