The common core ignores the evidence
Sent to the Los Angeles Times, Jan 2Al Austin, in his letter to the Times (Jan 2) notes that the common core calls for "a sharp reduction" in literature in schools in favor of increased exposure to informational text. This policy was created without any empirical evidence. The common core designers ignored (or were not aware of) not only studies showing that reading literature contribut
Do Teachers Matter?
I am seeking ways to address teachers and workers—and the conditions impacting all workers—as a focus of my public work in 2014.Recently, I came across a wonderful piece about Roberto Clemente: Common bond for uncommon men: Clemente and King shared a hatred for discrimination, by David Zirin.In part, this piece speaks to the importance of solidarity and community, the sense of empathy any one pers
Social Studies National Curriculum: Pearson and Gates Ready for Next Push
Even as 22 states are rethinking, restricting, or dropping prior commitments to national Common Core corporate standards for schools, this has not stopped the CorpEd machine from quietly pushing forward with another prong of its overreaching and lucrative exercise to increase testing, standardize thinking, and undercut diversity in American schools. On September 11, 2013, a group drunk with money
1-1-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Schools Matter 2013 AwardsMost Unconvincing Ideologue In the Role as ScholarChester FinnMost Flagrant Political Organization Posing as a Legitimate Research AssociationAERALifetime Achievement AwardDeborah MeierSelf-Aggrandizement Award 2013 (tie)David ColemanMichelle RheeEducation Book of the YearThe Signal and the Noise by Nate SilverBiggest Corporate Losers of the YearWalmartFed