The 13 most important charts of 2013
If you continually listen to school reformers in the “accountability” movement — those who believe that standardized test scores are the most important measure of success — then you could be forgiven for really believing that the U.S. economy and the country’s national security are dependent on getting those scores ever higher (because, in this […]
‘Jingle Bells’ — written for Thanksgiving?
“Jingle Bells” is a classic song sung at Christmas time, but it didn’t start out that way. First published in 1857, it was written by James Lord Pierpont, to be sung on Thanksgiving — not Christmas. There is some question as to where it was written — Massachusetts and Georgia both are plausible. Medford, Mass., […]
‘All I want for Christmas is a teacher’
Rev. John Thomas, the former general minister and president of the United Church of Christ, is now a professor and administrator Chicago Theological Seminary. On his blog is the following post about the importance of quality teachers in public schools. By Rev. John Thomas While the old holiday song suggests that children might want […]
12-23-13 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: ‘How the Dirth Stole Learning’ — in 14 cartoonsHere, in 14 cartoons that are a takeoff of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” is the story of “How the Dirth Stole Learning,” a commentary on the nation’s standardized testing obsession, school reform and the real meaning of learning. This is the work of David Lee Finkle, a middle-school teacher in Florida who draws the comic […]