chapter 4- teaching or over teaching

Teaching or over teaching?  I find it very interesting that the first point of teaching or over teaching in the book is validated by standardize test scores. I do not agree with this point. I think that students should be judged by more than just a test score when it comes to the evaluation teachers. Students should not be evaluated by a raised or drop in percentiles.

In connection to reading comprehension, according to the book the only way to judge a student is by assessment. Does the assessment have to be as standardize test? Can there be variable or choice in the assessment? Can there be a different way to evaluate reading comprehension other that a test? These are questions that will continue to address the topic of education for many years to come.  

Avoiding the Tsunami

In Chapter 3, the book covers "over teaching books". According to the book, this limits readers, creates a barrier for true meaning, and damages recreational reading.   

The only issue I have with this is "Time". With the structure of standards in Georgia schools, an instructor can not over teach anything. If the teacher is spending to much time on one book or subject, it will show in testing. Therefore, I do not see many educators in Georgia over teaching anything. Last, who really says if an instructor is over teaching? Should you only spend 3 days on a book or 7 days on a book? This is a simple question, but in some schools there are time limits set by the standards. These limits set a time frame that one must cover in one school year.

Some schools give teachers a calendar with detailed info, info when their students should be ready for testing on certain subjects.  Therefore, this calendar limits over teaching any subject.

The point I do agree with is, “text based reading damages recreational reading”. But then again, how do you encourage a student to read something that they do not care about. In additions, students will not spend the time if the reading is not on a test?