November 23, 2009
leave no childHOOOD behind
Former President George W Bush passed the Leave No Child Behind Act – whose stated purpose was to make sure that all children, regardless of their race or class, are given a good education. Leave No Child Behind puts heavy emphasis around standardized tests in order to hold schools to a “higher standard.” Consistent with this theme is President Barack Obama’s recent call for better education in science and math in order to create more innovation and for American children to grow up to be able to compete in the global market.
I really can’t disagree with too much of this on paper. And certainly, it is important for most of us to increase our quantitative skills, etc. But I continue to be disappointed and somewhat amazed by the lack of emphasis on the “education” part of “education.” There is a difference between giving a child instructions versus giving a child a quality education.
Getting kids to do well on standardized tests is about forcing them to memorize and regurgitate instructions. It does not give proper emphasis to getting them to be smart and interesting human beings who will make dynamic contributions. The development of a society full of such people is just something that our culture of education is not terribly interested in making as the top priority. But is it better for Obama to talk about science and math than to talk about how we can truly engage with our nation’s (and the world’s) youth?
Harry Potter is an excellent example of something that has allowed kids to be engaged – and to then take learning into their own hands. Web 2.0 in general has allowed kids to do that. Traditional education does not emphasize that.
I believe that children encouraged to feel safe in a state of “childhood” are children who will not only be far more fulfilled on a personal level but will allow our entire country and world to be far more fulfilled. Daniel Pink has done a good job of demonstrating how the old technocratic style of the world is shifting dramatically. It turns out that living fully and creatively are far more practical than spending all of your time cramming in somewhat pointless information for the SATs. I’m going to propose a discussion around leaving no childHOOD behind. And
Christina
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I totaly agree. I am bored to tears at school. All teachers care about is getting good scores on tests. My school did good last year; so good that the state goverment sent someone to the school to make sher that were wernt cheating!
Taekia
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I agree, but at the same time. I think standardized tests are somewhat a necessary evil. There’s no tangible way to prove students are learning or being encouraged to learn without some sort of testing. I think we’re testing the wrong things. I’d love to hear more about the state of “childhood.” It’s an interesting idea, especially in this day and age when so many kids are forced to grow up far too quickly.
Emma
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I completely agree with this post. I really detest No Child Left Behind. I have a girl in my biology class who basically can not read, but does fairly well on tests. She struggles over simple words, and not in a rude sense, but it makes me disgusted that she’s been able to advance this far. The only reason she’s been able to get this far (she’s a sophomore in high school) is because she studies, not to learn, but to memorize, which does not help at all in the long run. Because nobody has taken the time to say, “Hey, I don’t care if you do well on tests, you need to actually comprehend and understand what you’re learning” she’s not really getting an education. She isn’t going to “create more innovation” or “be able to compete in the global market” when she can’t read past a sixth grade level. It’s just ridiculous that a person clearly isn’t receiving an actual education because she’s able to past a test.
I think this might’ve come off as somewhat snooty? I’m not sure, but I hope not. I mean it more as a it-ticks-me-off-that-my-peers-aren’t-getting-proper-educations-because-they-can-pass-simple-tests-but-aren’t-truly-learning-important-things type of message, not an I-think-I’m-better-than-a-girl-in-my-biology-class-because-I-can-read.
Andrew Weyandt
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Ah, it’s about time someone addressed the Lack of Childhood in America! As someone who NEVER did well on Standardized Tests but knew more than his own Teachers about their own Subject, I highly agree with this entirely! Testing these days is not about understanding the subject or comprehending the Concepts behind it, but instead it is simply about “How much of the text book you can Write down in about 40 minutes!”
And guess what the Guy(Me) with the ~200 I.Q. has trouble with? Writing Comprehensable Cursive!(And Spelling words right:P ) And do not get me started on Textbooks, mainly Science ones, that are so out of date that their isn’t anything in them has not been disproven! And punishing Schools that NEED HELP getting funding by DENYING it is simply Brilliant!(Sarcasm Alert!) The whole Public School System needs a COMPLETE Overhaul immediately if we are even to break even let alone succeed! It has been one of my major goals in life to use my story to help fix this tragedy of an Education System, especially in the Rural areas like I have lived in for all of my life.
Anywho, Enough rambling, now it is time to prepare for some action. I’m going to start by attending a local Parent-Teacher Meeting and then maybe see if I can get a few good Wrock bands to do a Compilation album to help spread awareness of this problem.
Thanks for giving me a forum to say this stuff and get it off my back, too.
Andrew “Generic Fighter” Weyandt