By Deborah Meier, Alfie Kohn, Linda Darling Hammond, Theodore R. Sizer and George Wood.(Deborah Meier and George Wood, Editors) Published by Becaon Press out of Boston, Stan Karp, and Monty Neill also contributed chapters.

There are always two sides to every coin, and in education, many, many sides to any pedagogical issues. This book attempts to dissect some of those issues, criticize and critique and then offer plausible alternatives.

George Wood writes the introduction and focuses on three main concerns- "underfunding, restrictive definitions of teacher qualifications and the effects on subgroups". George Wood is correct on certain points. The "highly qualified teacher" issue, is, and probably will continue to be extremely problematic for small rural school systems who want teachers to be able to teach several subjects. But Wood does not go far enough. In some districts, they want the teacher to be not just able to teach math and science, but to be able to coach basketball, track and cross country as well as sponsor the school newspaper and yearbook. Further, Wood cogently discusses the problems that children with disabilities are going to face, and those with limited English proficiency may encounter. We cannot simply grossly overgeneralize about children with disabilities. It is probably time for someone to step up and indicate that there are many children with many different types of disabilities being served in the schools. There are children with mental retardation, learning disabilities, traumatic brain or head injuries, communication disorders, vision and hearing impairments, emotional and behavior problems, autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, and those with various other health impairments such as diabetes, asthma and benign congenital hypotonia. And the list could go on. Granted, not all of these children are encountered in each and every classroom, but in large schools, most of not all of these disability categories are seen.

Theodore R. Sizer, offers a preamble to this book, focusing on some crucial points. The NCLB has this focus on " research based " education policy. It is all well and good to attempt or endeavor to apply research based methodologies to the average classroom. However, the average classroom is not a laboratory and the teacher does not have the scientific controls upon which these research based methods are based. Medical research is quite stringent, since human lives are at stake. Educational research methodologies are often less rigorous, and , dare I say it, somewhat sloppy, in sample size, treatment procedures, evaluation of data, liberal versus conservative analysis of data ( Scheffe's vs. LSD post hoc analysis ) and rigor.

Linda Darling-Hammond's chapter discusses what she terms " Alice In Wonderland " accountability ( among other things). Much of her discussion stems around what is often termed " unintended consequences in the literature. Although the initial impetus behind the act may have been quite positive and well meaning, the unintended ramifications and repercussions of the Act have caused grief, strife and exasperation among many in the field of education.

George Wood's chapter examines the effects of NCLB on classrooms and the schools. George talks about some reality issues. We often need a " reality check" and apparently, in response to NCLB schools have begun to have some new categories of kids- " school pushouts, dropouts and retentions George also discusses schools with " multiple subgroups"- the poor, racially, culturally and ethnically different, children with disabities, itinerant/migrant groups, and he then juxtaposes them against the Blue Ribbons Schools, where teacher/student ratio is 15:1 and fewer special education students are enrolled ( for whatever reason).

Stan Karp's chapter dissects the ABC's of AYP and sees the effects on LEP students and delves into a study by the EPI (Economic Policy Institute ) and concludes with a discussion of data from ETS (Educational Testing Service). It is little wonder that older, more experienced teachers are often citing fatigue, trying to learn all of these initials ASAP.

Deborah Meier , in one sentence, tells us the basic problem.
The very definition of what constitutes an "educated person" is now dictated by federal legislation. (p.67). Often, the less said to motivate others to read, the better.

ALfie Kohn believes that NCLB is imply an attempt to privatize education. I am not sure that we need NCLB to do this. James Coleman many years ago, in his famous report communicated quite clearly what was going on in the private and parochial schools. The data and facts about home schooling also lend themselves to the rush to privatization.

Using the Socratic method, Kohn asks three questions. These three questions are intended to begin thinking and discussion. I hope that others will read this book, and reflect on the questions, if only for open examination of the issues.

Monty Neill ends with a chapter on alternatives to NCLB and perhaps overhauling the entire thing. So many politicians and leaders that I have interviewed, spoken with and corresponded with have simply said " Well, all these things have to be " fine tuned" and "we need to work out the kinks" and "we will need to tweak".

There is a lot that needs to be "tweaked". This book, while published in 2004, has not gotten the recognition it deserves or the press that it deserves. It is not a thick book, and will not consume a lot of time to read, but each author has much to say, in a thoughtful way, about an issue facing our schools.

Reviewed by Michael F. Shaughnessy

Spread The Word

Related Articles

Comments

Comment #1 (Posted by Kelly Schlicht) Rating: ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingempty ratingempty Unrated
Sounds like whining, all the subcatagories of learning impairment will be handled here http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/research/factsheets.htm, prior to getting into the mainstream, but it is going to require involvement. Imagine this, tenure based on involvement and CEU completion. We are supposed to trust schools with our kids, but the instructors are not to keep up with the rapidly changing face of technology? Please. The minute a parent complains to the principal, the teacher then hears about it and the end result is an unpleasant environment for the student. Don't deny it. Its like dominos, and the day of sightwords is being challenged as inhumane and the teachers are cracking. So work the programs, take care of the little things and let the big things take care of themselves.
Comment #2 (Posted by Margo Emrich) Rating: ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull Unrated
The article gave a good overview of the "Many Children Left Behind" book. The writer of the previous comment obviously didn't understand she was supposed to be rating the article and not the book! By the way, Kelly, I teach children with reading difficulties and I can attest to the fact that spending a lot of time teaching children sight words is quite wasteful. There are much better ways to teach children to spell. Teaching children sight/symbol relationships is how they will learn to read most effectively and supplying them with "just right" books for them at their developmental level. Apparently NCLB dictates to teachers exactly what books they can use and leaves little to the teacher's expertise, whether or not she has gotten her Masters with an emphasis in reading/literacy as I have. So now I have also veered off the subject...anyway, I found the article useful!
Comment #3 (Posted by Jennifer) Rating: ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingempty ratingempty Unrated
When are the teacher's and administration going to quit blaming children or funding for their inability to do their job. I would very much like to see a study done on how many children have now been labeled "special needs such as ADHD" since the "No child left behind act and the WASL/testings" have been put in place. The fact that this is a goldmind for schools to obtain extra funding as well as altar the scoring statistics within their school is atrocious. And where is the child in all this? How many children who are being bullied (which can show the same symtems as supposed ADHD) are shutup with a label and drugs, never really being heard and receiving the help and protection of the adults who are supposed to be acting in their best interest? I am amazed at how many teacher's instead of owning up to their insufficient abilities would rather place the problem on the children. Granted, there truly are some incredible and very gifted teachers. I have found such in the Montessori type setting, I also have met them in the parents who courageously have chosen to homeschool their children. I appreciate Kelly's input because what she is stating is true, and most definitely if a parent makes any complaints to the principal the dominoe effect is that the child suffers a hostile environment. When funding and monies become the greatest priority then the children suffer all around. I applaud the teacher's who continue to truly dedicate theirselves to actually teaching children. As for the use of sight words and such? I taught my own daughter before kindergarten how to read with sight words. She reads at a fifth grade level in second grade. She can read almost anything put in front of her, sounding the words out then asking their meaning. The "No Child Left Behind" and the WASL type testing were meant for the benefit of the children, what do they mean now?
Comment #4 (Posted by Alan) Rating: ratingfull ratingfull ratingempty ratingempty ratingempty Unrated
This is more of a summary that one would find in a document search than a review or critique. It provides little in the way of explaining the structure, purpose, or format of the book. Additionally, the writing is pedestrian. I understand that such reviews are written voluntarily, but I think it would serve readers better if the prose was not so awkward as to make it painful to read. www.inthetext.com
Comment #5 (Posted by Edie) Rating: ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingempty Unrated
I keep wondering where all of these teachers with insufficient ablities are. I don't see them around me and there are over one hundred teachers at my school. On the whole the teachers I know are well informed, trained professionals who consistently work many hours beyond their salaried time to make things as good as they can for the students. The idea that teachers punish children for complaints made to the principal is overstated. I have never seen this. This article gives a good overview of the the book, and what the authors have to say about the failure of a system that is increasingly obsessed with quantifying people and making everybody the same. NCLB law and special ed law are often in conflict, because the needs of students with disabilities are not the same as the needs of the majority of students. The answer does not lie in better test scores, but in meeting the needs of the individual.
Comment #6 (Posted by erica) Rating: ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull Unrated
i think it was great
Comment #7 (Posted by ROBIN HODGES) Rating: ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingfull ratingempty Unrated
MISSISSIPPI HAS LEFT MY ASPERGER SON BEHIND! YEARS, DOCTORS, STILL NO 504 OR IDEA, NO SCHOOL SERVICES. NICKS DOCTOR WANTED TO GO INTO THE SCHOOL TO WATCH NICK. SHE WAS NOT ALLOWED INTO THE SCHOOL. THE SCHOOL HAND BOOK TELLS THAT NO ONE GOES INTO THE SCHOOL. AT 6'0 AND 190 LBS. THE SCHOOL SENT HOME A NOTE THAT NICK WAS CRAWING UNDER THE DESK AND LAYING OUT IN THE FLOOR. THE COACH MADE NICK CRAW ON THE GROUND UNTIL HIS HANDS BLEED. I MADE A POLICE REPORT ON THIS ONE. THE PRINCPAL TOLD THE POLICE MAN THAT IT WAS AN IN HOUSE PUNSHMENT. NOT WRITTEN DOWN, NO SERVICES. MISSISSIPPI SPENDS MORE MONEY ON ATTORNEYS FIGHTING SPECIAL EDUCATION, THAN ON SPECAIL EDUCATION ITS SELF. NO ONE IN THIS STATE WILL HELP NICK. NO ONE HERE WILL STEP ON THE STATES TOES... PLEASE SOMEONE HELP US!!! ROBIN 601-605-6030 OR 601-405-1958
Comment #8 (Posted by K.Price) Rating: ratingfull ratingfull ratingempty ratingempty ratingempty Unrated
My child is in elementary school, and it has been my experience thus far that, sadly, NCLB motivates schools to "prep" children for tests rather than teach them how to synthesize and understand material and concepts. Schools also seem motivated to classify children that do not sit squarely in the middle of the Bell Curve as "special needs" - I can only guess for that extra funding. This I know from experience, as my bright child is being forced to wear the ADHD label, even though good grades were the norm BEFORE the school's pressure for testing. NCLB seems to punish students' individuality, and strip well-meaning and talented teachers of the ability and autonomy to teach children according to each child's individual strengths and weaknesses - and parents are left scrambling to make up the difference. In graduate school, I met a number of ex-teachers migrating to another career who cited some of these very reasons for choosing another career path. And, I agree; this article was most certainly too pedestrian, awkward and unclear for a website of this caliber. It seemed to have been written in a hurry, as if it were a last-minute addition.