Thoughts on “Race to Nowhere”
I finally saw the advocacy documentary Race to Nowhere Sunday afternoon at the end of my 25th class reunion at Haverford College. There was a showing of the film after a panel Saturday about adolescent anxiety and inspired by several other alumni who have clinical practices and are worried about the same topics the film’s producer Vicki […]
Bain considered 1997 purchase with dramatic effect on education; scuttled over scandal
In a secret set of negotiations undisclosed until today, fifteen years ago Boston-based private-equity firm Bain Capital tried to buy out an important entity that, if the deal had been concluded, probably would have undergone a reorganization that would have forever changed the face of American culture and education. For according to meeting notes discovered […]
Bone-weary
As I was dozing off at 4:30 this afternoon, I realized that for the first time in more than a year, I’ve been bone-weary–not being wiped out from illness, or short-term lack of energy, but “this isn’t going to end in the next week, is it?” exhaustion. This happens every once in a while for […]
FCAT writing SNAFU–there’s another shoe somewhere
I don’t have much to say about the FCAT writing SNAFU that’s followed the release of dramatically lower scores in this year’s exercises. Testing in general is a technical subject where sudden changes should prompt caution about drawing conclusions other than “Hmmn, that warrants some close examination.” Moreso with the type of “holistic” (i.e., one-dimensional) […]
Books on college teaching: The get-in-it-and-drive list
Over on her blog, Rebecca Onion distills her tweeps’ recommendations for readings on (mostly college) teaching, and her list includes classics from McKeachie’s Teaching Tips to Bain’s What the Best College Teachers Do. I like almost everything on the list a great deal, but I would not recommend that a teaching assistant (or faculty member) […]