Education-
Who Are We
Listening
To?. . .
It seems like everyone has
an opinion about the state of public education in America today. Education has become a hot topic of
discussion in many venues.
Unfortunately, the conversations have focused on the negatives and are
often fueled by misinformed, misguided or biased sources. The news around our public schools is
provided by those who profit from controversy and negative imagery. It is also guided by those who have the money
and power to shape policies that benefit their interests. Yet, these sources are given credence, while
the voice of those who work in our schools is too often ignored.
On November 1, WITI reporter Meghan Dwyer won a local
television Emmy for her investigation of bullying within the public school
system of Milwaukee,...
gawker.com|By J.K. Trotter
By Mark Naison Nearly two years ago, a group of 1,500
principals — including many of the most highly respected school administrators
in the state — signed...
bknation.org
After he bought into proposal to reform education
nationwide, his money brought most states running.
www.washingtonpost.com
This isn't an unusual
phenomenon in our modern age of fast paced, short attention spanned coverage of
issues and events. We tend to focus on
issues for a short time and rely on a limited number of sources for
information. While there are many
outlets for sharing ideas and opinions, the ones that garner the most attention
are often limited in number. When we do
hear from other sources, it is too frequently because they are extreme,
controversial or confrontational.
While there are those who
will argue that this is simply the way the world is, that the media hype along
with distortions of reality that are spewed on-line don't really have a huge
impact, the end result is a climate that is polarized and misinformed. This creates an environment where it is
difficult for the everyday citizen to make reasoned and informed decisions,
something that we know is vital to the very survival of our democratic
institutions.
Public education is one of
those key institutions that both serve as a barometer of the overall health of
our society, as well as that provide citizens with opportunity and hope for a better
future. While the potential of our
public schools often goes unmet for a number of reasons, they still are our
best option for equitable, accountable and sustainable opportunities to unite
and advance the diverse interests that exist in our nation. That we, as a society, have struggled to
fully support and promote our public schools is more of a critique on us collectively as a
nation, and less on the concept of public schooling itself.
Steven Singer: American school children know there used to
be slaves; they may even know the Native Americans weren’t treated so nicely.
But they don’t know nearly the scope and fallout of these events.
laprogressive.com|By Steven Singer
The consequences of who
gets to establish the dialog around our public schools is significant in
several ways. Education provides a
source of propaganda for political leaders who don't intend to follow through
on their promises. Almost every election
cycle we hear politicians talk about improving our schools, holding them
accountable, and creating systems that will produce more equitable
outcomes. However, once the election is
over the schools are either ignored (if we're "lucky") or
legislated/budgeted in ways that actually harm our students, schools and
communities.
Four previous years of Walker's
policies have set the stage for his next four. A look back at the Governor's
educational work shows an emphasis on K-12 educational reform. In 2011 alone,
the state...
maciverinstitute.com
The dean of the School
of Education at Edgewood College
says the GOP call for "school accountability" should be a call to
action.
host.madison.com|By Pat Schneider
Gov. Scott Walker plans to repeal Common Core and expand the
voucher program.
postcrescent.com
The Obama administration is inviting states to apply to
renew their waivers from the No Child Left Behind Act. And according to
guidance issued Thursday, these...
www.huffingtonpost.com
Real reforms and supports
for our schools are ignored and discarded.
For the third time in four
years, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers proposes changing
the way public schools are funded and increasing...
host.madison.com|By Molly
Beck | Wisconsin State Journal
Because we don't listen to
educators working in schools, we see policies implemented that simply don't
meet the needs of students in real, meaningful ways. Instead, they make good sound bites that will
bolster a political resume, ore they create situations that boost profits for a
small number of educational privateers.
In the end it is our most at-risk students who suffer the most, but
every child in every school across America is impacted.
Smarter Balanced Field Tests Didn't Mirror Classroom
Learning, Study Says
Feedback from states shows that most students didn't feel
the test reflected what they were taught in class.
blogs.edweek.org
What are we doing to young kids in school?
www.washingtonpost.com
Common Core Betrays the Civil Rights Movement
Common Core's promise does not correspond to its reality.
truth-out.org|By Nicholas Tampio and Yohuru Williams
Educators are not immune to the
struggles that our students and schools face.
In fact, because educator enter the field with the
goal of making a positive difference in the lives of their students, we see the
initiatives and policies destroy staff confidence and morale. Shrinking budgets, initiatives that are
conflicting and harmful, and a toxic climate that creates unreasonable
expectations for educators and schools all serve to undermine the ability of
our educators to effectively do their jobs.
Assistant principal: " Is anyone in Silicon Valley
paying for their own office supplies? I can assure you they are not."
washingtonpost.com
If Teachers Planned Inservice Training...
I let out quite a chuckle when I saw this picture. I've
been there and I've made that face. *Disclaimer* This blog is not meant to
imply that teachers do not appreciate learning. It is also not int...
marvelousteachermusings.com
We find ourselves struggling with
issues around standardized assessments, standards and curriculum that doesn't
meet our students' needs. We hear the
negative stories about our schools, our students and our profession and are
deeply hurt by them. Yet, all the while
we strive to provide a compassionate, safe and educationally sound environment
for all of our students. Maybe if more
articles about education featured discussion like this one, the conversation
would change in a positive direction.
Dear Parent: I know. You're worried. Every day, your child
comes home with a story about THAT kid. The one who is always hitting shoving
pinching scratching maybe even biting other children. The on...
missnightmutters.com
In the end, even with all of the
challenges and discouraging trends, there are still countless educators who go
to school every day and who are willing to speak as advocates for their
students, families and community. It's
time we started listening to them.
Dane County public education advocates gearing up to fight Republican agenda : Ct
host.madison.com|By Pat Schneider
The Good, The Bad and
The Ugly. . .
The Good . . . While it isn't a good thing that MTI
has to go through this process, at the same time the results will show the
commitment that educators in Madison
have to their union. Half-way through
the election period the numbers of voters is high. Voting ends on November 25th.
It has a contract through 2016.
host.madison.com|By Molly Beck | Wisconsin State Journal
The day after the November election, Madison teachers will begin a first-ever
union recertification...
host.madison.com|By ANDREW McCUAIG
| Madison
teacher
The Bad . . . The election rhetoric that propelled Walker to his victory is
based on flawed logic and inconsistencies.
Now we have to live with it for 4 more years.
The Wisconsin governor
defended his fellow GOP leaders' decision to block Medicaid expansion, saying
poor people need to enter the workforce.
thinkprogress.org
For a variety of reasons we have been
seeing a significant shortage of substitutes in MMSD in recent years. Certainly a problem that needs to be
addressed in a positive, proactive way.
Area school officials are ramping up recruiting, hiring
staffing companies and considering changes to the required credentials.
host.madison.com|By Pat Schneider
The Ugly . . . Nothing like rushing forward based on
a mandate from 25% of the voting population.
The fact that the legislators of Wisconsin
need to focus on their districts while Walker
looks ahead to bigger aspirations may help slow down the process.
The newly re-elected governor wants the state to adopt a
budget earlier than it has in at least a generation, but his fellow Republican
lawmakers say there is only so much they can do to speed up...
jsonline.com|By Jason Stein
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