No Child-Left Behind Act Argument
“A hopeful America is one in which not one child is left behind.” This quote from President George W. Bush at a recent news conference represents the current philosophy of our government on education. In 2001 President Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The new law is an updated version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which was signed into law in 1965. Since then standardized testing has been a part of our school system in one form or another, yet there is little evidence that these tests have improved children’s learning through the years.
The premise of the No Child Left Behind Act is that every child has an equal opportunity for a good education. For this goal to be met, each state must bring 95-100% of …show more content…
children up to grade level in the core curriculum areas of reading, math and science by the year 2014. The goal is measured only by the scores students receive on the standardized tests adopted by their states. In addition schools that do not show adequate yearly progress on standardized tests toward this goal face sanctions such as loss of funding. In cases where schools do not meet adequate progress for two or more years the government can come in and fire or reassign the teachers and administrators. These strict guidelines have changed the spotlight from student learning to student testing. Although it is important for schools to be held accountable, when the focus is only on standardized tests to measure that accountability it takes away much of the creativity in the classroom.
According to Nancy Buell a forth grade teacher in Massachusetts, professional development meetings and trainings often focus on how teachers can improve scores on their state tests instead of asking questions like how to encourage a love for learning and critical thinking skills(NEA Today, 2001). Teachers must then ask themselves – in the face of standardized testing are they doing all that they can to not only ensure academic success, but also nurture skills such as critical thinking and social skills that their students will need in real world environments.
In order for students to do well on the standardized tests teachers are focusing their energy and resources only on the test subjects. Teachers in schools across the country are reporting a cutback on the amount of time they are spending on non-test subjects. Subjects such as social studies, art, music and physical education are being eliminated from many schools in order to make room for more instructional time in the
Many schools are eliminating recess in order to have more instructional time for core curriculums.
core areas of reading, math and science (Chapman, 2007). Many schools are even cutting recess out of their schedules to increase this instructional time. The loss of these important subjects means that the children coming out of our schools are not as well rounded as they could be. Social skills, cooperation, appreciation for art and music, and a love for learning all contribute as much as reading and math facts to create a whole child approach to education.
Because there is such a focus on standardized testing, creativity on the part of teachers and students is being taken out of the classroom. Teachers have to rely on curriculums that are built around the tests instead of around children’s interests. Teachers are encouraged to teach in a skill-drill format in which students are just learning the answers to questions, but not the concepts behind the answers. This is inappropriate, especially for younger students, and does not promote crucial learning skills such as questioning, testing theories, or looking at processes that will help develop understanding of concepts.
If teachers were allowed to teach reading and math skills around subjects that children were interested in, their students would be able to learn these skills in a more natural way that would allow for not only these skills to be developed, but also critical thinking skills. By creating a learning environment that promotes cooperation on projects that include reading and writing about science experiments or social studies projects teachers may be able to include all subjects within one project.
For example, a teacher may set up his or her classroom in a manner in which students in small groups can explore some of the things that may have been found on a wagon train. The project may include reading about the Oregon Trail at one station, exploring items that may have been found in a typical wagon at a second station, and a third station may ask students to come up with ideas of what dangers travelers may have faced. Finally the project could be wrapped up by having the students write a short play to be acted out in which they show what the group learned from their exploration. In this project teachers are able to incorporate reading, writing, and history into one interactive learning project that promotes social cooperation and being able to look at others ideas. With some creativity on the teacher’s part, he or she could even include a math lesson using the distances traveled by the settlers.
“Because of high-stakes tests and the pressure that surrounds them, children are no longer engaged in enriching experiences for the pure joy of learning…” (Solley, 2007)
B. Solley wrote that “attaching high stakes to tests ‘obstructs students' path to becoming lifelong, self-directed learners and alienates students from their own learning experiences in school.”(Solley,2007) Because projects like the Oregon Trail project described above are not being used in classrooms students are not able to show creativity and understanding about the subjects they are learning. Learning should scaffold on what children already know. The process of building on what students have learned previously will help children feel successful and grow in their love for learning. By making the Oregon Trail project a group project, student’s not only build on what they already know, they are able to learn from other student’s knowledge base also.
Although standardized testing is the way that the NCLB is measuring student, teacher, and school success it does not give a clear picture of what children know or are capable of learning. These tests may have a purpose in checking student progress, but the emphasis on the tests as the only standard for checking progress only reports learning outcomes and not the process by which students get to the answer. Knowing an answer for a test without knowing in what situation to use the process has no practical application for the student and will soon be forgotten. Schools and teachers would have a clearer picture of what student’s actual progress was if in addition to standardized tests they were allowed to use other methods of student evaluation. The No Child Left Behind Act through standardized testing strives to pinpoint those children who are struggling in certain academic areas. Often teachers center learning material on the tests and do not have time to observe their students, waiting instead for the test results to show those students who are not performing well. However, if teachers used observation and daily interactions as a gauge they would be able to intervene and help floundering students before they even get to the
tests. Observation of students is a key concept in alternative assessments such as portfolio and performance assessments. When using a portfolio assessment the teacher, student, and parent are all involved in setting goals for the student. During the period that is being assessed the student and the teacher both are able to add things from the child’s active learning process that show progress toward the goals set up for the child. Things that may be added to a portfolio are writing samples, science experiment notes, a reading log of what the child has read during a specific period, or video or audio tapes of children describing what they have learned from a project. One advantage to this assessment is that students are viewed as individuals who grow and learn at different rates. The portfolio is then passed from grade to grade with the child to show his or her individual growth and what he or she has learned over a period of several years. Performance assessments are another way of assessing student learning. Assessments are created by the teacher in order to show understanding of concepts that have been taught. Examples of performance assessments include recreating a science experiment, creating and acting out skits that show understanding of a social issue that has been discussed in class, or using math concepts to figure out real world problems. The benefit of performance assessments of this type is that the students must think critically about what they have learned and make a plan using this information to show their understanding of the concepts. Teacher observation is required when using this technique to ensure that the students have grasped the true meaning of what has been taught. Teachers may use any combination of these assessments to show that the students are progressing toward a goal of competency for grade level standards. Notes or tapes of performance assessments are important to put in a student’s portfolio to show understanding of the concepts that were included in their goals. Including standardized testing along with some of these other forms of evaluating a child’s progress allows teachers and administrators a whole view of the child’s learning and comprehension of subject matter. Using a combination of assessment techniques also allows parents and teachers to see that the student not only can read and do math at grade level, but also that they know how and where to apply the concepts in situations outside of the test environment.
While standardized tests may also have a place in assessing a child’s knowledge, their use as the only standard of achievement is only a narrow view of a child’s knowledge. When the government uses the narrow view of test results as the only measure of accountability for schools it limits teacher’s creativity and takes away children’s natural instincts to question the world around them. Alternative ways of keeping track of students’ progress allow teachers and children to use critical thinking skills to understand processes and arrive at answers to academic concepts instead of just memorizing the answers to the questions. The other assessment methods allow teachers to view the child’s whole learning, including social skills, as a crucial part of the education program. Knowing this, concerned citizens should get involved in their local schools to ensure that the children who are our future are learning the critical thinking and social skills needed to become active productive citizens.
Reference Page
(2001). Does prepping for high stakes tests interfer with teaching? . NEA Today, 11.
Barrier-Ferreira, J. (2008). Producing commodities or educating children? . The Clearing House, (), 38 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Chapman, L. (2007). An update on no child left behind and national trends in education policy review. Arts Education Policy Review, 109 (1), 25-36 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Ediger, M. (2007). Teacher observation to assess student achievement. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 34 (3), 137-139 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Henley, J., McBride, J., Milligan, J., & Nichols J. (2007). Robbing elementary students of their childhoods: the perils of the no child left behind. Education, 128 (1), 56-63 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Ogden, R. (2007). Mountain climbing, bridge building, and the future of American education. Education, 127 (3), 361-368 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Pederson, P. (2007). What is measured is treasured: the impact of the no child . Clearing House, 80 (6), 287-291 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Solley, B. (2007). On standardized testing: an ACEI position paper. Childhood
The premise of the No Child Left Behind Act is that every child has an equal opportunity for a good education. For this goal to be met, each state must bring 95-100% of …show more content…
children up to grade level in the core curriculum areas of reading, math and science by the year 2014. The goal is measured only by the scores students receive on the standardized tests adopted by their states. In addition schools that do not show adequate yearly progress on standardized tests toward this goal face sanctions such as loss of funding. In cases where schools do not meet adequate progress for two or more years the government can come in and fire or reassign the teachers and administrators. These strict guidelines have changed the spotlight from student learning to student testing. Although it is important for schools to be held accountable, when the focus is only on standardized tests to measure that accountability it takes away much of the creativity in the classroom.
According to Nancy Buell a forth grade teacher in Massachusetts, professional development meetings and trainings often focus on how teachers can improve scores on their state tests instead of asking questions like how to encourage a love for learning and critical thinking skills(NEA Today, 2001). Teachers must then ask themselves – in the face of standardized testing are they doing all that they can to not only ensure academic success, but also nurture skills such as critical thinking and social skills that their students will need in real world environments.
In order for students to do well on the standardized tests teachers are focusing their energy and resources only on the test subjects. Teachers in schools across the country are reporting a cutback on the amount of time they are spending on non-test subjects. Subjects such as social studies, art, music and physical education are being eliminated from many schools in order to make room for more instructional time in the
Many schools are eliminating recess in order to have more instructional time for core curriculums.
core areas of reading, math and science (Chapman, 2007). Many schools are even cutting recess out of their schedules to increase this instructional time. The loss of these important subjects means that the children coming out of our schools are not as well rounded as they could be. Social skills, cooperation, appreciation for art and music, and a love for learning all contribute as much as reading and math facts to create a whole child approach to education.
Because there is such a focus on standardized testing, creativity on the part of teachers and students is being taken out of the classroom. Teachers have to rely on curriculums that are built around the tests instead of around children’s interests. Teachers are encouraged to teach in a skill-drill format in which students are just learning the answers to questions, but not the concepts behind the answers. This is inappropriate, especially for younger students, and does not promote crucial learning skills such as questioning, testing theories, or looking at processes that will help develop understanding of concepts.
If teachers were allowed to teach reading and math skills around subjects that children were interested in, their students would be able to learn these skills in a more natural way that would allow for not only these skills to be developed, but also critical thinking skills. By creating a learning environment that promotes cooperation on projects that include reading and writing about science experiments or social studies projects teachers may be able to include all subjects within one project.
For example, a teacher may set up his or her classroom in a manner in which students in small groups can explore some of the things that may have been found on a wagon train. The project may include reading about the Oregon Trail at one station, exploring items that may have been found in a typical wagon at a second station, and a third station may ask students to come up with ideas of what dangers travelers may have faced. Finally the project could be wrapped up by having the students write a short play to be acted out in which they show what the group learned from their exploration. In this project teachers are able to incorporate reading, writing, and history into one interactive learning project that promotes social cooperation and being able to look at others ideas. With some creativity on the teacher’s part, he or she could even include a math lesson using the distances traveled by the settlers.
“Because of high-stakes tests and the pressure that surrounds them, children are no longer engaged in enriching experiences for the pure joy of learning…” (Solley, 2007)
B. Solley wrote that “attaching high stakes to tests ‘obstructs students' path to becoming lifelong, self-directed learners and alienates students from their own learning experiences in school.”(Solley,2007) Because projects like the Oregon Trail project described above are not being used in classrooms students are not able to show creativity and understanding about the subjects they are learning. Learning should scaffold on what children already know. The process of building on what students have learned previously will help children feel successful and grow in their love for learning. By making the Oregon Trail project a group project, student’s not only build on what they already know, they are able to learn from other student’s knowledge base also.
Although standardized testing is the way that the NCLB is measuring student, teacher, and school success it does not give a clear picture of what children know or are capable of learning. These tests may have a purpose in checking student progress, but the emphasis on the tests as the only standard for checking progress only reports learning outcomes and not the process by which students get to the answer. Knowing an answer for a test without knowing in what situation to use the process has no practical application for the student and will soon be forgotten. Schools and teachers would have a clearer picture of what student’s actual progress was if in addition to standardized tests they were allowed to use other methods of student evaluation. The No Child Left Behind Act through standardized testing strives to pinpoint those children who are struggling in certain academic areas. Often teachers center learning material on the tests and do not have time to observe their students, waiting instead for the test results to show those students who are not performing well. However, if teachers used observation and daily interactions as a gauge they would be able to intervene and help floundering students before they even get to the
tests. Observation of students is a key concept in alternative assessments such as portfolio and performance assessments. When using a portfolio assessment the teacher, student, and parent are all involved in setting goals for the student. During the period that is being assessed the student and the teacher both are able to add things from the child’s active learning process that show progress toward the goals set up for the child. Things that may be added to a portfolio are writing samples, science experiment notes, a reading log of what the child has read during a specific period, or video or audio tapes of children describing what they have learned from a project. One advantage to this assessment is that students are viewed as individuals who grow and learn at different rates. The portfolio is then passed from grade to grade with the child to show his or her individual growth and what he or she has learned over a period of several years. Performance assessments are another way of assessing student learning. Assessments are created by the teacher in order to show understanding of concepts that have been taught. Examples of performance assessments include recreating a science experiment, creating and acting out skits that show understanding of a social issue that has been discussed in class, or using math concepts to figure out real world problems. The benefit of performance assessments of this type is that the students must think critically about what they have learned and make a plan using this information to show their understanding of the concepts. Teacher observation is required when using this technique to ensure that the students have grasped the true meaning of what has been taught. Teachers may use any combination of these assessments to show that the students are progressing toward a goal of competency for grade level standards. Notes or tapes of performance assessments are important to put in a student’s portfolio to show understanding of the concepts that were included in their goals. Including standardized testing along with some of these other forms of evaluating a child’s progress allows teachers and administrators a whole view of the child’s learning and comprehension of subject matter. Using a combination of assessment techniques also allows parents and teachers to see that the student not only can read and do math at grade level, but also that they know how and where to apply the concepts in situations outside of the test environment.
While standardized tests may also have a place in assessing a child’s knowledge, their use as the only standard of achievement is only a narrow view of a child’s knowledge. When the government uses the narrow view of test results as the only measure of accountability for schools it limits teacher’s creativity and takes away children’s natural instincts to question the world around them. Alternative ways of keeping track of students’ progress allow teachers and children to use critical thinking skills to understand processes and arrive at answers to academic concepts instead of just memorizing the answers to the questions. The other assessment methods allow teachers to view the child’s whole learning, including social skills, as a crucial part of the education program. Knowing this, concerned citizens should get involved in their local schools to ensure that the children who are our future are learning the critical thinking and social skills needed to become active productive citizens.
Reference Page
(2001). Does prepping for high stakes tests interfer with teaching? . NEA Today, 11.
Barrier-Ferreira, J. (2008). Producing commodities or educating children? . The Clearing House, (), 38 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Chapman, L. (2007). An update on no child left behind and national trends in education policy review. Arts Education Policy Review, 109 (1), 25-36 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Ediger, M. (2007). Teacher observation to assess student achievement. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 34 (3), 137-139 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Henley, J., McBride, J., Milligan, J., & Nichols J. (2007). Robbing elementary students of their childhoods: the perils of the no child left behind. Education, 128 (1), 56-63 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Ogden, R. (2007). Mountain climbing, bridge building, and the future of American education. Education, 127 (3), 361-368 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Pederson, P. (2007). What is measured is treasured: the impact of the no child . Clearing House, 80 (6), 287-291 . Retrieved March 15, 2008, from EBSCOhost database.
Solley, B. (2007). On standardized testing: an ACEI position paper. Childhood