The ultimate purpose of learning is to teach children how to use their minds well. There are public schools across the country that are effective at helping students to develop fully their capacity to learn and think critically. What are the federal policies and pedagogical approaches that best support these schools? Which policy assumptions undermine effective learning in our schools? How can the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act rise above No Child Left Behind’s focus on preparing students for standardized tests? These are questions you should be asking school officials.
The Kennewick School Board has taken the position that test scores in reading and math are the primary drivers of the school program. Although we believe reading and math are very important, the demands of the new millennium require a far broader school program that focuses on the needs of the whole child.
One of the problems with a curriculum that is designed to raise test scores in a limited number of disciplines is that it tends to neglect higher level thinking skills. Huge amounts of time spent on drill and practice cut out the very activities that contribute to better thinking practices. We believe that learning these skills in Kennewick is usually left to chance until students reach upper level courses in high school or college. Children who do not learn to think productively at an early age are at a disadvantage compared to those who do so at home or through out of school activities. If your child’s school is not actively promoting higher-level thinking you can insist that they begin such a program. In the meantime, there are many things you can do at home.
Here is an article to get you started: higher-level-thinking-skills-an-outline-of-some-of-the-components
