Opportunity vs the Right

[Bandit]

I might be a bit biased since my wife is a teacher, but I think NCLB is one of the most stupid things to come along in quite some time. The idea is nice. We want all kids to learn and succeed. Of course that is a great idea. But the way they are going about it is absolute stupidity. If a child doesn't care and their parents don't care, NCLB says it is the teacher's fault. My wife has kids who don't turn in their work and don't pay attention in class. When she calls their parents (or in a lot of cases, parent), they just don't really care or they say it is her fault or that their child says she doesn't like him or her. So of course when this child tests poorly, it is her fault that the child doesn't care. NCLB says all children are the same and should learn the same way. There are so many standardized tests anymore to measure where these children measure up against others and how they do against a set standard that they are really becoming more stupid as time goes on. Teachers have no choice but to teach to the test, because if the test scores are bad, then that must be a bad teacher. They aren't allowed to teach the kids what they really need to know or to adjust their methods or material to meet the needs of their class. Nope, it all comes down to standardized tests.

[wordsmythe]

Originally Posted by Bandit

I might be a bit biased since my wife is a teacher, but I think NCLB is one of the most stupid things to come along in quite some time. The idea is nice. We want all kids to learn and succeed. Of course that is a great idea. But the way they are going about it is absolute stupidity. If a child doesn't care and their parents don't care, NCLB says it is the teacher's fault. My wife has kids who don't turn in their work and don't pay attention in class. When she calls their parents (or in a lot of cases, parent), they just don't really care or they say it is her fault or that their child says she doesn't like him or her. So of course when this child tests poorly, it is her fault that the child doesn't care. NCLB says all children are the same and should learn the same way. There are so many standardized tests anymore to measure where these children measure up against others and how they do against a set standard that they are really becoming more stupid as time goes on. Teachers have no choice but to teach to the test, because if the test scores are bad, then that must be a bad teacher. They aren't allowed to teach the kids what they really need to know or to adjust their methods or material to meet the needs of their class. Nope, it all comes down to standardized tests.

I agree. My wife teaches and I teach part-time and NCLB is one more way the Republicans are trying to destroy government.

It's an unfunded mandate that doesn't work and the alternative is send them all to private schools.

[357 mag]

I agree, the kids that want to learn are loosing learning time, because the teacher is too focused on the kids that don't want to learn because of the no child left behind. So we're going to have more kids running around not knowing anything because the teachers have to focus on the one's trailing behind. I'm starting to think home schooling isn't such a bad idea, because then I know my kids will learn something, instead of being put on the back burner for kids who don't want to learn, or who don't understand the language so they are slower!

[Detector]

I apologize to the Liberals. I admit I just ASSumed it came from the Liberals since it's such a liberal concept. Again I apologize. I should have blamed it on liberal thinking, which isn't always the Liberals. Just most of the time

[wordsmythe]

Originally Posted by Detector

I apologize to the Liberals. I admit I just ASSumed it came from the Liberals since it's such a liberal concept. Again I apologize. I should have blamed it on liberal thinking, which isn't always the Liberals. Just most of the time

This idea came from the mind of your lord and master G.W Bush hisself.

[Highwayman]

Yeah, blame Bush as if liberal Democrats had absolutely nothing to do with it.

"The bipartisan support makes it easier to support this," said Paige. "This is not a Republican bill, this is not a Democratic bill, it's an American bill."

Kennedy echoed that sentiment in his address. "When President Bush came to the White House, we saw eye-to-eye on two core principles of education reform. We both wanted to target funds to the neediest communities. And we both wanted to improve achievement for all children. The reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was bipartisan from beginning to end."

Education World® : School Issues : Paige, Kennedy on No Child Left Behind Act

Most NCLB requirements--like disaggregating certain data and identifying failing schools--were already part of federal law dating to the 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The problem, according to a new Education Next analysis by James Peyser and Robert Costrell, is that this federal law lacked teeth. "By the time the 1994 reauthorization was superseded by No Child Left Behind in 2002," say the authors, "only 21 states were in compliance with its accountability provisions."

Our original problem with No Child Left Behind is that it was bipartisan to a fault. Thanks to influential liberal Democrats Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Representative George Miller of California, school choice provisions were watered down or simply tossed overboard. Billions in new spending were also added, but the teachers unions wouldn't allow any of it to go to vouchers for poor parents.

The Wall Street Journal Online - Featured Article

[Detector]

I've look all over and have yet to find where the idea of NCLB comes from. Seems no one is willing to sign their name to the concept. Bush may have signed it but I can't see him coming up with the concept. Not saying he didn't, it just doesn't seem right.

[spike52]

Originally Posted by Bandit

You know, it must be tough just sitting there and blaming all the problems in the world on liberals.

There's little more they can do, seing as Dumbya's was in office w/ a Repub. Congress for 6 years..





T-minus until a Klinton remark...5...4...3...

[jackknife]

Children having no personal accountability isn't a liberal thing. Trust me. I taught pre-school for many years both in California and Kansas. Parents from all political backgrounds want to coddle their kids. To define it as a liberal teaching is pretty silly. Not everything in life is right or left wing.

It drives me insane. Parents hold their kids hand for everything and expect the world to do the same. We are raising a bunch of kids who have never lost, who have never been told no and who are always the victim.

It's too late for a lot of those kids. They are graduating now. I have friends that work at different colleges all over the US and a few in Canada and what they are seeing is astounding. One friend had a student call her nearly 15 times to help him figure out where he would find his class. She sent him maps and directions and addresses and still he called for more help. The only thing left for her to do was literally walk him to class. She didn't and he was none too happy about it.

Another said that in the work force there are companies that are making packets and materials for not only their prospective employees but also their parents. Their PARENTS!

We are raising a nation of self-entitled, never wrong, stupid kids. I'm embarrassed. It comes from all walks of life. All colors.

The question is what do we do about it?

[357 mag]

I agree 100%!!!! The parents need to cut the cord and let the kids learn to be more responsible!