How ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ author created Thanksgiving — not the Pilgrims
What Americans think they know about the history of Thanksgiving doesn’t always square with the truth. For example, it is generally believed that in 1621, the Pilgrims invited Wampanoag Indians to a feast in Plymouth Colony to celebrate their first harvest, and a good time, with turkey and pumpkin pie, was had by all. Well, […]
Steubenville school superintendent indicted for obstruction in teen rape case
A school superintendent has been indicted on charges of obstructing justice and tampering with evidence by a grand jury investigating the rape of a 16-year-old girl in Steubenville, Ohio, by two football players. Several other adults were indicted on lesser charges. The state’s attorney general, Mike DeWine, was quoted by the Associated Press as saying: […]
Common Core resistance growing in Maryland
As Maryland moves ahead with school reform and the implementation of the Common Core State Standards, state officials are facing growing resistance among teachers, lawmakers and others who are concerned that too much change is being forced onto schools too soon. The issue in Maryland has become political. In the next legislative session, House Republicans […]
Unusual college essay questions for 2013-14
Every year colleges and universities ask applicants to write essays to explain who they are and to show how they think and write (assuming that the students actually write the essays themselves). Even many of the hundreds of schools that accept the online Common Application still require supplemental writing samples. Most of the essay prompts […]
Brace yourself: Pearson has a ‘new global education strategy’
Pearson, the largest education company in the world, has “a new global education strategy.” What exactly is it? Cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham explains in this post. Willingham is a professor and director of graduate studies in psychology at the University of Virginia and author of “Why Don’t Students Like School?” His latest book is “When Can You […]
11-24-13 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: Following Common Core money: Where are millions of dollars going?In this post, award-winning Principal Carol Burris of South Side High School in New York raises some new questions about the Common Core State Standards and curriculum being developed around them. Burris has for more than a year chronicled on this blog the many problems with the test-driven reform in New York (here,