April 23 2012: Alberta Provincial Election

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

For the grade 9 PATs it is an individual school decision on whether the achievement test has any value on a student's final mark. I have worked in 3 jr. high schools, none of them used the results on the student's final grade.

Yes you could but it is much more cost effective for Alberta Education (the government) if these tests are all multiple choice. Critical thinking usually needs a written component. They did attempt a written portion of the grade 9 social pat but it was quickly removed.

Actually now that I think about it I'm not sure if my Grade 9 PATs went into my marks at all either. Maybe they should though.

For the Grade 12s, I think all my tests had a written component. Has this changed? I was particularly annoyed with the ELA written component... a friend had his re-scored and went up 24%, which I feel is way too much difference between markers.

Also, critical thinking is important, other skills that might be more easily tested with multiple choice have got to have some value as well.

[Flickered Flame]

Originally Posted by SebC

Actually now that I think about it I'm not sure if my Grade 9 PATs went into my marks at all either. Maybe they should though.

For the Grade 12s, I think all my tests had a written component. Has this changed? I was particularly annoyed with the ELA written component... a friend had his re-scored and went up 24%, which I feel is way too much difference between markers.

To my knowledge, its been a few years since I taught in the high school, all the tests except for LA, which has both a written and m/c section, are all multiple choice with perhaps a few numerical response.

[flamingreen]

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

As an educator in this province, what I've found interesting is that the WRA is proposing merit pay for teachers, basically the better a teacher's students do on a standardized test, the more pay the teacher would receive.

This goes against everything teachers have been working on for the past 3-5 years in terms of assessment. Standardized tests were/are coming to an end, if the PCs win this election. Or at least that is the hope.

Why would any teacher want to work for a school in a low income area with merit-based pay? By definition those students would do poorer on the tests, regardless of the skills of the teacher.

Standardized tests can't be removed soon enough. All they do is tell you what the student got on the test and nothing more. They don't say anything about the educational strengths and weaknesses of the student.

[Jacks]

Originally Posted by Slava

Campaigns have a lot of people representing them at all levels. These people are largely untrained, and you get this kind of thing from time to time.

No doubt the PC's had nothing to do with it, I imagine they are horrified that their message has been completely derailed. Apparently they had some big announcement today that has been cancelled due to this. The idiot tweeter just did some big damage to her own cause.

Whether you think it is a nothing issue or not it has portrayed a mean streak in the PC campaign and sympathy for Smith. Redford is seen apologizing for the 2nd or 3rd straight day. It's also hurt Redfords claim that they will run a clean campaign.


Now one of the PC's ex caucus members has opened up a new can of worms.
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/busin...046/story.html

Richard Marz, who stepped down last week as Tory MLA for Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills, told CTV News that if backbenchers have to pay back committee money, cabinet ministers should have to refund the 30-per-cent raises they got in lieu of committee pay in 2008.

The attack from Marz comes just one day after Redford publicly apologized for failing to act sooner to address public anger over the $1,000 a month MLAs received for being on a committee that hasn’t met since 2008.
Responding to Marz’s allegations Friday in Leduc, Redford seemed surprised and said only that the 2008 salary hike was “made some time ago.
“In terms of whether or not those two are connected, I can’t say that they are or aren’t,” Redford said. “I don’t know why he would have that perspective.”

Oh to be a fly on the wall in that campaign bus today.

[Slava]

Sorry to divert from education for a minute, but there were a couple more spending promises from the ND, oh I mean Wildrose.

The first is for the elimination of school fees. The Liberals have also proposed this same policy.

The other is another tax credit for parents putting the kids in sports and arts.

Pretty clearly the Wildrose is ready to spend money and buy some votes now. Still no release on the cuts and how they can balance the budget in the wake of this spending (which is to say nothing of the administration of these inefficient and unwise tax credits).

Like I've said before, its a miracle. A party has come together that will now be able to reduce taxes for families, balance the budget, cut spending and improve services all at once. If thats not enough though, the spending cuts are all in areas where we won't even notice. Its a miracle. If the polls get tight enough they might even have a way to inject oil back into the ground so that we never run out!

[transplant99]

Yeah....one week in and its remarkable how much the "feel" of this election has changed. If things continue as they have thus far, I think the PC's are going to be one embarrassed party in 23 days.

Good.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Slava

Sorry to divert from education for a minute, but there were a couple more spending promises from the ND, oh I mean Wildrose.

The first is for the elimination of school fees. The Liberals have also proposed this same policy.

The other is another tax credit for parents putting the kids in sports and arts.

Pretty clearly the Wildrose is ready to spend money and buy some votes now. Still no release on the cuts and how they can balance the budget in the wake of this spending (which is to say nothing of the administration of these inefficient and unwise tax credits).

Like I've said before, its a miracle. A party has come together that will now be able to reduce taxes for families, balance the budget, cut spending and improve services all at once. If thats not enough though, the spending cuts are all in areas where we won't even notice. Its a miracle. If the polls get tight enough they might even have a way to inject oil back into the ground so that we never run out!

You sound downright incredulous that your "anyone but WRA" stance is getting no traction, and in fact. your worst nightmare appears to have a real chance of occurring...

[Slava]

Originally Posted by transplant99

You sound downright incredulous that your "anyone but WRA" stance is getting no traction, and in fact. your worst nightmare appears to have a real chance of occurring...

Don't worry, it's not only my nightmare. We can all share in that!

I am amazed though. The platform is really pathetic, whether I agree or disagree. The NDP who I have also said I won't vote for have at least put something coherent forward. Here we have a party that is trying to buy votes with its announcements and at the same time says we have a spending problem. That's just plain dishonest with the voters.

I still expect the PCs to come out swinging though, and not to give up without a fight. If they don't it's basically Kim Campbell in Alberta though.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by llama64

I've never comprehended the hate that teachers get when it's clearly the administration level (and bureaucracy that manage the managers) that is the problem in our education system. But then, it's easier to scream and shout about unions and greedy teachers then to find systemic issues to solve (intellectual laziness).

Well I certainly don't hate teachers considering how many good ones I've had over the years, but I take it you've never had a strike in the middle of a school year.

It happened to us in grade 8, and nothing tells a kid that school isn't important at all when his teachers go on strike in the middle of a school year. If I remember correctly, close to 10 students from my grade alone never came back to school after that strike. And we were in grade 8.

Obviously the 'administration' level is mostly to blame, but I know for a fact a lot of teachers had absolutely no problem walking away and leaving the students hanging. Some of them were glad for the vacation.

The interesting part is that the years after, most of those teachers were fired or let go in some way. Not sure why or how it happened, but looking through the staff roster of the school I attended, absolutely none of those teachers are still there. Most of them weren't there 2 years later.

Are all teachers that way? Absolutely not. Teachers have been for the most part pretty special people in my life. But some are downright greedy.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

To my knowledge, its been a few years since I taught in the high school, all the tests except for LA, which has both a written and m/c section, are all multiple choice with perhaps a few numerical response.

I graduated in 2006, and the majority of the questions were multiple choice, with a few written responses on each test.

Physics had written responses, math had a numerical response/written(figure out a problem and explain how you solved it). LA had multiple choice, plus essay, SS had multiple choice plus essay, and world religions had multiple choice plus essay.

Those were my five 30 level courses. I think its more or less the same for all of them. At the time at least.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Slava

Here we have a party that is trying to buy votes with its announcements and at the same time says we have a spending problem. That's just plain dishonest with the voters.

Slava: hating the player, not the game.

[killer_carlson]

Slav a, yourbiasis coming pretty thick the more we get into this

[jtfrogger]

Wild Rose is proposing merging with Saskatchewan: http://www.wildrose.ca/press-release...-new-province/

The best part is the bottom.

Wildrose stands for cuddling small animals, drawing pictures with children, loving cake, and provocative public transport.

How could you vote against that?

[getbak]

Originally Posted by jtfrogger

Wild Rose is proposing merging with Saskatchewan: http://www.wildrose.ca/press-release...-new-province/

I like how they put this line in at the end to make sure that everyone who hasn't figured out it's an April Fool's joke will finally clue in: Alberta is home to two outstanding NHL hockey teams

Hilarious.

[metallicat]

http://www.albertaparty.ca/gondola

[c.t.ner]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Slav a, yourbiasis coming pretty thick the more we get into this

I don't think that Slava's "bias" is really that uncommon with a good percentage of Albertans. Don't get me wrong The Wildrose so far have ran an exceptional campaign and there is no denying that, but there is a reason that the WRP haven't polled much higher in than 40% in the province since 2008 (http://johnbsantos.com/2012/03/27/po...-2008-to-2012/). (That being said, I fully expect a huge boost to their polls on Monday and a possible breakthrough of the 40% plateau) But there are a lot of underlying questions about the party and many people are still somewhat skeptical of the party and the image around it.

As an example, underneath the recent three pack of Family pledge there is some holes in the financing that need to be answered. It's all good to say that you're going to ban mandatory fees in schools (for locker fees, registration, textbook fees etc.,), but where does that extra 80 million come from the school boards? I don't think that anyone who has come through the Alberta School Board system from the mid-ninties onward truly believes that the Education system is overly funded and needs more cuts. There are also questions revolving around their Transportation plan especially in regards to cities.

As I said, the WRP have run a great campaign so far, while the PCs are struggling to get a message out. This week will be a massive litmus test on where the election is going. The Wildrose are the front runners now and will be tested in that manner moving forward.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by SebC

Slava: hating the player, not the game.

I don't hate anyone actually, I just like arguing about politics. I have a lot of friends who are way further right wing than me; we argue about politics and then we still hangout and do things that normal friends do. Its only politics and disagreeing and setting it aside is something that adults can do!

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Slav a, yourbiasis coming pretty thick the more we get into this

What bias would that be? I don't think it's any different than you bias or Jacks or FL or crazy joe. I don't know who I'll vote for, but that doesn't mean I can't eliminate parties and campaign against them.

Really some of you guys should be thrilled to have me here. This thread would've died long ago without me banging my head against the wall and arguing with you!

[stacey]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Slav a, yourbiasis coming pretty thick the more we get into this

Weird in a political debate eh?

[sevenarms]

Originally Posted by oilers_fan

http://www.albertaparty.ca/gondola

Probably about as cost effective as a high speed rail line. And yes, I do know it was an April fool's joke.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by kn

For the conspiracy theorists out there, the PC staffer's father is apparently part of Danielle Smith's election staff; I have no sources as it was just posted among the comments in the above story.

Richard Wilkie never worked for the party. He was on the Executive Board as CFO (a volunteer position) He resigned about a year ago. Amanda was employed by the party and she was let go around the same time IIRC. Both were with the party less than a year, and this was about a year ago.

They each went on to back Rick Orman in the in PC leadership.