Testing Too Much?: A Principal's Guide to Cutting Back Testing and Reclaiming Instructional Time - Softcover

Philip Streifer; Barry Sheckley

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1475833679 ISBN 13: 9781475833676

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2017

Synopsis

There is too much testing in American Public Schools that is robbing teachers of valuable instructional time. Some of it is mandatory, but the vast majority is not, and under the control of districts, schools and even teachers to reduce. Testing Too Much? provides a rationale and set of three models to use in cutting back on testing to reclaim valuable instructional time. It also includes a high school case study describing how the themes proposed in the book can be accomplished. Instructional time is a complex subject that is discussed in detail and the underlying research why it is so important, especially for disadvantaged children. To address how best to cut back on non-mandated testing there is a chapter, written in plain terms, on how to judge the value of a test. Three models are then discussed on how to approach cutting back on testing by as much as 25% that can recapture as much as ten days or more of instruction during a typical school year. The goal of the book is to help school leaders and teachers find ways, amongst current local testing practices, to cut back, improve their instruction and the educational experiences of their students.

About this title

About the Author

Rick Ayers’ research and writing focuses on social justice and critical pedagogy in education. He is author or co-author of a number of books, including Teaching the Taboo, An Empty Seat in Class: Teaching and Learning After the Death of a Student, and You can’t fire the bad ones: And 18 other myths about teachers, teachers unions, and public education.

Edition details

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1475833679
• ISBN 13: 9781475833676
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 176