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Wednesday, August 21, 2013

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-21-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

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The Upside Down World of Common Core
This is a terrific article from an unusual source: George Ball, past president of the American Horticultural Society and chairman of the Burpee Seed Company. Ball writes: “Frequently, these days, I’m reminded of Edward Lear’s whimsical illustration, “Manypeeplia Upsidedownia.” The drawing depicts an imagined botanical species, with a half dozen characters suspended upside down from a flower’s bend
“Disruption”: The Worst Cliche of Our Time
Judith Shulevitz has written a brilliant essay in “The Néw Republic” about the corporate and political leaders’ infatuation with “disruption.” It is “the most pernicious cliche of our time.” She identifies its author, Clayton Christenson, and shows how it explains some technological change yet is now used in policy circles to undermine and privatize public functions. Shulevitz observes: “Christens

Diane in the Evening 8-20-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Who Is Held Accountable in North Carolina?A teacher explains what accountability means in North Carolina: I argue that the validity of these test scores and results are dismal because the test itself does NOT hold students accountable (at least in my state of NC). The entire basis of the test is invalid before the students even too