3/5/11
Song Of The Day: Sugar Magnolia
That's my little sugar magnolia tree in my little backyard as it blooms (note the dates--5 days).
Sugar Magnolia, Grateful Dead, Dick's Picks, Vol. 14
Sugar Magnolia, Grateful Dead, Dick's Picks, Vol. 14
About That 'American Education Lags Behind Other Nations' Bologna...
Is there a crisis in science and math education?[layout edited for clarity]
Sent to the Boston Globe, March 4, 2011
I'm all for science education, but there is no crisis ("Schools work hard to fit lessons into busy day," 2/4).
American students are doing well in science and math. American children in low-poverty schools outscore students in nearly all other countries on international science/math tests. Overall scores are unspectacular because over 20% of our children live in poverty, the highest percentage among all industrialized countries.
The US produces more top science students than other countries: On the 2006 PISA math and science tests, 60,000 American students scored in the top category, compared to 34,000 Japanese students. Also, American students are already taking lots of math and science, more than the economy needs: For example, in 2007, 30% of college-bound high-school seniors had taken calculus, but only 5% of new openings require a math/science background.
There is no shortage of science/technology experts in the US: There are three qualified applications for each science/tech opening. Also, the US contributed 63% of the top 1% most-cited science/tech publications in 2004 and according to the World Economic Forum the US ranks second out of 133 countries in "quality of scientific research institutions."
Stephen Krashen (See link for list of references/citations)
3/4/11
It's The Poverty, As Diane Ravitch Mentioned
Thanks, Diane and Jon, for shining a light on what ails our schools--poverty.
More BlogTalk Radio Tonight
I will once again be on Neil Haley's show he's calling The Great Education Reform Debate III. There will be 2 of us from the left's perspective, and 2 crazy guys.
Won't you join us at 8pm west coast time?
Won't you join us at 8pm west coast time?
3/2/11
3/1/11
Jon Stewart Sides With Teachers!
Finally, we get someone on our side. And, Diane Ravitch will be there on March 3rd!!!
2/28/11
The Education Voices You Need To Hear Are Here
-Was Gerald Bracey wrong when he helped us understand how statistics in public education are manipulated for political purposes?For the original with a link to each important educator, please see Timothy D. Slekar at HuffPo.
-How many lectures and invited talks does Diane Ravitch have to do before someone actually hears what she's saying?
-When will Deb Meier be taken seriously when she talks about the power of small democratic schools?
-Does Alfie Kohn really need to continue to point out the lack of research supporting the current high standards movement?
-How much more research does Linda Darling-Hammond have to produce that demonstrates that teacher education works?
-Why is it so hard for people to believe Steven Krashen's reporting about the failure of so-called high school exit exams?
-How many blogs does Anthony Cody have to write about a system that devalues public schools and teachers?
-When are people going to give Bill Ayers the credit he deserves for struggling for decades to elevate teachers and teaching to its well-deserved place of prominence?
-When will Valerie Strauss's education pieces get a chance to move the American public?
-How hard is it recognize the ability of Rick Ayers to use an analogy in describing how single metrics and MBAs damage public schooling?
-Why is Shaun Johnson's description of the "ruinous culture" of high-stakes testing only talked about on a local AM radio station in central Pennsylvania?
-When will more people read Anne Geiger's blog?
-Why is Fair-Test not regularly cited in mainstream media when discussions of education reform focus exclusively on achievement tests?
-And maybe most importantly, when are parents going to be listened to?
2/27/11
Hey, Academy!
If these millionaires gave a shit about America they would shut down the awards in solidarity with their union brothers and sisters and fly to Wisconsin, rent a shitload of heated trailers and hire their personal chefs to make the protest a bit more bearable.
But, they won't. They'll say something about how the public expects to see their beloved celebrities get their due, or that it's a tradition in America, the world's cinema.
These people have power and they should use it for good. "With great power comes great responsibility." --Uncle Ben (Peter Parker's uncle)
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