No Idea

            Educational change is always happening and probably will continue to happen as long as the earth is a thing. It seems like everyone has an idea on how to improve education and that if we do this one thing different we will have the most effective educational system out there. But in my eyes some of the educational ideas and acts that have been passes as of late are full of questions and possible consequences. The “No Child Left Behind” act was full of questions and unforeseen consequences that the American school system is now facing, and the “Common Core State Standards” act is now under an increased light of questioning. NCLB in a nut shell was an idea to get all students proficient on tests by the year 2014. That did not work, student continued to struggle and the proficiency rate did not do much. Now we have common core. An idea that keeps all schools on a very similar schedule with similar objectives and tests. An idea that in theory is good. It makes all schools similar so that if students move they will not fall far behind, it gives teachers direct outcomes that are desired and will be tested. But the downside is the teacher has no freedom to teach, the curriculum is scripted and in a way all that is happening is teaching/learning to take a standardized test. When I think about the effect that both have and had on education it make me wonder, if these ideas that are failing or are strongly opposed were once thought of as the way to make American education top dog failed the way they did, what is the correct thing to do? Do we keep going the way it is and teach to a test, or do we teach so that the students are effective members of society. I have no idea what is best. But if we keep going with ideas that fail we are not doing what is best for the students.