I must respond to this question. I do not believe that creativity is a
distraction. Creativity is the flesh on the bones of skills and
knowledge. Although our students want to pass the GED, we have to ask
ourselves what our job as educators is. If we simply believe that
pushing our students to the level of the GED is all we have to do,
then perhaps we can pass on the creative side of things. However, if
our goal is create life long learners, who will pass the GED on then
continue learning and contributing in more and more positive ways,
then I think the answer is clear. Creativity is a must. It is what
will hook a person into learning.

However, there is another issue. Not only do the students pressure GED
teachers into teaching to the test. The pressure is on from above
also. Students who pass the GED are counted and those numbers help the
DOE decide if a program is doing its job.

I am not against accountability. But I do think that without
considering all the long-term effects of the current method of
"counting" students is revised, then some creativity will be squashed
as teachers work to satisfy a numbers requirement.

On 10/9/07, djrosen at comcast.net <djrosen at comcast.net> wrote:

> Colleagues,

>

> I am a proponent of creativity in adult literacy education -- indeed in all

> education.  As Marc Tucker, President of the National Center for Education

> and the Economy,  has said in a presention recently to the National

> Commission on Adult Literacy,

> http://www.caalusa.org/video/choices.html , the U.S.

> education system -- and he includes adult education, cannot be competitive

> without high academic standards AND creativity.

>

> But many GED teachers and administrators believe that their students will

> not pass the GED unless they focus on skills and knowledge needed to pass

> the test, that creativity is a "distraction" and a time-waster. (Many K-12

> teachers, administrators or policy makers also believe creativity distracts

> from passing high stakes tests.) I hate to be the one to raise this issue,

> but it's the key question on the minds of many GED teachers and

> administrators, so I invite the panelists to address it.

>

> Is creativity a distraction or is it essential for success? Why?

>

>

> David J. Rosen

> djrosen at comcast.net

>

>  -------------- Original message ----------------------

> From: "Marie Cora" <marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com>

> > Hi everyone,

> >

> > We've had several new subscribers over the past day, and so I wanted to

> > give a quick reminder where you can get the information on this

> > discussion.  For the full announcement, information on guests, and

> > suggested resources go to:

> >

> >

> http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/assessment/07creativityGED.html

> >

> > If you missed the posts from yesterday - there were a couple - you can

> > catch up in the archives at:

> > http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/assessment/2007/date.html

> >

> > Please post your questions and also your own experiences to share now!

> >

> > Thanks!!

> >

> > Marie Cora

> > Assessment Discussion List Moderator

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Marie Cora

> >  <mailto:marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com> marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com

> > NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator

> > http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment

> >

> >

>

>

>

>

>

> ---------- Forwarded message ----------

> From: "Marie Cora" <marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com>

> To: <Assessment at nifl.gov>

> Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2007 14:43:14 +0000

> Subject: [Assessment 942] GED Discussion - what you need to know!

>

>

>

> Hi everyone,

>

>

>

> We've had several new subscribers over the past day, and so I wanted to give

> a quick reminder where you can get the information on this discussion.  For

> the full announcement, information on guests, and suggested resources go to:

>

>

>

>

> http://www.nifl.gov/lincs/discussions/assessment/07creativityGED.html

>

>

>

> If you missed the posts from yesterday – there were a couple – you can catch

> up in the archives at:

> http://www.nifl.gov/pipermail/assessment/2007/date.html

>

>

>

> Please post your questions and also your own experiences to share now!

>

>

>

> Thanks!!

>

>

>

> Marie Cora

>

> Assessment Discussion List Moderator

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Marie Cora

>

> marie.cora at hotspurpartners.com

>

> NIFL Assessment Discussion List Moderator

>

> http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/assessment

>

>

>

>

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