Through an executive order just days ago, President Obama has changed education policy for the better, but the new policy will also raise some eyebrows. With his decision, the goal of achieving 100 percent passing of standardized tests across the country by 2014 is no longer a mandate. States can now opt out of provisions and ask for a waiver, as long as they work to meet certain requirements. Such flexibility makes sense because children learn and test differently. Districts now must focus on teacher evaluations and standards. (See an article here for more details on the new policy.) While the new policy recognizes that a goal of 100 percent passing is impossible to achieve, the new focus on teacher evaluations and standards is problematic.
Teachers are not the only factor in student achievement. The real focus should be a parent-child-teacher-school-district-community effort. Not just an effort to get teachers to meet standards. Such a narrow effort will lead to the continued scapegoating of teachers, most of whom work their butts off to reach every student, despite a lack of resources and training and large class sizes. Districts must be given the funds to provide training and programs that offer differentiated learning and growth experiences for students of all kinds. The emphasis should be on the exciting subject matter, not the standardized test that follows. Small classes would allow for individualized attention and prompt feedback on class/homework. The entire community should be involved in such a dynamic effort. Everyone, from parents to community leaders, might even agree that standardized testing is not beneficial to students. Unique learning opportunities that meet individual as well as community needs and lead to college and/or career readiness might work better.
I think the GOP Candidates dismal lack of historical knowledge is proof that educators have obviously failed in their duties. The statements made by candidates who make up facts as they go along, and the lack of logical debating skills are proof that American education is not only failing our kids today, but has failed these candidates also. Texas A&M and ORal Roberts University have a lot to explain. How did these people get degrees with this obvious lack of any understanding of the Constitution, or United States history?
This. +1
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I think many of these people understand very well the lies that they spout. Anyone who understands politics knows that the factual and logical basis of an argument has very little to do with the success of that argument if you are not trying to convince people with a high degree of knowledge in the area.
It is far easier to achieve legitimacy with the public through appeals to emotional and religious hot buttons, as well as to play on insecurities, than to try to use the rules of formal debate to “win” your point. Indeed, simply trying to look intelligent can work against you, since it means you are not “common” to the average person (ask Al Gore). The only people you win over with intelligent, educated discourse is people who are intelligent and educated enough to identify with it (in this country, largely the democrat voter base). Check the numbers, the amount and type of education possessed by democrat voters is significantly different than repub voters, when you account for differences in ethnicity and affluence).
Politics IS a popularity contest, and anyone who went to high school knows that being intelligent (in the classic sense of the word) really has very little to do with being popular (Let’s face it, high school usually is a microcosm for society in many ways). As a great “man” (Eddie Izzard) put it: “it’s 70% how you look, 20% how you sound, 10% what you say Kennedy said Ich Bin Ein Berliner (translation: I am a donut), and the crowd went wild!” I rest my case.