Archive for December, 2010
Because government assistance is a bad thing…
Eliminating the class size limit would eliminate up to 12,000 teacher jobs. But according to Florence Shapiro, it’s really about local control. Education Week: Texas Battle Looms on Class-Size Limit “It would give flexibility to superintendents. It strengthens local control and gives them the opportunity to save some dollars,” she said, noting that school officials [...]
Another failure of the education system?
Do students even read Orwell’s 1984 any more? Or is everyone okay just living it?The Washington Monthly But it’s the speed with which the right-wing shift occurred that’s truly impressive. It was, after all, April 2009 when Upton characterized climate change as “a serious problem that necessitates serious solutions.” That was last year. It was [...]
Graduation Rates for Four Year Schools
Notice anything about the following sentence? Graduation Rates Over Time: Private Research Institutions – Students – The Chronicle of Higher Education We compare here the graduation rates at four-year colleges for the six years ending in 2008 with the rates for the six years ending in 2003. This is showing the six year graduation rate [...]
More evidence of the failure of the education system
They remember the lesson on civic participation but fail miserably at civic knowledge. Now everyone together, say it-filibuster. Your turn – Monday, December 20, 2010 – San Antonio Express-News Candace King’s Dec. 14 letter said: “Texas Sens. Cornyn and Hutchison and the rest of the heartless Republican senators showed how callous they are by denying [...]
More evidence of the failures of our education system
9/11 Responders blame the Democrats for not getting their health bill passed. The Washington Monthly The assumption is based on an idea — Congress operates by majority rule — that should be true but isn’t. For much of the country, procedures like “filibusters,” “secret holds,” and “cloture votes” are completely foreign. Indeed, it’s very likely [...]
It is the culture
It Isn’t the Culture, Stupid – Web’s #1 Source for K12 and Higher Education News and Commentary – EducationNews.org The “it’s the culture” argument, fails to acknowledge, however, that the Chinese/Asian value of education is not just about hard working and respectful students. The culture is also responsible for the adoption of a coherent [...]
An Inconvienent Truth
I was listening to a story on NPR this morning about how manufacturers have taken phosphates out of dishwasher detergent. As a result, dishes aren’t coming as clean as they once had. One of the persons interviewed about the problem said she wasn’t so sure that phosphates caused algae blooms and so they should put [...]
More on GPA over SAT
Ta-Nehisi Coates – Authors – The Atlantic That point on focusing on the GPA over high SATs is interesting. More evidence for the top ten percent rule at UT Austin. What does it say about the SAT if people with higher gpas from “less challenging” schools are more likely to graduate than those with higher [...]
Religion and Professional Reputation
I would think the question would be whether or not he was teaching it in his astronomy classes, not just talking to religious groups. Then there is also the issue of professional reputation. I do think that people are hired because their reputation would increase the stature of the hiring institution. Assuming that this has [...]
Interesting discussion on the value of Teach for America
The Answer Sheet – Valerie vs. Jay on Teach for America, KIPP, etc. Valerie vs. Jay on Teach for America, KIPP, etc. Ultimately, I think I have to side with Jay Mathews on this one. I think Valerie Strauss misses the point. Teach for America isn’t saying that you need “elites” in public schools to [...]