Greg Noack's Public Library

04 Nov 09

27 Oct 09

20 Oct 09

11 Jul 09

11 Jun 09

"As Congress moves forward on healthcare legislation in the
coming weeks, I understand there will be different ideas and
disagreements ... I welcome those ideas," he said. "But what I
will not w

16 May 09

Merit pay based on rankings is about
victory, not about excellence.
Pay-for-performance is an
outgrowth of behaviorism, which is focused on individual organisms, not
systems—and, true to its name, looks only at behaviors, not at reasons and
motives and the people who have them.
5 more annotations...
- The more that
  people are rewarded, the more they tend to lose interest in whatever they
  had to do to get the reward. If bonuses and the like can "motivate" some
  educators, it's only in an extrinsic sense, and often at the cost of
  undermining their passion for teaching.
- That study didn't even take account of how resentful and demoralized
  people may become when they don't get the bonus they're expecting.
- t's an illusion to think we can
  specify and quantify all the components of good teaching and learning,
  much less establish criteria for receiving a bonus that will eliminate the
  perception of arbitrariness.
- After merit-pay plans take
  effect, administrators often visit classrooms more to judge teachers than
  to offer them feedback for the purpose of improvement.
- Moreover, merit pay based on
  those scores is not only unfair but damaging, if it accelerates the exodus
  of teachers from troubled schools where they're most needed.

15 May 09

reflects a school reform model called "Tough Choices, Tough Times," and it resembles European and Asian school systems. It also would be much more efficient, saving the time of students and millions of dollars in school funding. Some s
What is the "end," or goal, of public education?
4 more annotations...
- What is the "end," or goal, of public education?
- What is the "end," or goal, of public education?
- What is the "end," or goal, of public education?
- What is the "end," or goal, of public education?

29 Apr 09

Students themselves reported that school can make it easier for them to work electronically by letting them use their own laptops, cell phones, or other mobile devices; providing them with unlimited Internet access; and allowing them to access school projects from anywhere.

26 Apr 09