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Some areas are K-12 teaching are harder to staff than others. Just ask any school principal you know. It’s really hard to find strong science and math teachers. And even with in “science” as a field, try finding a strong physics teacher. As a result, some teachers should be paid more. (Imagine how much would this awesome math teacher be worth…) Convinced? See what physicist Lawrence Krauss has to say.
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Holidays are times to look back and reflect on all that is good in the world. In between reading holiday cards, try sifting through old education news and journals. You’ll be sure to find some hidden gems–like this article about a teacher suspended for giving birth–or like these seven ads from a 19th century teaching journal out of Boston. Enjoy!
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Better than school, Einstein writes, is for a child to become engulfed in the joy of doing something he loves. Here, the scientist writes this sagacious advice to his son: I am very pleased that you find joy with the piano. This and carpentry are in my opinion for your age the best pursuits, better even than school. Because those are things which fit a young person such as you very well. Mainly play the…
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Ever since I read her book Not For Profit, I’ve been drawn to University of Chicago professor Martha Nussbaum’s take on the tension between economic and educational drive. In this video, Nussbaum discusses not only the problem of placing economic need above all else, but does so with an expansive international perspective.
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One of education’s greatest challenges is that there is no common definition as to its purpose. Even the American Founders differed in their views, with John Adams emphasizing character development, Thomas Jefferson arguing for round education, and Alexander Hamilton having to remind George Washington to even include education in his Farewell Address. In his collection of essays on education, Dr. Mike Rose of UCLA explores the complexity of education in America. Here’s one excerpt that was…
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Dr. Pedro Noguera offers these sagacious words: “We live in a country where those who know the most about education have the least say, and those who know the least have the most say. What qualifies you to make policy is that you once went to school–and we suffer the consequences.” To see great teaching in action, watch this clip of a DC history teacher or this brief film about a masterful Pre-K educator.
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With frequent emphasis placed on objectivity in assessment, Dr. Ken Lindblom makes a forceful and informed case for why teachers might want to embrace their subjectivity. Aside for it being unavoidable, Ken also thinks that it makes for better teacher-student relationships–and better pedagogy. He writes: This doesn’t mean teachers should ignore the responsibility to put aside some of their personal beliefs when they great student writing. In fact, teachers have a professional responsibility to be…
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Listen to my discussion with Dr. Ian O’Byrne on why we have to approach software and coding as a form of composition. There is much to be gained by thinking about how to teaching programming NOT as STEM or computer science per se, but rather as something more akin to writing. Big ups to Ian for his fantastic work.
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It’s been just sixty years since twelve students of color in Clinton, Tennessee were integrated into high school with their white peers. That the Supreme Court ruled in 1954 that such integration should occur did not mean that it happened easily two years later. In contrast, this documentary of the town’s desegregation efforts is a timely and powerful reminder that providing an equitable education for all children is not simply a matter law, policy, or…
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Anyone who has worked in a university or school knows that tingly feeling one gets when the business needs of the institution tries educational soundness. There is much interest today, for instance, in “personalizing” learning through technology–a way to interject commercial innovation into the learning process in the name of societal progress. Drawing the line between pedagogy and profiteering can become an exercise in deft scribbling. A recently translated collection of works by Friedrich Nietzsche offers insight on…
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As public education spread in 19th century cities, many feared that private interests were trying to undermine schools’ public purpose. In particular, the Roman Catholic church was often seen as a private entity (from a monarchical papal state, no less) that wished to divert public funding into its own pockets. The Church was skewered in the press as empowering corrupt officials like Tammany Hall via the ever-growing Irish immigrant community. In this cartoon, Thomas Nast “draws” our attention to the…
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Watch Professor Risa Goluboff at UVA discuss Brown v. Board of Education in plain English. In particular, note how she argues the ruling was not just about education. The justices knew that they were “getting into politics.” It wasn’t just a legal decision. It was a new cultural direction–one upon which we as a nation have yet to fully embark. Follow my blog with Bloglovin
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A colleague recently remarked to me that federally funded education reform had created a “pressure cooker” environment for teachers and schools. (Agreed.) He added that if we want to see real reform, we have to give teachers and school leaders room, funding, and support to innovate. (Agreed.) And, he added, despite all the unknowns with the forthcoming presidential administration, if control is handed back to states that would necessarily be a good thing. (Oh, so…
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Native Americans have the lowest graduation rate than any other demographic. Period. Their schools have been systematically neglected for decades. Watch the video above for the briefest of overviews. Last night, social media was abuzz with news that the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe succeeded in getting the Dakota Access Pipeline rerouted. The project relied on permit approval by the US Army Corp of Engineers, who announced that they would be looking for an alternative route.…
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It was 1960 when Ruby Bridges became a symbol for desegregation in the country. Following Brown v. Board of Education–the landmark Supreme Court decision that ruled school segregation illegal–districts all over the country maintained segregating children of color from white children. In New Orleans, children like Ruby had to pass a test to prove they were ready for the white school. Then, she had to be escorted by federal marshals to ensure her safety. Remember,…