Future of Teaching Profession Keynote
January 31, 2009 – 10:10 pmFuture of Teaching Profession Keynote [PDF]
Future of Teaching Profession Keynote [PDF]
Professor, do your job!
August 24, 2008 – 4:57 pmIn Stanley Fish's new book, "Professor, Do Your Job," he writes, "The only advocacy that should go on in the classroom is the advocacy of what James Murphy has identified as the intellectual virtues: thoroughness, perseverance, intellectual honesty; all concepts of the cardinal academic virtues of being 'conscientious in the pursuit of truth." He explains that "you might just make them into good researchers. You can't make them into good people, and you shouldn't try." See more at www.hoover.org/publications/policyreview/26074024.html
Alabama state school board member slams AEA head
July 24, 2008 – 5:07 pmJuly 24, 2008 Dothan Eagle Red meat was on the menu at a Houston County Republican women’s group luncheon Thursday as state school board member Betty Peters slammed Alabama Education Association head Paul Hubbert, called for the elimination of the Fair Dismissal Law and talked up a Republican candidate for the district 5 state school board seat. Peters gave a brief speech in which she outlined the state of Alabama’s education system according to her point of view. Peters praised Alabama College Chancellor Bradley Byrne for his work in reforming the two-year college system in the aftermath of nepotism scandals that led to the conviction of former chancellor Roy Johnson. Peters said Byrne was a strong leader willing to make hard decisions and face down the powerful teacher’s union on the matter of a double-dipping ban that bars legislators from holding jobs in the college system. “He’s not scared of Paul Hubbert,” Peters said. “I think ...
Newsweek’s “Best Schools” Propaganda Machine
May 29, 2008 – 1:31 pmMay 30, 2008 by Professor Allen Quist Newsweek has once again released its "100 best high schools" feature article (May 26, 2008 issue). Newsweek has been highlighting similar stories on what it calls the "100 best" American high schools each spring since 1998. Unfortunately, these yearly Newsweek articles and ratings are propaganda for the interests Newsweek wishes to promote. The articles are propaganda in particular for International baccalaureate (IB). Newsweek determines the supposed "100 best high schools" by means of a simple formula that is totally invalid. This formula, as stated by the recent Newsweek article, is: "The NEWSWEEK list of top U.S. high schools was compiled this year, as in years past." We count the total number of these tests [IB, AP and Cambridge tests] taken at a school by all students each May, and divide by the number of graduating seniors. Notice that this formula does not take into account the number of ...