Elevating the Education Reform Dialog

Notes from the session: 10/4/10 @ 5pm. (I only listened to the first 5 speakers. Will take more notes when I finish listening to the recorded session. 75 minutes online with little interaction lost my interest)

Facilitated by Steve Hargadon. learncentral.org
Global education Conference - Nov. 15-19

Speakers:

Alfie Kohn writes and speaks widely on human behavior, education, and parenting. The author of eleven books and scores of articles, he lectures at education conferences and universities as well as to parent groups and corporations.

-Today we are focused on MACRO; firing teachers, busting unions, test achievements, charter schools.
-Need to focus on MICRO; include teachers and students
-Caring Communities; no memorizing
-People who know least about how children learn are the people with the most power
-Every educator in the country needs to take a stand against national standards
-How can teachers take the power back: Short run - minimize the damage for the children; Long Run - must organize to change laws
-Need to be progressive

Diane Ravitch is Research Professor of Education at New York University and a historian of education. In addition, she is a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. She shares a blog called Bridging Differences with Deborah Meier, hosted by Education Week. She also blogs for Politico.com/arena and the Huffington Post.

-Today's views are that all of the problems in education are bad teachers (she disagrees)
-Interested in supporting teachers
-Against the Waiting for Superman documentary
-"The Billionaires Boys Club" - Ex. Gates Foundation
-Mr. Smith goes to Washington (1930's movie)
-Time Magazine, NBC, Newsweek - constant dumping on teachers along with Obama Administration and Billionaire Boys clubs...how will teachers get there voices heard over these dominant powers
-Teachers must connect online
-Today's thought only provides two thoughts: Choice and Accountability (Who should we punish?)
-Respect for teachers is of utmost importance
-Have MASTER TEACHERS who are principals.
-Bush is hosting a program to train people to be principals...most are not from education.

Deborah Meier has spent more than three decades working in public education as a teacher, principal, writer, advocate, and ranks among the most acclaimed leaders of the school reform movement in the U.S.

-Is Democracy important?
-Need to respect all: Parents, students, teachers, administrators
-Teacher conferences don't have a major purpose that's why parents don't attend
-Unfortunately, schools are built on distrust

Chris Lehmann is the founding principal of the Science Leadership Academy, a progressive science and technology high school in Philadelphia, PA. The Science Leadership Academy is an inquiry-driven, project-based, 1:1 laptop school that is considered to be one of the pioneers of the School 2.0 movement nationally and internationally.

-Up against BILLIONS OF DOLLARS; must globalized, needs to be more than grassroots
-The Union has a role; Public schools are a hallmark of our democratic ideals
-Job is to create citizens...not workers
-Superman (Messiah of Education)

Since 1982, Gary Stager, PhD, an internationally recognized educator, speaker and consultant, has helped learners of all ages on six continents embrace the power of computers as intellectual laboratories and vehicles for self-expression.

-Every teacher should wake up and think "how can I make this the best 7hrs, 42mins, etc. of a students life?"
-Waiting for Superman - only school of reform is one of obedience
-School Day needs to be longer; School Year needs to be longer
-Can't just keep doing the same thing over and over
-KIPP Schools
-Who is going to become a teacher when they are demonized and put down.
-Endless testing of students makes it uninteresting, and shows a report that the schools are failing. This constant enforcement to parents is not supporting a conducive learning environment.

Julie Evans is the CEO of the national education nonprofit organization, Project Tomorrow (www.tomorrow.org) whose mission is to ensure that today's students are well prepared to become tomorrow's leaders, innovators and engaged citizens of the world.

Will Richardson considers himself an "evangelist" for the use of Weblogs, RSS and related Internet technologies in classrooms and schools. Over the past six years he's had the chance to speak and work with thousands of educators from around the world on the merits of "The Read/Write Web." He was a classroom teacher for over 20 years who integrated these technologies into his curricula for over four years.

Sir Ken Robinson, PhD is an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity, innovation and human resources. He has worked with governments in Europe, Asia and the USA, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations.