Over-Tested and Under-Prepared

Reviews / Votes

"I would recommend this book to any teacher who wants to do the right thing for his or her students. It is chock full of common-sense advice from which we all could learn: meet students where they are; slow down if need be and don't frustrate them; ensure basic essential skills are learned before moving on; keep monitoring progress; analyze the evidence you have of student learning; adjust instruction to meet the needs of the student; and cover fewer concepts, but cover them more deeply. It makes sense--as Dr. Sornson states--that this will, in turn, instill a love of learning that will last a lifetime. What better gift could you give a child?" --Anne Blankenhorn, K-12 Education Policy Advisor, Senate Majority Policy Office, Michigan Senate

"Sornson walks the reader through the history and ramifications of our current factory-based model of education and shows how today's systems and classrooms prevent many students from reaching their learning potential. This book provides not only a convincing case for moving toward competency based learning, but also a base of knowledge around what that would mean for teachers, students, and schools."--Michael B. Horn, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Education Program, Clayton Christensen Institute

"This book is the best reference for educators interested in a competency based learning system. It provides a clear framework for assessment and instructional practices which would help many more of our students become competent learners for life." --Precharn Dechsri, Ph.D., Vice President, The Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPST), Bangkok, Thailand

"In Over-Tested and Under-Prepared, Bob Sornson accurately diagnoses weaknesses in current approaches to education which rely too much on top-down, coverage-based, one-size-fits-all models which were successful in the last century but do not address current challenges. Bob Sornson offers practical advice and detailed guidance for how we can reform and depoliticize our approach to education while better preparing the leaders of tomorrow using competency based tools." --Thomas Gentile, President and COO of G E Capital

"This beautiful book describes a path to genuine school reform. It offers a new model for learning, in which students can develop crucial skills anytime, anyplace, and at any pace. If you are ready to embrace change and move toward learning systems which give all students a chance to succeed, this book is for you. For our collective future, we must do a better job of educating our children." --Tom Watkins, Superintendent of Schools, Michigan, 2001-2005.

"Over-Tested and Under-Prepared provides educators and leaders with a thoughtful synthesis of competency based education today. Moving from traditional teaching and learning to new approaches challenges the way we have structured schools and expected students to do their work. This book introduces compelling reasons to move past the old and into a new way of thinking about deep learning that is inquiry-based and an instructional model that supports student learning." --Rose L. Colby, Co-author of Off the Clock: Moving Education from Time to Competency

"This is a book about learning, not just school learning, but lifelong learning as well. It is a goldmine of ideas and information for every person interested in competency based learning. The conversational style of the author makes it difficult to put down." --James A. Tucker, Ph.D., McKee Chair of Excellence in Learning, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.