Threats and Bribes

The AP reports today that an independent, bipartisan congressional commission is recommending that the NCLB

"should track the progress of teachers as well as students. The private commission said schools should be required to measure how well teachers are doing at raising student test scores.."

In addition, Jonathan Alter in Newsweek writes that,

"Teachers should be evaluated annually based on progress in test scores of their students."

Wow... All you have to do to be a successful teacher is raise test scores! This brings "Teach to the Test" to a whole new level! Threaten, cajole, bribe the teachers but most importantly, DUMB DOWN the teaching profession! Require teachers to put away their passion, suppress their curiosity, save their creativity for the golf course, quilting, or cooking! Now teachers must get serious about raising test scores! (We're not going to even pretend to call it "improve or reform education"). The reform movement is refined, distilled and easily turned into political policy. TEST SCORES! IT'S ALL ABOUT TEST SCORES! Would someone please ask why it's so important to use threats and bribes to motivate trained professional educators?

Update: Thanks Martha in Tallahassee for the heads up.

From Senator Ken Salazar of Colorado comes word of his survey of over 2000 Colorado educators concerning NCLB. One of the findings, in fact Number 1:

Colorado principals, administrators, and superintendents who responded to the survey do not believe the goal of the No Child Left Behind Act, that every student in the country will be proficient in the subjects math and science by 2013-2014, is achievable.

Surprise, surprise, the teachers in Colorado believe that EVERY CHILD IS IMPORTANT.

Colorado teachers believe student growth should be measured individually for each student, rather than the current measurement model which evaluates groups of students.

This is stunning in it's clarity and common sense. Finally, we have educators standing up to say, WE HAVE A SAY! I hope Senator Kennedy is listening and I strongly hope that his committee and the rest of Congress will finally LISTEN TO THE EDUCATORS!
Also in the survey comes this news:

“The recent few years have been less effective, less fun, and the instructional approach has taken the creativity, joy and fun from classroom teaching. This is making the local parents unhappy with our programming and we have lost a lot of support from the community.”

Yes, joy, fun and creativity ARE important to classroom teachers, teachers of music and art, but most importantly the community of parents and friends of education. The business model for education DOESN'T WORK! Frustration is rampant, often to the point of losing good teachers. They feel under-appreciated, under-trained, and under-funded.

“Many teachers are frustrated to the point of resigning. We do not feel we've been given enough information or training in what we are expected to do. We also do not feel appreciated for the strides we have made.”

“The joy of learning is being lost with so much testing…”

The facts: Test results are not an accurate method of evaluating students. High stakes testing drives teachers and students away from learning. Underfunding education is the most profound way to insure it's lack of success. Reform must be led and most influenced by those in the field, not those in politics.