Category: Education – Change and Development
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AS AN EDUCATOR I’VE HELD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF EVIDENT
Let’s start with a no-brainer: No Education Without Immediate And Practical Application. That sums up all that I know about learning, teaching, and education. All that I have observed and found true since I began teaching in 1961. It is the key to understanding why the education systems have been failing our children. It is…
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True Learning Does Not Result From Standardization
This blog addresses education vs inculcation via standardization. THE LEARNING PATH …I wanted to test the outcomes of my teaching approaches, my assumptions, and my new programs. I learned that the system did not have up-to-date tests, or the types of tests that could give me the input I needed. I feared some form of…
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The Great Majority Of Parents Have Voted
It has been over twenty years since frustrated educators, idealists, and those wanting to destroy public education offered School Choice, and partial schools, as options for parents. These experiments have been given more than a fair test. The results of this gamble are now clear. The great majority of parents – nearly 90% – have…
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Parents Speak Loud and Clear
What I am hearing: Tell us what you do. Don’t assume that we know. Each teacher has an obligation to explain to parents and the community what it is they do and why they do it. We want public schools with complete curriculum and all extracurricular activities. Keep evolving the public schools and curriculum away…
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Splintering And Shattering Our Communities
There are forces at work that are so destructive they can shatter the hopes and dreams of our citizens and splinter our communities. Our communities serve the needs of citizens via good schools, good medical facilities, good policing, good and great services in almost every area. However, there are forces of greed and power that…
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Getting Our Heads Out Of The Morass
Edward R. Murrow once said: “I am in a financial morass from which I am unable to extricate myself.” Many States are in a political morass as a result of a planned assault on America. The question is, how do we extricate ourselves? In Arizona, one of the most corrupt states, leaders are emerging who…
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Ruminations*: Reformer Plans For Athletics
The powerful education reform movement is well underway. Taxpayers must be pleased with the progress so far. Legislators have turned the distribution of public tax dollars collected for public schools over to irresponsible hedge fund billionaires, profit-driven companies like Pearson PLC, foundations run by proven ‘winners’ like Eli Broad, Billy Gates, and the Waltons, and…
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Saving Community Schools
“We did not declare this war, but we have to win it.” Diane Ravitch 1. Define what is worth saving Parents across America are fighting for quality education. There are many options, but only one addresses the needs of the complete child: Comprehensive Education. What is that? It is a well-balanced curriculum like the curricula…
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Charter Schools are Set-up To Fail
For many years, I have written about the charter school movement. As you know, I label the majority of these schools “Partial Schools,” because they deprive students of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary curriculum. They discount the need for teacher certification and experience, and they duplicate many services and programs the taxpayers are already providing. What happened…
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President Obama Destroyed His Educator Base
The Obama administration, and especially Arne Duncan, dealt a blow to educators, parents and educated citizens when they sided with corporations like Pearson, and those who believe a punishing blow to teachers and public community schools will improve American education. The USDOE is now an agency without credibility, driven by ideologies that are not based…