Hey, it wasn't my idea; a commenter raised the question in response to a recent blog post in which I argued that bad parenting is the number-one cause of failing students and failing schools and, consequently, the best point of intervention for public education reform. But it is an intriguing idea. Now, you may be [...]
How much more evidence do we need before we conclude that charter schools aren't the panacea for America's public education woes that so many believe them to be? If you missed the story last week, a charter school created and administered by Stanford University's renowned Department of Education had its charter revoked by the local [...]
When did teachers become the bêtes noir of public education? Why are they getting all the blame for America’s public education failings? Everywhere you look, people are piling on teachers as if they are at the root of all that is bad in our public education system. Even President Obama has gotten in the act, [...]
We've been hearing a lot about public education reform lately; No Child Left Behind is up for reauthorization and the Race to the Top is one of President Obama's top policy initiatives. But all this talk about reform is not really about public education. "Public education" is a code phrase for education for the poor [...]
Doesn't anyone else see what is so obvious to me? Or has Steve Jobs's diabolical plan for global domination already reached a point that humans don't even see what is happening to them? The whole iPhone (and iPod and iPad) thing is starting to sound like a 1950's science fiction movie. If you've ever watched [...]
I have been blogging about public education quite a bit lately for several reasons. The first reason is personal; my children will soon be entering the elementary-school pipeline and I want to know what lies ahead for them. The second reason involves my concerns over President Obama's proposed changes to No Child Left Behind and [...]
It seems like every time you turn on the TV, listen to the radio, open a newspaper, or go on line these days there is a new scandal du jour erupting, giving our sensationalism-addicted, bottom-feeding media culture a reason for being. It's gotten to be a competition to see who can shock America the most [...]
It's natural to feel some increase in your intensity in a competition. You're putting yourself to the test and want to do your best. But when that increase intensity turns to anxiety that can hurt your performances, that can be a problem. But rather than just resigning yourself to feeling nervous and performing poorly, you [...]
According to the research of Dr. Anders Ericsson, motivation is the most significant predictor of success. In simple terms, Dr. Ericsson found that experts in many walks of life, whether sport, music, chess, dance, or business, had put in the most hours at their craft. He coined the phrase, "It takes 10 years and 10,000 [...]
We all know the power of the Internet for good. It offers a wealth of information, connects people who are miles and cultures apart, and allows news to be disseminated instantly. But I recently learned of a young man whose reputation, and perhaps his life, has been devastated because of information, later proved to be [...]