Tiffany-2011


 * Research Question: Why are the standards created?**
 * Author: Tiffany McClay**

The scholarly article focused on music education, but it did discuss standards in music that can be broadened to encompass all or most education. National standards are regulations put in place by the national government. The article claims the standards are more like guidelines, suggestions that do not have to be followed. The author also suggests if the standards were fixed to better suit the goals, it would make no difference. The article uses specific examples from music education and only briefly addresses standards, but what it does say is useful.
 * Source One: Developing Capacity for Change: A Policy Analysis for the Music Education**

I was hesitant to read this article because it focuses on music, but I am glad I continued through and read it. The insight it gives on standards can easily be generalized and broadened. I thought standards were requirements. They are guidelines yes, but they are supposed to be followed, like rules. The article brought to mind the saying, rules are made to be broken. Maybe that is true for standards too. I do wonder now if the standards were changed how much of a difference it would make, on teaching or student performance. The article brought up some good points.

TIME magazine put out a short but interesting article regarding education and standards. It claims America does not have National Standards because the federal funding of schools is so low. If the nation does not adequately fund the schools then it has no room to decide how the schools are run. The article then describes the No Child Left Behind Act. The article suggests NCLB and former United States President George Bush made all of the problems with education worse, by implementing standards. National standards can just not work according to the TIME article.
 * Source Two: How to Raise the Standard in America’s Schools**

I learned quite a bit from this article. I never knew the federal funding was so little for public schools. I was always under the impression public schools were funded federally. The article surprised me when I read that only 9% of school funding comes from the government. The article did confirm my theories that NCLB standards were supposed to help schools. NCLB did not do what it was supposed to do. The TIME article does go even further than my ideas on the subject do, to say NCLB did the opposite of its intentions. I still do not know if I would go that far.

The editorial article, is an opinion piece. It begins with the author not liking national standards and No Child Left Behind. Then, he discussed a SPEAK act also known as Standards to Provide Educational Achievement for Kids Act. It was a smaller, local version of NCLB. According to the article SPEAK worked well. The author is now in favor of state standards and even national education standards.
 * Source Three: Rethinking a National Curriculum**

This was an interesting article. It showed how one man who was completely against NCLB changed his mind. I am still against NCLB and national standards. I am still especailly against standardized testing. It is nice to here from the other side, since most people are not for NCLB or national standards. I am keeping in mind the article was published in 2007 and a lot has changed since then in education. I am curious if the author would feel the same way today as he did then.

The CQ Researcher article is an overview of the math and science academic performance in the United States compared with other, usually better performing countries. It gives test scores from different grades and different years, for comparisons. The No Child Left Behind Act, was supposed to help bridge the gap between American schools and foreign better performing schools. For example, in Japan there are nation wide standards for all schools, in America the standards varied from district to district. NCLB was supposed to help set statewide standards then each district within each state could alter what was taught as long as students passed a state test. According to the article, NCLB had good intentions, but may not have worked as planned.
 * Source Four: Teaching Math and Science: Are students being prepared for the technology age?**

I learned little from the CQ Researcher article. It verified some of my preconceived notions. Such as, American schools are not doing as well as we should. I have always thought students try to learn too much too quickly, and according to the artifice that is true. American students learn facts and figures for short term use, just to pass the class, then its all forgotten. The standardized test was supposed to make students have to learn for memory and long term use. Unfortunately and despite good intentions that is not working. The article supports many of my thoughts, but fails to make me wonder anything new.

Overall Reaction to Your Research
//What did your research teach you about your original question? How would you sum up what you've learned?// After reading all four of my research articles I learned some about what standards really are and why people find them so controversial. Standards in general are not negative. They are meant to help and guide people in a task, so everyone will meet a certain expectaion. National standards especially education stadards are the highlight of the controversy. The articles explained some of the controversy, such as the government does not fund schools enough to controll them. Traditionally each district decided how to run the schools. National standards are not a bad idea. They would help America get back to the top of world education. The problem is how the government is trying to institute and test the standards. All of the articles agree in some degree that No Child Left Behind had good intentions but a poor execution. Most of my research comfirmed the thoughts I already had.

Relevance in Rhode Island Schools
//How does what you learned in your research inform efforts to reform schools in Rhode Island?// My reasearch can be related to Rhode Island very easily since it is all about national standards, which applies to Rhode Island. The article explains why the standards cause so much controversy. In Rhode Island few people if any are in favor of No Child Left Behind and national or state standards and state testing. The research confirms Rhode Island's addittude. One article suggested changing the standards would not change the issues. In Rhode Island this may be true. The main problem is that the governtment is trying to control education, not how it is being controlling. Everything I learned in my research from the articles can be applied to Rhode Island.