Standardized Testing And The Classroom Environment

My English class when I was a high school junior was characterized by exactly what people complain about when they belittle standardized testing and the classroom environment it creates. Namely in the area of teaching to and gaming the standardized tests. New York had used its state based and standardized Regents curriculum for the entire time I was in my pre-college education and the peak of the English Language Arts curriculum was in my junior year of high school. To pass high school and get your diploma, the state mandated that you take and pass your English 11 Regents exam. It focused on general multiple choice questions based off of randomly selected passages, short answer questions, and one longer critical lens essay. The only part of the exam that used information taught in the classroom was the critical lens essay in which you had to take two works of literature that you have read and use them to analyze a given quote. Because of how important this exam was, it was offered tw ice in the year for us (which was unheard of in other classes) once in January and once in June. About a month and a half before the January test, my teacher stopped everything we were doing and went into â€Å"test prep mode†. This meant that all class time and activities were purely devoted to running through different parts of the test repeatedly until we effectively had memorized how to do that part of the test. After learning the layout of the multiple-choice section for theShow MoreRelatedStudent Assessment - The Importance of Standardized Testing Essay1149 Words   |  5 PagesThe point here is that standardized testing is necessary to evaluate students and programs achievement or ability. In my opinion it is a good basic start to understanding the development of human- kind in many aspects. For example, in a school setting, standardizing tests are used to measure developmental stages or reading levels, just to name a few. School Psychologist and Counselors use standa rdizing testing to look at the development of students. They will agree severe disabilities to be initiallyRead MoreThe Limitations Of Standardized Testing Essay705 Words   |  3 PagesThe limitations of â€Å"standardized testing† as a rigid and narrow criterion for gauging the educational capabilities of students in public education. The criterion for standardized testing relies on narrow areas of knowledge that define a hierarchical imposition of â€Å"intelligence† testing that forces the student to perform ion a constrained academic environment. This type of testing has become a mechanized tool to reject the individual needs of the student in a linear testing methodology. The importanceRead MoreThe Negative Effects Of Standardized Testing1120 Words   |  5 Pagesadverse effects of standardized testing.† Testing has evolved over time from basic reading, writing, and arithmetic to curriculum based on standardized testing such as the ACT, SAT, and TCAP. Man y years ago, students did not have to take as many tests, and there were not as many opportunities for different types of classes. Schools have evolved as standardized test evolved, and this has forced teachers to evolve as well. As time progressed, the frequency of these standardized test increased and theRead MoreStandardized Testing Should Be Standardized Tests1329 Words   |  6 PagesPretty much everybody in this generation has taken a standardized test in some level of schooling. A standardized test is defined as a â€Å"test that requires all test takers to answer the same questions, or a selection of questions from a common bank of questions, in the same way, and that is scored in a standard or consistent manner, which makes it possible to compare the relative performance of individual students or groups of students† (â€Å"Standardized Test Definition†). There is lots of debate aroundRead MoreThe Cons Of Standardized Testing1555 Words   |  7 PagesThe Stan dardized Testing System, instituted in the public school system, has been used as a guideline in assessing a student’s comprehension of the subjects taught in the classroom and for measuring a teacher’s aptitude of relating the subject material to the students (Fletcher). Florida has instituted a new Bill SB-736 that will now no longer grant teacher’s tenure, and will use the scores from the FCAT to decide whether a teacher will keep their job. While originally created to help the schoolRead MoreFinland And American Education System854 Words   |  4 Pagesbetween the testing, the paths for the students to take, the time management during school hours, and the classroom environment. The differences between Finland and American education systems start with the youngest students. Finland students start school at a later age than American students. In Finland their students don’t start school until they reach the age of seven years old, where as in America the students start school when they reach the age of five. Finland also doesn’t focus on testing theirRead MoreMy Schooling Experiences Formed A Positive Outlook On American Education1666 Words   |  7 Pagescooking, disappear and curriculums change in order to focus on standardized tests, my view of the education system changed negatively. Teachers, like Gruwell and my second grade teacher, who inspire their students to think and discover their talents, are being replaced with teachers who obey the curriculum of standardized testing. A student no longer learns how to think on their own, instead they are forced to memorize formulas and testing strategies. A public school teacher in New York City e xplainsRead MoreThe Education System Of The United States1174 Words   |  5 Pagesexpectations. The use of Federal funding creates high stake environments, that effect students and teachers differently. With these high expectations for standardizing test scores, teachers are promised large bonus incentives in return. In 2009, schools were given the option to apply for funding by The Race to the Top Fund, and these expectations cause teachers and students to have high stress and anxiety in standardized school testing. The new expectations from federal funding change the educationalRead MoreAre Standardized Tests a Valid Measurement of Student Learning?1358 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"Standardized testing is one of the most passionately debated education topics in America† (Baxter, pg. 1). They became much more prevalent after the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act mandated annual testing across the United States. Standardized tests are used to assess students and teachers, howeve r some people object the idea that the performance on a single test is a valid measure of what a student has learned, or what their teacher has taught them. In this paper I will argue that relying solelyRead MoreStandardized Testing And High School Education888 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"Standardized testing has swelled and mutated†¦to the point that it now threatens to swallow our schools whole† (Kohn, 2000). Comparing standardized testing to a swelling monster that is taking over the school systems is a bit of a reach but there is some weight to this statement. Standardized tests have become so frequent in elementary and high school education that they have become the most important tool that is used by school boards and colleges to determine a student’s achievements, but how

An Environmental Study - 2299 Words

You are a general contractor wishing to put up a modest sized cement production plant on the outskirts of town. The plant would operate on only one 10-hour shift per day and would produce about 400 cubic yards of output per day for six days per week. It is necessary for an environmental impact study to be undertaken before the county can issue a permit. The biggest issue is, of course, the air quality implications of cement production, but potential impacts on water quality are of concern as well. It is now October, and you want to start building the plant by the end of next summer, if at all possible. It is now time to issue an RFP to procure an environmental impact analysis. Studies of this type normally require about three months of†¦show more content†¦No spectator seating would be required. The decision to go with one general contractor has already been made. An Environmental Impact Study You are a general contractor wishing to put up a modest sized cement production plant on the outskirts of town. The plant would operate on only one 10-hour shift per day and would produce about 400 cubic yards of output per day for six days per week. It is necessary for an environmental impact study to be undertaken before the county can issue a permit. The biggest issue is, of course, the air quality implications of cement production, but potential impacts on water quality are of concern as well. It is now October, and you want to start building the plant by the end of next summer, if at all possible. It is now time to issue an RFP to procure an environmental impact analysis. Studies of this type normally require about three months of concerted effort by a team of analysts. An Inventory Control System You sell seeds from a catalog, and business has been blossoming. However, your inventory tracking system is inadequate. In high season, supply outages have been frequent, and customer complaints over delays have been increasing. You fear that your business will die on the vine unless something is done to improve things. You want to hire a management consultant to design a new inventory tracking system. This kind of work normallyShow MoreRelatedEnvironmental Studies : The Environment1945 Words   |  8 PagesGiorgi Asatiani Instructor s Name English 101 26 April 2015 Essay 3 Environmental Studies The environment means the surrounding and everything that affect the organisms during their lifetime. It can also be said to be the total sum of the water, the air and the land interrelationships amongst themselves and also with the human beings, other living organisms and the properties. The environment includes all the physical and the biological surroundings and also their interactions. By studying theRead MoreEnvironmental Studies Reflection Paper912 Words   |  4 PagesEnvironmental Studies Reflection Paper â€Å"In the past 50 years, humans have consumed more resources than in all of previous history.† We live in a consumer society where individuals across the world purchase, use, and dispose of products throughout their daily lives. Whether this makes their lives easier or not, it is taking an enormous toll on our environment. If people from across the globe united, we could work together to make a change in policies, as well as influence other individuals to createRead MoreQualitative Methods Of Environmental Studies2021 Words   |  9 PagesIn Qualitative Methods in Environmental Studies, we learned a great deal of different methodological approaches to research. We gained a better understanding of what qualitative methods actually is and the important roles researcher and participant play throughout the research process. Leavy describes qualitative research as â€Å"a way of learning about social reality† (2014, p. 2). It is important to know that qualitative researc h is not a one-way approach to collecting and generating knowledge. ItRead MoreCase Study for Environmental Protection1063 Words   |  5 PagesEnvironmental protection and health concerns are a very important issue in today’s world as humans are corroding the environment at a very high pace. Each individual has a responsibility towards the environment, as we all are an integral part of the nature. The ethical issues we are facing towards the nature and environment will depict our future and our future generation’s potential. 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Cognitive Therapy Case Conceptualization Free Essays

The client: Elena Elena is an adolescent female, coming to the therapy process demonstrating through actions and words a great deal of anxiety and overall apathy for her situation. Elena is a smart, socially engaged Mexican American attending public high school. She opens the session with presenting problems regarding conflict over what she might do after high school. We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive Therapy Case Conceptualization or any similar topic only for you Order Now Preliminary conceptualization from a cognitive perspective Overall, there is an obvious feeling of disempowered regarding her right and or ability to make life decisions. She comes from a close-knit family, though some of her siblings have moved away to seek out goals beyond those that they may feel their parents are putting upon them. She has recently begun to disengage academically and socially as she feels the urgency of choosing to adhere to family tradition or to go out on her own, like her peers. Though she says she has not yet made a decision, know that cognition mediates affect and behavior (Friedburg 101). From this perspective a therapist might conclude that her recent apathy toward academics and isolating herself from her peers show that she indeed is letting the thoughts of â€Å"I must listen to my parents† drive her life perspective. It is promising from a cognitive standpoint, that she shows some jealousy toward her boyfriend and others: Perhaps the anger when discussing her family dynamics and recent history is most telling that Elena could benefit from Beck’s Socratic dialogue. The pluralistic views that come from her own identity within her biculturalism are strongly embedded, and the therapist demonstrated this by demonstrating lots of open questions. Letting Elena focus on herself as an individual rather than a Mexican-American could lead to meaningful exploration and collaborative cognitive change to help Elena feel more empowered. When counseling adolescents from a cognitive perspective the counselor must remember that under any circumstances this may be the first time that these clients might see their actions and behaviors, and question the beliefs that may have become embedded during childhood. Elena obviously needs a relatively short-term look into these feelings due to her grades slipping and applying for colleges, if she so chooses. Asking a client â€Å"what is going through your mind right now† (Murdock 337) is one of the base approaches to beginning to help the client recognize their individual thought patterns. This is a question that is difficult for many adults, and though adolescents in general can be more open to change, Elena’s worldview as a bicultural young woman is overpowering any other automatic thoughts that she might have; it is culturally appropriate for a young Mexican American to disregard her own thoughts and needs for the good of the family—which Elena does in fact voice (Rochlen 2009). As an observer to this case scenario, the challenge, due to age and culture, seems very difficult. The video demonstrates this strong schema Elena has developed that exudes this overwhelming disempowerment. I believe this schema of overall disempowerment is deeply embedded and will be difficult to challenge through cognitive therapy. Additionally, Mexican culture tends to see the counselor as â€Å"expert† and the collaborative aspect of cognitive therapy may prove to be at the least uncomfortable for Elena, if not ineffective. Elena may continue to rely on others’ to make decisions for her, to give her an unconditional guarantee (Corey 107), if this base belief cannot be penetrated due to adherence to cultural tradition, fear of change, or if Elena is unable to begin to identify these automatic thoughts. Possible cognitive strategies In general, Latino Americans traditionally have strong family bonds and honor generational wisdom (Sue 377) Through the current political venue of the United States and popular culture, Mexican-Americans may fall prey to stereotypes and inherently feel a disconnect or poor self-image: American beliefs certainly account for this inner struggle Elena is feeling. Because this is pervasive and overarching in American culture where to begin with Elena in imperative. There is a lot behind these feelings, and as an adolescent who is struggling the counselor should take these omnipresent cultural truths into consideration. It is promising to me that Elena is already speaking about her siblings: I see this as an open door for initiating questions that challenge Elena’s view of herself as a young Mexican American. I would certainly recognize Elena’s frustration and give lots of positive regard as she speaks about her presenting problem. Cognitively, I would go back to Elena’s conversation regarding the varying paths her siblings have chosen. I would respectfully move through this aspect of cognitive therapy so as to not threaten Elena’s loyalty to her family. Since Beck’s model is based on a leading rather than a more confrontational approach, I would use this to my advantage to allow her to explore her emotions about her siblings and their life choices. I see this as an aspect of Elena’s life experience that may allow Elena to begin to explore self-identity outside of the effects of biculturalism. Keeping the central focus of thought exploration on how she might challenge her beliefs about her life choices through reflecting on her siblings’ life choices may be a safe way to allow Elena to begin connecting the deeper thoughts behind her ability to make life choices. From a cognitive perspective and the lens of cultural identity, my goal for Elena would be for her to begin understanding that many are facing overwhelming decisions within their own cultural context. At some point everyone must decide to respect family wishes or go out on her own. Elena would be challenged to explore the beliefs she holds regarding herself as a Mexican American; she could begin to see how the complex construct is not a means to an end. Helping Elena expose automatic thoughts and change subsequent behaviors could serve to identify the struggle she will face as a bicultural woman in America today. Obviously, this grander focus this approach toward the â€Å"big picture† provides empowerment, but is daunting. Collaboratively, it would be ideal to praise Elena for exploring her identity on a grander scale. At this point, I would encourage Elena to do some homework: Her recent social isolation undermines her support system and exploration of self-identity. Many of her friends to do not sound as if they are struggling as bicultural adolescents: Meeting with a Latino cultural group on her local college campus would be an ideal way to allow her to feel empowered as well as supported. I am sure that many others have faced this kind of multicultural dilemma in their formative years, and have come up with myriad life choices. Though I can help Elena begin to understand and possibly question her core beliefs that drive her behaviors, she will need safe and pertinent ways to explore them. Elena is a very intelligent young lady, and I do think from our observation that she inherently knows that as well. Finding places and people with whom she can identify will empower her—not pressuring her into making a decision about her next step in life; with a goal toward hearing other stories of biculturalism in America and give her a comfortable place to explore her wishes for her own future and how she might find congruency between her choices and her heritage. I am certain that once her belief of what it means to be Mexican-American is challenged in some authentic way, she will begin to explore her automatic thoughts about cultural identity. My hope in working with Elena from a cognitive perspective is that she will begin to see her own identity and realize how her own thoughts had created a situation that most certainly is not the only possible scenario for her path in life. Relevant multicultural considerations From the perspective of a bilingual educator and a culturally aware individual, I was ultimately unable to separate Elena’s biculturalism from the cognitive approaches and questioning that I would practice with Elena. Though this aspect of Elena’s life situation appears hopeless to her now, I believe through finding authentic ways to identify with successful, independent Mexican-Americans she might begin to expose the prevailing automatic thoughts leading her to these isolating, dichotomous conclusions. The last relevant multicultural aspect that I have not addressed is it would be imperative that I find an opportunity to speak with Elena’s family, and connect them with other families who are raising children in a bicultural environment. This is ideal because Latino families need opportunities to be involved in the community and support one another in myriad ways. non-productive cognitive approaches Note how at the beginning of this integrated discourse regarding Elena’s pull toward family tradition and sense of loss for her dreams of going to college I was careful to note which door felt safe and respectful to collaboratively open with Elena. Siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles may â€Å"stay out of family business† such as the pressure from her mother, but it would be culturally insensitive for me to have Elena challenge her thoughts and risking her attaching them to family ties. That is already were Elena is, and traditionally Mexican-Americans see the counselor as â€Å"expert,† which could disengage long-standing family traditions and dynamics. I am convinced that approaching Elena through questions about herself, her riends, her academic life, and family would have made her feel that cognition is knowable and accessible, which is an underlying foundation of Beck’s theory. If a counselor were to solely base their approach, without multicultural considerations, on cognitive therapy with Elena as an individual it could serve to not allow herself to fully feel her human emotions, nor to bring awareness that change is central to the human process. I do not think asking Elena to explain how her beliefs construct her reality without first finding meaningful ways for her to relate to others outside of herself could she effect any change at all. Cognitive therapy, through the lens of multiculturalism, must always consider the bigger picture of what their life perspective really is: If challenged directly about her mother Elena may have only further solidified her commitment to fail at school to have a concrete reason to obey her parents. How to cite Cognitive Therapy Case Conceptualization, Essay examples

Middleware Essay Example For Students

Middleware Essay Word Count: 454 In the past several decades, a trend has emerged where mid to large size corporations have needed to integrate their existing mainframe systems with their newer PC based information systems. With this shift in focus toward PC based communications and productivity software that became available on the market, companies scrambled for ways to tie PCs and mainframes together. This created the need for middleware. Companies discovered that the hardware and programming, involved in maintaining mainframe systems, was too costly to replace overnight. In addition to the expense, the applications in place for the most part served their purpose and appeared to be much more stable than the personal computers. They maintained master files for customers as well as inventory levels, generated bills and invoices and, with the right programmer and vision, the mainframes could extract just about any information that managers needed. As PCs became more prevalent for a fraction of the cost and with the development of the Internet and a global network, PC applications with productivity software such as Microsoft Office and connection to the Internet have become imperative in almost every business setting. As these resources became available, users such as employees could now access information easily and instantly, share information simultaneously, and communicate both externally and internally through electr onic mail. The questions then arose concerning what to do with the expensive mainframe systems and how to permit the PCs to interact. Middleware has become the solution to this problem. A middleware program is an interface between an application and a server. The most useful are those that allow access to the vast resources stored on the highly developed and expensive mainframe databases with a simple user friendly program, like a web browser. Another example is what Kaiser Permanente implemented to ease the ordering and monitoring of prescriptions. Kaiser bought a NetWeave middleware solution to tie its VAX pharmacy systems to a Tandem master subscriber database to allow subscribers to dial in prescription orders from their touch-tone phones. NetWeave gives us an illustration of how middleware works below. You can find more information on NetWeave at www.netweave.com. It is clear that with the rapid shift in business focus to pc-based information systems, which the demand for scalability and information on-the-fly, will create a huge demand for middleware. It allows an end-user to access information that before only a programmer could. Then, maybe he would generate another program that send the information to a report that would be printed then distributed. Middleware puts that information directly in the minds of the end-users in real-time. It creates a whole new group of informed users pulsating through the nerves of the corporate digital nervous system.