29 Nov No child left untested
The scores are out. Last year- the US kids scored 3rd in the world… this year we are 10th.
I don’t have a problem with us not being the best all the time. Happiness and perfection do not always go hand in hand.
Clearly No Child Left Behind is not working. My best friend is a school teacher in Florida. In order to make time for all the tests, the children are only allowed recess one day a week.
Did you hear what I wrote? We are all concerned about generation XXL and we are creating a school system that does not allow play outside. No wonder our kids are not learning. Teachers give out candy to try and get kids to behave since they can’t use recess as a carrot.
Remember when you were a kid>? There were kids that were great in the classroom and kids who were great on the blacktop. The primary gift an education system can give a kid is confidence. Taking away a child’s physical play is abuse. For all kids and particulary for those who are physical superstars.
my friend calls no child left behind “No teach left standing.”
I call it “No child left educated.”  We have got to revamp our school system and pay teachers more and develop programs that help a kid find their strength and make it better. Marcus Buckingham, Now Discover your Strengths, talks about this for adults in the workplace. We need to start when they are 1.
My son loves music. No matter what is going on – if I put music on or sing to him… he glows. He learns better. This is his thing. Our job is not to test him (I test really well – this is why I didn’t learn much in college. I could test my way to an A. Short term memory thing. I forgot everything I learned in Physics.)
Stop testing. Start fanning the flame of innovation, spirit, happiness, joy, running around….
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