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 […]
Nine Reasons to Look Down on Think it Up
I missed the Think it Up glitz the other night. But I have seen some of the video. So what’s wrong with the wealthy wanting to crowdsource Americans to donate to student/teacher projects that will change the world? Anthony Cody writes a piece about Think it Up on his blog “Living in Dialogue,” and I […]
Aristotle in Kindergarten—What Do Children Miss?
When I read in The New York Times about Matthew Levey, a Columbia alum and former McKinsey consultant, who is setting up the International Charter School of New York, I was stunned! The school is starting out with 70 kindergartners and first graders and will eventually go up to fifth grade. Mr. Levey starting a […]