OT for JC

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The local results for NCLB came out, and it lead me to wonder about
other areas, and you came to mind. Did some surfing. WTF? I've
*never* seen sub-group breakouts like that. What's going on down
there?

We've always had sub-group breakouts like that since before I started
teaching. I didn't realize that other places were getting exemptions from
doing these breakouts until quite recently.

Have you figured out yet that each state gets to set its own standard up to
which it will be held? WTF is that all about?

This whole NCLB ball of wax is becoming quite humorous, as I learn more
about the intimate details. Seems a bit like a huge political shell game.

JC Der Koenig said:

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The local results for NCLB came out, and it lead me to wonder about
other areas, and you came to mind. Did some surfing. WTF? I've
*never* seen sub-group breakouts like that. What's going on down
there?

We've always had sub-group breakouts like that since before I started
teaching. I didn't realize that other places were getting exemptions from
doing these breakouts until quite recently.

I was referring to the nature of the breakouts. Your worst performers
are our best performers. Hell, your worst performers are the best
performers in the vast majority of the country. I didn't know they
were the worst performers anywhere. That's what floored me. What is
different at your school?

Quoted message said:

Have you figured out yet that each state gets to set its own standard up to
which it will be held? WTF is that all about?

Oh yeah, isn't that cute? Up to and including the sub-group
exemptions. As high as 100 in Florida and as low as 5 in Maryland. 45
here in Tennessee.

Quoted message said:

This whole NCLB ball of wax is becoming quite humorous, as I learn more
about the intimate details. Seems a bit like a huge political shell game.

There's the whole sub-group exemption thing. If a state has less than
"x" number of members in a sub-group they can exclude the test scores
of that sub-group from the numbers they report to the feds for the
purposes of being monitored for NCLB. That "x" number has to be
pre-approved by the feds ahead of time. Here in Tennessee x=45, so it
lead to 61 smaller schools being able to exclude *every single student
in the school* under the reporting rules. It also lead to *every*
Native American and most Asian and Hispanic students in the state not
having their scores included. Pretty slick, huh?

Damn I'm glad my daughter is (1) smart and hard-working and (2)
graduating next year. Her school also doesn't suck. :-)

Carmen

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What is different at your school?

We've had educators come from California, Virginia and some other to places
to see what is different about our school, but I still haven't heard a
straight answer on what it might be. Since it's the only public school I've
worked in, my perspective is a bit narrow. In other words, I don't know.

Quoted message said:

Damn I'm glad my daughter is (1) smart and hard-working and (2)
graduating next year. Her school also doesn't suck. :-)

My daughter is at the top of her freshman class and will be taking Calculus
as a sophomore next year. I'm also glad that she's smart and hard-working.

So which is it: Nature or nurture?

;-)

JC Der Koenig said:

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What is different at your school?

We've had educators come from California, Virginia and some other to places
to see what is different about our school, but I still haven't heard a
straight answer on what it might be. Since it's the only public school I've
worked in, my perspective is a bit narrow. In other words, I don't know.

Definitely an odd situation. If they ever come up with any theories
let me know. It's got me extremely curious.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Damn I'm glad my daughter is (1) smart and hard-working and (2)
graduating next year. Her school also doesn't suck. :-)

My daughter is at the top of her freshman class and will be taking Calculus
as a sophomore next year. I'm also glad that she's smart and hard-working.

Excellent! :-) Has she got any career track ideas yet?

Quoted message said:

So which is it: Nature or nurture?

;-)

The only right answer: both. Start with one average or brighter kid
and give them a decent environment, a bit of praise *when they earn it*
and a kick in the ass when needed. Damn if you won't see results.
'Course us being kick-butt parents doesn't hurt. <G>

Carmen

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JC Der Koenig said:

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

What is different at your school?

We've had educators come from California, Virginia and some other to
places
to see what is different about our school, but I still haven't heard a
straight answer on what it might be. Since it's the only public school
I've
worked in, my perspective is a bit narrow. In other words, I don't know.

Definitely an odd situation. If they ever come up with any theories
let me know. It's got me extremely curious.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Damn I'm glad my daughter is (1) smart and hard-working and (2)
graduating next year. Her school also doesn't suck. :-)

My daughter is at the top of her freshman class and will be taking
Calculus
as a sophomore next year. I'm also glad that she's smart and
hard-working.

Excellent! :-) Has she got any career track ideas yet?

Right now she plans on double-majoring in the actuarial sciences and in
pre-med, so she can decide whether to pursue a career as an actuary or as a
pharmacist after she finishes her bachelor work.

How about your daughter?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So which is it: Nature or nurture?

;-)

The only right answer: both. Start with one average or brighter kid
and give them a decent environment, a bit of praise *when they earn it*
and a kick in the ass when needed. Damn if you won't see results.
'Course us being kick-butt parents doesn't hurt. <G>

Those were pretty much my thoughts also.

In article <[email hidden]>,

JC Der Koenig said:

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JC Der Koenig said:

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
>
> What is different at your school?

We've had educators come from California, Virginia and some other to
places
to see what is different about our school, but I still haven't heard a
straight answer on what it might be. Since it's the only public school
I've
worked in, my perspective is a bit narrow. In other words, I don't know.

Definitely an odd situation. If they ever come up with any theories
let me know. It's got me extremely curious.

Quoted message said:

> Damn I'm glad my daughter is (1) smart and hard-working and (2)
> graduating next year. Her school also doesn't suck. :-)
>
My daughter is at the top of her freshman class and will be taking
Calculus
as a sophomore next year. I'm also glad that she's smart and
hard-working.

Excellent! :-) Has she got any career track ideas yet?

Right now she plans on double-majoring in the actuarial sciences and in
pre-med, so she can decide whether to pursue a career as an actuary or as a
pharmacist after she finishes her bachelor work.

How about your daughter?

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

So which is it: Nature or nurture?

;-)

The only right answer: both. Start with one average or brighter kid
and give them a decent environment, a bit of praise *when they earn it*
and a kick in the ass when needed. Damn if you won't see results.
'Course us being kick-butt parents doesn't hurt. <G>

Those were pretty much my thoughts also.

And then if they still turn out to be losers anyway, you know it was
because of the third thing that always gets left out of the
nature/nurture debate: choices. I've known bright people born to good
parents who nevertheless chose a self-destructive path, and vice versa.

"Luna" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

JC Der Koenig said:

"Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

JC Der Koenig wrote:
> "Carmen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> news:[email hidden]...
> >
> > What is different at your school?
>
> We've had educators come from California, Virginia and some other to
> places
> to see what is different about our school, but I still haven't heard a
> straight answer on what it might be. Since it's the only public
> school
> I've
> worked in, my perspective is a bit narrow. In other words, I don't
> know.

Definitely an odd situation. If they ever come up with any theories
let me know. It's got me extremely curious.

> > Damn I'm glad my daughter is (1) smart and hard-working and (2)
> > graduating next year. Her school also doesn't suck. :-)
> >
> My daughter is at the top of her freshman class and will be taking
> Calculus
> as a sophomore next year. I'm also glad that she's smart and
> hard-working.

Excellent! :-) Has she got any career track ideas yet?

Right now she plans on double-majoring in the actuarial sciences and in
pre-med, so she can decide whether to pursue a career as an actuary or as
a
pharmacist after she finishes her bachelor work.

How about your daughter?

Quoted message said:

> So which is it: Nature or nurture?
>
> ;-)

The only right answer: both. Start with one average or brighter kid
and give them a decent environment, a bit of praise *when they earn it*
and a kick in the ass when needed. Damn if you won't see results.
'Course us being kick-butt parents doesn't hurt. <G>

Those were pretty much my thoughts also.

And then if they still turn out to be losers anyway, you know it was
because of the third thing that always gets left out of the
nature/nurture debate: choices. I've known bright people born to good
parents who nevertheless chose a self-destructive path, and vice versa.

I work with a mathematician who was born to crappy parents but always makes
good decisions.