Every year, at about the same time, something strange happens at every school in Texas. Instead of going to normal classes and learning, students hunker down in a classroom and prepare for a "4 hour" test. But, lets be honest, most people usually finish in about an hour and then spend the next three reading a book or rolling your pencil across the desk; unless you're the one person in the class who somehow takes three hours in every test (I'm looking at you, Rohan). This phenomenon is sometimes referred to as the STAAR test. Standardized tests are a staple of public schooling and have been for a while, and it's surprising why they are still a thing considering EVERYONE (especially teachers!) hate them. I think standardized tests are ridiculous and should be abolished immediately.
First of all, studies have shown that standardized testing doesn't help students. According to the national academy, despite the use of standardized tests for a while, educators found that incentives created by standardized tests did not improve education. Did you know that after the No Child Left Behind act was passed in 2002*, the U.S. went from 18th in math in the world on the Programme for International student assessment to 31st in 2009. So standardized tests aren't just unhelpful, they are literally hurting student's education. And it makes sense to. Don't you think it would be more useful to use the several days that you lose due to testing for something helpful, like learning new information, instead of sitting around like a vegetable?
Now, haters will say, "wait! wait! The point of standardized tests isn't to improve learning for students immediately, they're for measuring a students' academic achievement so that the student can be placed in classes that help them the most." You know what I say to that? Wrong. According to a study published by Brookings institution in 2001 that found that 50-80% of test score improvements were temporary and only caused by normal fluctuations that had nothing to do with the level of learning by a student. So with these "normal fluctuations" how are standardized tests good enough to measure a students' long term intelligence? Spoiler alert: they aren't.
Tests are extremely stressful, especially to younger students. According to the Sacramento Bee, test related jitters were so common that the Stanford-9 exam comes with instructions on what to do if a student vomits on it. Are you kidding me? Kids don't need to be subject to this much stress. Life itself is already stressful enough for some people, and with the stress of a single test that decides "how smart you are", it's obvious how it could become too much for some people. Especially if the stress is so bad that you literally have to include instructions on what to do if a student vomits on a test due to stress.
I think it is completely obvious that standardized tests are inadequate because they don't measure long term intelligence, and they hinder your learning ability. I think students and teachers alike can unite and say that standardized tests should be abolished.
*NCLB was the act that made standardized testing mandatory for all schools across the U.S.
https://docs.google.com/a/austinisd.org/document/d/1sNWAJDkKaRY9ISjw_1jkyhTo76lUPK4gIYKQR2M4JA4/edit?usp=sharing
Thursday, October 26, 2017
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
CE #2.2
1. 1,840 dollars
2. Must have a clean bill of health from an FAA approved doctor
3. Leander- $454 million, Bastrop- 88.5 million Lake Travis-$253 million, Eanes-$3 million
4. 50,000 jobs
5. Creepy short stories and memes
Long response:
This story was about a man who was legally blind riding in google's self driving car for the first time. He then goes over how many Americans don't want to ride in self driving cars, even though they could be even safer than those driven by humans. Everybody could benefit from self driving cars, especially people with disabilities who can't drive themselves. I think I would feel more safe knowing there are cars driven by machines because machines are immune to human error. I think after self driving cars, there will be personal self driving planes that everybody gets around in.
2. Must have a clean bill of health from an FAA approved doctor
3. Leander- $454 million, Bastrop- 88.5 million Lake Travis-$253 million, Eanes-$3 million
4. 50,000 jobs
5. Creepy short stories and memes
Long response:
This story was about a man who was legally blind riding in google's self driving car for the first time. He then goes over how many Americans don't want to ride in self driving cars, even though they could be even safer than those driven by humans. Everybody could benefit from self driving cars, especially people with disabilities who can't drive themselves. I think I would feel more safe knowing there are cars driven by machines because machines are immune to human error. I think after self driving cars, there will be personal self driving planes that everybody gets around in.
Friday, October 20, 2017
Opinions writing preview
1. Jake Brian
2. Blend
3. Jake thought that blend was a good idea but the way it was implemented was not on point.
4. no
5. I think he did a good job of explaining his position
6. No
7. 1st
The difference between news stories and commentary stories is that in news stories the journalist lets other people provide opinions through direct quotes and paraphrasing, whereas in commentary the writer simply gives there opinion.
2. Blend
3. Jake thought that blend was a good idea but the way it was implemented was not on point.
4. no
5. I think he did a good job of explaining his position
6. No
7. 1st
The difference between news stories and commentary stories is that in news stories the journalist lets other people provide opinions through direct quotes and paraphrasing, whereas in commentary the writer simply gives there opinion.
Tuesday, October 17, 2017
SNO online papers
1. Sumin Son.
2. How the "Smart snack" decision in schools limits fundraising capabilities.
3. It is a shame that the restriction prevents students from buying the snacks they had once enjoyed and fails to benefit students significantly.
4. No.
5. No, he wasn't wishy-washy.
6. No.
7. 1st
2. How the "Smart snack" decision in schools limits fundraising capabilities.
3. It is a shame that the restriction prevents students from buying the snacks they had once enjoyed and fails to benefit students significantly.
4. No.
5. No, he wasn't wishy-washy.
6. No.
7. 1st
Commentary readings and examples
1. A conversational topic would be good for me.
2. Use details to draw the reader in.
3. Don't make every sentence begin with "I". Avoid philosophical rants. Make connections.
2. Use details to draw the reader in.
3. Don't make every sentence begin with "I". Avoid philosophical rants. Make connections.
The Dispatch-news evaluation
1.
Who- School Board
What- Bond
When- Nov 7
Where- Bowie HS
Why- To renovate Bowie HS
How- Bowie needs renovation
2.
Bowie High school is in need of renovation, with halls being too hot and not enough parking space, and there is a bond that is being voted on to try to fix all of these problems. This bond is looking to fix fundamental problems and create a better school for students.
3.
Principal Mark Robinson- Direct
superintendent Paul Cruz- Direct
AISD consultant- Matais Segura
Senior Brian Garcia
4. No
5. Yes it does
6. yes
1.
Who- Principal Mark Robinson
What- Reform
When- 2017-18 school year
Why- Bowie needs to have one on one with people
How-By connecting with students and ensuring happiness
2.
Principal Mark Robinson is new to Bowie High school and is making changes. He has promised to benefit Bowie in many ways. One of them being pushing the new AISD bond, and making students happiness and morale a priority.
3.
Principal Mark Robinson-direct
Carla De La Rosa-Direct
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
1.
Who- BHS students
What- Chromebooks
When- January this year
Why- Bowie needs chromebooks
How- By providing all students with their own chromebooks.
2. New tech will be arriving at Bowie come January. AISD has promised that sometime in January, all students at Bowie High School will get their own chromebook. This is a huge step towards better learning because now everybody has a personal computer.
3. Micheal Evans- Direct
Allie Grooms- Direct
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
1.
Who-Bowie administrators
What-Bowie logo
When - Later next year
Why- Gonzaga suing bowie over logo
How- Changing logo
2. The Bowie logo has been an iconic part of the school since it opened in 1988. It is the bulldog with its mouth open, showing its teeth and seeming to growl. This logo also happens to be the logo of Gonzaga university, who are now threatening to sue Bowie if they don't change it.
3.
Alex Paulson-direct
Mark Robinson- direct
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
1.
Who- SEL people
What- SEL class
When This year
Why- SEL is a good class
How- By attending SEL
2. Many students question how they are gonna use skills taught in class in life. SEL is a very popular class because it teaches students skills about life, such as how to speak to people and interpret your feelings.
3.
Sydney Johnson-direct
Jean Frazier-direct
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
1.
Who
Who- School Board
What- Bond
When- Nov 7
Where- Bowie HS
Why- To renovate Bowie HS
How- Bowie needs renovation
2.
Bowie High school is in need of renovation, with halls being too hot and not enough parking space, and there is a bond that is being voted on to try to fix all of these problems. This bond is looking to fix fundamental problems and create a better school for students.
3.
Principal Mark Robinson- Direct
superintendent Paul Cruz- Direct
AISD consultant- Matais Segura
Senior Brian Garcia
4. No
5. Yes it does
6. yes
1.
Who- Principal Mark Robinson
What- Reform
When- 2017-18 school year
Why- Bowie needs to have one on one with people
How-By connecting with students and ensuring happiness
2.
Principal Mark Robinson is new to Bowie High school and is making changes. He has promised to benefit Bowie in many ways. One of them being pushing the new AISD bond, and making students happiness and morale a priority.
3.
Principal Mark Robinson-direct
Carla De La Rosa-Direct
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
1.
Who- BHS students
What- Chromebooks
When- January this year
Why- Bowie needs chromebooks
How- By providing all students with their own chromebooks.
2. New tech will be arriving at Bowie come January. AISD has promised that sometime in January, all students at Bowie High School will get their own chromebook. This is a huge step towards better learning because now everybody has a personal computer.
3. Micheal Evans- Direct
Allie Grooms- Direct
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
1.
Who-Bowie administrators
What-Bowie logo
When - Later next year
Why- Gonzaga suing bowie over logo
How- Changing logo
2. The Bowie logo has been an iconic part of the school since it opened in 1988. It is the bulldog with its mouth open, showing its teeth and seeming to growl. This logo also happens to be the logo of Gonzaga university, who are now threatening to sue Bowie if they don't change it.
3.
Alex Paulson-direct
Mark Robinson- direct
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
1.
Who- SEL people
What- SEL class
When This year
Why- SEL is a good class
How- By attending SEL
2. Many students question how they are gonna use skills taught in class in life. SEL is a very popular class because it teaches students skills about life, such as how to speak to people and interpret your feelings.
3.
Sydney Johnson-direct
Jean Frazier-direct
4. No
5. Yes
6. No
1.
Who
C.E. quiz #2.1
1. Ben Franklin, Statue of Liberty, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington
2. Women's health institute, Muskuloskeletal Institute, Mulva clinic for the Neurosciences, WorkLife Clinic
3. They have the same medallion type logo.
4. Nick Medina
5. Blade Runner 2049
Long Response: The writer thinks science is very important and should be taken into account when making decisions. In paragraph 3, the author directly speaks to the audience. Advancing science communication will require focused work to create effective methods that have not yet been discovered. He talked about being able to pilot a ship 3 billion miles, discovering how Lucy died 3.2 million years ago, etc. Provide real incentives for people to believe in science. I think the way he approached it was good. I agree with his stance because I think science is very reputable because you can actually prove this stuff.
2. Women's health institute, Muskuloskeletal Institute, Mulva clinic for the Neurosciences, WorkLife Clinic
3. They have the same medallion type logo.
4. Nick Medina
5. Blade Runner 2049
Long Response: The writer thinks science is very important and should be taken into account when making decisions. In paragraph 3, the author directly speaks to the audience. Advancing science communication will require focused work to create effective methods that have not yet been discovered. He talked about being able to pilot a ship 3 billion miles, discovering how Lucy died 3.2 million years ago, etc. Provide real incentives for people to believe in science. I think the way he approached it was good. I agree with his stance because I think science is very reputable because you can actually prove this stuff.
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Earthquake Story
An earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay area yesterday at 8:12 AM. A building housing McHenry's Auto Supply at 2342 Plum St. partially collapsed, killing two people and injuring six others.
"We are not able to release the names of the dead at this time," Said a Jennifer Vu, public information officer from the Hayward Fire Department. "We need permission from the victims' families to release the names."
Hayward resident Mike Beamer, whose apartment is across the street from McHenry's, said he felt a rolling motion that lasted for about 30 seconds, with a big jolt coming in the middle.
"I was eating my breakfast when the room started rolling," said Beamer. "I dove under the table just as I heard an explosion outside and a chunk of cement flew through my kitchen window. That's when the screaming started across the street."
Hayward firefighters used ropes to stabilize the auto supply shop, conducting a search of the building and capped a gas line after detecting a gas leak at the site.
"Twenty-one fire personnel, 12 police and five American Red Cross workers responded to the building collapse, with some arriving within four minutes of the quake," Vu said.
Three of the six people injured were hurt seriously enough to require hospitalization and were transported to Hayward General Hospital.
"A couple had broken bones, and there was one with a fractured skull," Vu said. "We are hopeful that they will make a full recovery.
The epicenter of the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale, was under the Hayward Hills, according to Penny Gertz, a scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. Gertz called the quake a "strong one" and said it occurred on the Hayward Fault, which runs under the hills.
"People as far south as Los Angeles and as far north as Redding felt the quake," Gertz said.
"We are not able to release the names of the dead at this time," Said a Jennifer Vu, public information officer from the Hayward Fire Department. "We need permission from the victims' families to release the names."
Hayward resident Mike Beamer, whose apartment is across the street from McHenry's, said he felt a rolling motion that lasted for about 30 seconds, with a big jolt coming in the middle.
"I was eating my breakfast when the room started rolling," said Beamer. "I dove under the table just as I heard an explosion outside and a chunk of cement flew through my kitchen window. That's when the screaming started across the street."
Hayward firefighters used ropes to stabilize the auto supply shop, conducting a search of the building and capped a gas line after detecting a gas leak at the site.
"Twenty-one fire personnel, 12 police and five American Red Cross workers responded to the building collapse, with some arriving within four minutes of the quake," Vu said.
Three of the six people injured were hurt seriously enough to require hospitalization and were transported to Hayward General Hospital.
"A couple had broken bones, and there was one with a fractured skull," Vu said. "We are hopeful that they will make a full recovery.
The epicenter of the earthquake, which had a magnitude of 6.4 on the Richter scale, was under the Hayward Hills, according to Penny Gertz, a scientist from the U.S. Geological Survey in Menlo Park. Gertz called the quake a "strong one" and said it occurred on the Hayward Fault, which runs under the hills.
"People as far south as Los Angeles and as far north as Redding felt the quake," Gertz said.
Hunnington story
An incident took place in Barstow, California last night at about 10 PM, the incident ended in 53 year old Janice Jones being shot in the leg by her own 9mm handgun.
The gun was knocked off the table by Ms. Jones dog at her motor home parked near highway 1. The weapon discharged, and the bullet passed clean through Jones' leg and the vehicle.
"It could have been worse," said California Highway Patrol press liaison Tammy Rye. "The bullet hit two inches from the gas tank."
Jones was taken by ambulance to Huntington beach hospital and then moved to Irvine Medical center.
"Jones is being treated for a minor leg wound," said Rye. "And she is expected to make a full recovery.
Jones' dog, a Pomeranian named Tombo, was placed in the care of Huntington Beach Animal Control officers. The dog was malnourished, and had fresh cigarette burns all over it's forehead.
"It could have done with a little less abuse and a little more of those pork chops," said animal control officer Janet Ngo.
The gun was knocked off the table by Ms. Jones dog at her motor home parked near highway 1. The weapon discharged, and the bullet passed clean through Jones' leg and the vehicle.
"It could have been worse," said California Highway Patrol press liaison Tammy Rye. "The bullet hit two inches from the gas tank."
Jones was taken by ambulance to Huntington beach hospital and then moved to Irvine Medical center.
"Jones is being treated for a minor leg wound," said Rye. "And she is expected to make a full recovery.
Jones' dog, a Pomeranian named Tombo, was placed in the care of Huntington Beach Animal Control officers. The dog was malnourished, and had fresh cigarette burns all over it's forehead.
"It could have done with a little less abuse and a little more of those pork chops," said animal control officer Janet Ngo.
The Car Accident
Two vehicles collided this afternoon at 4:45 at the corner of First Street and Slaughter Lane, police and paramedics immediately responded to the scene, arriving at 4:55.
"We arrived on the scene to find two cars that seemed to have collided, drivers of both cars were already out of their cars, Mr. Jingleheimer-Smith was unconscious when we arrived on the scene," said paramedic Johnathan Stacey.
One of the cars, a 1948 Studebaker, was being driven by 13-year-old Roger Clementine, who was cited for driving without a license and driving in the wrong lane. Clementine was taken to the hospital and treated for minor cuts to his face, and then released.
"I am so, so sorry," said Clementine. "I just wanted to take Uncle Bob's car out for a spin, and I wasn't paying attention. I didn't think I would hit anybody."
John Jacob Jingleheimer-Smith, the driver of the second car, a 1989 Yugo Firebelcher, was taken to the hospital to be treated for a severe head injury and is still in critical condition.
"I was just going down Slaughter, I must've only been going 5, 10 miles an hour, when I see this other car drift into our lane," said Jingleheimer-Smith. "He slammed into the front of the car, and my head hit the dashboard."
Jingleheimer-Smith's wife, Melba, was also in the car with him at the time. She was treated for a bloody nose and released.
"I don't remember much, I think I was doing some last minute touches on my makeup, we were heading to a party, and I just looked up and saw the other car," said Melba. "We started spinning out of control. When we finally spun to a stop, I immediately got out of the car, and saw that it was totally destroyed. I was crushed because that is gonna cost us a ton of cash to replace."
"We arrived on the scene to find two cars that seemed to have collided, drivers of both cars were already out of their cars, Mr. Jingleheimer-Smith was unconscious when we arrived on the scene," said paramedic Johnathan Stacey.
One of the cars, a 1948 Studebaker, was being driven by 13-year-old Roger Clementine, who was cited for driving without a license and driving in the wrong lane. Clementine was taken to the hospital and treated for minor cuts to his face, and then released.
"I am so, so sorry," said Clementine. "I just wanted to take Uncle Bob's car out for a spin, and I wasn't paying attention. I didn't think I would hit anybody."
John Jacob Jingleheimer-Smith, the driver of the second car, a 1989 Yugo Firebelcher, was taken to the hospital to be treated for a severe head injury and is still in critical condition.
"I was just going down Slaughter, I must've only been going 5, 10 miles an hour, when I see this other car drift into our lane," said Jingleheimer-Smith. "He slammed into the front of the car, and my head hit the dashboard."
Jingleheimer-Smith's wife, Melba, was also in the car with him at the time. She was treated for a bloody nose and released.
"I don't remember much, I think I was doing some last minute touches on my makeup, we were heading to a party, and I just looked up and saw the other car," said Melba. "We started spinning out of control. When we finally spun to a stop, I immediately got out of the car, and saw that it was totally destroyed. I was crushed because that is gonna cost us a ton of cash to replace."
Thursday, October 5, 2017
Free Write
Attention! The following is a message transmitted by the United States Government. The nation is on complete lockdown and all passage in and out of the country is prohibited. The situation has become dire. The dead are rising from their graves, and attacking the living. Attacks have already been reported in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. It is likely that more attacks of this nature will occur. Citizens of the United States are advised to take shelter in a basement or in specific locations around your city. Leaflets will be dropped via aircraft detailing the location of these locations. It is advised that you take plenty of food and water with you to your place of refuge. If you see one of these undead creatures, please report it immediately to authorities in your area. The spreading of this epidemic seems to be through the transfer of fluids. If you, or someone close to you is scratched or bitten by these creatures, it is advised that you separate yourself from from the person afflicted and call local authorities. If you area attacked by one of these creatures, there is a high chance that you will turn into one of these creatures. It is not known how long this situation will last. It could last days, weeks, or even longer. Stay calm, as authorities have been dispatched to deal with these creatures. After an area has been cleared, an all-clear alarm will be sounded. If you are unable to.... a..... and then.... I... The radio began to cut out. My father hit it with his fist. It responded with static. He cursed. This was the only broadcast we'd been able to pick up on for days. When the first attacks were reported, we thought it would pass, life went on normally. I went to school and attended all my classes. It got worse. The epidemic spread all over Texas. They cancelled school. When things got really bad, father wanted to leave. But mother said no, Samantha, my little sister, was too sick. Father said it was a mistake to not leave. Turns out it was the best mistake we ever made. Every other family in Texas piled into their cars and started leaving. I'm sure you can see how Houston highways weren't meant for millions of cars all at once. They were stuck for days. Some people got out and tried to walk. But most stayed, hoping they would start moving at some point. And then the hoard arrived. We turned on the TV (they were still working at that point) and watched footage of the scene taken from a helicopter. Hundreds of thousands of those creatures arrived all at once. You could see them cresting over the hills as they descended upon the highway. They milled around the cars, stopping every so often to smash a window in, or tear of a door. I watched in horror as they began to rip people, struggling, from their seats and devoured them. Four or five would pounce on the person at a time. All that was left was a dismembered body lying on the ground. After a while, the body would rise and begin to shuffle around mindlessly. Several brave souls got out of their cars and make a break for it, or fight the creatures somehow. They didn't last for long. Nobody in the cars did. Nowadays, we don't go outside anymore, but if you're brave enough to glance out a window every once and a while, you can see a pack of them wander over and stumble down the street, searching for a rabbit or stray cat.
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