tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post7609831651938376423..comments2023-06-19T04:24:17.972-04:00Comments on Yo Mista!: Ross's DilemmaYo Mista!http://www.blogger.com/profile/13870755867688489866noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-48364869851536970872014-03-09T20:35:12.381-04:002014-03-09T20:35:12.381-04:00It is so refreshing to hear other educators grappl...It is so refreshing to hear other educators grapple with the exact situation I struggle through daily. <br />With discussions of differentiation and UDL so prevalent and modifications required for each lesson, this idea does not seem to flow further up to administrators and policy makers. <br />Some students sadly have very little hope of passing these standardized, cumulative tests. Alternative assessment allows for some wiggle room however does not afford the student with a high school diploma equivalent. <br />Sadly-it falls to the teachers to bridge that gap between student and community and set students like Ross up with as much on-the-job training as possible through internships and summer youth type programs. Ms. Havenerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11903176447697007416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-65482895693881682592014-01-23T11:53:50.694-05:002014-01-23T11:53:50.694-05:00@ Ahsan:
1. Completely agree with you.
2. Again, ...@ Ahsan:<br />1. Completely agree with you.<br /><br />2. Again, completely in agreement with you.<br /><br />3. "here is a bunch of stuff you should learn, because it might be useful, until you find out what you really want to learn" - brilliant.<br /><br />Thanks for your comments, as always.Yo Mista!https://www.blogger.com/profile/13870755867688489866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-28265309037475695152014-01-16T16:20:42.881-05:002014-01-16T16:20:42.881-05:00I think there are a couple of important ideas here...I think there are a couple of important ideas here:<br /><br />1. Tracking students is bad seems like a gross generalization of the issue. Being able to track 'how' a student is doing is as old as schools are. Tracking students and keeping them informed should allow for incentive alignment in both teachers/students. <br /><br />2. Testing in and of itself is not that bad, it is testing under arbitrarily formed age/class brackets and calling students who fail and/or do not fit those brackets 'at-risk'. Testing provides impetus to learn, however, it's counter productive when reduced to yearly cycles. You should be tested when you know the material, not at some random date in May. The fundamental problem comes from labelling classes and ;expecting' students to graduate year after year because somebody in mid-19th century thought that was a great idea. <br /><br />3. I am a big supporter of skills-based learning. I met a 'kid' at a charter school and this kid clearly has a knack for computers and programming. He needs to develop that skill and talent. One caveat, unlike him, most kids really don't know what they're good/bad at, and schools do a really bad job of helping them finding it. It's more like "here is a bunch of stuff you should learn, because it might be useful, until you find out what you really want to learn"<br />Ahsannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-47818033103900528272014-01-16T15:35:29.852-05:002014-01-16T15:35:29.852-05:00@ Schmidt1090:
Thanks for the comment, man.
I agr...@ Schmidt1090:<br />Thanks for the comment, man.<br /><br />I agree with your thoughts. What's interesting is that there is a lot of focus on lower-income, urban youth, but no one's talking about the success Silicon Valley is having with their schools. There's a lot of tech adaptation in their schools and I predict many students will opt out of the "college track" and either <br />a) work as a programmer directly with an apps-based company post-HS<br />b) start their own businesses using the tech knowledge they acquired while in HS.Yo Mista!https://www.blogger.com/profile/13870755867688489866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-24379701207809088072014-01-16T14:51:48.160-05:002014-01-16T14:51:48.160-05:00There really isn't a dilemma for how to handle...There really isn't a dilemma for how to handle situations like the one presented with Ross. The solution is in your final paragraph. Until schools can get out from under the money and policies that perpetuate test-centered curriculum, Ross is screwed. The reason? The people whose livelihood depends on standardizing curriculum (and therefore schools) can simply label what you propose as "tracking." With all the negative connotations that word carries, such a practice will be derided as destructive to Ross' needs. "College Readiness for all" is a fine concept...except not all career paths, or life pursuits, truly required this route. Good to have you back. Don't tell your bosses you're writing this communist blasphemy.schmidt1090https://www.blogger.com/profile/10067249192793496083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-67318629560146527792014-01-16T13:04:00.733-05:002014-01-16T13:04:00.733-05:00@ Anonymous:
Thanks, it's good to be back!@ Anonymous:<br />Thanks, it's good to be back!Yo Mista!https://www.blogger.com/profile/13870755867688489866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-13524720233480788942014-01-16T13:02:56.326-05:002014-01-16T13:02:56.326-05:00Glad you're back at it. It's been too long...Glad you're back at it. It's been too long.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-37029138073458877592014-01-14T14:55:09.060-05:002014-01-14T14:55:09.060-05:00Miss G:
Thanks for your comment. Sounds like you&#...Miss G:<br />Thanks for your comment. Sounds like you're in the same field.Yo Mista!https://www.blogger.com/profile/13870755867688489866noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2234657308696440651.post-73711717337638016892014-01-14T14:46:26.526-05:002014-01-14T14:46:26.526-05:00Students like Ross are the exact reason why it mak...Students like Ross are the exact reason why it makes sense to move into a skills-based curriculum rather than a content-based one. The ability to learn processes and ask questions will serve him in any career, be it photography, toll-booth operation, or human services. Miss Gnoreply@blogger.com