The No Child Left Behind Act

Introduction to this Paper

The No Child Left Behind Act has stacked the deck against schools with special needs. At this point in time with the 2004 elections right around the corner, it seems that this Act is taking a lot of criticism for it’s rigid approach to the educational progress of our children today. No Child Left Behind has some wonderful goals and aspirations: to “close the student achievement gap, make public schools accountable, set standards of excellence for every child, and put a qualified teacher in every classroom”. (http://www.NCLB.gov) In this paper I will be discussing how this new law closes “the student achievement gap” and setting “standards of excellence for every child” using some of the psychological principles that we have covered in this course. Also I will be addressing some of the flaws that this law has by not addressing some of the theories of psychological developments discussed in our text.

Introduction Part I – Active Learning Approach

“A cornerstone to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is that educators should engage classroom practices that work”. The law specifically implies that there is a great importance in choosing instructional approaches that are “based on scientific research and have a proven track record of success”. (http://www.ballard-tighe.com) With scientifically based approaches this law hopes to “close the student achievement gap”. One of the scientific approaches often used is the “Active Learning” approach. Learning with this approach takes on a view that “learning is most effective when students actively apply new knowledge in meaningful activities that link to their existing knowledge and skill development”. (http://www.ballard-tighe.com) This learning scheme or approach adheres to principles in Piaget’s theory of cognitive child development.

Summary: Chapter 12 –Cognition: Piaget’s Theory

Piaget was biologist and psychologist that is known for “constructing a highly influential model for child development and learning”. Piaget’s theory is based on the premise that the developing child “builds cognitive structures”. These structures are things like mental maps, “schemes, or networked concepts for understanding and responding to physical experiences within a child’s environment.” Piaget further demonstrates that a child’s “cognitive structure increases in sophis...

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... go beyond the information given in order to generate ideas of his or her own.” (Smith, Cowie, Blades, p509) This can be utilized in earlier childhood in order to help the younger kids attain these skills and begin using them earlier on in the academic process.

Conclusion:

Children may also need help in having their attention directed towards significant features of a task or a situation, when left alone, they might not make the right connections. The interventions by the knowledgeable give the child a structure within which to formulate meaning (Smith, Cowie, Blades, p510). Based on this I believe that it is important that our children’s development should begin at day care and pre-school age. So that developmentally they are not left alone and not making the correct developmental connections. Many times we leave our children alone and it sets them up for failure. As teachers and parents we should not fail to build on prior knowledge, as some of our day care centers do, but we should build on the foundations of knowledge at an early time. Not in the 3rd and 4th grade when its too late.