Dismay with the direction of education

The decision to take on three graduate course while attempting to maintain a sense of sanity in my life of working full time and raising three small children was probably not the best idea that I have ever had! As I find myself tucking in my children with the anticipation of spending countless hours working tackling the various reading assignments, researching and creating products, I have never once questions the benefits which I am receiving in return for forgoing many hours of needed sleep. As a result of pursuing my second graduate degree I have become a stronger teacher; one who is better able to meet the needs of my students. I have enjoyed the company of my fellow colleagues, the majority of whom I would be proud to have teach my own children, and valued my professors who provided me with the guidance to strengthen my pedagogy and build my repertoire of teaching strategies. Despite all of the positives which have resulted from my experience at U Maine, I graduate with a sense of sadness due to the direction in which public education is headed. As the federal government works to implement its' vision of the road which we should be headed down, one which requires states to compete for funding, which can only result in a greater division between the "haves" and the "have nots" it is apparent that the vision of true learning is becoming lost. The National Middle School association advocates a curriculum which is challenging, exploratory, integrative and relevant. The role of assessment is to for it to be something which is varied and continual, with the purpose being to not only assess learning but to advance it. "Students should have opportunities to set personal goals, chart their growth, and reflect their progress in achieving the knowledge, skills, and behavioral objectives of education." Twisting state's arms by dangling money which must be "earned" by meeting the demands of the Obama administration, one which requires that high stakes testing be used to not only measure student growth ( a snapshot picture) but to determine the effectiveness of teachers is ridiculous! True learning is different for every student, as recognized by middle school philosophy, but apparently in the era of accountability the child is no longer the focus, the results of a high stakes test are.....