Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Schools Matter: How to boost reading scores

Schools Matter: How to boost reading scores:

How to boost reading scores

Sent to the Daily Telegraph, December 6

“4m children in UK do not own a single book, study finds,” (Dec 6) reports that children who read more do better on reading tests than those who read less. This adds to the extraordinary amount of scientific research showing that children improve in reading by reading books they find comprehensible and interesting. Those with more access to books, at home or from libraries, read more and therefore read better.

Nevertheless, the Department of Education asserts that their preferred form of phonics (synthetic phonics) will “help boost reading scores.” They are referring to the Clackmannanshire study done in Scotland several years ago.

Huffman Hires Outsourcing Expertise and Former Direct Instruction Salesman

When former Teach for America executive, Kevin Huffman, was named Tennessee's Education Commissioner earlier this year, it was a sure sign that TFA had moved into a key position in implementing a third decade of the same corporate education reform that has produced so little learning at such great costs, both human and economic, since the 1980s.

Last week Huffman named two new lieutenants in his and the Business Roundtable's latest efforts to do for education what they have done for business: make themselves fat while destroying the system. Named as an assistant commissioner of career and technical education was Danielle Mezera, who served as corporate education adviser to Mayor Karl Dean, as the Nashville mayor suffered repeated attacks of "outsourcing envy" as