The Service of Democratic Education Linda Darling-Hammond May 21, 2011 At the commencement ceremony for Columbia University’s Teachers College on May 18, Stanford education professor Linda Darling-Hammond—a nationally renowned leader in education reform and former education adviser to Barack Obama’s presidential campaign—was awarded the Teachers College medal for distinguished service. Professor Darling-Hammond marked the occasion […]
Teachers Fight Back
May 22, 2011 by
The anger around the takeover of public education by corporate interests in America, and the use of standardized tests to measure the value of students and teachers has reached boiling point. The purpose of education has been hijacked by those who believe in a ‘bottom line’, and the teachers are justifiably furious. Mr. Duncan, I […]
Bill Gates really has bought control of US education
May 21, 2011 by
Tweet by DianeRavitch Bill Gates really has bought control of US education: http://t.co/ Not only in America, Microsoft also plays a large part in education departments and professional development in Australia! Behind Grass-Roots School Advocacy, Bill Gates By Guest SAM DILLON Published: May 21, 2011 INDIANAPOLIS — A handful of outspoken teachers helped persuade state […]
True Teaching Is Grabbing Kids and Setting Them On Fire for Learning
May 18, 2011 by
When you tell someone you were once a high school English teacher, that person often asks, “Who’s your favorite author?” Or, “What’s your favorite book?” I never hesitate; my immediate answer is Pat Conroy. I stumbled upon his book The Lords of Discipline and The Great Santini while in college and have never turned back. I […]
Those who can, teach. Those who cannot pass laws about teaching
May 14, 2011 by
This was written by Paul Thomas, an associate professor of education at Furman University in South Carolina. It was published on dailycensored.com. By Paul Thomas A new slogan has appeared from the ranks of educators who know the new education reform movement to be misguided, uninformed, and powerful: “Those who can, teach. Those who cannot […]
Connectivity and the Human Race
May 9, 2011 by
The Social Sense http://rossdawsonblog.com/weblog/archives/2011/05/a-story-about-connected-the-film-and-why-you-must-see-it.html < Today, at the Sundance Film Festival, she premiered Connected, and here’s what they say at Sundance: With wonderful heart and an impressive sense of scale, Tiffany Shlain’s vibrant and insightful documentary, Connected, explores the visible and invisible connections linking major issues of our time—the environment, consumption, population growth, technology, […]
Movement to Transform Learning: A Guest Blog by George Lucas
May 9, 2011 by
I didn’t enjoy school very much. Occasionally, I had a teacher who would inspire me. But as an adult, as I began working with computer technology to tell stories through film, I began to wonder, “Why couldn’t we use these new technologies to help improve the learning process?” Twenty years ago when we started The […]
TED Talks that may be of interest to Teachers
April 28, 2011 by
TED Talks provide viewers with insightful and thought-provoking commentary and ideas. The contents of many TED Talks can be directly or indirectly applied to classroom practice. Also check out Teaching With TED. Some TED Talks directly about education. 1. John Wooden on Winning vs. Success. A coach who emphasises teaching and developing character over winning. […]
Standardized Tests
April 26, 2011 by
Teachers who blame students for being bored is the equivalent to yelling at the hammer after you strike your own thumb. Diane Ravitch says: Be careful Canada (and Australia!) I know many Canadian educators who are rightfully sceptical of the debacle that is American Education Reform. We should not be too quick to dismiss […]
WHAT LIES BENEATH- What Price the Future of Education in Australia
WHAT LIES BENEATH- What Price the Future of Education in Australia (C)Julie Boyd 2011 Where are we headed with our education system? This is not a new question, indeed it is one I would hope that educators ask themselves every day. However with the advent of a national curriculum and discussion about merit pay for […]