Is raising scores the most important thing in school? That seems to be all that matters for No Child Left Behind supporters.
Professor Timothy Leonard of Xavier University works with teachers in Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana. He is quoted by the Enquirer.com [Timothy Leonard, Cincinati.com, 2-8-07], as saying, "Education is simply not about scores anymore than losing weight is about scales." Professionals in education know that.
NCLB Renewal
No Child Left Behind is being debated for renewal this year. It is my hope and the hope of many in education to adjust the initiative and shift the emphasis from scores to what is truly best for each individual child. Children do not enter school blank slates ready to absorb knowledge in equal doses. Everyone comes with a different personality, background, disabilities, abilities, talents, anxieties, genetics, and social background. Each child is an individual and needs must be met when discovered. The "one size fits all" testing emphasis of NCLB may be hurting children, especially disadvantaged children. NCLB could be unfair to the poor.
The Standards
Leonard complains that the tests used to test students on proficiency are developed by persons far removed from the educational setting. Test makers use careful calculations to devise standardized tests and are not involved in the day to day teaching of children. From a distance they determine what each child should know. However, the teacher takes the child from where they are and teaches them what they should know.
Standards
"Each classroom teacher has standards that can vary from day to day. In order to successfully teach students those standards, the teachers know that it takes
- knowledge
- persistence
- ingenuity
- patience
- trust
- active listening
- toughness
- kindness
- humor
- willingness to engage students in active learning," says Leonard.
While this is done every day in classrooms throughout the country, in the end what truly matters is ONE test. Certainly we know more about education than this.
Change
Leonard would like to see more support and encouragement of teachers. "This means more money for salaries, staff development, and programs to make sure teachers develop the skills that research tells us it takes to engage students to choose to become knowledgeable in the arts and sciences as well as reading and mathematics, and to become responsible citizens."
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Read previous articles on Educational Issues.
Copyright article 2007 Barbara Pytel. All Rights Reserved.
