Every Party Held Responsible ... No Child [Teacher, School or Community] Left Behind

In this weeks seminar, we discussed the popular No Child Left Behind Act, dissected by Linda Darling-Hammond's article. Reflecting on this discussion and reading Hammonds article, there seems to be no opposition that the NCLB is great in theory. Sadly, the harsh reality of its application to school systems, is one that contributes to educational inequities, that the Congress passed framework seeks to combat. An education initiative that took on the outcome of "victory" prematurely, the NCLB will likely lose this war, unless its policies change to reflect the needs of those traditionally underserved by public schools.

I was in shock to find out that the NCLB has had such a negative effect on the education system. The setting of high standards on assessment tests, bringing about a culture that takes the focus off of the student, but creating a system that is widening the Achievement Gap. Hammond states, that “the child and the school are accountable to the state for test performance, but the state is not held accountable to the child or his school for providing adequate educational resources,” something that I find to be the biggest problem of all. The successful execution of educating youth is contingent on a strong relationship between all parties involved, everyone must play its role and take responsibility for such.

Using Hammond's evaluation and Lisa Delpit's reading from "Other People's Children," I have come up with a model for which I would use as my foundation to rewrite the NCLB. This involves the teacher/school, the government, the community, all parties that influence a child's development. I feel that if no child is to truly be left behind each party listed must understand what their role is and whom they must hold accountable (making sure every party does what they are required by law, even the government).

The teacher/school must be the executer of the plans listed by NCLB and their focus should be the student. The teacher must provide them with the best possible instruction and take interest in every student and their individual story. Making sure they are not "teaching down" or making a child "invisible" as Delpit discusses in her article. The school must develop a "multicultural staff," a recommendation of Delpit to a teacher, which I find to be very important, because a students learning experience should never be biased and nothing should come between that teacher fostering the best learning environment/experience. In addition, schools must take on the responsibility of knowing who they are serving and make it a priority to bring about change to meet the needs of this population/community. The school is to the teacher as the teacher is to the student.

The government I feel plays the biggest role in "No Child Left Behind." A great education should be the priority of any government in this global economy. Homeland issues taking priority over those taking place overseas. I feel that the government should know that they cannot demand great outcomes from teachers/schools if they don't provide them with the necessary resources to do their jobs. Teachers should be rewarded financially for taken on this respectable and influential role, and shouldnt have to take on the burden of dealing with poor resources. Doctors need adequate hospitals, teachers should have adequate classrooms. I see teaching to be of the same caliber as healing, thus become a teacher should hold such wait of that of a doctor. The Federal government must understand that it is not only their duty to provide an adequate education but also tend to the needs and welfare of its citizens, understand that also affects their development.

And lastly, the community which is made up of parents/guardians must understand that they play a key role in their child's development. Schools/teachers must acknowledge parents as "a resource and not as a problem," says Delpit. Teachers should take advantage of this non governmental resource, while parents make themselves available to assist. The community serves as the glue, that I feel stabilizes the relationship between student and teacher. I feel that learning goes far beyond the classroom, parents and teachers should be working as a team.

Standardized testing to me isn't the problem, the problem is when you have a child take a test that you haven't prepared them to achieve on. With all parties taking on an important role and holding another party responsible, it is then and only then that, I feel NO CHILD WILL BE LEFT BEHIND!!!!

Below is a link to a NY Times article that I found surfing the net, the article over 20 years ago touches on several topics that we have discussed so far this semester. With a very blunt title this article opens the discussion on whether race plays a part in a child's development.
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/06/24/nyregion/do-black-and-white-children-learn-the-same-way.html?pagewanted=1