NEA President: Seattle Teachers Stand Against Flawed Testing a “Defining Moment”
By Tim Walker
The boycott by teachers in Seattle over the district-mandated Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) standardized test has attracted national attention and an outpouring of support from educators, students, and parents from across the country. In perhaps the first instance anywhere in the nation, teachers at Garfield High on January 9 decided unanimously to refuse to administer the test to their students, saying it corrupts teaching and learning. Teachers at other Seattle-area schools have followed suit and joined the boycott.
The educators at Garfield High School have taken a courageous and important stand on behalf of their students, said National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel, who called the boycott ”a defining moment within the education profession.”
In a public letter of support released on Tuesday, more than 180 educators and renowned experts in the field of education, including Diane Ravitch and Jonathan Kozol, called the action a “blow against the overuse and
Teaching History With Film: ‘Lincoln,’ ‘Argo’ and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’
The boycott by teachers in Seattle over the district-mandated Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) standardized test has attracted national attention and an outpouring of support from educators, students, and parents from across the country. In perhaps the first instance anywhere in the nation, teachers at Garfield High on January 9 decided unanimously to refuse to administer the test to their students, saying it corrupts teaching and learning. Teachers at other Seattle-area schools have followed suit and joined the boycott.The educators at Garfield High School have taken a courageous and important stand on behalf of their students, said National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel, who called the boycott ”a defining moment within the education profession.”
A student protests the MAP standardized test in Seattle on Wednesday, January 23.
“I, along with 3 million educators across the country, proudly support our members’ efforts in saying ‘no’ to giving their students a flawed test that takes away from learning and is not aligned with the curriculum,” Van Roekel said. “Garfield High School educators are receiving support from the parents of Garfield students. They have joined an ever-growing chorus committed to one of our nation’s most critical responsibilities—educating students in a manner that best serves the realization of their fullest potential.”In a public letter of support released on Tuesday, more than 180 educators and renowned experts in the field of education, including Diane Ravitch and Jonathan Kozol, called the action a “blow against the overuse and
Teaching History With Film: ‘Lincoln,’ ‘Argo’ and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’
Three of this year’s Oscar contenders invite viewers to look at history, either through the lens of the distant past or through recent events, and to question the degree of truth and fiction at work in the retelling of these events.Here are some we ways educators can approach each film in the classroom, with critical thinking questions and related resources. Source: The New York Times/The Learning Network