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Monday, February 18, 2013

UPDATE: “No Excuses” and the Culture of Shame + GERMS Down Under – @ the chalk face

GERMS Down Under – @ the chalk face:



Just for kicks, I mapped the chalk face

Map the Chalk Face
I created a map of our authors here to emphasize the diversity of opinion and experience we bring to the table. Interesting, and we have international connections now. But what’s not obvious from the map are the multiple connections we have in NY and MA.
Perhaps other sites have more authors and more geographic diversity. Yet, at the very least, we cannot be accused of some kind of monolithic voice. We have multiple perspectives and independent voices to bring to this conversation.


GERMS Down Under

Once upon a time, not that long ago, primary school education in New Zealand was child centred, aimed at developing the ‘whole child.’  Our teachers were able to be creative and innovative in developing wonderful learning experiences for all children, as nicely summarised by an educational vision outlined in 1940:
“The Government’s objective, broadly expressed, is that all persons, whatever their ability, rich or poor, whether they live in town or country, have a right as citizens to a free education of the kind for which they are best fitted and to the fullest extent of their powers”.
This statement reflected the philosophy of a great New Zealand educator Clarence Beeby, and in itself was an interpretation of Dewey and other like minded educational philosophers.
This vision underpinned New Zealand primary school education for nearly 50 years. It resulted in an


“No Excuses” and the Culture of Shame: Why Metrics Don’t Matter

“Wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear someone say that ‘eliminating poverty in America is the civil rights issue of our day’? Since poverty is the single most reliable predictor of poor performance in school, poor health, poor attendance, dropping out, and almost every negative indicator, wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear some of the politicians addressing the root cause of inequality?” Diane Ravitch
The education reform debate is fueled by a seemingly endless and even fruitless point/counter-point among the corporate reformers—typically advocates for and from the Gates Foundation (GF), Teach for America (TFA), and charter chains such as Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP)—and educators/scholars of education. [1] Since the political and public machines have embraced the corporate reformers, GF, TFA, and KIPP have acquired the


I thought I would add a Brave New Drone of my own, from the @nytimes @pgreenbe @4fishgreenberg

ImageI’m no cartoonist. And I must mention that this entire idea came from an op-art piece from the NYT Sunday Review, courtesy of author Paul Greenberg and illustrator Scott Manchin. I just thought we’d need a new drone in honor of the ubiquitous education reformer. So, meet the PL 110-117 Examinator.