The problem is that teachers teach to the test, and students are turned off and frequently hostile to classes that are more like laboratories than active classrooms where discussions of literature are spontaneous and where both teacher and students share a sense of discovery. The operative word today is accountability. The state holds each town accountable for the success of its curriculum as determined by a state-created test. The town holds the teacher responsible for the success rate of his or her students. And of course the student must pass the test for the transcript to certify that he or she is a success.
Fear becomes almost visible in the room.
Although these words are never spoken, they are always in the air. Safety for the teacher resides in preparation formulas and techniques. You can always go by the book. Iwas always interested in results, too, but mine couldn't easily be measured. I'm not sure these outcomes can be measured.