"[M]oney doesn't just talk in politics - it screams."
From "'Munger Sandwich' Squeezes California Governor", Robert Frank, CNBC, 2012-10-15, via Yahoo Finance!
It's about a very wealthy man opposing a tax hike Proposition and is very wealthy half-sister supporting a different tax hike proposition that she claims provides more support to schools. Both are spending tens of millions of dollars.
The same paragraph that I took the above quote from also includes: "But one family pouring more than $50 million to defeat the governor's proposal will only add to the media chorus that the rich are distorting democracy."
Showing posts with label schools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label schools. Show all posts
Monday, October 15, 2012
Thursday, April 14, 2011
The conspiracy against children and the public education system
1984 has arrived with more newspeak than we can keep track of. No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is one of the diversions supposedly to promote improved education while actually destroying public education.
What are the reasons for NLCB: Lower taxes? Lowering the ability to think critically? Pretending to do something productive without having to do anything substantive? Destroying the public education system?
Supposedly one of the benchmarks is improved reading scores, no matter how good or poor previous scores were. One improves reading scores by providing lots of reading material. However, the budgets of the most accessible sources of reading materials are being cut, especially in schools with already low scores. See "ALA Report: Poor Middle, High School Libraries Suffer the Most Budget Cuts".
But standardized tests are not the measure of critical thinking and creativity. They measure the ability to give correct answers to tests. It's like supposedly being skilled in a foreign language by knowing many details of grammar and having a large vocabulary. Passing tests based on these two aspects mean nothing without lots and lots of practice in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
For example, I have spent many classroom hours on German and French and practically none on Swedish and Italian. I read French OK because I've read dozens of books in French, but speaking French and German is difficult. Speaking Italian comes easier to me because I lived in Italy and spoke it more than I ever spoke French or German. Swedish comes even more easily to me because I spoke it at work for three years; sometimes I even think in Swedish. Even then, these two languages are still a struggle because I don't practice.
What is really a pity on public education is that much research has been done by educators on better methods. Politicians don't want to follow through on these ideas because they cost money, and politicians are better scientists and educators than scientists and educators.
An excellent view of what's really needed has been presented in many ways be Ken Robinson. See an animation of his lecture, "Changing Education Paradigms".
One of his key points is "divergent thinking is an essential ingredient of creativity." Divergent thinking is the ability to see many ideas at once rather than regurgitate the one "correct" idea. He cites a longitudinal study of children in kindergarten scoring an average of 98% on divergent thinking and dropping dramatically as they grow older.
See also "Do Schools Destroy Creativity". Ken Robinson says that George Harrison and Paul McCartney were not recognized as musicians by the music teacher!!
He also says that there is more money to be made by large corporations in the correction system of California than in the schools of California. That is, short-term corporate profits are more important than long-term investment in people.
What are the reasons for NLCB: Lower taxes? Lowering the ability to think critically? Pretending to do something productive without having to do anything substantive? Destroying the public education system?
Supposedly one of the benchmarks is improved reading scores, no matter how good or poor previous scores were. One improves reading scores by providing lots of reading material. However, the budgets of the most accessible sources of reading materials are being cut, especially in schools with already low scores. See "ALA Report: Poor Middle, High School Libraries Suffer the Most Budget Cuts".
But standardized tests are not the measure of critical thinking and creativity. They measure the ability to give correct answers to tests. It's like supposedly being skilled in a foreign language by knowing many details of grammar and having a large vocabulary. Passing tests based on these two aspects mean nothing without lots and lots of practice in reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
For example, I have spent many classroom hours on German and French and practically none on Swedish and Italian. I read French OK because I've read dozens of books in French, but speaking French and German is difficult. Speaking Italian comes easier to me because I lived in Italy and spoke it more than I ever spoke French or German. Swedish comes even more easily to me because I spoke it at work for three years; sometimes I even think in Swedish. Even then, these two languages are still a struggle because I don't practice.
What is really a pity on public education is that much research has been done by educators on better methods. Politicians don't want to follow through on these ideas because they cost money, and politicians are better scientists and educators than scientists and educators.
An excellent view of what's really needed has been presented in many ways be Ken Robinson. See an animation of his lecture, "Changing Education Paradigms".
One of his key points is "divergent thinking is an essential ingredient of creativity." Divergent thinking is the ability to see many ideas at once rather than regurgitate the one "correct" idea. He cites a longitudinal study of children in kindergarten scoring an average of 98% on divergent thinking and dropping dramatically as they grow older.
See also "Do Schools Destroy Creativity". Ken Robinson says that George Harrison and Paul McCartney were not recognized as musicians by the music teacher!!
He also says that there is more money to be made by large corporations in the correction system of California than in the schools of California. That is, short-term corporate profits are more important than long-term investment in people.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A sensible discussion about education
Bob Herbert wrote a thoughtful op-ed about Deborah Kenny who has started three charter schools in Harlem, "Where the Bar Ought to Be", New York Times, 2010-02-22. She has achieved astounding results, but even more thoughtful are the highlighted comments. They get into the nitty-gritty of trying to educate students who come from a non-supportive environment.
It was a joy to read these comments. They had none of the mudslinging that makes reading comments a chore. I think the New York Times is to be lauded for making this selection.
I wanted to say more about the comments, but the New York Times seems to be overwhelmed by readers and I can't get pages to come up. I hope you have better luck.
It was a joy to read these comments. They had none of the mudslinging that makes reading comments a chore. I think the New York Times is to be lauded for making this selection.
I wanted to say more about the comments, but the New York Times seems to be overwhelmed by readers and I can't get pages to come up. I hope you have better luck.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
In defense of teachers
"Greedy teacher unions!" "Underperforming schools!" and many other simplistic slogans pollute the discussion about improving education. But more thoughtful people wonder how to counter all the other problems that make learning difficult: disinterested parents, bullies, too much testing, too little class time, and on it goes with things that are outside the control of teachers.
For a good summary of these problems, see "Teachers aren't the problem" by Micheal Kennedy, Star Tribune, 2007-06-17. Kennedy teaches at Southwest High School in Minneapolis.
For a good summary of these problems, see "Teachers aren't the problem" by Micheal Kennedy, Star Tribune, 2007-06-17. Kennedy teaches at Southwest High School in Minneapolis.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
So, a high school may close
I may think that the Duluth School District's Red Plan to build and close schools at the same time is an expensive boondoggle, but I don't think the emotional arguments about closing schools are valid.
Why? Because my high school, West High School in Cleveland, Ohio, has long been torn down and replaced by a junior high school. West High was merged with Lincoln High to become Lincoln-West High. Sure, as a symbol of memories, it is a loss. But the schools of Cleveland are for current students and taxpayers, not for my memories. If money is better spent elsewhere for the needs of today's students, so be it.
Why? Because my high school, West High School in Cleveland, Ohio, has long been torn down and replaced by a junior high school. West High was merged with Lincoln High to become Lincoln-West High. Sure, as a symbol of memories, it is a loss. But the schools of Cleveland are for current students and taxpayers, not for my memories. If money is better spent elsewhere for the needs of today's students, so be it.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
What is performance and how do you measure it?
President Obama has added his voice to those of a long list of politicians calling for increased performance in schools. They want to pay teachers for performance, but do they really know what it is?
Is it teaching students to be able to recite all the prepositions in the English language in alphabetical order? To get 100 percent of the spelling words? To correctly prove geometric theorems? To know the names of all the presidents in historical order?
I was required to do all these in school but I couldn't do any of them to school standards today at age 70. Gosh, just when was Millard Fillmore president? And I'm not even sure if it was Fillmore or Filmore.
What I did get from many teachers was a love of learning and expectations for my continued learning. I remember little of the trigonometry and solid geometry that Mr. Rush taught, but I do remember his saying often, "When you go to Case..." meaning Case Institute of Technology. At least six of us did. I remember little of the chemistry that Mr. Raymond taught, but his demonstrations and assistance made the subject interesting. I hated memorizing speeches from Shakespeare, but Miss Palmer did instill a lifelong interest in reading Shakespeare.
Would these teachers have succeeded with me if my family hadn't also had expectations of me as well as providing examples? I was expected to do well in school. I was shown by example that reading was important. We didn't have many books but we subscribed to two daily newspapers and some weekly or monthly magazines.
What about kids who don't have those expectations? Can schools successfully make up for it in large classes? Maybe, maybe not.
A popular icon of successful teaching is Jaime Escalante of "Stand and Deliver" fame. Even he admits that the movie was a stretch, but the truth is that he did inspire many to go on beyond what many expected.
See "Jaime Escalante", The Futures Channel and "Stand and Deliver Revisited: The untold story behind the rise -- and shameful fall -- of Jaime Escalante, America's master math teacher", Reason, July 2002
His achievement took far longer than the movie depicted, and he had more obstacles than just the testing bureaucracy. One obstacle was the favorite whipping boy of the so-called conservatives: teachers unions. Escalante's union did not like him having classes of more than 50. But he also had obstacles from administrators. His first principal was very supportive but later administrators were not, including those who valued sports more than academics. In fact, whenever the school administration became hostile, the program declined.
Another example of bucking a hostile administration is Frank McCourt, author of "Angela's Ashes" and "Teacher Man". As I remember the latter book, he was more interested in telling stories and getting students to tell stories than following the syllabus. He was constantly called on the carpet for not teaching according the rules. However, how many of his students remember the administrators and how many remember him? He mentions how often he meets former students in his book tours in
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2009/01/frank-mccourt-teacher-man-2/
A good summary of his teaching was written in Publishers Weekly
McCourt throws down the gauntlet on education, asserting that teaching is more than achieving high test scores. It's about educating, about forming intellects, about getting people to think....should be mandatory reading for every teacher in America. And it wouldn't hurt some politicians to read it, too.
See http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1680
We all have gimmicks for "improving" education: charter schools, pay for performance, longer school hours, bigger schools, smaller schools, and on and on. My own gimmick is to pay teachers like insurance agents. The teachers should get a cut of the income taxes that former students pay.
In the end, the best things we can do is to honor our teachers rather than blame them and to provide the resources they need rather than than cutting budgets.
Finally, if you can read this, thank a teacher.
P.S. I also posted this to whitehouse.gov
Is it teaching students to be able to recite all the prepositions in the English language in alphabetical order? To get 100 percent of the spelling words? To correctly prove geometric theorems? To know the names of all the presidents in historical order?
I was required to do all these in school but I couldn't do any of them to school standards today at age 70. Gosh, just when was Millard Fillmore president? And I'm not even sure if it was Fillmore or Filmore.
What I did get from many teachers was a love of learning and expectations for my continued learning. I remember little of the trigonometry and solid geometry that Mr. Rush taught, but I do remember his saying often, "When you go to Case..." meaning Case Institute of Technology. At least six of us did. I remember little of the chemistry that Mr. Raymond taught, but his demonstrations and assistance made the subject interesting. I hated memorizing speeches from Shakespeare, but Miss Palmer did instill a lifelong interest in reading Shakespeare.
Would these teachers have succeeded with me if my family hadn't also had expectations of me as well as providing examples? I was expected to do well in school. I was shown by example that reading was important. We didn't have many books but we subscribed to two daily newspapers and some weekly or monthly magazines.
What about kids who don't have those expectations? Can schools successfully make up for it in large classes? Maybe, maybe not.
A popular icon of successful teaching is Jaime Escalante of "Stand and Deliver" fame. Even he admits that the movie was a stretch, but the truth is that he did inspire many to go on beyond what many expected.
See "Jaime Escalante", The Futures Channel and "Stand and Deliver Revisited: The untold story behind the rise -- and shameful fall -- of Jaime Escalante, America's master math teacher", Reason, July 2002
His achievement took far longer than the movie depicted, and he had more obstacles than just the testing bureaucracy. One obstacle was the favorite whipping boy of the so-called conservatives: teachers unions. Escalante's union did not like him having classes of more than 50. But he also had obstacles from administrators. His first principal was very supportive but later administrators were not, including those who valued sports more than academics. In fact, whenever the school administration became hostile, the program declined.
Another example of bucking a hostile administration is Frank McCourt, author of "Angela's Ashes" and "Teacher Man". As I remember the latter book, he was more interested in telling stories and getting students to tell stories than following the syllabus. He was constantly called on the carpet for not teaching according the rules. However, how many of his students remember the administrators and how many remember him? He mentions how often he meets former students in his book tours in
http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2009/01/frank-mccourt-teacher-man-2/
A good summary of his teaching was written in Publishers Weekly
McCourt throws down the gauntlet on education, asserting that teaching is more than achieving high test scores. It's about educating, about forming intellects, about getting people to think....should be mandatory reading for every teacher in America. And it wouldn't hurt some politicians to read it, too.
See http://www.bookbrowse.com/reviews/index.cfm?book_number=1680
We all have gimmicks for "improving" education: charter schools, pay for performance, longer school hours, bigger schools, smaller schools, and on and on. My own gimmick is to pay teachers like insurance agents. The teachers should get a cut of the income taxes that former students pay.
In the end, the best things we can do is to honor our teachers rather than blame them and to provide the resources they need rather than than cutting budgets.
Finally, if you can read this, thank a teacher.
P.S. I also posted this to whitehouse.gov
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Libraries in schools, frill or necessity
As I rode up the chair lift with an 8-year-old ski student, I asked her what books she's been reading. She said Judy B Jones. I asked her what the books were about. "She does things." "Does she solve problems or get in trouble?" "Gets in trouble." "Does she figure out how to fix things up?" "Generally."
I asked her if she gets Judy B Jones books at the public library or the school library. "School library". "Which do you prefer, the library or the classroom?" "The library." "Why?" "There are so many books."
There is a whole kid world out there that many adults are unaware of. First, I never heard of Judy B Jones until I talked to this girl about her interests. Second, my own expectation of what names sound like led me to assume the wrong name. The heroine of the books is Junie B Jones!
I found this out by a search of the web. Check http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/junieb/books/books.html
For another series that is exciting kids, see Captain Underpants.
Maybe we have schools organized all wrong. Instead of classrooms where children sit in rows or circles, maybe we should have libraries, labs, workshops, and other activity centers. They would be staffed with teachers who would make suggestions and answer questions. On certain days children would move from one activity center to another. On other days they would choose which they wanted to use and when.
Yes, there should be benchmark tests, but they should be written or oral presentations or they should be demonstrations of skills. The demonstrations could be musical or theatrical performances, an art work, or construction of an object.
In other words, schools should be places where kids imaginations and creativity are allowed to soar. Tests should be something that take advantage of kids' desire to show off.
There is no standardized kid; why should they take standardized tests?
I asked her if she gets Judy B Jones books at the public library or the school library. "School library". "Which do you prefer, the library or the classroom?" "The library." "Why?" "There are so many books."
There is a whole kid world out there that many adults are unaware of. First, I never heard of Judy B Jones until I talked to this girl about her interests. Second, my own expectation of what names sound like led me to assume the wrong name. The heroine of the books is Junie B Jones!
I found this out by a search of the web. Check http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/junieb/books/books.html
For another series that is exciting kids, see Captain Underpants.
Maybe we have schools organized all wrong. Instead of classrooms where children sit in rows or circles, maybe we should have libraries, labs, workshops, and other activity centers. They would be staffed with teachers who would make suggestions and answer questions. On certain days children would move from one activity center to another. On other days they would choose which they wanted to use and when.
Yes, there should be benchmark tests, but they should be written or oral presentations or they should be demonstrations of skills. The demonstrations could be musical or theatrical performances, an art work, or construction of an object.
In other words, schools should be places where kids imaginations and creativity are allowed to soar. Tests should be something that take advantage of kids' desire to show off.
There is no standardized kid; why should they take standardized tests?
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