Culturally Insensitive Rant RE: Pants

Okay, I feel compelled to warn you that if you have no sense of humor, read no further.  If you forgot your common sense or left it at home, stop reading now.  This blog post will in no way be politically correct, nor will it be "culturally sensitive."  Not that I care!  My high horse is in the corral and I have dusted off my soap box.  Here we go...

As part of the getting ready to homeschool process, I have been reading a number of blogs and posts regarding the subject.  I have picked up some great advice here and there too.  But last night, I came across a phenomena that I knew just had to be a joke.  Unfortunately, it is not.  Apparently there is a movement of some sort out there in cyberspace encouraging American women in the year 2011 to switch to wearing skirts exclusively.  Are you kidding me??? No Pants????  PLEASE (with great sarcasm) !!!!!

First of all, let me state that if a woman wants to wear skirts, so be it.  I couldn't care less.  It is a personal choice (in my opinion) and in a free country, let her wear what she pleases.  I personally loathe skirts.  Always have, always will.  Wore them to Catholic school because I had to do so, but hated them.  Wore suits (with skirts, exclusively) when I was in court with heels and hose as a practicing attorney. Hated the skirts, hated the heels and especially hated the hose.  I am not a skirt kind of women.  I can think of 3 dresses that I have truly liked: 1) Raggedy Ann dress with apron and doll on front with a little zipper on the doll which when opened said "I love You."  I believe I was 3 or 4.  My mother should be smiling at that one.  2) Red Sheath linen dress that was strapless with a bolero jacket which I wore to my rehearsal dinner.   It was so cute that I didn't mind that it was a dress.  3) My wedding dress.  The material was so soft that I told my mom that it was like wearing sweatpants.  It was the highest compliment for comfort that I could utter.  It was really pretty too.  Needless to say, I virtually never wear a skirt-- not even to church.  I will pull them out for special occasions only:  Weddings, Baptisms, First Communions and funerals.  I will begrudgingly put them on with the dreaded heels.  I try to dodge the "hose bullet" if I can. Yuk!


Clearly I am not going to be "converted" to the "All skirt, All the Time" movement.  As if I should be!  I read with fascination as people discussed why they would or wouldn't wear skirts full time and what their husbands think about this topic.  [Thread on Covering & Skirts]  My husband would never dream of telling me what to wear (at least not and live to tell the tale).  If he was looking for a meek, submissive wife then "he choose poorly" (to quote the old knight in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade).  He definitely choose of his own free will, a much more loud, in your face kind of wife.  We are not the Costanza's from Seinfeld, nor or we Ward and June Cleaver.  We have been married (continuously and to the same person) for over 15 years.  However, you will not see us gracing the cover of "Marital Bliss and Harmony" magazine as the year's poster couple. Guess that might make us pretty "normal," if there is such a thing.

But what really caused me to pull out my soap box was a July article from a Catholic website that got quoted in the above-mentioned thread. [Anti Pants Link] I looked, I read, I seethed. Fourteen reasons why we frail and humble creatures should not wear pants ever again.  We certainly wouldn't want to tempt men into sin and lust.  GIVE ME A BREAK!  It almost makes me want to convert to anything else.  I might have to go buy a crystal so I can hug some trees and get away from the anti-pants nuts. (Told you I was going to be culturally insensitive.)

If only every woman would return to a skirt, all of the woes of the world would be resolved--no hunger, no diseases, no war, no child abuse, no drug abuse, no alcoholism.  If only we rid the world of the pestilence of pant wearing women, the world would be in perfect harmony.  Human rights around the globe would be respected and cats and dogs would live together in a peaceful coexistence.  NOT!!!!

# 4 on the list is: "Sadly, and we understand you may not be aware of this, but almost every style of pants reveals private information about your figure (by way of contour) what only your husband (and if not him, no man, including your sons, if you have sons) should perceive."

So I believe this image should satisfy the writer of the blog.  We wouldn't want to convey any private information.  I genuinely think that burqas would be the logical "next step" if the anti-pants movement were to become the norm. But wait, aren't there numerous international organizations fighting right now for women's basic human rights?  Aren't burqas pervasively found in those societies which offer women the fewest human rights under the guise of protecting them from the harmful lust of men?

Gentlemen, (and I use that term oh so loosely) if your lust is so out of control, the problem is NOT with the woman you are ogling and what she is wearing. It is your own pathetic lack of self-control.  You are not a toddler, we don't have to lock up all the cabinets (or women) to keep you safe from yourself.  It is time to find some personal responsibility and deal with your own problems and issues.  Keep your condescending platitudes to yourself and go practice some deep breathing techniques! Sorry to say that in this country, the "No Pants Brigade" won't be allowed to stone me for disagreeing.

I am putting my soap box away now.  Phew!

Coca Cola I�ecek International Student Scholarship

Scholarship Description:
Coca Cola I�ecek (CCI), Turkey�s largest beverage company will support an international student to attend Sabanci University�s MBA program beginning with 2011-2012 academic year.

Coca Cola International Student Scholarship is the most comprehensive scholarship available at Sabanci MBA program. It includes full tuition and fee waiver, monthly stipend and dormitory fee for 10 months (double room), textbook support and travel support for each year.

Eligibility requirements:

• The candidate should be a citizen of one of the following countries: Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Kirgizstan, Jordan and Ukraine.


• MBA candidates should have an excellent academic record in their undergraduate studies and high TOEFL and GMAT scores.


• The recipient of the scholarship is expected to have a summer internship at Coca Cola I�ecek Turkey and then work at Coca Cola for a period after the graduation.

Application deadline for the 2011-2012 academic year�s Coca Cola International Scholarship Program is June 30, 2011.

Information:
Visit Sabanci�s web site for more information:

• program information: www.sabanciuniv.edu/mba


• application process:http://som.sabanciuniv.edu/Application_Requirements_MBA

Sabanci University is in 3 Lots (Lot 14: China, Lot 11: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Lot 3: Palestine, Israel) under the framework of the Erasmus Mundus External Cooperation Window (EM ECW), a scholarship program set up and financed by the European Commission.Erasmus Mundus Scholarships are available for MBA students as well. The recipient of the scholarship receives full tuition and fees, 1000�/month stipend plus travel and insurance expenses.

In addition to the students from the target countries, citizens of these countries with refugee status in other countries can also apply for the Erasmus Mundus scholarship.

More detailed information for: Degree seeking applicants http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/iro/?p=271

Credit transfer student applicants http://myweb.sabanciuniv.edu/iro/?p=274

Duly completed forms should be sent to emundus@sabanciuniv.eduFor further information:
http://som.sabanciuniv.edu/Scholarships_Mba#.

Success, Lies & Statistics

I am busy trying to get all organized for the homeschool process-- gathering curricula and resources, thinking about how we will cover certain subjects and record keeping.  I began to think that it might be a good idea to keep some sort of a log of successful days.  That would be nice.  It would allow me  to look back and see actual progress when we hit the inevitable snags and plateaus during our homeschooling.  [INSERT "harumph" and snort here.]

How would I even begin to define a "successful day?"  Being a lawyer, I am quite familiar with the concept of "defining one's terms."  Lawyers and politicians alike are experts at splitting hairs while defining a topic so that they can bring about the desired result rather than any actual truth or fact.  I am sure that everyone is familiar with the old quote, "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."  I guess I will need to be very careful about my tracking of "success."

To define my term: "Success will occur during those golden moments when my child's eyes light up, he or she turns to me and says, "I get it now Mommy.  I get it!  I love you!  I am so glad you are homeschooling me. (Hug ensues.) May I go clean my room now?"  If I am dreaming, why not dream big?  The scene of a "successful day" will also encompass a clean house, a gourmet meal ready for dinner, I am thin and in shape (with no wrinkles nor gray hair) and the dog does not shed.  And oh yeah... we just won the lottery too!

Hmm, perhaps I should come up with a few alternative definitions of "success" which are a might more realistic...  "Worked on schoolwork for 4 1/2 hours today."  The lawyer in me can already see the problem with that definition.  It does not take into account whether or not any actual learning took place.  "Did not yell, scream, cry or roll eyes while homeschooling today." Problems with that definition should be pretty self-explanatory.  How about just looking at the kids' point of view?  "The kids did not yell, scream, cry or roll eyes at me while homeschooling today." Ditto again on the problem with that definition.  "Kids completed all assigned work."  That looks promising.  Wonder if complete drudgery and misery could still count as a successful day?  Maybe that one is not so good either.

Let's just hope that in reality, I don't define "success" as: "No one dead, maimed or bleeding."  You know, now that I think about it... I really am going to be so busy homeschooling with the kids, maybe I don't really need to add the extra task of keeping track of our "successful days."  Yes, I am quite certain I will be too busy to chart out our successes.  That's it!  That's the ticket!  "Denial," it's not just a river in Egypt.

Scholarship winners, life's winners

(cross posted from my dean's blog)

Forty-seven percent. Within that statistic is news both wonderful and sobering.

Nearly half of all of the graduate students who received College of Education scholarships for 2011-12 are the first in their families to go to college. That�s the wonderful part. Those future educators are realizing the American dream of self-improvement. But the number also speaks to the need for financial support, which is especially acute for first-generation students and their families.

This spring, faculty and staff volunteers reviewed the scholarship applications. They weighed the students� accomplishments and goals and stretched the contributions of our generous donors to award 96 scholarships totaling $171,150. The average per student was $1,782.

Amy Cox of our development team, who coordinates the scholarship selection effort, provided those statistics. Others that might interest you:

In all, 98 graduate students and 453 undergraduates applied for scholarship assistance.
Scholarships were awarded to 24 juniors, 31 seniors, and 41 master�s and doctoral degree candidates.
Twenty-eight percent of the scholarship winners are minority students. The largest groups represented were Hispanic/Latin America (seven) and Asian Pacific American (five).
Seventy percent of scholarship winners are women.
Seventy-six are enrolled in Pullman, six in Vancouver, eight in Tri-Cities.

More compelling than the numbers, of course, are the people they represent. Here are two examples:

Israel Martinez of Walla Walla starts our Master in Teaching program this summer. Israel, the first in his family to get a college degree, wrote in his application: �It has taken a lot of hard work and dedication, such as working two part-time jobs while being a full-time student, working overtime in the orchards during the summers to save enough money to stay in school.�

Kelly Frio�s home town is Brush Prairie, Washington. That�s near Vancouver, where she is working on an undergraduate teaching degree. She has a perfect 4.0 grade point average. One of her goals, she wrote, is to instill an appreciation of the elderly in her own children and those she works with. �The wealth and skills and knowledge that our senior citizens possess is often not only unappreciated, but dismissed.�

My congratulations to all of our scholarship winners and my thanks to those who support our scholarships. We only wish we could do more, for more. If you would like to help, look here for information.

The Final Countdown

We are in the final countdown until the end of the school year.  Each day drags us kicking and screaming (quite literally) a little closer to the end of formal schooling and to the beginning of homeschooling.  I am starting to empathize with Sisyphus a bit more.

Each morning my husband and I cajole, beg, plead and physically drag our daughter out of bed.  "I don't want to go to school!!!!  Can't we start homeschooling now?  Why can't we just quit school?"  Our loving and sympathetic response, you ask?  "Get out of bed!  You are GOING!  Get dressed!"  Normally the final push to the end of the school year is not a pretty process for anyone, but it is especially ugly for us this year.

After school, homework which is always a pleasant process (NOT!)  has gotten especially disagreeable.  Our son, who never cheerfully does his homework is especially vocal about "Stupid Homework!"  "Stupid school!"  "Why do we have to do stupid homework for stupid school?"  Obviously "stupid" (which is a "no-no" word that he is not allowed to say) is the most reprehensible word he can come up with in his seven year old vocabulary.

If I had a nickel for each "AHHHH" or "GRRRR" being uttered by these two children during these last few weeks, their college funds would be completely funded for Harvard (forget about actually getting in, but at least we could pay for it).

I on the other hand am panicking about just how few days are left.  I need them to stay in school for several more weeks.  I need more time!!!  I have curricula to select.  I have resources to find.  How am I going to create worksheets for the kids?  (Phew, found a few free worksheet makers online last night.)  How am I going to teach literature?  What about poetry for the kids? I have to teach them to enjoy all types of literature?  Where am I going to find great poetry that is not mind-numbingly boring and drool inducing (like I had to read in school) when I am not an English teacher? We can't just read Shel Silverstein forever.  (Phew, found several cool poetry authors for children online this morning after a couple of hours).

I NEED MORE TIME!!!  I AM NOT READY FOR THEM TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL.  I am panicking at the thought of opening the doors of our homeschool at noon on June 3rd when the kids are officially out of school. For every resource I find, I think of two more that would be great to have.  For every book or subject I think I have covered, a new fear crops up.  How will I teach my son who loathes the very thought of picking up a pencil to be a good writer?  Well-meaning moms at the kids' school are asking if I am ready.  They tell me I am so brave, they could never homeschool.  I must be so patient.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME???  PATIENT???  Patience is a virtue I simply don't have.

However, deep down there is a little voice that is growing louder.  I am ready. I can do this.  I have found great resources.  I will be able to tackle challenges as they arise.  The skeletal outline of what I would need that I made early in our decision process has been filled in and fleshed out.   I know where to look for new ideas and resources.

I have one of the most important things I will need:  I only want what is best for these children and am willing to do whatever it takes to make sure they succeed.  I love these children like no one else.  I am way too stubborn to not find a way for this to work.

I guess unlike Sisyphus, even though I am rolling the boulder up the hill, once summer arrives, the boulder will roll down the far side of the hill.  We will hold on tight.  It is going to be a bumpy ride! Hopefully it will be like a roller coaster.  I have always loved roller coasters.  This ride will make us scream for sure, but with any luck, we will never want to get off.

2011 IET Ambition Awards - Undergraduate scholarships for students studying in the UK or Ireland

Organization: The Institution of Engineering and Technology

Amount:
The IET offers a range of scholarships of up to �3,000 per annum to students studying (or about to commence) an IET accredited degree program in the UK or Ireland. All successful applicants receive free IET membership

Scholarship Application Deadline: 30 June 2011

Scholarship Description:
Scholarships are only available for accredited courses at UK universities. International students who are or who will be studying in the UK are welcome to apply, subject to visa requirements.
The application form and supporting documentation are the same for all undergraduate scholarships. The Scholarships Committee will decide which scholarships are most applicable to shortlisted/successful applicants.

IET accredited degrees
Check that your degree course is accredited by the IET by downloading the directory of IET accredited courses. IET is unable to consider an application for scholarship for if the course of study is not accredited by the IET at your university. Universities decide which of their courses they will seek to have accredited by the IET: please do not assume that a degree course that is IET accredited at one university will automatically be IET accredited at another.

For full details and application:
http://conferences.theiet.org/ambition/undergraduate/guidance.cfm

For information regarding other scholarships and funding (both undergraduate and post graduate) through IET: http://conferences.theiet.org/ambition/index.cfm

2011 Australian Government Scholarships for Developing Countries

Scholarships for international students from developing countries from Australian Government to study for postgraduate degree in Australian Universities

Scholarship Application Deadline: 31 May 2011

Scholarship Description:
The Australian Leadership Award Scholarships are long term development awards aimed at enhancing leadership and building partnerships and linkages within developing countries, while addressing priority development areas.

ALA Scholarships target those whose chosen field of study equips them to play a significant role in addressing, researching or combating development challenges in their country or region. Awareness will be provided with opportunities to enhance their leadership capacity and extend their networks.

Criteria / Eligibility Requirements:
Check the open and close dates for your country, and select your country of citizenship/residency from the list of participating countries for specific information on eligibility, priority areas and how to apply. Participating countries: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/eligiblecountries.cfm

The Scholarships handbook provides information on all aspects of the scholarships including general eligibility requirements, selection processes, entitlements, responsibilities, etc. Scholarships Handbook: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/publications.cfm

Further Information and Application:
http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/ala.cfm

Servant Leadership instead of Leading the Servile

I am, how shall I say, fairly close to this situation.  It seems we read about this kind of thing a lot.  At least a couple of districts nearby are having issues of similar sorts in which people are unhappy with the administration.  I believe this stems from a failure of leadership, which derives from the fact that leaders too often think they're drivers, instead of servants.

What we need is more servant leadership.  In education we are always talking about stakeholders--the individuals who have roles, responsibilities and needs, to be met or undertaken in and through the organization.  In the case of schools, the first stakeholders are the students (and, by proxy, their parents).  Everything we do is supposed to be in service to the goals and needs of those families.  

Now, of course, teachers and administrators have a certain set of 'needs,' too, but the only one that really seems relevant is the need to have reasonable working conditions and expectations.  

But all too often, especially with new administrations, it seems like folks think they have something more at stake.  As if they have a bigger stake than they do.  A new superintendent, say, comes in with a lot of big ideas about the best way to do things, and wants to make things work well on his/her watch, to either validate the wisdom of his/her leadership, or show worthiness for even greater leadership responsibility, or both.

The needs of the primary stakeholders may or may not be well-served by this reordering of an administration's priorities, and you might end up with an inversion of the right orientation to the organization's work.

Think of the very opposite of a new administration 'brining in all its own new people,' as so many seem to do.  Why couldn't an administration say to parents, "You chair the committee, along with teachers (the next up the line from students and parents), to pick the new principal.  It's my job as administrator to serve that new principal (by providing guidance, help, support, resources, etc.) succeed in service to you.  Since I am to be his/her servant-leader, I can work with whomever you pick."

I am not saying you'll get a better principal, necessarily, but I do wonder why we assume such a route is to be rejected out of hand, and instead continue to accept that trusting oneself is somehow superior to and more reliable than working with others in a trustworthy way.

Test Results...what to do with them.

Our standardized testing is over.  With not much to do for a couple hours for several days, I got to thinking.

What have our results been like lately, and how would we evaluate the teachers' performance based on these scores?

So, the last two years' scores. 


Level 3 and 4 constitute 'passing.'  Level 1 and 2 are 'not meeting standard.'

The Overall at Standard percentage, then, is the sum total of Levels 3 and 4.

Move to the right for the performance of the 2010 8^th graders when they were in 7^th and 6^th grade.

In other words, each table consists of the results for the same group of students, across the years.

PMS is my school, which consists of two language arts teachers in both 7th and 8th grades, 4 (they do LA-SocStud combinations) in 6th grade.

PMS %  (State %)

2010 8th grade testers	8th grade results	7th grade reading results	7th grade writing results	6th grade results
Overall at Standard	82.8  (69.4)	74.2  (59.3)	82.5  (69.8)	84.9  (68.9)
Level 4	51.2  (43.1)	38.1  (27.2)	37.1  (25.1)	40.2  (25.6)
Level 3	31.5  (25.6)	36.1  (31.2)	45.4  (43.8)	44.7  (42.1)
Level 2	17.2  (18.8)	23.2  (29.1)	17.5  (18.0)	14.0  (23.1)
Level 1	13.3  (10.7)	2.6    (10.2)	5.2    (10.1)	1.1    (7.2)

PMS %  (State %)

2009 8th grade testers	8th grade results	7th grade reading results	7th grade writing results	6th grade results
Overall at Standard	79.6  (67.5)	73.2  (63.1)	77.8  (70.0)	74.2  (68.0)
Level 4	48.4  (34.3)	40.4  (34.3)	22.2  (24.3)	26.3  (25.9)
Level 3	31.1  (32.5)	32.8  (27.9)	55.6  (44.8)	47.9  (41.0)
Level 2	14.2  (21.1)	20.2  (26.5)	18.2  (19.2)	20.5  (24.0)
Level 1	5.3  (9.8)	5.1    (9.4)	3.0    (9.3)	5.3    (6.9)

I still don't know what to read in these figures.  It's great that we're above our state average.  I don't know how much that has to do with me, or any other teacher, though.
(Note that most of the time we're also lowering than the state average on the 'not passing' scores.)

I was also pleased to see higher numbers passing at Level 4.  Then again, I don't know if anybody has talked of making that a measure of teacher performance.  What about 2010 in 8th grade?  High Level 4 pass rate, but also higher than the state on Level 1 scores.  Is that good, bad, or what?

What do we do with 7th grade, which tests on two language arts related subjects?  Do we evaluate their test outcomes differently?

I hope this becomes clearer, and more open, than the test development process.

Hot Dogs During Lent or Second Guessing as an Art Form

Quite a bizarre title, huh?  What in the world could eating hot dogs have to due with an education/homeschooling blog?  Funny you should wonder... take a journey into the scary world of my guilt ridden conscience.

I started thinking about the old joke about eating a hot dog at a ballgame on a Friday during Lent.  My friends and I always enjoyed joking about the number of sins you could tally up on this event.  Here is the scenario:  You purchase a hot dog at a ballgame on a Friday during Lent.  As you are about to take the first bite... you remember that no meat is allowed on Fridays during Lent. Thus the sin tally total begins... To even think about eating a hot dog on a Friday during Lent was one.  You forgot it was Lent, ignoring God, Jesus's suffering etc. was a staggering number of sins that became difficult to count. If you throw away the hot dog, you are wasting food while there are starving people in the world... SIN.  If you figure that you have already amassed so many sins, you might as well just eat it, SIN.  If you eat it anyhow, SIN.  Who knew that you would be burning in hell for all eaternity (little pun for you) just from one hot dog?

So where does the hot dog melodrama fit in to my life?  I am racked with the same guilt over homeschooling.  Each day that passes brings the school year closer to an end, thereby producing more panic.  Just as Lent is the countdown until Easter.  The school year countdown brings me closer to the ultimate responsibility for my children's education.  YIKES!!!

I have amassed quite a collection of educational materials, blogs to read, websites to peruse etc. to try and become prepared for the homeschooling adventure.  There is such a abundance of information out there that one could literally spend every moment of every day and never finish it all.  So I have stopped the frantic approach of spending all my time reading about homeschooling.  Ahh, so nice when I attempt to be rational.  Except for... the GUILT!  What if I am not ready?  What if I miss a key piece of information that will make everything run smoothly?  If I had only read the mysterious, miraculous Article "X," I would have all the tools to ensure that I will have the abundance of patience I will need to homeschool my children.  [For those of you who know me well, please go find a tissue to wipe the tears of laughter that are now pouring down your cheeks.  Me?  Patient???  I know, it really is funny.]

When the Borders by us was going out of business, we hit the final day perfectly.  All books were 90% off and if you bought 4, you got 2 free.  Doesn't get any better than that!  Yes, they were all picked over and there wasn't much left.  But at $0.80 a book or so, who cares what drivel you bought?  I did buy a lot of drivel--historical fiction, cheesy romance and other drek.  I have been enjoying reading my drivel.

Gasp!  I have been reading drivel instead of educational stuff.  I have been hiding like an ostrich burying its head in the sand to avoid the reality of the ever-looming homeschooling.  Do I feel guilty?  Is the Pope Catholic?  You bet I do!  Frantic, panic-ridden, heart-pounding terror, etc. would also be apt descriptions.

I am taking second guessing to an art form.  Is this the right decision?  Am I prepared?  How will it work?  What if they don't learn?  What if I can't teach them?  Who am I kidding, I can't do this?  Yes I can!  No I can't!  I believe you see the pattern.

Breathe.  Inhale.  Exhale.  (Now please envision Kevin Bacon screaming during the parade scene during the movie Animal House.)  "Remain Calm.  All is well.  ALL IS WELLLLLLL!!!!"

To get back to the hot dog analogy, if the whole point of Easter is the redemption of the world.  I guess I should try to remember that He will pick me up during my inevitable falls.  The trick will be to remember that during the key moments.  I will need to remember His promise of forgiveness and I will need to remember most especially, to ask the forgiveness of my children for when I loose it completely.  'Cause I know it is going to happen...

Not so Standardized Test

For the 3rd year in a row our standardized state test has varied in some significant way (or two).

3 tests ago, we had a 6-day (2 for math, 2 for science, 2 for reading) paper/pencil test. Last time, under a new state superintendent, the test switched names and design. Not sure how, of course, since I can't look at the tests and their creation and content are closely guarded secrets. We also did the reading online. This year, we're down to a 3-day test (1 for each), back to paper and pencil for all tests.

So, we're taking the 'still standardizing' tests, or the 'in transition to new formats, but not changing the standardization of content--as far as you know' tests.

I don't hear a lot about the maintenance of test validity in this aspect. I guess we're just supposed to assume it's all right.

The Civics Test may not capture what we're hoping for

Well, more data...this time that our students are pathetic in civics, too.

I wondered, so I wandered through the "report card" web site.

I came across this sample question.

The following question refers to the statement below.

The Second World War marked the most substantial change ever in the context in which United States foreign policy is made. The world that emerged after the war had fundamentally changed in economic, political, and military ways. These changes made the world a more dangerous place, and altered the demands placed on foreign policy.

The statement calls the world after the Second World War "a more dangerous place." What specific change could one cite to support this claim?

1. The rise of the European Union (EU)
2. The signing of the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT)
3. The decline of German military power
4. The development and spread of nuclear weapons

The real difficulty here is that depending on your conceptual and philosophical views you might argue any of these. This is why my graduate political science advisor joked that the social sciences are the really hard sciences.

1. One could argue, for instance, that the EU only exists because of the American security umbrella over it, and the EU's rapid rise reorganized Western Europe into a potent power faster than it would otherwise have done, thereby threatening the Soviet Union, and making the world a less safe place.

2. Some might also argue that the increase in free trade (GATT) actually makes collaboration among the big and dominant economies easier, thereby making the world less safe for those smaller, developing countries. Indeed, dozens of millions of Third Worlders were killed in the years after WWII, so their world was less safe.

3. In slightly different contexts, some have indeed argued that a country of Germany's stature needs to have the military capacity commensurate with its size and importance. To withhold that from them risks their anger, not unlike the 1920s.

I'm not persuaded by the first and the third. The second is true.

4. But so is the fourth (in this case) anti-argument. Many analysts argue that the presence of nuclear weapons actually made the world more stable--the dominant powers were much more cautious with each other because of their ability to mutually destroy each other, though they were perfectly willing to undertake violence in the developing world.

So, what's the 'right' answer? I know they're looking for #4, but I'm looking for a student who can sophisticatedly render and evaluate the competing claims, not just one who reasons the same way as the test authors.

By the way, I saw plenty of questions that generated the same concern, to my mind.

Test Exhaustion...and we haven't even started yet

My mother would never believe it, but I feel like I have nothing more to say. I read education articles or blogs here, there and everywhere, and I get more convinced that these 'issues' will be with us...until they're not. Why they'll go away will have little to do with wiser or cooler heads prevailing...it'll likely just shift almost imperceptibly, until we realize a big change has overtaken us.

Okay...I just thought of something. We start our standardized testing tomorrow, so, like most other teachers, I've been practicing with a few 'released items'--sample test passages and questions that were rejected for final inclusion on the real test.

The other day, we did this one about a blind artist. (If you really want to look at it, you have to go pretty deep into the booklet...it's after all the instructions and several other passages.)

One of the short answer questions is this:

Explain how Michael became an award winning artist. Include two details from the selection in your answer.

The teacher booklet goes on to explain what respondents might put in their answers:

Text-based details may include, but are not limited to:

A. His mother was a potter / he helped her fix her clay

B. Playing with clay as a child

C. �I knew that what I wanted to do was be an artist someday.�

D. Making small animals in hospital after blindness/Vietnam, continued to

sculpt

E. Sculptures were photographed by newspapers

F. I get a picture in my mind / make his memories come to life

G. Inspires / leads sculpture workshops

H. Sculptures can be seen in museums/public buildings/Vatican /White House

I. People collect his work

Now, it doesn't matter which two items a test-taker lists in his/her answer. All items are equal, even those--like H, I, and maybe E and G--which don't really 'explain how he became an award-winning artist.'

H and I seem more the consequence of his becoming an award-winning artist, not an explanation of how he became one. I guess 'how he became' does not mean causality. I would have thought it did. But, by their answers, I gather they really mean something more like the event sequence of his rising to 'award-winning artist status.'

I hope this passage and questions got rejected for this flaccidity. I hope it wasn't something else, and that we really are (mis)testing comprehension with items like this.