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NCLB and Teacher Accountability


2. Standards-based education can sometimesput pressure on teachers to be sure they 'measure up' to the expectations of state standards. How can teacher accountability have a positive and a negative influence on the classroom environment?

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As you brainstorm your ideas, please allow my notes to help:

1. As you examine the implications of "NCLB" on teachers, you might cite that they have more standards to teach, more curriculum to cover, more skills-based content than ever before. Instead of focusing so much on methods such as cooperative learning, creativity, and other aspects, they are focusing more on assessments. The increase in assessments causes stress. Many teachers fear that they are compared to their counterparts, so it breeds a bit more competition, I feel. It also diminishes the amount of creativity many teachers relish based on the testing craze.

Teacher accountability, therefore, is greater than ever before in terms of scores. Teachers also have to be highly qualified, so it is vital for thin credentials to be met and maintained at the highest levels. This standard also causes apprehension for many teachers.

As you look at effects upon learners, again, one of the greatest impacts upon students in the classroom is their test scores. More frequent assessments and higher stakes tests permeate the classes. Kids have to pass certain skills before moving onward. Kids also have to show mastery of what they learned, even if they are not good testers. This stipulation has ...

Solution Summary

This posting discusses teacher accountability in connection with NCLB.