Things That Aren't On Bubble Tests

Copy-and-pasting this entire blog today; it is important to remember what is important: keep the most important thing the most important thing.


From Gerald Bracey, here's a great list of things that AREN'T on the bubble tests our kids are taking:

• creativity
• critical thinking
• resilience
• motivation
• persistence
• curiosity
• endurance
• reliability
• enthusiasm
• empathy
• self-awareness
• self-discipline
• leadership
• civic-mindedness
• courage
• compassion
• resourcefulness
• sense of beauty
• sense of wonder
• honesty
• integrity

Anyone want to argue that students who possess these will be less successful in life than those that don't?
Anyone want to argue that these are less important than regurgitating decontextualized fact nuggets on a standardized assessment?

Anyone want to argue that schools shouldn't be teaching these?

Anyone want to argue that these are not being crowded out in favor of increased emphases on fact nugget regurgitation?

No? No? No? No? Then why, again, are we doing what we're doing?

Discuss...