Busytown: Testing, 1 2 3
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I didn't say stop!
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Wow, that Mark Fisher has a lot of interesting things to say. Can't you all be less intelligent, because I'm growing increasingly stressed and anxious about my work, while reading all this stuff about being stressed and anxious. I see another Camus moment on the near horizon.
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i would also like to just briefly agree with Matthew and Kate... this wonderful piece NEEDS to be published somewhere or otherwise given as wide a readership as is practically possible...
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Camus moment
I was desperately trying to work out how to include an 'aujourd'hui, maman est morte' joke somewhere in this thread. (Or at least threadmerge it with the female ejaculation conversation: sexy-stentialism?)
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'aujourd'hui, maman est morte' joke
Come again?
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Today my mother died. But someone will have to explain it to me: I didn't read Camus for the lolz.
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Umm, actually I knew that. Was sort of following Danielle's lead, which I see could be a dangerous habit to get into. I was thinking of The Myth of Sisyphus, so that was in there as well. Doesn't explaining jokes make them seem really trite?
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There is one moment that will stay in my mind forever as all three caught the same wave all the way to the beach with grins to their ears, and squealing, unbridled happiness.
...it takes a planet to raise a child
but those villages help as well...
:- )waves are free and all around...
(though it worries me that in my lifetime
the moon has moved at least 4 feet further
away from the earth...) -
Today my mother died. But someone will have to explain it to me: I didn't read Camus for the lolz.
I wondered about that too, but I think Danielle was trying to refer to "la petit mort" where Camus says "Maman est mort". The first means "the little (feminine) death" and is a colloquialism for orgasm, the second means "Mother died" and doesn't have anything to do with orgasms. So maybe I missed it too.
If this is a colloquial confusion, it's not as unfortunate as confusing "haut le coeur" with "haute couture", one translating as "high the heart" and the other as "high sewing", but the first meaning "dry heaves" and the second meaning "fancier and much more expensive than ready to wear".
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People, I'm not that brainy: I said I was 'desperately trying to work out' how to make an existentialism joke, not that I'd actually made one. I have failed you all. :)
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Really, Danielle? You set it up, and I think we delivered.
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...it takes a planet to raise a child
but those villages help as well...I'd settle for having my children raised by the Village People.
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sexy-stentialism counts
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I'd settle for having my children raised by the Village People.
of course you realise YMCA
is just CAMPY and mixed up
...with the P missing!a thoroughly modern milieu...
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sexy-stentialism counts
Multiple regression analysis?
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Wonderful post Jolisa. Its good to get a human perspective on standards and testing alongside the research and evidence from the academics, education professionals and NZEI.
Can you tell me if the US schools mentioned in your post included disabled students? If so, how were they affected by the testing regime.
Many of us with disabled children are fearful that National Standards will result in their further marginalisation and exclusion from the education system.
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Great post Jolisa - it has been great to read PA the past few days as I have been confused over standards in schools.
My mother was a teacher of 40 years so has seen many a policy come and go - and then come around again. I thought she would be a good person to talk to.
Her concerns were what was going to happen with the information once it was gathered (which I know others have asked the same question in other posts). She wonders whether many parents are more comfortable with 'Suzy is 14th in Maths' than 'Suzy needs some help improving her social skills' as then it is easier to turn and blame the teacher - and that kind of result may mean teachers leave the profession - or perhaps schools end up like Jolisa describes, living the tests.
If the standards were to be used to pump more money into programmes like reading recovery where they are needed, Mum thought that might be good - but she doubts that is the aim, when money has just been taken out of those kind of programmes.
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Camus moment
Camus can do. But Sartre is smartre.
Don't be A Stranger, now!
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I tried to resist, but I couldn't. My apologies Jolisa, we'll get serious again any minute now. Must be the lack of standards...
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Heck, any thread that invites the Philosopher's Song is a very serious one by definition. No apologies needed!
I searched in vain for limericks about Camus, despite the extremely promising rhyme scheme and topic. Perhaps our Alien LIzard can oblige? But I was relieved to discover that ol' Alber' was almost certainly not the author of my favourite sappy 70s poster.
Back on topic, from today's NY Times: teachers not just teaching to the test, but (possibly) actually doing the test as well. Whatever it takes to keep the school open: that's dedication.
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Can you tell me if the US schools mentioned in your post included disabled students? If so, how were they affected by the testing regime.
Ian, that's a good question. In general, students with learning disabilities/differences are better off in public schools than private schools over here, in the sense that private school kids are on their own, but public schools are required by law to provide accommodations (tutors, aides in the classroom, extra time, etc). I'm not sure how that plays out in practical terms during the actual tests, but I'll see if I can find out and let you know.
In terms of class atmosphere and daily practice, if the bright and facile (in the positive, American sense) kids are frustrated and freaking out, I can't imagine the kids who struggle with aspects of learning feel any better about it. But that's an educated guess.
You know, I am trying to imagine what it would feel like to peruse a report card that labelled me as "well below standard" if I (and my parents) knew that I was, in fact, working my hardest, and working uphill at that. Damn, that's cruel wording. Well below helpful.
Mind you, who wants to be "standard" anyway? Standard issue, bog standard... sucks to that. If I was an artsy teen or an angsty one, or both, I'd be straight off home to screenprint a batch of "STANDARD DEVIATION" T-shirts for me and my mates.
Oh wait, I was. Maybe I should. What sizes?
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I'll have a Standard deviation T-shirt to go with my ADHD/CEO one. Apparently we live in 'bog standard' street, so need a point of difference.
Here's my attempt at a Camus Limerick. Points for trying maybe?
A philosopher there was named Camus
His shakespearean angst did imbue
but alas poor yorrick
they found him in doric
est morte, m' man, and adieu -
A philosopher named Camus once taught
"Aujourd'hui, maman est morte"
But in things existential
Satre proved less tempremental
So de Beauvoir by Satre was caught. -
Great one Rich. I think we need some more limerick love round here. Where's everybody gone? Suppose the sex and drugs threads have more pull, so to speak...
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Where's everybody gone?
Well, for me, it is one of those moments on PAS when I don't have anything useful to add. But you go for it guys, and keep us entertained.
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