American education is at a crossroads. Two paths lie in front of us: one in which we destroy our strengths in order to catch up with others on test scores and one in which we build on our strengths so we can keep the lead in innovation and creativity. The current push for more standardization, centralization, high-stakes testing, and test-based accountability is rushing us down the first path, while what will truly keep America strong and Americans prosperous should be the latter, the one that cherishes individual talents, cultivates creativity, celebrates diversity, and inspires curiosity. – Yong Zhao
Join us for an evening with Yong Zhao, the nation's most eloquent and brilliant critic of high stakes testing!
When: Wednesday, October 12th, 2011 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Where: I.S. 89, 201 Warren Street at the Westside Highway, lower Manhattan
Dr. Yong Zhao is also an expert on the Chinese educational system, which is attempting to move away from the rigid accountability system that Arne Duncan and other corporate reformers are pushing our country towards. A flyer you can distribute or post at your school is above.
Zhao is the Presidential Chair and Associate Dean for Global Education at the University of Oregon, where he also serves as the director of the Center for Advanced Technology in Education (CATE). He blogs at http://zhaolearning.com
Sponsored by: Class Size Matters, Grassroots Education Movement, Parents Across America,
Time-Out From Testing & the I.S. 89 PTA. More info, call Class Size Matters : 212 674-7320 or email us at info@classsizematters.org
I think you make a very valid point. Parents are not as involved as they should be when it comes to schools and their children. For example, take New York City public schools, rated some of the worst schools due to overcrowding and the lack of quality teaches. I went a high school in Queens, NY and it was one of the worst experiences of my life and I regret not going anywhere else. The teachers were poor and more of the parents of students didn’t care. Parent Teacher Conferences had maybe 100 to 200 parents with a school that has the population of over 3,000 students.
ReplyDeletePlease read an article I post on my blog discussing the poor schools in New York City:
Richmond Hill Crap
-Ryan
Charter Schools are a great way to go. I had a lot of questions about them and found good school reviews at www.mykidsschool.net. You can learn more there and even leave your own review.
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