Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Observations

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Observations:

Observations

by Mike Klonsky

Here's a few of my favorite observations from this morning's media scan.

There is an “autumn of the patriarch” feel to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg these days. -- Michael Powell, New York Times.

Diane Ravitch

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: There are no silver bullets in education. There are no magic feathers that enable elephants like Dumbo to fly. It's hard work to improve schools. It takes dedication, resources, and time. And the work is never done, the magic number of 100 percent is always out of reach. Just when you think that you've achieved success with this year's students, another new group arrives, each student with his or her issues. Or students leave and arrive mid-year. Or the state changes the testing program or releases new regulations requiring more paperwork. Claims of overnight or one-year