Comments on: Public Education as Conspiracy

By: Thing 4- Blogs | Into the future and beyond

Thing 4- Blogs | Into the future and beyond — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 03:16:08 +0000

[...] and tips for education that support his “read-write-web” philosophy. His post on Public Education as Conspiracy includes a YouTube video of an interview with Seth Godin on education- very interesting. [...]

By: What Does it Mean to be Gifted Now? | TransLeadership

What Does it Mean to be Gifted Now? | TransLeadership — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:32:13 +0000

[...] in class. They are very good at playing the part of the industrial model school student that the “conspiracy” of school was intended to create but are they good at solving problems, being creative, unlearning [...]

By: What Does it Mean to be Gifted Now? :Quisitivity

What Does it Mean to be Gifted Now? :Quisitivity — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:27:27 +0000

By: paulmartin42

paulmartin42 — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:14:19 +0000

-ve why not be +ve

By: paul bogush

paul bogush — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:23:54 +0000

Homeschooling might not be an option…
but unschooling is

By: Lois Girbino

Lois Girbino — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:38:53 +0000

As an art teacher, I could not agree more about the need for more active teaching of creativity via problem-based learning in all content areas. Yet, art teachers are dropping like flies all over the country, and that sets a bad precedent for other educators even thinking about getting more creative. Another issue: it takes talent and energy to teach in a PBS style, and also genuine desire to continually explore all the tech opportunities available. Standards and testing take up a lot of time, leaving teachers little energy for going “outside the box”; without a mandate, most won’t. As more e-learning and credit flexibility options open up, I think educators and administrators might finally see the value in creating a learner-centric classroom.

By: Seth Godin: Summarizing Public Education in 4 1/2 Minutes « Education Stormfront

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:41:39 +0000

[...] H/T Weblogg-ed [...]

By: doris h

doris h — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:27:16 +0000

If the greatest learning are the most difficult ones to assign and grade why don’t we come up with a rubric that speaks to grading being more flexible.

By: doris h

doris h — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:25:19 +0000

Are you asking for a more aggressive approach to teaching in the 21st century? Perhaps this would work and how is this instituted?

I agree with some of your statements. What strategies do we need to use at this point in the educational process with technology a number one teaching tool?

By: Hmm…homeschool? « Library Ramblings

Hmm…homeschool? « Library Ramblings — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:52:17 +0000

[...] July 13, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized — librariantiff @ 2:52 am This blog post by Will Richardson really got my brain [...]

By: Carl

Carl — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 01:27:26 +0000

While I agree with many of the positions Seth Godin takes in the second half of this interview, and I’ve often wondered if there was a “conspiracy” like the one he describes (between business and government), I’d like to see evidence other than the observation that the system that evolved is compatible with such a conspiracy theory. As Walter Kirn writes about management in Up in the Air, “it’s the stimulating assertion, not the tested hypothesis, that grabs folks.” Okay, I’m grabbed, but skeptical as well. Diane Ravitch, in her new book, calls this conspiracy claim bunk. Who’s right? Where’s the documentation?

By: John

John — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:31:29 +0000

When I decided several years ago to change career paths and pursue my 5-12 social studies licensure, the act of teaching in a public school seemed more like a noble calling of ideological expression than a daily balancing act between my personal convictions and professional responsibilities. Similar to a previous post, I feel torn between the idea that I should rework and reinvent the educational experience my students are exposed to, and their desire (and their parents’ desire) to be “adequately” prepared for college. I teach in a school that touts its 95%+ graduation rate and 1000+ AP students and massive number of alumni that continue on to four-year colleges. While I respect and admire the accomplishments of each student and the overall performance of the district that employs me, I do sometimes feel as though I am catering to the “teach to the test” mentality of education. Am I limiting my students’ ability to explore by testing on an ancient culture that they may never remember? Or am I providing perspective and foundational knowledge that will help them succeed later in life?

Teaching a course like World History lends itself to such philosophical debates (do students really need to know who the third emperor of such and such dynasty in place X in the year Y was?).

My inner-debate rages more passionately when I consider my three young children, the oldest of which is set to begin preschool this fall. What experience do I want them to have? Will I feel as though I have let them down if they do not achieve top marks? Is public school the right option for them? Since my wife and I are both public school teachers, we have never really considered anything other than our local school district. But can I just assume that we got lucky in terms of where we live? And when we get to the college question, will I be able to support my children’s choices as both a parent and educator?

I firmly believe that students should have options available to them that allow for their greatest potential growth. I also believe that no one system or philosophy or political campaign can make the options, opportunities, or resources available to students meaningful. That, I believe, still lies within the human connection of the people involved–parents, teachers, and, most importantly, students themselves.

By: Ecological Literacy: Educating Our Children for a Sustainable World (The Bioneers Series) | Environmental

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:28:47 +0000

[...] Weblogg-ed » Public Education as Conspiracy [...]

By: ELDemmert

ELDemmert — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 06:04:49 +0000

I guess I would have to argue that not all public schools are this way. I think teachers are starting to change. I am fortunate enough to work in a small school with a collaborative staff and an open-minded administration.

But the pressures put on teachers to teach to every standard and to “the test” is ridiculous and has little bearing on students’ life after school.

And also, Mr. Godin needs to consider the conditions that some schools are functioning in, or “dysfunctioning” in. The buildings are dilapidated; the classrooms are packed; there’s no money for technology. Yet, we continue to spend millions of dollars on stadiums and coliseums. Does anyone see the disconnect here?

So I will continue to do my little bit, most of which, I hope, is exactly what my students need for their lives outside of school. And not all of which has to do with the state standards I’m supposed to be teaching but which leans towards teaching them common sense, good decision making, and ethics as students, citizens, and friends.

“Imagination is more important than knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

By: Harlan howe

Harlan howe — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:46:03 +0000

I feel pulled in two directions as an independent school teacher. One the one hand, I feel like we should be the leaders in any teaching revolution. If we don’t have the freedom and resources to think outside the box, who does?
But on the other hand, what does our clientele demand? If that is to get their kids into college, and teaching in the 19th century style is working for our kids (an assumption that admittedly bears examination), who am I to rock that boat? I think there is some fear in our faculty that it will break what doesn’t need fixing….
It is interesting, though, that when we do try to break out of that mold, to do projects or to move away from testing, the first people to complain are often the students!