Author Archives: Mike

You Can’t Solve a Problem by Throwing Computers at It

It seems that every session of the Idaho Legislature, when the education budget comes up, we are reminded that “You can’t solve a problem by throwing money at it.” And, if all you do is throw money, with no thought … Continue reading

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Does Size Matter?

Idaho State Superintendent of Schools proposes reducing the number of teachers in Idaho by some 700+, which will mean larger average class sizes:  the number of students divided by the number of teachers. Average class size will go from 18.2 … Continue reading

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What Are Most Students Learning in College?

Today, 1/19/11, I read a most interesting article in the newspaper. Oddly, it does not seem to be available on The Statesman’s website. Find it at the Hechinger Report’s site. http://hechingerreport.org/content/what-are-most-students-learning-in-college-not-enough-study-says_4979/ Predictably, the article laments that “An unprecedented [longitudinal] study … Continue reading

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Luna’s Reform Proposals

As we go into Idaho’s 2011 legislative session, Superintendent Tom Luna proposes a major overhaul of public education in Idaho. Prominent features are larger classes and fewer teachers for next year. He says this will be made feasible by giving … Continue reading

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Senior Project Inception

December 8 and 9, 2010, I returned to Nampa High School to evaluate Senior Project Presentations, as I have continued to do since retirement. Earlier this semester, in correspondence with colleagues at NHS, I was asked how the Senior Project … Continue reading

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First, Fire All the Teachers

I have read in this morning’s paper that “School Hits Bumps on the Road to Reform.” http://www.idahostatesman.com/2011/01/06/1478112/troubled-ri-school-hits-bumps.html It seems that the school district fired the entire faculty of the high school, en masse, “in a radical, last ditch attempt to … Continue reading

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Thoughts on Bad Teachers

Politicians, Pundits, Polemicists, and some Professors Who Probably Know Better harp at us through the media that American Public Education is sick unto death. It needs to be reformed from top to bottom. The very assumptions that form the basis … Continue reading

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Education and the Military

The big news this past week has been the Education Trust report that twenty percent of young recruits fail the ASVAB. This is presented as yet more proof positive of the abject failure of American public education. It’s like Chicken … Continue reading

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Senior Project Inception

The next two days, 12/8&9/2010, I will return to Nampa High School to evaluate Senior Project Presentations, as I have continued to do since retirement. Earlier this semester, in correspondence with colleagues at NHS, I was asked how the Senior … Continue reading

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Gaming Math

In the December, 2010 Scientific American is an article on ten world-changing ideas that may influence our futures. One such idea is “game-ifying” real-life human activities in order to motivate and modify behaviors. I won’t try to explain it and, … Continue reading

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