Full Description
It's clear that American public education has been under assault for more than the last 30 years. So much of the Age of Accountability has focused on blame, both of teachers and those who prepare them. Somehow, unlike in other professions, declarations were made to the effect that anyone could teach better than teachers, including business leaders and people from tony universities without teacher preparation.
The Age of Accountability scrutinizes the attack on teachers through weaponized data. While an effective corporate tool to improve bottom-line goals, its use in education became more sinister and misanthropic. International PISA scores imply the mediocre ability of American students, fueling a belief that American education needed more than an upgrade. The only answer that would placate many was a complete upheaval, a redefinition of a teacher and who should be permitted to become one. We teachers ceded authority to these business and legislative forces. Their subsequent fervor for testing overwhelmed teaching and drove the joy out of schooling for students. It is time for a recounting of what has been done to the profession and to our children. Young teachers need encouragement and veteran teachers need reminding of their valiant and effective efforts.
Contents
Introduction: Sifting Through Detritus
Chapter 1: An Old Dream
Chapter 2: What Echoes On
Chapter 3: False Prophets and Misdirection
Chapter 4: The Coarsening of Our Discourse
Chapter 5: Premise
Chapter 6: Permutations
Chapter 7: Impact on the Profession
Chapter 8: The Pipeline Thereby Suffers
Chapter 9: Computer Impact
Chapter 10: Arrows Aimed at Academia and the Archers Admired
Chapter 11: Real Stress, Real Anxiety, Real Harm
Chapter 12: Hey, You Want to be Finnish? Then Listen to the Finns!
Chapter 13: The Wane of Reading in Favor of the Testable
Chapter 14: Here's an Idea: Take the Best Teachers and Kill Them with Work!
Chapter 15: The Attack on Tenure
Chapter 16: Contemporary Disruptors to the Classroom Experience: The Computer and the Assailant
Chapter 17: America, Where Everyone Holds an Idea About Teaching
Chapter 18: Terms for Moving Forward Together
Bibliography
Index
