At our school we have fondly been calling it the "No Parent Held Accountable Act"! To work it is going to have to encompass three main components: students, parents and teachers. (Speaking from the perspective of a regular classroom teacher who is appalled at the way the government has put all this on the shoulders of the schools. This law has played into the hands of those parents who are not willing or able to parent responsibly and has given them a free pass for any learning problems their children may have. Send us children ready and willing to learn, and THEN we will do our part!) SORRY, I'll get off my soapbox, now!!
Well said Love To Teach!!!! It is time all parents step up and do their part to educate and raise responsible citizens. Thank you to all of the parents who have already accepted this responsibility and are involved in their child's education at home and at school.
Who are they kidding, anyway? We're TENURED- they can't fire us unless we commit a felony, lol! The goal is to have every child (including spec ed and ESL students) on grade level by 2014. They might as well make the goal tommorow because it's not going to happen then, either. The goal is impossible and I am not going to strive for it, nor will I worry about losing my job. I have extremely high expectations for myself and my students, and I'm satisfied when I see the growth and progress we all make each year. I don't need to be told my school is "failing" when I see third graders come to me on a Kindergarten level and read at 2.8 or 3.1 by the end of the year. I am not worried about what any government official has to say about education. The most profound comment I ever saw regarding this subject: NCLB does NOT promise that every child will be on grade level by 2014- it only promises to punish schools if that does not happen.
Ugh! That unregistered guest's comment makes my blood boil. I feel the same as Angela. Come to my classroom on the first day of school and see what the children are capable of doing. I can guarantee you that those same children will all be working at their ability on the last day of school and will have made huge strides in their education. It may not be the standard the state wants, but it will be what each individual child is capable of doing. I call that success!!! My school has been flagged as a failing school. 55% of our students are on free/reduced lunch.We are a very transient school. In my class alone I had four parents being prosecuted for educational neglect for not bringing their children to school. IT IS NOT THE TEACHER'S FAULT THAT WE ARE NOT MEETING THE STATE'S REQUIREMENTS. No, these are not excuses but the truth of what hundreds of school around the nation must deal with. My first and foremost concern is my students well being, not what the government thinks of my teaching.
Here in Louisiana we have the wonderful LEAP test. If my 4th graders don't pass the Language Arts or Math, they fail 4th grade (regardless of grades). I don't really agree with it, but for the most part if they are failing me, they fail the test so I can deal with that. If they fail the test they can go to summer school and retest. In the past, my special needs kids only had to attend summer school and retest, regardless of what they made they went on. Not this year! Thanks to our friendly new law, my kids who can't handle working at the 4th grade level have to pass a difficult 4th grade level test. If they fail it, they fail 4th grade. This makes me so angry. Don't mess with my kids! I got a new student in a couple of weeks before the test. This child is working at the early 1st grade level and yet he is expected to pass a 4th grade test. Yeah, makes sense to me! Christy
I SO hear you, Christy!! In SD, we don't have any of those tests like the LEAP -yet. From listening to everyone here at AtoZ, I'm sure that they won't be long in coming for us, either. This spring we took our first round of tests to determine how we are doing teaching the math and reading standards. These will be used to establish a baseline to set the various levels of the NCLB Act. Previously, we only tested 2nd, 4th, 8th, and 11th graders. This year we tested 3rd-8th and 11th. Right now, our biggest challenge lies at the other end of the issue: not being able to retain a child without parental approval. I am not a big advocate of retention, especially after 2nd grade, but if we are going to have to comply with NCLB, it seems to me that the school is going to have to decide if a student moves on or not, perferably based on more than just one test! I taught Kindergarten for two years before moving to fifth grade. I tried desperately to retain one of my students. The parents said no. They said no in first and second, as well. Third was no exception, and I doubt making the huge transition to fourth this year is going to help him any, either. I am really not looking forward to having to deal with his problems in fifth grade. I know that the research on retention has had mixed results, but I really believe in my heart of hearts that that extra year to mature would not have hurt my liitle guy and maybe might have made a big difference.
I agree, Christy... If a kid just REALLY isn't ready for the next grade, and they're already behind, why keep moving them up so they get even farther behind? That was one of the things that irked me when I was teaching in England... at least at my school, NO ONE got held back, they all got promoted regardless of what they don't know or how mature they aren't... consequently, I had 7-8 year olds (Year 3 in school), and some of them were VERY far behind... some didn't know what would be the equivalent of Kindergarten sight words, some have NO concept of simple addition (I held up two fingers, one on each hand. What's 1 and 1 more? Eleven... OK, what are two numbers that you can add to get 8? Um, twelve?), some can't tie their shoes, some don't know their ADDRESS!!!!! Yet they're being expected to write at a certain level (chapter stories about pirates, with cliffhangers) and do certain things, but if they don't get it, they move on anyway. Difference in systems, I guess...
Crazy stuff. This is one of the big reasons why so many teachers accept the low pay at my school. We don't want to get caught up in the craziness of public schools. We know it is nonsense and the testing frenzy and its backlash is not at all child-centered.
I agree! My school is 73% free and reduced lunches. I had a kindergartener come to school this year without knowing ANY colors, shapes or even how to hold a pencil...no she was not special ed. I'm tired of being blamed for what parents are not doing. This is a waste of money. All GOOD teachers are already doing their job. Let's face it, we are not in this for the money. I could make more money working elsewhere. I love to teach, but I'm tired of being made to feel like the problems of the world are our fault.
it depend on the situation i not sure if i writing this right.i new in here looking for help for my child.i understand where your comming from for some kids, but there are special needs kids out here that need help from teacher , expecialy when the parent dont have the college degree like you do.i know my writting is not good so. if i cant get my self right then how can a person like me help mine. also one thing i also want to point out is there are single mom and parents that either dont have the education to help there child or they work to keep the kids a home and feeding and clothing them so when they get home from work after it bed time then how are they going to help them or the person that baby sitting them dont make them then what? i am a working mom and was there one time when i work long hours and cant help him, but know i have a good job that i can help my kids with ed. but yes there are kids out there for a free ride and pass without really working for it.i will also mention that there are kids that are in sports where i live at and they dont have to work to get a grade as long as they are providing a winning team. now is that right fair, or maybe because they have a name around that help them get by with it. NOTE FROM Amanda: Unregistered, I edited your post to make it easier to read. It was inside a quote from a previous post. If you try using the 'post reply' button found at the top and bottom of a thread, instead of 'reply with quote'link, you'll have a blank reply box to start with.
There is much truth in what you are saying. Please forgive me for any offense you felt toward what I said. My frustration lies with the government for not understanding that there are three parts to this equation. All three parties-the teachers, the parents, and the children-have to each do their part. The area where I see concern with SOME parenting is more in the area of teaching children basic life skills (courtesy, kindness, honesty, responsibility, respect for authority, etc.) than it is in the area of academics. A child coming into school need not know all his letters or numbers, but he does need to know how to sit quietly, share, be respectful of others, wait his turn, follow directions, know that he is accountable for his own actions, etc. These are the things that lay the foundation to successful learning and to a happy, productive life. As you so wisely said, there are "special" cases and we need to be aware of these and work dilegently to improve them. I, in no way, meant to imply that teachers are not accountable. I only meant to suggest that there needs to be balance, and that all of us need to work together to do our best for every child. Most sincerely, Jody
I agree with Jody's comments and would like to add that it does not take wealth to prepare your child for school. It does does some organization and time. It need not be expensive to have many books at home, to limit television time in favor of games using motor skills, to show your child that you like to read, to help your child learn to dress, feed, and clean up after him/herself. Use the library. Visit thrift stores for books, too. Let your child use kitchen supplies to measure things, sort and count. Sit with your child and write or color. The most important aspect, though, is that the child realizes that the parent values education.
It is also important that not just the teacher of the grade being tested be held accountable. My third graders are a combined product of their PreK, K, 1, and 2 teachers, plus me, and of course their parents. So why is my name the only one beside their scores?
The Chicago Tribune reported today that over 500 schools in the state "had low test scores" so the kids are elligible to transfer schools... Most of these schools are in particular areas, so there isn't even really anywhere else for these kids to go! Plus, my big problem... THE SCHOOL DIDN'T TAKE THE TEST...THE SCHOOL DIDN'T NOT SCORE WELL!!! (Sorry, that's my complaint...) Did anyone consider that it starts from the time these kids are babies... when they're read to at home and taught how to behave? You can't make up for that in a school setting, even with wonderful teachers... why do they think test scores will improve if they switch schools? Probably going to put more in a class, which defeats the whole purpose... as someone said, "All the schools around here scored badly. Do they want us to swap our low-achieving students for their low-achieving students?" Sorry, I'm getting cynical and frustrated... the law is great in theory, but did anyone think of practicality before passing it? *Steps off soap box*
AMEN!! We have had the meetings that tell everyone that even though the kids take the LEAP in the 4th, 8th, and 10th grades it shows more than just what those teachers are doing. Sounds really good until score time comes around and once again the spotlight is on us. 60% of our school performance score comes from the LEAP. When our SPS is low they all look to us. When it's up they all... no they don't look to us, they all take the credit! We had a local sponsor buy dictionaries for our 4th grade classes 2 years ago (they can use them on the LEAP and none of us had enough of any one kind so that all of our class had the same one!). All we heard from the other teachers was that 4th grade got everything because of that test and it just wasn't fair. I told them I agree. My kids have to take the LEAP and the IOWA back to back and that isn't fair. Everyone looks to us to make the SPS and that isn't fair. My 9 and 10 year old 4th graders are forced to take a test that many grownups find hard AND told that if they don't pass it they will fail 4th grade, and that isn't fair. That I am expected to teach my kids everything by March that they should learn in 4th grade to get them ready for the LEAP and instead of getting support from my co-teachers I am getting grief, and that isn't fair. Gee...do I sound bitter? It just gets really old some times! Christy
NO offense to anyone here. But why complain, why not do something about it. In any other business or governmental institution, people would join together and protest or write or something! Teachers (including myself) just gripe! What can we do about it? This is a democratic country...the answer should not be nothing! Seriously what should we do? Any ideas? I think your complaints are the complaints of thousands of teachers around the country. Could they ignore us if we all get together? NO..we know what education is all about. WE ARE THE PEOPLE IN THE CLASSROOM DAY IN AND DAY OUT...they are behind a desk...spewing out polictical bull.....THEY HAVE NO EXPERIENCE OR EXPERTISE...who should be writing educational acts or laws of the government...not someone who has never set foot inside a classroom or worked with a struggling student. I am sorry if this offends anyone here, and I hope it is not too much (Sorry Amanda) but it is so frustrating. Does any one else feel this way?
For my part what I have done is stay in constant contact with my legislatures. I send them letters updating the progress of kids in my class, explaining my frustrations with the new laws, and offering ideas. Of course I am probably on some list somewhere now after sending so many letters!! I have also encouraged the parents of my special needs kids about contacting people. I found out yesterday that I have a child coming in my room who just barely missed being qualified as severe and profound. She will have to take the LEAP...and pass it...to go to 5th grade. It just doesn't make sense. Christy
question about No child Left behind Hi everyone. Sorry to post this twice, but i hit the wrong button. I am coming out of lurkedom to ask a couple of questions. i am completing a practicum this semsester and part of my requirements for the class portion is to do approximately an hour long discussion on a topic in special ed. My partner and I picked No child left behind and i since I know very little about the topic, I was wondering what it means for Special ed students. I have lookde at the messages on the board, so far and I see that for the most part it is a unrealistic goal, especially for the more challenged members of the special ed population. I have also started to do some reseach, but any articles, thoughts or resources would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Re: question about No child Left behind Welcome, erinkate! The home page for No Child Left Behind is No Child Left Behind Christy
