Rhode Island fired 90 teachers involved with the schools having the states lowest test scores. The is a perfect example of the damage No Child Left Behind has on our education systems. Educators are molding the curriculum around the tests and the students are suffering. Our society is so worried about offending children, they form a horrific idea like No Child Left Behind.
Obviously their is the exception to the rule. Teachers will be ineffective and we need to release those ineffective educators. However, our teachers are not the problem in our education program. Lowering the expectations of our education system to allow all children to pass is the problem. Children need to learn now, that life is not fair and they will not win at everything. Leave the children behind that don't meet the standard. If they are not grasping the concept, allow them the opportunity to try again.
This program is showing our children, they have to accomplish everything on the first pass. If they don't, the rules will be bent and exceptions will be made. Society is handing out trophies to all children instead of those who deserve the recognition. This program is raping America of our ambition and competitive edge.
I don't have children, so let me know what you think. Am I right? Am I way off the mark?
COMMENT, FOLLOW, ENJOY
7 comments:
I have three children. So I therefore am the ultimate authority on no child left behind. I also have a bridge for sale (more on that later). It seems to me that the problem here is not the program any more than a gun is the problem in a murder. The real issue here is that we are allowing our government to make these decisions (like a criminal wielding a gun). No child left behind is in theory a good program, however it is also a perfect example of why government programs tend to fail (military excluded). Teachers are the experts and should run the program, however, we have kill the cancerous growth of bureacracy before that can happen. And if you disagree, you qualify for a 50% discount on my bridge.
Daniel, I think that problem is really several-fold. First, the Federal government (in its limited, enumerated power under the Constitution) does not have the power regulate education. Thus, it "back doors" the issue through a Commerce Clause hook and its associated spending power that can really only regulate (i.e. give and withhold CASH) on something it can uniformly measure across the board (arbitrary testing than cannot really measure anything "useful" other than hoop-jumping (something the Feds seems to think we should all excel at!)). Second, because it is a Federal program, and because performance standards are (theoretically) uniform nationwide, states--and really school districts--have very little control (if any at all) in terms of tailoring a program to fit the needs of their students. For example, I live in North Phoenix in a very wealthy, high-performing school district where parents are themselves educated, involved and deep-pocketed enough to provide a public school system that far exceeds anything the Feds could have contemplated under NCLB. But juxtaposing our district with an urban district say in the heart of Central Phoenix (with huge immigrant populations and very poor tax base), there is just no way to compare those districts and the overall quality of their schools. But the Feds want to lump them all together anyway because that’s the only way they can even colorably argue that their attempted regulation in constitutional. What's more, imagine comparing these districts with the one from which we graduated high school in Idaho--where most kids come from two-parent households with stability and little crime, etc. In such a situation, the Feds need simply to shut up and get out because no solution they craft on a national level will come even remotely close to being individually tailored to fit Jefferson County’s needs. Finally, the real solution for education is not spending money (ironic to me because today in AZ we're voting to raise our sales tax to nearly 9% to fund education shortfalls). Schools fail because parents fail. We can pass the buck and play the blame game all day long but until parents are involved, create expectations and hold their children accountable, no amount of money and standardized testing will improve the product--the children. Think about it like today’s GM automobile. Giving the auto unions more money to make the cars does not make cars better. Making better cars makes cars better. And only GM can do that. Parents, they’re the problem and the answer.
Interesting, excellent point and I agree our parents are the problem and solution. Our education is becoming a point of comedy; however, comedy is usually funny and not a laughing stock. This current education program is creating larger social statues gaps and removing our middle class. Government programs, like the both of you pointed out, are failing. I look forward to the elections in November; I want to see how America reacts.
I tried to post something the other day, but I couldn't get my phone to co-operate with me. Anyway, this issue makes me angry. As you probably know, my mom is a teacher. She has been affected by this as have her students. I understand the reasoning behind them wanting to create no child left behind, but it is affecting the other children in the class who aren't on the lower end of the spectrum. The teachers are no longer able to challange their students as they would before. Instead they are having to work with the kids at the lower end to help bring them up to where they need to be while the others in the class lose interest and drive. This is becoming a disservice. Instead of striving to be great they are losing potential as they wait patiently for someone else to grasp a concept. The parents of the children who are lacking are the ones that should ultimately be responsible for their success. The parents are the ones that are supposed to be at home with them helping them with their homework, reading, and other skills they need to be working on. So many parents use the education system as a babysitter. They claim they don't have time to help. I understand that people are busy, that they have schedules filled with meetings, appointments, work, you name it. They are the ones the reproduced and created a child. The educational system is there to provide an education. They teach things and the parents need to be willing to reinforce things at home. If you can't take time out of your schedule to make sure that your child is taken care of this is neglect. I know that the homework/reading that my mom sends home with the kids in her class doesn't take much time. They have a week to do their spelling, every night they have a math concept that needs reinforcing, and then she requires reading. If parents can't take 30 minutes out of their schedule to help their kids they are being completely selfish. Kids need an education just as much as they need food, love, shelter, etc. It isn't fair at all to pin this on teachers. Teachers WANT to see children succeed. Why do you think they took on that job? If they wanted to babysit they could have opened up a daycare in their home. I hear all too often that parents don't understand why there is homework, why they teachers require reading, why this needs to be done. SERIOUSLY people, pull your heads out. If you didn't have an education would you be at the points you are at today? Do you really want to see you child not make it in this world as an adult? I believe that an education is important and when I become a parent I will take the time to help my child to learn. You can't get anywhere in this life without an education. If you give a man a fish he eats for a day, if you teach a man to fish he eats for a lifetime! Same concept...teach your kids!
Wow you typed all that on a cell phone? I thank you for you comment. It seems the personal experience is making this concept sting a little more than it does me. The parents are the solution; unfortunately, many parents are single parents that have full schedules. I believe many parents want the best for their children; however, like Zack pointed out, many low income areas are forced to use education as a babysitter.
The program isn't working and it needs to be handled by the people, not the government.
I absolutely agree that parents play a huge role, however I disagree that money isn't the issue. This diverges a bit from the main topic, but I believe that the educational system suffers largely because of lack of funds. My dad is also a teacher. When he started teaching, with a wife and no kids, he could qualify for welfare. It really is pathetic how little teachers make, considering the benefit they are (or ought to be) to society. The problem that emerges is, with little incentive to go into education, it's difficult to sift the wheat from the tares. There are so many wonderful teachers, who have a passion and a love for what they do, that are compensated so poorly for their efforts. On the other side of the coin, I saw so many teachers that became such merely because they had some weird degree and didn't know what else they could do. I wasted many hours of my life sitting in useless, state mandated courses, with a teacher that was only there because they wanted to coach the swim team. There are many brilliant people who would make excellent educators, but the motivation is lacking. Money does matter, and i think many smart people choose to get a degree that will make them money, it's common sense. Without the spirit of competition in education, standards fall, test scores drop, and students lose interest. Competition is the root of capitalism, and encourages innovation and quality (just watch the medical field after the healthcare bill goes through). Hope this made sense, it's late :) love your blog Dan!
I agree our teachers need to be paid more; however, this is a sign from our society, that we don't consider education to be of great value. I believe this to be another reason education should be a condition of the state, and not federal. This would create the atmosphere necessary for competitive supply and demand.
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