political poem
hey so i wrote this poem ....
tell me what you think
Test to the Death
Competition drives America
Russia had Sputnik so we got NASA
Mexico wanted California so we took it
The Red Scare taught us WE are the best
And we need to stay that way
1981 Ronald Regan began a new plan
Reganomics were going to change the face of America
Would he cut taxes and increase welfare?
Would he paint the African American boy as an angel?
Instead of a criminal?
What about Education?
He established
The National Commission on Excellence in Education
A diverse and qualified group of Educators
Presidents, Administrators, Nationally Acclaimed Teachers were told
“Define the problems afflicting American education”
What did they find?
Our Nation, This great and powerful country, is
A Nation at Risk. April 1983.
America lost confidence in our Schools
What does this mean?
It means that America is weak
Make tests harder
It means that compared to Russia and England
We are squandering our time
Raise the standards
Change our focus
It means “Our Nation is at risk.”
They believe that the American schools are failing its children
This “mediocre educational performance” could be viewed
“As an act of war”
In comparisons to other countries American children placed
Last seven times.
It means SAT scores have steadily dropped since 1963
Colleges are letting everyone in despite their scores
Children are being taught superiority
This is “The persistent and authentic American dream that superior
Performance can raise one's state in life and shape one's own future”
You must be the best
We teach our children to beat each other
Success is to be Superior
And Mediocrity is just the same as failure
How do we compete?
Testing,
SAT
ACT
AIMS
Terra- Nova
ASSET
CLEP
These are the test our children
Are being compared with
The Government is afraid
Afraid that we will not compare
Make the tests harder, longer
Change them to add more maths
More science
We must rank number one
But how do we move
From last to first?
Our teachers are underpaid
Our students face low expectations
The minimum has now become the maximum
Our schools are not pushing for Excellence in Education
This is what The National Commission says
About America
How do we move?
Five basics:
English, math, science,
Social studies, computer sciences
Test them
Are we improving?
We will not test last anymore
America is the greatest
We must prove we are the greatest
ACT
SAT
Terra- Nova
AIMS
ASSET
CLEP
So many Acronyms
All I want to do is teach them
What is an acronym?
How do you spell it?
Not that in order to graduate
You must master test taking
Through these acronyms
The government tells me
DO NOT teach to the test
But then places grants, accreditations and my personal salary
On the outcome of those tests
Our nation is at risk
And we need to enhance our national standards
Based on these tests
How dare you accuse me of Teaching to the test?
When my students will not judged on their classroom performance
But promoted based on the scores of these tests
I will not compete for my students, so they can compete with each other
Instead I will advocate the standards
The standards of my school, my district, my state and my country
I will make the government afraid of me
Because I will not teach to the test
But I will teach them real life skills
I will teach those Acronyms
What they really are
I will teach them
English, Math, Science,
Social Studies, Computer Sciences
I will tell the government MY thoughts on
Standardized Achievement Tests
Competition drives America
It has changed the way our schools work
The best way to compare ourselves
Is to test
I will not teach to the test
I instead, will teach the test what to ask.
tell me what you think
Test to the Death
Competition drives America
Russia had Sputnik so we got NASA
Mexico wanted California so we took it
The Red Scare taught us WE are the best
And we need to stay that way
1981 Ronald Regan began a new plan
Reganomics were going to change the face of America
Would he cut taxes and increase welfare?
Would he paint the African American boy as an angel?
Instead of a criminal?
What about Education?
He established
The National Commission on Excellence in Education
A diverse and qualified group of Educators
Presidents, Administrators, Nationally Acclaimed Teachers were told
“Define the problems afflicting American education”
What did they find?
Our Nation, This great and powerful country, is
A Nation at Risk. April 1983.
America lost confidence in our Schools
What does this mean?
It means that America is weak
Make tests harder
It means that compared to Russia and England
We are squandering our time
Raise the standards
Change our focus
It means “Our Nation is at risk.”
They believe that the American schools are failing its children
This “mediocre educational performance” could be viewed
“As an act of war”
In comparisons to other countries American children placed
Last seven times.
It means SAT scores have steadily dropped since 1963
Colleges are letting everyone in despite their scores
Children are being taught superiority
This is “The persistent and authentic American dream that superior
Performance can raise one's state in life and shape one's own future”
You must be the best
We teach our children to beat each other
Success is to be Superior
And Mediocrity is just the same as failure
How do we compete?
Testing,
SAT
ACT
AIMS
Terra- Nova
ASSET
CLEP
These are the test our children
Are being compared with
The Government is afraid
Afraid that we will not compare
Make the tests harder, longer
Change them to add more maths
More science
We must rank number one
But how do we move
From last to first?
Our teachers are underpaid
Our students face low expectations
The minimum has now become the maximum
Our schools are not pushing for Excellence in Education
This is what The National Commission says
About America
How do we move?
Five basics:
English, math, science,
Social studies, computer sciences
Test them
Are we improving?
We will not test last anymore
America is the greatest
We must prove we are the greatest
ACT
SAT
Terra- Nova
AIMS
ASSET
CLEP
So many Acronyms
All I want to do is teach them
What is an acronym?
How do you spell it?
Not that in order to graduate
You must master test taking
Through these acronyms
The government tells me
DO NOT teach to the test
But then places grants, accreditations and my personal salary
On the outcome of those tests
Our nation is at risk
And we need to enhance our national standards
Based on these tests
How dare you accuse me of Teaching to the test?
When my students will not judged on their classroom performance
But promoted based on the scores of these tests
I will not compete for my students, so they can compete with each other
Instead I will advocate the standards
The standards of my school, my district, my state and my country
I will make the government afraid of me
Because I will not teach to the test
But I will teach them real life skills
I will teach those Acronyms
What they really are
I will teach them
English, Math, Science,
Social Studies, Computer Sciences
I will tell the government MY thoughts on
Standardized Achievement Tests
Competition drives America
It has changed the way our schools work
The best way to compare ourselves
Is to test
I will not teach to the test
I instead, will teach the test what to ask.