Some readers may be wondering if I have simply quit blogging. The answer is no but it sure is not a high priority. However, I read my feeds religiously. I almost ditched 2 cents worth not long ago – too much travelogue and not enough I can apply directly to my practice but this post sent shivers up my liberal democrat-spine! Note that David is quoting someone else here.
If your second grade teacher teaches a fantastic unit on dinosaurs, but dinosaurs are not on the test, then that teacher is doing harm to your children. Anything that’s taught that’s not on the test, is doing harm to your children.
I can hardly imagine it. No thinking teachers allowed. No movement away from the prescribed curriculum. So much for following the students’ interests or teacher’s passions. So much for a child-centered curriculum. So much for freedom.
All I could say was, wow I’m glad I’m not working there. I follow my curriculum guides and try to meet the objectives. I’m trying to find a way to make blogging work in a less than technologically advanced setting. I’m looking for ways to improve the setting, apply for grants, get approval, etc., etc. But in this case, I’d be ‘doing harm to the children’ if I was successful. Mind-boggling. It must be out of context, right?
1 Comment
January 24, 2008 at 1:43 am
Am I glad we have not got to that stage yet at the school where I teach. Within the confines of the education department guidelines, we can teach how we like and virtually whatever we like as long as certain criteria are met and can be assessed ready for reports.