I just had to share as it applies to our book Savage Inequalities. I just got out of a meeting on the NCLB policies (No Child Left Behind) and how we are working as a country to make sure that all students are making the grade in reading and math. Excuse me, but what about the schools we have read about in this book. Shouldn't our first priority be to clean up these schools so the children learn in a clean, descent environment? Shouldn't we make sure that all schools have the same allotment of funds as the neighbor schools in their area? Shouldn't we make sure every child has the opportunity to have the same wonderful materials to use as the so called "wealthy" schools? The more I have read and the more that I hear in meetings I just get so disgusted with our government. I am really starting to question whether they do have the child's interest at heart. So the responsibilty falls on the teacher according to this law--hmm, we have some really great teachers doing what they need to do with our students. I still have some research to do on this.

Kim

What are we supposed to do? The whole thing is so subjective! Our Title I children are struggling just to learn to read, the ELL children are trying to do that AND learn to speak our language. (Not to mention the cultural differences that they face!) It is frustrating and overwhelming to think of what is being placed on teachers' shoulders, but all we can do is to try to meet each child where he/she is right now and go from there. they may still be "left behind" but its better thatn pushing them where they aren't ready to go![/u]

Kim, I totally agree with your comment. As I was reading I found myself so angry with our government on all levels. They remain clueless as to what goes on in the real world of education. Millions of dollars continues to be spent to build new prisons to house the children who were truly left behind by our government.

Kim,
I absolutely agree with your comments. Teachers again are going to have to add something else to their already full plate to make sure that we meet guidelines who have obiviously been made up by a non-educator to ensure that we are doing what we do all along! Does that make sense?

Talk is cheap, and although the politicans yell "No child left behind" to gain votes. they really don't have any pratical and useful solutions to the problem. Unfortunately I think many children will be "left behind".