Standardized Testing – Surprising Case Study
Jamaal Bowman is a middle school principle in the Bronx’s district 11 with a 99% black and Hispanic population and students who are academically struggling. While they outperform the district as a whole on standardized testing, they underperform relative to city averages with only 23% on grade level for English and 25% for Math.
He’s a big fan of data driven instruction, writing on the school’s website:
“We also implement a Data Driven Instruction model in which students take practice state assessments every 6-8 weeks, where teachers and administrators deeply analyze the data and make instructional plans for the next 6-8 week period. We also implement a data driven model daily by strategically checking for understanding during each lesson and/or analyzing exit ticket data.”
So why is any of this interesting? Because he is a strong advocate for opting out of standardized testing. An article from DNA Info says “He’s been speaking at schools across the city and state about the importance of educating the “whole child” as opposed to focusing on test prep.” He believes, and his school emphasizes, the importance of multiple intelligences, social-emotional learning and the arts. This is not drill and kill to boost test scores.
This is a really interesting article that I urge everyone to read.
And here is a profile of him in Huff Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-elliot/bronx-principal-jamaal-bo_b_8434018.html
Jared Gellert is the Executive Director for CITE.
CITE is the Center for Integrated Training and Education . For over 25 years, CITE has and continues to train TEACHERS (Early Childhood, Professional Certification, Special Ed, Grad Courses, DASA); COUNSELORS (School, Mental Health Masters, Advanced Certificate); and ADMINISTRATORS (SBL, SDL, Public Admin, Doctorate) in all five boroughs of NYC, Yonkers, and Long Island.
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