Can We Have Competency-based Education

As we consider the necessary redesign of schools, specifically less rigidity and more choice in schedules and post-grad and seat time, the issue of competency based education must be a primary consideration.  In "Considering Competency-Based Education" education advocate and author Tom Vander Ark concedes that the "transition will be tough."  This is a complicated issue - for the definition of competency is ambiguous at best.  Students in my English classes may write thirty essays during the year, and while some maintain A's throughout, I would hesitate to argue they are competent - and "done" - after only a few.  Education builds on itself, and there is much to be said for  repetition and practice and expertise.  That said, Tom's points are well taken and should be part of a more efficient system.

Next Food Network Star - Viet Goes Home

For a young culinary artist who once bested Bobby Flay on the Iron Chef, Viet Pham has been so underwhelming on the Food Network's Next Food Network Star competition that the judges were finally left with no choice but to end his run at the title.  Underground chef Russell lived to cook another day, but only because the judges felt his "throw to commercial" saved him.  That concession to Russell seems pretty weak, especially because there is little doubt that Viet could cook Russell right out of the kitchen.  Though, clearly neither of these two men was ever going to win the competition to host his own show on the Food Network.

The winner this week was Stacy who absolutely nailed her live presentation from the grill with a couple of butchers.  Strangely, Food Network head of programming Bob Tuchman actually admonished her for being "too perfect."  He actually asked her to reveal "some imperfection" in the kitchen.  What the heck, Bob?  That's the worst bit of commentary I've ever heard from Bob, and it was completely unnecessary.  As a viewer I might be looking for some humanity and something to connect with or relate to, but I am certainly not looking for a Food Network Star to reveal imperfection.  The comments on Stacy should simply have been, "Excellent job this week. You're safe."

The fascination with keeping Demaris Phillips around continues to baffle me - and actually bother me quite a bit.  Demaris is not cute, not sweet, not engaging, certainly not sexy, and, by no means an exceptional chef.  She is a southern woman - period.  And if the Food Network wants another southern female chef, they should just hire someone.  Demaris is not it.  What did she even "cook" this week?  She made some sort of cocktail that she couldn't even identify and explain - and which she apparently had help with.  Keeping Demaris around is a huge mistake - and an insult to a skilled chef like Viet.

The rest of the field is interesting ... and not. Nikki clearly has a point of view, and it was impressive to see her pull off the fried chicken.  Clearly, she is a bit ameteur-ish, and there certainly isn't a Bobby Flay authority with Nikki.  But she can cook, and she is sweet and engaging on camera.  Chad is still Chad - competent and mildly entertaining.  Chris can cook, but probably won't bring it all home.  And, Rodney continues to be ... strange.  He's clearly not a skilled chef, and he has a very limited point of view.  None of his offerings have been impressive, and his presentations are, at best, too much Rodney.  

Nice week for Stacy - probably the Next Food Network Star.  Keep it up, Nikki and Chad.  And, Demaris, please go away.

Students Need Choice/Options, says Aurora Superintendent Barry

Former Aurora Public Schools chief John Barry offers important and valued insight on Colorado school reform, calling for increased school funding and more options and choice for students.  The funding issue is a contentious one in a tax- and spending-averse state like Colorado, but Barry's comments on student choice should find common ground and open ears.

For quite a while now, I've been arguing against the rigid education system in America that places unfounded emphasis on "seat time" and bachelor degrees.  In a changing world of diverse needs and interests, the singular focus on nineteenth century education system is outdated and harmful to the current generations of students.  Cultural critics as varied as Charles Murray of the American Enterprise Institute and Sir Ken Robinson, formerly of the Arts in Schools Project have challenged the factory model of education that puts students on an assembly line toward one goal.  Though Barry and Murray and Robinson have divergent views, the common thread is offering more choice to students.

As John Barry aptly notes, I would like to see is the rejection of a "single magic solution" to the ills of public education. Complex systems fail in complex ways, requiring complex solutions. We must labor to develop a strategic "mosaic" of integrated programs and initiatives that accelerates student achievement and closes the achievement gaps. This synergistic approach must adapt to the specific culture of the school district community with the understanding that there is no single solution for public education in this country. The pieces of the mosaic must come together to form a picture of students in their caps and gowns — students who are well prepared for college and career success.

The country needs a new "vision" that is not singular, but a shared vision.  Barry asserts, we must completely reconsider what success for school looks like. In today's world, when some students are years behind and others are achieving at levels beyond their years, we must eliminate traditional walls, clocks and calendars. The school day and school year should ensure that students are learning based on their achievement levels and not because of seat time. We must provide students, who start school two or three years behind, with enough quality schooling to help them catch up and reach grade level success. By the same token, we must provide eighth-graders who are doing 11th grade math or 11th graders taking college courses the continued opportunity to excel.

That said, education reformers should emphasize a break from a focus on bachelor degrees, an increased emphasis on the arts and creativity, an expansion of post-school options via career and technical education (CTE), and flexible school schedules and non-traditional settings. Students should be empowered by giving them choice on the education they desire and need.

Kirsten Dunst in REM's Good-bye Video

I was thinking about really "thoughtful" songs and videos today, and I can't quite take myself away from REM's "goodbye" song and video We All Go Back to Where We Belong.  Of course, the line where Michael Stipe asks, "Is this really what you want?" makes us all scream quickly, "No!" because we don't want to lose one of the most iconic bands and voices of the past fifty years.  But, we just as quickly pause and reflect on what a beautiful gift Michael and the boys have given us as a departing gift.

I was wondering about the choice of Kirsten Dunst for the video, though I resisted efforts to investigate her inclusion in the video because it is just so sweet and innocent.  In fact, Michael notes this "this might be my innocence ... lost." Dunst so aptly reflects my thoughts on the song as she simply reflects on the beauty of REM's music and Stipe's lyrics, and you can almost tell she is moving back and forth between the actual lyrics and her own personal connections and interpretations.

In Kirsten's words, "He's my neighbor in New York. And I've been an R.E.M. fan since I was a little girl. I would jump around to 'Stand' in front of the mirror. And, I've known him throughout the years, and he just casually asked me. I didn't even know it was supposed to be their last video. And I was like, 'Yeah, of course.' He wanted to do it in the vein of an Andy Warhol screen test, and I sat there. We did three different takes, but the one take he used, he sang ["We All Go Back to Where We Belong"] a cappella to me. So, if I look embarrassed and giggling, it's because I'm so overwhelmed that he's singing to me. It was really special."

Yes, it was really special.  And it makes me think and smile.  Like REM always has.

Lovely is not The Next Food Network Star

How can a person who wants to be the Next Food Network Star think it's acceptable to use "pre-packaged" pizza dough to make a doughnut?  How?  Who does that?  Lovely Jackson went home Sunday night after that culinary debacle, especially as Alton Brown noted this is two "food fails in a row." The woman simply could not cook, had no real persona or camera presence, and just wasn't going anywhere as a contestant.

Next Food Network Star's A Food & Film Feature was an entertaining competition for this round, though I am still not a huge fan of team format's allowing some people to squeak out a win.  Demaris is the perfect example, as I can't fathom how a Southern girl who doesn't know how to adequately salt grits is going to be a Food Network Star. And after this week in the news, I am wondering whether Demaris wants to rethink her plans to be the next Paula Deen. That's not a role model anyone should want to emulate.

Several finalists continue to disappoint despite notable food chops - Viet coming to mind immediately.  He should be able to cook circles around anyone, but his dessert of berries and cream was weak, and he is never going to develop a camera presence that is engaging enough.  Of course, the same can be said for Chad.  Chad's food is clearly accomplished, but I don't see nearly enough personality to anchor a show.  For a show that produced Guy Fierie and Jeff the Sandwich King, Chad is a shadow of a TV person.  It doesn't seem in the cards.

Chris is fun and clearly a skilled chef, but what is his point of view?  And the same goes for Stacy - what will she be able to bring to the line-up.  There is some creativity there, as the smores with popcorn was truly innovative, and I want to see more.  But Rodney's Pie Man schtick has worn thin.  Both Rodney and Russell are short for the chopping block because one can't seem to cook and the other can't seem to engage any audience.

For my money, food blogger Nikki Dinki has the best shot at establishing her own show.  She is finding her voice and camera presence, and she is truly the only finalist who actually has a marketable point of view.  The "Meat on the Side" concept is truly unique and it's a show that Food Network does not yet have.  As a viewer I would be interested in what Nikki has to offer, though I don't think she is by any means a truly accomplished chef - and that's a downside.  Hopefully, she can continue to grow.

Paul Deen "Chopped" From the Food Network

Paula Deen has been "chopped."  The Food Network moved quickly to cut all ties with fatty foods maven Paula Deen after news surfaced of the lawsuit charging her with racial harassment.  Apparently, Deen and her husband were named in a lawsuit by former employees alleging Deen's creation of a hostile work environment resulting from the use of racial slurs.  The charges in the suit were bad enough before Deen opened her mouth in a deposition and made the situation far worse.  Baffling as it seems, she responded "Of course" when asked if she had used "the n-word," implying it's a natural occurrence for all people.  And, she seems not to understand that "it was a joke" is not an acceptable excuse.

Of course, many foodies out there are still wondering what Paula Deen was ever doing on the Food Network in the first place.  For a network that features culinary masters like Bobby Flay, Emeril Legasse, Tyler Florence, Ming Tsai, Geoffery Zakarian, and Masaharu Morimoto, the appearance of kitchen hacks like Paula Deen is a true step backward and an insult to viewers.  Granted, there are people who "like" Paula Deen and the gastic disasters she "whips up" in her red-neck kitchen.  But that's not what the Food Network should be about.  In fact, I've often wondered how people like Flay and Florence can even tolerate being in the same kitchen with that woman.  Is it just for show, or do they somehow find something appealing about a cook who simply slathers butter and cream on everything to make it "rich."

I've written before about my respect for Robert Irvine and his show Restaurant Impossible because his entire focus is on getting people to understand how to choose quality.  There's simply no reason to cook like Deen when you can cook like Irvine.  And the Food Network is far better off without someone whose values are as low class as her cooking.

Google Brainteasers & Interview Tactics

A man pulls his car up in front of a hotel and immediately goes bankrupt.  Why?

How far can a dog run into the woods?

What word is pronounced incorrectly by more than 99% of Ivy League graduates?

Questions like these - commonly known as brainteasers and generally reserved for middle school - have long been a staple in the infamous and grueling interview process for companies like Google and Microsoft.  In fact there have been a couple books about this type of interviewing - Are You Smart Enough to Work at Google and How Would You Move Mt. Fuji by William Poundstone.

Now, it appears that approach will disappear from Google's interviewing, as the company has recently concluded the riddles were "a complete waste of time."  The company will also dispense with screening by GPA for all but its youngest applicants.  Instead, the company will look at applicants in a more behavioral way - the kind of emotional intelligence that is believed to be every bit as important as IQ and specific technical skills or knowledge.

I'm kind of sad that Google is moving away from these questions - simply because I've always thought they were a fun idea and contributed to the Google Mythology.  They are great ideas for bell-starters in class or icebreakers at conference and presentations.  In my classes, they are generally billed as "mental floss," and the kids get really addicted to them.  While Google may have dismissed their relevance, I'm not so sure they are useless, and I think more companies will incorporate them into interviews as a way of screening critical thinking and reactions to challenges.

Oh, and the answers are:

• He's playing Monopoly
• Halfway - because then he's running out of the woods
• Incorrectly
• 
  

TIE Conference 2013 - Copper Mountain

Working to expand what I can offer as an Instructional Technology Coordinator at my school, I am attending the TIE Conference at Copper Mountain in Colorado.  TIE - Technology in Education - has been working to engage teachers and connect the world of education digitally since the founding of the conference and organization in 1987.  This conference is a new connection for me, and I am excited to engage with so many educators seeking to break free from the traditional constraints of education - especially now in an era of standardization.

The keynote speech today was presented by Steve Hargadon - an innovative voice in the world of education and instructional technology.  Steve spoke to the ever-growing concerns about the out-of-touch nature of the factory model that has guided education for far too long.  Echoing and extrapolating on the ideas being put forth by writers and thinkers such as Sir Ken Robinson, Daniel Pink, and others, Steve presented an engaging vision about the future of education.  He spoke of the importance of participation, creation, sharing, and engagement.  Creating an online presence and becoming an engaged learner is a key - even a necessity - for educators, and places like TIE are promoting the initiative.

Off to my next session.  More from TIE later.

Next Food Network Star - Danuska's "Chopped" - Episode 3

Ding, Dong, Danushka's gone ....

The judges of the Next Food Network Star finally came to their senses and sent home the most unappealing candidate of the season - Danushka Lysek.  Of course, it's only the third week, but she could have easily been sent home in the first or second.  Thankfully, she was "chopped" after both Alton Brown and Iron Chef Alex Guarnashelli both recoiled at Danushka's dry, pissy attitude and mediocre cooking skills.  In fact, from her performance in the first three episodes, I am surprised that she ever made the finalists cut.  Is the competition that weak - or was the Food Network just intrigued by the "mock" glamour of someone who claims to have been a model?  Well, no matter.  She's been "Chopped."

The Chopped-format for the third episode is always entertaining, as it is one of the Food Network's most entertaining and most challenging of the reality shows.  The versatility of food knowledge and skills, as well as the ability to engage the judges, is on full display with Chopped, and it's a telling format for judging Food Network Stars.  Chad again performed well, and there is little doubt about his cooking skills or ability to be calm in front of an audience.  However, he appears to be a bit too milquetoast for the star quality required to carry a show.  

On the other side, Chris Hodgson continues to impress, but this time he reigned in the over-the-top performance and revealed a soft, vulnerable side that only endeared him more to the judges and fellow finalists.  Chris' "confession" about his past life as an addict was accented by his story of how food and cooking "saved" him.  There was a great metaphor working there about giving to people through cooking, and Chris exemplified that through his story, as well as the assistance he gave Stacy, who was struggling.  A lot of heart in that kid, and he has risen in my estimation.

Stacy struggled for the first time this week, but her star status is not really in doubt.  I was a little surprised by her choice of the pot pie - an epic fail - and I was also put off by her describing the basket ingredients as "looking like the back seat of her car."  Not an impressive image for a chef.  Russell continues to go up and down - and he is like so many (Vick from years ago) who need to develop a persona in front of the camera to match their culinary genius and off camera charm.  Rodney - the Pie Guy - is doing well, and I loved his enthusiasm as a judge.  Pie style may only take him so far, but I love pie, so I'd like to see more.

Finally, I have to say that Bobby really messed up with the judge's challenge.  The "victory" and exemption that he awarded to Demaris Phillips was a joke - the woman put a condiment on fried cabbage.  And she won?  There was no culinary skill in that act, and it certainly didn't deserve to win.  It may have tasted good, but, really, what's the point here?  This seemed to reveal Bobby's continued and inexplicable affection for the Paula Deens of the world.  Of course, the biggest mistake was that Viet got screwed in this competition.  He took his food - the pickled plums - and actually "made" something out of it - a vinaigrette - and accented his food with it.  A truly delicious looking and sounding creation resulted.  And Bobby dinged him for not making the element the star.  What about what Demaris did?  That was a bogus move Bobby, and it was so flawed, I sensed some jealous payback from the Iron Chef match.

I don't really think Bobby is that petty.  But Demaris is not close to the chef or Food Network Star that Viet can be.

Great week for culinary competition.

Next Food Network Star - Burger Bash

Last week's second episode of the Food Network's Next Food Network Star was a great episode that coincides well with the beginning of summer and the start of true grilling season.  And there was a bit of a surprise for some in the judging and "grilling" of the on-the-edge contestants, most of whom have no chance of winning the actual competition.  The show said goodbye to Andres Guillama, a formerly overweight Cuban restaurant worker who never really won over the judges.  However, Andres not only had a great story - having lost 150 pounds - but he was not terrible in front of the camera.

And, in that vein he seemed to be a virtual repeat of former Food Star Finalist Herb, whom the judges seemed so desperate to make a star for his weight loss, when Herb never was comfortable sharing that story.  The judges - almost pathetically - kept Herb around despite some miserable performances because his potential for a feel-good story and a new demographic was so tempting.  Thus, I really expected Andres to stick around for at least a few weeks while they coaxed a point of view out of him.  Alas, it wasn't meant to be.  Thus, Andres' elimination was a shock to me, but it was primarily because Danushka Lysek continues to perform so atrociously in front of the camera.  This woman is truly nauseating in terms of her air of self importance and illusions of glamour.  And that slow pessimistic drawl gives new meaning to the idea of the "heroin chic" angle that infected the modeling industry years ago.  Apparently, Danushka can cook a bit - but I can't imagine it was in any way superior to the cooking of Andres.

As far as the rest of the contestants go, there are clear frontrunners in contestants like Chad and Stacy.   They can both very clearly cook, and they have a nice stage persona that simply relaxes and appeals to the viewer.  I was a little surprised to learn that Stacy was once featured on Robert Irvine's Restaurant Impossible - for that is never a flattering experience.  It seems like most people on Irvine's show are disasters who never really knew what they were doing running a kitchen.  However, Stacy seems to know her way around a cutting board, and she talks food well.  Damaris, by the way, is only slightly less unpleasant than Danushka, and I really don't think we need anyone who aspires to be "the next Paula Dean."  I hope she doesn't mean she's aiming for diabetic gluttony and excess.  Chris Hodgson - whom I really liked when he was on Tyler Florence's Great Food Truck Race - is another strong personality, but he needs to get it under control.

And, of course, the Pie Guy, Rodney, is entertaining, but I am expecting to outlive the novelty pretty soon.  Looking forward to tomorrow night's elimination of Danushka.

The Next Food Network Star - Season 9 - 2013

With many of us still smiling over Justin Warner - "The Rebel with a Culinary Cause" - winning last season's Next Food Network Star, it's hard to believe it's that time again.  Season nine of the Food Network's Next Food Network Star premieres tonight, June 2, and the finalists are already established on the website.  I haven't checked out the profiles yet, preferring instead to meet the contestants during the opening of the show.

It looks like Bobby, Giada, and Alton will again host the hopefuls, but I don't think I am alone in hoping the network has done away with the team competition from last year.  That approach led to Giada really embarrassing herself with many insecurities that were at times hard to watch.  And, I just don't think the overall approach was very effective or interesting.  Too many times, less skilled chefs stuck around based more on the team work issue than their own skills.

Let's hope for some new challenges that will entertain, as we still focus on the culinary arts presented by engaging personalities.  The past three seasons have given us Arti Party, Jeff the Sandwich King, and Justin the Rebel. All three of these people were talented chefs with the confidence and point of view necessary to anchor a Food Network show.  While I haven't watched their shows enough to be a regular, I have been impressed with their work.  I only wish the Food Network would actually market their shows and develop the ideas - as opposed to simply continuing to be the Guy Fierie network with endless re-runs of Diners Drive-ins and Dives.

So, here's looking forward to a great season, and a new Food Network Star.

High School Diploma & an Associate Degree

The push for college degrees in the United States is not all bad if adapted for students of all interests and abilities and correlated with career and technical education (CTE).  Several schools in Colorado are on the cutting edge of a streamlined process for associate degrees in skilled labor through the incorporation of concurrent enrollment (CE) classes at the high school level.  The latest developments are happening in conjunction with the Ascent program in Jefferson County Public Schools.  This effective high school innovation was recently profiled by The Denver Post.

JeffCo schools have teamed with Red Rocks Community College and/or Warren Technical School to enable highly motivated students to graduate with an associate's degree at the same time they are handed their high school diploma.  And this is at no additional cost to the student.  This way students like Eduardo Duran can become the first of their family to earn a college degree - and they are doing it tuition free.  The only question is why all high schools in the Denver area are not developing similar programs.

Born to Run - and Still Running Strong Forty Years Later

With the arrival of Memorial Day weekend, we can successfully kick off summer, and with that comes an official start to the running season.  Here in Colorado, we high country runners will celebrate the return of warm weather with the 34th running of the BolderBoulder.  The running lifestyle in America is really "in stride" in its fourth decade, having taken off earnestly in the early 1970s with the early fitness craze and the launching of distance races like the New York marathon.  John Meyer of the Denver Post documents the rise of America's running culture - including criticism that warned against the runner's lifestyle - in a great piece designed to promote the BolderBoulder, the art of running, and the summer season.

Runners have been told by various people at various times that running is not great exercise and is actually detrimental to their health.  We've heard about the stress on the knees and other joints as well as the unnecessary strain on the heart that comes with distance running.  And certainly running can lead to a variety of injuries.  Yet, overall there is little to criticize the running lifestyle, and there is almost no doubt that man was "Born to Run."  Running is an uplifting and healthy choice that can add years to your life and numerous other health benefits, from lower blood pressure and cholesterol to greater peace of mind.

So, maybe this summer is the year you get your run on.

The NRA, Tyranny, Armed Rebellion, and Lunacy

At some point rational discussion about the Second Amendment and gun ownership crosses the line into crazy conspiracy politics - and that point has apparently become the foundation of the new National Rifle Association (NRA).  Keep in mind that up until the late 1970s, the NRA was an association of gun owners focused on sportsmanship, hunting, and gun safety.  But that has all changed, and the change is nowhere more clear than with the election of new NRA president Jim Porter, a man "still fighting the Civil War."  And, that's not so extreme when you learn that Jim Porter, living in the twenty-first century, actually referred to the Civil War as "the War of the Northern Aggression." Perhaps nothing is more disturbing than Porter's assertion that it is the responsibility of the NRA to train citizens in the use of military style weapons in preparation for the fight against tyranny.  Clearly, in opposition to the feelings of most Americans, the NRA has finally detached itself from reality.

Granted, in response to mass shootings in Arizona and Colorado and Connecticut, there has been a concerted effort by gun safety advocates to limit the possession and ownership of firearms.  Yet, pro-gun forces seem unaware that gun ownership has never been unregulated in the United States.  And that attitude - that "liberty" is found at the end of the barrel of a gun - becomes all the more disturbing when people like Jim Porter are pushing an anti-government, borderline treasonous, agenda.  Of course, it's not just isolated fanatics and the gun manufacturer's lobby that promote a fight against tyranny, as some recent polls have indicated as many as one-third (30%) of Americans believe armed rebellion "may be necessary" against the United States government "in the next few years" as a hedge against eroding liberties.

And that's the point where we depart from rational discussion.  Many pro-gun advocates have seemed to imply the second amendment is grounded in a belief by the Founding Fathers of the people's right to overthrow the government.  It's not.  For, if it were, the definition of treason and the penalties against it would not also be engrained in the Constitution.  And, the early leaders including Washington would not have used the power of the federal government to suppress such armed rebellion, as he did during the Whiskey Rebellion or Shay's Rebellion.  In fact, the Civil War was fought against the very idea when the federal government responded to insurgents firing on Ft. Sumter.  That was armed rebellion against what "the South" felt was the encroachment of tyranny on the liberty of the southern people.  Clearly, history indicates that gun ownership and the second amendment do not provide "license for treason, or armed revolution."  And, it's not simply left wing liberals that believe this.  In fact, as Jay Bookman points out, the very idea was written into strict Constitutional interpretation by one of the strictest of all strict constructionists, Antoin Scalia.

America's Best High Schools List

It's that time of year again - the release of Daily Beast's/Newsweek's list of America's Best High Schools - a popular and often controversial ranking system that seeks to define success and student achievement against a backdrop of standardized test scores, graduation rates, and other data. Notably, departing from Jay Matthew's limited scale from the past, which he called The Challenge Index and which was myopically focused on AP participation, the Daily Beast/Newsweek scale ranks schools based on six areas:  graduation rate, college acceptance, AP/IB tests taken, average of AP/IB scores, average of SAT/ACT scores, and AP/IB enrollment. For a full explanation of the ranking methodology, check this page.  Of course, beneath the data, there are always interesting stories behind the schools that top the list, and the Daily Beast profiles one such school - Bartow High School, a middle-to-low income school in Florida.

P-Tech High School/Early College Offers CTE with Business Connections

Education Week profiles the continued advancement with career training in high schools by focusing on the Pathways in Technology Early College High School in Brooklyn.  The technology-based curriculum was developed in conjunction with local universities and the corporation IBM to foster a better path for students.  Students at P-Tech can earn an associate degree while in high school, and they can potentially parlay that into a job with IBM or other technology companies.  We desperately need this sort of business-education partnership committed to innovation and design oriented thinking.  And, it is happening across the country in places like the High Tech High schools in California.  If you know of more schools and school models that incorporate this idea, make sure to post links or write about them.  Spread the word about effective instruction.

Valley Girl Celebrates Thirty Years

"Freeeed. Stacy.  Freeeeeeed.  Staaaaacyyyyy." "If they attack the car, save the radio."

It's hard to believe, but it was thirty years ago when a little known cast and a potentially cliched script made its mark on the teen film genre with the release of Valley Girl starring Nicholas Cage and Deborah Foreman.  The movie which was riffing on the teen speak of southern California popularized in Frank Zappa's song, and which put a surprisingly fresh spin on Shakespeare's star-crossed-lovers motif, was well received at the box office.  And, on its way to becoming one of the most well-known and cited teen films of the eighties, the film also launched a hallowed soundtrack of eighties post-punk and a theme song which would be come synonymous with the decade itself - Melt With You by Modern English:

This week MovieFone takes a look at where the stars are now. Some faired very well while others drifted into respectable careers and some literally dropped off the map map.  However, the most disturbing news is that studios are planning a remake of the film. That said, we'll always have the original, and it's still great every time I see it.  And, even in an era of Facebook and text messaging, the story of a young punk falling in love with a girl from the Valley seems honest and fresh in its treatment of adolescence, love, angst, and music.  The soundtrack was one of the first time I remember a movie's music making all the difference in the story, and teen movies of the 80s did that in an impressive way.  These days, the killer soundtrack is a standard component of teen movies and television shows, and it became an art form with shows like The O.C. and One Tree Hill.  But it was the young kids rocking out to The Plimsouls at a club in the Los Angeles that really put movie music on the map for me.

For a look back at the highlights of the original, check out this montage:

Career Paths for High School Students

Great things are on the horizon - and already happening - for career and technical education, as many states are starting to break from the bachelor-degrees-for-all focus and instead offering students the option of career training at the high school level.  From the old days of shop class, schools have come a long way in offering skilled training.  In Denver, the rise of the culinary arts is transforming high schools like Standley Lake High School which was recently profiled by Kevin Simpson of the Denver Post.  No doubt, the Food Network has renewed interest in the culinary arts, and that publicity has turned the job of chef into a bit of a glamorous career option.  In a rising culinary mecca like Denver, that is good news for students who are looking to develop solid career options.  One of the new angles in what used to simply be called "home ec" is the establishment of the ProStart program "which is a national program that offers curriculum, competitions and industry mentors through the Colorado Restaurant Association Education Foundation."  The ProStart program has taken the culinary arts into the classroom with great results for aspiring chefs.  Of course, the culinary arts is simply one field where students can make great use of time in high school to get started on careers.  More states are committing to developing career pathways for students in fields such as nursing, technology, and business.  Writing for EdWeek, Stephen Sawchuck profiles the growth of career classes in states such as Illinois that heeded the warning in 2011 from a Harvard study expressing concern about students not served by the strict college focus so prominent in high schools these days.  By focusing on developing education-business partnerships, schools like Wheeling High School in the Chicago suburbs are offering teenagers the sort of training and career paths that were once reserved for college internships and two-year associate degree programs.

The Reagan Myth

Fifty years ago, Ronald Reagan famously quipped, "I didn't leave the Democratic Party; it left me."

In 2013, while the Grand Old Party high fives efforts to stifle background checks legislation in Congress as solace for the empty feeling of losing the last two presidential elections, many people are beginning to argue that Reagan's quote could now be applied to the Republican Party.  The latest salvo comes from Washington Post writer Jennifer Rubin who says "Tear Down this Icon: Why the GOP Has to Get Over Ronald Reagan."  It's a rather moderate position and analysis, at least in the eyes of moderates in and out of the party who lament the government's seeming inability to get anything done these days.

The legacy of Ronald Reagan should be open to debate - as should any president's.  Yet, with the near messianic devotion some Republicans place upon the Reagan years, it's actually quite apt to review the facts on the 1980s.  The primary issue is one of nostalgia and looking at the past without the benefit of context.  One of the first people to adequately address the disconnect is political journalist Will Bunch who warned the Republicans in 2010 to Tear Down this Myth: The Right Wing Myth of Ronald Reagan.  Bunch's analysis is certainly written with bias, but his arguments are not entirely invalid.  The Reagan years were not the Golden Age, and the Reagan tax cuts are not the only thing anyone needs to know about fiscal policy and strong economic times.

Clearly, the world and the economy did not simply change with the election of Reagan in 1980 and the passage of the 1981 and 1983 tax cuts.  The national and international economy is so much more complicated than that.  For one, there is a monumental and not replicable difference between dropping marginal taxes rate from a stratospheric high of 80% to 30%.  The effect is bound to be dramatic - though other factors also played equally significant roles in reviving the stagnant 1970s economy.  The lesson for Republicans comes from the law of diminishing returns.  Just as effective tax rates have a ceiling, they also have a floor.  And dropping rates by 6 or 8 percentage points will not have the same effect as dropping them nearly 50%.  They may even do more damage, as seen by the exploding deficit and debt under Reagan, Bush II, and Obama.

A more palatable source for Republicans should be (but probably isn't for the true believers) former Reagan domestic advisor Bruce Bartlett.  Bartlett is considered by many to be a primary architect of "Reaganomics," but he has valid criticism of the current GOP and the revisionism regarding the Reagan agenda and legacy.  Bartlett outlined the reality in The New American Economy: The Failure of Reaganomics and a New Way Forward.  Obviously, it was never simply about supply side tax cuts.  The economy turned around in the 1980s, though not really until Reagan's second term.  And the economic rebound had as much to do with the basic end of inflation and the dropping of interest rates engineered by Paul Volcker as it did with taxes.  Other factors in the 1980's economic boom had to do with new oil discoveries in Mexico and the North Sea that effectively busted OPEC and basically "fueled" the boom.

Ronald Reagan was a great president, no doubt.  But much of the current Republican message is based on myth and misinformation.  And the GOP would do as well to understand Reagan the moderate deal-maker who raised taxes eleven times during his presidency.


**NOTE - For a bit of commentary regarding charges of "revisionism" and myth about the presidency of George W. Bush - in the midst of his presidential library dedication - consider checking out and cross referencing Alex Seitz-Wald's criticism "How to Debunk George W. Bush's Attempts at Revisionism" published in Salon.

Swearing News Anchor Fired - Gains a Fan Base

Getting fired may be the best thing that ever happened to A.J. Clemente.

Clemente was fired for swearing on the air last week, and has since become a bit of a celebrity as many people have come to his defense for what is generally being seen as a mistake.  Granted, using the "f-word" to express frustration while cameras are rolling is not simply excusable.  Apparently, Clemente was literally on his rookie broadcast, anchoring the first show of his very short career, and while he waited to be introduced by his co-anchor, he was stumbling over lines and cursed, unaware that his microphone was on and live.

Now, that is a certainly embarrassing and not remotely professional mistake.  And, this is a young man who wants to be a broadcaster - a news anchor.  So he clearly should be held to a high standard, and this sort of slip is quite egregious.  However, the fall-out from his slip of the tongue was rather harsh.  Clemente was suspended initially and then outright fired after the clip of his error went viral on the Internet.  That seems to be a bit of an over-reaction from the network, and probably represents some pretty prudish and small-minded studio execs.

Swearing is obviously much more prominent than it was even twenty years ago.  And there's really no excuse or justification for it in the public square.  And, this kid is a bit ... uncouth ... to be sure.  As a teacher I occasionally encounter situations where students let the "f-bomb" slip in class and they're not even aware of it.  This usually becomes quite the teachable moment, as I warn them about such language becoming so natural that they lose awareness of situation.  And, they may some day swear in a job interview without knowing it, and never understand why they didn't get the job or a call back.  This is, of course, quite different from a student who knowingly and willingly cusses in class or the hallway.  That can, justifiably, be a disciplinary situation.

Alas, the firing has seemed to work in A.J.'s favor, as he has parlayed his ignominy into guests spots on the Today Show and the Late Show with David Letterman.  Clemente is apparently hoping the waves of support for him will generate interest from the Holy Grail of male broadcasters, ESPN.  While I doubt that will come to pass, I hope somebody picks up the kid.  While he certainly didn't seem smooth in his first delivery on the air, I'd rather see him fail on genuine lack of skill, rather than a silly mistake.

Adam Shepard & One Year Lived

"Everything has been figured out except how to live."

I don't know where I first encountered that quote, but it puts a lot in perspective for me as a teacher, as a parent, as a citizen, and as a human being.  Much of the job of character education tends to fall on English teachers, especially in high school, and I have used a variety of personal journey stories throughout the years to engage my students in their own.  Many of my recommendations are the usual suspects of personal growth, but occasionally I encounter a new voice offering penned ponder-ings of a thoughtful life.

That is the story of Adam Shepard whose new book One Year Lived will be available in a paper and e-book format on April 22.  One Year Lived is a narrative account of Adam's year-long trip around the world when he "mustered cattle, scuba dived, volunteered with children, grew a mullet, fought bulls, made love on a beach," and countless other experiences on his way to "living the dream," or, in the words of Henry David Thoreau "living the life he has imagined" so that when he "comes to die" he doesn't discovere that "he had not lived."  Adam's journey over the course of a year was centered on a blend of "leisure, volunteerism, and enrichment."  Catch the video below of Adam bullfighting in Nicaragua:

For as long as I've been teaching, I've encouraged my students to get out of this country.  Having lived abroad, teaching English, for five years, I highly recommend as much of a taste of the expat life as you can achieve.  Whether it's a dream vacation or a semester abroad, experiencing the world beyond our comfort zone is integral to personal growth.  And books like Adam Shepard's are sometimes the perfect travel agent for getting us up and on to what comes next in our lives.  Learn more about Adam Shepard and his fascinating life on his websites One Year Lived as well as his motivational speaking site, Shepard Speaks.

As a bonus, Adam Shepard has agreed to provide a free copy of the book to readers of A Teacher's View.  All you need to do is re-post or tweet this page, and send me a copy of the link.  I will email you a copy of One Year Lived in pdf. format, or you can request a link to Adam's page to download the e-book in one of three formats (epub or mobi for Kindle).  And, while you're at it, take a few moments and comment below on the one place you would love to visit and why.  (Forgive me - I'm an English teacher :-) ).  The offer for the free book is only good through Wednesday, April 24, so make sure to re-post or tweet this out as soon as you've finished reading.

In a world of uncertainty and disillusionment, Adam Shepard is a fascinating young man who offers an intriguing look at life beyond the suburbs.  His first book Scratch Beginnings: Me, $25, and the Search for the American Dream was an inspired attempt to challenge the conventional wisdom about life at the fringes chronicled in Barbara Ehrenreich's best seller Nickeled and Dimed.  Adam Shepard's self-published response was featured in the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor, the Atlantic, as well as the Today Show, Fox News, CNN, and even 20/20.  Certainly, this is an inspired young writer with a strong message about how we live our lives.

Top 10 Most Important Lessons in Life

John Lennon wisely told us, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans."  The question, then, is how to keep perspective on what is important while you're worrying about other things that really, probably aren't.  To a question originally posted on Quora, pastor and former police officer Justin Freeman offers a list of "The Top 10 Things We Should be Informed about in Life."

Here's what we should keep in mind:

1. Realize that nobody cares, and if they do, you shouldn't care that they care.
2. Some rule-breakers will break Lesson #1.
3. Spend your life with the rule-breakers.
4. Money is cheap.
5. Money is expensive.
6. Learn the ancient art of rhetoric.
7. You are responsible to everyone, but you are responsible for yourself.
8. Learn to see reality in terms of systems.
9. Account for the threat of "black swan" events.
10. You both need and don't need other people.
11. Always give more than is required of you.

A little advice and help along the way is never a bad idea.

Are Relationships the Most Important "Skill" for Success

As my seniors wind up their high school careers and my juniors prepare for AP exams, college applications, and school leadership, my English classroom often becomes a place more overly centered on character education than it is earlier in the year.  Specifically, I am engaging them in reading, writing, and thinking, but the subject is as much themselves as it is the text.  For example, while my seniors work their way through Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind, we discuss their "emotional intelligence" and encourage them to cultivate empathy as much as literacy.  It seems there is much support for this approach, as revealed by Emily Smith for The Atlantic this month with her article "Relationships are More Important than Ambition."  What do you think?  Are they?

Is Merit a Myth in America - Does Education Truly Provide Opportunity?

Americans have long told themselves that the American Dream is about being able to rise in society based solely on merit - though many realists have long disdained this as myth.  Education writer and critic Marc Tucker challenges the myth of merit and "education as the great equalizer."  While the situation is complicated, he exposes serious issues:

In the mid-60s, James Coleman, in an iconic U.S. Government report, Equality of Educational Opportunity, said that the biggest influence on student achievement was not anything having to do with the schools they attended, but rather the socio-economic status of their parents.  No doubt this is partly because wealthy communities can easily raise enough money for their public schools to buy the best teachers, facilities, materials and school administrators.

But that may leave out the most important variable, the socio-economic status of the other students in the school.  Take for example, the conditions in a typical low-income, mostly minority community: expectations for all students are low, students get As for doing mediocre work, the curriculum is not challenging, classrooms are constantly disrupted, teachers have a hard time maintaining order, students who strive for academic excellence are ostracized by their peers and few go to college.  In a wealthy school district serving mostly students from well-to-do families, all is reversed: expectations are high, classroom discipline is not a problem, students are paying attention in class; they have to work for their As and are not ostracized by their peers for doing well in their classes.  The curriculum is challenging and designed to put all students on a track that will get a great majority of them into selective colleges.  

Certainly, merit is significant in American society, and there is no arguing the ability of high quality education to increase opportunity for success.  Yet, the "American Dream" has much to answer for when there is clearly not "equality opportunity and access" to high quality education.

Liberal Arts Education Valued by Employers

Again, amidst the STEM push and the anti-education critics of the liberal arts, new surveys reveal employers do value a liberal arts education, even recommending it for students.  In a piece for EdWeek,  Caralee Adams summarizes the information and offers a great defense of the liberal arts.

Child Obesity & Health Issues are Environment Issues

In a great piece of analysis for Salon Magazine, Tara Haelle uncovers three significant health studies which indicate that childhood obesity is mostly related to the environment in which kids live, as opposed to issues of genetics or exercise habits.  Notably, environments that emphasize low quality foods contribute to weight and health issues despite a kid's exercise and visual media habits.

“We are raising our children in a world that is vastly different than it was 40 or 50 years ago,” says Yoni Freedhoff, an obesity doctor and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Ottawa. “Childhood obesity is a disease of the environment. It’s a natural consequence of normal kids with normal genes being raised in unhealthy, abnormal environments.”

“This is a lot more complicated than ‘eat less, exercise more,’” Freedhoff says. “If weight management or childhood obesity prevention and treatment were intuitive, we’d have a lot of skinny kids running around.” Freedhoff himself is developing a program for families that focuses on “redrafting” kids’ and families’ environments, starting with more home cooking. “Every parent would die for their child, but most won’t cook for their children on a consistent basis with whole ingredients,” he says.

But Freedhoff also says the problem of increasing childhood obesity cannot be tackled by parents alone. He suggests starting with changes within school boards, sports teams, PTAs and others who already care about kids. “What I’m amazed by is the constant use of fast food to pacify children and reward children—there is no event too small for candy or fast food.” There are many places communities could start: making school lunches healthier, ditching vending machines and access to fast food inside schools, not celebrating sports wins at fast food joints, and ending the use of candy or fast food as rewards, such as “pizza days” and other unhealthy food-themed school events, to name a few. “People don’t appreciate that parents are around children a minority of their days,” he says, so it really will take a village to turn back the clock in terms of kids’ environments. “If we had a time machine, it would be the world’s best weight-loss program,” Freedhoff says. “It’s the world that has changed, not people.”

This is a very treatable problem that is un-recognized by far too many parents and educators.  It's time to end the downplaying of food quality and environment in the health of children.  Teachers must stop thinking "food parties" and candy rewards are no big deal.  They are a significant factor in the health of our children.

Abusive Coaching is Not OK - Stop Defending Rutgers Bully Mike Rice

The question Americans should be asking themselves - especially coaches, teacher, and parents - is whether disgraced Rutgers coach Mike Rice's behavior is more disturbing than the comments of people who actually defend him and abusive coaching.  When the story and video first surfaced, the initial reactions were shock and outrage.  Coach Rice's behavior was so far beyond the pale that it seemed unfathomable that he hadn't been fired immediately and even investigated by authorities for potential assault charges.  I simply couldn't believe that an adult who calls himself "a coach" could be so cruel and literally out of control in his interactions with players.  Nor could anyone I spoke with, including men who played and coached football.

Yet, it didn't take long for the conversation to veer into even more disturbing territory when people made clear that opposition to abusive coaching wasn't the consensus view.  On Fox News, Eric Bolling opened the discussion by saying the firing of Rice symbolized the decline of America because of the "wussification of American men."  Fox commentator Sean Hannity echoed this mentality when he declared that he was "yelled at by coaches" and he "turned out OK."  But let's be clear: if someone thinks the abuse by Coach Rice is any way acceptable, he absolutely did not "turn out OK."  It seems most disturbing for these comments - always from men - to be made by people who are fathers.  Jon Stewart reacted with sharp criticism - and his trademark wit - to Hannity's defense.  Of course, any comments between Stewart and Hannity will be politicized, but Stewart's most significant point is that this should be beyond party or ideology.  There is simply no reason to defend this man.

Now Slate Magazine editor David Plotz has weighed in with a troubling defense of Coach Rice under the even more disturbing title "I Loved My Abusive Basketball Coach."  At this point, the discussion must shift to the basic psychology behind victims of abuse who learn to react by defending the abuser and blaming themselves.  This is not in any way "OK."  While many former athletes will defend strict coaches and teachers as being necessary to instill discipline and bring out the best in some kids, the line between strictness and abuse should be roundly clear to everyone.  Coach Rice is so far past the line of acceptable behavior, he can't even see it anymore.  Neither can those who defend him.  Po Bronson's recent book Top Dog explained the situation whereby lower performing athletes will actually respond to stricter practice as a way of "bringing out their best" when they lack the will to do it themselves.  But he's not talking about abuse.  Coach Rice's behavior was never about coaching - it was about control and anger and abuse.

Clearly, there are problems in the world of athletics that have nothing to do with the sport.  These are the heart of issues that lead to books like Why Johnny Hates Sport and the need for movements like the Power of Positive Coaching.  We are losing our way as human beings if we do not respond to the behavior of Coach Rice with serious disapproval.

In Defense of Liberal Arts - It's Not All About Jobs Skills

In the push for all things STEM in order to keep America competitive and provide jobs, many small minded education critics have been down on the liberal arts to the point of declaring the study of literature, art, philosophy, and culture "useless" if if doesn't "help someone find a job."  The latest politician to rant about this is North Carolina governor Pat McCrory who whined to Bill Bennett - a Ph.D. in philosophy - that "If you want to take gender studies that’s fine, go to a private school and take it. But I don’t want to subsidize that if that’s not going to get someone a job.”   Basically, McCrory is making economics and finance the end-all-be-all of any educational venture - at least one funded in part by taxes.

This myopic view of education seems to align with the rampant anti-intellectualism that's becoming common among the financial elite - and which it should be said aligns mostly with the Republican Party.  The other side of the argument is the validity of the liberal arts and education beyond just jobs skills, and that point is well made by Meghan Florian in a piece for The Chronicle titled Notes From an Employed Philosopher.  Florian turns the tables of McCrory who called out the "academic elites" by rightfully accusing him of being an economic elite.  For, in one reading of McCrory's narrow world, rich (white) kids get to pursue a liberal arts education at private school, while poor kids turn to the trades.

The argument is, of course, more complicated than that.  Nonetheless, Florian's point is well made.  And McGrory could learn a little from the liberal arts, as well as from people like Daniel Pink who argues for a more right brain creative world in his groundbreaking book A Whole New Mind.  In reality, it's not just about basic job skills of math, science, and welding.  It's about growth as human beings.

Plumbing, Nursing, & Technical Jobs on the Rise

Despite the mass rush to college to major in "I don't know yet," the economy is clear on what will be immediately needed in the near future.  Topping the list are jobs in the highly skilled services industry - jobs like nursing, plumbing, electrical work, and technical systems.

Ken Jennings and the Triumph of Geek-ness

Ken Jennings represents the ultimate ascendence of "geeks" into American popular culture.  In a great feature for Yahoo News, Kevin Lincoln profiles the legendary Jeopardy! champion who has since parlayed his trivia prowess into a one-man industry of knowledge.  Jennings is simply that know-it-all type of person who was fascinated by knowledge.  He's probably the kid who was not necessarily "nerdy" but always seemed to be reading something - whether it was a cereal box or sections of the text book that hadn't been assigned.

The identity of a "geek" was an interesting point of discussion in AP Language and Composition classes a couple years ago when students were asked on the exam to consider Leonid Fridman's essay which developed the argument "America Needs Its Nerds."  Fridman was making a case against the pervasive anti-intellectualism in America.  He noted:

There is something very wrong with the system of values in a society that has only derogatory terms like nerd and geek for the intellectually curious and academically serious. A geek, according to Webster’s New World Dictionary, is a street performer who shocks the public by biting off heads of live chickens. It is a telling fact about our language and our culture that someone dedicated to pursuit of knowledge is compared to a freak biting the head off a live chicken 

The true dominance of geeks and nerds became a moot point of discussion years ago with the success of people like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg.  It was clear at that point that geeks had won.  However, Gates and Zuckerberg were all about business, and Ken Jennings is basically all about fun.  He finds knowledge fun, and he's crafted a nice little "business" out of that hobby.

Fund College Via Donations on AngelDorm

As college costs grow beyond the average American's ability to pay, creative financing for higher education is poised to become the next big thing in education and finance.  What it will look like remains to be seen, but you can bet it will be on-line.  One organization that is out front on the creative financing is AngelDorm, a website designed to help students fund their education through donations via social media.  According to the press info:

With Angeldorm.com students actually create an online "dorm" that becomes their fundraising hub for receiving contributions for their college tuition, fees, books and campus housing.  They then can use their social media sites to share their dorm to raise money from potential doners. It's perfect for friends and family to donate to the student's education. Plus, the money goes directly to the university, so no need to worry. It's great for gift giving at birthdays, high school graduations, weddings, baby showers etc.

With student debt nearing $1 trillion and becoming the fastest growing sector of personal debt, there is growing pressure on families already struggling to pay mortgages and other loans. From 2000 to 2010, tuition soared 33 percent while private college loans rose by 592 percent over that same span.

Angeldorm aims to reach everyone in the student's family tree – not just parents but also brings aunts, uncles, siblings and cousins into an expanding circle that reaches friends, neighbors, religious congregations, civic groups, clubs, employers, coaches, teachers, fraternities, sororities – anyone who might wish to give something more than warm wishes to college kids who need a financial lift. The student can also elect to tell their story to a broader audience of people they do not know personally but who might find their story compelling. The Angeldorm system will follow the crowdsource model that has made meaningful changes in political campaign funding by turning small donations from the American middle class into political heavyweights.


The Model: Getting Ahead, Giving Back. Angeldorm enables donor contributions in amounts that middle class people can manage: The Halo ($25 to $49); Tassel ($50 to $150); Wings ($150 to $250); and Angel ($250 plus). Angeldorm has built a seamless and credible records system to accurately track donations, fees for credit card transactions and a flat $2.75 per transaction fee to support the network with a sustainable financial model.  Fidelity Investments, one of the largest college plan providers, offers Angeldorm students professionally managed tax-advantaged 529 accounts to facilitate setting up a plan, but students can also use any provider of their choice.

Who knows where this is going next?  As parents and students consider their options for the future, their most important asset will be information and access.  AngelDorm looks to be worth checking out.

Agents of Change in the Secondary & Higher Ed World

Collaborative relationships between school districts and universities are significant in both the university role for teacher training and the goal of high school students' matriculation.  And, the education system has long advocated itself as a K-16 model.  Yet, the sad reality is that far too many students do not transition well to higher education, and colleges have long lamented how poorly prepared students are for the rigors of university.  In fact, the role of AP classes in providing access to college level work for qualified students has been complicated by the moves of many colleges to limit the AP credit given to students.  Dartmouth recently decided to no longer give any AP credit, and the College Board added synthesis and research-style DBQs in response to university complaints that students weren't being adequately prepared for college-level research papers.  Critics argue that universities are implementing these restrictions simply to increase revenue because they were losing money on general education requirements - which are often a school's cash cow.

The problem is the students who are caught in the middle - though innovative thinking about curriculum and scheduling can contribute to a more efficient and effective education system.  The rise of concurrent enrollment (CE) and dual credit classes is contributing to a closer relationship between the two entities, especially in terms of curriculum.  As it becomes clear that many students can complete both K-12 and higher ed in less than than traditional time, the blurring of lines between high school and college will benefit students both financially and academically.  Relationships that exist now between schools like Golden High School and Red Rocks Community College have created opportunities for students to literally walk across the stage at graduation and accept a high school diploma and an associates degree at the same time.  Additionally, plans in the works in places like New Hampshire may someday allow high school "graduation" as early as sixteen if the student is qualified and gains admission to a associate degree or career training program.

The system - though traditionally rigid - is in flux with the rise of edu-punks and edu-preneurs (to use Anya Kamenetz's term).  And with the rise of new systems such as CE and dual-credit, as well as MOOcs like Coursera and edX, the lines will continue to blur in ways that benefit all stakeholders and create more efficient, accessible, and effective education.  For those entering school administration, then, it's of primary importance to be "a leader [who] promotes the success of every student by understanding, responding to, and influencing the political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context."

Teaching and Relevance - Especially in Math

Math teacher and edu-blogger Darren Miller at RightontheLeftCoast posted a couple thoughts on the teaching of math and the idea of relevance in education that are worth considering.  The first bit of information comes from a short TED Talks video, featuring math teacher Dan Meyer who argues that our current method of delivering math instruction is setting our kids up for failure and a contempt for - or at least frustration with - the entire skill of computation and numeracy.  

Dan Meyer's points need to be discussed in math departments and schools - and even at dinner tables - across the country.  His points about the blockades to effective math literacy are well explained as:

1. Lack of initiative
2. Lack of perseverance
3. Lack of retention
4. Aversion to word problems
5. Eagerness for formulas

A second point of from math teacher Arthur Benjamin argues that our math scaffolding holds as its pinnacle the study of calculus, when it should really focus on the study of probability and statistics.  That, he points out, would be much more relevant and applicable to everyone's life.

Interestingly, the issue of relevance was discussed by education writer Diana Senechal in a recent guest post for Joanne Jacobs.  Diana's points are well developed.

A Whole New Schooling

America's high school graduation rates and college admission rates are at their highest level in more than thirty-five years, and America educates a far larger percentage of its population to higher levels than almost all other industrialized countries.  America's higher education system is still the envy of the world, and because of its opportunities, the United States remains that "shining city upon the hill" that John Winthrop described nearly three centuries ago.  In terms of international rankings, when schools with less than 25% poverty are ranked, American schools actually lead the world in test scores, and the highest achieving states like Massachusetts actually outperform perennial academic all stars like Finland, Singapore, and Japan.  In many ways, the public education system is one of the greatest success stories in American history.  Yet, there are clearly huge discrepancies in the opportunities and access to education provided by the current system, and there is no logical way to argue that the system is equitable or that public education is meeting the needs of every child.

The American education system works very well for students whose parents know how to work it.  If a family is not restricted by where they can choose to live and enroll their children, or how much they can access the extras of education - from summer camps to college counselors and ACT prep courses - then they are in great position to reap the benefits of a clearly defined system.  However, the income gap is nowhere more significant in America than it is in the public education system - despite the beliefs by many Americans that the system is a level playing field.  The American system also works very well for many teachers who are granted great autonomy in their ability to manage their classrooms and their workloads and, in many ways, their evaluation.  Teachers are generally more focused on their content and their style of presenting information than they are on adapting to and understanding the way students learn.  In almost all fields, especially professional areas like accounting and medicine and law and information technology, employees need to pursue regular professional development to stay current.  Not so much with education.  And that must change.

With my principal's license I have no immediate interest in becoming "a principal."  However, I am committed to progress in education by contributing to areas of professional development and school culture.  In my perfect world, I could live with one foot in the classroom and one foot in the administrative office, working as an advocate for both teachers and kids, but focusing primarily on "what's best for kids" and whatever works.  Too many teachers lack the support or motivation to be truly visionary in adaptive change.  That doesn't mean, however, that they are altogether opposed to it.  My goal is to find a way to be a bridge and facilitator for teachers who will struggle with the changes demanded by Common Core and SB191 and the school improvement plan.  NCA expects that teachers learn to use data to guide instruction, and teachers will need support in how to do that.  In a pseudo-administrative role, I would seek not so much to be a buffer as to be a filter, breaking down information on what teachers need to know about new expectations, so they can focus on doing what they do - which in my experience can be pretty magical.

As I've noted before, I am interested in working toward a world where teachers don't say "I teach math or English or history" but instead say, "I teach kids."  I've been reading a lot by "ideas guru" Daniel Pink who advocates for new thinking in developing skills in kids which allow them to succeed.  Rather than a particular content, Pink focus on the need for students to develop skills in "numeracy, design thinking, and sales," as these are marketable skills.  The ideas put forth by people like Daniel Pink or Po Bronson or Malcolm Gladwell on "the way the world really works" are the kind of information that I would like to help weave into school culture.  From places like High Tech High to books like A Whole New Mind to plans like "Tough Choices, Tough Times," school culture needs to be adapted and developed to allow greater access and choice for kids.  However, the focus must be on data and results.  "Whatever works" is my motto for education.

Stephen Brill & Time Expose the Corrupt Cost of Health Care

The real health care questions are or should be: 

Why are the bills so high? What are the reasons, good or bad, that cancer means a half-million or million dollar tab? Why does a trip to the emergency room for chest pains that are only indigestion end up costing as much as a semester of college? What makes a single dose of even the most wonderful wonder drug cost thousands of dollars? Why does routine lab work done at a hospital by a salaried employee cost more than a car? Why do hospitals charge $70 for a box of gauze pads when they’re on Amazon for a couple bucks? And, what is so different about medical systems that cause advances in technology to drive bills up instead of down?

In the longest investigative report Time Magazine has ever published, writer Stephen Brill has exposed the dark side of medical billing and asked the most important question - why are the bills so high?  You won't like the answer, though unless you've navigated the health care and insurance world outside of the protection of group coverage, you likely have no idea what the "costs" of health care are.