The Atlanta Teacher Aptitude Test (ATAT)

[n2doc]

By DAN ZEVIN
Published: April 6, 2013
Please use a sharp No. 2 pencil and gloves to fill in each circle completely or maybe a little less.

1. Agree or Disagree? “It is my duty as a pedagogue to help each and every pupil arrive at the correct answer.”



2. When helping each and every pupil arrive at the correct answer, which pedagogical method do you find most effective?

(a) memorization

(b) deconstruction

(c) jumbo eraser



3. A troubled student has defaced the playground with graffiti that reads, “This school sucks.” Would you:

(a) defer to the school psychologist

(b) vigorously scrub the “k” with turpentine and spray paint the letters “c, e, e, d” in its place.

more

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/07/opinion/sunday/the-atlanta-teacher-aptitude-test-atat.html

[mbperrin]

1. Looks good!

Some of this is being used in Texas as well.

[roody]

2. Is this a joke?

[LWolf]

3. It is clearly satire,

if you read the whole "test."

[duffyduff]

4. The problem with this satire is that the testing scandal

wasn't created by teachers willy-nilly; when they did it it was under extreme pressure from administrators.

The "satire" seems to not get the fact teachers have very little control over their working conditions. If they dare stand up for what is ethical, they can be railroaded out of their jobs and out of teaching altogether by their administrators.

I didn't find this "satire" particularly funny as a result.

Given it was published by the teacher-hating NYT, it's no wonder I didn't find it funny at all.

[FBaggins]

5. Only about 1/3rd of those indicted were teachers.

If they dare stand up for what is ethical, they can be railroaded out of their jobs and out of teaching altogether by their administrators.

So if the choice is between doing the ethical thing (that they surely knew was the ethical thing) and risk your job... or doing the unethical thing and risk going to jail (and losing your job and hopes for future jobs)?

We can agree that this isn't a situation that any teacher should ever have to face... but not that it's a tough call.

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. I don't find it funny either.

I'm also concerned that there was a very public perp walk for African American women who have been charged.

Lots doesn't seem right in this story.