The Life Of Error, By Diane Ravitch - 856 Words

In Reign of Error, Diane Ravitch covers her opinions on American education in public schools. Along with this, she gives multiple solutions to the issues that started in the education system in the 1980 s by the federal government and are still having a consequence on America today. Ravitch focuses in on the ineffectiveness of educational reforms and legislation put in place for teachers and school districts. For example, she states, When evidence is lacking, we should not move forward with a sense of urgency. The reformers are putting the nation s children on a train that is headed for a cliff. (3-4) One of the fundamental points Ravitch makes is in the second chapter when she speaks about No Child Left Behind. I had heard of No Child Left Behind before, but not in the amount of detail that is provided in this book. First, Ravitch starts by saying that 100% proficiency is an unrealistic goal. Furthermore, I agree that teachers being punished for their classroom not receiving this go al is unfair. Next, she goes on to explain that schools are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on tests and testing materials. Even after all of this money had been spent, good results were still not being seen. Through this evidence, we can clearly say that something isn t quite right. Lastly, in the second chapter, she mentions Barack Obama s Race to the Top competition. Through this competition, states had to be willing to adopt new common standards and tests, being the CommonShow MoreRelatedThe School Of Charter Schools Essay1634 Words   |  7 Pageshigher achievement† and that when â€Å"schools compete, all students gain.† What is some evidence of the achievement effects of charter schools? To what does Ravitch attribute the positive effects? Can these positive effects be achieved by public schools? Did competition between private and public schools improve both, as was the intention? (p. 295) †¢ Ravitch mentions that reformers erroneously â€Å"imagine that it is easy to create a successful school† and that â€Å"the lessons of a successful school are obviousRead MoreIn The Midst Of Worrying About The Consequences Our Economy,1840 Words   |  8 Pagesmore women great things do occur. However, perhaps this was not the right person for the job. Using the film â€Å"Freedom Writer†, the documentaries â€Å"Good Morning Mission Hill† and â€Å"SelectED†, and lastly the books â€Å"You’re Not Listening† and â€Å"Reign Of Error† I will inform Secretary DeVos on issues within the education system. 1. Two of the many principle themes in urban education are privatization and standardized testing. Both are equally important to DeVos’s understanding of urban education becauseRead MoreAmerican Education System Is Failing2359 Words   |  10 Pagesin Shanghai-China. â€Å"One in four U.S students did not reach the PISA baseline level 2 of mathematics proficiency. At this level, ‘students begin to demonstrate the skills that will that will enable them to participate effectively and productively in life’, according to the PISA report† (DeWeese public education is failing). America spends inconsiderable amount of money on education to ensure that students have the resources they need in order to succeed. The U.S leads in two categories, amount of moneyRead MoreThe Importance Of Education1813 Words   |  8 Pagesmany students are simply focused on grades rather than obtaining information. If a student takes a class and receives an â€Å"A† in the course, but doesn’t retain any of the information presented, then this student has virtually gained no advantages to life as a result from the class. Although the student may feel as if they are being successful because of a high letter mark in the course. This is a result of outside pressure on students to be the best and obtain high grade point averages. This same system