The Dangers of Assumptions: Failure & Apathy?

One of the biggest points of frustration with NCLB is the mandated standardized assessments which put our special education students at a disadvantage before they even begin. For a government official it seems an easy assumption that a student who is in sixth grade should be able to read fluently and perform mathematical calculations appropriate for their grade level. Unfortunately this simply is not true. Even in a general education setting there are students who function at, below, and above their chronological grade level. There is so much discussion about the "The Achievement Gap" usually related to questions regarding the race and socioeconomic status of students. The thing is that intelligence is not something that everyone has in equal measure.

I sincerely believe in helping students attain their potential, but not making them into machines of rote memorization. One of the reasons is that the majority of my students do not respond well to that type of instruction. I need to tailor my instruction to the individual needs of each student and meet them where they are functioning. If I have an eighth grade student who reads at the third grade level my focus has to be reaching him where he is and giving him strategies that will increase his confidence and fluency one step at a time. The same principle would apply in math. If he is working at the fourth grade level in math, then we teach him from where he is and grow from there. Where this doesn't work is when that same student goes to take a standardized test like the Iowa Test for Basic Skills and he is given the eighth grade test, because NCLB does not allow for out of level testing (at least as of this last academic year). What kind of scores do you think he will have? If he rates poorly, does that mean that he isn't learning and that I am not doing my job proficiently?

I would say no for a couple of reasons. The first one is based on the academics. I think when measuring student growth the whole person needs to be taken into account, not just numbers. A portfolio of student work should be gathered to accurately show progress, and inform all teachers and parents what areas are strengths and what goals should be set for the future. The second reason is a lack of investment on the part of the students. This is a variable that a test score cannot tell you. Consider this scenario:

John is a sixth grader who for math and reading is working at the fourth grade level. He is given the sixth grade test. The average testing time is about 30 minutes. In the first two minutes John gets frustrated because he doesn't understand the concepts on the test. He may do one of three things. He may really try and figure it out, he may offer some colorful language to the teacher, tear up the test, and walk out of the room, or he may allow himself some creative license and start making designs with the numerous dots he needs to fill in with no regard for what answers he is giving.

A majority of students will try their best but there are many who just don't care. They don't hide this fact and will answer you honestly if asked. The government doesn't hear about all of these anecdotal details. They just see a number. How is this right?

Another part of this population to consideration is students who are not verbal or are physically incapacitated. Where do they fit? Many of them can't be put in a box that will yield you number. There is an alternative assessment piece out there that is able to give a better view of these students and their achievements and abilities. It entails collecting many work samples and presenting things in a comprehensive packet. The problem with this is that school districts are only allowed to give alternative assessments to a certain percentage of their special education students, so we are still leaving someone out.

I have often heard it said that there isn't one policy that can cover everyone. If that is true of adults, it is also true for our children. The more government control given in this matter, the further out of our hands education becomes. It needs to rest with the people who spend every day with these children and who have the training to raise them up to the best they can be.

Ron Paul wants to put this power back in the hands of those who can serve these children best instead of continuing to allow the government to make assumptions based on numbers. This is a country of people, not machines, who deserve to have their humanity and dignity respected and preserved. Supporting bills like NCLB does not adequately address the needs of our schools and and in fact serves to devalue and dehumanize our students by viewing them in fractions. I am a teacher and wish nothing more than to assist my students in making their dreams come true, who is with me?