ANTI blogger says: The VTA just makes excuses for teachers not doing their jobs.

ANTI blogger Vista Watchdog posted the following in the North County Times:

"VTA blames the economy, the parents, the socio-economic status of students, the race and ethnicity of students, the general public, the minority board members"

Vista Watchdog posted this very negative blog in response to an article that tells about test scores going up in VUSD. Imagine what VWdog would say if they went down.

http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/sdcounty/article_5282d28e-eb28-567f-820a-0a9cbaa41493.html?mode=story

I responded asking VWdog to: "Please document ONE time ANYWHERE that any spokesman for the VTA or even any officer in the VTA or even a single teacher member of the VTA has ever done what you accuse them of doing in your post"

His response to this challenge:

"I don't even need to try to "prove" the claim, as it is the primary excuse used since NCLB was enacted."

Sad, really the depths our ANTI friends have sunk to.
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I responded to VWdog by giving him an example of the kind of hard work our students and teachers were doing in the elementary grades and inviting him to come down and help. It has been eight hours since my post below. So far he has not responded.

VWdog speaking of children needing help and school district students not doing well on standardized tests, why don't I give you an example from a test given to all third grade students in VUSD in the last two days (if the teacher is following the MANDATORY pacing guide).

You should know that have been in third grade only three weeks and currently about one fourth of these 'new' third grade students are seven years old. About three fourths are eight. They have had less than a week to learn the concept of rounding. Here the rounding problem (Number 10 on the test). See how well you would do.

Baseball cards come in packages of 10, 15, or 20. David bought 35 cards in three packages. Which size of package would he have bought?
(a)15 and 15
(b)20 and 15
(c)10, 10, and 10
(d)10, 10, and 15

Seems pretty easy, right. Do you see the "trick" answer that fooled at least one nice little girl? She thought she had it right because she knew the answers should add to be 35. She made sure her answer did, but that "trick" answer had only two numbers in it, not three.

Now imagine taking that test in German when you only speak English at home.

And yes I am saying speaking a different language at home does affect performance at school. Being poor also affects performance if the girl's parents did not have money for the dentist to get her sore tooth fixed or provide her much food last night for supper.

However, here is the key VWdog. I am NOT the VTA. I am NOT a spokesman for the VTA. I am NOT a member of the VTA. Others who note that our VUSD students on average have more "handicapping factors" to overcome than say the average student in Poway or Encinitas are NOT "the VTA".

When you accuse an ORGANIZATION of an action, then you should have evidence of that ORGANIZATION collectively, or its spokesperson, or at least one of its executive officers taking that action. Otherwise you just come off as a grumpy old man who does not back up accusations with specifics.

So how did you do on the problem?

The trick answer for children just learning this was (b).
The correct answer was (d).

Seems easy, right. But do you remember third grade? Do you remember just learning to read BIG words like 'something'? Look at how much more our students are expected to know than was expected of us. Each year of testing the standards are increased. Next year the standards for passing will be higher than this year. A score that was easily passing last year is failing this year.

I am very impressed with the teachers in our public schools. They are doing a wonderful job.

So if you found that problem easy, how about coming down to school to help before or after school with a small group of students who need help with math and/or reading skills? A little help from you and perhaps next year when the scores come out you can feel 'good' about having played your part.