The Professor and the Waitress: Thoughts on Life

Worth a read.

Nerd News: Home Schooling in the News

Article in the New York Times.  Honestly, with education being the mess that it is with No Child Left Behind and Common Core and the obsession with standardized testing, I would probably want to home school too if I had a Mini-Me.  As it is, I've already been asked to consult a bit on my areas of specialization by some friends home schooling their little ones.

Nerd News: 3 Thoughts

There are a few stories that crossed my path recently:

• Teacher training's favorite myths
• Taking aim at charter schools
• HERESY!  (It also happens to be the truth.)

Nerd News: Is March Madness in the Curriculum?

Sometimes the temptation is just too great.

I'll Take That As A Compliment

One of my students just called me a "badass"!

Headline of the Day: The UK Education Secretary

"I always defended Michael Gove. Then I met him."  Ouch.

Nerd News: Rutgers Professor Is Suspended

And pray tell, WHY?  Because he admitted to the class that he was teaching a subject he knew nothing about and was not qualified to teach.   You might get a wry smile out of the topic of the class: Human Aggression.

Nerd Journal: FINAL EXAMS ARE UPON US!

Need I say more?  Regular posting and commentary will return after exams!

Finals. Yeah, it's like that.

First they came for the piano teachers, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a piano teacher

OH, FOR PETE'S SAKE.  Doesn't this profoundly unserious government have anything better to do than harass piano teachers?

Nerd News: MIT Bets On MOOCs

MIT goes all in.

Movie Review: "At Berkeley," A Documentary On Higher Ed

Here's a movie review.

Nerd News: Education On Demand?

But can you really Tivo an entire education?  I don't think so.  Real education involves give-and-take, interaction, mentorship, practice, and a whole host of other things.  You can maybe Tivo lectures, but lectures alone do not a real education make.

Nerd Notes: How to Teach Good Writing

Good ideas, including (a) tossing out ponderous standard textbooks, and (b) focusing on clarity, clarity, clarity.

Quote of the Day: On "Zero Tolerance" Policies In Schools

Why, yes:

One of the problems with these policies is that they have this tough-sounding name (ZERO tolerance!), and enforcers of them somehow get it in their heads that their absurdly literal interpretations indicate discipline and seriousness. In reality, these actions trivialize the problem and make the administrators who enforce them look like buffoons. 

While “Zero Tolerance” does aptly describe such policies, it’s not the only name that fits. It would be just as meaningful to call them “Zero Discretion” policies, seeing as none is called for, or “Zero Responsibility” policies, since none is assumed. But clearly the best name for such rules would be “Zero Intelligence” policies, seeing as none is required or used.

I hate edu-crats.

Nerd News: the Atlanta Cheating Scandal

From earlier this week, which I missed because I was busy: SHAME:

Thirty-five Atlanta educators are expected to surrender Tuesday after being indicted in the biggest alleged cheating scandal involving standardized testing in American history. The list of suspects includes everyone from the former superintendent to principals and teachers. 

... Investigators say Atlanta's school district orchestrated a culture of cheating to benefit those at the top. 

Nearly 200 educators admitted to taking part in the massive scandal: they tampered with students' standardized tests and corrected answers to inflate scores. Some teachers had pizza parties to erase wrong answers and circle in the right ones. One principal allegedly handled altered tests wearing gloves to avoid leaving her fingerprints.

Edupunk Nerd News: An Interview with Salman Khan

Fascinating interview with the brains behind Khan Academy.  

I should add my own caveat: the format of Khan Academy's short videos is much more suited to math and science than to humanities like history once you get past mere dates and names.

Nerd News: Freelance Professors Online?

Interesting.

Meet the Biblioburro of La Gloria, Colombia

Here's the story of schoolteacher Luis Soriano, his burro, and an unusual library.  

Nerd Fun: Paper Dioramas of History's Disasters

From Pompeii to the Hindenburg to Shackleton's expedition, they're here rendered in cartoony papercraft quirkiness. You can even download instructions to make your own for your desk or cubicle!  Who knows?  You might learn a little history along the way too.  I really like the Great Chicago Fire one, complete with Mrs. O'Leary's cow.

Whitewashing Afghan History Textbooks

Teaching history?  YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG.  Just look at this plaintive lament by one Afghan teacher:

"One of the primary objectives of studying history is not to repeat past mistakes. If students will not learn about past violence, how will they avoid it in future?"

Indeed.