Teachers, Tests, and Tensions: Teachers Respond to the New York State Global History Exam.

This study focuses on how teachers are responding to changes in the new global history curriculum and the attendant tenth grade New York Regents examination. It compares the messages broadcast by the new state curriculum and assessment policies with individual interview data collected from ninth and tenth grade New York state global history teachers, expressing differences between the state's and teachers' views in a set of three tensions: (1) major changes v. minor changes in teachers' classroom practices; (2) more ambitious v. more traditional teaching and learning; and (3) clear policy direction v. ambiguity. The study asks the following questions of the relationship between teacher learning and state-level testing: (1) In what ways are tests and test results used in classrooms, schools, and the districts; (2) What do the proposed changes in state-level tests mean for teachers and learners; (3) How are teachers being prepared to respond to the new state assessments; and (4) What challenges do teachers anticipate in moving toward new state assessments? The study draws on both focus group and individual interviews. The individual interview sample includes 16 male and female teachers, from a total of 13 schools, with various years of teaching experience, teaching locations, and grade assignments. (Contains 7 notes, a table, and 29 references; appended is a sample teacher interview.) (BB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Teachers, Tests, and Tensions: Teachers Respond to the New York State Global History Exam 1 S. G. Grant, SUNY-Buffalo Alison Derme-Insinna, North Tonawanda Schools Jill Gradwell, Oakfield-Alabama Schools Ann Marie Lauricella, SUNY-Buffalo Lynn Pullano, Catholic Diocese of Buffalo Katherine Tzetzo, Williamsville Schools PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY S. a. tr*0-4%. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION / CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Paper presented at the annual conference of the College and University Faculty Association, National Council for the Social Studies, San Antonio, Texas November, 2000 2 BEST COPYAVAILABLE Teachers, Tests, and Tensions: Teachers Respond to the New York State Global History Exam There is a curious gap in the recent talk about national and state education reforms. With attention focused on defining higher expectations for what students will know and be able to 'do, how teachers will learn the new pedagogical ideas and practices to support these expectations is less well articulated. Federal policies such as Goals 2000: Educate America Act and state policies like the New York New Compact for Learning focus on the resources, conditions, and practices necessary for all students to learn. Lacking in all of these efforts, however, is serious attention to the education profession, that is, how experienced teachers will learn the intended