Isn’t it ironic that we asked students to develop argumentative essays, problem-solution essays, and literary analyses because we believe they promote higher levels of thinking? When, in fact, by making these assignments, we may be doing just the opposite. (more…)
I have a confession to make.
The main reason I’m by nature a poet rather than a fiction writer is that I just can’t stand the day-in/day-out slog at one long project. My moods swing too often from self-confidence-bordering-on-foolhardiness to despair-at-ever-amounting-to-anything. On good days, I feel a genius in my words; on bad days, it’s all just so much dust. Undoubtedly I take myself too seriously, but on the other hand, Zen placidity produces little art, and certainly none of any length. So I devote myself to verse, to blog entries, to Twitter posts, and to writing or editing chapters in instructional materials. I’ve learned that these are the tasks I can wrap my head around and produce some writing. (more…)
“The value of life lies not in the length of days, but in the use we make of them.”
—Michel de Montaigne
My wife has taught first and second grade for many years, and she is about as dedicated as they come. Each evening after we eat, she heads into her office to prepare for the next day. She’ll first pull out her lesson book to see what she has tentatively scheduled for the next day. She sits there, totally focused and probably thinking: Will these plans still work? Are the kids ready for this material, or do they need more review? She will do this for math, science, and/or social studies. I don’t know how long this all takes her, but it is awfully quiet in her office for a long time. (more…)
As you know, standards and assessment (you can’t have one without the other) has become the most important subject in education today. Reports and articles cover the subject from all angles: If one report tells us that testing improves classroom performance, another one will tell us that it makes little difference. If still another report tells us real improvement starts with rigorous national standards, one more will say “Prove it.” I’m not sure what to think—and I’m beginning not to care. I’m clearly suffering from assessment ennui. (more…)
“In the future,” Andy Warhol said, “everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” We’ve all chuckled at the cynicism of this witticism about the fleeting nature of fame. But I’d suggest that Warhol saw only the empty shoreline of an ocean of possibility behind that statement. In focusing on the fickleness of public attention, his truism misses the wealth of a new “ambient awareness.” (more…)
Comments(1)
Comments(0)