Comments on: The New and Not So Improved SAT http://weblogg-ed.com/2005/the-new-and-not-so-improved-sat/ The Read/Write Web in the Classroom Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:09:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Tom Hoffman http://weblogg-ed.com/2005/the-new-and-not-so-improved-sat/#comment-1404 Tom Hoffman Fri, 06 May 2005 12:06:40 +0000 http://weblogg-ed.com/2005/the-new-and-not-so-improved-sat/#comment-1404 <a></a>In Rhode Island, they used to (still do?) have English teachers from around the state take a couple of days off, sit in a historic mansion next to the bay and grade the essays for the state writing assessment. It is an eye opening experience in many ways, and an excellent form of professional development. Having done this myself, I can easily believe what is being described in this article, but the fact of the matter is, this is far less alarming than it might seem. It seems that very few poor writers can crank out long, but lousy timed essays. And the factual accuracy of the essay is entirely beside the point. If I was training kids to take this kind of writing assessment, I'd try teaching them to make up weird fanciful stories with lots of funny, bizarre details. In Rhode Island, they used to (still do?) have English teachers from around the state take a couple of days off, sit in a historic mansion next to the bay and grade the essays for the state writing assessment. It is an eye opening experience in many ways, and an excellent form of professional development.

Having done this myself, I can easily believe what is being described in this article, but the fact of the matter is, this is far less alarming than it might seem. It seems that very few poor writers can crank out long, but lousy timed essays. And the factual accuracy of the essay is entirely beside the point. If I was training kids to take this kind of writing assessment, I’d try teaching them to make up weird fanciful stories with lots of funny, bizarre details.

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