Commencement speaker blasts students
Here’s a new one in the annals of commencement speakers: A teacher at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts gave his address to the Class of 2012 and blasted the students, telling them over and over, “You’re not special.” Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]
‘Turning and turning in the widening gyre’
This *was written by William J. Mathis, managing director of the National Education Policy Center at the University of Colorado at Boulder,, a member of the Vermont State Board of Education, and a former school superintendent. The views expressed are his own.* Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]
The most useless standardized tests
This *was written by Fred Smith, a retired New York City Board of Education senior analyst who worked for the public school system in test research and development. A version of this post first appeared on citylimits.org* Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]
Charter renewed for controversial school but questions remain
The Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School has won a four-year extension of its charter from the Anne Arundel Board of Education, but it has been ordered to make a number of major operational changes. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]
‘Flipping’ classrooms: Does it make sense?
One of the biggest trends in classroom teaching is the “flipped classroom,” which lives up to its name: Students learn lessons at home — with the help of videos and/or other materials their teachers provide — and then do their “homework” in class, getting individualized help from the teacher and working with other students. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]
The ‘Wild Wild West’ of D.C. schools: A charter school parent’s view
This *was written by Allison Brown, a former trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice in the Civil Rights Division’s Educational Opportunities Section, and a parent. She founded an education consulting firm that works with school districts and schools to focus on federal compliance through equity and collaboration with students, parents, and communities. Her email address is allison@allisonbrownconsulting.com.* Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]
How College Board can move past SAT blunder
Once it became widely known that the College Board was allowing students who paid $4,500 for a special summer college prep program to take the SAT in August when nobody else could, it was only a matter of time before the plan collapsed. That’s what happened today when the board called off the heavily criticized Aug. 3 SAT, admitting it had made a big mistake. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]