1. Based on The Article by JOE FROST The Changing Culture of Childhood Maria Calderon

2. The Perfect Storm Standardization of Schooling Poverty Lack of Traditional Play A combination of interrelated elements is currently challenging the face of US education and forming a new culture of childhood US education is at a crossroads- How can this crisis be overcome? Crisis 2

3. Standardization of Schooling States seek to achieve an important goal: improving achievement and reducing drop-outs by implementing High –Stakes (“HS”) testing What is NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND?  Enacted by Bush 2002.  All students in grades 3-8 and in one grade in high school must be tested once a year in reading and mathematics.  Students are expected to score at the "proficient" level or above on state-administered make "Adequate Yearly Progress” or “AYP”.  Subgroups of students, including low-income, black, Hispanic, special needs students and English language learners, also must meet AYP standards. If they do not, the entire school is deemed to have failed. http://www.nea.org/home/1256.htm# 3

4. NCLB Background  20 th Century Philosophers (Dewey, Pestalozzi, Froebel, Hall ) did not support HS Testing, since they believed in the importance of Individuality Creativity Community involvement Balancing academics with art and outdoor play.  The Texas Miracle  Arizona State University findings:  Pressure created by HS testing has had almost no impact in academic performance  Negative effect on minority students  Bias against non- English speakers  Illuminated SOS education gap 4

5. NCLB Issues  Latino Scholars contend that high stake testing is harmful to all children but especially poor, minority, ELS students  Teaching to the test is becoming the norm/curriculum According to Frost, HS Testing is damaging to children and teachers emotionally, physically; and intellectually  Replacing the arts, recess, creative inquire and PE  Most brilliant and creative students languish in mediocrity  Emotional impact evident in all children. Worrisome in young children.  Toll on teaching effectiveness, health and creative powers Perhaps the most severe consequences result from States dictating to schools the content of instruction down to the last detail 5

6. Dissolution of Traditional Play "...in the 1970s a Japanese photographer, Keiki Haginoya, undertook what was to be a lifelong project to compile a photo documentary of children’s play on the streets of Tokyo. He gave up the project in 1996, noting that the spontaneous play and laughter that once filled the city’s streets, alleys and vacant lots had utterly vanished.“ New York Times 6

7. Dissolution of Traditional Play  US Play Movement  Supported by Research  The Atlanta Case  40% of US schools are deleting/reducing recess to prepare for tests  Competitive Nature of Society  Summer Camps with a “purpose”  Nature deficit disorder  Technology  Playground Safety  Obesity Epidemic Why is Play Important? 7

8. Playground Safety Standards Standardization of US education extends well beyond the classroom curriculum into playgrounds ARE THESE PLAYGROUNDS UNSAFE? 8

9. Playground Safety Standards IS PLAYGROUND SAFETY SHAPING THE PLAY CULTURE OF OUR CHILDREN? 55 Page National Playground safety Report …and growing Litigation replaces common sense Lack of practice in “Playground skills” make children unsafe for playgrounds vs. Playgrounds unsafe for children Obesity 9

10. Impact of Poverty Source: Unicef. Monroe dragonfly 10

11. Impact of Poverty Positive Correlation between Poverty and lack of school achievement Poverty imposes limits in what NCLB can achieve Is testing really helping us identify underperforming schools, or are Poverty levels a comparable predictor? Half of all children in this decade spend their childhood in urban slums. Most are not prepared for a world valuing verbal skills and the ability to thrive in organizations 11

12. Cycle of Poverty and Low Performing Schools TestingPoverty Low Performing Schools Reduction in Funding Overcrowded Classrooms Lack of Resources Low Student/ Teacher Morale + 12

13. Important Considerations Who is supporting High Stake Testing? The need for Content based testing The need for varied assessment that properly accounts for diverse learners The most powerful policy for improving school achievement is reducing poverty!!!! THE ENGINE THAT DRIVES HS TESTING, DISMISSES THE VALUE OF CHILDREN’S PLAY AND IGNORES THE POOR IS A POLITICAL ENGINE _ JOE FROST 13

14. What would you do? Given what J. Frost calls “The Perfect Storm” please provide three recommendations you would want to implement as policy. 14