I heard a bit on NPR the other evening about how this huge number of Los Angeles elementary school teacher names are going to published, with data about their students’ improvements (or not) on standardized test scores.
All I could think in response was, “Yet another way to remove responsibility from the parents.”
Yeah, I’m married to a teacher. He works hard at his job, he makes a difference in his students’ lives. And yes. There are teachers who suck, don’t care, do the minimum to get by.
What gets me, though, is all these new initiatives that are designed to impact student test scores, arguably to improve them – most of them involve punitive measures against the teachers. I’m sure there are people out there who hear about them and react, “Yeah! Make teachers accountable!” and I’m not saying they shouldn’t be – but even with all the hours a child spends in school, the school is not a vacuum, and the teachers can only effect so much change. They certainly can’t beat the children anymore, like they could when I was in school. Much of the fear that accompanied my childhood education is gone – I was terrified of my principal, most of my teachers, and the faintest notion that any of them would call home to my father. God, not that. Discipline in school can be sparse or completely absent, probably out of fear the angry parent will sue the school for violating their child’s rights. I’m not saying getting thwacked was the right solution, certainly, but discipline can exist – and it takes a lot of work and effort on every person in the school, from the administration to aides, all working in a consistent manner.
My opinion is that there is an inherently flawed premise: All students want to excel on the test. The assumption in all of the standardization, and resulting measurement of teachers, is that the kids want to do their best on these tests. They’ll study each question, spend all the time they need or are given, striving to do their very very best. This isn’t a correct assumption. For you, for me, for most people who read my blog, sure – we were motivated to do well on our tests, because it was probably rewarded (or expected!) at home. If that isn’t fostered at home, you are expecting a hell of a lot of initiative from a ten-year old to find the drive and desire and energy, no matter how hard it may encouraged in the classroom.
Look around this city and its suburbs. Look at where you see the “good” schools. It doesn’t matter which side of the state line it is, but I can bet you this: the strongest schools are where the parents are more involved in the education of their child. When that child leaves school, they go home to an environment that continues to encourage good study habits and achievement. Long-term goals involving education to get there. Accountability and responsibility. Proper diet, nutrition, strict bedtimes and limitations on tv/internet/video games. We see the breakdown in family structures, the absence of good parental modeling, yet we can’t do anything about it because the “rights” of being a parent in this country are beyond reproach. You can buy a car and drive it, but you better have passed a driver’s test, and carry the proper insurance on it or you face consequences. There are no licenses or permissions -or even training- given to parents.
So, back to those teachers in L.A. who will have to see their efforts reduced to a statistic on a page. What if your job hung in the balance, dependent on all these other factors you can’t control?
Update, 8/29/10: Apparently The Onion had a similar idea, but with its usual delicious dark humor twist. NSFW for language, enjoy!
In The Know: Are Tests Biased Against Students Who Don’t Give A Shit?
This may sound harsh, but not all the kids are smart. Current system refuses to recognize that and it convinced all the parents that their kids are smart. They are not. That doesn’t mean they don’t have any other talents. I was always good in math and sciences but I can’t draw, sing, or dance. If my art teacher was graded on my performance she would’ve never gotten paid. Insisting on everyone achieving the same standard is stupid and slows down smarter kids who could be moving way ahead but have to sit and wait while the teacher is explaining something for the tenth time to a slow kid. My kid’s school has an advanced math program and currently my daughter is in the 8th grade studying 10th grade math, which is actually the 8th grade math which can’t be taught in the 8th grade because they spent the first 3 grades teaching kindergarten stuff.
Say hello to your husband, I am following his tomato addiction on FB