An Interesting Poll

Every year the PDK (Phi Delta Kappa—a professional organization for educators) polls Americans to capture their current views about public education. The most recent poll is the 49th.

Check out these results:

  • Only 42% of the respondents feel performance on standardized tests is a highly important indicator of school quality.
  • A whopping 82% of the respondents feel it is highly important for schools to help students develop interpersonal skills such as being cooperative, respectful of others, and persistent at solving problems. (84% say schools should assess students on their interpersonal skills, and 66% say schools should be held accountable for these test results as well as for academic skill results. )

Does any of this surprise you? Personally I’ve always thought standardized testing was one tool in a toolbelt of many. So it should come as no surprise that I believe the amount of importance placed on testing scores today (for both students and teachers) is inappropriate. However I’m a bit taken aback by the expectations Americans are placing on teachers and schools to develop (and assess!) interpersonal skills.

What are your thoughts? Please share!

Thoughtfully,

Diane

PS: To read the full summary CLICK HERE.


5 thoughts on “An Interesting Poll

  1. Too much time is spent teaching to the test instead of making students learners. Also, we no longer can do anything fun in the classroom, everything is geared to making them successful on the test.
    Do they love school? No!

  2. I agree we should help develop interpersonal skills. In a classroom of 30 students (mine), there are a varying levels of ability. It helps learners to be exposed to such a variety of personalities. It should not be up to us alone.

  3. The longer I am in the educational field, the more I realize that children today are not coming to me already equipped with interpersonal skills. I’ve been around for awhile, and so much has changed. . . especially expectations from everyone as to what teachers should do. And we get paid how much????

  4. I agree with the statement from Darcie. I ‘ve seen so many students struggling on the standard learning test, especially in the reading area when they’re in middle school and reading at the third grade level. How do you expect them to do well when they’re unable to read the test & comp. guestions. They can’t . It breaks my heart and theirs as well
    They feel defeated and will often be absent so as to not be forced to take them

  5. When do we hold parents accountable for teaching their children “interpersonal skills?” I thought the parents were the child’s first teachers and their job was to teach their children respect for adults as well as for each other. I agree with Katrina: “…expectations from everyone as to what teachers should do. And we get paid how much??”

Leave a Reply to Brenda Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *