I could not have said this any better myself so I will just quote from MICHAEL WINERIP's article in today's New York Times.
Teachers, and a Law That Distrusts Them - New York Times:
As readers know, I?m not a fan of No Child Left Behind, the 2002 federal law aimed at raising education quality. Instead of helping teachers, for me it?s a law created by politicians who distrust teachers. Because teachers? judgment and standards are supposedly not reliable, the law substitutes a battery of state tests that are supposed to tell the real truth about children?s academic progress. The question is: How successful can an education law be that makes teachers the enemy? Even No Child?s strongest supporters acknowledge that one of the law?s most important provisions ? to guarantee a highly qualified teacher in every classroom ? has been the most poorly carried out to date. So, to improve classroom teaching and make teachers more enthusiastic about the law, I have three departing suggestions for when the legislation is expected to come up for reauthorization next year. First, why not add a provision rewarding states and districts that mandate small class size? It?s an idea that enjoys great support among parents and teachers and is easily carried out on a national scale. Why small class size? Deborah Meier, the teacher, principal, author and MacArthur Award winner who has created successful public schools in New York and Boston, says the best chance for educating poor children well is surrounding them with as many talented adults as possible. The same premise drives one of the most hopeful efforts in urban education today, the Gates Foundation?s small schools movement. Joe Gipson, a black public school parent in California, which has had a mandatory cap of 20 in grades K to three for a decade, told me small class size is the best thing that?s happened to his children?s education, giving them what rich private school pupils have. While small class size is no guarantee that teachers will be good, he said, with just 20, you can tell faster if teachers are performing well, and get rid of them if they?re not.
So, once again, the question is if teachers are so damned untrustworthy why do so many Americans trust their children with them for some six hours every day, 180 days a year?
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