Dear Anita, I was aware that Ravitch had undergone a sea change, but I hadn't seen an analysis of those changes in this much detail. Thanks for the extra sources. Harry Harry E. Pence SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus SUNY Oneonta ________________________________ From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Levine, Anita ([log in to unmask]) Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 8:47 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Quo Vadis? Hi Harry, I do agree with Ravitch in this. She took a lot of 'hits' and was much maligned (undoubtedly still is) for many years for her "essentialist" philosophical views by those in the non-standardized testing "progressivist" camp. If you read any of the blogs between Ravitch (an education historian) and Deborah Meier (an educational reformer), you'll see the philosophical differences. Here's the website http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/Bridging-Differences/ Ravitch and Meier dialogue with each other, and invite people's comments on the various topics they talk about. Really insightful. At times I've had my students read their back-n-forths of their conflicting (and sometimes agreeing) beliefs/views on various educational issues, etc. If you go through the years, maybe starting at about 2006, you'll see the evolution regarding the shifting of Ravitch's thoughts/beliefs/position away from standardized testing. What started the shift was the big debacle in NY state regarding testing and its touted wondrous results. She chronicles this in her book The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education. A bit repetitive and dry in areas, but she lays out in detail why she changed her views from being a pro-standardized testing advocate to exposing the abuses of such testing. Saw/heard her speak a few years ago at AACTE conference in NYC (keynote speaker). Powerful. Also met Meier at a SIG at the AERA conference in NYC a few years ago as well. Really interesting to see the differences between the two. But they both share the same fierce commitment to education. Dr. Anita Levine Assistant Professor Division of Education Dept. of Elem. Ed and Reading 402 Fitzelle Hall SUNY College of Oneonta Oneonta, NY 13820 607-436-3183 ________________________________ From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Pence, Harry ([log in to unmask]) Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 8:14 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Quo Vadis? Dear Friends, I find Ravitch's comments on the current state of education to be fascinating. Would anyone like to agree or disagree? http://ascd.typepad.com/blog/2011/12/ravitch.html Harry Harry E. Pence SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus SUNY Oneonta ________________________________ From: Pence, Harry ([log in to unmask]) Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 8:04 AM To: Teaching Breakfast List Cc: Pence, Harry ([log in to unmask]) Subject: A teacher's nightmare! Does anyone have any idea how to prevent this type of cheating? http://spycheatstuff.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage-ask.tpl&product_id=33&category_id=1&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=55 I think this requires us to rethink how we design examinations. Merry Christmas, Harry Harry E. Pence SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor Emeritus SUNY Oneonta ________________________________ From: Teaching Breakfast List [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Greenberg, Jim Sent: Tuesday, December 06, 2011 12:47 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Tomorrow's TB Meeting Rhea, I've crafted half a dozen smart a*& replies to your post but didn't have the courage to post them. It struck a nerve. Harry certainly said it better than I ever could. Because I'm just a computer guy, who only got B's and C's in English, imagine if you will that I've crafted a long eloquent narrative. One that completely covers the issues of public good, life long happiness, being curious and caring, having humility in the face of ignorance, etc., etc., and you can imagine what I wish I could say about what education should be. Thanks for posting it. Mr. James B. Greenberg Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center Milne Library SUNY College at Oneonta Oneonta, New York 13820 email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> phone: 607-436-2701 fax: 607-436-3677 Twitter: greenbjb "Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever" From: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Reply-To: Teaching List <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 10:14:38 -0500 To: Teaching List <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Subject: Re: Tomorrow's TB Meeting This is interesting: http://www.linkedin.com/news?actionBar=&articleID=959756384&ids=0NcPkMd3sPdjAId3wPdzkTejkVb30Sd3kPdjwReiMVcjkMdPwNdjAIcjsQc38Qc3oV&aag=true&freq=weekly&trk=eml-tod2-b-ttl-3&ut=0DI2Ew9Nfew501 Rhea Nowak Assistant Professor of Art SUNY College at Oneonta Oneonta, NY (607) 436-2827 From: "Greenberg, Jim" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Reply-To: Teaching Breakfast List <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Date: Tue, 6 Dec 2011 09:14:36 -0500 To: "[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>" <[log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> Subject: Tomorrow's TB Meeting TBers, This is a reminder that our last meeting of the semester is tomorrow at 8 am outside of Starbucks in the Hunt Union. Yesterday, at Senate, Todd Foreman announced that next November there could be a call for proposals, closely linked to our strategic or divisional plans, for new ideas. He showed a slide of the timeline for that process which I've attached. I'd be interested in talking about any ideas people have with an eye toward the TB group either submitting a proposal or encouraging a proposal from another group. For example, we recently talked about the interdisciplinary course ideas and global connectedness. Mr. James B. Greenberg Director Teaching, Learning and Technology Center Milne Library SUNY College at Oneonta Oneonta, New York 13820 email: [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]> phone: 607-436-2701 fax: 607-436-3677 Twitter: greenbjb "Ignorance is curable, stupidity lasts forever"