Thinking's Not Important

The current NCLB law requires testing in grades 3 - 8 in reading and math. In a new study by Scholastic, Inc.

"40 percent of kids between the ages of 5 and 8 read every day. At fourth grade, though, that rate declined to 29 percent."

Peg Tyre and Karen Springen write in Newsweek that by the time kids get through the testing process in third grade they are showing a real decline in performance by fourth grade. One subtle effect of high stakes testing is the removal of social studies and science from the curriculum in the early elementary years replaced by reading instruction in an effort to "teach to the test." They've removed a wide range of reading materials including, "non-fiction and expository writing" and replaced it with specific, testable vocabulary. In other words, kids are being spoon fed (scoop fed?) more and more of the material that's on the test and less and less of anything that's hard to measure. No more learning to think. No time to create. No excuse for teaching. If it's not on the test, forget it!

"Thinking's important. It's good to know how.
And someday you'll learn to, but someday's not now.
Go on to sleep, now. You need your rest.
Don't think about thinking. It's not on the test."

-Not On The Test
by John Forster & Tom Chapin