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In a time when teachers are being held more and more accountable for how well students learn, it is becoming very important for teachers to be flexible when it comes to their teaching methods. Much of the accountability issue is largely due to the signing of the No Child Left Behind Act, also referred to as NCLB, in 2002 by President George W. Bush. The No Child Left Behind Act was established to “close the achievement gap among all students and ensure high academic standards”(“No Child Left Behind”). The Act went on to list all of the goals and expectations the government expected the national school systems to be able to satisfy by 2005. Included amongst the goals was “Improving Teacher Quality”. The theory behind this goal was that student learning will improve when states set ambitious academic standards, align assessments to the standards, and hold schools and teachers accountable for how well students meet the national and state standards (Cross). Once this law was passed, the education profession, as a whole, was put under greater scrutiny, with much of the focus being drawn to the teachers and the demands for better instruction in the classroom.

In the past few years there have been increasing demands for teachers to be “highly qualified” in all of the subjects in which they teach. By the federal government’s standards, a highly qualified teacher is one who has at least a bachelor’s degree, along with a full teaching certification, and mastery in each subject area they teach. It is up to each state to determine the specifications for both teacher certification and subject mastery in their individual school systems (Schleicher). In order to try and meet the standards that are being set by both the state and federal government, there have been many recommendations on new ways to ensure a better quality of those entering the teaching profession. Future teachers may soon find themselves having to fulfill many new requirements before graduating with their certifications. Some of those requirements may include completing additional courses in general education, attending courses that link instructional method courses with subject-area courses, and participating in longer observations and student-teaching experiences so that they may receive more knowledge of the in-class environment (Cross). Their willingness to comply with these new standards is proof of their continued flexibility in preparing for the demands of the classroom. Up and coming teachers, have already begun to see the need for increased education despite the fact that it is not yet required by many states.

In order to make sure that educators are able to teach their subject in the most efficient and effective ways they can, it is often prudent for them to take developmental classes to further their education even after they have graduated college. According to an American School Board Journal that was released in April of 2002, teachers are expected to teach more demanding standard-based curricula and often find that they too need to be instructed in the new subject area content and effective ways to teach the subject (Cross).

As for those teachers that have already graduated from college and are already working in a classroom environment, there have also been discussions on ways to ensure that they too, are meeting the necessary standards within the classroom. It is important that teachers and the administration work together to ensure that all state standards are met. By discovering new ways to capture the interest of students, presenting curriculum in an easy, comprehensive manner and striving to ensure that each student can reach their full potential; educators are ensuring that no child is left behind.

These days it’s not just the new teachers that have to take additional courses to remain flexible. Many educators teaching with a maximum background of a Bachelor’s Degree have begun taking steps to continue their education and receive their Master’s Degree. Many teachers also attend classes annually to keep informed of all the changes to the curriculum and to learn new techniques to implement in the classroom.

So what does this mean for those going into the field of teaching? How can one remain flexible when the government and society are set on making them accountable for how their students perform? As of now, there are many steps being taken by teachers to stay flexible despite the accountability factor. Because much of the curriculum that is taught in classrooms is based upon the set standards of the state assessment tests, many teachers feel that they are teaching for the assessment tests. One way to work around these tests is to assess the needs of each student. The teacher would need to prepare materials based on the ability of the student to absorb the content being taught. They would also need to be able to provide ample time and patience to create a suitable learning environment (Mowry). According to a policy brief from the Education Commission of the State, otherwise known as the ECS, teachers can significantly impact how a student learns. If teachers take time to make themselves available to their students they can have a great influence on how their students learn and can potentially help shape their lives. Teachers should also be able to help their students become comfortable with the testing process. By helping students prepare for the assessment testing and offering incentives for learning it might be possible for educators to boost assessment test scores. As you can see the flexibility of today’s educators is an important tool in the classroom. As state laws and the need to improve education continues to change so to will the increased need of flexibility within the classroom. Without this flexibility, teachers would fail in their objective to provide a quality education for all students (Mowry).

Bibliography

(n.d.). No Child Left Behind. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from http://www.vbschools.com/schools/nclb/index.asp)

Cross, C. T., & Rigden, D. W. (2002, April). Improving teacher Quality. National School Board Association. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from http://www.asbj.com/2002/04/0402coverstory2.html

Schleicher, A., & Rigden, D. W. (2006, August 30). Teacher Accountability. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from http://www.pbs.org/newhour/bb/education/nclb/accountability.html

Allen, M., & Rigden, D. W. (1999). Student Results and Teacher Accountability. Retrieved September 18, 2006, from http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/12/28/1228..htm

Sidebar: A report released in mid-August, by the Federal Government, stated that no state has yet achieved the goal proposed in the "No Child Left Behind" act of 2002.

Multiple Choice Questions: 1.	Which of the following is not part of the government qualification standards for teachers? A.	Bachelor’s Degree B.	Full teaching certificate C.	Master’s Degree D.	Mastery in subjects taught

2.	What requirements might face new educators in the future? A.	Completion of additional courses in general education B.	Participation in longer classroom observations C.	Participate in longer student teaching experiences D.	All of the above

3.	Rebecca is a third grade teacher. She spent several hours talking with students to see how much they learned last year. This is an example of: A.	Assessing student’s need B.	Creating suitable learning environment C.	Offering incentives for learning D.	Influencing student learning

4.	Which method is not used by educators to ensure that “No Child is Left Behind”? A.	Reading a wide variety of self-help books B.	By discovering new ways to capture interest of students C.	Presenting curriculum in an easy, comprehensive manner D.	Striving to ensure that each student can reach their full potential

5.	Jeff’s class is learning multiplication. Although it’s not required he tells his students, if the memorize their multiplication facts, they can earn a pizza party. This is an example of : A.	Creating suitable learning environment B.	Assessing student needs C.	Offering incentives for learning D.	None of the above

Essay Question: Why is flexibility important? How will you implement it in your classroom?

Multiple Choice Answers:

1.	C

2.	D

3.	A

4.	A

5.	C