Comments on: Voices in the Wilderness http://yardsticks4-14.com/2010/01/08/test-2/ Wed, 09 May 2012 11:15:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jen B. http://yardsticks4-14.com/2010/01/08/test-2/comment-page-1/#comment-233 Jen B. Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:40:32 +0000 http://yardsticks4-14.net/?p=211#comment-233 Completely agree! See the following <a href="http://www.petitiononline.com/2010abcd/" rel="nofollow">link/petition</a> to remove US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. Comment and sign! Then paste the link on your Wall. I have also written a letter to the President applauding many of his efforts but also outlining my concerns with regard to where we're headed with Race to the Top. Leslie: I too wish Alfie Kohn's voice could be heard. I wasn't able to access your link though. What's the name of the article? Another great quote of his comes from h<a href="http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/edweek/chwb.htm" rel="nofollow">is article, "Confusing Harder with Better": <blockquote>These days almost anything can be done to students and to schools, no matter how ill-considered, as long as it is done in the name of raising standards. As a result, we are facing a situation in this country that can be described without exaggeration as an educational emergency: The intellectual life is being squeezed out of classrooms, schools are being turned into giant test-prep centers, and many students--as well as some of our finest educators--are being forced out. - Alfie Kohn</blockquote> In addition to being an educational emergency (see above), I think that anyone who complies with the current mandate is guilty of educational malpractice. If you're reading this and want to play a role in changing the direction of where we're headed with education, please click on the above petition link or paste it into your browser and sign/comment! Completely agree! See the following link/petition to remove US Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. Comment and sign! Then paste the link on your Wall. I have also written a letter to the President applauding many of his efforts but also outlining my concerns with regard to where we’re headed with Race to the Top.

Leslie: I too wish Alfie Kohn’s voice could be heard. I wasn’t able to access your link though. What’s the name of the article? Another great quote of his comes from his article, “Confusing Harder with Better”:

These days almost anything can be done to students and to schools, no matter how ill-considered, as long as it is done in the name of raising standards. As a result, we are facing a situation in this country that can be described without exaggeration as an educational emergency: The intellectual life is being squeezed out of classrooms, schools are being turned into giant test-prep centers, and many students–as well as some of our finest educators–are being forced out. – Alfie Kohn

In addition to being an educational emergency (see above), I think that anyone who complies with the current mandate is guilty of educational malpractice.

If you’re reading this and want to play a role in changing the direction of where we’re headed with education, please click on the above petition link or paste it into your browser and sign/comment!

]]> By: Chip http://yardsticks4-14.com/2010/01/08/test-2/comment-page-1/#comment-225 Chip Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:30:46 +0000 http://yardsticks4-14.net/?p=211#comment-225 To Leslie and Kelly - Keep holding open the door for imagination and creativity for the whole child. (See the ASCD Whole Child link on the sidebar of the blog) - Chip To Leslie and Kelly – Keep holding open the door for imagination and creativity for the whole child. (See the ASCD Whole Child link on the sidebar of the blog) – Chip

]]> By: Kelly http://yardsticks4-14.com/2010/01/08/test-2/comment-page-1/#comment-224 Kelly Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:28:47 +0000 http://yardsticks4-14.net/?p=211#comment-224 I agree with Leslie. I think the most scary thing about what we are doing right now is neglecting to foster an excitement for learning, as well as not spending enough time making kids into quality humans. I agree with Leslie. I think the most scary thing about what we are doing right now is neglecting to foster an excitement for learning, as well as not spending enough time making kids into quality humans.

]]> By: Leslie S. Leff http://yardsticks4-14.com/2010/01/08/test-2/comment-page-1/#comment-221 Leslie S. Leff Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:22:07 +0000 http://yardsticks4-14.net/?p=211#comment-221 Every time I hear about the "Race to the Top" and standardized tests, I feel kicked in the stomach. Alfie Kohn has a great article which makes some great points: http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/edweek/national.htm
I was particularly struck by this quote: "The goal clearly isn’t to nourish children’s curiosity, to help them fall in love with reading and thinking, to promote both the ability and the disposition to think critically, or to support a democratic society. Rather, a prescription for uniform, specific, rigorous standards is made to order for those whose chief concern is to pump up the American economy and make sure that we triumph over people who live in other countries." Every time I hear about the “Race to the Top” and standardized tests, I feel kicked in the stomach. Alfie Kohn has a great article which makes some great points: http://www.alfiekohn.org/teaching/edweek/national.htm
I was particularly struck by this quote: “The goal clearly isn’t to nourish children’s curiosity, to help them fall in love with reading and thinking, to promote both the ability and the disposition to think critically, or to support a democratic society. Rather, a prescription for uniform, specific, rigorous standards is made to order for those whose chief concern is to pump up the American economy and make sure that we triumph over people who live in other countries.”

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