Here are a couple outstanding pieces by Mike Rose that should be informing how we view school reform, especially as that reform impacts children living in poverty:
Blinded by Reform
Education "Miracles" Don't Survive Scrutiny
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
New study on closing the achievement gap
From the Center for Education Policy:
State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08: Are Achievement Gaps Closing and Is Achievement Rising for All?
State Test Score Trends Through 2007-08: Are Achievement Gaps Closing and Is Achievement Rising for All?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
New article in Power and Education
I am very pleased to have an article included in the newest issue of Power and Education. See the contents listing here.
The Futility and Failure of Flawed Goals: efficiency education as smoke and mirrors
P.L. THOMAS Education Department, Furman University, Greenville, USA
Educational reform in the USA is traditionally grounded in mechanistic assumptions about accountability paradigms and narrow concepts of assessment; those reforms tend to ignore the burden of poverty and other external factors on student and school success. Focusing on accountability and testing strategies in the United States during the post-Nation at Risk era (1983), this article argues that mechanistic assumptions about school reform are inherently destined to fail because they are aiming at the wrong goals and ignoring the inherent imbalance of power among the stakeholders of teaching and learning; these patterns identified in US practices parallel dynamics and policies found internationally (standardized national tests in the United Kingdom, outcomes-based education in South Africa, and bureaucratic policies and corruption in Mexico, for example). Further, the discourse and tone of the discussion is a parallel argument about the nature of our scholarly discussions of education, often bound themselves by traditional (and mechanistic) assumptions about the nature of academic writing.
The Futility and Failure of Flawed Goals: efficiency education as smoke and mirrors
P.L. THOMAS Education Department, Furman University, Greenville, USA
Educational reform in the USA is traditionally grounded in mechanistic assumptions about accountability paradigms and narrow concepts of assessment; those reforms tend to ignore the burden of poverty and other external factors on student and school success. Focusing on accountability and testing strategies in the United States during the post-Nation at Risk era (1983), this article argues that mechanistic assumptions about school reform are inherently destined to fail because they are aiming at the wrong goals and ignoring the inherent imbalance of power among the stakeholders of teaching and learning; these patterns identified in US practices parallel dynamics and policies found internationally (standardized national tests in the United Kingdom, outcomes-based education in South Africa, and bureaucratic policies and corruption in Mexico, for example). Further, the discourse and tone of the discussion is a parallel argument about the nature of our scholarly discussions of education, often bound themselves by traditional (and mechanistic) assumptions about the nature of academic writing.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
How do we combat the disproportionate impact of poverty on racial groups?
See this Editorial on African American college enrollment, and the online discussion reveals some disturbing realities of how people view race and equity.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Rethinking Student Participation
Christopher Emdin has an excellent challenge to traditional assumptions about student participation.
His work looks directly at urban students, but I believe this piece is relevant to all classrooms and must be central to any school reform we attempt.
"Rethinking Student Participation," Christopher Emdin, EDge vol. 5, no. 1
His work looks directly at urban students, but I believe this piece is relevant to all classrooms and must be central to any school reform we attempt.
"Rethinking Student Participation," Christopher Emdin, EDge vol. 5, no. 1
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Recommended: Online journal and blog
I highly recommend The Journal of Educational Controversy and the related blog.
Get a taste by looking at this excellent article that challenges the failure of defict thinking: Return of the Deficit
Get a taste by looking at this excellent article that challenges the failure of defict thinking: Return of the Deficit
Friday, September 11, 2009
Inequities out of school create inequities in
Children who enter schools with disadvantages, often find the same inequities in school.
Recommended: Teaching Inequality
Recommended: Teaching Inequality
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