May 7, 2008

We're testing at school this week. Our students take the Terra Nova test every spring. It's a new version of the test this year. I really hate standardized tests. They just really are very unfair and therefore, they are not valid. Yet, this is what we use to "grade" schools by. Just an example: on our test there is one question where the kids are given three pictures and the teacher gives them a word and tells them to pick the picture that has the same ending sound as the word given.

The ending sound is /p/. The pictures are rope, tree, and zipper. The problem is the zipper is up half way and the pull is sticking out. So, a first grader looks at that and sees zip. Therefore, you've got rope, tree, and zip; two words have the /p/ sound at the end. Half my students marked the zipper. And, honestly, I had to look at it for a few moments to figure out what they meant. So, half of them got it wrong, when they really didn't get it wrong. They applied the skill correctly, but won't be given credit for it.

Tonight, Michaela had girl scouts. It was at a McDonald's with an indoor playground. They got they their cookie sales prizes and patches. Each of them got a Happy Meal and then got to play for a while. I talked to two of the other parents and enjoyed being able to just talk for a while. The girls really enjoyed themselves.

Michaela and I started Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix tonight. We finally finished The Goblet of Fire last night. Some day we'll catch up with the rest of the world in the Harry Potter serires. Especially since the author has finished writing the series now. I want to read the Chronicles of Narnia series with her next.