Submitted by Renee Moore (not verified) on April 25, 2008 - 12:19.
Anthony,
You are so right. The implementation of NCLB, no matter how well-intentioned, has created a cruel game in which the rules and the targets keep moving in a calculated attempt to limit the "winners." Yes, we want all children to be taught well and receive a high quality education. But is the best way to do that by disparaging the good work that teachers do by only pointing to failures? Or, by making "failures" out of what may actually be advances? In my former high school, we routinely helped students move from reading at a 3rd or 4th grade level (these were 9th graders who had been socially promoted to us) up to 6th-8th grade level in one school year. However, because they were still below grade level, they and our school were labeled as failures. The net result is to frustrate people who are working as hard as they can, to embarras students who have done everything that was asked of them, and to create a false image of our school.
Glad you're blogging on these important issues.
NCLB-- a shell game
Submitted by Renee Moore (not verified) on April 25, 2008 - 12:19.
Anthony,
You are so right. The implementation of NCLB, no matter how well-intentioned, has created a cruel game in which the rules and the targets keep moving in a calculated attempt to limit the "winners." Yes, we want all children to be taught well and receive a high quality education. But is the best way to do that by disparaging the good work that teachers do by only pointing to failures? Or, by making "failures" out of what may actually be advances? In my former high school, we routinely helped students move from reading at a 3rd or 4th grade level (these were 9th graders who had been socially promoted to us) up to 6th-8th grade level in one school year. However, because they were still below grade level, they and our school were labeled as failures. The net result is to frustrate people who are working as hard as they can, to embarras students who have done everything that was asked of them, and to create a false image of our school.
Glad you're blogging on these important issues.