Philadelphia students, if you're having a problem with standardized tests, you're not alone:
Half of the district's middle school teachers who took tests to become certified as highly qualified under the federal No Child Left Behind law failed, district results show. Math teachers did the worst: Nearly two out of every three failed that exam, while more than half flunked the science test, 43 percent the English exam, and 34 percent the social-studies test.
The results are for 690 of the public school district's 1,346 seventh- and eighth-grade middle school teachers, who took the tests in September and November. Teachers have until June 2006 to take the test and meet the mandate.
Philadelphia teachers failed the test at a far greater rate than those in the rest of the state...
Allegedly, this is no "wimp test," and alternate criteria for certification are being considered, but it's difficult to understand how Philly's teacher could be effective if they don't have mastery of the content material. What's more, the particular certification rules in Pennsylvania mean that elementary-certified teachers can teach middle-school classes:
In Pennsylvania, elementary teachers are certified through sixth grade and secondary teachers from seventh through 12th grades. But for schools that span both elementary and secondary grades - middle schools - the state has allowed elementary-certified teachers to teach all grades.
Most middle school principals in Philadelphia have preferred elementary-certified teachers to maximize scheduling flexibility; for instance, a math-certified teacher could teach only math, while elementary-certified teachers could teach all subjects. More than 90 percent of Philadelphia middle school teachers are elementary certified.
Needless to say, certain teachers think the certification tests are "not fair:"
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers says it is pleased that the district plans to offer a test-preparation program for teachers, but questions the fairness of the testing requirement. "We have so many middle school teachers who have been doing a terrific job all along. They've been doing it for years," said Arlene Kempin, chief personnel officer for the teachers' union.
Doing it for years doesn't mean they've been doing it well. The Philadelphia test scores would suggest that middle-school teachers haven't been doing a bang-up job.
...Nick Perry, a science teacher at Conwell Middle School, said one test was not an accurate measure of a teacher.
"Content sometimes is really overrated. A teacher is like an artist, a coach. He has to be able to inspire children," said Perry, a seventh-grade science teacher, who has a master's degree in environmental science and the necessary certification.
Isn't that who you want teaching your kids - someone who thinks that content is "overrated?" And just how inspirational can a coach be if he doesn't know the rules of the game?
Posted by kswygert at March 23, 2004 11:08 AM