To: Our teachers and other educators
From: Your Superintendent
May 18, 2021
As a lifelong public educator, I pride myself for having learned from the greatest educators in the history of civilization: John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Aristotle, Jean Piaget, Plato, and Sam Hinkie.
For this particular testing season, I suggest that we rely on the wisdom of Sam Hinkie.
Many of you fear that remote learning has hurt our neediest students, making it all but certain that they won’t perform well on the forthcoming standardized tests. However, the tests are the law, and we all should agree on a strategy that will help our students, our district, and our teachers.
There are two options. One is to begin intense ‘drill and kill’ test practice right away. While this is monotonous and boring, D&K often produces quick upticks in scores, which leads to positive coverage in the media.
(Of course, the steep ‘learning curve’ is ephemeral, and the “forgetting curve” that CONTINUE READING: A Memo from the Superintendent | The Merrow Report
