How market forces hurt education for the poor

Poorest schools tend to have novice teachers, state reports

Supplemental Book Assignments—A Reminder

Kozol is now DUE Wed 10/15/08; the assignment per your syllabus:

Book Questions:
You will need to answer the following study questions for the supplemental books (Kozol and Hersch). Your answers should be typed, if possible. They are due on the dates we are scheduled to discuss the books in class:

Questions for Kozol:
a) What are some key suggestions made by Kozol for young teachers?
b) What philosophical and ideological commitments drive Kozol’s discussion?
c) Does this book tell us anything about how our educational system works? If so, what?
d) If you had to give the book a different title, what would it be? Why?

YOU MAY SUBMIT A DISCUSSION OF THE BOOK INSTEAD OF ANSWERING THE QUESTIONS AS WELL. SIMPLY EMAIL YOUR EVIDENCE OF READING BY WED 10/15/08.

What is failure?

Great Op-Ed in The State.

To consider. . .

Paulo Freire (1998), Pedagogy of Freedom

“If I consider myself superior to what is different, no matter what it is, I am refusing to listen. The different becomes not an ‘other’ worthy of any respect, but a ‘this’ or ‘that’ to be despised and detested. This is oppression” (p. 108)

“It is this: If education cannot do everything, there is something fundamental that it can do. In other words, if education is not the key to social transformation, neither is it simply meant to reproduce the dominant ideology” (p. 110)

So Should Everyone Take Latin?

A Dead Language That Is Very Much Alive

Schedule Adjustments: October 6-October 17

M, Oct 6: Group work IN-CLASS to prepare for presenting

W, Oct 8: Group presentations (volunteers, then lottery)

F, Oct 10: Group presentations (volunteers, then lottery)

M, Oct 13: Group presentations [IF needed]; Kozol, Letters discussion in-class; Kozol proof DUE

W, Oct 15: Kozol, Letters discussion in-class

F, Oct 17: Mid-term (guidelines will be provided)

SAT. . .and schools behind bars

Flawed Assumptions Undergird SAT

Best schools behind bars? (Thanks to Rick for alerting me to this. Consider this in light of the "new" paternalism.)

My Op-Ed in The News today

Realism often lacking in education debate

Schedule change F, M, W (9/26, 9/29, 10/1)

Changes:

F (9/26): NO CLASS; Read for next week: (1) “What These Children Are Like,” Ralph Ellison; and (2) "An Appeal to Authority"; MEET WITH YOUR GROUP

M (9/29): Continue discussion of poverty and education, including discussion of readings from 9/26

W (10/1): Continue discussion of poverty and education, including discussion of readings from 9/26; APA documentation

Corridor of Shame—to consider

Look at the report cards here and here.

And the Poverty Index in SC schools.

Keep in mind Kozol's question about the purpose of public education as well.

What is "social justice"?

What should we make of this approach?

Southwire's 12 for Life model

Or this new book, Sweating the Small Stuff.

Poverty

Consider this Op-Ed as we discuss poverty and education in the coming weeks.

Some sources for considering poverty:

Institute for Research on Poverty

SC Legal Justice Center

Poverty in America (Penn State)

US Census Bureau (2007 data)

What can we see in this discussion of assessment?

All educators have philosophical and theoretical lenses through which they teach and learn. What philosophical and theoretical assumptions are embedded in this discussion of assessment:

Self-Assessment: Students "Know" Better

Now compare the above with this Op-Ed from a member of the State Board of Education in SC:

PACT replacement could be better

And, FYI, an interesting change of viewpoints from a politician, this Op-Ed in The State.

McCain and Education

Read an article here.

Obama and Education

Obama details education improvement plan
Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama outlined his plan for education, including doubling funding for charter schools as well as supporting merit pay and increased accountability for teachers. "If we're going to make a real and lasting difference for our future, we have to be willing to move beyond the old arguments of left and right and take meaningful, practical steps to build an education system worthy of our children and our future," Obama said. USA TODAY/Associated Press (9/9) , Google/Associated Press (9/9) , Chicago Sun-Times (9/9)