US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings gave a keynote address at the Excellence in Action summit in Disneyworld, at which Bloomberg and Klein also appeared:"Joel Klein told me that every Friday night, his wife, who works for Sony, gets an email telling her which movies led box office sales that week. Technology exists that provides data in real-time. Why are we not using it to personalize instruction for students in the classroom?
I was in San Diego on Monday, where I met with leaders in technology and innovation. We talked about how technology is beginning to personalize educational experiences."
Spellings seems to share the Tweed fantasy that using technology to analyze student standardized test score data somehow "personalizes instruction."
It is this same delusion that has led to the tumor-like growth of the Accountability initiative which continues to metastize through NYC public schools, each year adding more "Senior achievement Facilitators," "data coaches," and "data inquiry teams" .
Next year, despite all the budget cuts that will mean less tutoring, less afterschool programs, and larger classes, the Chancellor insists on creating even more "periodic assessments" and doubling the number of data inquiry teams in each school.
Spellings: "It makes me wonder, how can some people justify denying poor and minority families the same options they exercise themselves? "Absolutely.
How can Joel Klein and Michael Bloomberg justify doubling the number of assessments and data inquiry teams that no private school in the country would countenance, while denying NYC children the chance at real personalized instruction through smaller classes that their own children received?
5 comments:
I just can't see how can poor families afford to get computors in a home where they have to decide on Humm, Food, clothes, rent! and allof those other priceless item we all need in order to survive in life. School should just hire more teachers instead of cutting them out. And make more after school program where kid can stay after school and get the computor time or other activity, that they can use in area. That would help out their community.
I say, what's all this brouhaha about the Bootless and Unhorsed enjoying the same privileges as the likes of Margaret and Joel? Shall we next invite them to cocktail parties? Yachting at St. Barts?
If they wish to have more, why on earth can't they pony up the cash to send them to Dalton? Can't they cash out a hedge fund or something? Can't they sell a simple stock?
Smaller classes indeed. Next you'll be wanting to raise taxes. For heaven's sake, be patient and wait for the money to trickle down!
Must dash. Muffy seems to be locked in the closet with the poolboy and there are some strange noises I must attend to at once.
Egads, Smellington -- I was just working out with the pool boy who is teaching me Pilates.
Go away and start some more charter schools, or try to find a new office for Mayor Mike to run for instead! He seems to be tragically running out of options!
Post a Comment