Arts Literacy
Thank you for giving invaluable attention to the arts in the October issue on “Redefining Literacy.” My article in that issue, “Gaining the Arts Literacy Advantage,” is based on a new study, Gaining the Arts Advantage: Lessons from School Districts That Value Arts Education. It was designed, implemented, and published by the Arts Education Partnership (www.arts-aep.org) and the President's Commision on the Arts and Humanities (www.pcah.gov/gaa).
—Laura Longley, Hillsboro, Virginia
A Hopeful Beginning
As I read Carol Ann Tomlinson's "Mapping a Route Toward Differentiated Instruction" (September) on a rainy afternoon, I found my first ray of hope for the new school year. My district's emphasis on pacing charts ("We must cover everything!") and New Jersey's emphasis on standards ("They must know everything!") has stifled my creativity.
Tomlinson's example of Ms. Cassell's class gave me a better perspective on how I can change, create, and differentiate what I do while still addressing the fundamental concepts that the students must master. I am grateful for her clear explanation of what works and what is wrong with the other approaches.
—Cyndy Montes, Christa McAuliffe Middle School, Jackson, New Jersey
Real Solutions Needed
Alfie Kohn is on the mark in his criticisms of current educational practice in the areas of academics and motivation ("Why Students Lose When 'Tougher Standards' Win," September). But where is his resolution?
Kohn talks about giving control of "making decisions" to children. But how do we teach them to consider the consequences of their decisions? How do we get them to look at the big picture? How do we teach them prudence? How do we help students address the negative consequences of their decisions?
Criticizing is easy if you ignore explaining. When moving toward "measuring quality in education by standardized testing," the educational community is not trying to undermine education, but attempting to solve the problem of accountability. If we give up testing, how can we let the public know whether the schools are doing a good job? We have seen governmental organizations take over schools when the education had so deteriorated that children's futures were bleak.
I do not support standardized testing as the solution, nor do I feel that the answer lies in standards that stress skills and data, but I believe that Kohn only criticizes the status quo. His solutions—"letting people—even small people—learn to make decisions about their own lives"—are glittering generalities that will not create real change.
—Denise Meyer, Unified School District, Los Angeles, California
Testing for Real Life
As a nontraditional, second-career student preparing to be a high school teacher, I agree with Claudia Geocaris and Maria Ross ("A Test Worth Taking," September) that multiple-choice tests and fact recall neither prepare students for the real world nor fully assess their learning. In my 25-year career, I have never been asked to sit by myself and answer a battery of questions. Rather, successful work practices require the abilities to interact with others, to locate information, and to coordinate a group's efforts. The tests developed by Geocaris and Ross will benefit their students in later years.
I do, however, disagree with their disapproval of guessing on multiple-choice tests. Guessing is an integral part of surviving in the world beyond school. People often must act with only limited information. Students should learn not to jump to conclusions, but to distinguish among alternatives and to make decisions on the basis of previous knowledge and a bit of conjecture.
—Orrin D. Hoopman, East Machias, Maine
