Do Not Accept the New Normal
Since No Child Left Behind began its reign of error a decade ago, the American public has slowly but surely changed its understanding and expectations of schools.
We have come to think that every school must “make” every student proficient, and if it cannot, then the school is a “failing” school.
We have come to look on schools as “failing” if they enroll large numbers of students who don’t perform well on standardized tests, regardless of their personal circumstances, their language ability, or their disability.
We have come to believe that teachers alone can bring every student to high test scores. And if we don’t believe this is possible, we are accused of defending the status quo or not caring about students or not believing they
We have come to think that every school must “make” every student proficient, and if it cannot, then the school is a “failing” school.
We have come to look on schools as “failing” if they enroll large numbers of students who don’t perform well on standardized tests, regardless of their personal circumstances, their language ability, or their disability.
We have come to believe that teachers alone can bring every student to high test scores. And if we don’t believe this is possible, we are accused of defending the status quo or not caring about students or not believing they
This Teacher Asks a Good Question
I received a comment from a teacher of children with high needs. The teacher writes about the challenges she or he faces every single day and the small victories achieved when a child is able to understand expectations or accomplish a limited task. Yet no matter how demanding the job, the teacher will be judged by the students’ test scores. The teacher will be held accountable to meet goals set by politicians who have no concept of the situation and who would not survive a day in this teacher’s classroom.
The teacher wonders: How do we get these politicians to stop acting as our superiors? This question suggests other questions: How dare the politicians pretend that they know more than teachers who do the work? How do teachers regain their professional autonomy? Who will want to teach in the future under these conditions? Will
The teacher wonders: How do we get these politicians to stop acting as our superiors? This question suggests other questions: How dare the politicians pretend that they know more than teachers who do the work? How do teachers regain their professional autonomy? Who will want to teach in the future under these conditions? Will
A Flaw in the Galvanic Response Skin Bracelet
A reader writes:
What grabbed me was this part:
“electrodermal activity that grows higher during states such as excitement, attention or anxiety and lower during states such as boredom or relaxation.”
So, this means that they can’t tell the difference between excitement, attention and anxiety? So all you have to do is keep a class in constant fear and you ace the evaluation? It also can’t tell the difference between boredom and relaxation. So if you’re doing “sustained silent reading,” which is it? Are students supposed to be “on” all the time?
I’m not a teacher, and even I can see that this is a huge steaming pile. But it got them a $500K grant! Nice work if you can get it – and stomach it.
Let’s see now. The teacher who keeps the class in a state of high anxiety gets points on the “effectiveness”
What grabbed me was this part:
“electrodermal activity that grows higher during states such as excitement, attention or anxiety and lower during states such as boredom or relaxation.”
So, this means that they can’t tell the difference between excitement, attention and anxiety? So all you have to do is keep a class in constant fear and you ace the evaluation? It also can’t tell the difference between boredom and relaxation. So if you’re doing “sustained silent reading,” which is it? Are students supposed to be “on” all the time?
I’m not a teacher, and even I can see that this is a huge steaming pile. But it got them a $500K grant! Nice work if you can get it – and stomach it.
Let’s see now. The teacher who keeps the class in a state of high anxiety gets points on the “effectiveness”