If there is one thing that former school chancellors Joel Klein and Michelle Rhee, former President George W. Bush, and the current Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan can all agree on, it is a “No Excuses” policy for all public schools with low test scores.
These reformers believe without exception, that all children can achieve academic proficiency. And if the children fail, these officials also believe that someone needs to be held accountable. It is definitely someone’s fault. Who? You know who. Teachers. Forget about the fact that district leadership and elected officials determine school funding, class size, and the allocation of resources.
The whole complicated issue involving the poor economy, the loss of jobs and the growing poverty in our country is on the shoulders of teachers. They are to blame. Regardless of experience, seniority, or even due process, we have to get rid of those evil teachers lurking in our hallways and our educational system will be healed. Well then, we need to identify these bad apples, but how? Once again, you already know the answer. Our prescription to any educational woe testing!
The formula is simple. Students tested, students fail, teacher fired! The reformers do not see how absurd it is to evaluate a teacher’s dedication and instructional performance on the basis of a multiple choice test given on one day of a school year. Testing can be useful in measuring growth and identifying learning disabilities, but in and of itself, testing will never help us to reach that high goal of proficiency for all.
There is an answer but you won’t hear it from officials in control of our educational policies, because quite frankly, they just don’t get it. The authentic answer lies within the sanctity of the relationship between teacher and student. A teacher does more than impart knowledge; a teacher inspires, gives the student belief in self, and opens up the world of possibilities for a future yet unknown. Pray tell how do you assign a number to that?
The real solution for all our concerns for our children’s education can be visualized with a pyramid where the student is held up at the highest point supported by family and teachers at the base. It is not about competitive test scores, not for teachers, not for students. It is about cooperation, collaboration, and the courage to carry on when you are being so harshly criticized. This is dedicated to all our colleagues who are still in the field doing what they have always done well to teach each child with special attention to their unique academic, social, and emotional needs.
We are still on your team, we share your vision, and we support your mission during troubled times. Keep the faith!
The authors have a combined 75 years of teaching experience in kindergarten, first, second and third grade in area schools. Their book, “Kitchen Table Time: Recipes for Success” can be found at I Love Books in Delmar and The Book House in Stuyvesant Plaza in Guilderland.
