I'm very disappointed tonight after reading Romney's comments about No Child Left Behind. There is no presidential candidate that aligns with my views on education and also aligns with some of my other political views. I'm becoming increasingly worried about the future of public education in general as well as my future as a teacher personally.
I am against performance based pay, high stakes testing, and No Child Left Behind for so many reasons. Right now, for 22 reasons to be exact...the 22 beautiful children that sit in front of me each day expecting and hoping for a quality education.
I have a jumble of thoughts running through my head that I hope I can somehow convey my message coherently. I'm sure that what I have to say could be echoed by thousands of other teachers across this great land. I'm also sure there are some that would disagree with me...and that's okay. That's what makes this country great is that we can not only have, but express, dissenting views.
Here are the reasons I am against performance based pay. First, as my friend and colleague Polly says often, "I am doing my job. I cannot work or try any harder than I already am. Giving me more money or taking away some of my salary is not going to make me do my job better." I am not in education to make big bucks, and money is not a big incentive for me. It is insulting to think that people really think giving a little bit of money is going to make me do a better job. (And really, the amount of money that will probably be given out is a pittance.) Second, it is based on children's performance on one test from year to year. There are so many variables that go into how a student will perform on that test. Also, performance varies depending on the students you teach. A few years ago I got a letter stating that my students consistently make great growth on the end of the year testing and they wanted my insights into how I was doing that. But for the previous two years, my students' growth in math has not been at the "effective" or "highly effective" level. So apparently, my ability to teach math has dropped significantly in the past two years. :) (Sarcasm.) Last year a kindergarten teacher was ranked "highly effective" based on the scores of her AM kindergarten class but "ineffective" based on the scores of her PM kindergarten class. So this teacher was fabulous in the morning but shouldn't be teaching in the afternoon. Or maybe it is because she had different students with different abilities. I've asked our district math coach to come in and watch me teach to give me suggestions on ways to improve...and she has given me some great ideas...but mostly she has told me how amazing my students are. They can solve problems. They can explain their thinking. They are not afraid to go in front of the class and "math talk" their way through a problem or to show a different way to solve a problem. Not only that but most of them really love math. They won't all pass the CRT this year, but they can problem solve, explain their thinking, and they have a positive attitude. Doesn't that count for something?
(As an aside, I am an awesome language arts teacher according to test scores. Last year, half my class was below grade level and I still managed to have my class average be within a couple of points of the school and district average.)
High stakes testing and NCLB: I hope that those who began this law had good intentions at heart...they wanted to lower the achievement gap, increase student learning and so forth. At least that is what I truly hope. But there are so many reasons to repeal this law. It has had so many unintended consequences.
First, I used to be so proud that I worked in the Salt Lake City School District. We have a variety of programs and philosophies at work in our various schools so that children with various personalities, abilities and strengths could each find a program that met their needs. We have dual immersion, bilingual, full time gifted, a science school, a school with a leadership theme, open classroom, schools with art grants, a curriculum and assessment lab, etc. But more and more of the freedom to make your school unique is being taken away. Our schools are becoming more and more cookie cutter. We all use the same materials (which does have some advantages, but also some disadvantages).
Second, and this is my greatest concern, is that administration and the powers that be only care about what is tested/counted for AYP (adequate yearly progress). Generally that means language arts (reading/writing/spelling) and math and sometimes science. Here in Utah, science is tested but is not included in AYP, so it doesn't really "count". So we are basically told that anything else does not matter and not to spend time on it. That means that many, many children are receiving little or no instruction in science or social studies or history or art or music or physical education or health. No wonder we have an obesity epidemic. And how frightening that we are sending children out into the world, into a democratic republic, to vote and make our future decisions when some of them will have had virtually no teaching about this country's history, government, economics, etc. I think it is criminal, and yet it is happening. In my school, I have exactly 30-45 minutes of "discretionary time" each week that isn't blocked out for language arts, math and ELD (English Language Development). So even though I feel so strongly that it is critical to teach science and social studies, I only get to spend 30-45 minutes on it a week. I try to find ways to be creative and get around this when I can, without sacrificing literacy or math instruction by teaching somewhat thematically, but because I am tied to using specific programs and can have negative consequences if I don't follow them, I only have a small amount of freedom.
Third, tests are not real preparation for real life. How many multiple choice tests do you take in your job? But how many times do you have to write a letter, defend your opinions, try to persuade someone of something, approach a problem creatively, etc. We are stuck spending so much time instructing kids how to bubble in a test that we aren't teaching them critical thinking skills they will actually need to succeed.
Fourth, we have made school and learning boring for many kids. Music, art, science can enliven the curriculum and bring math skills or language skills to life. I still sometimes find myself saying, "Thirty days has September..." to figure out how many days are in a specific month. And there's a measurement song that helps me remember how many feet are in a mile. By removing the arts, movement, etc. we have removed an important pathway for learning, especially for kinesthetic kids. For some children, there are private music lessons or dance classes, but for kids like my students that is very rare. They don't have piano or dance or art. Their exposure to these things is what I and teachers like me give them. For some of them, that is the one bright spot in their week...the one thing they are truly gifted at, and they get little or no chance to find that out because programs have been cut. Learning is fun! Learning is exciting! If we could get kids excited and engaged then they would be a lot more likely to pass the test. And good teachers do just that. But boring programs that must be followed perfectly (because people don't trust that most teachers can engage and excite and teach) often do the opposite. I've been frustrated and angry about this as a teacher for a long time, but I'm more so now. It's not just my students that are suffering...it is my own children. I have an 8 year old that thinks school is boring and doesn't want to read. I have read to her nearly every day of her life, and she loved books until this year, but more and more worksheets and less and less of what interests her has begun to turn her off to school. If it is turning off my bright, hard working child who has been read to and exposed to good books (and whose mother, especially, is an avid reader!!!) think about what it is doing to so many children around the country who sadly don't have her advantages.
Fifth, the assumption behind NCLB is that every child can and should perform at about the same level...not taking into account their various intellectual abilities, motivation, etc. It reminds me just a bit of communism...that we should share everything equally... nice idea, but it doesn't work. Children are different. THey are HUMAN and therefore come with personalities, interests, abilities, experiences, and backgrounds that vary widely.
Sixth, NCLB isn't working!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Test scores have mostly remained stagnant across the nation. There are a few exceptions, but across the nation, NCLB has made no significant increase or decrease in test scores. Is it worth the other negative affects to continue this madness that isn't achieving the desired results. Definition of insanity... to keep doing what you're doing and expect different results. We haven't entirely kept doing what we're doing...the powers that be are punishing teachers more and more and there is a very real chance that I may not have a job in the future. There's a very real chance that no one will willingly want to teach in a school like mine. That is frightening.
Seventh, the media, politicians and certain business leaders lie or mislead the public. When I talk to friends, neighbors and family, I find that for the most part they respect the job that I do, they appreciate the teachers in their schools, etc. Yet the media is constantly portraying education in a negative light. Business leaders (who are often smart, successful people that I admire) think that if schools were just run like a business then everything would improve. But their plans aren't working...and it is offensive that without ever stepping inside a classroom, they think they can solve the "problems" in education.
Eighth, NCLB looks only at one series of tests taken over a week or two period. They don't show all that a child knows or has experienced. I want to tell stories of a few of my students now. First, let me tell you about M. M. is in my second grade class this year. Last year, she spent most of the year in Mexico and for some reason did not attend school much. So when she showed up in my classroom, she couldn't read more than about 10 sight words. She couldn't add or subtract. She knew her letters and sounds but spelled nearly every word wrong when she wrote. Now, she is reading at an end of first grade reading level, reading about 65-70 words per minute. She can add and subtract 2 and 3 digit numbers. She can write two comprehensible paragraphs...with a few spelling errors, but they make sense. This child has made 1 1/2 -2 years growth in less than a year. But she may not quite pass the CRT. Should I feel bad that she doesn't pass or should I be celebrating her growth?
Let me tell you about W. He comes to school late a lot. He doesn't complete homework. He's gone to a lot of different schools, because mom is hiding from dad who is in a gang and has been abusive. W often comes in and puts his head down on his desk for the first 5 or so minutes. Then he gets up, joins the class, and usually participates and really tries hard. He needs that time to decompress. When asked what makes him happiest, he once told me that being safe at school is what makes him happiest. I learned quickly that if I pushed him to start participating the minute he walked in the door, we would have a rough day. But if I give him a few minutes, he will willingly join in and participate and will usually have a good day. But on his bad days, he doesn't care. And after knowing what is happening in his life, I can't blame him. Not that I don't work hard with him, push him to be his best, but at the same time I have compassion.
Let me tell you about B. She was in my class a few years ago. I worked so hard with her. Another teacher pulled her out and worked hard with her. She was not making much progress. After trying many things and not finding success, the decision was made to have her tested for special education. The test results? She had a low IQ. Not quite low enough to be labeled "intellectually disabled" but low. And the tests showed that she was working up to her intellectual ability. It wasn't that I wasn't trying or was an ineffective teacher, she was doing the best that she could, but her best was not the same as many of her peers. Sadly, there are many kids like her and there really isn't a place for them within NCLB. They don't receive extra help from special ed (in fact, they often don't receive extra help at all, other than what the classroom teacher can give them), and they are doing the best they can, but they are unlikely to pass the tests. I honestly don't worry too much about B once she finishes school. She is beautiful, hard working, honest, and has a wonderful personality. People really like her. She probably won't get a high paying job, but she could become a cashier or a house cleaner or other such job and I think she will do just fine. She is a happy child. I just hope that the years of testing and school don't beat that happiness out of her.
I could tell you so many other stories. There are 22 stories that shine through brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes at me each morning. I truly love being in their presence. I said on Facebook on Martin Luther King Jr. Day that I often feel like I am part of his dream when I enter my classroom... it is a classroom full of many cultures, races, creeds, and it is a place where I find a lot of joy. And I want each of these 22 unique, beautiful, special people to have a bright future. I want it more than any politician or district superintendent or board of education member. I have devoted much of my life to making it happen, and I am certainly not perfect. I am constantly trying to improve as are the teachers I know and respect. But it is because of my hard work ...and theirs... that they will someday reach their dreams, not because of some law. But I also feel it is my responsibility to let them know that they are important and worthwhile even if they don't pass a test at the end of the year.
I am a huge advocate for public education. The great majority of our nation's children are educated in our public schools. We do need to make improvements where we can, we do need dedicated teachers, but we also need to be careful that we are getting what we actually want. I don't think NCLB is getting us the results that we actually want as parents, teachers or as a nation. I think if we were wise, we would stop comparing ourselves to other countries (although I think it is wise to see what leading countries are doing...and in most cases it is the opposite of this high stakes testing). We would examine what matters for OUR nation, our children and then find ways to work together toward that end instead of being so divisive.
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