FINAL EXAM Tuesday, December 16, 8:30-11 am

Submit ALL work on your portfolio/final grade sheet.

Due by 11 am Tuesday, December 16.

Email with questions, etc.

My on-line Op-Ed in The State

Latin and the SAT

Trouble doing your essays?

Maybe this can explain some of the angst experienced with essay assignments:

The Term Paper Artist

On the Radio

I believe I will be a guest on Speaking of Schools this Monday, December 1.

Charter schools failing in Minnesota

A new report shows a serious failure by charter schools in Minnesota, home of the longest running experiment with charter schools.

See this news piece.

See the report here as a PDF.

One more schedule reminder—some small changes

M 11/24: Workshop with Peer Group; SUBMIT ESSAY BEFORE HOLIDAY BREAK

W 11/26: Thanksgiving Holiday

F 11/28: Thanksgiving Holiday

M 12/1: Essay discussion (have your essay available in class, laptop or hardcopy)

W 12/3: Essay discussion (have your essay available in class, laptop or hardcopy)

F 12/5: Virtual School Visits Report

M 12/8: "Choices for Children," Alfie Kohn

T 12/16: 8:30, Final Portfolio/ Exam

High-poverty students with low-knowledge teachers

The Education Trust has yet another study showing that teacher quality is lower for our students in poverty than for our more affluent students. See the full report in PDF version in a link on the right of the press release.

Teaching evolution in Texas

Scientists speak about teaching evolution in Texas.

How useful are school report cards?

School report cards, not all they may seem to be. See this article in the NYT.

All the Presdient's Children. . .

What do we see in this Op-Ed concerning DC schools and a new President choosing school for his children?

DC Schools Just Not Good Enough, Leonard Pitts Jr.

Reading for December 8 FINAL class discussion!

Read by December 8 class session:

"Choices for Children," Alfie Kohn

Flock of Dodos discussion support

Thomas Jefferson claimed: "The moment a person forms a theory, his imagination sees, in every object, only the traits which favor that theory."

NCSE

SCSE

Discovery Institute

Can you define?:

Hypothesis

Theory

Law

The Scientific Method

Belief

Evolution

How should we respond to this?

America the Illiterate, Chris Hedges

School reform and poverty. . .what do we do?

You may find this research concerning the KIPP schools of interest.

Academic and Intellectual Freedom in the Classroom

How the survey played out:

1) I remain quiet in class discussions because I am concerned that my ideas and beliefs may be different than those of my teacher/professor and that such a difference will negatively impact my grade.

Never (8) Rarely (21) Occasionally (20) Often (7) Always

2) When I talk in class discussions, I express ideas and beliefs that are similar to the teacher/professor’s even though the ideas and beliefs are not necessarily my ideas and beliefs because I am concerned that my ideas and beliefs may be different than those of my teacher/professor and that such a difference will negatively impact my grade.

Never (14) Rarely (25) Occasionally (13) Often (4) Always

3) On written test/exams, I express ideas and beliefs that are similar to the teacher/professor’s even though the ideas and beliefs are not necessarily my ideas and beliefs because I am concerned that my ideas and beliefs may be different than those of my teacher/professor and that such a difference will negatively impact my grade.

Never (8) Rarely (14) Occasionally (18) Often (11) Always (5)

4) My teachers/professors are aware of their own assumptions and biases, and they make serious efforts not to allow their ideas and beliefs to impact negatively how they grade their students.

Never Rarely (7) Occasionally (19) Often (25) Always (4)

5) Most students express (orally and in writing) primarily what they believe teachers/professors want to hear/read instead of saying or writing ideas and comments that may contradict the teacher/professor because students fear differences of opinion negatively impact students’ grades.

Never Rarely (2) Occasionally (18) Often (34) Always (2)

6) I am more likely to change my views by what my peers believe or say than what my teachers/professors believe or say.

Never (4) Rarely (17) Occasionally (17) Often (16) Always (2)