I Knew School Had Changed, Now I Know Why

When Patty started "real public school" as a kindergartener, it had been nearly fifteen years since I myself was a student in public school and nearly thirty years since I was a kindergarten student.  But from the beginning, I knew something had changed and I just couldn't quite put my finger on it.  And it didn't feel like just a little change, it seemed that some kind of drastic changes had taken place in all those years.  I guess I really shouldn't be surprised that in thirty years time there was change!  But, I kept wondering, what was so wrong about the way my teachers taught us "back in the day"?  Personally, I feel that I was given a great public school education and during all those years in school I never remember being bullied.  Those are things my teachers should be proud of, as I'm sure they were.

It wasn't until reading a Great Schools article this morning that I realized where the change had been made.  The article, Reading Murder Mystery mainly talks about how schools inadvertently destroy a student's joy of reading.  But, about half way into the article, I read this sentence:  Schools have become so test-results driven, they’ve lost focus on developing lifelong readers and have instead used all their focus to create test takers.  That's when I realized what is different about school today.  It's the tests.  It never occurred to me that a serious focus in education is getting a good grade on the state tests.  I mean, sure, that's important....especially for the school.  But, does it count against a student as well?  As in, if they preform poorly on the tests, will that student be held back?  I don't have an answer to that question because it hasn't affected us yet, time will tell.

But, this little insight really makes me wonder if all of the years of research driving public school these days hasn't just ran the public school system right off the rails.  I have often wondered what was wrong with the way my teachers taught, remember those days before manipulatives in math?  The days of weekly spelling tests and cursive writing?  The days when your weekly history test mattered because it was reflected on your quarterly report card?  I'm not sure that state testing scores were shared with parents back then.  Honestly, I don't think any of those tests were important until I took the ACT in high school.

I know I probably worry too much about the education my kids will receive and since I'm not a teacher, and never wanted to be, I should have faith in the system.  But, have you talked to any high school graduates lately?  I can't help it, I worry.