A number of people have asked me what sites I follow to stay up-to-date on education news and policy, so I thought I'd make a list. I STRONGLY recommend using an RSS reader (Google Reader is my tool of choice) to keep track of these. Too many people I meet don't seem to know about news readers. Going to individual sites for news borders on masochistic. Here are thirteen sites I follow that I'd recommend to someone wanting to really dig into the education topics of the day:
Education - New York Times
WWW: http://www.nytimes.com/pages/education/index.html
RSS: http://www.nytimes.com/services/xml/rss/nyt/Education.xml
"Class Struggle" - Washington Post - Jay Mathews
WWW: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/03/24/LI2005032400611.html
RSS: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/rss/linkset/2005/03/24/LI2005032400611.xml
"The Answer Sheet" - Washington Post - Valerie Strauss
WWW: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/
RSS: http://feeds.voices.washingtonpost.com/wp/answer-sheet/index
Education - Huffington Post
WWW: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/education/
RSS: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/feeds/verticals/education/index.xml
Bridging Differences - Education Week
WWW: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/
RSS: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/index.xml
Education - Change.org
WWW: http://education.change.org/
RSS: http://education.change.org/blog/rss
Linking and Thinking on Education - Joanne Jacobs
WWW: http://www.joannejacobs.com/
RSS: http://www.joannejacobs.com/feed/
The Quick & The Ed
WWW: http://www.quickanded.com/
RSS: http://www.quickanded.com/feed
Rick Hess Straight Up - Education Week
WWW: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/
RSS: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/rick_hess_straight_up/index.xml
School Finance 101
WWW: http://schoolfinance101.wordpress.com/
RSS: http://schoolfinance101.wordpress.com/feed/
Schools Matter - Jim Horn
WWW: http://www.schoolsmatter.info/
RSS: http://www.schoolsmatter.info/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
Shanker Blog
WWW: http://shankerblog.org/
RSS: http://shankerblog.org/?feed=rss2
Sherman Dorn
WWW: http://shermandorn.com/wordpress/
RSS: http://shermandorn.com/wordpress/?feed=rss2
I'd like to think there's a combination of both neutral and opinionated coverage in the sites above, with opinions represented on both sides. If I've missed one of your favorites, list it in the comments below.
Education Research and Policy
I've been a bit mentally lethargic over my winter break, but previewing the book list for a class next semester is getting my neurons firing again. The class is Introduction to Education Research and Policy and it's taught by Ken Howe, a professor I know from the Ethics in Education class I took in the fall of 2009. The book list for Ed Research and Policy is long, but there are quite a few on the list that I've wanted to read:
- The Imperative of Integration by Elizabeth Anderson
- Silent Covenants: Brown v. Board of Education and the Unfulfilled Hopes for Racial Reform by Derrick Bell
- Politics, Markets and America's Schools by John E. Chubb and Terry M. Moe
- Experience and Education by John Dewey
- Losing Ground: American Social Policy, 1950-1980 by Charles Murray
- No Child Left Behind And the Transformation of Federal Education Policy, 1965-2005 by Patrick J. Mcguinn
- Scientific Research in Education by the National Research Council
- Class and Schools: Using Social, Economic, and Educational Reform to Close the Black-White Achievement Gap by Richard Rothstein
- The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education by David Tyack
- The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass, and Public Policy by William Julius Wilson
Planning for the 2010 NCTM Regional Conference in Denver
A week from now I'll be exhausted and headed home after a couple of long days at the Denver Convention Center and the NCTM Regional Conference. I've been planning my schedule and this is what I have so far:
Thursday, October 7:
9:30 - 10:30 "Learn <-> Reflect Kickoff: Geometry Must Change! Enough Trivia!" with Johnny W. Lott (Past President, NCTM; University of Mississippi) OR "A Learning Trajectory for Fractions with Low-Achieving Students" with Maria Ables (Freudenthal Institute)
I have class Thursday morning so I'll probably miss both of these. The content of Lott's presentation sounds good and pretty much everything from the Freudenthal Institute is good.
11:00 - 12:00 "Research-Based Practices that Increase Student Achievement -- and Practical Suggestions for Implementing Them In Your Classroom" with Diane Briars (President, National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics)
12:30 - 1:30 "Beyond Common Core Standards: Deep Curriculum Needed to Link Instruction, Assessment, and Professional Development" with Lorrie Shepard (University of Colorado at Boulder) OR "From Informal to Formal with a Click: Using Technology to Facilitate Progressive Formalization in Algebra" with Fred Peck and Jenn Moeller (Boulder Valley School District)
I had class with Fred and Jenn last summer and would love to see their presentation, but I really want to see Dr. Shepard's take on the Common Core Standards and the curriculum we need to support it. In either case, I might have trouble getting to Denver in time.
2:00 - 3:00 "Students' Geometric Reasoning: Research, Assessment, Teaching, and Intervention" with Michael Battista (Ohio State University)
5:00 - 6:30 "Why Videogames Are the Perfect Medium to Learn School Mathematics" with Keith Devlin (Stanford University)
Friday, October 8:
8:00-9:00 "Engaging Middle School Students in Proving" with Eric Knuth (University of Wisconsin -- Madison) OR "Online Professional Development Collaborative for Grades 6-12 Mathematics Teachers" with Robert Mayes (University of Wyoming) OR "Interactive, Visual Tools to Support the Learning of Algebra" with Henk van der Kooj (Freudenthal Institute)
I've seen probably seen the visual tools Henk van der Kooj will show at previous Freudenthal events, but if you haven't seen them you should check them out.
9:30-10:30 "NCTM and Implementation of the Common Core State Standards" with David Masunaga (Board of Directors, NCTM) and Michael Shaughnessy (President, NCTM)
11:00 - 12:00 "Students Reasoning and Sense Making on Some Favorite Geometry Problems" with Michael Shaughnessy (President, NCTM)
12:30 - 2:00 "Accessible Assessment: Selecting and Designing Tasks That Show What Students Know" with David C. Webb (University of Colorado at Boulder)
I've taken a class on assessment with Dr. Webb, so I may look for something else I haven't seen.
2:00 - 3:00 "Classroom Conversations: The Heart of Teaching" with Gail Burrill (Past President, NCTM; Michigan State University)
I still have some gaps to fill. I'll spend some time in the exhibitor hall, confirming my (somewhat baseless) distaste of most for-profit publishers and seeking out friendly faces. Hope to see you there!
Thursday, October 7:
9:30 - 10:30 "Learn <-> Reflect Kickoff: Geometry Must Change! Enough Trivia!" with Johnny W. Lott (Past President, NCTM; University of Mississippi) OR "A Learning Trajectory for Fractions with Low-Achieving Students" with Maria Ables (Freudenthal Institute)
I have class Thursday morning so I'll probably miss both of these. The content of Lott's presentation sounds good and pretty much everything from the Freudenthal Institute is good.
11:00 - 12:00 "Research-Based Practices that Increase Student Achievement -- and Practical Suggestions for Implementing Them In Your Classroom" with Diane Briars (President, National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics)
12:30 - 1:30 "Beyond Common Core Standards: Deep Curriculum Needed to Link Instruction, Assessment, and Professional Development" with Lorrie Shepard (University of Colorado at Boulder) OR "From Informal to Formal with a Click: Using Technology to Facilitate Progressive Formalization in Algebra" with Fred Peck and Jenn Moeller (Boulder Valley School District)
I had class with Fred and Jenn last summer and would love to see their presentation, but I really want to see Dr. Shepard's take on the Common Core Standards and the curriculum we need to support it. In either case, I might have trouble getting to Denver in time.
2:00 - 3:00 "Students' Geometric Reasoning: Research, Assessment, Teaching, and Intervention" with Michael Battista (Ohio State University)
5:00 - 6:30 "Why Videogames Are the Perfect Medium to Learn School Mathematics" with Keith Devlin (Stanford University)
Friday, October 8:
8:00-9:00 "Engaging Middle School Students in Proving" with Eric Knuth (University of Wisconsin -- Madison) OR "Online Professional Development Collaborative for Grades 6-12 Mathematics Teachers" with Robert Mayes (University of Wyoming) OR "Interactive, Visual Tools to Support the Learning of Algebra" with Henk van der Kooj (Freudenthal Institute)
I've seen probably seen the visual tools Henk van der Kooj will show at previous Freudenthal events, but if you haven't seen them you should check them out.
9:30-10:30 "NCTM and Implementation of the Common Core State Standards" with David Masunaga (Board of Directors, NCTM) and Michael Shaughnessy (President, NCTM)
11:00 - 12:00 "Students Reasoning and Sense Making on Some Favorite Geometry Problems" with Michael Shaughnessy (President, NCTM)
12:30 - 2:00 "Accessible Assessment: Selecting and Designing Tasks That Show What Students Know" with David C. Webb (University of Colorado at Boulder)
I've taken a class on assessment with Dr. Webb, so I may look for something else I haven't seen.
2:00 - 3:00 "Classroom Conversations: The Heart of Teaching" with Gail Burrill (Past President, NCTM; Michigan State University)
I still have some gaps to fill. I'll spend some time in the exhibitor hall, confirming my (somewhat baseless) distaste of most for-profit publishers and seeking out friendly faces. Hope to see you there!
Review: Race to Nowhere
Tonight I had the pleasure of viewing a screening of the documentary Race to Nowhere at the Shepherd Valley Waldorf School. With other education films such as Waiting for Superman and The Lottery, Nowhere provides a very different, yet very important perspective on American education. Check out the trailer:
People need to see this movie -- especially people who see Waiting for Superman. (Are you hearing me, Oprah?) Where Superman wants you to point fingers at a school, a teacher, or a union, Nowhere doesn't try to assign blame. Nowhere wants you to understand our educational culture and our roles in it, and use that understanding to change the way we as a society view school. Instead of over-scheduling, over-working, and over-stressing our students, Nowhere advocates for children, letting kids be kids and fostering their creativity and happiness to make them (or let them be) accomplished learners. Nowhere paints a powerful picture of accountability-based, high-stakes reform, and we begin to see how easily we fall into the traps of our system even while we understand its failings. Where Superman demands anger as the impetus for social change, Nowhere is a plea for compassion. Anger generally trumps compassion when it comes to getting people's attention, so I have doubts that Nowhere will be getting the attention it deserves alongside Superman. But we don't always make our best decisions when we're angry.
I'll admit it: for most of my life I scoffed at the idea that student self-esteem was a prerequisite for student achievement. I always thought it should be the other way around. After a year or so of grad school, with sufficient guidance and time for reflection and self-enlightenment, I now realize that my opinions were far too grounded in my own experience as a relatively stress-free, high-achieving student. This movie isn't about the warm and fuzzy student self-esteem I may have discredited in the past; the students in this movie are being harmed both psychologically and physically in ways that are hard to watch, and students who don't want that stress are giving up altogether. Nowhere seeks a balance, a reciprocity between student welfare and achievement that we must desire as an educational outcome. High standardized test scores always look good, but not if they come with higher incidents of student sickness, headaches, sleepless nights, caffiene and stimulant abuse, eating disorders, and suicides. (The film contains a heartbreaking story of a 13-year-old girl who killed herself, essentially, because a bad test in 8th grade algebra was going to prevent her from getting straight As.) The most powerful voices in Nowhere are the students. They are bright, well-spoken, driven students who want to do well as much or more than any parent, teacher, administrator, or policymaker wants for them. They are the stars of this movie and they deserve not only our attention, but our action. Where should you start? Go see the movie and watch for the answers to that question at the end of the film.
People need to see this movie -- especially people who see Waiting for Superman. (Are you hearing me, Oprah?) Where Superman wants you to point fingers at a school, a teacher, or a union, Nowhere doesn't try to assign blame. Nowhere wants you to understand our educational culture and our roles in it, and use that understanding to change the way we as a society view school. Instead of over-scheduling, over-working, and over-stressing our students, Nowhere advocates for children, letting kids be kids and fostering their creativity and happiness to make them (or let them be) accomplished learners. Nowhere paints a powerful picture of accountability-based, high-stakes reform, and we begin to see how easily we fall into the traps of our system even while we understand its failings. Where Superman demands anger as the impetus for social change, Nowhere is a plea for compassion. Anger generally trumps compassion when it comes to getting people's attention, so I have doubts that Nowhere will be getting the attention it deserves alongside Superman. But we don't always make our best decisions when we're angry.
I'll admit it: for most of my life I scoffed at the idea that student self-esteem was a prerequisite for student achievement. I always thought it should be the other way around. After a year or so of grad school, with sufficient guidance and time for reflection and self-enlightenment, I now realize that my opinions were far too grounded in my own experience as a relatively stress-free, high-achieving student. This movie isn't about the warm and fuzzy student self-esteem I may have discredited in the past; the students in this movie are being harmed both psychologically and physically in ways that are hard to watch, and students who don't want that stress are giving up altogether. Nowhere seeks a balance, a reciprocity between student welfare and achievement that we must desire as an educational outcome. High standardized test scores always look good, but not if they come with higher incidents of student sickness, headaches, sleepless nights, caffiene and stimulant abuse, eating disorders, and suicides. (The film contains a heartbreaking story of a 13-year-old girl who killed herself, essentially, because a bad test in 8th grade algebra was going to prevent her from getting straight As.) The most powerful voices in Nowhere are the students. They are bright, well-spoken, driven students who want to do well as much or more than any parent, teacher, administrator, or policymaker wants for them. They are the stars of this movie and they deserve not only our attention, but our action. Where should you start? Go see the movie and watch for the answers to that question at the end of the film.
Tenure and Union Contracts Are Two Separate Issues
One of many teachers to speak during NBC's "Teacher Town Hall" on Sunday was this young woman, featured again on Monday's NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams:
While I don't know all the details of her particular situation or what it's like at her school, her first words concern me: "I think we don't understand tenure." She then goes on with a passionate speech about how the union contract at her school interferes with her ability to deliver the kind of education she'd like to see her students get. I'm worried that she's failed to distinguish between union contracts and tenure, and it's clear from our current national discourse that she isn't the only one.
Union contracts, sometimes called professional agreements or master agreements, define fundamental working conditions between the school board (or administration) and the teachers, including contract hours, sick days, early retirement, grievance procedures, and many other practical, often common-sense things that are found in many employer-employee relationships. These are generally negotiated at a district level and quality varies. And, as with anything territorial, these negotiations can become very politicized and what started as common sense gets twisted into spiteful actions and reactions. If this teacher works in a district that prevents her from volunteering her non-contract time to help kids who want to be helped, then there is something wrong with both her district's union contract and how it's enforced. She has every right to be upset.
Tenure is something quite different. Tenure is usually defined by state lawmakers, and to avoid the "job for life" misconception many states don't actually use the word "tenure." Colorado, for example, uses "non-probationary teacher." After teaching successfully for several years (usually 3), as shown by regular and multiple administrative evaluations, a teacher earns due process rights. While I am not a lawyer, my understanding of due process is this: a teacher with "tenure," when faced with dismissal from his/her job, has the right to be heard in front of a neutral judge. Unfortunately, given the high stakes of such decisions (for both sides) and the inefficiencies of the legal system, such proceedings are contentious, taxing, and expensive. Tenure protections were designed to protect teachers from the whims of political pressures, not poor performance. But in today's heated climate, however, poor teacher performance couldn't be much more political. Few would disagree that reforms are needed, but the rights of due process are not easily negotiated or redefined.
In some ways I'm happy that this teacher doesn't think she needs tenure. Maybe we finally live in a world where parents and administrators are more supportive when their teachers try innovative teaching practices. Maybe teachers are free to assign grades to students without outside influence. Maybe communities are more tolerant of teachers who affiliate with a religion, political party, or sexual orientation that differs from their own. Maybe teachers, such as the one in the video, can now be outspoken without risking their jobs. But let's get serious -- this is not the world in which we live and the teacher in the video, whether she thinks she needs them or not, is a noble professional who deserves some protection against these kinds of pressures. I want her to be able to argue for what's best for her students and not fear for her career because her sentiments might be unpopular, whether it's with her administration or union officials. Again, this is not about her performance. The protection from pressures I've described above should and can be dealt with separately from concerns of poor performance.
I admire the spirit of the young woman in the video and hope she sees the differences between her union contract and tenure. I also hope she is admired for speaking out and is received in her school with understanding and respect. I also hope she and others learn to calm the discourse, understand the critical distinctions in these important issues, and work to do not only what's best for children, but what's right for their teachers as well. Reforms done "with" are destined to be more successful than reforms done "to," and that kind of cooperation is going to take a refined level of debate.
While I don't know all the details of her particular situation or what it's like at her school, her first words concern me: "I think we don't understand tenure." She then goes on with a passionate speech about how the union contract at her school interferes with her ability to deliver the kind of education she'd like to see her students get. I'm worried that she's failed to distinguish between union contracts and tenure, and it's clear from our current national discourse that she isn't the only one.
Union contracts, sometimes called professional agreements or master agreements, define fundamental working conditions between the school board (or administration) and the teachers, including contract hours, sick days, early retirement, grievance procedures, and many other practical, often common-sense things that are found in many employer-employee relationships. These are generally negotiated at a district level and quality varies. And, as with anything territorial, these negotiations can become very politicized and what started as common sense gets twisted into spiteful actions and reactions. If this teacher works in a district that prevents her from volunteering her non-contract time to help kids who want to be helped, then there is something wrong with both her district's union contract and how it's enforced. She has every right to be upset.
Tenure is something quite different. Tenure is usually defined by state lawmakers, and to avoid the "job for life" misconception many states don't actually use the word "tenure." Colorado, for example, uses "non-probationary teacher." After teaching successfully for several years (usually 3), as shown by regular and multiple administrative evaluations, a teacher earns due process rights. While I am not a lawyer, my understanding of due process is this: a teacher with "tenure," when faced with dismissal from his/her job, has the right to be heard in front of a neutral judge. Unfortunately, given the high stakes of such decisions (for both sides) and the inefficiencies of the legal system, such proceedings are contentious, taxing, and expensive. Tenure protections were designed to protect teachers from the whims of political pressures, not poor performance. But in today's heated climate, however, poor teacher performance couldn't be much more political. Few would disagree that reforms are needed, but the rights of due process are not easily negotiated or redefined.
In some ways I'm happy that this teacher doesn't think she needs tenure. Maybe we finally live in a world where parents and administrators are more supportive when their teachers try innovative teaching practices. Maybe teachers are free to assign grades to students without outside influence. Maybe communities are more tolerant of teachers who affiliate with a religion, political party, or sexual orientation that differs from their own. Maybe teachers, such as the one in the video, can now be outspoken without risking their jobs. But let's get serious -- this is not the world in which we live and the teacher in the video, whether she thinks she needs them or not, is a noble professional who deserves some protection against these kinds of pressures. I want her to be able to argue for what's best for her students and not fear for her career because her sentiments might be unpopular, whether it's with her administration or union officials. Again, this is not about her performance. The protection from pressures I've described above should and can be dealt with separately from concerns of poor performance.
I admire the spirit of the young woman in the video and hope she sees the differences between her union contract and tenure. I also hope she is admired for speaking out and is received in her school with understanding and respect. I also hope she and others learn to calm the discourse, understand the critical distinctions in these important issues, and work to do not only what's best for children, but what's right for their teachers as well. Reforms done "with" are destined to be more successful than reforms done "to," and that kind of cooperation is going to take a refined level of debate.
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