Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/5139
¡Sí Se Puede! ¿Por Qué No? couraging students to learn rather than re- quiring them to practice rote memorization. My passion for being a teacher then was driven by the enthusiasm I saw on my fellow teachers’ faces and the excitement in the eyes of children learning new, challenging concepts. Today, so much of what is seen in the classroom is stressful and prescribed, and all about the test at the end of the road and very little about the road itself along the way. It’s as if politicians are concerned more with handing out ribbons at the finish line than with student growth in the classroom. NCLB has created a testing-focused system that does very little to help produce students with well-rounded, multifaceted learning experiences. Now, testing is always going to be an in- I tegral part of education, and teachers use tests regularly to evaluate what students know and how they have progressed. But educators also know that a single test score never tells the whole story — it is a snapshot in time. It is simply not an effective means by which to completely evaluate the prog- ress of a student or the efficacy of a teacher. Our current system of high-stakes test- ing puts pressure on educators to focus on teaching to the test rather than teaching the child. NCLB has promoted a culture of com- petition that inevitably produces winners and losers — not proficient learners. Add to that the many differences in learning style among our students, and you have a recipe for failure. A state like California, with such a di- verse population of students, needs to ac- count for those differences by offering mul- tiple learning tools and recognizing multiple measures of student achievement. That’s one of the reasons why the Obama administra- ¿Por Qué No? B Y C T A P R E S I D E N T D A V I D A . S A N C H E Z remember the way a classroom felt to me before No Child Left Behind (NCLB), when teaching was about en- tion’s original guidelines for Race to the Top (RTTT) funding were so problematic, as they continued NCLB’s overemphasis on testing as the sole measure of student achievement and as a means of evaluating teachers. CTA and NEA responded immedi- ately, and our members made their voices heard. The final RTTT regulations were just re- leased. We certainly still have concerns and are reviewing all the details, but there were some improvements. The final guidelines include multiple measures of gauging stu- dent growth and, in turn, teacher effective- ness. They also call for teacher involvement in designing evaluation systems and provide a fourth option of assistance for helping lower-performing schools. Since these new guidelines reflect the Obama administration’s views on education reform, we know they will be the basis for the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. The past mistakes made with NCLB need to be erased and re- written, not built upon. The Obama admin- istration seems poised to bring in new ideas for education with the coming year — some we agree with and some we do not. We’re hopeful that the new administration, as it looks toward the future, will want to help rather than hamper the success of our public schools. Teachers need to be treated as the educated professionals they are and given the tools they need to properly educate their students. With your continued help and with all of us working closely together, we will rebuild the public education system in California. This challenge is something we are ready to face, because in the end the path of education is just as important as the finish line. EDITOR IN CHIEF Dave Earl Carpenter STAFF WRITER Sherry Posnick-Goodwin CTA WEB EDITOR Karyn Ferrera Donhoff CTA WEB EDITOR Tiffany Hasker EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Craig Hamilton CTA ELECTED OFFICERS PRESIDENT David A. Sanchez VICE PRESIDENT Dean E. Vogel SECRETARY-TREASURER Gail M. Mendes BOARD OF DIRECTORS Larry Allen, E. Toby Boyd, Donald L. Bridge, Tyrone V. Cabell, Mikki Cichocki, Elana Davidson, Don Dawson, Dana Dillon, David Goldberg, Jim Groth, Dián Dolores Hasson, Eric C. Heins, Marty G. Meeden, George Melendez, Mary Rose Ortega, Cynthia Peña, Jim Rogers, Bonnie Shatun, Marc Sternberger, Michael Stone, Curtis Washington EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Carolyn Doggett ASSOCIATE EXEC. DIRECTOR Rebecca Zoglman COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Jonathan Goldman CONTRIBUTORS Scott Buschman, Dave Crosland, Len Feldman, Bill Guy, Mike Myslinski, Kamran Nasser EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Katie Young, chair; Ami S. Barker, Misao Brown, Rosalyn Collier, Tony P. Diaz, Michael Downey, Linda Guthrie, Wesley David Martin, Gregg Solkovits, Sandy Thornton, KC Walsh; Jim Groth (Board liaison) EDITORIAL INFORMATION California Educator is published for the information and edification of its members. The editorial philoso- phy is governed by the policies of CTA. Articles and advertising reflect that philosophy. Letters to the editor may be sent to editor@cta.org. Publication of advertising in the California Educa- tor does not indicate CTA approval of the product or of the companies that purchase advertising. Advertising rate card and information is available from WebSolutions, Media Division, 5666 Spruce Harbor Court, Las Vegas, NV 89122 (702) 838-3434; FAX (702) 838-3355 CTA/NEA membership dues for the fiscal year, Sept. 1-Aug. 31, are $783, including a $20 voluntary contribution. Up to $17.97 of CTA annual dues is designated for CTA/ABC political activ ities to support state and local candidates and/or initiatives and is not deductible for income tax purposes. Subscription to the California Educator is $10/year, available only to persons or institutions not eligible for CTA/NEA membership. California Educator (ISSN 1091-6148) is published monthly except January, July and August for $6.47 per year (included in dues) by: CALIFORNIA TEACHERS ASSOCIATION 1705 Murchison Dr., Burlingame, CA 94010-4583 (650) 697-1400; FAX (650) 552-5002 editor@cta.org, www.cta.org Postmaster: Send change of address to California Educator, P.O. Box 4178, Burlingame, CA 94011-4178. ¡Sí Se Puede! [Yes we can! Why not?], words inspired by César Chávez, encourage us to remember that, together, we can achieve great things. 4 California Educator | NOVEMBER 2009 Periodicals Postage Paid at Burlingame, CA, and additional mailing offices. - 9