Pharrell Williams: “Where Would I Be Without My Band Teachers?”
Thanks to Jere Hochman, superintendent of the Bedford Central School District, for bringing this wonderful story to my attention. Phenomenally successful musician-singer-producer Pharrell Williams tells his story to CBS News. He grew up in Virginia Beach, where his father was a handyman and his mother was a teacher. When he was 15, his grandmother encouraged him to get involved in music and learn
California is Not Lowering Standards for Teachers
I recently received anxious inquiries from friends in California who read an article in the Sacramento Bee claiming that the state was lowering standards for new teachers. The authors of the article said that the California Commision on Teacher Credentialing was dropping the requirement of a four-year degree in academic subject areas. They wrote: “The commission has effectively lowered teaching
A Few Reasons You Should Vote for George McKenna in Los Angeles School Board Race
Ellen Lubic of Los Angeles sent the following roundup of editorials and news stories endorsing George McKenna for the school board race in Los Angeles. Control of the board hinges on the outcome of this election. The vote takes place August 12. Ellen Lubic writes: Forgive this very long comment below. It is the latest blog post of Scott Folsom, the well known advocate for public schools and thei
Anthony Cody Bids Farewell to Education Week
This is Anthony Cody’s last blog post in Education Week, where his column “Living in Dialogue” appeared regularly beginning in 2008. Cody reviews the high points of his long run. He urged the selection of Linda Darling-Hammond or Pedro Noguera as Secretary of Educatiob by the new President Obama. Lost that one. He began to follow the writing of the Common Core by “the Secret Sixty.” he began to sh
Newt Gingrich, Educational Expert, Says We Must Replace Teachers with Technology
When I was writing my book “Reign of Error,” I wrote about Jeb Bush’s plan called “Digital Learning Now!” It made bold promises about how technology would bring about a wonderful new world of learning and equity. Then I went in search of the research on whicgteresearch relied. Some was drawn gap from higher education, some from industry, some from the military. Ther was no research to support the
Dormand Long: How “Cost-Effective” Should Schools Be?
Dormand Long commented on a post by Bruce Baker. Baker criticized University of Arkansas study that hailed charter schools as more “cost-effective” than public schools. In other contexts, reformers have referred to children as “human assets” and “human capital.” This reflects the migration of business terminology into not only education but the way we think and talk about children. Frankly, as a m
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 8-9-14 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGLloyd Lofthouse on the Vergara RulingLloyd Lofthouse is an experienced educator and commentator on the blog: “In the Vergara trial—I think the verdict was bought and paid for in some way—the judge’s verdict was based on unproven theories that a few incompetent teachers would ruin a child’s ability to earn an education. Th