A few years ago, after a long career helping professional writers tell their stories, I decided to teach children the classic art of storytelling. I taught middle school kids and adjudicated youth and little kids too. I wrote the curriculum based on my belief that “If you can write your own life story, you can write your own happy ending.” Kids need to know how to see themselves as the heroes of their own life stories.
In March 2007, when our Kids Talk Story program won a federal contract through No Child Left Behind, my partners and I were thrilled. We’d teach writing to kids who really needed it. We hired and trained teachers. We printed brochures and amassed huge quantities of notebooks, colored pencils, awards ribbons, scissors, glue, etcetera and etcetera. The hardest part? We learned how to do all the paperwork that comes with a government contract. Yikes.
Since then we’ve provided Kids Talk Story to hundreds of children in need. Not only do our students love learning how to write, they show an improvement of 16% in their test scores after only 20 hours of tutoring. Wow, what a high. Kids Talk Story really worked.
And the other programs worked, too. Now remember, these are expensive, well-known programs including Kumon, Mathnasium and yes, Kids Talk Story. Each eligible child receives upwards of a thousand dollars in free services. It’s an amazing deal provided by our government to those children who need it most. We’re a proven success and yet, like other providers, we find that only a small percentage of students take advantage of the program. Why?
When the Feds launched No Child Left Behind, they put the power in the hands of the parents. The parents must choose a program and sign a paper. The parents must make sure the child attends. Unfortunately, as it turns out, low income parents often lack the skills to take advantage of what’s being offered. Perhaps they don’t speak English. Some work three jobs just to keep food on the table. Some, sadly, shouldn’t be parents at all. At the very least, they’re not able to make educational decisions for their children.
Most of us understand the negative value of “teaching to the test.” Most of us would like to have the arts back in the schools. The good news in all of this is that in my travels throughout the Hawaii schools, I’ve met many wonderful teachers and administrators. The people on the front lines know what they’re doing. And as the Department of Education under President Obama continues to detangle NCLB as we now know it, I for one hope the educators can be freed to educate as they see fit.
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