Award www.EDUCATIONUPDATE.com Volume VII, No. 8 • New York City • APRIL 2002 Winner FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS & STUDENTS SUMMER PLANNING & PLANING U.S. POSTAGE PAID U.S. POSTAGE VOORHEES, NJ Permit No.500 PRSRT STD. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY: PRESIDENT CARTER BUILDS FOR FUTURE 2 Award EDUCATION UPDATE ■ FOR PARENTS, EDUCATORS & STUDENTS ■ APRIL 2002 Winner COMMENTARY EDUCATION UPDATE Mailing Address: STANDARDIZED TESTS REDUX 276 5th Avenue, Suite 10005 New York, NY 10001 By STUART DUNN the use of so-called “high stakes” standardized Perhaps the most egregious result of empha- email: [email protected] Despite the enactment of a national education testing, is that it leads to teaching to the tests. sizing test scores is the temptation to cheat. bill calling for annual reading and math tests The question is who is responsible for this? With a great deal at stake, students, teachers www.educationupdate.com for grades 3 - 8, the battle over the use of stan- This practice could be stopped if everyone, and administrators may feel that cheating is Tel: 212-481-5519 dardized tests to evaluate student performance from the chancellor on down, made it clear that justified. Cheating on the part of the students is Fax: 212-481-3919 continues. It is as if the idea of testing was just teaching to the test is unacceptable, and then bad enough – cheating by teachers and/or invented. Critics argue that tests are not a good supervised those who report to them to insure administrators is intolerable. This practice can PUBLISHER AND EDITOR: mechanism to evaluate student performance. that this directive is carried out. The problem is be minimized by careful supervision and Pola Rosen, Ed.D. (Not that they propose any other realistic way that almost everyone sees a gain in improving review, followed by rapid and severe punish- to evaluate performance). Some claim the tests test scores, if not necessarily student perform- ment for those found guilty of this practice. ASSOCIATE EDITORS: are biased, others point to the fact that stan- ance. Politicians campaign on improved Again, it is up to the chancellor and the school Heather Rosen, Adam Sugerman, dardized testing leads to teaching to the tests. results, administrators advance their careers, administration to set the tone, define expecta- Rob Wertheimer The real issue, however, is not the inability of schools and teachers receive bonuses, and par- tions, initiate compliance review procedures ASSISTANT EDITOR: the tests to evaluate student performance, but ents content themselves that their children are and strengthen the organizations which moni- Marylena Mantas the potential use of the test results to evaluate doing better. Some however, who fear the use tor compliance. teacher, school and system performance. of standardized tests, say that teaching to the Good tests can measure student performance GUEST COLUMNISTS: If some tests are biased, this can, and should, test is inherent in the use of standardized tests, and provide feedback on the effectiveness of the Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Matilda be fixed. It is surely no reason to eliminate test- and thus, call for the elimination of the tests curriculum and the teaching. Where the tests are Raffa Cuomo, Marco Damiani, Louisa ing. It is up to those who feel that such bias rather than elimination of the practice of teach- inadequate, let’s improve them. Where teaching Efua Essandoh, Helen Frazier, Dr. exists, to identify the bias, and work with those ing to the test. In a few shameful cases, the needs improvement, let’s fix it. Where cheating Carole G. Hankin, Jill Levy, Randi T. who prepare the tests to eliminate it. school children are being used as pawns to exists, let’s root it out. But let’s not kill the mes- Sachs, Assemblyman Steven Sanders Probably, the most widespread criticism of attempt to press their viewpoint. senger because we don’t like the message.# STAFF WRITERS: Jacob Appel, Joan Baum, Ph.D., LETTERS Sarah Elzas, Tom Kertes, Katarzyna TO THE EDITOR: TO THE EDITOR: QUOTE OF THE MONTH Kozanecka, Sybil Maimin, Chris I could not believe such an authentic, well- I would like information regarding the NYC Rowan, Andrew Schiff, Deborah Young rounded, academic newspaper still existed. I (NY State?) program for paying the tuition for “The responsibilities a teacher has EDITORIAL INTERNS: thoroughly enjoyed the articles and I am routing students with health problems. A child I am to his/her students are so critical. Marie Holmes, Bruce Myint, Laura them now to various staff members. I noted the working with has a rare inherited form of That is where the transaction hap- Pretto, Jessica Shi inclusion of articles on people with disabilities. Primary Immune Deficiency and needs a more pens…the planned interaction that It is easy to see why your newspaper is an focused, smaller class-size learning environ- will lead to transformation of human BOOK REVIEWERS: award-winning publication. Too bad we don’t ment. His mom is a single working parent so potential.” Harris Healy, III, Merri Rosenberg, have anything close to it in San Diego. her resources are limited. Any direction you Lillian Shapiro, Selene Vasquez Keep up the good work at Education Update. can give will be much appreciated. –Judson Shaver, President of Marymount COMICS: Ned Lee, Director of Development Thanks for your assistance. Manhattan College Bruce Wotring The ARC, San Diego Alice Stewart New York MEDICAL EDITOR: TO THE EDITOR: Herman Rosen, M.D. My name is Sophia Buszwatiuk of Public TO THE EDITOR: IN THIS ISSUE MODERN LANGUAGE EDITOR: School 122 in Astoria, New York. I am doing a I am in Crete right now, and we have been Adam Sugerman social studies project about teen pregnancy. If enjoying rainy weather until this evening. But Editorials & Letters . 2 you can, please send me more information. Greece has been lovely, even under the cold MOVIE & THEATER REVIEWS: Commentary . 2 Jan Aaron Thank you. and rain. Our travels through Italy before here Spotlight on Schools . 3-9 Sophia Buszwatiuk were great. We went to Venice, Florence, Conferences, Workshops & Events . 9 MUSIC EDITOR: New York Rome and Naples, stopping in smaller towns Special Education. 10-12 Irving M. Spitz along the way. The best part was a string of Careers . 13 TO THE EDITOR: five villages along the north west coast of PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR: Modern Languages . 13 Christopher McGuire My name is Alexander Karpov. I am 19 years Italy called the Cinqueterre—breathtaking Metro Beat . 16 old and live in Russia. I am interested in finding views and beautiful hiking. I would recom- MEDICAL UPDATE . 14-15 POLITICAL COMMENTARY: a position in the United States so that I may fur- mend it to anyone traveling in the Genoa area. Children’s Corner . 17 Stuart Dunn Florence had fabulous art, of course, and ther my education and technical training. My COVER STORY. 18-19 SPORTS EDITOR: requirements are modest, though my work ethic Rome was nice. We found the best pizza, Colleges & Grad Schools . 20-23 ever, in Naples, but were rather happy to M.C. Cohen and eagerness to improve myself and my life are College Directory . 24 leave Italy’s pizza and pasta behind (it got a great. I am looking for work in my field, which Book Reviews . 25 WEB DESIGN: big monotonous). So, here we are in Crete, on is techincal appliance and computer service and Music, Art & Dance . 26-27 Neil Schuldiner, Rick Sulz our way to Turkey through Rhodes. Hopefully repair. Camps & Sports . 28-29 it will warm up, now that the rain is gone, and ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT: Technology & Software . 30-31 we can enjoy some of the beaches along the Martin Lieberman, Manager. Rosalyn Alexander Karpov, Russia Tutors . 32 way. I hope everyone is doing well! Bacani, Steve Bailey (212) 721-9444, Museums as Educators . 32 Ed. If you have a way to help this young man, Sarah Elzas Mark Berge, Dawn Clayton, Mitchell Movie & Theater Reviews. 33 send information to [email protected]. We Former Assistant Editor Levine, Diane Palmer, Chris Rowan, Classified . 34 get numerous mail from all over the world. Education Update Andrew Schiff Resource & Reference Guide. 34-35 We like to help when we can. GRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Neil Schuldiner, Rick Sulz TO Education Update Education Update is published monthly by Education Update, Inc. All material is copyrighted and may not be printed FROM Winner without express consent of the publisher. Silver Hill Hospital of the POSTMASTER: Mental Health Best Send address changes to: Excellence in Education Education Update Media Award Journalism, 1999—2000 P.O. Box 20005 2000 Columbia University Business Teachers College, Phi Delta Kappa NY, NY 10001 Dr. Pola Rosen Award Subscription: Annual $30. Copyright © 2002 Education Update APRIL 2002 ■ EDUCATION UPDATE ■ SPOTLIGHT ON SCHOOLS SCHOOL 3 A Productive Summer Resources Count & Positively By MATILDA RAFFA CUOMO & LOUISA Mentoring USA’s volunteers are always Impact Student Achievement EFUA ESSANDOH amazed to discover how many low-cost (or By JILL LEVY free!) activities this city has to offer. We have cuts have already eliminated some vital enrich- Summertime, the three compiled a guide to summer activities for our Due to last year’s New ment and after school programs and proposed months in which stu- mentors and mentees that include little-known York State bare bones cuts threaten the rest. dents’ brains inexplicably New York summer traditions such as the fol- budget and consistent What is not understood by most New Yorkers turn to mush, is the bane lowing: Macy’s Fishing Contest (an annual reductions to the Board is that when principals fashion their yearly of every educator’s pro- contest open to children 15 and under in of Education budget by budgets, they do not have control over most of fessional life.