ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the authors discuss the elementary school curriculum from two perspectives—that of a college professor (Myra) and a classroom teacher (Amie). They begin first with Myra’s experience at the college level as an instructor and a supervisor of student teachers and then situate her experiences within a national context. The authors examine Amie’s experiences as a New York City (NYC) teacher compelled to make difficult decisions about the education of her students. One of the more startling results of the NYC curriculum mandates in reading and math has been the marginalization, and even squeezing out, of social studies and science. Individual teachers and researchers are finding the same thing. In a report prepared by the staff of Social Education, the journal of the National Council for the Social Studies, a sampling of teachers across the country who teach at different grade levels were asked about the impact of No Child Left Behind on their teaching.
