Childhood is not a race, there is no finish line, there is no goalpost, and there is no set point that they need to reach to ensure a successful life. Unfortunately during this pandemic, we have forgotten nearly all of that as we fret over the academic progress of our children. So let’s all take a deep breath and relax about what our children are learning during this (hopefully) once in a lifetime pandemic. There literally is no valid or reliable data point that your child needs to reach by the end of this year that will determine their success in life.
One of the most unfortunate aspects to come out of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was the elevation of data above all other sources of information to evaluate the effectiveness of teachers and schools. All of a sudden, anyone could look up test scores and determine if a school was “good” or not. These armchair quarterbacks required no knowledge about the school, about pedagogy, and no knowledge about how children learn and grow. Despite all of that, we all fell into the trap of taking for granted what the data actually told us. We started to believe that if schools did not meet certain arbitrary benchmarks then they were automatically horrible schools. We fully and willingly participated in the narrative about failing schools and looked upon them with disparagement. Even after NCLB went away, we had become so trained to look at data as the primary indicator of student success that, in many ways, we forgot how to look at school and our children more holistically.
As a result of this obsession with data, both educators and parents alike now look at every year in a child’s academic year as a success or a failure. This student passed all their standardized tests so they are successful and will have a great life, and this student did not so they are most likely going to be a failure. Where’s the logic in that? We cannot forget and neglect the fact that every child progresses at their own rate and grasps different concepts at different times. This is backed by decades of peer reviewed educational research around the world. It would be so much easier for teachers if they could check boxes for every skill their students had mastered and progress in a linear fashion but education is not a checklist.
As was stated at the beginning of this piece, everyone needs to take a collective breath and slow your role. Our kids are fine – yes there are achievement and opportunity gaps that exist, and for our students of color, they are widening. These will not be overtaken by a relentless charge that our schools and teachers are failing. We are all doing the best we can with the tools and avenues we have in front of us. The most important thing we can all do is check in on our children personally to see how they are doing as people. We will return to normal at some point and your child’s fabulous teacher will assess where they are and fill in the gaps accordingly. Just remember, you are the one that needs to chill, your kids are going to be alright.
Leave a Reply