The research article I read for the week was written on the topic of data-driven decision-making and whether or not it was an effictive means of making decisons in the best interest of students. After the creation of NCLB, I watched school districts move from using Marie Clay's Observation Survey, student portfolios, student work samples and running records to using assessments like DIBELS and statewide assessments to make very high-stakes decisions. As schools put a narrow focus on the achievement of the "bubble" kids on statewide assessments, the implications for all students is broad and deeply felt. These days our school's success or failure is measured on a single test (OAKS.)
I think politicians and many administrators tend to oversimplify the "how" of the reading and writing process, taking a scientific approach to teaching language arts instead of teaching it like an art or craft. As I begin a new school year, It is my greatest hope that I will be able to infuse my classroom with rigor, relavence and intimacy (social-context of learning). I hope that I can encourage a literate environment where thinking is modeled and curiosity is valued. As I gradually release responsiblity for learning to my students and push them to think deeply and make connections with their learning, I will have faith that the test scores will come because the learning will mean something to them. Our mandated curriculum alone is superficial and contrived. In this day of accountability, it takes a measure of bravery to be the rogue Daily Fiver, the only Reading With Meaning follower around. Here's to a year where I strive to meet all my students where they are and teach them how to think about themselves as readers and writers, to think about their strategies, processes and own thinking (metacognition).