Breaking News: PBS Will Return $3.5 Million to Billionaire
PBS is returning $3.5 million to former Enron trader John Arnold, in response to stories by investigative journalist David Sirota about a likely conflict of interest. Arnold was underwriting a series on pension reform, and Sirota warned that PBS was abandoning its impartiality because of Arnold’s strong views.
A Valentine for You (7)
Christina Rossetti is a favorite poet. Here is one of her beautiful poems that is appropriate for today: I loved you first, by Christina Rossetti. I loved you first: but afterwards your love Outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song As drowned the friendly cooings of my dove. Which owes the other most? My love was long, And yours one moment seemed to wax more strong; I loved and guessed at you, yo
What Happens to Doctors When the Right Answer Is Wrong?
This is a terrific article that appeared on the New York Times blog. Written by Abigail Zuger, M.D., it is titled “The Real World Is Not an Exam.” Dr. Zuger explains what happens to the brilliant young doctors who aced every standardized test (there were so many of them!), but were flummoxed when it came time to diagnose a complicated real-life problem presented by a patient. She gives examples of
L’Affaire Steinberg-Ogozolek Continues
I have posted about an accidental exchange between teacher John Ogozolek and Professor Laurence Steinberg, and it continued here. And here is more of the exchange, posted as comments on the blog: Laurence Steinberg writes: “I’m the author of the Slate column Diane has critiqued. I think my argument is being mischaracterized both by her and some others. “The object of my criticism is our schools,
Another Gift of Words for You, (6)
VITAE SUMMA BREVIS SPEM NOS VETAT INCOHARE LONGHAM (The brief sum of life forbids us the hope of enduring long – Horace) They are not long, the weeping and the laughter, Love and desire and hate: I think they have no portion in us after We pass the gate. They are not long, the days of wine and roses: Out of a misty dream Our path emerges for a while, then closes Within a dream. Ernest Dowson
Study: Kids in Kindergarten need Rigor
Edweek reports a new study that concludes kindergarten is too easy. The little tykes need rigor, not play! Clearly the kiddies need Common Core and a stiff dose of hard work. Too much play spoils them. How about a rod?
Peter Greene Reacts to a Teacher Who Supports CCSS
Peter Greene read a column by a teacher in Arkansas who is enthusiastic about the Common Core standards. He is not a strident critic of Common Core. Count him as agnostic. But when a supporter describes the virtues of Common Core, Greene wonders what they were doing before CCSS. What does it encourage or permit that is new or different?
Another Valentine’s Day Gift of Poetry (5)
Andrew Marvell lived from 1621-1678. Today, this poem would be considered sexist. But nonetheless, it is ageless and timeless. I suppose if old Andy spoke that way to me today, I would enjoy the language and laugh out loud. For years, it was a favorite in schoolbooks and is one of the most parodied of poems (aside from “Casbianca,” which begins, “The boy stood on the burning deck, whence all had f
Bruce Baker Has a Problem with “Simple, Ignorant Solutions & Simulations”
A respected researcher recently pointed out to me that there is a vast divide between most economists of education–who devoutly believe (it seems) that whatever matters can be measured, and if it can’t be measured, it doesn’t matter–and education researchers, who tend to think about the real world of students and teachers. Here is an excellent example of the divide. Bruce Baker takes issue with
Hillsborough County, Fla; Where Testing Trumps All
Michael Weston reports that Hillsborough County is field testing the PARCC tests, despite previous declarations by the Governor that PARCC was not wanted. According to Weston, the local superintendent has never seen a test she didn’t love. She insists that teachers want and need more tests. Weston says, “Huh?” “PARCC will replace the Stanford Achievement Test the district normally uses. The distr
Another Valentine’s Day Gift for You (4)
One of William Shakespeare’s most beautiful love poems is Sonnet 18: Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate. Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer’s lease hath all too short a date. Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature’s chang
A Beautiful Poem for You Today (3)
Another much loved poem is Christopher Marlowe’s “The Passionate Shepherd to His Love.” Marlowe lived from 1564-1593. Come live with me and be my love, And we will all the pleasures prove That hills and valleys, dale and field, And all the craggy mountains yield. There will we sit upon the rocks, And see the shepherds feed their flocks, By shallow rivers to whose falls Melodious birds sing madri
Good News for Mississippi! ALEC Bill Stalls
An effort to create a special statewide district for low-performing schools in Mississippi was defeated by legislators in the House by a vote of 60-55. The issue now advances to the State Senate. The far-right American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has made a priority of creating statewide entities and eviscerating local control. These statewide districts are hallmarks of states bent on priv
Another Valentine’s Day Gift for You (2)
W. H. Auden is one of my favorite poets. This is a sad poem, but it is nonetheless one of the most beautiful expressions of love in poetry. W. H. Auden Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone, Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone, Silence the pianos and with muffled drum Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come. Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead Scribbling on the sky the mes
Breaking News: David Sirota Exposes Financing Behind PBS Series on Pension Reform
David Sirota, a crack investigative journalist, has written an expose of the financing behind the PBS series on pension reform. Sirota calls it:” The Wolf of Sesame Street: Revealing the secret corruption inside PBS’s news division.” You may be surprised to learn the secret. You may be disturbed to learn who is paying the bills. Sirota’s hard-hitting article prompted an immediate response from the
Leaving on a Jet Plane….
Yes! I am taking a vacation. Can’t wait to leave the snow, ice, slush behind. We were supposed to fly yesterday, but were so sure the flight from NYC would be canceled that we changed flights to today. Bad move. JetBlue flew yesterday to our destination in Caribbean (Turks-Caicos). The flight is dominated by parents and little children. As I sit here blogging, a very pretty young woman stops and
Happy Valentine’s Day! A Gift for You (1)
I decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day by sharing some of my favorite poems with you. I love some of you, I like some of you, I tolerate some of you, I grit my teeth with a very few of you. That’s how I show “grit.” But the poems I post today are for all of you. For today, I love you all. You read what I write, you share your frustrations and your victories. We are a community of people who care
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-13-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Who Are the Education Entrepreneurs?Well, of course, there re scores of education entrepreneurs, the men and women who dream up lever was to make profits from the field of public education. They have start-ups, they have real-estate investment trusts, they create companies to build data systems, they operate for-profit charter chai