Letters to the Editor

Re: Letter to the editor (May 2010)

I agree with Pierre Martel regarding  EQAO testing. Well said, Pierre! He’s telling the truth about marking. I have heard the same comments  from markers in my neck of the woods. I agree with Pierre, teaching was much more fun 30 years ago. I really do not understand why pressure is put on our students,with these so-called standardized tests.  (And let us not forget DRAs and CASI testing for the  grades not covered by EQAO.) When I taught grade 3, I did not stress my students. I treated these “tests” as ordinary lessons. No big deal. Do your best. No special treats. I kept it low-key for the sake of my students.

We have many German-speaking  Mexican Mennonite families in our area. Many of our students are exempt from  EQAO testing, but when the results are published in the  local newspapers these students are included in the percentages.  Our school, as you can imagine, ranks pretty low in EQAO final results. As a grade 3 teacher, I did not take the EQAO results personally.  I think it is so sad that we put students and staff through this process because some teachers believe it  reflects on them as teachers. I would far rather spend my  time teaching my grade 4 students what they all need, as individuals.  I cannot expect them all to be on the same page at the same time, not when their ability levels range from low grade 1 to grade 5 plus. When will this insanity end?

Anne-Marie Grange
Grand Erie Teacher Local

Re: “Lessons from Our Children’s Coaches”
(March 2010)

Prior to reading this  article, I had never considered  comparing EQAO assessment  to a sports event. Consider adding these thoughts to this analogy. As with all forms of assessment, let’s start with desired goals and work back. What is it we want for our  students? If  our goal for graduates of public education is comparable to the sport analogy of participation and  fun, then merely see which students “go the distance” or simply ask, Are we having fun? If,  however,  we are  looking for a team that consistently improves  skills, develops  teamwork,  and ends up on top —  not every game,  but at the end of season —  then we need to be able to identify those associations  and coaches and learn from  them. This is the value of EQAO assessment.  It identifies provincial mean scores then allows district school boards,  and  to a lesser degree individual schools, to analyze successful trends, and to gather data and techniques to improve student learning.

EQAO assessment  is not “just another game.” It is the culminating event in specific school years and  developmental stages. Again, to refer to sport, does the whole team have an off-day; choke on the big day?  Not if  they have been properly prepared.  If  they do, do we change nothing? Standardized testing is an objective  way to find out where you are, an efficient way to find methods  that work, and a  concrete way to  document  improvement.  I believe the right decision regarding EQAO assessment  will be  made if all education  stakeholders  – students, parents, educators – consider carefully what we want for our  students.

Laurel McIntosh
- Avon Maitland  Teacher Local