“As New Tech schools continue to expand nationally, Governor Daniels’ vision for blending education and economic development in Indiana will be utilized across the country” said Wick.
Indiana New Tech High Schools Become Model for National Expansion
Source: KnowledgeWorks Press Release
Just to be clear, Governor Daniels' vision for blending education and economic development in Indiana is not Governor Daniels' vision. Not originally.
It is Bill and Melinda Gates' vision.
I'm against it. See, e.g.: next time, try Core Knowledge
bonus factoid
Mitch Daniels went to Princeton. He should know better.
Former America Online CEO Barry Schuler is now heading the National New Tech Board.
ReplyDeleteThe goal of New Tech is to "engage students and teachers in an innovative instructional approach that integrates project-based learning and a 1:1 student to computer ratio".
Now why would tech companies be so supportive of that vision?
Here's the crux: these ed reform ideas that will result in little learning are great for a business' bottom line once they become a preferred government vendor.
I live in IN and went to our school system's program on our new 'tech' high school with my 8th grader. He was mortified. It was everything he hates about school now intensified. Lots of group work and projects vs tests and grades. His comment was hilarious. They showed a picture of a 19th century school room as what is wrong with schools and he raised his hand and asked where he could find a school room just like the one in the picture (everyone facing forward in rows watching a teacher at the blackboard.)
ReplyDeleteLisa - what a great comment!!!
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly the way I feel, and I know it's the way C. feels.
At Hogwarts, in most classes, the kids are sitting in rows facing the teacher - and they are happy as clams.
Knowledgeworks has 3 school models:
ReplyDelete-STEM (inquiry Based, technology, problem based learning)
-Early College
-New Tech Network (acquired in July 2009)
It sees these as all great models for the school transformation options described in Race to the Top. It sees lots of federal dollars flowing into its coffers in the future.
Here's a link to a 2008 Presentation in Georgia called "STEM Schools of the Future:Putting it all Together"
http://www.bobpearlman.org/gaprism.htm
How do these things work financially?
ReplyDeleteIs it a big savings for IN schools to get these grants?
Don't voters eventually have to pick up the tab?
I went through the presentation for the high school and it's astonishingly bad. Where do I begin. Well, for a high school so concerned about STEM careers, there was not one word about math requirements, not even for algebra. It's all project-based learning, communicating, and fluff talk about critical thinking. They claim that 40% of their graduates are in a STEM program OR working in the STEM field - probably most as tech-aides.
ReplyDeleteThey have transformed high schools into vocational schools.
By Golly .. the insanity just will not stop .. another educational pack of lemmings is ready to follow the "Whole Language" rodents into the sea of ignorance.
ReplyDeleteHattie Visible Learning effect sizes:
Phonics = 0.60
Whole Language = 0.06
(1/10 as effective and good for a decade of educational malpractice)
So now we are off to the decade of the twins I trust: "Problem & Project Based Learning"
Nope we don't want any of that effective stuff like Worked Examples, Direct Instruction, or Mastery learning.
Not when Problem Based Learning = 0.15
They have transformed high schools into vocational schools.
ReplyDeleteabsolutely
Project Lead the Way is (or was) headed by a voc-ed teacher here in NY.
Seattle WA
ReplyDeleteOn March 5, 2010 Five Parents appeal the District's approval on Feb 3 2010 of the NTN contract.
"Project Lead the Way is (or was) headed by a voc-ed teacher here in NY."
ReplyDeleteIt figures. At least it gives lip service to the importance of math classes. But the students would be better served to use that time to brush up on their math. The good students who are heading for the real STEM degrees in college have no time or motivational need for PLTW. They need the class slots to take extra science and math courses.
The following was sent to the Seattle School Directors as an email with the subject line:
ReplyDeleteHilarious and TRUE a great NTN chuckle
The Prologue:
{ Seattle is just "Hell Bent" on one bad idea after another.
Directors ... Please place this email into the "administrative record" so that it can be fully discussed before the BOARD rubber stamps yet another "Arbitrary & Capricious" discriminatory recommendation from the Superintendent on April 7, 2010.}
============ =========
Chuckle begins below this line
___________
From the Kitchen Table Math blog....
In a discussion about New Tech Network schools
came this from Lisa in Indiana:
I live in IN and went to our school system's program on our new 'tech' high school with my 8th grader.
He was mortified. It was everything he hates about school now intensified. Lots of group work and projects vs tests and grades.
His comment was hilarious.
They showed a picture of a 19th century school room as what is wrong with schools and ....he raised his hand and....
asked where he could find a school room just like the one in the picture (everyone facing forward in rows watching a teacher at the blackboard.)
============ ========
Lisa needs to understand this is all in the interests of providing a program in Indiana that can match the pathetic abysmal math results of Seattle's Cleveland High School over the last three years.
A three-year inquiry based NSF funded professional development of math teachers attained Black Student pass rates averaging 10% on the WASL MATH 10 assessment of student learning
(learning ? if any).
============ ==
Sincerely,
Danaher M. Dempsey, Jr.
Find out more about the never ending stream of defective decisions made by the Seattle School Board HERE.
ReplyDeleteBelow is where the School Defenders are rambling in way that resembles more independently planned than centrally coordinated actions.
#1.. File Writ of Mandamus with WA State Supreme Court
Hope is to have WA Supreme Court force SPS Board to follow state law RCW 28A 645.020 instead of repeatedly ignoring it.
#1b. Have court toss out all of Seattle's decisions under appeal as none of those decisions appealed can stand legal scrutiny for Seattle never is ever able to produce the "Transcript certified to be correct" in any of these appeals.
Thus how can an appeal of any of these original decisions be evaluated? We believe they cannot so Plaintiffs win them all. The prolonged dilly dallying of a few Superior Court Judges to act in some of these appeal cases will likely have us filing "Mandamus" action to get them to do their jobs in a timely fashion.
{RCW 28A 645.020:
Within twenty days of service of the notice of appeal, the school board, at its expense, or the school official, at such official's expense, shall file the complete transcript of the evidence and the papers and exhibits relating to the decision for which a complaint has been filed. Such filings shall be certified to be correct.}
#2 The Seattle School Superintendent MG-J appealed Judge Julie Spector's decision of Feb 4, 2010 and four school directors backed MG-J up. (4 of 7 once again) Thus a defense may be required unless the WA State Supreme Court yells "TILT" on all this SPS decision making nonsense.
#3 Continue filing evidence in letters to the School Directors in regard to NTN coming redo "Do-Over" vote of flawed Feb 3, 2010 decision, which was appealed on March 5. The introduction of the "Do-Over" Action Report occurred at the St. Patrick's day board meeting and the vote on this Action Report will be on April 7, 2010.
#3b.. Since original NTN $800,000 contract approval occurred on Feb 3, 2010, WOWZERS!!!: On March 3 OSPI made known the list of 11 selected providers eligible to receive funding for each of four plans for assisting failing schools to turn around and "NTN" is NOT an approved provider.
#3c. The Spector decision made for excellent conversation in a Scientific American article HERE. See comments from Key Press CEO Karen Coe... and 3 comments of "jrk" in the 90s of 110 comments.
See what Dr. King had to say in the comment section in Scientific American article about Number Wars.
"jrk" is Dr. James R. King of UW Seattle who was the Principal Investigation and Project director of PD Cubed that produced the Cleveland High School Math fiasco/debacle.
#4. A complaint was filed earlier this week with Office of Inspector General NSF. This is an organization to deal with the Reported Fraud, Waste or Abuse of the NSF.
Seems like a branch office or franchise is needed in Seattle.
So this needs to be followed.
#5.. A report of ongoing discrimination in the SPS especially involving closing of Cooper school and a pile of other stuff was filed some time ago with the U.S. Department of Education office in Seattle. This needs to be moved along.
ReplyDelete#6.. An attorney has been found for a "Pro Bono" legal action to be sought in Federal Court involving past and ongoing violations of Civil Rights in the SPS, thus we need to move this forward.
#7.. If we can get a few more positive decisions we shall file a recall petition on the "four" directors. If that flies the petitions can be circulated to get 32,000 valid signatures on each of the four. Then a recall election is held and if all four are recalled the School board shrinks from 7 down to three, until November election of 2011. This greatly enhances the likelihood the school board instead of rubber-stamping every recommendation that MG-J produces by 4-3 votes, may instead fire her with cause (3-0) or (2-1).
#8. Like we say in Seattle:
GO BIG or GO HOME
We hope to call MG-J a cab and send her home ... wherever that might be.
Since MG-J is a director of the "Broad Academy" with Michelle Rhee and Joel Klein we think she
#1 needs to be closer to "The Academy" than Seattle
or
#2 can have the head-hunters (who are influenced by the "BROAD" find her next job as she moves along the "BROAD" career ladder). You know the ladder that brought this Superintendent from Charleston, where her contract was not going to be renewed, to Seattle.
Surely with all of Eli Broad's power and influence he can move her out of the Pacific Northwest.
======================
In closing we need money. Your help in assisting us reclaim our "Republic" from the current set of Oligarchs would be greatly appreciated.
Lovely Emerald Green Seattle with occasional Blue Sky is the Bluest of the Blue Cities and filled with diverse thinkers. The MG-J plan for "One Size Fits NO ONE" is just not appropriate here.
There is nothing like calling their bluff to set them running. But what is the best outcome you expect from all of this? It seems to me that you don't want to move the mountain (replace one set of oligarchs with another), but to help everyone find their own path around it. Perhaps these actions will help define those paths?
ReplyDeleteSeattle school district is.....just a tad OFF TOPIC, I would say.
ReplyDeleteI'll make my contribution today.
Speaking of off-topic, at the last board meeting a board member asked the superintendent what she talks about when she gets together with her fellow superintendents: do they talk about achievement and testing?
ReplyDeleteShe said 'no.'
Assistant superintendents talk about achievement and testing.
Superintendents talk about "legislative issues" and "board management."
I'm pretty sure the second phrase was "board management."
Two people after the meeting told me she meant that she and her fellow superintendents discuss how to manage their boards.
We pay our superintendent a quarter million dollars a year (district size: 1799 pupils and falling) to not talk about student achievement with her peers.