Class Struggle Archive: Jay on the Web

Dan Goldfarb's evaluation--D.C. schools and Goldfarb respond

Here are two lengthy responses to the Monday column on Dan Goldfarb's teacher evaluation, just above this blog post. First are the thoughts of Jason Kamras, the former national teacher of the year who oversees the IMPACT evaluation program for the D.C. Schools. Second is the response from Goldfarb, the subject of the column. I don't usually provide lengthy notes after every column, but in this case I thought they had many more important things to say. The Web gives journalists a chance to help readers go deeper, and I hope we continue to take advantage of it in this way.

By Jay Mathews  |  November 22, 2009; 9:59 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Jay on the Web  | Tags: D.C. schools, Dan Goldfarb, IMPACT program, Jason Kamras, Michelle A. Rhee, multiple learning styles, teacher evaluations Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Portfolio exams--wave of the future or big cop-out?

It is clear to me, and I suspect to most readers, that this system inflates achievement scores. Of course, so has the assessment system we have been using in schools since the beginning of public education---teachers grading their own students' work. We seemed to have prospered as a nation despite giving many struggling students a break on their report cards. I don't think portfolios used in this limited way are going to ruin the effort to set strong national standards, but I think it is going to give a big push to the idea of introducing independent inspectors to assess the effectiveness of schools and teachers.

By Jay Mathews  |  November 19, 2009; 11:22 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (7)
Categories:  Jay on the Web  | Tags: England's school inspection system, Richard Rothstein, Virginia Grade Level Alternative, inflated achievement levels, inflated scores, portfolio exams, school inspectors, state tests Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

The lost art of walking to school

For a while I lived in probably the safest village in America, Scarsdale, NY. One day, while driving my fourth-grader to school, I saw a rare thing, a 9-year-old riding his bike, his books in the front basket. Then I noticed, right behind him, his mother driving the family Mercedes, making sure he got to school safely.

By Jay Mathews  |  November 18, 2009; 2:33 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (3)
Categories:  Jay on the Web  | Tags: Fairfax County school bus cut, school budget problems, school safety, walking to school Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Algebra and politics: A Marty Weil exclusive

Marty Weil is, I think, the only writer left at the Post who has been around longer than I have. He is the polymath hero of our night-side operation, able when necessary to write a story about anything in...

By Jay Mathews  |  November 18, 2009; 12:54 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (3)
Categories:  Jay on the Web Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Name the new education law, one word at a time

Assistant secretary of education Peter Cunningham suggested I ask readers what single word they think is most important to have in the new name to replace No Child Left Behind. Sounds like a fun exercise. Put your suggestions here.

By Jay Mathews  |  November 18, 2009; 5:30 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (11)
Categories:  Jay on the Web  | Tags: Elementary and Secondary Education Act, No Child Left Behind, Peter Cunningham, law naming contest, name the new education law Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Cutting elementary foreign language--often no big loss

Keep in mind the more exotic the language, the more it will impress parents, but the more exotic the language, the less likely the teaching will be very good.

By Jay Mathews  |  November 17, 2009; 3:05 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (14)
Categories:  Jay on the Web  | Tags: Fairfax budget cuts, Key Elementary School Arlington, foreign languages, language instruction Share This:  E-Mail | Technorati | Del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble

Older Entries in This Category »

Don't save bad schools--terminate them, Jay Mathews , November 17, 2009
Charters good, bad and mediocre, Jay Mathews , November 16, 2009
Sidwell Friends School as Rorschach test, Jay Mathews , November 13, 2009
Arne answers your questions, Jay Mathews , November 12, 2009
What should I ask Arne?, Jay Mathews , November 11, 2009
Rating Md., Va. and D.C. schools--a puzzle, Jay Mathews , November 10, 2009
Bad eighth grade math placements--an update, Jay Mathews , November 9, 2009
AP debate: Jay rejects Valerie's forgiveness, Jay Mathews , November 5, 2009
Help pick the best education blogs of 2009, Jay Mathews , November 4, 2009
Secrets of private schools revealed, Jay Mathews , November 2, 2009
Are Post authors biased? Give us your solutions., Jay Mathews , October 31, 2009
Rhee is right--summer learning is vital, Jay Mathews , October 30, 2009
Rhee vs. teachers--is that clash important?, Jay Mathews , October 29, 2009
Minimum school leaving age nonsense, Jay Mathews , October 27, 2009
Is homework necessary?, Jay Mathews , October 27, 2009
School improvement in the real world, Jay Mathews , October 27, 2009
Latest from Chancellor Rhee, Jay Mathews , October 26, 2009
How many times were you suspended?, Jay Mathews , October 26, 2009
My obit for Jerry Bracey, Jay Mathews , October 23, 2009
Is cutting college to three years a good idea?, Jay Mathews , October 21, 2009
Making the grade not about race, but culture, Jay Mathews , October 20, 2009
Solve These International Test Math Problems, Jay Mathews , October 19, 2009
Don't Get Too Excited About Jump in D.C. Scores, Jay Mathews , October 15, 2009
Washington Post Raises Money for Students, Jay Mathews , October 13, 2009
What Are the Best Moves Your Schools Ever Made?, Jay Mathews , October 12, 2009
Educators Already Make No. Va. Schools Some of the Best , Washington Post editors , October 12, 2009
D.C. School Protestors--What's Your Plan?, Jay Mathews , October 11, 2009
How to Fight for Special Education, Washington Post editors , October 9, 2009
10 Ways to Pick the Right School, Jay Mathews , September 28, 2009
Despite Test Scores, Shaw Is on the Right Track, Washington Post editors , September 28, 2009
Bad Title, Mind-Changing Book, Washington Post editors , September 25, 2009
Rhee's Latest Move: It's All About Principals, Jay Mathews , September 24, 2009
State Superintendent Supports Rhee Account, Jay Mathews , September 23, 2009
Seen Cheating? Tell Me About It. , Jay Mathews , September 23, 2009
Testing Vet Reveals How to Fix Standardized Tests, Jay Mathews , September 22, 2009
New Ammo For Charter Debate, Jay Mathews , September 22, 2009
Elite Schools Don't Make Elite People, Jay Mathews , September 21, 2009
Fixing the Teacher Certification Mess, Washington Post editors , September 18, 2009
Jay & Valerie Debate Cheating, Jay Mathews , September 16, 2009
Where Did the Least Admirable Go to College?, Jay Mathews , September 15, 2009
Egad! School Research Has Power, Jay Mathews , September 9, 2009
Jay on the Web: Will Advanced Placement Replace the SAT?, Washington Post Editors , August 28, 2009
Three Smart Rules for Home School Regulation, Washington Post Editors , August 21, 2009
Jay on the Web: Pitfalls for Poor Students, Pt. 2, Washington Post Editors , August 12, 2009
What the SAT-optional Colleges Don’t Tell You, Washington Post editors , July 31, 2009
They Messed With the Wrong Blogger, Washington Post editors , July 24, 2009
Jay on the Web: Will Technology Save Our Kids?, Washington Post Editors , July 17, 2009
Jay on the Web: Middle Class Children in KIPP, Washington Post Editors , July 10, 2009
Jay on the Web: What's the Best Model for School Reform?, Washington Post Editors , July 8, 2009
Jay on the Web: Can Unions and KIPP Schools Co-exist?, Washington Post Editors , July 1, 2009
Jay on the Web: Michelle Rhee's Report Card, Washington Post Editors , June 17, 2009
Jay on the Web: Mathews on KIPP Charter Schools, Washington Post Editors , May 27, 2009
How to Spend $100 Billion to Fix Schools (Cont.), Washington Post editors , May 19, 2009
Jay on the Web: "Bubble Kids" and High Stakes Tests , Washington Post Editors , April 29, 2009
A Debate Over Testing and Low Performing Students, Washington Post Editors , April 22, 2009
A Dissenting View on the Knowledge is Power Program, Washington Post Editors , April 15, 2009
On the Web: Readers on KIPP, Charter Schools, Washington Post Editors , March 25, 2009
On the Web: Response to the Economic Stimulus, AP, More, Washington Post Editors , March 18, 2009
On the Web: Reaction to Class Size Debate, Washington Post Editors , March 4, 2009
On the Web: Jay's Book, KIPP Thoughts, Washington Post Editors , February 25, 2009
On the Web: Shouts for Schools' Value, Washington Post Editors , February 18, 2009
On the Web: KIPP Conversations and Local Test Scores, Washington Post Editors , February 11, 2009
Jay on the Web?, Washington Post Editors , November 30, 2008
 
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