VOICE OF THE PEOPLE (LETTER)
Teachers left out of `No Child' reform goals

Chad Kirkpatrick, Raymond Lau, Suzanne Martinez, Margie Rogasner, National Board Certified Teachers, MetLife Fellows, Teachers Network Leadership Institute, Chicago
Published January 18, 2007
In response to Stephanie Banchero's "Pupils still far behind despite law" (Page 1, Jan. 7), we want to highlight one element that almost all commentaries on No Child Left Behind overlook: the importance of the partnership of classroom teachers in the planning, implementation and assessment of any school reform policy.

As your article correctly states, "Research shows that the quality of the educator in front of the classroom is one of the biggest determinants of student success." Though few people would dispute this conclusion, nevertheless, teachers are finding it increasingly difficult to use our knowledge and expertise to teach the best way we know how because, more and more, we are expected to only follow a "teacher-proof" scripted curriculum written by textbook publishers. A teacher's ability to exercise professional judgment has never been so severely handicapped, and the details of daily teaching are dictated as never before. Under the constant pressure of high-stakes testing mandated by No Child Left Behind, many schools, especially those labeled "low-performing," take away even more professional discretion from their teachers. It thus becomes even harder for such schools to attract good teachers.

No Child Left Behind, despite its goal of high-quality teachers for all, actually undermines the quality of classroom teaching. By emphasizing exclusively "one-size-fits-all" standardized testing and curriculum, it treats all students the same, regardless of differences in their learning interests and styles, socioeconomic backgrounds, academic histories or special needs. In ignoring these important differences, the legislation discourages teachers from exercising their professional judgment in teaching according to the unique needs of every child.

All of the undersigned are National Board Certified Teachers, or Master Teachers, as officially designated by Illinois. We have invested tremendous amounts of time and energy to improve our professionalism, knowledge and craft. But what is the point, if we cannot use our experience and expertise to teach well? We, and many other teachers like us, feel discouraged that policymakers so far have not invited teachers, outside of our union representatives, as partners in their school reform initiatives.