Wednesday, August 29, 2012

On being on the edge of the possible, « Deborah Meier on Education

On being on the edge of the possible, « Deborah Meier on Education:


On being on the edge of the possible,

Fellow teachers past and present; and allies. I miss not being there in the schoolhouse next week. But I fear it’s not the kind of re-entry I nostalgically recall–as we all re-gathered together.
It hurts when I realize how hard it is and will be to get “the” public seeing the world of schooling as so many of us do. For example, read the Phi Delta poll, even recognizing the softness of poll data on complex issues, it’s pretty discouraging. The country seems split on whether students and parents who choose private schools should do so “at public expense.” 44% say they favor it and 55% oppose. That’s worrisome. 90% think common core standards would either improve eduction or have no effect. 58% think “illegal” students shouldn’t get a free eduction or free lunch or free anything. (My first instinct is to want to…do something evil to them!) On using