New Content at SusanOhanian.Org!

[Susan Ohanian <susano@gmavt.net>]

This is a big news day: 
Be sure to read the WOO News and the Outrage of the Day. Don't miss the Hallalujah cartoon.

Brian Cambourne, noted Australian educator, has become a sponsor of the Songs of Resistance CD. We'd like to see the rest of you make your voices heard.

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Differing Views on Direct Instruction

Washington Post
2003-12-18
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1529

A Washington Post puts a roundup of letters about Direct Instruction in her column and then repeats her praise of DI.

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A Great Book Review of Silent No More

TCRecord
2003-12-19
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1530

Here's a good book review of an important book, Silent No More.

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Book Review:  Not With Our Kids You Don't

TCRecord
2003-12-20
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1531

Juanita Doyon, Washington State grass roots candidate for superintendent of public instruction, received a great book review from TCRecord. Read the review. Donate to the candidate.

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More Middle School Kids Are Depressed

Las Vegas Sun
2003-12-19
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1532

The number of middle school students who say they don't feel accepted at school and have felt depressed enough to stop doing regular activities is climbing, a new survey shows.



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New PE Goal: Activities Good For a Lifetime

Washington Post
2003-12-20
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1533

Schools are introducing unorthodox physical education programs as a way to get children -- as a group, prone to obesity from hours in front of television and computer screens -- to exercise.

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Big Money Funding D. C. Charter School

Washington Post
2003-12-19
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1535

Here's a puff piece on the financial arrangements of the Friendship Charter School in Washington D. C. An interesting set of players are working to make this charter work financially. Nothing is said about what they're doing education-wise.

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Indiana Youth Struggle with State Exam
Kim L. Hooper
Indianapolis Star
2003-12-21
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1536

Kids are having a tough time with the test, and state education and business leaders defend the new test, saying it's essential if Indiana is to improve students' achievement and prepare them for a global, high-tech economy.



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Defending Capitalism Is Hard Work, But Somebody's Got To Do It


2003-12-20
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1537

Herbert Walberg on his usual capitalist voucher rant.

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Ravitch Calls Top NY Administrators Wimps

New York Post
2003-12-19
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1538

Diane Ravitch slings a log of mud and sneers at NY City school administrators, thereby distorting what is a difficult, not to mention complicated, problem of how to handle discipline problems.

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MEAP Savior Promises Complete and Timely Test Scores

Booth Newspapers
2003-12-19
http://susanohanian.org/show_atrocities.php?id=1539

Michigan state education officials say the derailed Michigan Educational Assessment Program is back on track and scheduled to be on time this year. 

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Examining Data and Power Point Spin
Harold Berlak and Stephen Krashen

2003-12-21
http://susanohanian.org/show_commentary.php?id=192

Here\'s a news article accompanied by two letters to editor disputing its claims. A must read.

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To the editor
Stephen Krashen, Emeritus Professor, USC

0000-00-00
http://susanohanian.org/show_letters.html?id=219

Once again, Krashen sees through the puffery and asks for a careful examination of data.

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Read This Article: The Complete Degredation of Education in Illinois

Chicago Tribune
2003-12-21
http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_atrocities.html?id=287

Don't miss this article. Test prep is out in the open in Illinois--and we're not talking inner-city schools here. We're talking suburban schools canceling dinosaurs because they aren't on the test. We're talking canceling social studies so students can take a test prep class.

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Don't Be Hard on Bush & Paige Record in Texas: Everybody Does It

National Review
2003-12-19
http://susanohanian.org/show_nclb_atrocities.html?id=0

Here's Jay Greene's conclusion: Despite exaggerations and distortions in official statistics, independent evidence confirms that Houston and Texas students made significant progress under accountability and testing reforms. While it is too early to tell whether No Child Left Behind has had similar effects on students nationwide, the experience of Texas — and of other states that adopted these reforms earlier, including North Carolina, Arkansas, and Florida — suggest that NCLB's approach works.