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To: An H-Net List for Teaching Social Studies in Secondary Schools <H-HIGH-S@H-NET.MSU.EDU> Subject: Re: Outside assessments We have site-based decision making councils that run each school. They are the legislative branch. Each school has committees that choose the books and present them to the sbdm and they officially choose the books. They also hire the principals and many other tasks. So I think unless the law changes, we will still be able to make decisions at the school level. The tests are written at the national level though, and the books we bought to match our Kentucky core content don't really match this new test. For example, we always started US at reconstruction. This test starts with Columbus. So that's a big problem because teachers had to make that up from scratch, and most have never taught that part, unless they've taught middle school. So this year's results should be...uhm...interesting, to say the least. Michelle Peck Williams NBCT AP World History & Humanities Teacher Dept Chair for Social Studies and 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 iPad On Jan 24, 2012, at 5:44 AM, Michael Hutchison <mhutch@NWCABLE.NET> wrote: > 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 ------ End of Forwarded Message
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