"The whole people must take upon themselves the education of the whole people and be willing to bear the expenses of it. There should not be a district of one mile square, without a school in it, not founded by a charitable individual, but maintained at the public expense of the people themselves." -- John Adams

"No money shall be drawn from the treasury, for the benefit of any religious or theological institution." -- Indiana Constitution Article 1, Section 6.

"...no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinion in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish enlarge, or affect their civil capacities." – Thomas Jefferson

Thursday, January 3, 2013

180 Days Well Spent

Here's an example of how much we are missing by focusing on tests...

What makes a good school?
  • children are given opportunities to work together cooperatively
  • children learn from one another
  • teachers know the children
  • schools are communities...children, teachers, and parents have a voice
  • meaningful noise -- children are active learners
  • parents are part of the fabric of the school
  • teachers are encouraged to be problem solvers, exploring how children learn
  • teachers are child observers instead of test preppers -- observations and assessment
Watch the video and learn.

Think! How much of what these children are learning will appear as part of a standardized test score?

180 Days Well Spent began with a group of NYC parents who got together to discuss their feelings about the negative impact of high-stakes testing based on their children's experiences. Together, they began to think about and envision what a good classroom and school would look like without high-stakes tests. They teamed up with an amazing group of educators and began to explore issues like: What is it that we WANT for our children and for our schools and communities? What makes a good school? What do our children need and deserve to ensure their right to a high-quality education? If we know high stakes tests don't measure our children's learning, what does?
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Stop the Testing Insanity!


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