Long Island Forums > Teachers

any other teachers freaking out about the ELA TEST???

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beautyq115	I wanted to jump out the window today....one girl actually didn't know she had to answer the questions she thought she only had to read...W T F Posted 1/3/07 7:55 PM
Palebride	I'm not really freaking out about it. It's just a two-day test. If they know it, they'll do well, if not, then we know they need some additional support. I'm trying to tell the kids not to stress also....I hate to see the pressure that gets put on them EVERY year at such a young age. Posted 1/3/07 8:10 PM
kdelace	I try not to but it is a lot of pressure for them to do well. they are sick of the practicing I am sick of the letters E L A I told my students we are removing those letters fromthe alphabet once the test is over..... As much as I know I have prepared them and they will do what they do, it still is nerve racking!!! Posted 1/3/07 8:16 PM
scarletbegonia	My building is going into ELA overload. It's all anyone can talk about. Posted 1/3/07 8:25 PM
Goldi0218	I teach special ed. I have to administer the 5th and 6th grade ELA tests to children who are performing 2-3 grade levels below their chronological age. They have every possible modification possible. We can read and scribe certain parts of the tests for them. It will still be very hard for them to pass due to their various learning disabilities and language processing issues. I dont know if the parents tried to opt out. THAT is very upsetting to No child left behind. Yeah ok. Posted 1/3/07 8:25 PM
beautyq115	Posted by kdelace I try not to but it is a lot of pressure for them to do well. they are sick of the practicing I am sick of the letters E L A I told my students we are removing those letters fromthe alphabet once the test is over..... As much as I know I have prepared them and they will do what they do, it still is nerve racking!!! I was trying not to put pressure on them and they are sick or practicing but most of them think its a joke and this worries me Posted 1/3/07 8:28 PM
angelbear217	I am for two reasons. I just started my maternity leave and will not be there for the test. I did all the prep with them but I feel like I abandoned my students. And considering we got ripped a new one after last year's scores came out. I feel responsible for how they do. Posted 1/3/07 8:30 PM
Goldi0218	I dont remember taking these tests as a kid. Anyone else? Posted 1/3/07 8:30 PM
Palebride	Posted by Goldi0218 I teach special ed. I have to administer the 5th and 6th grade ELA tests to children who are performing 2-3 grade levels below their chronological age. They have every possible modification possible. We can read and scribe certain parts of the tests for them. It will still be very hard for them to pass due to their various learning disabilities and language processing issues. I dont know if the parents tried to opt out. THAT is very upsetting to No child left behind. Yeah ok. I hate these tests! I feel especially badly for the children who are from another country being forced to take the exam! Ridiculous!!!! Honestly though....as a teacher, you do all that you can to help them do well. If they don't, it doesn't mean it's a failure though! Posted 1/3/07 8:31 PM
beautyq115	Posted by Goldi0218 I dont remember taking these tests as a kid. Anyone else? I remember CAT tests...but thats about it...I would have remembered....I don't do well with tests Posted 1/3/07 8:32 PM
Palebride	Posted by Goldi0218 I dont remember taking these tests as a kid. Anyone else? They were only created recently. I love the decision that started last year to give them every year from 4-8th grade! That way - if a child does poorly on the test, he or she can get those results every year for 5 years! Posted 1/3/07 8:33 PM
beautyq115	Posted by Palebride Posted by Goldi0218 I teach special ed. I have to administer the 5th and 6th grade ELA tests to children who are performing 2-3 grade levels below their chronological age. They have every possible modification possible. We can read and scribe certain parts of the tests for them. It will still be very hard for them to pass due to their various learning disabilities and language processing issues. I dont know if the parents tried to opt out. THAT is very upsetting to No child left behind. Yeah ok. I hate these tests! I feel especially badly for the children who are from another country being forced to take the exam! Ridiculous!!!! Honestly though....as a teacher, you do all that you can to help them do well. If they don't, it doesn't mean it's a failure though! In NYC ....basically the kids are told if you don't pass this you are not moving on to the next grade Posted 1/3/07 8:33 PM
Jen2999	I teach 8th and the ELA is a big deal for them.. I HATE prepping for it but I do it and whine to the kids about how I HATE teaching to the test haha. Posted 1/3/07 8:34 PM
Goldi0218	Well whether you give the CATs or any state test to children with severe language disorders, it is very hard to give the scores to the parents. It doesnt give them peace at all. It puts them into a further state of despair and they lose hope. Posted 1/3/07 8:35 PM
Palebride	Posted by beautyq115 In NYC ....basically the kids are told if you don't pass this you are not moving on to the next grade The way I always read the test it wasn't a pass or a fail....it was a measure of how you rate according to the standards the state is testing you on. How can they use a 2 day test score to pass or fail a child? That's a little silly! But then again, the test isn't THAT difficult, so if someone doesn't do well, perhaps they can use some additional support.... Posted 1/3/07 8:36 PM
Goldi0218	Posted by beautyq115 Posted by Palebride Posted by Goldi0218 I teach special ed. I have to administer the 5th and 6th grade ELA tests to children who are performing 2-3 grade levels below their chronological age. They have every possible modification possible. We can read and scribe certain parts of the tests for them. It will still be very hard for them to pass due to their various learning disabilities and language processing issues. I dont know if the parents tried to opt out. THAT is very upsetting to No child left behind. Yeah ok. I hate these tests! I feel especially badly for the children who are from another country being forced to take the exam! Ridiculous!!!! Honestly though....as a teacher, you do all that you can to help them do well. If they don't, it doesn't mean it's a failure though! In NYC ....basically the kids are told if you don't pass this you are not moving on to the next grade I teach in an ungraded setting. They are given the tests according to their birthdates. It is considered being "entitled" to take the tests as every other kid their age does - ergo "No child left behind." In addition to the learning difficulties, the students have serious emotional issues that also interfere with their abilities to learn. I have to administer the tests to one child at a time and they are very much aware of their limitations. It is rather sad to see the struggles. Posted 1/3/07 8:39 PM
Goldi0218	Posted by beautyq115 In NYC ....basically the kids are told if you don't pass this you are not moving on to the next grade I am curious to know how the city can refuse to advance a child on a test administered in January when the school year isnt over for another 6 months or so. The 5th grade Social Studies was given in November. A test given in November in the 5th grade does not test 5th grade skills - more like a review of fourth grade. Posted 1/3/07 8:42 PM
Arieschick29	Sounds like my class today "Mrs. C....What does the question mean when it says HOW did Robin grow up? How should I know that?!" I wasnt worried really until my 4th grade colleague said she thinks it will be our heads on the platter if most of our kids fail But here's what I'm wondering...Do you all think the test is an accurate measure???? I think kids today are FAR below where I was in 4th grade!!! Most of mine have no common sense which I feel accounts for 50% of anything Posted 1/3/07 8:57 PM
Arieschick29	Posted by Palebride Posted by beautyq115 In NYC ....basically the kids are told if you don't pass this you are not moving on to the next grade The way I always read the test it wasn't a pass or a fail....it was a measure of how you rate according to the standards the state is testing you on. How can they use a 2 day test score to pass or fail a child? That's a little silly! But then again, the test isn't THAT difficult, so if someone doesn't do well, perhaps they can use some additional support.... Actually, I feel the test is designed to be VERY tricky....Last year (my 1st year) all the 4th grade teachers were talking over the listening section in the hallway and realized: the questions they asked them to write about had NOTHING to do with the majority of the story I had to read to them. Posted 1/3/07 8:59 PM
beautyq115	Posted by JPC1125 Sounds like my class today "Mrs. C....What does the question mean when it says HOW did Robin grow up? How should I know that?!" I wasnt worried really until my 4th grade colleague said she thinks it will be our heads on the platter if most of our kids fail But here's what I'm wondering...Do you all think the test is an accurate measure???? I think kids today are FAR below where I was in 4th grade!!! Most of mine have no common sense which I feel accounts for 50% of anything I don't find it accurate....Find it rediculous! Posted 1/3/07 9:00 PM
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