All Blog Posts Tagged 'Reform' (8)

Digital Native Myth Buster

After a wonderful experience at the ISTE11 Conference in Philadelphia, I finally made the decision to get away from any computer and get myself to the beach for a week to decompress. Of course, I have my Droid, so I am still somewhat connected, but frustratingly so. A mobile device doesn’t yet fully replace the speed and convenience of a loaded laptop or desktop. Yet, it is that very inconvenience with only a mobile phone at the beach that enables me to say to my family that I am, for the…

Continue

Added by Thomas Whitby on July 13, 2011 at 4:26pm — No Comments

Teacher Evaluations: Presumption of Incompetence

Teacher Evaluations: Presumption of Incompetence…

Continue

Added by Michael Dunn on January 23, 2011 at 4:43pm — No Comments

Public Executions or Public Education?

Cutting the Death Penalty Would Save… Continue

Added by Michael Dunn on January 5, 2011 at 8:49pm — No Comments

Parent Triggers: People Power or Corporate Financed Witch Hunts?

Parents are understandably frustrated with low test scores, low graduation rates and a persistent achievement gap. Many are demanding change and believe the…

Continue

Added by Michael Dunn on November 23, 2010 at 6:35pm — No Comments

KIPP Reform Schools--Teacher Sweat Shops

KIPP schools are often touted as an example of how a well-designed school full of dedicated true-believer educators can trump race and class and

get low income students to succeed. This is,…

Continue

Added by Michael Dunn on November 23, 2010 at 6:33pm — No Comments

Value-Added Adds Value for Corporate Vultures

The first problem with the Value Added model for teacher accountability

is that it commodifies children. In economics, value-added is the

difference between the sales price and the cost of a product. The higher

the sales price relative to the cost of production,… Continue

Added by Michael Dunn on November 23, 2010 at 6:32pm — No Comments

What Makes a Good Teacher?

I just finished reading "Building a Better Teacher" and I have to say, I feel worried.

I’m worried that people in the business of teaching teachers claim that successful teaching depends partially on an innate ability. The un-teachable teacher…is that not the ultimate oxymoron?

I’ll agree that some people seem to possess natural talent for teaching, but I think that’s true of most professions. What…

Continue

Added by Karren Colbert on March 11, 2010 at 12:00pm — No Comments

School Reform and the IBM Selectric

During a recent evening of channel surfing, I stumbled across a great show on the History Channel dealing with the development of the typewriter. I knew some about the history of the typewriter, including the fact that they key placement was designed to slow the typist down so that they machine could keep up and that key jams would be lessened.

The IBM Selectric was a revolution. No more jammed keys! Instead, IBM thought of a new way to make the typewriter work better -- put the… Continue

Added by Tom Welch on January 1, 2009 at 9:14am — 1 Comment