lies, damned lies, statistics, test scores and achievement

The lies we tell.

We tell a child to read a book because they’ll enjoy it, but inside our aim is to increase vocabulary, or prepare them for a benchmark assessment. You can only be told one thing by a person who means another, even if their intentions are pure, for so long before you begin to tune them out.

Can’t I want children to read both for enjoyment and because it’s good for them?

Of course. But at some point you’ll be in a position to make a choice that will reveal the priority of your intentions.

“Why do I have to take this test?”

A. “Because it helps me see how much you are learning.”

B. “Because I have to. It’s my job.”

C. “You don’t. Go read and enjoy yourself.”

“Every lie is two lies--the lies we tell others, and the lies we tell ourselves to justify it.”