O.k., can YOU come up with a common assessment between the following classes? Cause we can't. And we're about to get in trouble because we can't.

1. Computer Class
2. Gym
3. Art Class
4. Music Class
5. Library

WTF?!

what?

My school reports had an 'Effort' grade of which I'm proud to say I'd usually get a D.

They're on the top of the "most-likely-to-get-axed" list?

Common Assessment...

Like all the 6th grade math teachers have a curriculum with specific assignments or tests or projects that they all give, and the 7th grade teachers have curriculum specific stuff too, and the 8th grade teachers, and then there's a common body of knowledge that all grade levels should exhibit which is represened by "x" assessment.

Come up with a common assessment for the above mentioned subjects that get lumped together for I'm not quite sure what reason.

Well, except for gym, that's why we got lumped together, but what is the common thread between what we teach?

Unmotivated, unruly students?

they are all fun classes?

Number of More Popular Kids Shot Dead

Y'all are priceless, for real.

We should go drinking.

just tell us the point you are making.

If you're not a school administrator, I'll bet you're smart enough to realize that the point is STATED IN THE THREAD TITLE.

Unless you can come up with an actual common assessment that's going to get the 8 of us out of hot water.

maybe they want you to make an XTreme obstical course in which you have to run around and perform computer tasks, paint a picture, play a song and locate books using the dewey decimle system.

What exactly is "library"? What does that class involve? And computer class -- what sorta software is taught?

Gym, art and music should be mandatory -- the others should be optional.

Classic.

Classical music, reading the classics, classical dancing of india(gym), classical art and then programming on the ZX81.

Nah i don't know. Thats crazy lumping them together.

Seems impossible to me to put all those together in one overall assesment...their way to different to all fall under one category. Wouldnt it be easier to break em down into smaller exams?.

I'm of the thought that administrations in general are stupid.

OK... as probably the only School Administrator on the board I want to assure Mr. Prince and understood his point and share his frustration... administrators in fact are the buffer between the "mandates" that cause the problem and teachers and students.

The accountability "movement" can be traced back to the Republican Revolution of the House Reps in 1994. The "school administrators are stupid" sentiment is akin to "teachers are lazy" and "schools are failing" systems of belief which allied with "justice through assessments" ideas, Kennedy et. al., and gave us the dreaded No Child Left Behind. Critical thinking about what are asked of schools and what students actually get from schools is a nostalgic relic.

Stoooopid administrators. Stooopid teachers. Let's make them test to show what they are really doing.

However, that being said...

Alll of the classes you mention offer the opportunity to do some authentic assessment around critical thinking, learning how to learn, socialization and working in groups (Google SCANS competencies). All have "standardized" assessment instruments although I'd see if there is some way to do portfolio, "authentic" assessments.

if i didn't have the art program i had at my high school i might not have the job i have right now.

This is the insanity of the "back to basics" and standards movement. You learn from doing what you like... HS kids read "below grade level" and so they hate academic reading and so they give them two or three periods of remediation and cut art and music and shop classes in order to pay for the extra remediation. And so the kid hates school and drops out.

Art, music, shop classes, electrives that inspire interest in education are exactly what kids who are struggling need...

The world is upside down.

it's true.
art was (and often is) pretty much the only thing that makes me think i'm not retarded.

They all use computers now...seriously even gym. PS2 is a sport to some kids.

not sure how common this is, but in Philadelphia they have specific high schools for specific career paths, like fixing cars or fixing candy machines or various other things that you can make a living off of that suburban kids probably would never do.

i have mixed feelings about this.