I, firstly, am blessed to have a job in today's economy. Let alone one that I went to school specifically for. I love what I do, and I wouldn't trade it (except for my SDC dream job!). I have a hard time doing what I am supposed to do, like many others in the lack of accountability on the students behalf. Merit pay, PBS, AYP, MAP, all say whether we are doing our jobs for the students, making steps to meet their needs albeit in a "Stepford Wives" sort of way. What happened to the students doing their job LEARNING? I do everything I can to make the education individualized, and differentiated enough to reach ANY student, and when they do not reach out to take what I have crafted specifically for them, how am I to blame? as far as NoChildLeftBehind I will post a short item from an anonymous author , but it explains for teachers and non-teachers the "tip" of our iceberg.
The Football Metaphor for No Child Left Behind
1. All teams must make the state playoffs and all MUST win the championship. If a team does not win the championship, they will be on probation until they are the champions, and coaches will be held accountable. If after two years they have not won the championship their footballs and equipment will be taken away UNTIL they do win the championship. If a team does not improve after four years, the entire staff may be fired. If the team does not win after the fifth year, the team may be sold to a private corporation. Think ENRON for football.
2. All kids will be expected to have the same football skills at the same time, even if they do not have the same conditions or opportunities to practice on their own. NO exceptions will be made for lack of interest in football, a desire to perform athletically, or genetic abilities or disabilities of themselves or their parents. All kids will play football at a proficient level, even those in wheelchairs.
3. Talented players will be asked to workout on their own, without instruction. This is because the coaches will be using all their instructional time with the athletes who aren't interested in football, have limited athletic ability or whose parents don't like football.
4. Games will be played year round, but statistics will only be kept in the 4th, 8th, and 11th game. Football teams must use their own resources to pay for the statistics.
This will create a New Age of Sports where every team is expected to have the same level of talent and all teams will reach the same challenging goals, rendering the challenge meaningless. If every team meets the challenge, it obviously can't be challenging. If football fans do not like this new law, they are encouraged to vote for vouchers and support private teams that can screen out the non-athletes and prevent their children from having to play with bad football players, ultimately leaving the bad football players behind.