NCLB Bites the Young: Swapping KiddieLand for High-Stakes, Test-Savvy Kindergarten Expectations
Don't let sloth overcome our five year olds. If we hold high expectations for them, we can rid our schools of productivity-wasting, no-payback activities such as nap time, story time, art, music and recess. Maybe the dipping of tiny digits in finger paint smells like the onset of brain rot to the NCLB Police.
Even if the high-stakes test is three years away (i.e., Third Grade), our Kindergarten teachers cannot let a day slip by where they fail to address test objectives.
If you Think we are Being Facetious, Think Again
In fact, check these links yourself and you will see to what lengths instruction is being distorted by "good" (i.e., test-driven) school districts.
Early Learning Research
Yes we know what research demonstrates about the effects of music on early brain development, creativity and the benefits of reduced stress upon mental health, happiness and memory. But, Mozart "just ain't [sic] on the test."
And what about the(long time, unfortunately unchanging) research that shows that the best predictor of school leaving (dropping out) is failure in the early grades. In the old days, this meant Grades One and Two (because children were not retained in Kindergarten). Now, as we see a shift downward, time will tell if the predictor of dropping out shifts to Kindergarten and First Grade, whether the predictor encompasses Kindergarten, First and Second Grades, or whether the overall dropout rate increases in nine or ten years, just because…
- So much time is spent in test practice that the content area curriculum suffers
- More students fail the "end of year" content area tests
- More students fail the exit level high-stakes test
The Value of Test-Taking Skills
In the old time movies, the hero would quip that the "object of derision" plus a dime would buy a cup of coffee. This was a witty way to say that something is worthless.
Adjusted for inflation, the updated version of this salty remark is that "Test-taking skills and two bucks is not even enough for a premium coffee at the closest SpaceBronco's Java Mill.
Teacher Silence
Teachers everywhere know what is happening to degrade the lives of children, and what is sapping life from what could be an exciting and meaningful school experience for our students.
Our students need teachers to speak out now, particularly as a new political party takes over the reigns of Congress.
But, there are too many critical issues affecting our country, so our teachers' voices will have to be loud and persistent.
Sidebar
For an explanation of the forces affecting our teachers' ability to advocate for our students, see our article, Telling it Like it is in Education: The Muffled, Muzzled, Muted Sounds of Silenced Teachers
