Here's Hoping There's No Reading "Second"

I teach at a Reading First school. This is a multi million dollar grant funded through the NCLB act. I consider GRANT a dirty word. Although RF and NCLB are wonderful in theory, they are totally out of touch with reality. I believe every child can learn, but not all children can learn the same things or amount of information. Every child will learn, but some will never go as far as others. Sad, but true, despite our best efforts.

Reading First mandates (non-negotiables in RF language)have sent me home crying many a night after staying at school until 5 PM trying to meet the goal of completing yet another set of paperwork that has been set before me. How many ways and on how many reports can you write the same thing? As with most federal mandates, there is always "add more" but never "take away." RF is very fluid, meaning what goes today may not go tomorrow. Or worse, what we put in place last year may not fly this year. Who knows? Constantly starting over is about the only permanent thing with RF. As soon as I feel comfortable with one thing, here comes something totally brand new, yet according to RF officials, better.

Legislators should stick to what they know best--politics. Leave the teaching to teachers. Or at the very least, ask the experts (i.e. educators) what is best before passing sweeping legislation that turns our lives, both in the classroom and personally, upside down.

Shame on you, Laura Bush, a former teacher/librarian, for singing the praises of NCLB and RF when you should know what it would entail for dedicated teachers. And shame on me for voting for your husband, who pushed NCLB. That's a vote I will regret for the rest of my career!