In the 6.13 Newsweek, Anna Quindlen draws down on a subject near and dear to my heart – the replacement of education with “assessment.” On the whole, she’s “enraged by the process, and by the forced march that seems to have replaced creative thought, critical thinking and joyful learning for so many kids.” Yup. Testing isn’t teaching. Passing scores aren’t knowledge. And the “Texas Miracle” was a put-up job.

Among the high spots:

• “Teachers are under so much pressure to teach to the test that they are sometimes forced to move on hastily and concentrate on the narrow and tedious, to skip over the interesting side issues or questions that make for dynamic learning.”
• “Of course it is important to know that all students have learned to read, that everyone can manage multiplication. But constant testing will no more address the problems with our education system than constantly putting an overweight person on the scale will cure obesity.”
• “The real question for the future is whether, after this barrage of mindless and endless assessment, there will be any inquiring minds left.”

Great piece – something everybody who cares even a little bit about the future of the country should read….

[THX: bellaragazza.]