In Houston, Diane Ravitch challenges school reformers face to face

[proud2BlibKansan]

“You send out a false message,” Diane Ravitch, the nation’s premier education historian, told school reformers on Thursday night at Rice University.

The event hosted by Knowledge Is Power Program (KIPP) charter schools, Teach For America (TFA), and the Rice Educational Entrepreneurship Program gave Dr. Ravitch the opportunity to speak directly to school reform leaders.

Dr. Ravitch began by saying public-school teachers across the country were highly demoralized because school reformers were placing the blame for under-achievement entirely at their feet.

“Please stop claiming Teach for America can close the achievement gap,” Ravitch urged. “Nobody who teaches for two or three years can close the achievement gap.” She asked them to think about their long-term impact on public schools, and recommended they “practice humility.”

more . . . http://www.examiner.com/education-reform-in-houston/in-houston-diane-ravitch-challenges-school-reformers-face-to-face

[Starry Messenger]

1. I'm sure that fell on deaf ears.

Some gems in there.

"Questioning statistics used in the pro-charter documentary, Waiting for Superman, Dr. Ravitch picked up on that movie’s comparison of Finland’s educational success to our own relatively poor performance. She pointed out Finland has fewer tests, stronger unions and four times the level of social service spending for children as in the United States."

That last point is so key. Reformers like to yammer about how much money goes into schooling here (usually inflated depending on what lie they are pushing) but totally ignore the fact that places with strong social services probably have less spending per student *in the schools* because the other costs are being used in the social safety net that doesn't exist here.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. What ever happened to community schools?

AFT still promotes them and offers training too.

I'm a huge believer. Taught in one for the best 10 years of my career.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. The fact they invited her may signal the

Beginning of doubt.

[Starry Messenger]

8. I'm more cynical.

More like a CYA in the media so they can appear "balanced".

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. I am cynical as you

But historically every reform starts to wane when they start to listen ton the doubting Thomases

It will take five years to see if this is the case though.

[Starry Messenger]

10. Five years is such a long time for a student though.

It seems short, but that's a huge amount of damage for a kid in an untested reform scenario. And really, these plans have been around since Reagan in some form or another. One gets the sense that they were simply biding their time and then rushed through a window of opportunity. My hope is that more parents will also rebel. They can't sell the media on this crap if the parents are pushing back.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. I know

But Even Ravitch will tell you that. It will stop until we lose another generation. And I hate that, because we will also lose experienced teachers who will be needed to rebuild.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Bonus points to you for mentioning students

:thumbsup:

[Starry Messenger]

16. I hear if we earn enough points for the "mention"

we can earn prizes! I'm saving up for an ice cream maker. :D

[xchrom]

3. A throw down! Good let's get the deformers

Lies out there.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. No one better than Diane R to do that

:thumbsup:

[Catshrink]

12. Diane Ravitch you mean

not the DUer who is not supportive of teachers.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. You got it

I knew you would. :)

[maryf]

6. K&Rnt

[EFerrari]

7. What I can't figure out is why they invited her to speak.

She's really, really good.

[LWolf]

18. Public perception. They want to appear to be "fair and balanced." nt

[laughingliberal]

15. K & R for Diane Ravitch and the truth! nt

[LWolf]

17. Excellent.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: