Spurrier Has Great Solution for College Athlete Payment. Too Bad It Will Never Work.

As a lifelong Washington Redskin fan, the past twelve years have been hard to accept. This could be another article for the near future by itself. The only reason I bring it up is that Steve Spurrier has his own chapter in the horrific saga which makes up the Dan Snyder ownership era.

Spurrier came to the Skins as a glorified national championship winning coach from the University of Florida. His college credentials were indeed impressive (122-27-1 with seven SEC titles and a national championship at the U of F). His tenure with the Burgundy and Gold was much less illustrious as a 12-20 career record with ten losses in his last 12 games would indicate. He was immediately fired after his second season.

But there was something likable about Spurrier. In spite of being a Heisman Trophy winner (1966) and professional quarterback for ten seasons, he was humble to a fault. He told reporters that he really wasn’t important, just the “Ol’ Ball Coach,” a moniker which has stuck for years. Unlike Redskin legend Joe Gibbs, who slept in his office while winning three Super Bowls for the fans of D.C., Spurrier would sneak out on Friday nights during the season to watch his son Steve Jr. play quarterback for Loudoun Valley High School. The Loudoun faithful knew who the figure at the end of the back row of the bleachers was.

Even in his post-Redskin life, the Ol’ Ball Coach endeared himself to many college football fans by spurning offers to coach at elite programs and taking a job as the head whistle at the University of South Carolina, a far cry from the lights and glamour of Gainesville. Spurrier is finding gradual success (44-33) with the Garnet and Black, having won the SEC championship last season for the first time.

Like many top tier collegiate coaches, Spurrier commands a multi-million dollar yearly income. Unlike most of his wealthy but quiet colleagues, he has now spoken out on the topic of paying college athletes. A couple of weeks ago, the Gamecock coach made a proposal at the SEC spring meetings in Destin, FL which sounded preposterous at first, but upon further review provided for many second thoughts leading to national headlines.

“Yes,” said Spurrier, “we should pay college athletes. In fact, each coach in my conference should give each of his top 70 players $300 per game.” This line was not earth shattering, but the next was. “Out of his OWN pocket.”

Putting my math skills to work, this comes out to $21,000 per game. Multiply by 13-14 and were pushing $300 K.

This seems like an obscene amount, but maybe not so when one considers that Auburn coach Gene Chizik just won a national title and received a bump from $2.1 to $3.5 million dollars (not including another potential $1.3 million in incentives!) This makes Chizik the FOURTH highest paid coach in his own conference. Not nationally -- just in the SEC.

What a novel concept. A coach rewards the players who maintain his livelihood. At face value it seems so simple and affordable. Further reflection suggests that it could subdue some of the illegal activities (corruption will still exist, but a paying coach might pay more attention) which permeate through towns like Columbus, OH, Storrs, CT and Auburn, AL.

Too bad it will never happen.

In an earlier post on the subject of paying college athletes, I proposed that Title IX would never allow for payment. Of the three dozen or so posts on the “Wall” thus far, this one comment generated the most feedback and the viewpoints split evenly to both sides. On the one hand, I read “Ridiculous...Title IX has nothing to do with it” while on the other, “it (Title IX) could be a real problem.”

Here’s the answer. Title IX is THE main reason why college athletes will never be paid. This is why Spurrier’s idea hit a brick wall and fizzled.

The legislature was generated in 1972 to cover gender equity in all educational activities, but most of the social commentary has focused on athletics. Reasonable attempts have been made to amend Title IX, usually with the intention of adjusting the focus (i.e. athletic vs. non-athletic activities, college vs. secondary school). But, the 800-pound elephant in the room has always been money. A university might have 400 male and 400 female athletes on its rosters and this may be considered equal. But, if the men’s programs are costing $11 million while the women’s programs cost $8 million, there becomes a discrepancy. In our litigious society, many ambitious athletes, parents and their attorneys have poked and prodded to find any example of inequity and taken their real or perceived case to court.

To open a can of worms and start paying college football players $300 each per game would mean paying a group of female athletes $300 a game. But, what female team has 70 members? Certainly not basketball, the largest women’s sports moneymaker. Softball? Nope. Not even soccer. All three combined rosters at a university probably don’t top 70 players.

There’s more. Very few coaches or athletic departments outside of the major conferences could make this kind of financial sacrifice, which would add into the millions of dollars because every athlete would require (by somebody’s law) the same amount in order for the shoe to fit on Title IX.

I have come to agree that in this day in age, a college scholarship, worth $20,000 to $50,000 per year, is suitable compensation for a typical student-athlete. Perhaps there should be a bump for the athletes who get air time on national TV around the end of March and just after January 1^st while helping their schools earn $20 million appearance fees. Coach Spurrier had an interesting and modest proposal. Too bad it will never happen.

How administrators can stay connected to the classroom

As part of their job description, school administrators are expected to be teacher leaders. Since most leaders are former teachers, it is reasonable to believe that many enjoyed a degree of success in the classroom before moving to their new positions.

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Information about an online PhD is available for people who are interested in becoming administrators. Most school administrators have advanced degrees.

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Yet the complaint heard from many administrators is how their other responsibilities prevent them from spending as much time as they would like in the classroom. Aside from the semi-annual rounds of teacher observations, many school leaders find themselves tending to the problems which emerge within a building on a daily basis. Here are some recommendations for the school leader who wants to stay connected to the classroom.

Be Visible

The first way to stay connected to the classroom is to be visible among the students. Administrators are responsible for setting the academic and cultural tone within the school. The best way to know the classrooms is to be familiar with the students inside of them. Having a presence in the morning and afternoon, greeting students as they walk in the front door, and having informal conversations with students are helpful toward understanding what is happening inside the classrooms and assist the administrator with staying aware of what is being taught. Another method is to set aside 10-15 minutes a day to simply walk around the school, being sure to look in classrooms while interfering as little as possible. The least effective school leader is the invisible one.

Stay Updated with the Latest Technology

As an instructional leader, the school administrator needs to keep up with the technological advances available in the classroom. They can best promote technology use in the classrooms by being proficient themselves. Realizing that some teachers are hesitant about using the latest technology, a competent school leader will lead the way by modeling, whether it’s in the form of delivering PowerPoint presentations to teachers at faculty meetings or utilizing the school website as a mode of communication.

Conduct Professional Development

One way to show knowledge of technology is to take a leading role in teacher training, mainly through professional development sessions. As a proficient administrator is also considered to be a master teacher, by virtue of the instructional leader piece of the job description, leading professional development sessions shows an active interest in what the teachers are doing and helps to advance new techniques and technology for the benefit of the classroom. In short, having the ability to use the software expected of teachers is an expectation of a competent school leader. Modeling effective teaching techniques for other instructors also demonstrates leadership at the classroom level.

Attend Teacher Meetings

The best way to stay abreast of classroom activities is to stay connected to the teachers. One way to accomplish this is to visit grade level, team and department meetings. While it is not necessary to provide input, maintaining a presence and being available as a resource during these meetings can be beneficial for both teacher and administrator. Smaller than the school faculty meetings, these settings also provide an informal forum to share classroom strategies, lesson plans and objectives.

Be Diligent With Observations

Maintaining a rigid and disciplined schedule for formal observations and “drop-ins” will also help the school leader stay attached to the classroom. The tendency to avoid is falling behind on the observation schedule and being forced to cram a large number into a short period of time. This takes away from post-observation communication with teachers as well as reflection time after each meeting. Keeping observation appointments well spaced and adhering to the scheduled times allows for a better experience with each teacher and classroom.

Should Students Be Required to Learn Sign Language?

American Sign Language, also known as ASL, is considered to be a beautiful language because of its hand gestures and fluency, as well as the fact that it opens up the student’s awareness to the non-hearing world. Some school systems have started offering the course as an elective and many students have taken advantage of this opportunity.

However, in the new era of standardized testing at the K-12 level, many elective classes, particularly in fine arts and physical education, have been reduced or cut altogether, to allow schools to reinforce teaching the core curriculum. Because of this paradigm change, it is unlikely that an elective course offering in ASL will ever gain enough momentum among administrators, school board members and legislators to become a graduation requirement.

Yet there is a movement which is gaining popularity in several school systems. The concept involves adding ASL as a foreign language course, thus satisfying an existing graduation requirement. Recently, in Loudoun County, Virginia, a group of students wrote up a bill proposal and sent it to numerous state and national legislators in the hopes of finding a legislative backer. Many responses were negative, but State Senator Patsy Ticer (D-Alexandria) and Del. Richard “Dickie” Bell (R-Staunton) agreed to support legislation. The bill cleared its first subcommittee and eventually passed the House and Senate with overwhelming margins. The bill awaits Gov. Bob McDonnell’s signature and could become law on July 1, 2011.

There are two strong arguments presented as reasons to learn ASL. The first is that it is a true language, with the features of other languages such as English or Spanish. The second is that learning sign language can help improve behavioral functioning in developmentally delayed children with communication disorders.

ASL is a Real Language

One of the purposes of formally studying a foreign language is to gain an understanding of another culture that is unlike one’s own. From this perspective, ASL fits perfectly under the definition of foreign language. Although it does not use words per se, the hand gestures, structures and processes used in ASL are much like those of any language taught in a secondary school curriculum. In fact, ASL is equipped with its own unique grammar which makes the user capable of explaining even abstract concepts. It is a completely functional language.

Developmentally Delayed Students Can Improve Behavior

In 2000, Deborah Weinstock, a psychologist, investigated the effects of teaching ASL to developmentally disabled children between the ages of 8-13. Specifically, she was focused on the change in negative behaviors after learning ASL signs. Although her quantitative data did not mark a significant change in the behavior of the seven students, qualitative observations showed support for the use of the signing intervention. Since the process has minimal risks, Weinstock concluded that the practice can be implemented properly to improve behavior in developmentally disabled children.

Other Benefits

According to signingtime.com, a website dedicated to the development of ASL ability with children, there may be other benefits for children who learn sign language, including improved motor skills, enhanced use of senses, a higher IQ, better self-expression and increased confidence when interacting with non-hearing children.

Freedom of Choice

While there are benefits to be gained by students who learn sign language, it is unlikely that the skill will become required within any school system because of budgetary concerns, a desire to focus on the core subjects and the political risk of forcing students to study a changed curriculum. However, with the current popularity of ASL courses in high schools and pending legislation which will include it as a foreign language in the school curriculum, the trend aims toward more students choosing to learn American Sign Language.

Understanding the Decisions of Bernie Madoff

I have to confess. For about a month, I have been thinking of an angle to attack the topic of how George W. Bush will be viewed by history. In my mind, I feel he will eventually be viewed as a better president than right now. After all, that's what usually happens. Truman's positive rating went up from the 28% he faced as an outgoing president; Carter gained favorable reviews because of his work as writer and negotiator, and even Nixon, the disgraced crook, was seen later as a more popular elder statesman.

Here's the thing. I know that at least Carter and Nixon worked hard in their post-presidency years, Carter following his heart and Nixon his legacy. Bill Clinton is also doing a lot of work through his library and in person to build up his post-presidency resume. I have no problem with this.

How about G.W. Bush? Well, I saw him almost get hit by a foul ball two weeks ago. Actually, he seems to be at a lot of baseball games. Obama invited him to Ground Zero after the bin Laden killing, but he said 'No."

I have no problem with this either. It is the right of an ex-president to enjoy some time off. There will be time to work on the legacy.

However, this did not help me as I thought about the Bush that will be viewed in the history books. My point is, I have decided that this probably is not a topic that merits value at this time, mainly because the subject isn't too concerned about it, so why should anybody else be? Perhaps this should be filed under "2016 Topics." I'm shelving it for the time being.

For now, I want to look at another figure viewed with great disdain by many right now -- Bernie Madoff. I'm certainly not trying to distinguish a connection between the swindler and ex-president. But, as many families continue to suffer with financial woes, the Madoff story becomes more unbelievable and indicative of the kinds of lowlifes who helped to screw many other hard working Americans. I was interested with the fact that Madoff really wasn't born with a silver spoon and more fascinated to see the high regard his capabilities were held early in his career, perhaps a main reason why so many people were coerced into investing with him later.

The Madoff Story 

It is hard to fathom that one person could swindle thousands of investors out of tens of billions of dollars over a period believed to be in excess of twenty years. Presumably, in the regulated world of finance, conducting in illegal activities, such as Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme, this would not be allowed to happen. But to understand how such a monetary tragedy took place, one must understand the thinking behind its mastermind, Madoff.

 Madoff’s Upbringing

Suffice it to say, Madoff was not the typically groomed, Ivy League, MBA-type. He was raised in Queens and attended college at Hofstra on Long Island. In an interview, the financier revealed to the Financial Times that he “started with $500 in capital, watched his father go bankrupt and felt very driven... he was always outside the club, the club being the New York Stock Exchange and white shoe firms."

Deep down, Madoff longed to be a major player on Wall Street. His drive to succeed was legendary. As explained by psychologist Alden Cass, “There’s a need to prove to the world that I am somebody powerful – I am so intelligent. Cass is the president of Competitive Streak Consulting and has studied and counseled many Wall Street personalities.

Early Wall Street Career

Starting in the early 1960’s, the firm of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities steadily grew into the major force that Madoff had longed for. Most of the credit went to its owner’s knowledge of how the market worked. Because of his knowledge of stocks, coupled with his ability to see the future of trading, Madoff was able to steal volume from the New York Stock Exchange by trading many of its listed stocks. Figuring that trading would soon be done online, he was able to offer competitive prices to clients and his network grew to include larger retail brokers such as Charles Schwab and Fidelity.

Playing the Part

During this robust period, Madoff also honed the persona which allowed him to swindle thousands of investors. Part of this character was developed by Madoff’s relationships with regulators. Although Madoff claims to have been legitimate until the stock market crash of 1987, his work with the SEC goes back before the crash, leading many to believe that he was working with one side to hide the other. Said one individual who remained anonymous because of pending litigation, “He was smart in understanding very early on that the more involved you were with regulators, you could shape regulation. But, if we find out that the Ponzi scheme goes back that far, then he was doing something much smarter. If you’re very close with regulators, they’re not going be looking over your shoulders that much.”

Madoff also became a philanthropist, joining the board of New York’s Yeshiva University, then becoming chairman of its business school. By crafting a public persona which overshadowed his illegal private dealings, Madoff was able to continue cultivating potential new clients in spite of SEC concerns.

Victim of His Greed

Like the Greek tragic figures he has been compared to, Madoff eventually wanted too much. His ego became too great and he began to act more as if he was above the law. Sam Antar, the former chief financial officer of Crazy Eddie in the 1980s, was later convicted of similar offenses and offered his opinion. Says Antar, “he just started the scam and then it built on itself and he couldn’t get out.”

In the end result, it is difficult to know exactly what made Bernie Madoff capable of performing his criminal Ponzi scheme. It could have been his need to accumulate an immense amount of wealth, while others feel it was a need to dominate people and overcome the inferiority complex Madoff felt by the lack of a “blue blood” upbringing.

The role of the classroom teacher when students are working online

Although many school systems are enhancing the use of online learning in the classroom, there is still an important role for the teacher. Even without the daily responsibility of directly instructing the group, there are other obligations which become more important when working with a group of online learners. In fact, the skill set required to be successful is somewhat different than that of the regular classroom teacher. With online learners, it is a necessity for the teacher to be able to communicate clearly, because inflections and non-verbal signs are not seen and heard, so all communication is done through the power of words.

Some of the responsibilities for the classroom teacher include, but are not limited to:

Course Developer

The classroom teacher in an online setting is not oblivious to what the students are trying to learn. Because many school online programs are in their infancy stage, the teacher may be required to assist with writing the syllabus, assignments and pacing guide. Course development can be an expected task for the online classroom teacher.

Moderator

One of the core learning elements for the online community comes through the work done through discussion boards. In a typical course, each student will regularly be required to read an article or view a visual presentation and be expected to post one thought on some part of the material. Also, a student will be expected to respond to two or more postings from classmates.

The online teacher is responsible for leading course discussions. This entails clearly communicating expectations to the students so that the assignment is performed correctly from the beginning. The teacher also acts as the online moderator, which means guiding course discussions, keeping the postings on the necessary track and acting as the voice of reason if there is a strong disagreement.

Teacher

Although many assignments are self-paced and hands-on, the online teacher is still the instructional leader and most knowledgeable of the group. The teacher still needs to be available to answer student questions and address concerns. One expectation for the classroom teacher is to be available to promptly answer questions that cannot be solved through an online option.

Pacesetter

The online classroom teacher is responsible for keeping the coursework moving at an acceptable pace. Part of this role is performed during the writing of the syllabus, as the teacher makes sure to properly space assignments to meet the needs of the group. This is also accomplished with prompt feedback and quick resolution to any disagreements, with the objective being to keep the group moving. If the course is not offered in a traditional quarter or semester system, one role of the teacher may be to modify the course around various school vacation breaks.

Grader

The classroom teacher of an online group is also responsible for grading student work. This includes setting up the grading rubric, assignment rubric, as well as developing and implementing class policies for missed assignments and work which is turned in late.

In short, the role of the teacher working with online students is still relevant. Given that the skill set is different, it is possible for a proficient classroom teacher to have difficulty working with online learners unless one has learned how to clearly communicate without the assistance of non-verbal cues.

Welcome to Jim McGrath's Writing on the Wall: Tabb Girls, New Kent Boys Win Bay Rivers Track

Welcome to Jim McGrath's Writing on the Wall: Tabb Girls, New Kent Boys Win Bay Rivers Track: "The Tabb girls combined their natural speed with reinforcement from the field events to claim the Bay Rivers district championship yesterday..."

Tabb Girls, New Kent Boys Win Bay Rivers Track

The Tabb girls combined their natural speed with reinforcement from the field events to claim the Bay Rivers district championship yesterday at Bailey Field in Yorktown.

Known as a team loaded with sprinters, but lacking in the field events, the Lady Tigers were bolstered by strong performances in the jumps and throws while outpacing second place Jamestown 125-113.

Longtime coach George Coulter was pleased with his team’s all-around effort as his squad heads into the Region I and state meet with a team trophy on their mind.

“We rarely win the district meet,” said Coulter, now in his 38^th year at the helm. “It’s usually somebody like Lafayette or Jamestown. We do well, but never quite put it together.” Looking ahead, Coulter looks forward to more help from the field. Upon being reminded that his girls were fourth in the indoor state meet he added, “Sometimes it doesn’t take a lot of points to win.”

Looking to carry the torch for her team is senior Kiara Porter. Porter, who will be competing for VCU next year, won the open 400 and 200, is one of the few seniors on the Tabb squad. After anchoring the winning 1600-meter relay, Porter sat in the middle of the football field with relay mates Leigh Ann Soistmann (junior), Taylor Omweg (freshman) and Julia Aymonin (junior) and considered the possibilities for the rest of this season.

“We’re really competitive with John Handley (Winchester). They’re kind of our rival. Blacksburg is also really tough.” Reflecting on their previous effort at the Southern Track Classic last weekend, Porter added, “We’re getting used to better competition, we (1600 relay) finally broke four (minutes) and beat our state time from last year. It (Sports Backers Stadium) is going to be my home track next year.” Aymonin added that their 400-meter relay had also recently broken 50 seconds and should be a factor at future meets.

Soistmann and Omweg talked about the bond within their team, which became evident as the quartet was soon surrounded by a dozen teammates. One by one, the Lady Tigers talked of their closeness, proven by the knowledge of each other’s accomplishments, interrupted only by a call to the podium to claim their first place trophy.

A showcase performance by Porter, solid relay placing, continued support from the field events and contributions from younger runners such as Micah Hanks could propel Tabb to the top of the podium in Harrisonburg two weeks from now.

The New Kent boys pulled away to an early team lead, and held on for a comfortable 143-107 win over runner-up Lafayette.

Senior hurdler Matthew Fultz led the way for the Trojans, winning both the 110 high (15.34) and 300 intermediate (39.92) hurdles.

For Fultz, simply breaking 40 seconds in the 300 hurdles isn’t enough. “Individually, I’m going for gold at region and state. Team wise, it’s the same thing. We’ve been working hard since last summer. It’s our last year and we want to end it off right.”

Cody Simmons won the 200 (22.64) and long jump (21-11.75) for New Kent while taking second in the open 100 meters and 110 hurdles. Cory Dunn provided 28 clutch points with second places in both the long and triple jumps and thirds in the 100 and 200.

In the field, Ryan Coles (48-09.75) won the shot put by over three feet while pole-vaulter Jonathan Fowler’s 12-foot leap won the event. The 1600-meter relay also won with a time of 3:27.51.

Not to be overlooked was Grafton’s Kyle King. The U. VA-bound senior cruised to a self-propelled 9:06.72 effort in the 3200-meter run. His time, which bested the next competitor by almost a minute, is the best among Virginia high schoolers this season and sets up King to become only the seventh runner ever in state history to break nine minutes.

York’s Jack Little was a double winner in the 1600 and 800. On the girls side, Tabb’s Brooke Mahan won the 100 hurdles and triple jump, while Bruton’s Sharmaine Baker took first in the shot put and discus.

Team Results

Boys – 1. New Kent 143, 2. Lafayette 107, 3. Grafton 66, 4. Jamestown 63, 5. York 39, 6. Smithfield 37, 7. Tabb 34, 8. Bruton 23, 9. Warhill 13, 10. Poquoson 2.

Girls – 1. Tabb 125, 2. Jamestown 113, 3. Grafton 93, 4. Bruton 48, 5. Lafayette 40, 6. Smithfield 36, 7. New Kent 34, 8. Warhill 21, 9. York 11, 10. Poquoson 6.

Piaget's Views on Middle Childhood

As a rule of thumb, I need to point out that some scholars have argued against many of Piaget's views on childhood development simply because he based many of his results on tests which he conducted with his own children. This certainly opens his findings to questions of bias as well as sampling size. A study of substance should have at least 30 participants and Piaget certainly did not have 30 children. However, his thoughts are worth a look, particularly for those with children between the ages of 6-12, as well as elementary/early middle school teachers

Jean Piaget is a leading theorist in childhood development and his thoughts on the cognitive development stage of middle childhood are worth a closer look.

For Piaget, this stage begins at about the age of seven and lasts for approximately five years, During this third stage of cognitive development, after the preoperational stage, he sees an increase of concrete operations where children begin to solve actual, or concrete, problems.

Piaget lists five examples of tasks that children can do at a higher level during this stage. They involve space, causality, categorization, conservation, as well as number and mathematics.

By space, the meaning is the ability to get from one place to another. The child becomes more familiar of his or her surroundings.

Causality involves cause and effect. The child can better understand how things work, and how an action can affect the end result.

Categorization includes seriation, or the ability to list objects in a series. A second ability is that of transitive inference, which is the ability to recognize a relationship between two objects by being able to tell the difference between the two objects and a third one. Third, the child learns to categorize by class inclusion, also known as the ability to separate the whole from the parts.

These categorical abilities help children to learn to think logically. Inductive and deductive reasoning become realistic capabilities at this stage.

Conservation is the ability to weigh objects in one's head without being deceived by appearances. A child learns that a long slender object can contain the same amount of weight or mass as a smaller, rounder one. Piaget sees an inconsistency with this and reasons it with a term he calls horizontal decalage, stating that children are so focused on their situation that they cannot always transfer what they have learned from one type of conservation to another.

Finally, we come to numbers and mathematics. According to Piaget, children in this stage devise strategies for adding and subtracting, including in story form (i.e. if Joe goes to the market with $10 and spends $4, he has $6 left.) The ability becomes intuitive.

Piaget accounts these changes to neurological growth, as well as culture.

On the topic of moral development, the theorist looks at a two-stage process. The first stage, morality of constraint, has children viewing morality as a one-way street. All issues are seen as totally right or totally wrong, with no in-between. During the second stage, morality of cooperation, the child learns flexibility as they learn new viewpoints. They are able to see other aspects of a situation. Ask a 7th grader if honesty is the best policy and they are capable of telling you it is not always.

Other approaches to cognitive development are introduced in this stage and seem to be based on technology. Piaget introduces the brain as a filing system that encodes, stores, and retrieves. Metamemory and mnemonics, or memory tricks, are introduced (i.e. Every Good Boy Does Fine, headed by words with EGBDF are the same as the keys on the lines of sheet music.)

I see these as relevant points to consider in an educational setting, especially for an elementary school teacher. It is important to understand what a child is capable of doing, and to tailor learning toward these abilities, or lack thereof. My 7th grade question about honesty comes directly from a citywide (Newport News, VA) essay, which I distributed to my own 7th grade English students. To a person, they were able to differentiate telling the truth because it is the right thing to do from not telling the truth because it might harm one's feelings or endanger someone, say in a hostage situation, or as a "snitch."

As a final thought, I do agree with these views of Piaget, but believe that it is also wise to test children by using all of their types of intelligence, using Gardner's learning styles as a base.

Recognizing and relieving test anxiety

Tests are a way of life. Over the course of one’s life, tests determine many future options. We take math tests, driving tests, college aptitude tests, and physical fitness tests. There is no getting around the standardized testing system. Even the opportunity to graduate high school is lined with a number of end-of-course tests to pass.

Acknowledgement

The first key to overcoming test performance anxiety is to acknowledge its existence. Most students experience some level of anxiety before and during an exam, which is elevated based on the importance of the test. However, to dismiss the presence of anxiety is to deny oneself the opportunity to take preventative measures. Denial is not a viable option. Overcoming anxiety requires honesty in noting that it exists.

Prepare for Success

Many of the fears associated with taking tests deal with the unforeseen. One example of this would be the dream where we show up late to our SAT exam – sometimes in our underwear! The fear is not always rational, but exemplifies our need to prepare in advance. Many test taking anxieties can be relieved by doing what is necessary to prepare in advance.

The first step is easiest to figure out. Preparation begins by studying the material at hand. Practicing time management techniques, such as making a schedule and creating a to-do list help a student to plan studying time in advance. Adherence to one’s schedule allows more test preparation opportunities. Creating the time is not enough. Organizing one’s study materials and studying properly will also help. Consider using questions at the end of each chapter section for practice.

Having one’s materials in a separate, well lit area with few distractions will also help with test preparation. If you don’t have such a space, consider making one. Then gather all of your books and materials and keep them in this area. This will save time spent looking for lost materials.

Preparation Includes Staying Healthy

One overlooked aspect of relieving test anxiety is the idea of staying healthy. The brain, like any of our muscles, needs food, liquids and rest. Being well-rested (at least 7 hours for adults), fed and hydrated (6-8 glasses of water per day) is a good preparation strategy. Maintaining an exercise program has been known to keep the mind sharp. Try to avoid fried foods, processed snacks and carbonated drinks to keep the mind ready for peak performance. Also, be sure to eat on the day of the test. The stomach may be nervous, but the body and brain need nourishment.

Be Confident and Visualize Success

A positive attitude goes a long way for test preparation. If one has followed the guidelines mentioned, there should be fewer reasons to worry. Another key is to arrive for the test early with materials in hand. This eliminates the worry manifested in the SAT dream. If you have studied, found the test site, arranged your spot and have time to spare, then you are prepared to succeed. At this point, a positive visualization can also assist in relieving anxiety. Athletes have been well known for visualizing success (hitting a home run, jumping over the bar) before a competition. It does not have to be as advanced as meditation, but can be a simple as closing your eyes and picturing yourself doing well on the exam. You visualize knowing all the answers, writing a well developed essay and combining thoughts to present a strong thesis.

Take Your Time

Finally, the last step to overcoming test performance anxiety is to take one’s time during the exam. This includes reading all of the directions, answering the easier questions first (it’s good to start out on a roll, and the easy answers might help you to remember harder questions later), and mapping out your short answer/essay questions before writing.

Remember, you cannot control all of the variables surrounding an important test. However, by addressing and maintaining the variables which you can control, test anxiety might not be eliminated, but can be fairly well managed.

People Watching – What the Conservatives are Saying Now That Bin Laden is Gone

Last week’s Thursday column looked at the presidential hopefuls to emerge from the GOP.  It was interesting to learn that last Saturday, President Obama and Donald Trump were in the same room for the White House Correspondents Dinner in our nation’s capital. Only this time, the images shown around the world were those of Trump being grilled by the president just the day after holding a news conference to produce his birth certificate from Hawaii.

If only we had known what secret the commander-in-chief was hiding that evening. For a second, my Obama as Andrew Shepherd image faded, only to be replaced by the president sidling up to “The Donald” to say…”um, Mr. Apprentice, you think you’re so important. Guess what I’ll be watching on TV tomorrow?”

LIVE from the Situation Room, it’s KILL OSAMA!!!

In his opinion column today, David Squires of the Daily Press (VA) was right on target for noting the irony of Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice” being interrupted for Obama’s announcement of bin Laden’s “termination.” There’s poetic justice somewhere in that message.

Like most Americans, I am proud of our troops for taking out the man responsible for the loss of over 3,000 Americans in September of 2001. It is also inspiring to see that the 25 members of Navy SEAL Team 6 assigned to the heroic task are based out of nearby Virginia Beach. Although the members remain anonymous (for now), it looks like a Lt. Commander fired the two shots that cracked Bin Laden’s coconut.

Perhaps the most unique aspects of this event have been 1) measuring the president’s approval bump and 2) seeing how the 2012 presidential hopefuls and pundits have been acting this week.

First, the approval bump. I am a bit surprised to see that the president’s approval rating only went up from 47 to 56 percent, according to the Washington Post’s latest poll. It was more amazing to see more people giving President Bush credit for the slaying of bin Laden, although later polls showed a mild reversal of that trend. To his credit, Bush turned down the offer to meet with the current president today at Ground Zero. Kudos on both sides – Obama, for making the offer and Bush, for declining.

My reasoning for the minor approval rise is that skepticism reigns supreme among the American populace. While many cheer for the events of late Sunday night, there is a feeling that all will be forgotten if gas prices hit $5 a gallon in August. Lest we forget that Bush the first (George H.W.) enjoyed a 90 percent approval rating after the first Iraq war, but ended up losing the next presidential election because Americans were tired of the poor economy. Will history repeat itself? Time will tell.

What remains true is that the cast of presidential hopefuls and prominent talking heads showed different reactions in their public comments this week. There is no doubt that the subject could not be avoided as approximately 56 million people watched the president’s late night address to the American public. What is undeniably true is that any commentator or future candidate with any sense could not go against the grain and say that the raid on Abbottabad was a poor idea. This made for a rare and entertaining glimpse into the thought processes of some people we know.

First in the batter’s box – Rush Limbaugh. Limbaugh has made a living by bashing the Democrats. Knowing full well that he couldn’t say that the president did the wrong thing, the former Round Mound of Radio took a road less traveled. He was gracious, complimentary and civil, or was he? As quoted from his talk show in Yahoo News on Monday, Limbaugh said, “President Obama single-handedly came up with the technique in order to pull this off. You see, the military wanted to go in there and bomb as they always do…But President Obama, perhaps the only qualified member in the room to deal with this, insisted on the Special Forces. No one else thought of that.” There’s more, but many of his “dittoheads” had already picked up on the gag. Surprisingly, a few serious journalists thought that Limbaugh was somewhat serious, but realized that a talk show host can’t keep 15 million listeners happy by changing course and playing nice.

Other conservative hosts seemed more genuine. As also noted in the same article, Glenn Beck offered congratulations and said “Thank You” to the president twice. Fellow Fox host Sean Hannity called the mission “gutsy” and “the right thing to do.”

Even Trump communicated personal congratulations via statement to ABC News while offering a verbal cease-fire to remember the victims of 9/11. Said Trump, “we should spend the next few days not debating party politics, but in remembrance of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those currently fighting for our freedom. God Bless America!”

Jon Stewart opened his “Daily Show” on Monday with a monologue that ended with the question, “Can they still do damage?” Stewart answered his own question with “I’m sure. But we’re back, baby.”

Stewart’s response may have been the most noteworthy because of the host’s connection to New York. He lives in lower Manhattan and watched the events of 9/11 play out from his apartment window. His first public response after the tragedy may have been the most surprising as it was a raw showing of tearful emotion from the usually sarcastic Stewart.

Many of the Republican hopeful candidates were low-key this week, and I’d imagine it was part of an effort not to interfere with the event. It’s bad politics to attempt to steal the spotlight. On the other hand, it’s even worse politically to exploit the spotlight which is why the president and White House staffers chose to not make the pictures of Osama’s mutilated body part of anybody’s “Kodak moment.”

Sarah Palin did offer a public response as part of her speech to a group of military veterans in Colorado. In fairness, this event was already scheduled, so it would have been a disservice to the veterans for Palin to drop out. It would have been a greater disservice for the press to avoid capturing her comments. Palin’s method of congratulations was also unique. She credited “the president” for showing “decisive leadership,” but did not call him by name. However, she did mention George W. Bush by name and thanked him for “making the right calls to set up this victory.”

It has been pleasant to see some civility in politics this week, especially when it comes after such a major capture. As the masses of computer files and data are sent to CIA headquarters in Langley, VA to reach the hands of the other heroes in this mission, one can only wonder. How long will this last?

The Role and Importance of Standardized Testing in the World of Teaching and Training

     In spite of the negative connotation caused by the two words, author and researcher Richard Phelps is a true believer in standardized testing. At the 15^th Congress of the World Association for Educational Research in Marrakesh, Morocco in June of 2007, Phelps presented his theories on the benefits of standardized testing,

     As part of his early remarks, Phelps acknowledges that standardized testing is the “greatest single social contribution of modern psychology, and may be the most useful evaluation method available for human resource-intensive endeavors.” However, he does manage to address both sides of the issue.

     In his research, Phelps brings some interesting data to the table, including a study on the evaluation of student work, which shows an incredible range between the lowest and highest scores in several instances. To my surprise, his studies date from the early 1910’s to today. As the author notes, studies on teacher grading objectivity have been going on for decades, and the results are always the same. As far as standardized testing is concerned, Phelps dates their existence all the way back to the Chinese civil service exam, which began centuries ago.

     It is evident that this author brings much research to the table to show both sides of the issue. He takes the trouble to examine the arguments against “test bias” and “discrimination.” Like any good persuasive arguer, Phelps defends his argument while answering the critics in the process.

The Role and Importance of Standardized Testing in the World of Teaching and Training

     Phelps begins his study by asking one simple question, “Why standardized testing?” He readily admits that they are not perfect evaluation tools, but can provide information that no other evaluation can provide.

     His main argument is a strong one, and the author has surprising evidence backing him up. Phelps’ main supporting argument for standardized testing is that without it, we would have to rely more on individual teacher grading and testing. At face value, this doesn’t seem valid, but there is almost 100 years of research backing up this point. The first study used comes from researchers Starch and Elliott (1912) who made copies of two actual English examinations and sent them to teachers to grade and return. To their surprise, the grades ranged from 50 to 98 percent. Of the 142 teachers used for this study, 14 scored the paper below 80 percent, while 14 scored it above 94.

     Surprised by the results, the pair repeated the procedure with an exam from another content area (Geometry.) The results were more stunning as these grades ranged from 28 to 92 percent. In this case, twenty of the 116 papers were scored below 60 percent, and nine above 85. Later researchers found the same results. In essence, teachers’ marks are an unreliable means of measurement.

     Further research on the topic has enlightened as to why this has occurred. Other studies have shown that American teachers consider “nearly everything” when grading student work, including class participation, perceived effort, student progress, and other factors. In one particular study, it was shown that 66 percent of teachers felt that their perception of a student’s ability should be taken into consideration in awarding the final grade (Frary, Cross, & Weber 1993). Needless to say, standardized tests do not reflect how many absences a student has or how well a student participates in class. There is no room for any type of bias, whether it is gender, ethnic, or class. Phelps wraps up this section of standardized test defense by stating that “it is more than an antidote to biased judgment. We need standardized tests because each of us is a prisoner of our own limited experiences and observations.” He also goes on to say that these tests provide an opportunity to be free of subjectivity, whether it is due to bias or Bayesian (time-saving) shortcuts.

Looking Far Into The Past

     As previously mentioned, Phelps goes far back for research to support his points. His first found use of the standardized test dates back to the administration of the Chinese civil service exam many centuries ago (Zeng, 1999, 8). This is a remedial example of the test, and the author adds that the “scientific” standardized test is actually about 100 years old.

     Because of the long use of standardized tests, Phelps’ second argument is that testing technology has improved at an amazing rate in a brief period. There are many reasons for this, including increased complexity and sophistication in the product, the ability to provide more information for the price, and a better format, with more reliability, fairness, and validity than its predecessors.

     While admitting that quick improvement in a product carries some risk, the author also argues that they have improved in quality and convenience, and actually become more difficult for the average person or policymaker to understand. Phelps does harbor negative feelings toward policy makers, especially when he discusses the No Child Left Behind act. He feels that the newfound complexity of testing for public purposes has been lost on the politicians and policy makers who have chosen other reasons to use standardized testing.

The Debate Continues: Are There Special Interests?

     Phelps continues his study with a long discussion about the ongoing debate with regard to standardized testing, and how the debates are “primitive and one-sided.” He goes on to explain the reason for this by citing a theory from the late economist Mancur Olsen (1965, 1982), which explained the political power of “special interests” in democratic societies.

     Here’s Olsen’s argument. Individuals join specialized groups with political power, such as a professional association of educators. The members receive benefits and become entrenched in the status quo. Increased benefits, such as the absence of standardized testing programs, come at a cost (lowered student achievement.) Over time, the wealthy and powerful groups become more accepting of the faulty system because of the benefits they have received in the past.

     Since there is an extensive breakdown of governance in the educational systems, from the Federal, to state, to local levels, there are numerous opportunities to saturate the country with preferred policy related information, while blocking out contrary points of view. Olsen’s feels that the importance of standardized testing got lost in the political shuffle, and make it a point to argue that the supporting literature is hard to locate. Phelps views this as unnecessary censorship.

Response – Is Phelps Creditable?

     I was impressed with the breadth of Phelps’ findings. It is remarkable to uncover findings from a 90-year-old study and realize that the findings are arguably valid in 2008. Phelps appears more credible by stating that many other studies over the past 90 years have supported the argument of wide variance in teacher grading. I do wish Phelps had chosen to identify more of these studies, but realize that this paper was presented at a global conference and may have required parameters, including a content limit.

     Still, the author does a good job at making his argument for standardized testing and directing his points toward the most explosive topic in education today, the No Child Left Behind Act. Personally, I believe that there can be some teacher bias in grading, but am surprised to find that one credible (I assume) teacher scored a paper 98 while another gave the same paper a 50.

     I am not sure that a national standardized testing system is the best answer.  I am not sure that Phelps is convinced of this either. It appears that his point is that the forces of censorship and suppression should be removed so that the public can have a better look at the benefits of standardized testing. With all of the knowledge in hand, the American public will be in a better position to make up its collective mind. Without all of the information, we leave these decisions to the policymakers and keepers of the status quo who may not have the best credentials to make these decisions.

References

Frary, R. B., Cross, L. H., & Weber, L. J. (1993). Testing and grading practices and opinions of           secondary school teachers of academic subjects: Implications for instruction in measurement, Educational Measurement: Issues and Practice, 12(3), 23+.

Olson, M. (1965). The logic of collective action: Public goods and the theory of groups,

     Cambridge, MA, USA: Harvard University Press.

Olson, M. (1982). The rise and decline of nations: Economic growth, stagflation, and social 

    rigidities, New Haven, CT, USA: Yale University Press.

Phelps, R. P. (2003). Kill the messenger: The war on standardized testing. New Brunswick, NJ,

    

     USA: Transaction Publishers.

Phelps, R. P., Ed. (2005a). Defending standardized testing. Mahwah, NJ, USA: Lawrence

     Erlbaum.

Phelps, R.P. (2007a). The dissolution of education knowledge. Educational Horizons, 85(4),

     232–247.

Phelps, R.P. (2008). Educational achievement testing fallacies, Chapter 3 in R.P. Phelps (Ed.),

     Correcting fallacies about educational and psychological testing. Washington, DC, USA:

     American Psychological Association.

Phelps, R.P. (2008). The role and importance of standardized testing in the world of teaching

    and training. Nonpartisan Education Review / Essays, 4(3). Retrieved [date] from:

    http://npe.educationnews.org/Review/Essays/v4n3.htm