Chapter 6: Accountability for High Standards

The idea of accountability to standards determined by administrators really makes me angry. Students are expected to perform well on tests designed to be multiple choice or maybe an essay and the subject of the tests are only broadly identified as math, or science. This makes no sense in relation to the clear expectations that we are taught to give students. The book identifies the short comings of the system nicely but the idea still makes me angry. I thought the book went a little far into “idealand” when it imagined a world where academics are thought of as highly as athletics, people watch sports for entertainment. I don’t feel the academic achievements should be brought into that conversation even with a sarcastic tone. There is too much pressure for the students to meet somebody’s expectations instead of just letting the learning take place. Go through school, learn what you can, enter the real world and continue to learn what is important to your life.