Spelling and the Florida FCAT

When I was a child in school we paid attention, learned our lessons and took tests. Those test counted towards our grade. In the middle of the year we took mid term tests and the end of the year we took finals. The scores of these test along with the scores on our class work, and home work resulted in our final grade which determined if we passed or failed the class.

If we passed, we moved on to the next grade, if we failed, we had to option of summer school to make up the grade and achieve a passing grade.

Today’s FCAT in my opinion is noting more that a government method of providing an excuse to school leaders and teachers to shrug off the blame for failure on the student rather than the teacher.

Schools today have shifted from teaching students how to read, write and spell to how to pass the FCAT. This reality has never been more evident to me than in a recent conversation I recently had with an education counselor, and the school principal.

During this conversation I asked a simple question, “Why doesn’t my fifth grade child have any vocabulary or spelling words to memorize?” The answer left me speechless. I was told, “Today most everyone uses computers that have spell checkers, and since the FCAT does not contain a spelling section, we don’t feel it is of any importance.”

I hope you are as shocked as I was. I have one simple thing to say to those that believe a computer spell checker negates the need to learn how to spell.

Due knot trussed yore spell chequer two fined awl you’re mistakes. Dewing sew could result inn making u look UN Intel agent, be cause this hear sentence passes the spill chequer and the grammar chequer to. Make know miss take about it. Knot teaching spelling will effect hour children for count less years. The fax R simple, with out learning two spell, wee are making they’re futures Moore difficult. Butt at least they will pass the FCAT.

Therefore if spelling is not needed because we have spell checkers, why stop there. My sons computer also has Excel and a calculator, lets drop math. American history, I have cable and we can tune into the History channel any time we want. Hey, that should cover ancient history as well, so now we can drop history. Social studies and American government, CSPAN. Music class, why? I have MTV, VH1 and CMT that should count for something. Science, we watch Myth busters and the Discovery channel. Well that about covers it. Send my child a high school diploma when he’s 18 and we will call it even.

I know! You say I’m over reacting. Am I? I bet you are thinking of every reason to defend math, or history, or social studies, but why not spelling?

I think it is time to change the role of the FCAT, not to determine which student advances to the next grade, but to determine which teachers and schools are doing their jobs. If a student fails the FCAT, then replace the teacher because they are not doing their jobs.