From John Stoffel on #marchmadness and #commoncore
It’s time for March Madness in Indiana. Sadly, I refer not to our state’s passion for basketball, but to our lawmakers’ debilitation of public schools through high stakes testing which students began this month.
The concept of winning a basketball game is relatively simple: score more points than your opponent. However, any basketball fan knows scoring is more complicated than just shooting the ball through the hoop. Winning coaches focus on their players and take care of the details. In doing so, the scoreboard takes care of itself.
Hoosier lawmakers now try to define successful schools in a seemingly simple concept as well: score high on the test. Unfortunately, these lawmakers have created a backward system that focuses on scores, not students. When test scores become the focus, potent teachers are handcuffed and student learning suffers.
Rationalization such as this leads win-at-all-costs youth coaches to do 3-point shooting drills with players not
The concept of winning a basketball game is relatively simple: score more points than your opponent. However, any basketball fan knows scoring is more complicated than just shooting the ball through the hoop. Winning coaches focus on their players and take care of the details. In doing so, the scoreboard takes care of itself.
Hoosier lawmakers now try to define successful schools in a seemingly simple concept as well: score high on the test. Unfortunately, these lawmakers have created a backward system that focuses on scores, not students. When test scores become the focus, potent teachers are handcuffed and student learning suffers.
Rationalization such as this leads win-at-all-costs youth coaches to do 3-point shooting drills with players not
CTU Prez Karen Lewis At the Chalk Face this Sunday 6PM EST
Here’s the show link. Chat room and livetweet @thechalkface.
