http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/06/20/failing.schools.ap/index.html
Now, if you were to talk to my better half who is a Teacher. She would say that ‘no child left behind’ is a joke. I know that she is a good teacher, just because I can see the excitement in her face everyday when she comes home and tells me about her day. But, she feels that ‘no child left behind’ is a waste for a number of reasons:
1). More time is spent testing then teaching.
2). Children with learning disabilities are being lumped in with everyone else, thus pushing down the scores.
3). States are able to have their own standards they need to meet, which you know will be geared to make the state look good.
*** She has more arguments, but I can’t remember them all.
Ok, I just covered my a$$ with providing her side to this. My thoughts, I think it’s about time. They teach based upon what is going to be tested so that they look good. Well, I’ve heard her talk about the tests that are given(reading, math, history, …). I haven’t heard anything yet that I consider trivial or shouldn’t be in the test. You drive it into a person enough times, they will remember. If for no other reason then to shut you up. This is good.
The article talks about schools being restructured because scores have not improved. This includes moving of personnel and firing principles. Good, these people quite obviously did not take the time to research out all the different ways others have found to improve the child’s education. Laura is always talking about learning various new ways to get the points across. Hell, she loves having substitute teachers for the simple reason that she sees other ways of presenting the material. How many teachers of 25 years do you think feel the same way? Which is why their schools are failing. They need to be replaced.
Do I think ‘no child left behind’ is perfect. Hell no, it’s a government program. But, do I think it is finally shaking the tree of the lazy a$$ educators that just pass the children along. yes I do, and that’s a good thing.
Dan
