Category Archives: Education Reform

Latins: Computer Science in Schools

Posted on February 19, 2014 by Mike

Earlier this week, 2-17-2014, to be exact, I heard a piece on NPR, “A Push to Learn Computer Science Learning, Even at an Early Age,”  The import of the article laments that Computer Science is paid scant attention in the … Continue reading →

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Math Requirements

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Mike

Some time ago, long enough that the link has been lost, a high school friend in South Dakota sent me an interesting link to a guest editorial in a Watertown, South Dakota paper.   The author, Fred Deutsch, a school board … Continue reading →

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Two Blogs of Note

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Mike

I have recently come across two blogs that are noteworthy and that I recommend. The first is Diane Ravitch’s Blog: http://dianeravitch.net/  Diane Ravitch is probably best known for Death and Life of the Great American School System, a book which … Continue reading →

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Now What?

Posted on December 10, 2012 by Mike

The “Luna Laws” have been repealed. This is no time for self-congratulation, but time to begin the real work. It is time for thinking and talking about changes that will really make a difference, except that this time teachers need … Continue reading →

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Is American Education Broken?

Posted on November 18, 2012 by Mike

No and yes. It depends on where you are looking at it from. What is broken is uniform access of students across the nation to a quality public education. American public schools range in quality from excellent to abysmal. I … Continue reading →

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Building a Better Science Teacher

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Mike

The August 2012 Scientific American carries an article by Pat Wingert, “Building a Better Science Teacher.”  Much of his argument is same-old same-old: what a horrible job of teaching math and science the nation’s public schools are doing, the stock-in-trade … Continue reading →

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The Ontario Model

Posted on June 29, 2012 by Mike

Forty years ago, or forty-one perhaps, Genny and I took the long way ‘round returning from Sioux Falls, SD to Payette, ID. We drove north to Winnipeg, turned left, and followed Canada 1 clear across. We dropped south to Seattle … Continue reading →

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Hotspot Schools

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Mike

I want to make something clear: I do not agree with the Reformist’s premise that American Public Education is broken beyond repair and must be reinvented from the ground up, nor do I agree with their methods for “fixing” it, … Continue reading →

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Bad Systems, Bad Teachers

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Mike

You all have probably gathered by now from my rants that the world of school is not easily walked away from. You have probably gathered that I have little use for the school “reform” movement, which, in the cynicism of geezerhood, … Continue reading →

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Bill Gates on Teacher Evaluations

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Mike

I have been critical of “Reformists” with their mantras of greater teacher accountability, putting greater pressure on teachers in order to make them shape up, and firing some as an example to the rest. And I still am critical of … Continue reading →

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