School Is a Prison — And Damaging Our Kids

[Igel]

22. We say we want the best education for our children.

Then we insist that what matters is devoting as many resources as possible to the bottom 20% of our students.

One teaching methodology is to hold to a schedule. You get through the curriculum, and you try to make sure that everybody learns it. The top 25% have no problem. The middle group struggle and barely pass. The bottom group fails. Response: Devote more resources to the bottom group. This doesn't work, pure and simple.

Another teaching methodology is to teach for half the unit or a bit more and give a test. Find out who's learned it. Those who haven't go back to have another swipe at the "stuff" and those who have move on. Response: It's a lot of work if you have 30 students, 15 "get it" and 15 don't, because you have to separate the class and have two lessons going for half (or so) of each unit. You're also making sure that the lowest group is taught less, and settling for "mastery" of just what's really important. Is that the "best education"? Some parents say no. And the high-achieving kids these days tend to look at the slackers and say, "If I failed that test I could be doing nothing right now and still get an A."

You can combine those two to "just teach what's essential." Then everybody sits there and learns at a low level. The high-achievers' eyes glaze over from boredom. But it's easy on those whose job is being a teacher and not so confusing for the students. It makes for high test scores, if you just have to teach the basics and ignore the standards.

And that's why we have the standards in the first place.