NY State Cancels Regents Exams - Page 2

Jaspersmom · ‎06-08-2011

Grew up in NY and was a teacher for more than 34 years. The Regents exams of recent decades can't even compare to those of the 60's and 70's. If you ever get a chance, look at an example of a World History Regents of the past and compare it to a Global Regents from now. The ones from the past tested knowledge and required students to be highly skilled. Today's versions are watered down in a way to allow everyone to pass them. These changes came about when we decided everyone should go to college. Don't get me wrong, everyone should have the opportunity to go to college, but that doesn't mean everyone should go to college. If you got a Regents diploma in the past, it said something about the kind of student you were. That's not necessarily true today. In fact, the more advanced students today are all enrolled in AP classes which didn't exist in the 60's and 70's. I also want to say that many of the students from those decades who didn't get a Regents Diploma often went into the trades and MANY did very well. A few of my friends from the past started businesses (plumbing, electrician, glazier) and made more money than I ever did as a teacher.

QVCkitty1 · ‎05-23-2015

@Jaspersmom wrote:
Grew up in NY and was a teacher for more than 34 years. The Regents exams of recent decades can't even compare to those of the 60's and 70's. If you ever get a chance, look at an example of a World History Regents of the past and compare it to a Global Regents from now. The ones from the past tested knowledge and required students to be highly skilled. Today's versions are watered down in a way to allow everyone to pass them. These changes came about when we decided everyone should go to college. Don't get me wrong, everyone should have the opportunity to go to college, but that doesn't mean everyone should go to college. If you got a Regents diploma in the past, it said something about the kind of student you were. That's not necessarily true today. In fact, the more advanced students today are all enrolled in AP classes which didn't exist in the 60's and 70's. I also want to say that many of the students from those decades who didn't get a Regents Diploma often went into the trades and MANY did very well. A few of my friends from the past started businesses (plumbing, electrician, glazier) and made more money than I ever did as a teacher.

Some of my non-regents friends ended up in community college, and did great and then transferred to a 4 year college. Some of my fellow regents grads didn't amount to much, and bombed out at college. Also in my opinion a good plumber is worth their weight in gold.

" You are entitled to your opinion. But you are not entitled to your own facts."
Daniel Patrick Moynihan

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

@wildcat fanOne more reason I am so happy to be 20 years retired - we were already under pressure to inflate grades then. I don't want to imagine today.

ScrapHappy · ‎03-28-2010

@I am still oxox wrote:
This is a major thing, ifyou great up in NY you will understand, till this day the sight of a Regents review books gives me shivers

Georgia schools canceled Milestone Exams a while ago. They're taken every year but must pass 5th and 8th grade to be promoted.

hopi · ‎03-09-2010

Obviously all the exemplary students old school successful Regents you all are claiming to be the "none dumbed downed people" are not very helpful in solving this devastating New York crisis. It the test is worthless tax dollars should not be wasted on it.

Never heard of the test.

panda1234 · ‎04-27-2015

@coco14 wrote:
Doing well on the Regents exams was a symbol of accomplishment and honor - and in my day, we didn't have tutors helping us - we did it the old fashioned way - by studying hard.

It's a shame they won't be given this year.

@coco14 well said.