Monthly Archives: January 2013
Since I’ve frequently voiced qualified support for “data-driven” educational policy, I feel especially obliged to post Rick Hess’s warning that data is “no deux ex machina”: Data expose inequities, create transparency, and help drive organizational improvement. But something is amiss. … Continue reading
Many of my readers heartily dislike standardized tests, and the increasingly prominent role they play in teacher as well as student evaluation. But how far should teachers carry this dislike? I ask because a group of teachers in the Seattle … Continue reading
Since the purpose of this blog is to promote debate over educational issues, I’m especially pleased to post what may be the most intelligent debate I’ve seen between a proponent and critic of the common core standards. The central question that both interlocutors … Continue reading
While just about everyone thinks American students need better civics education, brawling breaks out pretty quickly when states try to delineate content. How is power divided between state governments and the national government? What kind of protection for religious liberty … Continue reading
A blog reader sent me an email expressing concern about his (Utah) school’s new policy of compulsory tracking for math and science students who fail to pass the CRT exam. I thought his comments were worth sharing with the class: … Continue reading
My recent posting on homeschooling led to an interesting exchange on teaching math . . . so I thought I’d post a recent article about math education, from the Stanford University publication Education Next. I’ve blogged about Duke professor Jacob … Continue reading
I just finished writing a review of two books about homeschooling (I’ll post a link when it’s published), and this morning I read an intriguing piece in The Atlantic entitled “The Homeschool Diaries.” I’ve mentioned before that we decided to … Continue reading