Diane Speaks
I just wanted to put forth some of what Diane Ravitch talked about in her recent appearance here in Seattle at the elementary/middle school principals convention.
- She opened by pointing to the Chehalis Caribbean band who had been entertaining the crowd beautifully as people filtered into the room. To big applause she asked, "Where does that show up on a test?"
- She pointed out that no nation whose K-12 students are performing well are using any of the tactics/techniques being pushed here in the U.S. Not charters, not frequent student/teacher testing, not merit pay and not vouchers.
- She said that 40-50% of teachers leave within five years and there should be a way to make teaching more stable and attractive. That said, she stated she could understand why, in the last five years, more teachers have left. No one wants to be overworked, underpaid AND now, demonized by people who should know better.
- She got a big laugh when she said that carrots and sticks were for donkeys, not people.
- She received a big hand when she pointed out that a lot of ed reform takes away local control. That's a