I have been reading about the “Pay to Potty” plans in two schools where children had accidents and parents rightly got mad. You would think such a thing couldn’t have happened, and I know that in both situations the schools backed off. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the plan resurfaced again later. While these […]
Who Needs Gifted Education When We’ve Got Common Core and Rigor?
Common Core interjects the idea of rigor into standards for all. So where do gifted students fit in this plan? If every student is meant to accomplish these high standards, are there higher standards for students whose IQ is off the charts, or who have been identified as twice exceptional (students with a disability but […]
Retention’s False Promise: Instead—Better Alternatives
Jeb Bush, in regard to class retention of children in school, one of his signature education reforms, said last week in response to criticism, “God forbid if little Johnny is stressed out. How horrible it is for their self-esteem if they’re held back.” Mr. Bush, who is probably running for president, said this at a […]
Susan Ohanian Champion of Children
One of the nice things about having a blog is you can write about people who you respect and admire. I have not written for a while about anyone, because there are so many people who grab my attention every day for all the positive things they do for children. And also because there are […]
Laura Ingalls Wilder Meets Common Core
When I was a child, in 3rd grade, I fell in love with Little House in the Big Woods. I distinctly remember locating it in the little classroom library. I am not sure if I read it before or after Caddie Woodlawn, another fine chapter book about strong pioneer girls. There were no benchmarks—I don’t […]
Parents of Students with Disabilities Who Love High-Stakes Testing: How to Convince Them Otherwise
Adversaries to ending high-stakes testing are not always misguided education reformers who worship big data, but other parents. Some of the loudest crusaders in favor of high-stakes testing are parents with students who have disabilities. As Congress plans to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), some parents are speaking up against changes that […]
How “Yeee Haw” Howard Dean is Way off Base Concerning Teach for America
How many times were we subjected to Howard Dean’s Yee Haw speech on the news? And how much will the media debate Dean’s words about Teach for America (TFA)? I am guessing, probably not at all, but his words are out there now, with his Salon interview, and he is mistaken when it comes to […]
The High-Stakes Testing/Common Core Connection to New Teacher Ed. Regulations
High-stakes testing, Common Core and teacher education are all interconnected. Controlling for all three is a privatization package deal. For years, there has been a push to deprofessionalize teaching and that includes going to the heart of what makes a good teacher—teacher education. By doing so, the school reformers change the way teachers work. Not […]
College Advising Corps, or Counselors for America—De-professionalizing a Critically Important Role in Public Schools
If you think the concept behind Teach for America, diluting the profession with bright, happy-go-lucky, non-professional college grads, many of whom can’t find jobs in their chosen field, is just for teachers, think again. College Advising Corps could be called Counselors for America. The group might seem different than Teach for America (TFA) because they […]
Some Michigan Special Education History: A Lesson for All States
By Marcie Lipsitt Michigan once had a proud heritage of believing in the educational rights of our students with disabilities. But what has transpired over the past 39 years is not worthy of our history books or a wondrous fairy tale of children’s dreams come true. For Michigan’s 200,000 students with an Individualized Education Programs […]