Column #33, posted March 22, 2007

I Failed the FCATs! (complete with PowerPoint presentation)

Attached is a PowerPoint presentation that shows some questions from the third grade math & reading and fifth grade science FCATs which are the tests given to all Florida students. (That is where I live.) Things to bear in mind while looking at the questions and my responses:

1. Math – I was a math major in college as well as a computer science professor for 35 years. I never used math after college. I can’t say I used it in college either, but I did take lots of courses in it.

2. Reading – I can read. I could even pass reading tests as a kid. I remember scoring at the 12th grade level in 6th grade. Everyone was impressed. So, I knew how to play that test game. I don’t anymore.

Is the point to read something and see if you remember it? If it is, I didn’t. If the point is to see if you can find stuff in text you just read, why does that matter?

3. Science – I know a lot about science. This means I can reason from evidence not just >use test tubes.

Watch the slideshow in your browser


http://show.zoho.com/public/gstager/schankfcat-ppt
Download the PowerPoint presentation