The Education Revolution—we hear these words a lot lately referring to public schools. Public schools have always incorporated changes to the curriculum. Some have worked and some have not. But the overhaul to make technology-driven charter schools is unproven and drastic. Here’s a list of Silicon Schools. They are charter schools. Groups like the Relay […]
The Best Gift for Children: Saying NO to Summit Online Learning
During this holiday and Christmas season, salute the fine parents of Cheshire, Connecticut who said NO to Summit online learning! Theresa Commune said her 11-year-old son just wanted more attention from teachers than he was getting. “They need teachers to get them to love learning at this stage,” she said. Especially great is that parent […]
Robots for Students with Autism vs. Real Therapists and Teachers
Helping a child on the autistic spectrum with communication is important. A new trend appears to be the use of robots for social instruction. But what are the ethical concerns when it comes to using robots with our most vulnerable students? Will robots take the place of teachers and therapists? It is important to note […]
Learning and Happiness: The Problem with Social-Emotional Learning
Happiness is a real factor when it comes to learning. It’s important to a child’s identity formation and how they relate to their environment (see study below). But can you teach happiness? There’s a push for social-emotional learning (SEL) which leads some to think that happiness can be taught. But SEL is not what it […]
“Personalized Learning” is NOT Working for High School Students
Backed by major philanthropists and investors such as Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, the ed-tech industry has aggressively pushed the idea of “personalized learning.” But on the ground, the concept remains nebulous, and research evidence remains thin. ~Benjamin Herold. Education Week, September 21, 2017 Will students graduate high school with what they need to go […]
Public Schools and Texas Priorities
Texas has their share of students in poverty, so why did the Katy Independent School District spend $72.1 million on a new football stadium? Remember a few months ago when we learned how the state had shut students with special needs out of services due to an unlawful cap? State officials did not seem to […]
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 […]
How to Find Out if A Teacher is Qualified
School districts used to be vigilant about ensuring teachers had state credentials. That no longer appears to be the case. Many online programs are unaccredited, and fast-track teacher preparation programs put almost anyone in the classroom with little educational background. However, a parent has the right to know who’s teaching their child. If you’re a […]
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 […]
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, […]