No Child Left Behind--Are we finally getting it right?
While there has been much debate about No Child Left Behind regarding the shortfalls and advantages of this legislation, one thing has been clear, like healthcare, reform is needed in our educational policy. President Barak Obama has herd teachers across this nation loud and clear. It looks as though now is the time to build on a policy that has been less than effective in its objective, assisting this nations children along with educators in making the educational progress this nation is capable of.
Although there have been some bright spots in our current policy with no child left behind. Educators (those that have had to work in the confines of this policy) have been acutely aware of its flaws. Below are two concerns that have come up regarding no child left behind and the direction this administration seems to be taking regarding these concerns.
· Extreme accountability towards educators
The president’s response to this, “In short, we will treat the people who educate our sons and daughters like the professionals they are,” stated the President, in his most recent weekly radio address.
· A focus of test scores that does not take into consideration a child’s starting point.
The official response to this consern, accoording to Molly Peterson and Kate Andersen Brower, (Bussiness Week March 13, 2010)
Carmel Martin, the Education Department’s assistant secretary for planning, evaluation and policy development, said on yesterday’s conference call.“A fifth-grade teacher who helps a student who comes into her class at a second-grade level reach a fourth-grade level isn’t a failing teacher,” Martin said. “She’s actually a very good teacher and should be applauded. We need to shift to a system that gives credit for that kind of growth.”
Although there are many other components to No Child Left Behind that are being improved, I felt these two were significant. Does anyone have any thoughts, regarding this most recent discussion of No Child Left Behind?
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If you ask the people that experience the effects of "No Child Left Behind" first hand, teachers, you will find that the majority of these people believe it was a major step backwards for our education system. It has some good concepts but there are too many flaws to be effective.
ReplyDeleteI am one of those students that felt "No Child Left Behind" was needed in this county, but I also feel that the teachers need to have some sort of testing other than their students performance. This comes from my experience at my old High School. Here we had some really good teacher, one of which taught physics here, but there were also some that were just there for other reasons, like coaching. Therefore, in some areas kids execlled and in other they failed. So, I feel that, "No Child Left Behind" should be expanded to make sure that the child's reason for being left isn't do to faulty teaching.
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