Clyde Curley's Blog
December 15, 2014
High stakes school testing
There was a terrific interview today (12/15/14) on Seattle radio station's KUOW with a high school teacher who has written critically about and engaged in active protest against standardized testing in the schools. (http://kuow.org/post/case-against-hig...). This is one of the issues I address in my new novel, "A Cup of Hemlock." The teacher in the interview, Jess Hagopian, argues that such testing is almost always a poor measuring stick of a student's capacity to learn, much less a predictor of success later in life. Rather, such tests reflect the student's socio-economic background more than it does his/her ability to thrive in school. Furthermore, the systems put in place that prep for and administer these tests compromise opportunities for students to receive a fully developed, well-rounded set of educational opportunities.
This argument is advanced effectively, I think, in "A Cup of Hemlock." (It is, surprise!, a factor in the murder of the teacher in the story.) It was certainly a painful experience for me and my colleagues at Milwaukie High School in Oregon, where I taught from 1986-2001 as we watched fabulous "fringe" programs like art, music, home skills, shop skills, and dramatics severely cut back or eliminated so that the "core curriculum" (math, social studies, science and English) could be beefed up. This development may not seem so bad on its face, but in each of these areas, testing and teaching to the test became the norm. Critical thinking skills, a deeper understanding of the geo-political environment we all inhabit, not to mention a development of appreciation for the rich meanings found in the humanities--all this went by the wayside.
It is encouraging to hear of the resistance that has been growing among parents, teachers, administrators and students to the testing craze that has made most people involved in schooling crazy. I hope such resistance continues and grows--for the good of our society.
This argument is advanced effectively, I think, in "A Cup of Hemlock." (It is, surprise!, a factor in the murder of the teacher in the story.) It was certainly a painful experience for me and my colleagues at Milwaukie High School in Oregon, where I taught from 1986-2001 as we watched fabulous "fringe" programs like art, music, home skills, shop skills, and dramatics severely cut back or eliminated so that the "core curriculum" (math, social studies, science and English) could be beefed up. This development may not seem so bad on its face, but in each of these areas, testing and teaching to the test became the norm. Critical thinking skills, a deeper understanding of the geo-political environment we all inhabit, not to mention a development of appreciation for the rich meanings found in the humanities--all this went by the wayside.
It is encouraging to hear of the resistance that has been growing among parents, teachers, administrators and students to the testing craze that has made most people involved in schooling crazy. I hope such resistance continues and grows--for the good of our society.
November 30, 2014
New Toussaint novel imminent!
In about three weeks, I'm expecting delivery from the publisher of "A Cup of Hemlock," the second novel in the Detective Toussaint mystery series set in Portland, Oregon. Detective Sergeant Matthew Toussaint and his partner, Detective Missy Owens, are faced with finding the murderer of a high school teacher shot down in his classroom late at night. Readers who enjoyed "Raggedy Man"--with its Portland setting, varied cast of characters and the challenge of determining the true perp among a number of suspects, not to mention the exploration of social and philosophical ideas--should find this new novel stimulating reading. Go to my website, clydecurley.com, to find out about pre-order options.
Even though its been more than ten years since I stood up in front of a class of high school students, not a day goes by that I don't think about teaching, learning, and the importance of education in American society. After the book is in readers' hands, I welcome the opportunity to explore some of those issues. This important topic in "A Cup of Hemlock" is front and center--and linked closely in the interaction of the lives of the characters. It deserves examination. In the meantime, I'm finding that the lives and careers of Toussaint and Owens are absorbing me and tickling my imagination in ways I hadn't expected when I first started this series. Readers should expect to see these two cops grow and change significantly in this new story. At the same, I hope I've provided rousing good whodunnit!
Even though its been more than ten years since I stood up in front of a class of high school students, not a day goes by that I don't think about teaching, learning, and the importance of education in American society. After the book is in readers' hands, I welcome the opportunity to explore some of those issues. This important topic in "A Cup of Hemlock" is front and center--and linked closely in the interaction of the lives of the characters. It deserves examination. In the meantime, I'm finding that the lives and careers of Toussaint and Owens are absorbing me and tickling my imagination in ways I hadn't expected when I first started this series. Readers should expect to see these two cops grow and change significantly in this new story. At the same, I hope I've provided rousing good whodunnit!
