Great 'No Child Left Behind' article...

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/13/national/13child.html

Many of you have figured out that I teach. Read this if you're able to, and see what you think. I think this article has hit the nail on the head.

"...Rising test scores tend to mask how much progress individual students make as they travel through school, the researchers found. Since No Child Left Behind, that individual growth has slowed, possibly because teachers feel compelled to spend the bulk of their time making sure students who are near proficiency make it over the hurdle.

The practice may leave teachers with less time to focus on students who are either far below or far above the proficiency mark, the researchers said, making it less likely for the whole class to move forward as rapidly as before No Child Left Behind set the agenda."

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I think the focus on test scores is pretty stupid because people like me have test anxiety and do not do too well on tests even though they are passing a class with flying colors. For example, when I took the SAT I did fairly bad on the English portion so when I got to college I had to take Foundation English which was like 4 classes but only 1 credit (not a piece). I was so bored and angry all the time because I knew all that junk (subject verb agreement, etc) and it caused me to get behind on my classes for my major and minor. On a side note my minor (once was major) is English. I think they need to take class grades and other things into account. Also, classes now-a-days are basically all focused on "Let's get you to pass this test" which is sad.

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but let's face it...making tests so "high risk" causes all teaching to be "to the test". it's not the fault of the teachers or the administration, merely the result of pressure to succeed on the test. children today come to school with many more needs than just the academics. let's face it, what used to be the "basics"...reading, writing and math...have been replaced with new basics...love, caring and nuturing. unfortuately, kids come to school lacking these basic needs and end up being thrown into a setting that is only focusing on a test. it's time that educators be allowed to focus on meeting the needs of the whole child and not just the test score. meeting kids' individual needs and allowing teachers to use their professional judgements would be the greatest catalyst for student success!

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Updated On: 4/15/05 at 11:34 AM

well...let's face it...i'm a bean counter, so i certainly don't claim to be an expert in the field of education, but it just doesn't make any sense to me for the federal government to "mandate" these things without having done the work to insure that there are proper channels in place to help those kids that don't meet the appropriate level. we're in a time where many school districts are having a difficult enough time making it without the government mandating more "programming" and no money to fund them. it's fine to say that schools must provide summer school for any child who doesn't pass, but from what i understand the government isn't providing any funds for staffing, materials or transportation for those sessions. how do schools who can't afford to run during the school year all of a sudden come up with extra money for summer school? the problem is that politicians are not educators and yet they seem to be making all of the decisions regarding education. leave education to the professional educators...then i think we'll see a difference!

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Updated On: 4/15/05 at 12:52 PM

As the partner of a California school teacher, I can say that the California school system (which wasn't that strong to begin with) has been almost decimated by this philosophy. Teaching has been replaced by mass-processing.

And Glitz, your experience as a 'bean counter' would be more helpful in this current environment, because that's what the children end up being treated like - beans.