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Monday, December 31, 2012

Diane in the Evening 12-31-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog





Noa Rosinplotz Speaks for Herself!

Earlier today, I published an essay about testing (“The Voice of a Data-Point”) by a sixth-grade student, Noa Rosinplotz. Her story was so thoughtful and well-written that some commenters could not believe it was written by a sixth grade student. I emailed Noa and asked her to read the comments and respond. This is what she wrote:
“This is Noa, original writer of the letter. I’m responding to all the comments that I’m not actually in sixth grade or that someone else wrote my letter for me. While my mom did read what I wrote, to make sure it wasn’t “obnoxious” (as she put it), she didn’t make any written edits and I wrote the letter entirely by myself. I used other sources, like Diane Ravitch’s book, for information, but every word in the letter not in quotation marks was entirely my own. The fact that I’m not a certified adult educator shouldn’t make people doubt the authenticity of 


Common Core and the Fiction/Non-Fiction Question

Education Week has an article by Catherine Gewertz saying that defenders of the Common Core are out in full force to quell the uproar about whether CC will mean less fiction.
It is interesting that the two loudest voices defending CC are Jeb Bush’s Foundation for Educational Excellence and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, both quite conservative groups.
The way the issue is framed unfortunately misses the point, at least the point that I and others have raised.
Why do the CC standards mandate a proportionate split between fiction and non-fiction?
Who thought it was necessary to turn NAEP’s instruction

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-31-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 32 minutes ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Love Is the Answer by dianerav Please read about Mr. Wright, a brilliant physics teacher in Louisville. An award-winning film was made about him, not just because of his vivacious, unorthodox teaching style, but because of his love for his son, who was born profoundly disabled. Please read the story about him in the New York Times and watch the video. The video is amazing. It will make you grateful for your blessings. It will humble you. It might change your life. An Ally Offers His Help to You by diane... more »