Exploring the Origins of the Common Core
Jim Martinez decided to research the sources of the Common Core State Standards. Given their importance as a redesign of the nation’s highly decentralized education system, we can expect to see many more such efforts to understand the origins of this important document.
“Engaging the nonsense – a brief investigation of the Common Core”
A teacher asked me where the Common Core came from, another suggested that I “teach” the Common Core in my Master’s degree level courses.
So my curiosity got the best of me and I spent some time understanding something about Common Core from my perspective as a scholar and educator.
My first discovery is that the Common Core is a political document. That may seem fairly obvious, but what I
“Engaging the nonsense – a brief investigation of the Common Core”
A teacher asked me where the Common Core came from, another suggested that I “teach” the Common Core in my Master’s degree level courses.
So my curiosity got the best of me and I spent some time understanding something about Common Core from my perspective as a scholar and educator.
My first discovery is that the Common Core is a political document. That may seem fairly obvious, but what I
What If YOU Were Secretary of Education?
Brian Jones, elementary teacher and doctoral student in New York City, here presents what he would do if he were Secretary of Education.
Please read it. After you do, if you are so inclined, please explain what you would do if you were asked by President Obama to take the job
Please read it. After you do, if you are so inclined, please explain what you would do if you were asked by President Obama to take the job
Milwaukee Civic Leaders: Save Our Public Schools
This opinion piece appeared in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
It was titled “Defend Public Schools, Our Children, Our Democracy”
This op-ed was submitted by 11 leaders of community and education organizations in Milwaukee.
We need communitywide discussion and action to protect the future of the Milwaukee Public Schools.
We welcome input from all who believe in and support
It was titled “Defend Public Schools, Our Children, Our Democracy”
This op-ed was submitted by 11 leaders of community and education organizations in Milwaukee.
We need communitywide discussion and action to protect the future of the Milwaukee Public Schools.
We welcome input from all who believe in and support
Has School Become a Treadmill?
There was a time in my life when I would have been opposed on principle to the sentiments expressed in this article. The author talks about how schooling has become a way of destroying childhood. I used to scoff at articles like this.
But no more. I see my grandson come home with the results of his spelling test. He has math homework. He is
But no more. I see my grandson come home with the results of his spelling test. He has math homework. He is
A Pretty Wonderful Public School in Colorado
Responding to a post about a test question for second-grade students, which assumed they knew the words “commission” and “Mozart,” this parent replied:
My second-grader defined “commission” without needing the
multiple choice prompts this morning, but her school has a really
strong music program.
She credited her music teacher for having
My second-grader defined “commission” without needing the
multiple choice prompts this morning, but her school has a really
strong music program.
She credited her music teacher for having
Resegregation by Charters in North Carolina?
A new study of racial segregation in North Carolina shows that 30% of regular public schools are racially imbalanced, but 60% of charter schools are.
These findings echo the work of the UCLA Civil Rights Project, which has found that charter schools are frequently even more segregated than their surrounding district.
In Georgia, there are charter schools that are overwhelmingly white in districts where there are hardly any white
These findings echo the work of the UCLA Civil Rights Project, which has found that charter schools are frequently even more segregated than their surrounding district.
In Georgia, there are charter schools that are overwhelmingly white in districts where there are hardly any white
Turning Us into Consumers, Not Citizens
This comment from a Puget Sound parent hits the nail on the head about both the strategy and goal of corporate reform. First, create dissatisfaction, then turn us into shoppers, choosing a school while destroying our attachment to our community schools. In time, we discover that it is the school that chooses, not the shopper.
One of the objectives of the privatizers is to reinforce the “Mall Mentality” that so many of us just act on, unconsciously. The entire goal is to get us to see education as a “product” to “choose”—like we would with a new pair of sandals at a giant retailer.
What’s MY “return on investment” for MY kid? How come I’m paying for YOU, “teacher”, and I can’t just “can you,
One of the objectives of the privatizers is to reinforce the “Mall Mentality” that so many of us just act on, unconsciously. The entire goal is to get us to see education as a “product” to “choose”—like we would with a new pair of sandals at a giant retailer.
What’s MY “return on investment” for MY kid? How come I’m paying for YOU, “teacher”, and I can’t just “can you,
Diane in the Evening 1-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: If Kaya, Dennis, and Rahm Played Basketball by dianerav A loyal reader thought about the way that school leaders like Kaya Henderson, Dennis Walcott, and Rahm Emanuel cheer for the side they are NOT in charge of. And he tried to imagine school reform as a basketball game. Here goes: The charterites/privatizers love sports analogies. Here’s one for you: you are the owner of a professional sports team, let’s say, basketball. Your main historic rival is in the same state, not far away. You hire a coach who wears that team’s jersey to televised games, refuses to... more »