Assessing No Child Left Behind

I believe that some standardized testing is important to find a norm and to be able to see how students compare against each other, but I don't believe in standardized based assessment programs. No Child Left Behind(NCLB ) is also requiring the same program for all students and this includes special education students.

While these students can learn too, they have very different needs and concerns than regular education students. I think that the best type of program is one that comes some standardized testing and some informal testing. It's not a perfect world, so I don't think that a teacher can meet the needs of all the students all the time. Some good instructional strategies include activating prior knowledge which Helps learners connect to concepts about to be taught by using activities that relate to or determine the level of their existing knowledge.

Active learning which is an approach that engages learners by matching instruction to the learner's interests, understanding, and developmental level. This often includes hands-on and authentic activities, and acting out a Problem where students can act out mathematical, scientific, or social problems to improve their comprehension.

An example of a lesson is one where students can act out buying things at the grocery store. Some students can be the customers and some can be the cashiers. Halfway through the activity, they can switch. The prices will be written on the items along with a picture of the amount of money. A classroom that meets as many instructional needs as possible fosters effective classroom management because all the students are learning at their individual level. The students are also being taught in their learning style so they are understanding the material. Since their needs are being meet, they will feel like the teacher cares which will make them care too, making the classroom easier to manage.

Reference:

http://glossary.plasmalink.com/glossary.html