Second Thoughts On Secondary Education In The 1980's

Second Thoughts on Secondary Education “The answers for all our national problems come down to a single word. That word is education.” - Lyndon B. Johnson
The Educational system in America has been subject to many reforms in the past century, and despite many theories; none have been successful in creating a world-class public school system that America needs to stay on the leading edge of advancement. A mixture of low standards, a transition to equity, and lack of discipline has led to the poor excuse of an educational system we all know today. The costs and consequences of these problems are getting even greater, however, there are examples to be followed and changes that can be made to turn this catastrophe around. America
“One of the popular reform efforts of the 1980s was the creating of so-called minimum competency tests or other exams that high school students were required to pass as a condition of graduating. Ohio’s legislature, for example, hoped to hold the state’s more accountable by creating an exit exam that all high school students in the state were required to pass. In practice, however, the exam’s standards were anything but rigorous. Although the exam was required of high school graduates, the tests were set at an eighth-grade level” (Skyes 149) This flaw led to the creation of the “No Child Left Behind” act set by congress in 2001. Aimed at disadvantaged students, NCLB introduced standardization like never before. Every year schools are assessed and compared through standardized tests and an AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) and receive funding if they meet the requirements of the act.
Teachers should be able to inspire students, make them apply what they learn and most importantly, make students want to learn. Sometimes it can be beneficial for teachers to work together to help each other with student specific ideas. “Teachers at Donaldson Elementary School in our district were reluctant to spend large chunks of their early-out times in meetings supposedly intended to promote ‘continuous improvement.’ But when they began to see collective progress, a direct result of their focused collaboration, the meetings became more meaningful. A good example is what happened in 2nd grade writing: students’ difficulty in writing in writing descriptive settings. After the team brainstormed, a team member proposed having student’s first draw then describe in writing the setting they imagined for their stories. The number of students able to write high-quality descriptions went from just a few to almost the entire 2nd grade class” (Schmoker 11) Like previously noted, many previous reforms have been solely based on curriculum and not enough attention is put on teachers. “The central-concern is for the teachers to become better equipped to know what new strategies to adopt and how to adopt them.” (Caine and Caine 187) This quote originates from a brain based approach, and this and many other