Why all high school courses should be elective
(by Sarah L. Voisin / The Washington Post)
The rise of the Common Core State Standards has fueled a long national debate about what courses students should be required to take and when. Here’s an unconventional look on the subject, from Marion Brady, a classroom teacher for years who has written history and world culture textbooks (Prentice-Hall), professional books, numerous nationally distributed columns (many areavailable here), and courses of study. His 2011 book, “What’s Worth Learning,” asks and answer this question: What knowledge is absolutely essential for every learner? His course of study for secondary-level students, called Connections: Investigating Reality, is free for downloading here. Brady’s website is www.marionbrady.com.
By Marion Brady
Both my late mother’s and my father’s right foot tended to be heavy when in contact with car accelerators. Their brothers and sisters shared the tendency, suggesting some sort of genetic propensity — which I, unfortunately, seem to have inherited.
The last time it got me in trouble I was given a choice. I could either have the evidence of
Top 10 skills children learn from the arts
You don't find school reformers talking much about how we need to train more teachers in the arts, given the current obsession with science, math, technology and engineering (STEM), but here's a list of skills that young people learn from studying the arts. They serve as a reminder that the arts -- while important to study for their intrinsic value -- also promote skills seen as important in academic and life success. (That's why some people talk about changing the current national emphasis on STEM to STEAM.) This was written by Lisa Phillips is an author, blog journalist, arts and leadership educator, speaker and business owner. To learn about Lisa's book,"The Artistic Edge: 7 Skills Children Need to Succeed in an Increasingly Right Brain World," click here. This appeared on the ARTSblog.
