BAT Teacher: I Am Not My Test Score!
Amanda Shaw writes here about what happened when students were allowed to write without the threat of a test hanging over them. She is a full-time elementary school teacher of music, who also helps students learn to write. In this post, she describes an experience that reminded her why she loves teaching. Imagine giving students the freedom to be creative!
Thanks for Your Good Wishes, Kathy Irwin
I received this comment after writing that Moses had to take his people into the desert for 40 years because a new generation had to be born who would think as free men, not slaves. Kathy wrote this: Dear Diane: Learning how to think like free people/educators and not slaves really is the central message. I am hoping you have a slew of press appearances when the September book debuts. I know that
What Happened When Tim Slekar Told His College President About NCTQ
Tim Slekar is a teacher educator and a fearless firebrand, known for his work @the chalkface and for some very pointed videos. He recently became dean of teacher education at a college in the Midwest. His college president asked for his opinion of the recent report of the National Council on Teacher Quality, which lacerated teacher education in America by reviewing course catalogues and reading li
A teacher in Broward County writes: “I am tired of hearing about data. We teach CHILDREN, every time I hear about the data, I feel like they think we are training lab mice,”
A reader sent the following commentary on reformers’ efforts to lower standards for educators and to welcome people without professional preparation and credentials to teach in and administer the nation’s public schools and charter schools. His response was prompted by a post about teachers in Arizona with online degrees. He writes: “Arizona teacher: “I have seen staffs comprised of high school gr
Anthony Cody describes his debate with a reader who thinks Public duration should be wiped out and started over from scratch. The reader remembers seeing a few stories about some schools that succeeded with every single child. Cody gently explains why some schools produce miraculous results by excluding the children likely to get low scores and by losing a significant number of students before gra
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 7-27-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGTODAYWhat About Those Lazy Teachers?A reader wrote to complain that many teachers have an easy job, don’t work hard, and are paid too much for the little they do. This teacher responds: “I am one of those assistants in that classroom, a special education classroom. I would like to see you do it. I want you to change a tee
Diane in the Evening 7-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Are Teachers to Blame for Achievement Gap Between Black and White Students?Joy Resmovits, the education reporter for Huffington Post, is usually a sharp and thoughtful reporter, but she had a bad day today. Today she posted an article blaming “bad” teachers for the achievement gap between black and white students. Along the way, s
