America's biggest teacher and principal cheating scandal unfolds in Atlanta

Thanks to NCLB, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
 
Beowulf said:
Thanks to NCLB, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Click to expand...

Oh, yeah. There are no doubt many more that just haven't been busted yet. NCLB is the worst thing to ever happen to education. I know I have said it before, but it bears repeating.
 
99% of all educators HATE NCLB despite the early broad support for it. It's so sad really. They (meaning our former President Bush and Congress) just buttered us up and now we're in the frying pan for it.
 
I have been keeping my eye on this investigation ever since it was announced. And no, it is not a result of NCLB. That is just a weak attempt to blame everything on Bush

= Epic Fail
 
Steinhauer said:
I have been keeping my eye on this investigation ever since it was announced. And no, it is not a result of NCLB. That is just a weak attempt to blame everything on Bush

= Epic Fail
Click to expand...

What's poor taste ever.

NCLB isn't all from Bush but rest of politicians and NCLB is VERY VERY ineffective way to improve the public school.
 
Dixie said:
99% of all educators HATE NCLB despite the early broad support for it. It's so sad really. They (meaning our former President Bush and Congress) just buttered us up and now we're in the frying pan for it.
Click to expand...

Of course, NCLB is EPIC FAIL!
 
Well, NCLB passed with the help of major Democrats in office, so let's not get too carried away with the blame game...

That being said, you don't have to teach the test for students to make higher marks. You really don't. If you teach properly, the test stuff will come.

Of course if your students come in about 5 grade levels behind...you have an issue.
 
How do you teach the subject when your curriculum states you must also incorporate other subject areas into your lesson plans. When my dad retired from teaching he was having to incorporate grammar, mathematics, and the use of a computer into his lesson plan and had to document it. Only problem is - there were 30 students in his class and only one computer for the class room and yet each student was required to have 15 minutes using the in-class computer a week all while catering to ESL students, incorporate grammar and mathematics into each lesson all while teaching a rigorous Biology course for upper classmen. It was not uncommon for him to receive non-English speaking students in his classes that could barely read at a 4th grade level in English. This was an absolute mess. He struggled to meet his requirements and he finally gave in after 28 years of teaching because it became more paperwork than actual teaching. He had to make 3 copies of everything he did and document his goals and whether or not the students met those goals. They also had to spend a lot of time 'preparing' for the standardized and end-of-course tests. I remember spending 6 weeks in his class reviewing things that should have been covered in mathematics 3 years prior because we had to get everyone caught up to grade level - which held back those who were at or above grade level. Everyone had to be on the same page before testing. This wasn't his idea - this was mandated by the district as well as the state to ensure they fell well within the federal guidelines as per NCLB Act. Those six weeks did not include lickety-split about biology. After that it was jump and run to get all of the required curriculum of biology taught for the end-of-course examinations given by the state.

It was sad. Now because of so much red tape and such - the students don't even dissect animals anymore - they have these virtual diagrams of the animals. Apparently dissecting a worm or a bullfrog has been deemed too graphic for high school juniors and seniors as well as a safety hazard due to the x-acto knives being used. EVEN THOUGH these kids will watch graphic movies on weekends and many work in restaurants cooking and *gasp!* using knives! Our educational system is in a downward out of control spiral.
 
I'm sure your dad was a great teacher for 20 years ago. He doesn't have the skills to teach urban ed. And any good teacher does incorporate other subjects...how the F would I teach social studies if my kids weren't writing essay exams on war and economics? How do I teach economics without math? Or geography without graphs? :confused:
 
TheOracle said:
I'm sure your dad was a great teacher for 20 years ago. He doesn't have the skills to teach urban ed.
Click to expand...
What, pray tell, is "urban ed," and what are the specific skills that it requires?

And any good teacher does incorporate other subjects...how the F would I teach social studies if my kids weren't writing essay exams on war and economics? How do I teach economics without math? Or geography without graphs? :confused:
Click to expand...
Incorporating other subjects is one thing; teaching them during the class period that's designated for another subject is something else. Yes, students in a social studies class should be able to use English composition class skills to write their essays. However, they should have learned those skills in English comp class. The social studies teacher shouldn't be using that class time to teach how to write essays.
 
Wait, so there's a teaching scandal and we're blaming NCLB? Pressure is no excuse. Fire every last one of these "educators" and make sure they never step foot in a classroom again. For some of more egregious offenses, such as retaliating against whistle-blowers and obstructing justice, I say charge them and throw them in prison.
 
Steinhauer said:
I have been keeping my eye on this investigation ever since it was announced. And no, it is not a result of NCLB. That is just a weak attempt to blame everything on Bush

= Epic Fail
Click to expand...

so do you believe NCLB is a very good thing for us?
 
darkdog said:
Wait, so there's a teaching scandal and we're blaming NCLB? Pressure is no excuse. Fire every last one of these "educators" and make sure they never step foot in a classroom again. For some of more egregious offenses, such as retaliating against whistle-blowers and obstructing justice, I say charge them and throw them in prison.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and for the rest of them, cut their pay and hang them by their thumbs in the town square as a lesson to the rest of the serfs.
 
Beowulf said:
Yeah, and for the rest of them, cut their pay and hang them by their thumbs in the town square as a lesson to the rest of the serfs.
Click to expand...
I gather from your sarcasm that you disagree with my position. I'm having trouble understanding why. Do you think teachers who cheat should be allowed to remain in the classroom? Do you think principals who obstruct investigations and retaliate against whistle-blowers should go without punishment? Please articulate your views.
 
What a sad story. I wonder, if these "cheat-chers" caught someone in class sharing answers, did they discipline them, or did they verify the answers given were correct?
 
"It’s our children. You just don’t cheat children.”

Yeah, well, you just don't test them to their death, either.

When I was teaching at the high school, their midterm and final exam schedule looks like this:

Monday morning--block A exam
Monday afternoon--block B exam
Tuesday morning--block C exam
Tuesday afternoon--block D exam
Wednesday morning--block E exam
Wednesday afternoon--block F exam
Thursday morning--block G exam
Thursday afternoon--block H exam
Friday was make-up and teacher conferences, I think

What did the students do if they didn't have exams? They don't have to show up to school. That's ten days of non-instruction out of the 180 days required. Not to mention how many days had assemblies, monthly fire drills, student absences, away games, etc.

I personally believe, as a former teacher, that state/federal test questions should be incorporated into the normal tests that the teachers make themselves. The answers would be submitted and accumulated until all questions have been given. A lot less pressure, less time wasted, and more time spent on academics. Plus, if we want efficient textbooks, we need textbook companies to be regulated so they can follow the state/federal standards. Less work for the teacher.

Accountability is nice and all, but parents should be held accountable, too. They should be helping to guide their kids with their homework, making sure they do their homework and projects, and teaching the kids how to do some research at home. etc. There are many other factors that do make teacher accountability very difficult, like having many students with different backgrounds and learning styles, students whose home language is not English, students coming from dysfunctional families, students who are not academically inclined, etc.

I think high schools should steer away from so much testing and allow students to choose their tracks. State/federal standards can still be met, because a student who wants to be a mechanic, eletrician, etc can still take math that is geared towards these fields. A student who might be interested in the medical field can take additional math and science.

When I was subbing at WPSD, an elementary teacher mentioned that the state standards are not always compatible with their test questions. There were a few goals, for example, that were supposed to be taught at 4th grade but 2nd graders have to be tested on those goals.

Education is not the same like that from 50 years ago. The student populations are diverse, integrated, and staying in school longer. The family backgrounds have changed as well. Plus, there is so much more knowledge that wasn't taught to the average 50 years ago. I remember a scene from Star Trek: The Next Generation where elementary students were complaining about taking calculus. Calculus? In elementary school? I wouldn't be surprised if calculus gets pushed down to the middle school at the least.
 
darkdog said:
Wait, so there's a teaching scandal and we're blaming NCLB? Pressure is no excuse. Fire every last one of these "educators" and make sure they never step foot in a classroom again. For some of more egregious offenses, such as retaliating against whistle-blowers and obstructing justice, I say charge them and throw them in prison.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we're blaming NCLB. It is the worst thing to ever happen to education. Obviously, you are not an educator and have no inside knowledge regarding education.:ugh3:

Yeah, just throw 'em all in prison. Now there's a solution!:laugh2: Conservatives like you crack me up. That makes as much sense as taking funding away from schools that need it the most.
 
America's education was going downhill before NCLB was initiated. The whole reason NCLB was created was to deter that downhill slide. So, what was the problem before NCLB? Who was to blame for America's education problems before NCLB?

(BTW, I'm not a supporter of NCLB, and all that testing.)
 
Reba said:
America's education was going downhill before NCLB was initiated. The whole reason NCLB was created was to deter that downhill slide. So, what was the problem before NCLB? Who was to blame for America's education problems before NCLB?

(BTW, I'm not a supporter of NCLB, and all that testing.)
Click to expand...

And it did just exactly the oppposite and made the downhill slide even worse. It accelerated it by making funding dependant upon the wrong criteria.
 
Back
Top