Susan Ohanian

From IAE-Pedia

Contents 1 Public Schools: High-Stakes Testing or Bust! 2 References 3 Author

"Momma, don't let your baby grow up to be a Standardisto." (Susan Ohanian)

Quoting from http://www.districtadministration.com/pulse/commentpost.aspx?news=no&postid=16887:

Susan Ohanian, a longtime teacher, now maintains a website http://www.susanohanian.org that reflects the leadership role she has taken in the resistance against NCLB, high stakes testing, politico-corporate takeover of curriculum. Recent speaking engagements have included keynotes at 2005 MacClement Lectureship at Queens University, Ontario, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Leadership Academy, Association for Childhood Education International annual conference, National Association for Bilingual Education (NABE) annual conference. Susan has spoken at rallies protesting high stakes tests on the capital steps in Denver, Austin, and Columbus.

The recipient of numerous writing awards, Susan's more than 300 essays on education issues have appeared in periodicals ranging from Phi Delta Kappan cover stories to op-ed pieces in The Nation and USA Today. Other articles have appeared in: Atlantic, Washington Monthly, Parents, Parenting, Education Week, English Journal, Language Arts, Reading Teacher, American School Board Journal, Teachers College Record, School Administrator.

Her 23 books include Why Is Corporate America Bashing Our Public Schools? (with Kathy Emery (2004), What Happened to Recess and Why Are Our Children Struggling in Kingergarten?(2003), The Great Word Catalogue: FUNdamental Activities for Building Vocabulary (2002).

Public Schools: High-Stakes Testing or Bust!

Fairness, equality, true education, “Goals 2000,” these are all the qualities that should make for a good educational program across America. However, there are several factors that hinder our students in learning together with the same quality of education. One main factor is that the money is not distributed fairly for quality teachers, books or supplies. New York Supreme Court ruled that, “it is okay to rip off the children of New York City,” (Ohanian, 2003,p.1) based on what side of the tracks they live on. Another main factor is the high-stakes testing given across the board. These tests are set up so that twenty to thirty percent of students taking the test will fail, knowing full well that these children have not had the same quality of education. The third main factor is the strong all consuming push to boost mathematics. The government seems to think that by giving high-stakes tests full of mathematics that this will solve all, and create a new world full of great mathematicians.

Equality in education seems to be a big problem around the US. Our students are tested the same, yet they are not given the same opportunities. In June 2002, in a 4-to-1 decision, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court ruled that, “it’s okay to rip off the children of New York City.” (Ohanian, 2003,p.1) It stated that New York State educational funding deprived the city children of their right to a good education. They were not made to bring in good qualified teachers, reduce class size, up-to-date tests or upgrade technology. Justice Alfred Lerner explained, that children living in the poor city areas must be treated differently than children living in more affluent areas (Ohanian, 2003). He stated that, “Society needs workers in all level of jobs, the majority, of which may very well be low-level” (Ohanian.2003, p.1). New York has sued “to make sure education remains better for the rich and worse for the poor. After all, they have argued, who will work the low-level minimum wage jobs if we give everyone the same education. (Ohanian, 2000) The Government belief, is also that competition is good. The argument is that we are an educational system that is a “protected monopoly” offering “goods and services.” They describe the relationship between teachers and the communities they serve as that of “buyers and sellers.” Not all people can shop at the same store, so not all students deserve the same quality of public education (Ohanian, 2000).

Since the high-stakes testing has become such a huge part of our educational program, America has seen a 300% increase in dropouts. The government argues that, “We’ve tried throwing money at schools. It doesn’t work. Pull up your bootstraps, and raise your test scores” (Ohanian, 2003, p.1). Their slogan is, “Just Say No to Low Test Scores. Money doesn’t solve problems; high-stake tests solve problems” (Ohanian, 2003. P.1). Both articles agree that the high-stakes testing mania harms every child in public school. The testing has become such a huge part of the students education, that there are books being published on, how to teach for the test. Many schools are finding it necessary to take away the children’s recess and all classes that teach creativity, such as music and art, to allow more time to teach for the test. As a school makes AYP each year, the new goal is raised and it becomes impossible for the schools to continue to meet their adequate yearly progress goals. The constant testing has put our students on robot mode (Ohanian, 2000). Both articles agree, that now, more than ever, we must help students understand that no text is sacred and that, rather than memorize the text, they need to learn how to argue against it.

The new high emphasis on math has also seemed to create a huge problem in our educational system. It has been deemed everything from a, “noble thing” (Ohanian, 2003, p.2) to absolutely crazy. The reality check, in both articles, calls it, not a noble thing and very bad for our students. Both articles bring up that this mathematics hype is a shame and a delusion to distract the public from the underlying social and economic problems of our global economy. What we don’t seem to grasp is that, we develop mathematicians by helping children find the marvel of mathematics, not by issuing high-stakes testing threats (Ohanian, 2003). Many states are finding themselves in a situation where, in stead of arguing over whether every student should have to master higher math to get a high school diploma, we’re faced with judges who think it’s fine that “some kids” drop out of school after the eighth grade (Ohanian, 2000). Many schools are zapping out art, music, rest time and recess to have time for more “rigorous” mathematics. (Ohanian, 2003). We are also seeing more and more math questions thrown into all the areas of the standardized tests, causing the test to be unbalanced (Ohanian, 2000).

These problems, giving all students an equal education, high-stakes testing, and the mathematics hype to conquer all, are problems that have not only taken over our schools but our country. It seems to be a problem where, we’re not doing these things for our students, but for the government’s political agenda. The idea that we as teachers, are to see our students as, “goods on a conveyor belt,” infuriates me as a teacher. To think that we as teachers are not expected to give everyone the same education and that we just expect twenty to thirty percent of our students to fail, by the eighth grade, so that we can go on teaching those that “deserve” it, is absolutely observed. My hope would be that this would set a fire under us and that we as parents and as teachers would stand up and say, Not in my classroom! Not in my school!

References

Ohanian, S. (2003, June) Capitalism, Calculus, and Conscience. Phi Delta Kappan, 84(10), 729-735. Retrieved October 15, 2008, from pdkinti home site map database.

Ohanian, S. (2000, January) goals 2000: What’s in a Name? Kappan Home, 81(5), 344-355. Retrieved October 15, 2008, from PDK Home database.

Author

The original version of this Web Page was created by S. Whitehead.