Monday, January 17, 2005

Tutoring: the false solution

Propaganda won't fix No Child Left Behind
... And as The Post reported last week, Palm Beach County and other districts have not done well setting up free tutoring programs, which could be NCLB's most promising feature. Only 27 percent of eligible students in Palm Beach plan to enroll. Nationally, the figure is 10 percent, a dismally low rate for which parents share responsibility.
Ok, so how exactly does tutoring happen? At night when children struggling at school are totally exhausted, and when any ADHD meds are no longer effective? On weekends instead of other activities a child needs?

Tutoring has its place, but it's a poor alternative to providing appropriate educational interventions when children have supportive groups, have meds on board (if needed), and are in an optimal physical state to learn. Tutoring is very much second best to child specific appropriate educational interventions and child-appropriate goals.

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