Children in California are not reading well. The New York Times reports that lawyers are suing the state on behalf of three schools, one a charter, for not following state literacy experts who are concerned about students learning English, those with disabilities, and African American and Hispanic students. Here are some thoughts when it comes […]
USDOE Special Ed. Director Nominee’s Ties to Common Core and Personalized Learning
President Trump recently nominated Johnny Collett from Kentucky to be the assistant secretary of education for special education and rehabilitation services for the U.S. Department of Education. Collett once taught high school as a special education teacher, though it is unclear if his college major is special education. But, unlike Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, he […]
Teachers or Technology? 12 Tech Takeover Concerns
Teachers in Boston are all aglow over personalized learning—teaching students how to learn on digital devices. But there’s something strange about learning how to help computers do a teacher’s job—like maybe tomorrow teachers will show up for work and their key will no longer open the classroom door. LearnLaunch Institute’s MassNet program is one of […]
Piecemeal Privatization of Arts and Music in Public Schools
So you think you saw the Easter Bunny this morning? But you’re not sure. The current status of the arts and music are like that in our public schools. One might think these subjects are returning, they’re back…or, not really. Just like the hippity-hoppity bunny that moves in lightning speed, privatization of public schools is sneaky […]
Common Core’s Next Generation Science Standards! Where’s the Debate?
My dear young fellow,’ the Old-Green-Grasshopper said gently, ‘there are a whole lot of things in this world of ours you haven’t started wondering about yet. Roald Dahl, from James and the Giant Peach We have heard little about Next Generation Science Standards which are being pushed into schools across the country, yet NGSS is […]
The Stealth Campaign Against Public Schools and the Public Space
Sheila posted this exactly two years ago and her words are still stunning. The post has been recirculating and I wanted to highlight it. Many thanks to Sheila Resseger for her passionate and pointed writing. By Sheila Resseger, M.A. Instead of seeing these children for the blessings that they are, we are measuring them only […]
Educating Betsy DeVos
Betsy DeVos does not understand what it is like to teach in any school let alone poor public schools. She does not understand what the lives of real teachers and students are like. She does not understand the problems facing many of America’s children. These problems won’t be solved with a voucher. They also won’t […]
President Obama’s “Bubble” and Our Fear of Losing America’s Democratic Public Schools
In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Martin Luther King, Jr. We become so secure in our bubbles, that we start only accepting information, whether it’s true or not, that fits our opinions. President Obama’s Farewell Address, January 10, 2017 On Martin Luther King, […]
Rotting School Buildings and Magical Digital Learning Transformation
The key issue to watch in 2017 is the spiraling drive to privatize public schools through digital learning. One way this is done is through charter schools. Another strategy could be by not funding the upkeep of public school facilities then recreating them as blended learning schools. Allowing schools to crumble in order to justify […]
Fast ForWord Computer Reading Program is KindaSlow!
When technology fails, shouldn’t there be accountability–like real teachers? In Gainesville, Florida, home of the prestigious University of Florida, the Alachua School District spent $1.19 million on a reading computer program called Fast ForWord. But children who did Fast ForWord did worse than children not participating in the program! Will the company Scientific Learning pay […]