If you are a teacher, how do you feel about NCLB?

Question

My aunt and her mom are special ed teachers at the local public middle school. And my aunt is alwyas saying how no child left behind is suck a horrible program. I will agree that is has been seriously mishandled and run, but at the same time some of the goals of it are very good. I think it is a great idea for parent to have a choice over which public school your child attends. If the teachers at a particular public school arent doing their jobs well enough to have students want to attend school there, then they shouldnt have the jobs that they do. She feels like it is unfair to smaller schools, and special ed teachers at these schools imparticular. What do you think?

Answer 1

It's legislation created by people who have no idea how things are in real schools.  It sounds good on paper:  by x*x date all children will be proficient readers.  But it's not very practical.

Answer 2

The NCLB act looked great on paper, but President Bush for got to include one vital tool needed; MONEY.

There have been no funds ear-marked for the program.

Now for my own experience with it; my kids learn only what is required based around the tests. They aren't taught at a level that requires cognitive problem solving, and the tests put unneeded pressure on students. Both of my boys are anxious and unconsolable when it comes to testing time and it is rediculous.

Also, ALL states need to be on the same page. For example, if fourth graders is Ohio fail thier proficiency test they are placed in special tutoring programs.

If a fourth grader in Florida fails their test they are retained (held back) and must repeat the entire school year over again.

Answer 3

Things you won't see:

1) Sasquatch

2) The Loch Ness monster

3) A teacher who likes NCLB, or at least a teacher who will admit liking it.

And why would any teacher like a program that requires basic job qualifications, sets basic curriculum standards, or requires under-performing schools to show improvement?

Sorry for the sarcasm. I was grateful that the school I teach in has a principal that said, "You don't like NCLB.  You don't like standardized testing?  Fine.  Work to change it.  But for now, get over it."

One thing I would like to see changed in NCLB is sole reliance on standardized tests to evaluate student knowledge.  That is not necessarily valid, as in the primarily Latino school where I teach.  I think my kids learned more than they were able to demonstrate in a timed multiple-choice test.  But some assessment is needed, and my students will have take standardized tests to get into college.  They might as well get over it too.  That's why we spend class time showing them how to take these tests.

Answer 4

I feel like NCLB really has  good ideas at the core. Who doesn't want every child to succeed? Unfortunately, though, the program is severely underfunded.

Here's some background: Each school district gets a certain amount of money for each child. The catch here is that there is no federal law requiring the states to give equal funding to different school districts. This means that one school district could be getting $12,000 per student, while another school district could be getting $18,000 per student. Seems unfair, right? The worst part is that the schools that don't get much money are typically inner city schools and small rural schools. These schools typically have families that can't provide the same amount of support to their students, so these kiddos need the extra support. The schools that get lots of money are typically schools located in wealthier white neighborhoods.

So, what we have, is a bunch of schools with kids that need help that aren't getting it. Because these schools get fewer money per student, they can't pay their teachers as well as some of the wealthier, "better" school districts. This leads to high teacher turnover, which means that the quality of teachers in the schools ends up being lower. The good teachers often move to more high end schools.

It's easy to say that they shouldn't hire first year teachers, but some of these schools are lucky to get people with teaching credentials at all! Programs like Teach for America are sending people in that have only had five weeks of teacher training. These teachers typically go to schools that are having trouble, instead of to schools that have lots of support.

Overall, I don't like it. I don't like that schools that are having trouble get LESS funding. If the kids at these schools need more support, why is the government taking money away? NCLB sounds good at first, but overall it really isn't helping much.

Answer 5

If you live in a small town/city, you do NOT have a CHOICE on what school your child attends, no matter if school passes AYP or not.

I don't care how much funds schools get or don't get for NCLB, it is a horrible law.

Like others say, teachers can not teach anymore and kids can not learn anymore.

All teachers can do now is spoon feed info into the students like robots so they can MEMORIZE, not LEARN, the answers to the state tests so the schools can GET MORE MONEY.

It is all about the MONEY, to h**l if the kids learn anything or not.

They are churning out mindless robots, not being able to think or do for themselves. The future of our country.

HITLER>> COMMUNISM, ANYONE??

Answer 6

The problem with NCLB is UNFUNDED MANDATES. That's the biggest problem. Second, is you have to "teach to the test". YOu can't really get in depth any more because you have to cover material that is on the State Test.

As for your second premise, I take issue. If you school has achieved 100 per cent, how much higher can you go? It is NOT just the teachers, it is a combination of many things.

1. Teachers not having the tools

2. Administrators glancing over things

3. Board that only looks at the numbers.

NCLB has good intentions, just not good results.

Answer 7

Don't even get me started. The goals and ideals of it are totally unrealistic and they miss the mark of what is truly important in educating children of all abilities and levels of need. NCLB was just coming into effect when I began teaching and in that one year my job seemed to change completely. The pressure to "teach to the test" but not appear that we are "teaching to the test" is immense. It stresses not only the teachers out, but more devastatingly, the children. It has become harder and harder to guide children to the fun of reading and the excitement of learning how to do new types of math. I don't know how many times a year I hear "Is this going to be on the test?" It is a ruling factor in their lives and they are only 10 years old. Remember when kids were allowed to be creative and make choices in their learning? As long as the current NCLB is in effect, we won't see that again and I really wonder what that will mean for these students one day when they go to college, graduate and find jobs in the real world...

Answer 8

I have nothing against schools, I promise...but I have to tell you, NCLB is part of the reason we homeschool.  It's also part of the reason I teach private classes rather than in a public school.

My son has needs that require individual attention - he's highly gifted and dyslexic, and though he's working 3-5 years ahead of grade level in some subjects, he needs them taught in a non-traditional manner.  

My parents are public school teachers, and very good ones.  I grew up around teachers.  I respect teachers, and I know from working in their classrooms - and teaching private classes myself - what their job entails.  I think they deserve higher pay and a lot more support and respect than they get at the moment.

However, I also know that, because of this absurd law and the tests and restrictions that go with it, that my son would be the one *left behind*.  Many teachers aren't allowed to truly teach anymore - they have to prep their kids for the test - and a teacher who has the time, commitment, and freedom to truly teach is what my son needs.  I don't homeschool him because I think that public school teachers aren't able to teach him...there are many amazing ps teachers that could do so much with him *if* they were allowed to.  I homeschool him because they aren't allowed the time or freedom to teach him as he needs to be taught.  I know many parents - and teachers - who feel the same.  I've even had ps teachers thank me for homeschooling him, since they know full well what would happen to him in most classrooms.

I think NCLB is a huge mistake.  It started out with good intentions, but it's completely backward.  Instead of allowing teachers to improve the schools by giving them the freedom and support they need, it sucks every bit of life and learning out of our educational system.  I've met so many kids that aren't aware that learning can be fun, beneficial, or challenging...they've grown up under NCLB and think that school's a joke.