I just read an article by Dick Iannuzzi about the latest buzz word in re-inventing the wheel of education.  I was encouraged that he stated, “teachers live and breathe accountability…”  A truer statement was never made. Such things as classroom management and content skills are tested daily.  Teachers are reviewed each year in some way.  Then we have school report cards and standardized tests that are also used to evaluate teachers.  I wanted to yell “yes!” when Mr. Iannuzzi stated that,” [a]ccountability  starts first with students.”  It seems that there is so much hand holding and second chances for students when in the first place they are not always held accountable for their actions, inappropriate verbal comments, and lack of school productivity.  Some of the time, they don’t care and will make it very clear that they don’t care.  Remember the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make him drink”?  I know this is part of our job to watch over each and every student, yet I can’t help sometimes feeling, should I take time to badger a student who doesn’t care or use the time with students who are truly engaged and want to learn?   I worry about the state making teachers, and administrators accountable for their students or school districts based on test scores.  I know for myself, I was an excellent student, but a lousy test taker.  So, should that reflect badly on the teacher?  I don’t think so.  The article goes on to say there “is little evidence that student test scores are an effective means of evaluating individual teachers….” 

It seems that Mr. Iannuzzi is definitely the voice of the teacher when he says that “‘teachers instinctively  know about student performance… because teachers toil on behalf of [students] every day’”.  He brilliantly asks, “perhaps its time someone asked a teacher.”  We do know our students best.   We build a rapport with them, encourage them, cheer for them, listen to them and teach them.  However, a test score will reflect on the overall job of the teacher? 

After the student, came the parents being accountable. Parents certainly want to know how their child is doing or why their child is failing.  Yet, how often are they actually accountable for the study habits or productivity of their own child? 

Accountability needs to be placed on the proper shoulders.  Yes, data and test scores have their place.  I am not sure it belongs on the shoulders of evaluating teachers. Today, a teacher wears many hats and performs several jobs that are never taught in college during the preparation of becoming a teacher.  This profession is overwhelming and so rewarding all at the same time.  I agree when the article stated, that teaching is an art and being an effective teacher, “‘can’t be measured by a test alone.’”