Yeah, instead of teaching commie propaganda they actually have to teach reading, writing and math. Boo-hoo!
Jumping in late here but we took our kid out of public school where it was all about test prep and put her into a private school. Her math, spelling and reading improved and she does extra activities because she wants to now. Imagine that? Before it was drill, drill, and drill some more.
Schools want their numbers and that’s what they will focus on.
“Yeah, instead of teaching commie propaganda they actually have to teach reading, writing and math. Boo-hoo!”
Nope. Again, it sounds good on paper: Hey, they’re teaching good ol’ 3 R’s. But that is the simplistic view, and it absolutely ignores the very serious flaws in this program. They are simply teaching very specific things for a very specific test. It’s cookie-cutter teaching. Yes, the students might get good scores on the test. So that must mean the program is working, eh? NO! All it means is that they were able to pass this (pretty inadequate, if you’ve seen it) test. THAT’S IT.
Other subjects, such as history and writing and composition, those subjects go out the window. Even creative thinking and creative, tailored curriculum on the “three R” subjects go out the window, too, because there can be no deviation from the curriculum that is designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to get a good score on the all-important TEST.
I know a whole bunch of conservative-minded teachers (and some dems too), and all of them, without exception, HATE NCLB. The most conservative one of the bunch told me that “it is the worst thing that has happened to education in a long, long time.”
And I know of no elementary school teacher, liberal or conservative, that would prefer teaching “commie propaganda” to his or her kids if given the chance. Gimme a break!