Whenever we read or hear about special education in public schools, it is important to remember, that since the beginning of Public Law 94-142 (IDEA) in 1975, many policymakers have resisted funding services for students who learn differently. The bill was so unpopular that President Gerald Ford refused to have a Rose Garden signing. Since that […]
My Blogging Anniversary: How Has School Reform Changed in Five Years?
I recently passed the five-year anniversary of when I started writing my blog. What has changed? In this post, I analyze some of the issues I’ve written about over the years. Then, I thank you for your support. Change or lack of change in education can seem dark and foreboding, but there’s a great deal […]
Why Some Parents Turn Their Backs on Public Schools, And What Can Be Done About It
Why do parents remove their children from public schools? Why do they switch to homeschooling, private, or charter schools? What makes them believe that technology is the answer to their child’s problems? Sometimes, it’s simply because they prefer other settings, and they have no complaints about public schooling. But parents who remove their children from […]
The Short Rise and Faster Fall of Special Ed. in the State of Michigan
If Michigan eliminated our state-imposed special education rules, other states’ would fall like dominoes. I could not let that happen. Not without waging a war on the MDE [Michigan Department of Education] and anyone working to deny children with disabilities an education, and hope for a future of independence, and access to the American Dream. […]
Without Professional Teachers, Special Education is a Joke!
How do school districts bypass special education services and get away with it? One way, is to make it look like special education services are being restored, but due to a teacher shortage, the district must rely on teachers without classroom experience. Special education, all teaching really, but special education, especially, demands teaching qualifications. To […]
Bellwether: The Sheep Leading Teachers, Children, and Parents Off the Cliff!
Long ago, it was common practice for shepherds to hang a bell around the neck of one sheep in their flock, thereby designating it the lead sheep. This animal was called the bellwether. ~Mirriam Webster Dictionary Bellwether Education Partners is one of several nonprofits working with school districts around the country to determine how to […]
Slow Learners in the Age of Hyperlearning
Who decides what slow learning is in this country? Every student deserves a free public education with teachers who understand their educational needs. Not only are corporate reformers slamming slow learners, they’re pushing children to grow up faster than is humanely possible. All our children are expected to be hyperlearners! Slooooowly! There is nothing wrong […]
“Stop, Thieves!” DeVos & Company Drive Deregulation and the End of Public Education
Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail, who were good little bunnies, went down the lane to gather blackberries; But Peter, who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr. McGregor’s garden, and squeezed under the gate! First he ate some lettuces and some French beans; and then he ate some radishes; And then, feeling rather sick, he […]
Social-Emotional Learning: The Dark Side
Why would parents and teachers, tired of high-stakes testing in their public schools, wish to sign onto more assessment that tests, tracks, and profiles their child’s behavior online? Good teachers have always built social skills into their classes. Helping children behave and work with each other is second nature to teaching. One can find nice […]
Worries about Tech and the Chan/Zuckerberg $30 Million Support of “Reach Every Reader”
Reading is essential for learning, yet students across the U.S. are completing elementary school with inadequate reading abilities. So begins the announcement in The Harvard Gazette telling us about the new $30 million grant Chan/Zuckerberg will hand over to Harvard’s School of Education and MIT’s Integrative Learning Initiative (MITili). Learning to read, all of us […]