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Show Notes

• Archived Blog Post

  Date / Time: 4/18/2008 8:07 PM UTC

  Our Schools Are In Trouble...
  

  We're looking at a 25 to 50 per cent graduation rate. Even our smartest and brightest students, here in the U.S., only rank 24th in the world. What has happened? Well, that's what we asked Brennan Kingsland, who shared with us her personal experience and her husband's, (Don Kingsland), book, "Set Our Teachers Free".
  
  Teachers are not allowed to teach. They're caught up in the program "No Child Left Behind" (NCLB) which had good intentions but, has migrated into a system of "teaching to test". Students are not learning, they are taught to take tests. The NCLB was implemented without checks and balances; there are no guidelines that constitute what are god or bad results. Consequently, the NCLB barometer of success is based on test scores, hence; "teaching to test".
  
  It becomes a catch 22. If the money allocated to schools is based on test results, then teaching for testing becomes the catalyst for learning and the students aren't taught to learn. On top of poor learning skills the funds received from NCLB are allocated based on test scores which now introduce cheating to achieve better test scores. Unfortunately those schools and students that need additional funds are eliminated because of low test results contributing to the low graduation rate.
  
  The problems are compounded further considering there are no criteria or standards to compare the results of what is or isn't working between schools. So, school results in California based on their criteria will differ from school results based on the criteria of those in New York.
  
  The Kingsland Plan isn't based on as much testing and recognizes the gaps in the child's education and focuses on narrowing those gaps based on what they've learned and not solely on test results.
  
  We're not motivating our children to learn nor giving them the thrill to learn, the children need to know they can win. "Teach the joy of learning and they'll become lifelong learners", said Brennan. the No Child Left Behind was good in theory for highlighting the basics and addressing the need to learn reading and math but, that has not been the results.
  
  "Social Promoting" move our children through the system not learning results. When attendance outweighs learning as criteria for advancement to the next grade, what do you think the long term results will be for your child and our society as a whole? No wonder we scored 24th in education in the world and that was sending our brightest and best to compete.
  
  Check out how the Kingsland Plan uses a system of the school's Principal, teacher, parent, and counselor to create a support system that focuses on a positive, working together approach, on what is necessary to instill critical learning skills for of our children's learning process. And it all starts with the basics of reading and math and before moving on; making sure each student builds a solid foundation necessary for continuous learning development of those basics.
  
  Brennan wants our listeners to know that parents are not powerless... become involved with your school board... what you want your school board to be, you have the power to do so. Who you place in your school board is what you get. We can have an excellent education system... get involved.
  
  • Tags:
  • Education
  • No Child Left Behind
  • Set Our Teachers Fre
  • Kingsland Plan
  • Teach To Test
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