Pasi Sahlberg Speaks Tuesday in Rhode Island
The great Finnish educator Pasi Sahlberg will speak at the University of Rhode Island in Kingston on Tuesday evening. He is a delightful, charismatic speaker who has a deep understanding of education around the world. Don’t miss it!
Do iPads Improve Learning and Raise Test Scores?
This article was published earlier this year but remains timely. Mostly the blog reports on an article by veteran journalist Peg Tyre on the potential value of technology in the classroom. Tyre knows that the technology boom is accelerating but she offers a few cautions. Take iPads. “iPads in the classroom, too, are hardly turning out to be a panacea. Teachers in some schools use iPads to great ef
Reminder: I Will Be at P.S. 15 in Brooklyn on December 11
I will join with teachers, parents, and anyone else who wants to attend on December 11 at 5 pm at P.S. 15 in Brooklyn for a conversation about my recent book Reign of Error. No lecture, just discussion. All are welcome. P.S. 15 is located in Red Hook on Sullivan Street in Brooklyn. You are invited!
Are You a Parent Who Fights for Your Child?
Anna Shah-bomba is a parent in New York who attended a Common Core forum and was startled to be dismissed as a member of a “special interest” group by the state commissioner of education. To help other parents advocate for their children, she wrote this post:. She asks, “Are you “that parent”? She begins like this: “Advocating in a small school district presents a challenge on many fronts. Some
Laura Clawson: What About Charters for Rich White Kids?
Laura Clawson writes about charters that target a specific demographic: Affluent white kids. Two of the most celebrated charter chains are Great Hearts Academy and Basis, both located in Arizona but now opening in cities outside that state. Their key demographic is not poor black and brown students. She quotes from a story that appeared in The Texas Tribune and the New York Times: At the 16 campus
Teacher: What I Learned When I Taught at Steve Perry’s “No Excuses” School in Hartford
Ebony Murphy-Root was intrigued by what she heard on television about Steve Perry’s Capitol Prep school in Hartford, and she applied to teach there. This is her report on her year teaching in Perry’s school. She started work during the six-week summer session. And she noticed something strange: “But within that six week period, six teachers disappeared. I didn’t yet know this but such sudden dis
Public School Parent on Steve Perry and His “Miracle” School
Jonathan Pelto has recently posted several times about Steve Perry, who runs a magnet school in Hartford and boasts that he has the secret to success for all students, no matter what their background. Perry is a “no excuses” kind of guy, who sets strict rules and enforces them with a strong hand. In this post, Pelto reprints a letter from a public school parent about Perry and his methods. The par
How to Evaluate a Teacher, Really
This is a terrific article that appeared on Huffington Post by Nicholas Ferroni. He speaks truths that every teacher will understand. This is what he did this week: This week of school, like every other week, was pretty normal: I gave out about fifty dollars to various students who didn’t have lunch money; I resolved two teenage relationship issues; I comforted three girls who, for some reason, th
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 12-7-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG mark as readIndiana: Why the Battle between Glenda Ritz and Governor Pence MattersJournalist Todd Smekens in Indiana blogged about the struggle by Glenda Ritz to stop Governor Mike Pence from destroying her position, to which she was elected by the people of Indiana. This is a battle for democracy, not for an individual.