Barbara Moss Article

I understand the overwhelming need for teachers to start early with literacy instruction in the early grades. But, I do not think that standarized test should be the only driving force. Students will need comprehension skills no matter where they end up in life. If teachers are always teaching to the test how will they find the extra time to help student with life skills? It is important that teachers spend time helping students make sense of the world and how things are interconnected. I think that some teachers get stuck just trying to expose students to the different kinds of  practice test that they forget to teach important problem solving strategies. I think that teachers can get a early start by extending the topics used by basals to  build  comprehension skills. Personally I believe that comprehension is the key to effective literacy instruction and if students cannot understand the material then they will naturally have poor scores as a result. With the new expecations on teachers I wonder can teachers teach to the whole child and still maintain a balance?