Policymakers have perverted teaching, and reduced the evaluation of teachers to a number based on questionable and unreliable data. Not only do researchers at major universities caution policymakers about using Value-Added Models (VAMs), but using such a system that is based on student test scores will destroy the central character of teaching.
As a teacher I have always been guided by several core principles to help my students learn.… Read more
In her new book, Dr. Lisa Delpit suggests that the original idea of charter school has been corrupted. She explains that originally, charter schools were designed to be “beacons” for educational excellence. Charter schools were to be designed to develop new approaches to teaching, especially for the most challenging populations of children. Their results were to be shared with other public schools.… Read more
On Sunday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a Cox newspaper published the results of its investigation into “cheating” in American schools. The article was entitled Suspicious Scores Across the Nation, and you can read it by following the link. The article was subtitled “Cheating Our Children.”
I was immediately suspicious of the report that the Journal-Constitution published. They have put into place an agressive team of watchdog reporters, database specialists, and investigative reporters.… Read more
United OPT OUT NATIONAL is organizing an Occupy the Department of Education (DOE) in Washington, D.C. March 30 – April 2, 2012.
Anthony Cody, on his blog Living in Dialog, interviewed two education activists who are part of the leadership spearheading the Occupy the DOE next week. Anthony interviewed Ceresta Smith, a 23-year veteran teacher and National Board Certified teacher, and Timothy D.… Read more
Guest Post by Donna McKenna
This was first published on March 8 on Donna McKenna’s blog, No Sleep ’til Summer. She is an elementary ESL teacher passionate about language learners and language learning. Published with permission.
Note: This post is a continuation of yesterday’s post entitled Quality Teaching: We’re Looking in the Wrong Place. Evaluating teachers using Value-Added Modeling is shameful and degrading, not only because VAM is unscientific and a fraud, but because it does an enormous disservice to professional teachers and their students.… Read more
According to a number of researchers (Marder, Ravitch, Darling-Hammond) our system of education is failing a huge number of students, especially in mathematics, and science. Since 2003, when the NCLB Act was put into place that required schools to test all students beginning in grade 3, the Federal control by the U.S. Department of Eduction (ED) has intruded into the day-to-day work of all teachers and students in American schools.… Read more
Guest Post by Anthony Cody
Anthony Cody spent 24 years working in Oakland schools, 18 of them as a science teacher at a high needs middle school. He is National Board certified, and now leads workshops with teachers focused on Project Based Learning. With education at a crossroads, he invites you to join him in a dialogue on education reform and teaching for change and deep learning.… Read more
The Art of Teaching Science is the personal blog of Jack Hassard. I am a writer, a former high school science teacher and Professor Emeritus of Science Education, Georgia State University. The blog reflects my opinions on science education and issues related to educational reform from a progressive science and education philosophy.
