Just to start off I'm going to answer Kerri Ann's question of what should we do with the No Child Left behind Act. Burn it point blank. The point has been brought up time and time again that this policy is a pair of "one size fits all" stockings. I feel that these policies are being made blindly because how can someone present a solution to a situation that they've never been involved in. Yes you provide an objective point of view but you don't really understand the problem until you've become emersed in it.
One solution that may seem out of the ball park is to give control back to the schools themselves (the teachers, prinicpals, and parents), the people that are actually in the forefront, the true stakeholders. They can identify or try to identify the problems and come up with solutions within themselves. If they only have one school to deal with they can focus on the problems and put 100% of their energy into reaching a common goal because this is something that directly affects them and something they can change. Pouring money into the system, treating every school like they have the same problems, blaming teachers, testing students to tears, and the other paths that have been taken have not worked so how about the people on top try to let the schools try it their way. Instead of treating schools like working calss students give them a chance to think for themselves, analyze the situations, and create solutions. What harm can be done to these students that hasn't occurred already. It's scary when videos like "Read A Book" are being created in order to address social problems like education.
One question that troubles me is have we reached a state within our state where trust means nothing? We need test to prove that students are learning and to prove that teachers are doing their jobs? We as a society have to check on everyone else to make sure they're doing their job but are we doing ours? Why do we need policies like NCLB to tell teachers to make sure they do their job? Where did all that passion to teach go? we should test students to make sure they are learning in class but has it gone too far? (More questions than answers. sorry Kerri-Ann)
Here's a link to an article about a voucher system where public funds are used to pay for private education. http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=603
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3 comments:
You bring up an interesting point about returning the responsibility back to the school, teachers and parents. While I agree that these people, and lets include students themselves, need to be allowed to have more of a role in education, we must remember the system was broken before NCLB was enacted. NCLB only made it worse. I do think there needs to be some accountability for all involved. As I said in class we have all had teachers who essentially did not care. Low-income schools face this situation even more than most. I do not agree with most of NCLB, however the provision of a well-educated teacher is essential, particularly for low-income students. Can we trust that school officials, teachers, parents and students care enough to assure success. I would like to say yes, but are we willing to risk our children's education on a school system that is political, whether the government is involved or if it is run internally. Than being said, I believe that an outside program, which does not necessarily include standardized testing as we know it now, is necessary to assure that students are being given the best possible education, not matter the race or social economic status.
I agree that it is hard to understand the problem until you've been emersed in it. Like we talked about earlier in class, the policies are mde by those in power who have no idea what those in the lower classes are experiencing. I think it would be helpful to give power back to the principals, teachers and administrators within the schools. They are the ones who have first hand knowledge of what needs to be done in order to improve the quality of education their students are receiving. Although I think that would be beneficial, I doubt that those currently in power would want to give it up. In regards to the issue of trust, I think that we cannot just trust that teachers are doing their jobs. When dealing with something as important as education, there should be proof that teachers are doing their job. This can be done through testing the teachers every few years to make sure that they understand and know the information they are teaching. Also teachers can be observed in order to see if their methods of teaching are effective for the students.
No need to apologize dear. I think you should post the Read A Book video.
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