I was pondering the disconnect between two very recent "news items".
On the one hand, everyone is gushing about the improvements in math scores on the 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress. I'm reading about it everywhere, it seems. On the other hand, the U.S. is sitting out the Advanced TIMSS which is designed to show how our advanced students compare to those in other countries. Strangely enough, I'm NOT reading about that everywhere.
It seems we've managed to raise the floor (every so slightly) while letting the ceiling come crashing down. I guess that puts "good enough" somewhere in the middle.
Apparently, the goal is mediocrity. Based on those parameters, I'd say we're right on track.
Cross-posted at Mindless Math Mutterings.
That's because our advanced students are not a concern in schools today. While, as an AP teacher, I have spent time in smaller groups or in department meetings discussing the needs of advanced students, I cannot think of a single instance in the last five yearsin which that was a topic of discussion at any whole-faculty meetings led by administrators or central office staff. The nature of our state testing and of NCLB dictate this--you just don't get any rewards for pushing your advanced kids up, nor are you punished if you fail to do so. It's simple incentives. No Child Left Behind, realistically speaking, often means No Child Gets Ahead.
ReplyDeleteSee the recent Time magazine cover story on the paucity of gifted education spending; Charles Murrary's 3 part op-ed in the Wall Street Journal made additional salient points on the topic.
The Time piece is good, as is Genius Denied. I'm painfully aware of the crisis in gifted education. It's really an abomination. It's even worse that the district's super is proud to be given the credit for dismantling gifted education in our town. He wears the badge proudly.
ReplyDeleteI need to get some sleep...
ReplyDeletethat "super" would be the one in my school district
sorry.
That's unfortunate, but there is a powerful anti-intellectual current in contemporary public education so that's sadly not surprising.
ReplyDeletecranky
ReplyDeleteIf you're around, and you have time, do you want to tell us more about the anti-intellectual current?
Of course, that's what I believe (and have seen evidence of) -- but what do you see?