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OpEd News Member for 770 week(s) and 5 day(s)
21 Articles, 18 Quick Links, 7 Comments, 2 Diaries, 0 Polls
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18 Quicklinks
Monday, April 25, 2011
Why Advocacy and Market Forces Fail Education Reform, Paul Thomas SHARE
Market forces are not a silver bullet for reforming education, but market advocates persist despite evidence against their ideology. Charter schools and the medical profession offer insight into the need to be skeptical about market forces and education reform.
Why Advocacy and Market Forces Fail Education Reform, Paul Thomas SHARE
Market forces are not a silver bullet for reforming education, but market advocates persist despite evidence against their ideology. Charter schools and the medical profession offer insight into the need to be skeptical about market forces and education reform.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
A case against standards, Paul Thomas SHARE
The quality of any standards used in education or teacher certification means little unless we consider what we plan to do with those standards.
A case against standards, Paul Thomas SHARE
The quality of any standards used in education or teacher certification means little unless we consider what we plan to do with those standards.
(1 comments)
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
How test scores are used as a political prop, Paul Thomas SHARE
Data and evidence from students are useful for teachers, but they offer complex information. Using test data for teacher evaluation and accountability will only fail teachers and students--with politicians benefiting from using education as a prop.
How test scores are used as a political prop, Paul Thomas SHARE
Data and evidence from students are useful for teachers, but they offer complex information. Using test data for teacher evaluation and accountability will only fail teachers and students--with politicians benefiting from using education as a prop.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
My Challenge to the False Prophets of Education Reform, Paul Thomas SHARE
Many have rejected calls for education reform from the false prophets leading the debate--Duncan, Gates, Rhee--but the public often asks, Then what? This piece looks at options to what reforms we should be considering in education.
My Challenge to the False Prophets of Education Reform, Paul Thomas SHARE
Many have rejected calls for education reform from the false prophets leading the debate--Duncan, Gates, Rhee--but the public often asks, Then what? This piece looks at options to what reforms we should be considering in education.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
The Great Accountability and "World-Class Workforce" Scam, P. L. Thomas SHARE
The reformers calling for more accountability and a need to build a world-class workforce are masking their role as The Control Freaks. This piece examines how to identify the misinformation behind the rhetoric.
The Great Accountability and "World-Class Workforce" Scam, P. L. Thomas SHARE
The reformers calling for more accountability and a need to build a world-class workforce are masking their role as The Control Freaks. This piece examines how to identify the misinformation behind the rhetoric.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Lessons in Education from South Carolina?, P. L. Thomas SHARE
While the new reformers are calling for higher standards, accountability, and more testing, evidence from 30 years of education reform in South Carolina refutes many of the claims made by those reformers, including blaming teachers unions while ignoring the impact of poverty on education.
Lessons in Education from South Carolina?, P. L. Thomas SHARE
While the new reformers are calling for higher standards, accountability, and more testing, evidence from 30 years of education reform in South Carolina refutes many of the claims made by those reformers, including blaming teachers unions while ignoring the impact of poverty on education.
(1 comments)
Saturday, February 5, 2011
The agenda behind teacher union-bashing, Paul Thomas SHARE
Education reform leaders have turned to attacking teacher quality and teachers union in the US, but those attacks reveal an ulterior motive linked to corporate America--not school reform.
The agenda behind teacher union-bashing, Paul Thomas SHARE
Education reform leaders have turned to attacking teacher quality and teachers union in the US, but those attacks reveal an ulterior motive linked to corporate America--not school reform.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Belief Culture: "We Don't Need No Education," P. L. Thomas SHARE
Our faith in the possibilities offered by universal public education may be misplaced since evidence shows that humans tend to ignore evidence, choosing to live by their beliefs instead. This piece considers the consequences of the U.S. being a belief culture distinct from many other Western countries.
Belief Culture: "We Don't Need No Education," P. L. Thomas SHARE
Our faith in the possibilities offered by universal public education may be misplaced since evidence shows that humans tend to ignore evidence, choosing to live by their beliefs instead. This piece considers the consequences of the U.S. being a belief culture distinct from many other Western countries.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Superman or Kryptonite?--Legend of the Fall, pt. V, Paul Thomas SHARE
The celebrity tour continues, and this time it is Geoffrey Canada on The Colbert Report where celebrity reformer Michelle Rhee revealed her lack of historical perspective and expertise concerning education. Canada made his second appearance with Colbert, but this time he comes in as the face on the Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ)--mislabeled as a "miracle" and representing the selective corporate interest in school reform.When Canada's HCZ is useful for the new reformers to discredit public education, scapegoat teachers, or dismantle teachers unions, Canada is Superman, but when Canada's commitment to addressing the out-of-school factors that overwhelm student achievement challenges the misinformation coming from those new reformers, Canada and his HCZ are suddenly kryptonite. What's the truth?
Superman or Kryptonite?--Legend of the Fall, pt. V, Paul Thomas SHARE
The celebrity tour continues, and this time it is Geoffrey Canada on The Colbert Report where celebrity reformer Michelle Rhee revealed her lack of historical perspective and expertise concerning education. Canada made his second appearance with Colbert, but this time he comes in as the face on the Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ)--mislabeled as a "miracle" and representing the selective corporate interest in school reform.When Canada's HCZ is useful for the new reformers to discredit public education, scapegoat teachers, or dismantle teachers unions, Canada is Superman, but when Canada's commitment to addressing the out-of-school factors that overwhelm student achievement challenges the misinformation coming from those new reformers, Canada and his HCZ are suddenly kryptonite. What's the truth?
Monday, December 27, 2010
Paul Thomas: Statistics obscuring real education challenge SHARE
From Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman ("Teaching for America," Nov. 28) to "Waiting for Superman," political discourse and the popular and serious media have been filled of late with claims about public education that seem credible because they are often supported by statistics. But before we swallow the claims, we should look at the whole picture, not selected data only.
Paul Thomas: Statistics obscuring real education challenge SHARE
From Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and New York Times columnist Thomas L. Friedman ("Teaching for America," Nov. 28) to "Waiting for Superman," political discourse and the popular and serious media have been filled of late with claims about public education that seem credible because they are often supported by statistics. But before we swallow the claims, we should look at the whole picture, not selected data only.
Friday, December 17, 2010
P. L. Thomas: Fire Teachers, Reappoint Rhee!: Legend of the Fall, pt. III SHARE
Former DC education chancellor Michelle Rhee is making a celebrity tour to snag another political appointment. Her recent talk on CNN exposes her lack of knowledge and the failure of the new reformers--along with the failure of the media in the U.S.
P. L. Thomas: Fire Teachers, Reappoint Rhee!: Legend of the Fall, pt. III SHARE
Former DC education chancellor Michelle Rhee is making a celebrity tour to snag another political appointment. Her recent talk on CNN exposes her lack of knowledge and the failure of the new reformers--along with the failure of the media in the U.S.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Paul Thomas: The truth about failure in US schools SHARE
Progress is impossible as long as debate about educational underachievement glosses over basic social facts like poverty.
Paul Thomas: The truth about failure in US schools SHARE
Progress is impossible as long as debate about educational underachievement glosses over basic social facts like poverty.
Friday, December 3, 2010
P. L. Thomas: The Education Celebrity Tour: Legend of the Fall, Pt. II SHARE
The education debate has been claimed by a new celebrity elite, such as Michelle Rhee, who recently appeared on The Colbert Report. These news spokespersons are misleading the public and the media is doing little to confront the misinformation.
P. L. Thomas: The Education Celebrity Tour: Legend of the Fall, Pt. II SHARE
The education debate has been claimed by a new celebrity elite, such as Michelle Rhee, who recently appeared on The Colbert Report. These news spokespersons are misleading the public and the media is doing little to confront the misinformation.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Paul Thomas: The Corporate Takeover of American Schools SHARE
The hiring of school leaders and the move toward corporate charter schools both signal a loss of faith and support for public education and democratic principles.
Paul Thomas: The Corporate Takeover of American Schools SHARE
The hiring of school leaders and the move toward corporate charter schools both signal a loss of faith and support for public education and democratic principles.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
P. L. Thomas: The Teaching Profession as a Service Industry SHARE
The current charges against teachers contradict how we view and treat teachers and the teaching profession. While we call for teaching as a profession, we view teaching as a service industry.
P. L. Thomas: The Teaching Profession as a Service Industry SHARE
The current charges against teachers contradict how we view and treat teachers and the teaching profession. While we call for teaching as a profession, we view teaching as a service industry.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
P. L. Thomas: Our Debate Culture--Someone Wins, but Never the Truth SHARE
Thomas considers the influence of debate, winning at all cost, on the failure of democracy.
P. L. Thomas: Our Debate Culture--Someone Wins, but Never the Truth SHARE
Thomas considers the influence of debate, winning at all cost, on the failure of democracy.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The Politicians Who Cried "Crisis," P. L. Thomas SHARE
Political claims of educational "crisis" distract us from the realities of poverty.
The Politicians Who Cried "Crisis," P. L. Thomas SHARE
Political claims of educational "crisis" distract us from the realities of poverty.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Legend of the Fall: Snapshots of What's Wrong in the Education Debate, P. L. Thomas SHARE
A recent discussion on Bill Maher's Real Time reveals the problems with our discussions of education.
Legend of the Fall: Snapshots of What's Wrong in the Education Debate, P. L. Thomas SHARE
A recent discussion on Bill Maher's Real Time reveals the problems with our discussions of education.
