I see Washington Post Columnist Jay Matthews as someone who usually cheerleads for privatization of public schools. I take issue with his Sunday Washington Post article “How can a special education student fail finals yet pass? Sadly, it’s easy.” Oh help! Is this not a case of the right hand not being able to find […]
Using Student Journal Writing to Fight Bad School Reform
Every student should have a journal including most students with disabilities and ELL students. Journal writing is one of the best teaching techniques to show students that their voice matters and that their schools are about who they are and what they do. It also teaches students many writing skills. It is a 180 degree […]
Challenge to the Common Core King and Queen: Get Involved Really!
Bill and Melinda Gates say “Working on reforming the U.S. education system is the hardest job they’ve ever tackled — even more difficult and complex than trying to find a cure for malaria.” Their hardest job? Are they kidding? Sitting in an ivory palace pulling school reform ideas off the top of your head is […]
Learning Matters: The Truth about Our Schools—In England and the U.S.
School privatization is happening around the world. It should come as no surprise that many countries have the same draconian reforms foisted on their public schools like the U.S. I find it interesting to learn how other countries run their schools and the similarities and differences between their systems and ours. Learning Matters: The Truth […]
The Duncan/King Robots and the Revolving Door
Much rejoicing took place Friday when it was first announced that Arne Duncan was leaving the Obama administration early. Social media was a-buzz poking fun at the Secretary of Education who will now ride into the sunset to make money likely in the private sector, probably with something having to do with children. When you […]
The Trouble with “Disruption” and its Effect on Children
Disruption has become a popular buzzword in regard to schooling. Education reformers like to say disruption is a good thing—like shaking up a kaleidoscope to get a pretty picture. Never mind that those beautiful little pebbles in the kaleidoscope are real children. Nor is it with certainty that once you shake things up the picture […]
Highlighting Websites, Blogs and Books!
Back in August I passed the two year mark since I started this blog! Today I would like to draw your attention to many wonderful blogs, websites and books about education which I have been collecting like rare coins for the last year. I already listed many others when I first started this crusade. Check […]
Purging U. S. Education History: Ignoring Past Mistakes and Successes
History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again. Maya Angelou They are doing strange things to Colleges of Education in this country, and one of the weirdest is dropping education history courses from required teacher preparation. According to Education Week there is a decline in […]
Take the CEO and Policymaker Challenge—Teach A Year in a Poor Public School!
I would like to challenge CEOs and education policymakers, and anyone else who thinks they know best what teachers should do, even though they have never been in a classroom, except perhaps for a few photo opts, to take the teaching challenge. Spend at least a semester teaching in a poor public school, which now, […]
The Republican Debate: Did YOU Hear Education Mentioned?
I did not remain glued to the screen when the debate was on last night, so when I stepped away, maybe it was then that they mentioned education and public schools. I must have missed it. Yes. I’m sure that was it. My guess is that they thoroughly discussed, at some point, the backbone of […]