Author Archives: Mike

The O Word

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Mike

Today on NPR’s Talk of the Nation http://www.npr.org/2011/05/23/136583949/bill-moyers-shares-favorite-journal-interviews, I heard Bill Moyers use “the O word:” oligarchy. He attributed it to Simon Johnson, professor of economics at MIT, and former Chief Economist of the International Monetary Fund. Moyers (and Johnson) … Continue reading →

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The High Cost of Low Teacher Salaries

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Mike

A colleague sent me a link to a New York Times article that is worth sharing. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/01/opinion/01eggers.html?_r=1&smid=fb-nytimes&WT.mc_id=OP-SM-E-FB-SM-LIN-THC-050111-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click It says some important things and says them right on. I do have a minor quibble, however, that it gives some credit where … Continue reading →

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Teacher Rage

Posted on April 29, 2011 by Mike

Teacher rage? Yes. Why? The media propound the pronouncements of Politicians, Pundits, Polemicists, and all too many Professors Who Should Know Better, that “teacher rage,” insofar as we are capable of such a thing, can be motivated by nothing more … Continue reading →

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Diane Ravitch Says It…

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Mike

I will spare you a rant today, because Diane Ravitch says it better than I could, so I send you the link:   http://www.npr.org/2011/04/28/135142895/ravitch-standardized-testing-undermines-teaching The audio, it seems, will not be available until after 5 PM today. The accompanying rebuttal by … Continue reading →

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What’s Happened in America…

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Mike

I try to avoid cut-and-paste, and I am pretty good about that, mostly. But I couldn’t have said this better myself. “Often thought, but ne’er so well expressed.” A bogus campaign of blame and propaganda Here’s a synopsis of what’s … Continue reading →

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Common Sense

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Mike

Today’s Idaho Statesman http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/03/25/1579773/3rd-reform-bill-clears-big-hurdle.html quoted some good sense on the part of a couple of Idaho’s state Senators, and good sense has been notably lacking in the debate over education reform. Sen. Dean Cameron, R-Rupert said This bill is completely … Continue reading →

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Computers for Students

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Mike

An original provision of Idaho Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna’s Students First initiative as expressed in SB 1113 was that every student in Idaho would be issued a laptop computer as a 9th grader. He would keep the computer throughout … Continue reading →

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…And the Unlovely Poor

Posted on March 12, 2011 by Mike

Today I was looking for reviews of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and found this blog post that focuses more on the poverty of the Lacks family, then and now, than on the bio-ethical issues attendant upon the HeLa … Continue reading →

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Thoughts on SB 1113

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Mike

A computer for every student in Idaho – what’s not to like? I taught English. I regarded a major responsibility to be teaching writing, and to this end, I assigned my students to write as many essays as I could … Continue reading →

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House Education Committee Remarks for 3-2-2011

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Mike

Bills 1108 and 1110 We English teachers like booklists. Here are the five best I have read relevant to current issues in School Reform. All are currently in print, I think: The Death and Life of the Great American School … Continue reading →

Posted in Education Reform, Teacher's Unions | 1 Comment