The world is of many truths.

The child grows to learn not all

including those who stand against

the winds of arbitrary change.

And when the winds of chaos

blanch the minds of pliant youth,

the sage sees the despair of youthful loss.

So Katz and Kiesling set the stage

for others who want to norm a page

in stone set to chisel from the class

a set of standards, traits and strands

for guided writers who come of age

a bench to mark their gain from past.

New life was sought for those who learn

by seeking scope and vision

from experts whose words were worthy

to write a lively page of reason.

So true was the thought, the sage advice

from those who lived their truth,

others sought to carve those thoughts

in stone to set a measure for the season.

But seasons change as do the days

and truth in its vague and various ways

does not separate real from fantasy

for those who learn their separate peace

in the chaos of distortion and distress.

Do stone tablets persist with ancient wrongs,

expecting all to adhere to older life?

Will we find us wanting for daily truth

unique to our accelerated diversity?

Can I mold my day, my standard strand,

although in contrast with stone-faceted face,

and still find my truth on which I stand.?

Reflections on the ode

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has embarked on the daunting task of reforming education as a result of HB 3565 that was passed nearly a decade ago at the encouragement of Vera Katz when she was a retiring representative in the Oregon House of Representatives before moving on to become Mayor of Portland. Since that time, teachers have watched with fascination as the paper flowed from the ODE to improve education in the state. Almost a parallel of the computer industry, curriculum specialists, test designers and assessment specialists have molded, reshaped and refined the documents that will make up the initial framework of Oregon's educational reform movement.

Now teachers are being confronted with the first stages of actual implementation of the benchmarks for the Certificate of Initial Master or CIM that will measure the accomplishments of this movement. Most recently we have received the "Test Specifications" for the Oregon Statewide Writing Assessment. After reviewing this monumental document which is a self-proclaimed effort at being "user-friendly" I was also concerned with the "organic" qualities of the document. Is this a document that will continue to grow and change, or is it to be the final authority of the wizened sages of composition? Concerns of this are sure to rise as implementation becomes reality. Whenever a centralized authority portends to establish the guidelines for assessment of instruction done at a local level, concerns with flexibility and amendment come to question. Recognizing that the designers at ODE have gone through several drafts enroute to public presentation, users of the guide will want to know the extent to which modification will be possible.

A simple case in point could be made of one of the prompts for a writing sample to be used for evaluation of writing competence. Under the title of "Assessment Prompts - Grades 3-5" one of the prompts for persuasive compositions said, "Pretend a friend of yours has decided to eat ONLY junk food. Write a paper that would CONVINCE your friend to eat a healthy diet."

At first glance this seems innocuous enough until it is examined in the light of its own inferences and inaccuracies.

First, the prompt assumes an understanding of "junk" food. While this may stimulate a response, the prompt does not seem to take into consideration the highly connotative nature of an individual's sense of junk food. The taking of massive quantities of vitamins that are often not assimilated into the body could be "junk." The exclusive use of "organic" foods ignores the major advancements in food preparation and health protection implemented in the food industry. And remember, as Woody Allen pointed out in his farcical movie "Sleeper," we may find 200 years from now that "junk" food will become the staple of a "healthful" diet.

The notion of a "healthy" diet as stated in the prompt underscores another reason for the assessment documents to maintain an "organic" quality. If a test designed to measure competence is to be used, the test itself must be competent. The inaccurate use of "healthy" instead of the correct term "healthful" raises questions regarding the accuracy of other less obvious portions of the assessment guidelines. "Healthy" of course means the quality of having good health while "healthful" refers to that which causes good health. While this is not a major concern, it does represent an incompetent use of words. Since "Word Choice" is one of the standards upon which a writer's competence will be assessed, it is important to correct this error in the "test specifications."

This is not intended to be an attack on the ODE's assessment program. Rather, it is merely a request to maintain the "organic" nature of the documentation to allow for variations in usage and interpretations. Also, as times change, so will we need to change and modify the documents that purport to be the law of the land. Is there a procedure to allow for user modifications? If changes are implemented at the test site, how will that affect the validity of the test? Will the state testers be sensitive to the various backgrounds of the testees? Many other questions come to mind today, and many more will follow. If the answers to those questions dictate change in form or practice, hopefully the administrators of this assessment will graciously make the needed alterations.