Teacher Unions just make excuses for why teachers cant teach any more

Rush, speaking of children needing help and school district students not doing well on standardized tests, why don't I give you a couple of examples from a test given to all third grade students in our district in the last two days (if the teacher is following the MANDATORY pacing guide).

You should know that currently about one fourth of the third grade students are seven years old. About three fourths are eight. They have had less than a week to learn the concept of rounding. Here the rounding problem (Number 10 on the test).

See how well you would do.

Baseball cards come in packages of 10, 15, or 20. David bought 35 cards in three packages.Which size of package would he have bought?
(a)15 and 15
(b)20 and 15
(c)10, 10, and 10
(d)10, 10, and 15

Seems pretty easy, right. Do you see the "trick" answer that fooled at least one nice little girl? She thought she had it right because she knew the answers should add to be 35. She made sure her answer did, but that "trick" answer had only two numbers not three.

Now imagine taking that test in German when you only speak English at home.

And yes I am saying speaking a different language at home does affect performance at school. Being poor also affects performance if the girl's parents did not have money for the dentist to get her sore tooth fixed or give her much food last night for supper.

However, here is the key Rush. I am NOT the NEA. I am NOT a spokesman for the NEA. I am NOT even a member of the NEA. Others who note that our public school students from economically disadvantaged areas ,on average, have more "handicapping factors" to overcome than say the average student in wealthy districts are NOT "the NEA". Nor is noting these factors an excuse. They are extenuating circumstances that intelligent people take into account.

When you accuse an ORGANIZATION of an action, then you should have evidence of that ORGANIZATION collectively, or its spokesperson, or at least one of its executive officers taking that action. Otherwise you just come off as a grumpy old man who does not back up accusations with specifics.

So how did you do on the problem?

The trick answer for children just learning this was (b).
The correct answer was (d).

Seems easy, right. But do you remember third grade? Do you remember just learning to read BIG words like 'something'? Look at how much more our students are expected to know than was expected of us. Each year of testing the standards are increased. Next year the standards for passing will be higher than this year. A score that was easily passing last year is failing this year.

I am very impressed with the teachers in our public schools. They are doing a wonderful job.

So if you found that problem easy, how about coming down to school to help before or after school with a small group of students who need help with math and/or reading skills? A little help from you and perhaps next year when the scores come out you can feel 'good' about having played your part.