All Week @ THE CHALK FACE
Patrick Walsh Reviews A Chronicle of Echoes
On September 19, 2014, New York teacher and United Federation of Teachers (UFT) chapter leader Patrick Walsh published the following review of my book, A Chronicle of Echoes: Who’s Who In the Implosion of American Public Education, on the online news site, Truthdig. Patrick Walsh, 2012 My heartfelt thanks to Patrick for his interest in my work. […]
Questions And Answers
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS. via QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face
SEP 18
Burris Calls Out Common Core; Duncan-friendly EdPost Indignant
The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are really good for American education, but sadly, non-foundation-financed, public school administrators like New York principal Carol Burris seem to have trouble coming around to falling in line with those *higher standards*(c). In fact, Burris had a fantastic opportunity on September 9, 2014, to Embrace the Common Core. Unfortunately, she decided […]
Not Your Grandparents’ Mathematics: Good Mathematics Education Drives Americans Crazy
“The proof of Theorem 3-6 is elementary but rather complicated; that is, we have used quite basic results, but we have used them in an involved sequence. You might contrast this proof and the skills you need to follow it with the numerical computations you once considered typical of mathematics. This proof provides a […]
Are We Ready To Move Beyond Our Reform Wars?
As Ralph Waldo Emerson said, the ability to hold opposing opinions in mind is a sign of intelligence. Similarly, we should welcome Patrick Riccards’ call for dialogue, as we also explain why efforts to bridge differences must be pursued as teachers step up our counter-attack against corporate reform. Riccards calls for a practitioner advisory board. […]
SEP 16
NY Common Core Debate: Dissecting Pro-CC Petrilli and Martin
On September 9, 2014, Intelligence Squared hosted a debate on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), which it entitled, Embrace the Common Core. The title is based upon the position that the organization assumes on the issue. In this post, I consider CCSS support connected to the Intelligence Squared debate as well as address given statements by both pro-CCSS debaters. The […]
SEP 14
Weingarten Hearts Cuomo (By Proxy); Willing to Undercut Teachout via Last-minute Robocall
On September 9, 2014, New York State democrats voted in a primary election that turned out to be an embarrassment for incumbent Andrew Cuomo. His most viable opponent was a relatively unknown Fordham University professor with no political machine behind her, Zephyr Teachout. Teachout lost, but not without taking a notable bite out of Cuomo support. As […]
In an era of the “Clipboard Culture.”
I can’t say for sure if I invented this term on the fly or not. I lamented to my colleagues that the “clipboard culture” needs to end. Those of us subjected to daily and weekly observations from insiders and outsiders, each with their own rubrics and requirements, we teachers tire immensely of the “visitor.” They […]
SEP 13
School Board Privatization: Committee for a Better _________ (Your City Here)
Not far from my home, on a vacant lot next to a major highway, I noticed an advertisement for our upcoming local school board elections. The name of the candidate is not familiar to me, but each time I pass the board, I wonder, “Who is funding you?” The purchasing of local school board races […]
The Qualities Of Good Schools Are No Secret.
THE QUALITIES OF GOOD SCHOOLS ARE NO SECRET.. via THE QUALITIES OF GOOD SCHOOLS ARE NO SECRET..Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face