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Michelle and Michael, This assessment of non-state tested areas is a real problem that all schools have to face. I am in the process of helping a small school deal with this. What I have proposed is pre- and post-testing the subject. At this point we are trying to work on a delivery method. Ideally, I would like to see a test bank with at least a thousand items in it so you cannot teach to the test. Tests would be randomly generated. Realistically, for the first year it will probably be the same questions because they cannot afford to pay me to prepare the test bank. The biggest challenge is that some teachers do not teach toward a comprehensive final, so their teaching methods and styles would have to be modified. On the upside, everyone in the school would be on the same level with their students taking a high-stakes test at the end of the semester and year. Paul Schulte Arizona Educational Consultants Gilbert, AZ -----Original Message----- From: An H-Net List for Teaching Social Studies in Secondary Schools [mailto:H-HIGH-S@H-NET.MSU.EDU] On Behalf Of Michael Hutchison Sent: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 3:44 AM To: H-HIGH-S@H-NET.MSU.EDU Subject: Re: Outside assessments Michelle, Thanks for sharing that. In Indiana, we don't have any statewide assessment for US History. However, several years, the Indiana Department of Education announced they were going to create an "end of course assessment" (ECA) for US History. Then, they backed off, citing that they didn't have the money to create it. Of course, like several other states, the Indiana General Assembly decided to significantly curtail teacher bargaining rights and contract protections. For example, they've effectively done away with tenure protection. Our new evaluation form states that 20% of our individual evaluation score has to deal with student achievement, but a locally produced exam (say by teachers in our own department) does not carry much weight, compared to an exam that you described in your post. The other thing I wonder with this...I don't know how it is in Kentucky, but we have local authority in buying textbooks and other materials. The materials we use may be different than the materials at a school 10 miles down the road uses. I wonder if the day is coming where our state legislature will mandate that all schools in the state use the same textbook, no matter where they are located, and the ECA will be mandated? Not that I don't believe that teachers should focus on helping students learn concepts and ideas in US History, or other social studies areas. But, my fear is that to continue down this path will stifle teacher creativity and reduce student inquiry into ideas rather than facts. In other words, we are going to wind up simply "teaching to the test". Michael H. -- Michael Hutchison Social Studies Chairperson Lincoln High School, Vincennes, Indiana President, Indiana Computer Educators Board of Directors List editor, H-HIGH-S listserv On 1/24/12 5:28 AM, "Michael Hutchison" <mhutch@NWCABLE.NET> wrote: > From: Michelle Peck Williams <mpw@qx.net> > Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:21:22 -0500 > To: An H-Net List for Teaching Social Studies in Secondary Schools > <H-HIGH-S@H-NET.MSU.EDU> > Subject: Re: Outside assessments > > Kentucky is doing the same thing this year with a US History end of > course exam that actually counts in the students' grade. From the > people who brought us the ACT. We used to have state tests written by > KY teachers that just reflected the school but that was problematic > because the kids didn't really care. Now they will have to. > > My district has had common dept exams for several years but the level > of detail required in the sample questions for this new EOC exam is > substantially higher and that is REALLY scaring us. It's the first > year but everyone I know is really worried. The sample questions are very difficult. > > Michelle Peck Williams, NBCT > AP World History & Humanities Teacher > Dept Chair for Social Studies & Fine Arts Paul Laurence Dunbar High > School, Lexington, KY USA mpw@qx.net > michelle.williams@fayette.kyschools.us > > "To know what you know and know what you do not know is the character > of one who knows." > -Kung Fuzi (Confucius) > > Sent from my iPhone 4S > > > On Jan 23, 2012, at 7:45 PM, Michael Hutchison <mhutch@NWCABLE.NET> wrote: > >> From: Lea Burnside <burnsidel@embarqmail.com> >> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:23:06 -0500 >> To: An H-Net List for Teaching Social Studies in Secondary Schools >> <H-HIGH-S@H-NET.MSU.EDU> >> Subject: Re: FW: Outside assessments >> >> >> Florida will institute an end of course exam for American/US history >> this year (this year's students take the pilot exam). Later, I >> assume, they will add a world history end of course and probably an >> American Govt and and economics exam since those are also graduation >> requirements. But, they started with the American/US test this >> coming spring. >> Lea Burnside >> World and AP World History >> LaBelle High School >> LaBelle, FL >> burnsidel@hendry.k12.fl.us >> >> On 1/23/2012 7:13 PM, Michael Hutchison wrote: >>> From: j tab<joetab24@yahoo.com> >>> Date: Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:47:07 -0800 (PST) >>> To: An H-Net List for Teaching Social Studies in Secondary Schools >>> <H-HIGH-S@H-NET.MSU.EDU> >>> Subject: Outside assessments >>> >>> Curious to see if any of you have to give a department exam( one >>> that all students take regardless of teacher) or live in an area >>> where a state history assessment is given? At my school, we give a >>> common final and are awaiting a state created test at some point in the next few years. >>> >>> Joe >>> >> >> ------ End of Forwarded Message > > ------ End of Forwarded Message
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