A Teacher of Latin Writes In Defense of Fiction
In response to the discussion about the time allotted to fiction and non-fiction in the Common Core standards, a teacher writes:
One of the things that really bothers me about this mandate is the devaluing of fiction.
Right now we are foolishly engaging in a short-sighted culture of thinking that the only things that matter are “practical” and “measurable”.
Hence, the importance of non-f. Yet, in many ways I have learned more about science, math and history from
One of the things that really bothers me about this mandate is the devaluing of fiction.
Right now we are foolishly engaging in a short-sighted culture of thinking that the only things that matter are “practical” and “measurable”.
Hence, the importance of non-f. Yet, in many ways I have learned more about science, math and history from
The Secret Deals Behind Zuckerberg’s $100 Million Gift to Newark
Jersey Jazzman reports on a massive dump of emails about Mark Zuckerberg’s gift of $100 million to “save” Newark’s schools. The emails were released on Christmas Eve, with the expectation that no one would notice them. There never was any expectation that much of the money would reach the children of Newark. A big chunk has been used to pay consultants, but the largest portion is being applied to underwrite merit pay in the Newark teachers’ contract. This will make that contract a national model, but only if Mark Zuckerberg is willing to pony
Can High-Quality Schools Be Mass Produced?
John Merrow raised this question in his PBS show about Rocketship charters.
I have not visited one of these schools so do not pass judgement on them. I can say without qualification that I would not want my grandchildren to attend a school where children spent two hours a day in front of a computer screen doing point and click. I have heard that these charters offer no art or music. I hope that’s not true. I will wait to hear from others.
But the key question here is: Is it possible to “mass produce” a high quality school.
My assumption here is that the goal is to cut costs by replacing teachers with computers and having a “system”
I have not visited one of these schools so do not pass judgement on them. I can say without qualification that I would not want my grandchildren to attend a school where children spent two hours a day in front of a computer screen doing point and click. I have heard that these charters offer no art or music. I hope that’s not true. I will wait to hear from others.
But the key question here is: Is it possible to “mass produce” a high quality school.
My assumption here is that the goal is to cut costs by replacing teachers with computers and having a “system”
How the Profit Motive Changes Education
A reader writes in response to a post last night about Diana Senechal’s article on Big Ideas in education. I added that many of the Big Ideas today are driven by the profit motive, and Diana wrote to say that she did not make that point. I did. This reader shares his or her experience with the way profit changes education:
“Yes, your article did not emphasize how the profit motive has skewed what is valued in education today. I value Liberal Arts, but I’m glad Diane mentioned this, because it really needs to be stated and underscored, over and
“Yes, your article did not emphasize how the profit motive has skewed what is valued in education today. I value Liberal Arts, but I’m glad Diane mentioned this, because it really needs to be stated and underscored, over and
A Message for Reformers
This is a message for corporate reformers from Katie Osgood.
I hope it will be read carefully by the folks at Democrats for Education Reform, Stand for Children, ALEC, Teach for America, Education Reform Now, StudentsFirst, the Gates Foundation, the Walton Foundation, the Broad Foundation, the Dell Foundation, Bellweather Partners, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, the Heartland Institute, the NewSchools Venture Fund, and, of course, the U.S. Department of Education.
Please forgive me if I inadvertently left
I hope it will be read carefully by the folks at Democrats for Education Reform, Stand for Children, ALEC, Teach for America, Education Reform Now, StudentsFirst, the Gates Foundation, the Walton Foundation, the Broad Foundation, the Dell Foundation, Bellweather Partners, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, the Heartland Institute, the NewSchools Venture Fund, and, of course, the U.S. Department of Education.
Please forgive me if I inadvertently left
How a Cynical Narrative Can Advance Privatization
Dennis Sparks has written a powerful post about the narrative of failure and decline that is now being cynically employed to privatize public education. Many of those now telling this story stand to benefit by taking over schools, firing teachers, and replacing them with computers, or selling the computers and software that replace the teachers. Or selling the tests that prove that no one knows anything and then sells the test prep materials to
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 12-29-12
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG
DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG
Diane in the Evening 12-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Newtown Changed Everything by dianerav David Kirp is one of our most perceptive thinkers and writers about education. You will enjoy his new book about a wonderful public school in New Jersey. It is called “Improbable Scholars.” In this *MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog* coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Why the Double Standards? by dianerav Arthur Goldstein, who teaches ESL and English in a Queens, New York, high school, writes ... more »
