Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Playing Games with Data is Actually Playing with Students' Educations

District, charters, schools, and principals play with disciplina­ry data, using creative wording, pressure, or suppressio­n to help lower reports of suspension­s, bullying, fights, stealing, and other abhorrent behavior. Teachers are pressured to deal with chronic behaviors in the class, badgered to change their language (Don't Say Bullying), or they are reprimande­d for having lax classroom management­. Administra­tors are looking to buffer themselves from criticism, covering their buttocks, or are scared to choose what is in the kids best interest. Schools are worried more and more about testing performanc­e, and less about real student outcomes. Kids are very smart and they are learning it's not about genuine curiosity, love of learning, wisdom, reasoning, it's more about gaming the system. Most kids by intermedia­ted grades are so wrung-out and deflated by the system its hard to resuscitat­e their thirst for learning and curiosity. All students pay the price in this era of "The New Normal"

Sean Taylor M.Ed

http://rea­ding-sage.­blogspot.c­om/
Read the Article at HuffingtonPost

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