Mind the Gap; Session 2

In Response to; The Death and Life of the Great American School System by Diane Ravitch


1) In Chapter One, Ravitch makes a number of reflective opinions on education reform. Of the many provocative statements made, one regarding testing and accountability resonated with me. 


On page 12, Ravtich claims, "I concluded that curriculum and instruction were far more important than choice and accountability...Testing, I realized with dismay had become a central preoccupation in the schools and was not just a measure but an end in itself. I came to believe that accountability, as written into federal law, was not raising standards but dumbing down the schools."


I experienced this first hand this past spring in the third grade at Cambridge Elementary during my student teaching placement. Labeled a Title One, low performing school with a 98% Hispanic English Learner population, testing was a priority and there was no hiding this. As Elementary classrooms are self contained; all subject matter is expected to be taught within the classroom and by the lead teacher. Did I ever see Science, Social Studies, Art, History, or Physical Education being taught? Rarely. And shockingly so. One day, I asked students to point out the State of California on the map, and their fingers pointed to Florida, New York, even Hawaii; everywhere BUT California. I was appalled by the lack of basic skill in third grade, but boy, did they know how to fill in a bubble, underline key words in a test question, sit silently behind privacy boards during a test, etc. The preparation for the STAR test was horrifying. Test preparation started months before the actual test, and the content was dry and boring. Students tuned out, and if they did not, they were accustomed to the methods of test taking skills and got through it in a drone like fashion.There was no interest, no fascination, no fire in their eyes. As an entering teacher to the field, it was horrifying and disheartening to watch this take place in a classroom where students were being tested on basic skills, but couldn't even point to their own state on the map. Ravitch proves a good point when she says testing is an end itself. So many educators throw around the phrase "teaching to the test," and it is unfortunately hindering the knowledge these tiny little sponges of students are allowed to explore. Because there is no geography section on the STAR test, I suppose these students will continue to be coined "proficient," yet lack the basic skills of identifying countries, states, and cities on a map, what I consider a basic skill no matter where one is from.


On page 13, Ravitch states, " We as a society cannot extricate ourselves from fads and nostrums unless we carefully look at how we got entangled in them. We will continue to chase rainbows unless we recognize that they are rainbows and there is no pot of gold at the end of them."


I admired how Ravitch expressed this quote, because I feel as an American society, this chasing the rainbow mentality applies not only in education, but across the board. We are a culture who wants it all, and wants it right now. So, by creating fads and reforms, it is a way for our society to acquire success, wealth, fame, fortune, etc. fast and now. Patience is a virtue. My parents always say, there is no substitute for hard work. I believe this is the point Ravitch is trying to make; that even though these reforms look and sound appealing, and promise results of change and success in a very short time, we as a community of educators must refrain from these pretty lights, and focus on a well founded base of instruction and curriculum. America loves big cars and bigger homes, quick weight loss schemes, get rich quick methods, fast food, etc. Everything is expected now. I must remind myself to not get persuaded in these quick solutions and focus on what always works; hard work. I hope Ravitch would agree. :)


2) On page 16, Ravitch states that a well educated person "has a furnished mind, shaped by reading and thinking about history, science, literature, the arts, and politics. The well educated person has learned how to explain ideas and listen respectfully to others." I strongly agree with Ravitch's statement, because a well educated person should be well rounded, and knowledgeable in a variety and wide array of subject matter; not only in mathematics and language arts like the STAR test proposes. 


I also believe a well educated person should have an intrinsic enjoyment of learning, and a desire to continue learning. They should be open to ideas that are unlike their own, and be able to debate in a sense that does not undermine or demean an others' opinion. A well educated person should find time to read and reflect; but always keep their mind stimulated. Reflection should be an independent activity through writing in a journal or thinking quietly, or a collaborative idea through discussion or debate. In todays' world, I think a person should remain true to the qualities stated above, and be resistant to the new age ideas of fads and trends. However, in the modern age, as technology is being infused into the classroom, I believe a well educated person should be up to date and know how and when to use these tools, and use them effectively to enhance the learning experience. Finally, I think a well educated person should be able to identify their weaknesses, and learn from them by practice and investing time to improve on that weakness.


3) Thinking further about Ravitch's book, I continue to question the nature of these reforms. We see all sorts of fads come to the market; whether it lies in the form of food, fashion, fitness etc. And the nature of these fads are that they come and go. Fads usually have a short stint on the shelf and they move on their merry way. However, the genius lies in how they are presented to the public; the packaging, the words used to hook us in, the advertising. Fads illuminate America's business like nature, and we all want a piece. If there were no trends, everything would remain a pretty stable. And if one thinks like a businessman, there is no opportunity for money if things remain stable. This brings me back to the point of education reform.
I am skeptical about who lies behind all of these reforms whether they are business men whose only desire is a pretty penny, or actual educators who believe in bettering the nation. Someone must be profiting from these new trendy reforms; the ones that promise in big flashing lights that; "this is the way towards better test scores," or "this is the way to reach proficiency in 5 years." It all sounds so appealing and tempting, but this brings us back to the genius behind it all. The way it is presented to us; the advertising, the packaging, and the promises of words that hook us in. Observing this trend of reforms, I am glad to say that I hold many questions about current and future fads that may be presented my way.


For questions # 4 and # 5 click on Read More below



4) One area in my multiple subjects I would like to focus on is; History Social Science. History has never been the most fluid for me and I feel like I can benefit from both content and pedagogical research on how to teach the content area. Three resources I can refer to are


web site: 
http://teachinghistory.org/
http://www.edutopia.org/


books: 


Teaching for Thinking; theory, strategies & activities for the classroom. by Louis Raths, Selma Wasserman, Arthur Jonas, and Arnold Rothstein.


Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything your American History Textbook Got Wrong by James Loewen




5)