Brilliant or Insane?: politics

Monday, April 14, 2014

Noble Schools Discipline Policy Sure to Hurt Learning

By Mark Barnes

via photopin

If Valerie Strauss, The Washington Post's education blogger, was trying to incite her readers, she certainly succeeded, when she wrote about the Noble Charter School network in Chicago. Quoting a Chicago Tribune story, Strauss shares how students at Noble schools are suspended for things like talking out, not looking at the teacher and slouching.

School leaders say that the schools have high expectations. Noble Superintendent Michael Milkie told the Tribune that the schools use the "broken window" philosophy. "If you allow a lot of windows to be broken, that house is going to turn into one where lots of damage is going on."

Give an inch. . .

So, Milkie and his cronies, Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel among them, believe that if the Noble School children are given the proverbial inch, they'll take the proverbial mile -- an archaic theory with little supporting research.

Not only would Milkie be hard pressed to produce anything valid to suggest that this rigid discipline style improves behavior, it's sure to make students hate learning. Many experts, Alfie Kohn and John Hattie among them, argue that rigor and meanness turn students, especially reluctant learners, against school.

So, Noble Schools may be filled with timely, quiet, frightened children. You're not likely to find many engaged, excited independent learners there, though.

What a shame.

Mark Barnes is an education author and consultant and the publisher of Brilliant or Insane. Learn more about Mark on our Team page. Follow him on Twitter here.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

President Obama's Biggest Failing in Two Terms: Hint, It's Not Health Care

By Mark Barnes

via Care 2 Make a Difference

"You lost a lot more than me," Mr. President. "You just lost my vote."

Annette Bening's perfectly-delivered line during a climactic moment in the movie, The American President, is one that should resonate with President Obama, as tens of thousands of angry teachers in around America continue to be outraged by published teacher rankings, based on standardized test results

I'm certain that I speak for many of my colleagues when I say that the blame for this must fall squarely at the feet of President Barack Obama. After all, a monstrous $5 billion of Obama's last education budget was intended to "tie teacher pay to performance." Don't assume for a second that "performance" means how well teachers actually teach. This is all about standardized testing -- something Obama suggested he'd fix, while campaigning the first time he ran for president.

Being kind, I'd say Obama has fallen short of his goal of fixing No Child Left Behind. Being accusatory, I'd say that Obama has flat-out lied.

If anything, during Obama's presidency, American education has gotten much worse than it was when he arrived. Not only are we still stuck with the monster that is high stakes testing, now teachers are being judged by this insidious data, which even most people outside of the profession realize is nothing short of illogical.

I proudly supported Barack Obama four years ago. I even campaigned for him. When things were going poorly his first couple of years in office, I defended him. Enough is finally enough. I can no longer support a president who has turned his back on education. I can't defend a purportedly-intelligent man, who wasn't smart enough to hire an educator to run his education department.

I can't stand by a leader who values numbers over people.

Mark Barnes is an education author and consultant and the publisher of Brilliant or Insane. Learn more about Mark on our Team page. Follow him on Twitter here.

Sunday, March 9, 2014

Canadian condom piercer story makes for great debate

photo credit: SimonQ錫濛譙 via photopin cc

A man wants to impregnate his girlfriend, because he's afraid she's going to leave him, so he begins piercing the condoms she makes him wear during sex. The girl becomes pregnant, confronts her boyfriend, who admits to the deception. The woman then goes to the police and files charges against her boyfriend for sexual assault. Sound reasonable?

This fantastic tale might be something a social studies or language arts teachers would share with students as a marvelous debate topic. The story, though, is real, and the man was convicted, faces jail time and will be registered as a sex offender, according to the BBC.

Never miss a Brilliant or Insane post -- subscribe now

The debate

When initially reading this story, one might be shocked at the Canadian Supreme Court's decision. Wasn't the woman a willing partner? Isn't there risk of pregnancy with condoms, regardless of if they're pierced? Isn't registering the man as a sex offender ridiculously harsh?

On the other hand, isn't it a woman's right to not get pregnant? Wasn't requiring a condom for sex the same as saying No to a baby?

This might make for some excellent case research and solid debate for middle or high school students.

So, would you use this story for a class debate? Let us know how you think it would work.

Mark Barnes is an education author and consultant and the publisher of Brilliant or Insane. Learn more about Mark on our Team page. Follow him on Twitter here.

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Is Jesse Ventura brilliant or insane?

Jesse Ventura, via: ora.tv

Former professional wrestler, actor and Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura is what he calls "off the grid."

In this astonishing interview with CNBC, Ventura is promoting a new talk show, coincidentally called Off the Grid.

"I move about with my TV show, so the drones can't find me," Ventura says early in the interview. "I'm off the grid. . . I now view the United States from the outside, and I don't like what I see."

A self-proclaimed Independent, Ventura, is, according to his TV show website promotional blurb, offering "electrifying insight into the nation's most pressing problems."

With Ventura promoting the show from Mexico, one can only imagine which nation he's helping.

Don't miss Jessie Ventura's CNBC interview in this video, where at one point, he's asked if being off the grid in Mexico is a hoax.

Ventura's takes on the American economy, immigration and partisan politics might just be brilliant. Or, they may be insane.

You decide.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

We aspire to be Finland, but we're not even close

via: elearninginfographics.com

Listen to our president, education secretary or just about any bureaucrat claiming to be interested in American education, and at some point, you'll hear that "We need to be like Finland."

The irony of this is staggering.

Consider what the people making the decisions that drive American education believe is effective:

Large class sizes
Plenty of homework
Tons of standardized testing
Little or no time for physical activity, like recess
A bizarre teacher evaluation system that rates educators on traditional methods and student test scores

Still, "We need to be more like Finland," is the bureaucrats' favorite mantra.

Take a look at how Finland does education:

Average class size is 1 teacher to every 12 students.
There is virtually no homework.
Finland has 10 times less standardized testing than American schools.
There is heavy emphasis on physical activity and down time (75 minutes of recess).
Teachers are as respected as doctors.

Sure, we're not Finland. We're much larger and face different socio-economic issues. If we aspire to be like Finland, though, why not at least attempt to incorporate some of its simple strategies?

Right now, we're not even close!

Friday, December 20, 2013

School administrators wising up about Teach for America

All stakeholders in the Pittsburgh schools received a marvelous holiday gift, when their school board made an enlightened decision.

via: seattleeducation2010.com

The Pittsburgh school board terminated its $750,000 contract with Teach for America, the opportunistic group that has been undermining quality education for far too long.

Instead of wasting valuable dollars on TFA, the district will maintain an elementary school that was slated for shutdown.

As a longtime opponent of Teach for America, I couldn't be happier to see school board members realize what a horrible mistake they made in handing over a huge contract to a group of people who know so little about education.

Well done, Pittsburgh Schools. Merry Christmas.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Is America ready for President Hillary?

Most political analysts would say that launching a presidential campaign three years before the current Commander in Chief leaves the White House is a bit early. Analysis notwithstanding, it appears that Hillary Clinton is on the campaign trail.

While accepting the American Patriot Award on Monday, Clinton sounded a lot like someone who is again running for the nation's highest office.

"Over and over, in country after country, women have proven themselves a powerful source for peace, even in places where their political power is slight or nonexistent," Clinton told an enthusiastic audience in Washington.

Sounds a lot like a powerful woman, touting women for political office.

As support groups begin to rally, evidence of a 2016 presidential run for Hillary Clinton grows stronger.

Has the time finally arrived for a woman to reach the highest executive office?

Has the time finally arrived for President Hillary Clinton?

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

ENDA is one more step toward true equality

via: salon.com

In his guest column for The Huffington Post, President Obama calls for congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, which would prohibit the firing of employees, based strictly on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

After last summer's elimination of the military's insidious "Don't-ask-don't-tell" policy, ENDA represents yet another step toward true equality in America -- one quest that has embellished Obama's pockmarked presidency.

The fact that workers must hide their life choices, or risk being terminated from their livelihood, is archaic at best and egregious at worst. With enough clarity for even the most conservative politician to understand, Obama writes of ENDA:

Does it make a difference if the firefighter who rescues you is gay -- or the accountant who does your taxes, or the mechanic who fixes your car? If someone works hard every day, does everything he or she is asked, is responsible and trustworthy and a good colleague, that's all that should matter.

This law represents what is fundamentally good about America. Let's hope our congress sees it that way and passes ENDA.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

You think that's scary. . .

Since this blog is relatively new, I figured I'd start a tradition of writing holiday-specific posts. With today being Halloween, I decided to share the things that really scare me. Here they are in no particular order.

Arne Duncan -- The U.S. secretary of education is one of the scariest politicians ever. He may single-handedly destroy American education.

via: prestigemagazine.net

Cleveland Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown -- Now in his second stint with the Cavs, Mike

Brown is a likable guy who knows how to create defensive-minded NBA players, which is no small feat. Brown couldn't cut it with the Lakers, though, and he couldn't win a ring with LeBron James and a solid supporting cast. I want Brown to succeed, but he definitely scares me.

Power outages -- We recently lost power for more than 24 hours, and I realized that a night without Apple TV scares the bejesus out of me.

Personality tests -- I answered a few questions on a Time.com personality test and learned that I should be living in Pennsylvania. I'm a Browns fan; need I say more?

Jimmy Graham's ankle -- Through eight weeks of fantasy football, I'm tied for a playoff spot and nipping at the heels of my division's leader. (Hey, don't scoff. This league is 24 years old and very serious.) Jimmy Graham is my superstar. He's already won several games for me with monster performances, but Graham has plantar fasciitis. There is nothing more terrifying this Halloween than the thought of Jimmy Graham missing the rest of the season and costing me a shot at my sixth Fantasy Bowl appearance.

So, what really scares you?

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Am I an awful teacher or a great one?

The new trend in public education is to measure teacher accountability, based on standardized test results. Using this year's results, the state of Ohio must deem me an awful teacher.

Wait a minute, on the other hand, Ohio might think I'm a great teacher. Hmm., which am I?

via: 17calculus.com

The list of problems with this ill-conceived system is far too long to place in one blog post, so I'll discuss the one issue that would top the list that makes teacher accountability based on a test impossible.

I call this issue, "uncontrollable factors."

For example, one of my students who failed the reading test -- solely my fault, according to the state of Ohio -- had many personal problems that severely minimized her interest in language arts and other subjects. She missed 25 days of school. She was suspended from school four times. She received 14 grades of D or F on her report card throughout the year. Her parents never responded to any of my innumerable calls during the second half of the year.

While my average student read 28 books during the school year, she read two.What could possibly motivate this child to put in her best effort on a two and a half hour reading test?

Conversely, I have many students who scored close to perfect on the reading test. They are avid readers, scholar-athletes, student government leaders and have marvelous parents who encourage a love of learning both in and out of school. According to the state of Ohio, I am solely responsible for their fine efforts on the achievement test.

I have little, if any, control over the out-of-class lives of either the poor students or the excellent ones.

So, am I an awful teacher or am I a great one?

This was originally posted at the Results Only Learning Blog

Friday, October 25, 2013

Buy or Sell new healthcare website?

President Obama's highly scrutinized and criticized healthcare program, known as Obamacare, is taking heat from republicans over some computer glitches in the program's new clearinghouse website, healthcare.gov. Opponents suggest that the new website has far too many problems and that it should have been tested, prior to being rolled out to the public.

Buy or Sell Healthcare.gov?

I tried the HealthCare.gov website, and I am going to buy.

As someone who has designed many websites and built tons of content, including step-by-step instructions, I know what effective websites look like, and Healthcare.gov looks effective.

As you can see from the picture above, the site has a clean, user-friendly appearance. When you click "Apply Online," you're taken to a page that provides excellent, well-written information about the available programs and networks, broken down by income and coverage types.

I decided to apply for small business health insurance. The "Get Started" section is another aesthetically-pleasing page that leads the user to an application document that most elementary students could handle with little trouble.

Of all the government websites I've ever visited, HealthCare.gov is undoubtedly the best, so I'm buying.

How good is the actual healthcare? That's an issue to tackle on another day.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Spare the rod, save the child

I have to admit that I was astonished by this Education Week article, which says that 19 states have schools that still employ some sort of corporal punishment.

via: lifemartini.com

Can this be right? In the year 2013, teachers and administrators are beating students?

According to the EdWeek article, a Marion County school board member, Carol Ely, who favors paddling children, says that this method of discipline helps kids, because if they are suspended, "that's like a vacation."

Hey Ms. Ely, do you know what happens to children who are paddled? They either hate school or think it's a joke, and they believe teachers enjoy harming kids.

How do I know this? I was paddled throughout my school years, and it's exactly what I thought.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Redskins post sparks debate

I recently posted commentary questioning the nickname Redskins. As always, I had hoped for conversation -- what every writer wants.

A social media friend shared a rather emphatic tweet, "In what world or universe is it not?"

My Twitter friend, like me, is quite outspoken and highly intelligent. We agree and disagree on many topics, which makes for a fun Twitter relationship.

She suggested that there was not even a debate on the issue; yet this conversation ensued:

Her last question sparked even more contemplation on this debate. Thanks, @DataDiva, for providing further conversation. I sense more on this topic in the future.

Stay tuned.

Is the nickname, Redskins, racist?

The first time someone told me that there was a growing protest in Washington by some native American tribes over the football team nickname, Redskins, my knee-jerk reaction was, "That's ridiculous." In all honesty, I often react impulsively -- a character trait I'm attempting to improve.

Now, with the issue of the Washington football team's nickname gaining traction in the media and the White House (President Obama recently weighed in on the matter), I am rethinking my initial opinion.

Dismissing this issue, at first, was easy, because I figured it only affected a tiny audience -- about 5 million native Americans, according to the census bureau -- and some polls show that only about 10 percent of this group is angry about the nickname, Redskins.

Should the size of the audience matter though, if someone is getting hurt? If 50 million people objected, how long would it take for the NFL to force Washington to change the name?

Several major universities changed their nicknames years ago. St. John, for example, went from from Redmen to Red Storm. Miami of Ohio changed its nickname from Redskins to Redhawks. Both schools seem to have suffered no ill or loss of fans since this transition.

So, I wonder, is the name Redskins racist? I'm still not sure about that one, but I am sure that if I owned the NFL team in Washington, I'd change the name.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

What does Facebook say about you?

Someone was recently commenting on a friend's Facebook posts and/or likes. She was unhappy with the friend's politics. Posting about or liking articles that advocate particular hot button issues, like abortion, she feels, is not good Facebook practice.

via: Facebook.com

This got me thinking about my own Facebook habits. Would I post about my own politics or about an issue like being pro life or pro choice?

I'm still considering it.

So what does your Facebook page say about you?

Friday, October 11, 2013

Politicians don't understand "good meeting"

In the midst of an ongoing government shutdown that resembles a group of toddlers saying, "I'm not playing with you anymore," politicians are meeting, yet, all-too-typically, accomplishing nothing.

In this CBSNews video, the White House is quoted as saying, "It was a good meeting, but no declarations were made." Really? How can people who are expected to run a nation be unable to comprehend the simple phrase, "good meeting?"

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Empathy is a teacher's most important trait

Politicians and bureaucrats worry about standards, high stakes testing and accountability in education. They don't comprehend what students need.

They don't realize that when kids are in pain or are hungry or afraid, they don't care about math facts or grammar rules.

If only the policymakers understood what real teachers mean. . .

Here is a wonderful reminder that I found on Facebook:

Monday, January 23, 2012

Did Hawaii start the war against RTTT, NCLB?

Teachers in Hawaii served a crushing blow to President Obama's Race to the Top initiative, when 67% of the state's teachers voted against a new contract that would require merit pay, if the state was to earn RTTT money.

Courtesy: Hawaii Tribune-Herald

If a large majority of 9,000 teachers in a state are willing to say no to $75 million in government dollars, because they are so staunchly opposed to being judged on test scores, one must wonder when other states will follow Hawaii's lead.

An even more significant question might be, is this the beginning of the war between educators and politicians that will ultimately strike down No Child Left Behind, putting an end to standardized testing once and for all?

Since NCLB's inception, teachers and researchers nationwide have complained in books, articles and at national conferences that high stakes tests are ineffective in evaluating student performance and, in fact, detract from learning. However, there has not been the solidarity necessary to make a large enough statement to get the attention of education lawmakers and of the Obama administration.

The courageous teachers in Hawaii have made a resounding statement. Perhaps their vote was the first shot fired in a war that has been a long time coming.

Maybe, in addition to saying no to Race to the Top, the teachers in Hawaii were saying good-bye to No Child Left Behind. Maybe they were saying they will no longer stand for high stakes testing. Maybe they were telling President Obama and Arne Duncan that they will not stand for a failing education system. Maybe they were saying that the testing has to stop.

Maybe they were starting a war that every teacher in America needs to join.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Why compete with education in other countries?

I've never understood America's preoccupation with competing globally in education. Why is it so important for our students to outscore students in China or Taiwan on a standardized test? Will it raise my quality of life, if little Johnny's math grade is higher than his Japanese counterpart in the fourth grade?

Education Week's examination of how American education stacks up with education in other countries sums up the issue this way:

"Much of the debate centers on whether the U.S. education system has slipped from a position of dominance, or is holding steady, in areas deemed crucial to economic security, particularly the STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—and so-called 21st-century learning and communications skills."

Let's see if I have this right. If our students' scores on an arbitrary test are substandard, according to some bureaucratic bean counter, the economic security of the entire nation may be in jeopardy. I can't imagine anything more absurd.

I wonder if we were to focus our energies on creating opportunities to collaborate with other countries on best practices just how much better off all of the world's students might be.

Friday, December 30, 2011

Big Brother is destroying American education

George Orwell's 1984 is a cautionary tale about a government that polices everything citizens do, including how they think. The term "Big Brother is watching" was popularized by this classic dystopian novel. Big Brother is the party leader, who does everything possible to eliminate individuality.

Recent comments here at ROLE Reversal, on Twitter, Google+ and other articles and blogs got me to thinking that Orwell's Big Brother and our current government may not be so different. One might argue that the notion that we're being controlled by thought police is absurd, but consider the government's role in education and its impact on educators.

The comment below, left on a blog post about the negative effects of homework, is a perfect example of the thought control that our government is creating with standardized testing:

"Sounds good, but my state says we Must finish x amount of concepts in the year, and be prepared for an end of course exam that determines if they graduate. I need every second of class time and the students need practice to get the ideas into long-term memory."

I hear similar complaints daily in my own school, from colleagues scared senseless that their students won't pass the test, subjecting the teachers to all sorts of state-mandated wrath. Don't standardized tests force teachers to behave like thoughtless automatons, handing out practice test worksheets and homework day after day, as they spout "You must pass, you must pass," mantras at their students? Or do they?

Most readers of Orwell thought his novel was, in fact, cautionary and that his plot was far too outlandish to ever come to fruition.

As we gaze into today's classrooms and see one mind-controlled teacher after another, we must wonder if Big Brother isn't alive and well today, controlling the thoughts and actions of teachers and destroying American education and the futures of our children along with it.