Why Celebrities Should Not Tell Teachers How to Fix Schools
Earlier today, I posted EduShyster on this very same video. The point that the creator of the video makes with humor, I decided, is so important that it deserves a post of its own. David Coffey, who created the video, is a teacher of teachers. He is a professor in the mathematics department at Grand Valley State University in Michigan. His wife is a first grade teacher. He made the video linked
OK, So Education Nation Just Called
Very likely in response to your emails, a producer just called from Education Nation to invite me to serve on a panel to discuss testing with Paul Pastorek (Louisiana), John Deasy (Los Angeles), and Joshua Starr (Montgomery County). I said no. I want to talk about the theme of the conference, not about testing. I want to talk about the massive misinformation about the condition of U.S. education.
What a Texan Says About Congressman Jared Polis’s Strange Tweets
Jason Stanford is a political columnist in Austin, Texas. He has become very interested in education issues, in part because he has children, but also because the politics and money swirling around education in Texas is complex and endlessly fascinating (this is the state where the obsession with standardized testing started; this is the state that awarded Pearson a five-year contract for $500 mil
Dora Taylor Reviews “Reign of Error”
Dora Taylor is a prominent education activist in in Seattle. In her review of “Reign of Error,” Taylor says the book is an excellent guide to what is happening in school districts across America. She writes: “Dr. Ravitch shatters one corporate reform myth after another with clarity providing excellent background information in the Notes and Appendix of this book. “Because of her courageousness an
North Carolina County School Board Bans Ralph Ellison’s “Invisible Man”
The Randolph County Board of Education voted 5-2 to ban “Invisible Man” by Ralph Ellison from the shelves of Randolph County Schools libraries. All copies of the book will be removed from school libraries. This action followed the complaint of a parent. Committees at both the school and district levels recommended it not be removed. The book, originally published in 1952, addresses many of the so
Charter Teacher: Blame Society, Blame Outsourcing, Blame the Culture
This comment came in today: I taught at charter schools which, supposedly, have a great new way of reaching and teaching kids. What I discovered, sadly, was it was the same nonsense of “blame the teacher” for everything. I saw children so undisciplined from day one in my classroom who simply hated school and had parents (or parent) who had zero interest in what their child did or did not do in c
New Book: VAM Is Invalid
Do you want to know why it is wrong to evaluate teachers based on test scores of students? A new book by scholars explains it here. They also show better, research-based methods of evaluation, intended to support, not fire, teachers. There are books soon to be published by other eminent scholars that show why VAM is flawed and demoralizes teachers without helping kids.
Dora Taylor Reviews “Reign of Error”
Dora Taylor is a prominent education activist in in Seattle. In her review of “Reign of Error,” Taylor says the book is an excellent guide to what is happening in school districts across America. She writes: “Dr. Ravitch shatters one corporate reform myth after another with clarity providing excellent background information in the Notes and Appendix of this book. “Because of her courageousness an
Teacher: The Forced March of Success Academy Parents, Staff, Students
This is a comment signed Concerned Charter Teacher: “Ms. Ravitch, I work at Success Academy and thought you might be interested in the following. Just heard that we are planning a pro-charter parent march on October 8th. Our schools are being closed for the morning. Teachers, parents, students, and central office staff are being required to join the march. Other charter schools are joining as wel
Baltimore Parent Arrested for Speaking Up at School Board Meeting
This comment came from a reader: “Dear Diane, Please see http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/blog/bs-md-co-common-core-arrest-20130920,0,7127220.story My partner attended this Common Core parent forum on 9.19.13 in Baltimore County, MD, where we live, and she witnessed this parent being removed from the meeting by a security guard for standing up and voicing his concerns about Com
Why DC Scores Increased
Emma Brown of the Washington Post explains that DC test scores in math reached a historic high point because of a decision by DC officials. But the math gains officials reported were the result of a quiet decision to score the tests in a way that yielded higher scores even though D.C. students got far fewer math questions correct than in the year before. The decision was made after D.C. teachers
Who Is Jared Polis and Why Does He Call Me “Evil”?
A few days ago, Colorado Congressman Jared Polis called me “evil” on Twitter. He said I was doing more harm to American public education than anyone and likened me to the billionaire Koch brothers. I didn’t respond other than to say that in our first meeting, with other Democratic Congressmen, he threw my book across the table in my direction, called it trash, and demanded his money back. I later
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-21-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Deconstructing the “Reform” Narrative: Part 3This is the third in the series of comments on the “reform” narrative by a reader who calls himself or herself “Democracy.” Here Democracy explains the “reform that reformers don’t want.” Part 3: Hanushek, and people who cite him, say that American economic competitiveness is dependent o
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 9-21-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGDeconstructing the “Reform” Narrative: Part 2A reader who calls himself or herself “Democracy” sent in a three-part commentary, posted a couple weeks back in the Comments. This is part 2. “Democracy” writes: There’s no nuance, or explanation, in Lawrence’s piece. None whatsoever. She says nothing about the pernicious effe