Michael Grant

>This is a real problem. But just one line item on a list of problems with public education.

What's needed is not a few adjustments, more funding or less funding, but a thorough revolution that incorporates the internet, that sharply reduces the obsession with testing, that uses a few great teachers -- empowered by available technology -- to replace the mediocre masses, that undertands that by high school a specific, purpose-built school is largely irrelevant.

The entire premise of school -- that teachers holding a sort of monopoly on data transmit that data to students -- is out of date. Data is everywhere, and mostly free. The job of teachers going forward is to teach epistemology, logic and method, not data. And for God's sake get out of the business of systematically crushing imagination.

Posted : Feb 10, 2011 05:05

Anonymous

>Second the AARRRGGGHHH.

But I'm ridiculously exited to see the Steve Jenkins article!

Claire

P.S. My verification word is "deism." Roger, is this rigged?!

Posted : Feb 10, 2011 01:37

Anonymous

>Clearly, teachers who are unwilling to teach science have no place in a science classroom, yet there they are. Also depressing is wondering: Where are the administrators who should be making sure that science is being taught?

...and what's up with the professional organizations that should be fighting the good fight? Are they trying and just losing that badly?

I look forward, I think, to the May issue.

--Wanting to shout "AAARRRGGGHH!!!", but sitting quietly at the reference desk between questions,
if

Posted : Feb 09, 2011 09:32

Roger Sutton

>here's a link to the interview with Nye.

Posted : Feb 09, 2011 07:28

Jim Randolph

>That's why I love the NCSE! Bill Nye has some comments about this on their site.

http://ncse.com/

Posted : Feb 09, 2011 05:55

kellybarnhill

>That was the most DEPRESSING THING I've ever read. I think you should have titled it: Dear Biology Teachers: You Suck. Love, Roger.

Posted : Feb 09, 2011 05:52