At the end of the school year, I received the following speech from a 16-year-old male student, who is now a junior at a public school in California. He enjoys playing drums, wants to go to Pepperdine University, and told me, “I don’t mean to brag, but the class liked my speech most.” I hopeContinue reading “A Tenth Grader Speaks Out: Slowly Strangled to Silence”
Author Archives: Sara Bennett
The War on Kids
(I’ll be back Tuesday. I’m going to California for a screening of Race to Nowhere at Edutopia.) In the Comments a few days ago, Psych Mom talked about a new film, The War On Kids, a documentary on the problems with public schools. Unfortunately, I missed the film while it was playing in New YorkContinue reading “The War on Kids”
What’s Wrong With Our Schools?
This article, What’s Wrong With Our Schools, is worth reading. What’s Wrong With Our Schools? by Jennifer Fox Huffington Post What was high school like when you were there? How were your classes taught? Thirty-two years ago, I sat in a chair attached to the desk with a shiny silver tube. The trouble with theseContinue reading “What’s Wrong With Our Schools?”
Moms (and Dads) on a Mission – Recess is Important
Denise Hills, a geologist, and her husband, a college geology professor, live in Tuscaloosa, AL with their two children, a first grader and a three-year-old. Last year, when her son was in kindergarten at the local public school, he didn’t get recess. Mid-year, Denise wrote a letter to the principal and local school board, expressingContinue reading “Moms (and Dads) on a Mission – Recess is Important”
International Standards and Assessments
Two weeks ago, I attended my first webinar, hosted by Edutopia, where Linda Darling Hammond talked about international standards and assessments. It’s really too bad she wasn’t Obama’s pick for Secretary of Education; she’s smart, articulate, progressive, and she even knows how to use power point! If you have about 50 minutes, it’s worth listeningContinue reading “International Standards and Assessments”
Interview with Dominic Randolph, Head of New York City Private School That Dropped AP Classes
(Happy Thanksgiving) Last June, I ran a series of interviews I had conducted with activists and educators who were on my radar as people trying to do something to change policy and practice in their communities. Today, I’m running an interview I conducted with one of the most interesting school heads I’ve ever encountered, DominicContinue reading “Interview with Dominic Randolph, Head of New York City Private School That Dropped AP Classes”
No Homework Two or Three Times a Year!
I read a story about how the town of Lafourche, Louisiana instituted a “Family First Night” on September 27 – a night with no homework and where families were encouraged to spend time together. That sounded pretty good to me, until I read that the next Family First Night is scheduled to take place inContinue reading “No Homework Two or Three Times a Year!”
The Milleys Capture Canada (and the U.S. and U.K. as well)
The day I wrote about the Milleys, parents from Calgary, Canada, who negotiated a contract with their children’s school allowing their children to opt-out of homework, the national press asked me to put it in touch with the Milleys. Since then, the Canadian newspapers, radio, and TV have reported the story, all of the coverageContinue reading “The Milleys Capture Canada (and the U.S. and U.K. as well)”
Moms (and Dads) on a Mission – San Anselmo, California
(I’ll be gone until Monday) Last year, I posted a piece by Torri Chappell, a teacher and mother from San Anselmo, California, who wrote about some of the success she had had in advocating for school reform. Two weeks ago, the high school in her community hosted a showing of Race to Nowhere, a documentaryContinue reading “Moms (and Dads) on a Mission – San Anselmo, California”
“My Marks Were Torn to Shreds” For Failure to Complete Homework
A few weeks ago, I heard from Etta Kralovec, author of The End of Homework, that she is looking for stories about students whose grades were lowered due to homework incompletion. Have you sent her yours? I passed on this email I received from a 19-year-old Australian high school graduate, who is very articulate aboutContinue reading ““My Marks Were Torn to Shreds” For Failure to Complete Homework”
Stop Homework 