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NPR: High School Grad Rate “Isn’t Worth the Paper It’s Printed On”0
- June 12, 2015
It’s the end of the school year and by now just about every graduating senior has donned cap and gown and walked across the stage to receive his or her diploma. Statistics place national graduation rates at 81% – a percentage that has risen amidst much acclamation in recent years. But according to an investigation by NPR,
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Should Schools Move to a Year-Round Calendar?0
- June 5, 2015
At the end of another school year, questions predictably arise about the continued value of a long summer break. On the side of maintaining the traditional summer break side are arguments that it’s good for family bonding, that students simply need the long hiatus from academics, and good-old-fashioned nostalgia about summers past. Those for adjusting
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Minnesota to Highly Qualified, Unlicensed Teachers: Go Away 0
- June 5, 2015
I am not qualified to teach in Minnesota public schools. Here are my non-qualifications: A B.A. in Philosophy from Augsburg College An M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Wales (U.K.) I worked as a teaching assistant for several courses during this time. 14 years of successful teaching at Trinity School at River
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10 Great Summer Classics Your Kids Will Enjoy 0
- June 5, 2015
Ah… summertime. School is out and your kids are hanging around, complaining of boredom or playing on your iPhone. How do you ensure that your children won’t fritter away their summer in useless activities that fail to stretch their mind? For starters, why not enroll your children in a summer reading contest at your local
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Why It’s Time for a Different Teachers’ Union 0
- Education
- June 4, 2015
We need a radically different teachers’ union. The current model of a teachers’ union doesn’t fit the future educational landscape. Basically, the current model began with the industrial “labor and management are adversaries” model, giving laborers a collective voice in the face of the perpetual push to maximize profits. But schools and school systems aren’t
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Technology Makes Bad Schools Worse 0
- June 4, 2015
Believe it or not, this message comes from a technology expert. In this morning’s Washington Post, Kentaro Toyama, a University of Michigan computer science professor and fellow at MIT, offers an honest reflection on his attempts to bring technological innovation into classrooms. After promoting new computer programs in schools in India for a number of years, he has ultimately
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