oh, sorry, I must have pasted the wrong one. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35792943/ns/us_news-washington_post
I think this is what you meant to post: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35792943/ns/us_news-washington_post/ From the teacher standpoint, I agree that there should be nation-wide standards. It's very, very hard for (for example) military kids who are shipped from state to state to state to keep up with classes when they'll be way ahead at one school and way behind at another. If you move within the state of Texas (at least, this is how it used to be), there would be virtually no difference in what was being taught. Moving within the state of Arkansas (when I was a kid) was just as bad as moving across the nation. I think it will also help with standardized testing for things like scholarships. So what if you're the valedictorian? That means something vastly different based on the standards of a particular school. Some valedictorians can go to Harvard with ease, while some would struggle at a community college. As for homeschooling... I don't think it'll necessarily affect laws, but I do think it'll have an effect on publishers. I think it'll be easier to switch from XYZ math grade 3 to ABC math grade 3 without wondering if they'll teach the same thing. It drives me nuts to pick up 2nd grade math books for next year and find that they're all VERY different.
I agree with 2littleboys although I do think some children will struggle keeping up with what is required for their grade.
I think it very well could be something that will effect homeschooling. Basically, should there be a "national test"? If so, what would be on it? Can it be graded fairly, with objective questions, or will it be subjective? A while back, they were discussing "outcome based education", and a national test, and the problem was that it tested ATTITUDES, not FACTS. And that's what I'm afraid will happen here. I'm not worried about Rachael going against any kid her age on an objective test. What I AM worried about is a bureaucrat making rules for schoolls. When my husband has a group of 9th graders that can't add fractions (1/3 + 1/3 = 2/6), where does some idiot come off, telling him that he needs to be teaching them Algebra because ALL 9th graders MUST be in Algebra? Well, he can teach algebra, but he has more than half his class flunking. And it's HIS fault? I don't think so! The LOCAL SCHOOLS need to make the decisions that are best FOR THEIR OWN KIDS. Guess what? Not EVERY kid will graduate! Some are NOT going to go to college! And trying to level the playing field so "no kid is left behind" will just level it out to the LOWEST denominator.
It's about time. When NCLB originally came out, I, and several of my friends, thought it would standardize education across the US and make teaching certifications standard at all. When it didn't happen, that was a HUGE mistake. I totally get where you're coming from Jackie with the math. My mom taught highschool math for a long time and has consistently seen the kids less and less prepared. When they said "all 8-9th graders should know algebra" much of it was based on "when a kid takes Alegebra goes to college!" Duh, more often than not, those taking alegebra in 8th were considered advanced for math. Not everyone is ready for it. There needs to be standards, but they also need to be realistic.
Hear! Hear! The national government has enough to keep it busy without micro-managing local and state governments. Standardized tests are for standard kids -- and I have yet to meet one! The measure of success should be a child's own progress. My son has not often achieved Saxon's standard of 15 math problems in 45 seconds, but I count it as success if he improves upon his last score. It shows that he is moving forward. He also can not read at his grade level, but he reads better than he did last month and much better than last year. On the other hand, my daughter would test far above grade level in reading and math, but if next year, she is still at the same level, I would consider that a failure in her education even though a standardized test would say otherwise.
Never mind that the Constitution says that anything not specifically mentioned in the Constitution was the responsibility of the STATE, rather than the FEDERAL government. I wasn't aware the Constitution gave that power to the Feds. (But neither did it give most of the other stuff they're involved in!)
So according to the article a second grader 'should' be able to read Charlotte's Web. Aaaand what if he can't? Blame a parent? (that's what they usually do) Blame a teacher? Blame? the kid? The whole thing sounds stupid. Can we say 'cookie cutter' or 'robot'? I am afraid that the demands on kids will get so complicated and difficult, they will be constantly stressed, worried and work into being miserable and missing their childhood. Not to mention always thinking they will never be able to 'measure up'.
Of course, they will have to MANDATE pre-k so kids will be "ready" for Kindergarten. I mean, it's not possible for parents to teach children those absolutely essential skills, like counting to 10 or ABC's!!!
Well Obama would like all kids to start younger AND go year round. I'm not sure his plan on that, but IMO anything stamped 'O' is bad news...
Carl says it will make our schools worse. It seems any attempt by bureaucrats to standardize schools ultimately results in scores decreasing, rather than increasing. And it would also open doors for something like what is happening in Germany....http://www.homeschoolspot.com/showthread.php?t=21671 I'm tired of hearing, "But that's over THERE; it couldn't happen here!" Yes, it CAN, and we need to fight against it!
I am so so on this one. I personally went to many different schools growing up and what we learned was all over the place. It would be nice if Public schools at least had a general plan of what they should teach. But my sister is a current teacher and I understand the need to let teachers have more room to address the needs of their classroom. But my sister also work with some great teachers and some really bad ones as well. It would be nice if the teachers are somewhat more accountable to something. So I am so so!
Bad teachers won't be held accountable as long as the NEA is in control. Ohio is a "closed shop", meaning that, while membership isn't "madatory" but you still have to pay the dues. And a portion of those dues goes to political activity...meaning my husband's dues goes toward candidates/issues we activily work AGAINST. Yes, you can do something about it, but we've tried and they pass the buck between the local union, the state union, and the federal. They refuse to tell us who/what needs to be done to stop our money going to the political branch.
The purpose of public school has ALWAYS been "a robot factory". Kids have NEVER been "equal" and they never will be. Used to, schools acknowledged that fact and had "the fast group", the "average group" and "the slow group", although once designated "the slow group" kids tended to stay with that and got an inferior education because people gave up on them early on. So then, schools had to "homogenize" everything, and were forbidden from having "groups" - everybody in every class had to be taught, and therefore learn, everything at the same speed. Well, we know that doesn't work either. Nowadays they're attempting to "individualize education" and a classroom teacher is expected to teach 25 or so kids EACH at an individualized pace and style. Yeah, we know how well that works, too, don't we? Well, naturally - it must be because home didn't prepare them properly, so 5, then 4, now 3 year olds are being stuck in school so they can be institutionalized EARLY. At this rate, it won't be long before federal "creches" will meet you at the hospital and take over the rearing of your child! Used to, kids who didn't cut it got left back and passed on, left back and passed on, until they were old enough to quit. You ever heard of the Peter Principle? it says that people will rise to their level of incompetence. Then they stay there until they quit/retire. Then it became unfashionable, damaging to little psyches, to get left back, so "social promotions". Yeah, that worked really well too. Then Special Ed schools. No, not good to segregate on the basis of intellect. So do away with the special ed schools and bring all the kids to the same schools, because of course "all kids can learn" -- well, sorry, but that's not true either. I knew a 12 year old "floppy baby" who never was able to learn cause/effect, the most basic step in learning (*I do this, I get this result"). But the law said that when her class got computer time, she had to be propped up in front of a computer too, even though her eyes could not track or focus and her doctor said she was "cortically blind". That means her eyes worked, but her brain could not see. But we must follow the law, even when it makes no sense. Oh, and by all means, the gifted kid will learn in spite of school, so don't fund any kind of adequate acceleration or enrichment for him! Half an hour a week will do for him, where he can play computer games and miss basic instruction... or put him in charge of "helping" his classmates. In my 20 years of working in public education, I've seen tons of experiments - some failed, some weren't given a real chance, and if it seemed to work, there was always a "good" reason it couldn't be continued. And what we have in their place is NCLB, where the schools have to meet certain "growth criteria". And if the school or the state doesn't meet the criteria, well, we'll just lower the bar so more kids can pass. Oh, excuse me, we're not "lowering", we're "adjusting" the requirements with more exceptions, lowering the score required to pass, making the questions easier, teaching the test from the beginning of the year and giving extra tutoring programs to "help" kids learn enough to pass. I've known lots and lots of good schools and good teachers and good programs - but the end result overall is the same. The Fed wants YOUR kids!
I had one lower than that! My student didn't have a consistent yes/no response, at least not at school. (Her parents said she's brilliant at home!) I couldn't get the girl to focus on me at all. (Her parents said it was because I didn't make it entertaining enough for her to focus her attention on!) But guess what!!! One day, her caretaker at home came to visit. (Notice it was a CARETAKER, and not a parent!) After watching me trying to get this girl's attention and failing miserably, I was asked if she was ALWAYS like this. I took a deep breath and told her yes, this was typical of this child. The caretaker said, "I'm so glad to know that! This is what I get at home, too, and the parents tell me it's MY fault, because she's doing all kinds of fantastic stuff for her teacher at school...."
wow can we say denial, lol I want to be careful not to criticize teachers too much. I know many teachers have little or no say in the curriculum. Plus they have 20+ kids in ONE room. You know each child learns differently and at different speeds ect and ONE teacher is expected to make a genius out of all of them. Then there are the students that flat our don't care and no parent or teacher will change that. Then there are those that think we should blame the parents for not doing anything with their kids. Well good grief they work 10 hours a day, come home with chores and dinner to do, and then are expected to do homework with their kids. My dh asked me last year why don't you just homeschool them? I said honey I already do! The teacher sends home a lesson plan every night! No idea what she did all day. But with the behavior of kids nowadays I would guess she stayed busy just keeping them all from killing each other or gouging out each other's eyes lol who can teach in an environment like we have at PS? It's impossible. Guns, drugs, sex, violence, kids are worried about mom and dads divorce, getting beat up walking home from school, where their next meal will come from and whether or not Uncle Joe will molest them again this weekend. Ok, not ALL kids, just most of them. I have two families on my street right now that are dealing with family services. Pretty sad. Can't even meet basic needs of their kids and then blame teachers for them not learning anything. So it goes both ways. I think another big contributor is fallen morals and family relationships. And on top of that we force our kids to grow up too fast, trying to cram work down their throats at every corner while bragging about the kids is China... and yet at the same time, we are raising a generation of kids that have no idea what work is, or responsibility or common sense.
