Are We Fixing the Wrong Things?

31 Yong Zhao 2006 Are We Fixing the Wrong Things? In a provocative article, included appropriately enough in an issue of Educational Leadership with the theme "Challenging the Status Quo," Michigan State professor Yong Zhao makes the case that many school reforms of the past two decades have "overlook(ed) the real problem and (tried) to fix something that wasn't really broken." We make a mistake, Zhao believes, when we "chase after test scores" by narrowing curriculum and reducing opportunities for innovative thinking. "The secret weapon that has helped the United States remain an economic leader and innovation powerhouse is the creative, risk-taking, can-do spirit of its people. This spirit is not normally measured in standardized tests or compared in international studies." See if you agree. Zhao, Y. (2006). Are we fixing the wrong things? Educational leadership (Vol. 63 No. 8, May 2006). Retrieved from ASCD 14 May 2008. http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.459dee008f99653fb85516f762108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journaltypeheaderimage=%2FASCD%2Fimages%2Fmultifiles%2Fpublications%2Felmast.gif&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_viewID=article_view&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journalmoid=90775cb15ebfa010VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_articlemoid=eac75cb15ebfa010VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journalTypePersonalization=ASCD_EL&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.459dee008f99653fb85516f762108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_ws_MX&javax.portlet.prp_d5b9c0fa1a493266805516f762108a0c_journaltypeheaderimage=%2FASCD%2Fimages%2Fmultif