Two ads on television need to be discussed because they each send problematic messages to the general public about teaching. GAP Back to School Ad The most recent is a back to school ad by GAP. This ad might seem upbeat, but these actions demonstrate student compliance. If you disagree, ask yourself, how many prestigious […]
“Imploding” Healthcare and Destroying Public Schools and Picnics
That’s the standard technique of privatization: defund, make sure things don’t work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital. ~Noam Chomsky “Imploding” the Healthcare System is Frightening and Unnecessary When it comes to healthcare, many breathed a sigh of relief. Because of Democrats and three courageous Republicans, it looks like there will […]
Peer Tutoring: When is it Student Exploitation?
How much should children help each other learn? Peer tutoring, or peer-assisted learning, is trendy. Search the literature and it’s all over the place, although much of the research involves peer tutoring in higher education. When does peer tutoring cross the line? How much tutoring should a child do, or get? Is the tutee (child […]
Teaching and Purpose: A Response to Bill Gates and his Purpose Problem
I recently ran across Bill Gates’s blog. He was reviewing Yuval Noah Harari’s book Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow. The title of his post was, “The Purpose Problem: What if People Run Out of Things to Do?” Gates ironically reflects on what it means to have purpose in one’s life. I say ironically, […]
Betsy DeVos Speaks About Special Education!
While parents wonder what will happen to their children with disabilities and their schooling due to the possibility of cuts to Medicaid, we’ve wondered, where’s Betsy? As families try to make sense of the information provided online by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, it would be nice to see DeVos speak out in support […]
Will Medicaid Cuts Mean the Death of Special Education?
The new American Health Care Act (AHCA) will be a disaster for children with special needs. The GOP still doesn’t discuss what those cuts will mean to children with disabilities, even though they appear to be praying awfully hard. Back in May, in a PBS report with Judy Woodruff, correspondent William Brangham told us that […]
Why Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Graduation Plan Is “Cruel”
Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt By now most have heard about Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s Graduation Plan to make students describe what they will do after school in order to get […]
Dallas Dance: Dancing Into School Districts with Digital Devices
Resigned BCPS Superintendent Dallas Dance Takes Consulting Jobs By Joanne C. Simpson Dallas Dance could be coming to a school district near you. For a visit anyway. Dance’s new role after leaving his $287,000 annual superintendent job at Baltimore County Public Schools after June 30–at least two national consulting gigs. Both companies, MGT Consulting Group […]
Public Schools and Freedom: A New Threat as We Celebrate This 4th of July
I wish to dedicate this post to the woman I’m calling America’s librarian, Joan Kramer, who lost her battle with cancer last week. Joan fought for children, their libraries, and their schools, bolstering us with her strong but kind ways. I felt it was important to acknowledge her this 4th of July. A hero and […]
Florida Business Leaders Can’t Enjoy Luncheon Due to Dismal Reading Scores
Florida business leaders got together for lunch and the mood was somber. They were sad because children in Manatee and Bradenton are not reading well. And they’re right. In Sarasota, 29 percent of third graders aren’t reading at grade level. In Manatee, it’s 50 percent. Between both counties, 40 percent of third graders are having […]