"No Child Left Behind Act" Ignores Basic Learning Research

The #1 requirement for effective learning to take place is safety. Yet the "No Child Left Behind Act" ignores this crucial element.

Ventura, CA (PRWEB) July 8, 2004 -- What is the number one requirement for learning to take place? SAFETY! A student of any age must feel safe in order for effective learning to take place.

Safety from what? Physical hurt? Definitely. But beyond that, kids must be safe from emotional hurt in all of its forms: ridicule, pressure to perform, fear of failure, fear of not measuring up. It's that simple-kids who are afraid can't learn.

The No Child Left Behind Act sounds good. The idea is to ensure that all children are successful learners. But instead of opening up possibilities for kids, it is shutting them down even further because kids are scared that they will make mistakes, fail the test, or look stupid in front of their classmates. The result?-anger, depression, physical symptoms, acting out behaviors, and not much learning takes place.

America's Learning-Success Coaches Victoria Kindle Hodson and Mariaemma Willis have this to say about the No Child Left Behind Act:

"The intention may be worthy, but it won't work until kids' different learning styles and differing rates of developmental readiness are taken into account. Not ALL first graders are ready to read and not ALL third graders are ready for fractions. But some first graders are ready for fractions and some third graders can read high school level.

Finding out how individual kids learn and what each one is ready to learn will ensure that no child is left behind. Students who experience this type of learning situation feel safe, have a sense of accomplishment, and thrive.

Requiring all kids to learn the same thing at the same time in the same way will merely ensure that more than half of the students in any classroom will NOT learn effectively. Students who experience this type of learning situation learn that they are not very smart or capable and end up feeling angry and resentful. They grow up believing that they can't do much."

If we really want No Child Left Behind, then we need to make learning safe and enjoyable-and not just for the students, but for the teachers, too!

For additional information contact Learning-Success Institute, 805-648-1739, www.learningsuccesscoach.com

Victoria Kindle Hodson & Mariaemma Willis are the co-founders of the Learning-Success Institute and authors of the best-selling book, Discover Your Childs Learning Style ($19.95, ISBN 0-7615-2013-9-available in most bookstores and at their website-www.learningsuccesscoach.com). The authors are available for book signings, media appearances, and speaking engagements.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Mariaemma Willis
Learning-Success Institute
805-648-1739
http://www.learningsuccesscoach.com