In Which Mercedes Schneider Flays Pearson
Mercedes Schneider here reviews the transcript of a board meeting of Pearson in April 2014. Anyone can read the transcript but is allowed to quote only 400 words. That was Mercedes’ challenge. What struck her was that Pearson’s business plan is heavily tied to adoption of CCSS. In this case, contrary to the assurances of Bill Gates, national standardization promotes monopolization, not competitio
Peter Greene: Are You a Serious Person or a Silly Person?
Peter Greene has determined that some people in the world of education are serious and some are very silly. Serious people understand that words have consequences. They seek some congruity between their reality, their values, and their goals. Greene identifies a number of people who are very silly. For example: “The Hedgemasters backing the charter movement are not serious people. Charters are
Laura Chapman on Sludge and Conflicts of Interest
Reader Laura H. Chapman has a provocative critique of the way that money and power has compromised some education leaders. If she looked at the list of prominent education organizations (like ASCD) that have accepted millions from the Gates Foundation to promote Common Core, she would find lots more sludge. She comments: Unfortunately this take-over has been aided and abetted by the sludge and com
North Carolina Teacher Takes Senator Curtis to Task
This letter came from Stuart Egan, one of North Carolina’s National Board Certified Teachers. The state has more NBCTs than any other, and almost the lowest salaries of any state. Egan responded to Senator David Curtis’s letter brushing off science tea her Sarah Wiles. Stuart Egan writes: I am a high school teacher from Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools. On Monday, May 12, I read an article
North Carolina Teacher: “I Am Embarrassed to Confess: I Am a Teacher”
Sarah Wiles, a science teacher in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools with six years experience and a master’s degree, sent an email to every member of the North Carolina General Assembly with the subject line: “I am embarrassed to confess: I am a teacher.” This was her email: “From: Sarah Wiles “Sent: Tuesday, May 06, 2014 6:47 PM “Every year there is a debate on teacher compensation. This is onl
Hundreds of Scholars Criticize PISA; Schleicher Defends It
A letter written by State University of Albany’s Heinz Dieter Meyer and educator Katie Zahedi protested the negative effects of PISA on education goals because of its emphasis on standardized tests and international competition. The letter has been translated into many languages and collected hundreds of signatures from scholars and educators around the world. The letter was addressed to Andreas
Just How Meaningful Are Those Value-Added Ratings?
The studies of value-added measurement keep on coming, and the findings usually show what an utterly absurd idea it to think that teacher quality can be judged by student test scores. In a just world, Arne Duncan would be held accountable for the stupid and harmful theories he has imposed on the nation’s public schools. The U.S. Department of Education has become a malignant force in American educ
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-19-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Bob Braun: Cami Will Lay Off 500, including 200 TeachersThe election for Mayor of Newark is over, but state-appointed superintendent Cam Anderson reminds everyone she is still in charge of the schools. Bob Braun reports that Cami will cut 500 Newark public schools employees, “including 200 teaching positions, 200 central office emp