A question for the new year
This is usually the month that a so called pedagogical necessity is used all across our nation. I think we all need to think about the following.
Were the engineers, scientists, or contractors who designed the lunar module and put men on the moon ever forced to undergo this so called pedagogical necessity?
How about the engineers and laborers who tamed a mighty river and designed and built the Hoover Dam to supply electricity for millions, do you think they ever were forced to undergo this so called pedagogical necessity?
The Empire State Building was construct in only one year. Do you think the architects, contractors, laborers, financial backers of this monumental icon were forced to undergo this so called pedagogical necessity?
The ” Greatest Generation ” saved the world and guaranteed a future for all of us. Do you think they were forced to undergo this so called pedagogical necessity?
Do you think scientists and doctors who achieved medical breakthroughs, such as Dr. Jonas Salk were ever subjected and were forced to undergo this so called pedagogical necessity?
Look at this shot of the construction of New York’s Verrazano bridge. Fifty years ago, the people who imagined, planned, and built this might structure were never subjected or forced to undergo this so called pedagogical necessity!
My question today is, where is the evidence that subjecting our elementary school children to hours of ‘ benchmark testing’ to assess their readiness for high stakes standardized testing, helps our nation?
All across the nation, elementary school children are being ‘measured’ by this so called pedagogical tool. Ask yourselves why?