So, this question is mainly directed at Daniel, but how did everyone feel about my super awesome score of 600? I think that's awesome. What do you think?
Okay, I'm not going to answer Nick's question, but I figured I would write this on this post because it's about the SOL. What did you all think of it? I'm sure you all would agree completely that it was a hundred times easier than the AP test. I thought it was kind of funny that it was the same basic (and I mean very basic) idea of reading passages and answering questions, but not only were the questions a lot easier on the SOL, the passages were so much easier. I feel like that was the kind of reading we had in middle school (which for me was fourth through sixth grade). I may be exaggerating a little because I don't remember exactly the level of reading we had in fourth grade, but my point is that it was so easy. What has happened to teens?!
I agree completely with you Jenna. I could not believe how easy the SOL was. It made me wonder why the heck should we have standards if it is this low and this easy? I know that not everyone else understands English as well as we do; but the basics that they tested have been ground into our brains since middle school. I feel like some of the people who think are on the basics the SOL laid, would feel too over whelmed in a college class. Isn't the SOL supposed to help prepare us for college, like everything else in high school?
Congrats on your guys' scores! I thought my score was going to be high but I'm not sure what happened. While taking the SOL I thought I was doing well but I guess not. I was really surprised with my score.
Even though I was shocked that the SOL was so easy, I was also relieved. I could not have taken another AP level test. It was much easier to relax during this one than the AP. I wish the AP exam was like this, but then I guess the name would have to change from Advanced Placement.
Good job Nick. I didn't get a 600 on the SOL but the SOL was soooooo easy especially after the AP exam I probably made stupid mistakes because that seems to be my fault on most tests that I take.
Same here Allison! I remember Jenna talking about how we should get points for narrowing it down to the final two. Once I get it wrong I kick my self in the butt because I knew I should have picked the other choice!
I think that the SOL was easy, even though I didn't get a 600. I forgot that we couldn't skip questions like we could on the AP exam and had to go back. My problem is that I need to work on broadening my vocabulary and grammar skills. Not the simple stuff, but the big stuff that could get confusing. And I needed to take more time to read than I did because I missed some stuff and kept having to go back. I think the SOL was easier than the AP Exam, but it was all reading basically. I would have liked some fill in the blank questions or something.
Our standards are being constantly lowered and lowered. Compare our culture to the Japanese; over 90% of Japanese parents believe the ability to do well in math is a result of studying, while almost 3/4 of American parents believe it is a genetic trait, like athleticism. Our society has a problem with blaming failure on outside forces out of reach of any one person. If a kid fails a math course, his parents might say "Well, he wasn't ever good in math anyways. English is his strength." We have a problem with accepting mediocrity.
Holly, I think we've learned a very important lesson this year: While we always picked on Nick, and vise versa, he often seemed to be the center of conversation. (yikes, another boost towards his confidence? whoops.)
Nick, I fully agree with your last statement. What is our culture coming to? Each time I think about our current society, it becomes more and more depressing. The United States as a whole is constantly degrading itself, whether it's in terms of morales and values (this makes me picture Mr. Bruno dancing and saying "make it rain") or like you said, in terms of education. Why have the No Child Left Behind policy if we're going to lower standards just to make sure that no one is left behind. Shouldn't those students have to work just as hard as others? I agree that it's important for everyone to get an education and to get a diploma after high school in order to be successful, but I also agree that it is just important to actually earn those things, rather than to just have them handed to you. Because if you didn't earn them, you probably didn't learn anything, so what good is it?
New quarter, new blogs. You need ten before the end of the 9 weeks. We are trying to focus on the rhetoric, grammar, and mechanics of our reading. Start getting ready for the exam.
Okay, I'm not going to answer Nick's question, but I figured I would write this on this post because it's about the SOL. What did you all think of it?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you all would agree completely that it was a hundred times easier than the AP test. I thought it was kind of funny that it was the same basic (and I mean very basic) idea of reading passages and answering questions, but not only were the questions a lot easier on the SOL, the passages were so much easier. I feel like that was the kind of reading we had in middle school (which for me was fourth through sixth grade). I may be exaggerating a little because I don't remember exactly the level of reading we had in fourth grade, but my point is that it was so easy. What has happened to teens?!
I agree completely with you Jenna. I could not believe how easy the SOL was. It made me wonder why the heck should we have standards if it is this low and this easy? I know that not everyone else understands English as well as we do; but the basics that they tested have been ground into our brains since middle school. I feel like some of the people who think are on the basics the SOL laid, would feel too over whelmed in a college class. Isn't the SOL supposed to help prepare us for college, like everything else in high school?
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your guys' scores! I thought my score was going to be high but I'm not sure what happened. While taking the SOL I thought I was doing well but I guess not. I was really surprised with my score.
ReplyDeleteVanity, thy name is Nick Marano
ReplyDeleteEven though I was shocked that the SOL was so easy, I was also relieved. I could not have taken another AP level test. It was much easier to relax during this one than the AP. I wish the AP exam was like this, but then I guess the name would have to change from Advanced Placement.
ReplyDeleteNice post Mr. B. It made me laugh.
ReplyDeleteGood job Nick.
I didn't get a 600 on the SOL but the SOL was soooooo easy especially after the AP exam I probably made stupid mistakes because that seems to be my fault on most tests that I take.
Same here Allison! I remember Jenna talking about how we should get points for narrowing it down to the final two. Once I get it wrong I kick my self in the butt because I knew I should have picked the other choice!
ReplyDelete(Wait, How does Nick's post get the most comments? Pretty ironic I must say.)
ReplyDeleteI think that the SOL was easy, even though I didn't get a 600. I forgot that we couldn't skip questions like we could on the AP exam and had to go back. My problem is that I need to work on broadening my vocabulary and grammar skills. Not the simple stuff, but the big stuff that could get confusing. And I needed to take more time to read than I did because I missed some stuff and kept having to go back. I think the SOL was easier than the AP Exam, but it was all reading basically. I would have liked some fill in the blank questions or something.
ReplyDeleteOur standards are being constantly lowered and lowered. Compare our culture to the Japanese; over 90% of Japanese parents believe the ability to do well in math is a result of studying, while almost 3/4 of American parents believe it is a genetic trait, like athleticism. Our society has a problem with blaming failure on outside forces out of reach of any one person. If a kid fails a math course, his parents might say "Well, he wasn't ever good in math anyways. English is his strength." We have a problem with accepting mediocrity.
ReplyDeleteHolly, I think we've learned a very important lesson this year: While we always picked on Nick, and vise versa, he often seemed to be the center of conversation. (yikes, another boost towards his confidence? whoops.)
ReplyDeleteNick, I fully agree with your last statement. What is our culture coming to? Each time I think about our current society, it becomes more and more depressing. The United States as a whole is constantly degrading itself, whether it's in terms of morales and values (this makes me picture Mr. Bruno dancing and saying "make it rain") or like you said, in terms of education. Why have the No Child Left Behind policy if we're going to lower standards just to make sure that no one is left behind. Shouldn't those students have to work just as hard as others? I agree that it's important for everyone to get an education and to get a diploma after high school in order to be successful, but I also agree that it is just important to actually earn those things, rather than to just have them handed to you. Because if you didn't earn them, you probably didn't learn anything, so what good is it?