Good-bye Joe | Cooperative Catalyst - Diane Ravitch's blog - Ideas and Thoughts

Good-bye Joe | Cooperative Catalyst:

Good-bye Joe 

Tonight, my friend Joe Bower passed away after a massive heart attack a few days ago. He died with his family all around him.

Joe was one of the first educators I interacted with via social media. During many late night chat sessions he taught me to question many of my basic assumptions about education.

Why do we give grades to students anyway? Does this help them learn? What about homework? Does this practice help students learn? If not, why are we still doing it? What about school discipline? Do our current practices help students? If not, why not change them?

I’m going to miss my thought-provoking conversations with my friend Joe. His students are going to miss their compassionate teacher. Progressive educators are going to miss one of their champions. His children are going to miss their father.

Good-bye Joe.

Joe Bower Passed Away this Evening Diane Ravitch's blog

Sorry for the mixed messages. I reported earlier today that our great friend Joe Bower, a wonderful educator in Alberta, Canada, had died of a massive heart attack. Then I learned he was on life support, still alive. 
I have just learned, sadly, that Joe has died. This was confirmed by his family. 
Please google his blog “For the Love of Learning” and enjoy the thinking and insights of this fine man. 
http://www.joebower.org/?m=1


Joe Bower | Ideas and Thoughts 

Joe Bower leads a session in Calgary

Today a Canadian hero in education died suddenly from a massive heart attack. Joe Bower as a middle school teacher from Alberta. He was 37 years old.

I almost didn’t write this since some folks had already written about Joe. But then I realized the more people know about Joe and his work, the richer his legacy. If you know Joe, followed him on twitter, read his blog or heard him speak, you likely already know what a smart, passionate thinker he was. My own interactions largely revolved around me introducing my pre-service teachers to his work as well as referencing him in any presentations I did around assessment. I use this slide to showcase those that have influenced my thinking around assessment. Some of these folks are world renowned “experts”. Joe was every bit as important as any of them. (Sadly Grant Wiggins passed away in 2015)

As eloquently and passionately as Joe shared, what was overwhelming evident to me is how much he cared for children. He was willing to speak the truth, even when it was harsh and unpopular with many. Not to be provocative Joe Bower | Ideas and Thoughts