http://wcbstv.com/national/wisconsin.sex.education.2.1617990.html
A blindly hyper-conservative DA in Wisconsin is threatening teachers who try to use their new right to teach about contraceptives. He argues doing so is encouraging students to have sex and likens it to teaching drink mixing because kids will be drinking illegally. The problem is teaching abstinence only doesn't give them any clue or preparation for any sexual encounters. (There are lots of cases of people having sex and suffering immense consequences, because they weren't taught anything but not to do it.) They must be taught the reality and consequences of sex. Choosing not to teach birth control is like endorsing another set of illegitimate parents or STI/STD carriers. In regard to DA Southworth's thinking that contraceptive instruction is encouraging sex, no one's telling kids how to have better sex; they're trying to teach them safe sex.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sunday, March 21, 2010
NCLB Reform
www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/education/14child.html?pagewanted=2
No Child Left Behind has been revisited, and it doesn't seem like anyone's happy. How can anyone expect to close the achievement gap without investing heavily into the wellbeing of lower-performing students? What is the good of making tests the most important part of the school year? When tests are so important, why would schools even bother with materials not on the tests? I really wish we would stop this testing nonsense and focus on what is better for the students and their futures.
No Child Left Behind has been revisited, and it doesn't seem like anyone's happy. How can anyone expect to close the achievement gap without investing heavily into the wellbeing of lower-performing students? What is the good of making tests the most important part of the school year? When tests are so important, why would schools even bother with materials not on the tests? I really wish we would stop this testing nonsense and focus on what is better for the students and their futures.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Controversial Issues for Students
www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/science/earth/04climate.html
Some things just can't be proven (not yet, at least). All these things should be taught from a critical thinking perspective. Teach students what is believed and why it's believed instead of asserting the truth of one perspective. On the creation/evolution deal, we can't know certain things. It's still just philosophy, and it shouldn't be treated or taught any differently.
Some things just can't be proven (not yet, at least). All these things should be taught from a critical thinking perspective. Teach students what is believed and why it's believed instead of asserting the truth of one perspective. On the creation/evolution deal, we can't know certain things. It's still just philosophy, and it shouldn't be treated or taught any differently.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Firing the Entire Teaching Staff
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/24/AR2010022402092_3.html?sid=ST2010022403468
My wife told me about this when it first hit the news. I sincerely do agree that firing all teachers can be very effective at saying, "We're serious about educational reform!" Does that mean I support this instance? Certainly not. The chance that EVERY teacher is crap is almost impossible. It sounds like the administrators and superintendent were not doing their jobs in this case. Firing every teacher sounds like they're too sorry to find out who's doing a good job. They're probably too sorry to make sure they hire good teachers and too sorry to properly evaluate those teachers.
I expect low school budget probably relates in some way or another.
My wife told me about this when it first hit the news. I sincerely do agree that firing all teachers can be very effective at saying, "We're serious about educational reform!" Does that mean I support this instance? Certainly not. The chance that EVERY teacher is crap is almost impossible. It sounds like the administrators and superintendent were not doing their jobs in this case. Firing every teacher sounds like they're too sorry to find out who's doing a good job. They're probably too sorry to make sure they hire good teachers and too sorry to properly evaluate those teachers.
I expect low school budget probably relates in some way or another.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
the Problem of Tenure
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/20/local/la-me-teacher-tenure20-2009dec20?pg=7
I really think tenure in education is ridiculous. I think it would be better to raise the salaries of teachers and the expectations, as well. Teachers should never be immune to firing, because even a fifteen-years-in-a-row star teacher can fail. I wouldn't want to be allowed to stay if I'm not giving the students the best opportunities to learn and grow. Put the students first, make them your life, or you deserve to be dismissed.
I really think tenure in education is ridiculous. I think it would be better to raise the salaries of teachers and the expectations, as well. Teachers should never be immune to firing, because even a fifteen-years-in-a-row star teacher can fail. I wouldn't want to be allowed to stay if I'm not giving the students the best opportunities to learn and grow. Put the students first, make them your life, or you deserve to be dismissed.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Community Support vs. School Reform
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/class-struggle/2010/02/teachers_more_important_than_p.html
Great article. Jay Matthews makes a good argument about educational reform and community support; sometimes revolutionary change is met with negative sentiment, and the community likes what it doesn’t realize isn’t good for it. Quite often, things must get worse before they can get better. It also reminds me of the issue of doing what is right versus what people want. Not a native to this area, I have no idea what goes on in D.C. schools, but I do hope the schools have breakthroughs that turn the system’s reputation upside down.
Great article. Jay Matthews makes a good argument about educational reform and community support; sometimes revolutionary change is met with negative sentiment, and the community likes what it doesn’t realize isn’t good for it. Quite often, things must get worse before they can get better. It also reminds me of the issue of doing what is right versus what people want. Not a native to this area, I have no idea what goes on in D.C. schools, but I do hope the schools have breakthroughs that turn the system’s reputation upside down.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Mexican Students Denied Texas Schooling
www.cnn.com/2009/US/09/11/texas.border.schools/index.html
The above article reports how in states along the Mexican border, many hundreds of students cross the border to go to American schools -- in this case Texas. My first question was, "How are so many people getting through border patrol EVERY day?" After reading I guess it's the citizenship of the children that allows their freedom to enter. Still, hundreds of children whose families do not fund the schools with their taxes are attending these schools. If any of the students have special needs (a statistical likelihood), they're pulling quite a bit of money out of the school's budget. The law in Texas is that you can't go to a school in a county you don't share residence; U.S. citizenship is irrelevant.
The issue is that many children will be denied educational opportunity. (Surely there are schools south of the border...) The idea of having the parents pay for the tuition is a possibility, but it's said that doesn't work. The school fears that if they turn away so many students, they will get a budget cut, so the school can't win no matter what. I guess it's an ethical matter for the school board: "Can we use tax-payers' money to educate children whose parents aren't paying their share? Is keeping the students in school here more important?"
The above article reports how in states along the Mexican border, many hundreds of students cross the border to go to American schools -- in this case Texas. My first question was, "How are so many people getting through border patrol EVERY day?" After reading I guess it's the citizenship of the children that allows their freedom to enter. Still, hundreds of children whose families do not fund the schools with their taxes are attending these schools. If any of the students have special needs (a statistical likelihood), they're pulling quite a bit of money out of the school's budget. The law in Texas is that you can't go to a school in a county you don't share residence; U.S. citizenship is irrelevant.
The issue is that many children will be denied educational opportunity. (Surely there are schools south of the border...) The idea of having the parents pay for the tuition is a possibility, but it's said that doesn't work. The school fears that if they turn away so many students, they will get a budget cut, so the school can't win no matter what. I guess it's an ethical matter for the school board: "Can we use tax-payers' money to educate children whose parents aren't paying their share? Is keeping the students in school here more important?"
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