Music, art, drama and sports - these are what kept me involved when I was in school. And these very things, that make a teacher’s (and student’s) job easier and more rewarding, are what’s been cut from curriculums across the country.
Now we are teaching by rote again - where the test, and only the test, becomes the reason to teach and study.
It’s no secret that American industry has outsourced most factory jobs to other countries to take advantage of cheaper labor costs. So why are we putting so much effort into a form of education in which there is no creativity? This is the time that our youth should be taught to think "out of the box," not be put into a tighter one!
This is the larger context that John Forster and I wanted to address when we wrote this satirical song that first appeared on NPR’s "Morning Edition."
Tom Chapin
Listen to Not On The Test
Visit Tom Chapin's website .
Free audio and video downloads are available on the Not On The Test website.
Not On The Test
by John Forster & Tom Chapin
© 2007 Limousine Music Co. & The Last Music Co. (ASCAP)
Go on to sleep now, third grader of mine.
The test is tomorrow but you'll do just fine.
It's reading and math. Forget all the rest.
You don't need to know what is not on the test.
Each box that you mark on each test that you take,
Remember your teachers. Their jobs are at stake.
Your score is their score, but don't get all stressed.
They'd never teach anything not on the test.
The School Board is faced with no child left behind
With rules but no funding, they're caught in a bind.
So music and art and the things you love best
Are not in your school 'cause they're not on the test.
Sleep, sleep, and as you progress
You'll learn there's a lot that is not on the test.
Debate is a skill that is useful to know,
Unless you're in Congress or talk radio,
Where shouting and spouting and spewing are blessed
'Cause rational discourse was not on the test.
Thinking's important. It's good to know how.
And someday you'll learn to, but someday's not now.
Go on to sleep, now. You need your rest.
Don't think about thinking. It's not on the test.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Thomas - There is no right to education. Parents should bear the cost of the school for their children.
This is part of a discussion posted on - http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dgwzbkk9_607hqks8fd5 Take a look and send me an Email = LVKen7@Gmail.com |
Saturday, March 8, 2008
*** Article from the SFran Chronical
Wonder what happens if they tie it to ONLINE Schools?
I didn't read the entire article, but I highlighted the part I thought was important.
For discussion - Send me an Email - LVKen7@Gmail.com
=============
Homeschoolers setback sends shock waves through state
San Francisco Chronicle
Bob Egelko, Jill Tucker, Chronicle Staff Writers
Friday, March 7, 2008
A California appeals court
ruling clamping down on homeschooling by parents without teaching credentials sent shock waves across the state this week, leaving an
estimated 166,000 children as possible truants and
their parents at risk of prosecution.
The homeschooling movement never saw the case coming.
"At first, there was a sense of, 'No way,' " said homeschool parent Loren Mavromati, a resident of Redondo Beach (Los Angeles County) who is active with a homeschool association. "Then there was a little bit of fear. I think it has moved now into indignation."
The ruling arose from a
child welfare dispute
between the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services and Philip and Mary Long of Lynwood, who have been homeschooling their eight children. Mary Long is their teacher, but holds no teaching credential.
The parents said they also enrolled their children in Sunland Christian School, a private religious academy in Sylmar (Los Angeles County),
which considers the Long children part of its independent study program and visits the home about four times a year.
The Second District Court of Appeal ruled that
California law requires parents to
send their children to
full-time public or
private schools or
have them taught by
credentialed tutors at home.
Some homeschoolers are affiliated with private or charter schools, like the Longs, but others fly under the radar completely.
Many homeschooling families avoid truancy laws by registering with the state as a private school and then enroll only their own children.
Yet the appeals court said state law has been clear since at least 1953, when another appellate court rejected a challenge by homeschooling parents to California's compulsory education statutes. Those statutes require children ages 6 to 18 to attend a full-time day school, either public or private, or to be instructed by a tutor who holds a state credential for the child's grade level.
"California courts have held that ...
parents do not have a constitutional right to homeschool their children,"
Justice H. Walter Croskey said in the 3-0 ruling issued on Feb. 28.
"Parents have a legal duty to see to their children's schooling under the provisions of these laws."
Parents can be criminally prosecuted for failing to comply,
Croskey said.
"A primary purpose of the
educational system is to
train school children in
good citizenship,
patriotism and
loyalty to the state
- and the nation as a means of protecting the public welfare," the judge wrote, quoting from a 1961 case on a similar issue.
Union pleased with ruling
The ruling was applauded by a director for the state's largest teachers union.
"We're happy," said Lloyd Porter, who is on the
California Teachers Association board of directors. "We always think students should be taught by credentialed teachers, no matter what the setting."
A spokesman for the state Department of Education said the agency is reviewing the decision to determine its impact on current policies and procedures. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell issued a statement saying he supports "parental choice when it comes to homeschooling."
Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, which agreed earlier this week to represent Sunland Christian School and legally advise the Long family on a likely appeal to the state Supreme Court, said the
appellate court ruling has
set a precedent that
can now be used to go after homeschoolers.
"With this case law, anyone in California who is homeschooling without a teaching credential is
subject to prosecution for truancy violation,
which could
require community service,
heavy fines and
possibly removal of their children under allegations of educational neglect," Dacus said.
Parents say they choose homeschooling for a variety of reasons, from religious beliefs to disillusionment with the local public schools.
Homeschooling parent Debbie Schwarzer of Los Altos said she's ready for a fight.
Schwarzer runs Oak Hill Academy out of her Santa Clara County home. It is a state-registered private school with two students, she said, noting they are her own children, ages 10 and 12. She does not have a teaching credential, but she does have a law degree.
"I'm kind of hoping some truancy officer shows up on my doorstep," she said. "I'm ready. I have damn good arguments."
She opted to teach her children at home to better meet their needs.
The ruling, Schwarzer said, "stinks."
Began as child welfare case
The Long family legal battle didn't start out as a test case on the validity of homeschooling. It was a child welfare case.
A juvenile court judge looking into one child's complaint of mistreatment by Philip Long found that the children were being poorly educated but refused to order two of the children, ages 7 and 9, to be enrolled in a full-time school. He said parents in California have a right to educate their children at home.
The appeals court told the juvenile court judge to require the parents to comply with the law by enrolling their children in a school, but excluded the Sunland Christian School from enrolling the children because that institution "was willing to participate in the deprivation of the children's right to a legal education."
The decision could also affect other kinds of homeschooled children, including those enrolled in independent study or distance learning through public charter schools - a setup similar to the one the Longs have, Dacus said.
Charter school advocates disagreed, saying Thursday that charter schools are public and are required to employ only credentialed teachers to supervise students - whether in class or through independent study.
Ruling will apply statewide
Michael Smith, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association, said the ruling would effectively ban homeschooling in the state.
"California is now on the path to being the only state to deny the vast majority of homeschooling parents their fundamental right to teach their own children at home," he said in a statement.
But Leslie Heimov, executive director of the Children's Law Center of Los Angeles, which represented the Longs' two children in the case, said the ruling did not change the law.
"They just affirmed that the current California law, which has been unchanged since the last time it was ruled on in the 1950s, is that children have to be educated in a public school, an accredited private school, or with an accredited tutor," she said. "If they want to send them to a private Christian school, they can, but they have to actually go to the school and be taught by teachers."
Heimov said her organization's chief concern was not the quality of the children's education, but their "being in a place daily where they would be observed by people who had a duty to ensure their ongoing safety."
Online resources
The ruling: To view the ruling by the Second District Court of Appeal, go to links.sfgate.com/ZCQR.
E-mail the writers at begelko@sfchronicle.com and jtucker@sfchronicle.com.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Financial Education Action by the NJ State Senate
The New Jersy State Senate, Education Committee passed an interesting bill on February 14th. The measure calls for a pilot program to provide financial education to six school districts on an experimental basis.
A small step but it is a start. As I called for in my prior post, the public schools must get more active in teaching financial life skills.
Text of the bill follows.
Patrick Ryan
Chairman
Hopewell Valley Community Bank
SENATE, No. 541
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
213th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2008 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN A. GIRGENTI
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot program in Department of Education to provide instruction in personal finance to elementary school students.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act establishing a financial literacy pilot program for elementary school students in the Department of Education and supplementing chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a three-year “Youth Investor Club Pilot Program.” It shall be the purpose of the program to provide elementary school students in selected school districts with instruction on personal financial literacy. The program shall:
(1) introduce students to basic financial concepts including savings, debt, investments, mortgages, and taxes;
(2) assist students in opening their own personal savings accounts, encourage and assist students to make monthly deposits into the accounts, and help students to develop long-term savings goals; and
(3) provide students with unique instructional opportunities, such as field trips to financial institutions and guest speakers on financial topics, that build knowledge of, and promote interest in, the wise use and planning of personal finances.
b. The commissioner shall select two districts in each of the southern, central, and northern regions of the State to participate in the program and shall seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas of the State.
c. The commissioner shall provide pilot districts with curriculum and sample instructional materials that may be used to support implementation of the pilot program.
d. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature. The report shall contain information on the implementation of the pilot program and shall include the commissioner’s recommendation on the feasibility of implementing the program on a Statewide basis.
e. The commissioner shall provide a grant to each of the pilot districts to finance the costs associated with offering the pilot program.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the 2007-2008 school year.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the “Youth Investor Club Pilot Program.” The purpose of the program will be to provide elementary school students in selected school districts with instruction on personal financial literacy. The program will introduce students to basic financial concepts including savings, debt, investments, mortgages, and taxes. Students in the program will receive assistance in opening their own personal savings accounts and will be encouraged to make monthly deposits and to develop long-term savings goals. The program will also provide students with unique instructional opportunities, such as field trips to financial institutions and guest speakers on financial topics, that build knowledge of, and promote interest in, the wise use and planning of personal finances.
The Commissioner of Education will select six districts for participation, two in each of the southern, central, and northern regions of the State. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner will report to the Governor and the Legislature on the feasibility of implementing the program on a Statewide basis.
A small step but it is a start. As I called for in my prior post, the public schools must get more active in teaching financial life skills.
Text of the bill follows.
Patrick Ryan
Chairman
Hopewell Valley Community Bank
SENATE, No. 541
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
213th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2008 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator JOHN A. GIRGENTI
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
Senator SHIRLEY K. TURNER
District 15 (Mercer)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes pilot program in Department of Education to provide instruction in personal finance to elementary school students.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act establishing a financial literacy pilot program for elementary school students in the Department of Education and supplementing chapter 6 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. The Commissioner of Education shall establish a three-year “Youth Investor Club Pilot Program.” It shall be the purpose of the program to provide elementary school students in selected school districts with instruction on personal financial literacy. The program shall:
(1) introduce students to basic financial concepts including savings, debt, investments, mortgages, and taxes;
(2) assist students in opening their own personal savings accounts, encourage and assist students to make monthly deposits into the accounts, and help students to develop long-term savings goals; and
(3) provide students with unique instructional opportunities, such as field trips to financial institutions and guest speakers on financial topics, that build knowledge of, and promote interest in, the wise use and planning of personal finances.
b. The commissioner shall select two districts in each of the southern, central, and northern regions of the State to participate in the program and shall seek a cross section of school districts from urban, suburban, and rural areas of the State.
c. The commissioner shall provide pilot districts with curriculum and sample instructional materials that may be used to support implementation of the pilot program.
d. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner shall submit a report to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), the Legislature. The report shall contain information on the implementation of the pilot program and shall include the commissioner’s recommendation on the feasibility of implementing the program on a Statewide basis.
e. The commissioner shall provide a grant to each of the pilot districts to finance the costs associated with offering the pilot program.
2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall first apply to the 2007-2008 school year.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the “Youth Investor Club Pilot Program.” The purpose of the program will be to provide elementary school students in selected school districts with instruction on personal financial literacy. The program will introduce students to basic financial concepts including savings, debt, investments, mortgages, and taxes. Students in the program will receive assistance in opening their own personal savings accounts and will be encouraged to make monthly deposits and to develop long-term savings goals. The program will also provide students with unique instructional opportunities, such as field trips to financial institutions and guest speakers on financial topics, that build knowledge of, and promote interest in, the wise use and planning of personal finances.
The Commissioner of Education will select six districts for participation, two in each of the southern, central, and northern regions of the State. At the conclusion of the pilot program, the commissioner will report to the Governor and the Legislature on the feasibility of implementing the program on a Statewide basis.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
QGE=A: The Foreword
How do you deliver quality generic education?
According to Win Straube, this may be the most significant question we have before us in the United States and the rest of the world. No one will argue that education is not one of the most important issues facing us today. And, no one will argue that quality education is not needed for the world of today and tomorrow. But just acknowledging that education is an important issue requiring our attention, doesn't guarantee quality education will be provided to all.
There are people who are totally involved in education at all levels, including, government, academic institution, and the acquisition of information and deployment of knowledge. Most of these are dedicated professionals serving in a variety of capacities to create, improve and deliver education. While many of these professionals feel that their contributions are significant, especially to the student population that they serve, they would readily list a number of modifications, changes and suggestions that they feel would improve their educational systems, if only they could be heard.
This book is one that needed to be written, as it lays out before us the major factors that influence education and those that hinder its improvement. Looking at the various levels of educational institutions and delivery systems, as is done in the first part of this book, will help the reader understand two things, 1) there are a variety of ways to deliver education, via established institutions, and 2) there is an inherent reluctance on any institution to adjust the educational channel to become better distributors of learning if it involves change.
The investors in the existing educational systems are, by their very nature, protective of the standards and accepted best practices that have evolved over time to support that system and generate an optimal outcome. These individuals will declare that for those who qualify and meet the minimal standards of entry, the existing system does a very good job of molding and educating the students during their passage through the well-defined educational process. While these educators will sympathize with those who are not accepted into the educational learning talent pool, or will feel badly for those in other environments that do not support or provide access to quality education, they will shake their heads and say "if only we could establish another system just like the one we belong to, we might be able to help".
For those who see the larger picture, who see more people not served properly by the existing education system, who visit communities or countries that cannot afford to invest in such a system, or for that matter sustain one even if it were created by some well-meaning government aid program ... these people shake their heads and see the need for very different strategies to meet the growing educational requirements of the rest of the country and world.
My background is that of a secondary school mathematics educator who came from a family of educators (my father was a history teacher, mother was a reading teachers, my two sisters are art teachers, one of my brothers-in-law is a science teachers, and my wife is an elementary teacher). I also spent three years on my local school board, one year as its president, so I think I have a valid perspective on what the current hard working, professional educational practitioners think. But I must tell you, for me the river of thought on education has been formed by the confluence of two separate streams. I also had the opportunity to work with emerging computer technology over the past 30 years, participating in its development and use from simple PC's to the world-wide-web. I was the major force behind the first (and most successful) comprehensive basic skills curriculum delivered entirely via computer based education terminals, and am currently the author of a published K-8 mathematics curriculum delivered daily via computers to thousands of students across the USA. So, I have a somewhat broader view of what can be accomplished within and outside of the traditional educational institutions.
For example, if you understand that the need for learning is life long and that the traditional educational resources available to adults are over booked, often inaccessible, and mostly too expensive for those who need to acquire the knowledge, then you are immediately forced to look at alternative methods for educational delivery using technology deployment. To respond to the emerging global need with the existing educational infrastructure is folly. We would not even have enough time to educate the teachers needed before they would be overwhelmed by the sheer number of learners they would need to serve. The old ways have worked well for the established social structure, but that structure is changing dramatically with the advent of the global economy. We need to find more universal methods that will still produce quality results, if we are to progress effectively and keep pace with the development of educated workers.
It is very clear to me that the issues addressed in this book need to be given careful consideration. And, having someone like Win Straube, who is a world citizen, look at the symptoms, problems and potential solutions is refreshing. Win has no hidden agenda to put forth except that he wants all individuals around the globe to have access to quality education. Win sees clearly that certain established educational systems, while quite effective within certain domains, are deficient and inappropriate responses to the larger educational crisis we are facing. Win sees that technology has advanced to the point where it might become the great equalizer by providing the opportunity to access quality education from anywhere, at any time, for any purpose. Whether you agree with Win or not, if this book gets you to think about the need for alternative educational innovations, it is worth your while to read it. I must say that I support him in this quest and hope that by raising the issues he is motivating us to consider alternative actions, while striving to maintain the best of what we current have in place.
Peter J. Rizza, Jr., Ph.D., President,
Princeton Center for Education Services, Inc.
http://www.princetoncenter.com/
According to Win Straube, this may be the most significant question we have before us in the United States and the rest of the world. No one will argue that education is not one of the most important issues facing us today. And, no one will argue that quality education is not needed for the world of today and tomorrow. But just acknowledging that education is an important issue requiring our attention, doesn't guarantee quality education will be provided to all.
There are people who are totally involved in education at all levels, including, government, academic institution, and the acquisition of information and deployment of knowledge. Most of these are dedicated professionals serving in a variety of capacities to create, improve and deliver education. While many of these professionals feel that their contributions are significant, especially to the student population that they serve, they would readily list a number of modifications, changes and suggestions that they feel would improve their educational systems, if only they could be heard.
This book is one that needed to be written, as it lays out before us the major factors that influence education and those that hinder its improvement. Looking at the various levels of educational institutions and delivery systems, as is done in the first part of this book, will help the reader understand two things, 1) there are a variety of ways to deliver education, via established institutions, and 2) there is an inherent reluctance on any institution to adjust the educational channel to become better distributors of learning if it involves change.
The investors in the existing educational systems are, by their very nature, protective of the standards and accepted best practices that have evolved over time to support that system and generate an optimal outcome. These individuals will declare that for those who qualify and meet the minimal standards of entry, the existing system does a very good job of molding and educating the students during their passage through the well-defined educational process. While these educators will sympathize with those who are not accepted into the educational learning talent pool, or will feel badly for those in other environments that do not support or provide access to quality education, they will shake their heads and say "if only we could establish another system just like the one we belong to, we might be able to help".
For those who see the larger picture, who see more people not served properly by the existing education system, who visit communities or countries that cannot afford to invest in such a system, or for that matter sustain one even if it were created by some well-meaning government aid program ... these people shake their heads and see the need for very different strategies to meet the growing educational requirements of the rest of the country and world.
My background is that of a secondary school mathematics educator who came from a family of educators (my father was a history teacher, mother was a reading teachers, my two sisters are art teachers, one of my brothers-in-law is a science teachers, and my wife is an elementary teacher). I also spent three years on my local school board, one year as its president, so I think I have a valid perspective on what the current hard working, professional educational practitioners think. But I must tell you, for me the river of thought on education has been formed by the confluence of two separate streams. I also had the opportunity to work with emerging computer technology over the past 30 years, participating in its development and use from simple PC's to the world-wide-web. I was the major force behind the first (and most successful) comprehensive basic skills curriculum delivered entirely via computer based education terminals, and am currently the author of a published K-8 mathematics curriculum delivered daily via computers to thousands of students across the USA. So, I have a somewhat broader view of what can be accomplished within and outside of the traditional educational institutions.
For example, if you understand that the need for learning is life long and that the traditional educational resources available to adults are over booked, often inaccessible, and mostly too expensive for those who need to acquire the knowledge, then you are immediately forced to look at alternative methods for educational delivery using technology deployment. To respond to the emerging global need with the existing educational infrastructure is folly. We would not even have enough time to educate the teachers needed before they would be overwhelmed by the sheer number of learners they would need to serve. The old ways have worked well for the established social structure, but that structure is changing dramatically with the advent of the global economy. We need to find more universal methods that will still produce quality results, if we are to progress effectively and keep pace with the development of educated workers.
It is very clear to me that the issues addressed in this book need to be given careful consideration. And, having someone like Win Straube, who is a world citizen, look at the symptoms, problems and potential solutions is refreshing. Win has no hidden agenda to put forth except that he wants all individuals around the globe to have access to quality education. Win sees clearly that certain established educational systems, while quite effective within certain domains, are deficient and inappropriate responses to the larger educational crisis we are facing. Win sees that technology has advanced to the point where it might become the great equalizer by providing the opportunity to access quality education from anywhere, at any time, for any purpose. Whether you agree with Win or not, if this book gets you to think about the need for alternative educational innovations, it is worth your while to read it. I must say that I support him in this quest and hope that by raising the issues he is motivating us to consider alternative actions, while striving to maintain the best of what we current have in place.
Peter J. Rizza, Jr., Ph.D., President,
Princeton Center for Education Services, Inc.
http://www.princetoncenter.com/
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
WNYC Radio Interview regarding QGE=A
On January 3rd, 2008, Win Straube was interviewed on WNYC Radio's Brian Lehrer Show. The radio segment was entitled "Straube Effect" and included discussion about Win's life, how he became who he is today and his interest in what he has called, Quality Generic Education. The full length audio version of the interview is downloadable at http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/episodes/2008/01/03. Following is a transcript of the portion of the interview pertaining to "QGE=A; Quality Generic Education is the Answer" published in 2007 by University Press of America, Inc.
BL: Your new book is about this concept that you call Quality Generic Education and technology is very involved in that; correct?
WS: Correct.
BL: Tell us about that.
WS: Yes. Well as a matter of fact our education system, the way it works, today still is very much, I would say maybe 2000 years old. It is teaching a classroom of people or it evolved into this. While today you could teach the whole world from one TV studio provided you had the right kind of setup and the pupils were paying attention. In other words, it’s a matter of, to learn you’ve got to be present, not necessarily in person but your mind needs to be present. So the issue is how to connect your learning mind with the teacher and nowadays this is possible to have the best teachers in the world provide the knowledge to essentially everyone. And this is what this book is all about.
BL: Ah. So, even though people may consider it kind of cold and maybe even dehumanizing to do education in front of a television monitor or computer monitor, you’re saying that an advantage of that would be that there would be fewer teachers and only the best ones would be doing the job?
WS: Well, as I explained in the book, there are going to be different versions of teachers. Now the one teacher who is making the presentation, is the one let’s say like Brian Lehrer teaching to the rest of the nation and having the audience. However, there is another group of teachers in front of him which would be the one who would prepare the material to be taught, and this is very essential. In other words, you have the best materials to work from and to teach and the ones who would develop the tests, like the people who would work for Educational Testing Services in Princeton, these are all in essence teachers. Now on the other side would be teachers at the station where the message is being received. In other words in front of this monitor, or a classroom with a monitor, a teacher would be present or it could be the parent or other; I call them facilitators.
BL: If you have teachers present in the room, why do you need the TV monitors?
WS: Well because of what is being transmitted. In other words, the teacher in the room may not have the qualifications or the knowledge which is being transmitted.
BL: It’s a very centralized view of education then right? It’s one that believes that expertise can be disseminated by the experts more effectively than by trying to have – you know in New York we have 80,000 teachers just for one city’s public school system – more than relying on them as much as we do today. Do I understand it correctly?
WS: Well, let’s take the example of pilot training. If you have to learn how to fly a specific airplane, you had better get the correct instructions and hopefully from the best instructor you can have for this, and it doesn’t matter where this instructor is located so long as this message reaches you. However, if you leave this or if you have 20,000 teachers disseminating the same information and assuming they don’t have all the same knowledge and not the same qualifications then this message will become quite different.
BL: Are you talking about all ages, by the way, or only older kids or higher education?
WS: I am talking about all ages.
BL: You are?
WS: Yes.
BL: Well let me take a caller who wants to question that, I think, for younger children. Joshua in Greenwich, you are on WNYC with Win Straube author of Quality Generic Education. Hi Joshua.
Joshua: Hi, I am an elementary school teacher in Greenwich and I actually have the pleasure of working in two buildings so I am driving from one school to another right now and as much as I would like to beam myself into these classrooms and stay at home, possibly in my bed, I think a lot of what is being said is operating under this largely-accepted fallacy that there is one right way to teach it or one method.
BL: Right, or one best way.
Joshua: Yes.
BL: I’m going to leave it there and ask our guest; do you believe that as he stated it?
WS: No. In fact there are a quite a number of things which can not be taught long distance. For instance, if you had to do laboratory work, in chemistry or things like this, definitely you’d have to do this in person and you may have disadvantaged children who need far more than an image to learn from and obviously this would have to be dealt with this way. However, I would assume, that in a school or, like your listener reported, you would have two of them where you are teaching, and particularly for small children, you may have presentations in there like from Sesame Street Workshop which are essentially distance learning methods while the rest goes on. In other words, I am not saying that 100 percent of the time and that in all cases, there is only one way of how knowledge can be distributed; not at all.
BL: We just have a minute left, what do you hope that your foundation will accomplish?
WS: The purpose of the foundation is to show and to accomplish how anyone, anywhere can obtain a high quality, world class education at the least amount of expense or at no cost at all.
BL: Win Straube is the author of QGE=A, which stands for Quality Generic Education is the Answer. Thank you for joining us.
WS: Thank you.
BL: Your new book is about this concept that you call Quality Generic Education and technology is very involved in that; correct?
WS: Correct.
BL: Tell us about that.
WS: Yes. Well as a matter of fact our education system, the way it works, today still is very much, I would say maybe 2000 years old. It is teaching a classroom of people or it evolved into this. While today you could teach the whole world from one TV studio provided you had the right kind of setup and the pupils were paying attention. In other words, it’s a matter of, to learn you’ve got to be present, not necessarily in person but your mind needs to be present. So the issue is how to connect your learning mind with the teacher and nowadays this is possible to have the best teachers in the world provide the knowledge to essentially everyone. And this is what this book is all about.
BL: Ah. So, even though people may consider it kind of cold and maybe even dehumanizing to do education in front of a television monitor or computer monitor, you’re saying that an advantage of that would be that there would be fewer teachers and only the best ones would be doing the job?
WS: Well, as I explained in the book, there are going to be different versions of teachers. Now the one teacher who is making the presentation, is the one let’s say like Brian Lehrer teaching to the rest of the nation and having the audience. However, there is another group of teachers in front of him which would be the one who would prepare the material to be taught, and this is very essential. In other words, you have the best materials to work from and to teach and the ones who would develop the tests, like the people who would work for Educational Testing Services in Princeton, these are all in essence teachers. Now on the other side would be teachers at the station where the message is being received. In other words in front of this monitor, or a classroom with a monitor, a teacher would be present or it could be the parent or other; I call them facilitators.
BL: If you have teachers present in the room, why do you need the TV monitors?
WS: Well because of what is being transmitted. In other words, the teacher in the room may not have the qualifications or the knowledge which is being transmitted.
BL: It’s a very centralized view of education then right? It’s one that believes that expertise can be disseminated by the experts more effectively than by trying to have – you know in New York we have 80,000 teachers just for one city’s public school system – more than relying on them as much as we do today. Do I understand it correctly?
WS: Well, let’s take the example of pilot training. If you have to learn how to fly a specific airplane, you had better get the correct instructions and hopefully from the best instructor you can have for this, and it doesn’t matter where this instructor is located so long as this message reaches you. However, if you leave this or if you have 20,000 teachers disseminating the same information and assuming they don’t have all the same knowledge and not the same qualifications then this message will become quite different.
BL: Are you talking about all ages, by the way, or only older kids or higher education?
WS: I am talking about all ages.
BL: You are?
WS: Yes.
BL: Well let me take a caller who wants to question that, I think, for younger children. Joshua in Greenwich, you are on WNYC with Win Straube author of Quality Generic Education. Hi Joshua.
Joshua: Hi, I am an elementary school teacher in Greenwich and I actually have the pleasure of working in two buildings so I am driving from one school to another right now and as much as I would like to beam myself into these classrooms and stay at home, possibly in my bed, I think a lot of what is being said is operating under this largely-accepted fallacy that there is one right way to teach it or one method.
BL: Right, or one best way.
Joshua: Yes.
BL: I’m going to leave it there and ask our guest; do you believe that as he stated it?
WS: No. In fact there are a quite a number of things which can not be taught long distance. For instance, if you had to do laboratory work, in chemistry or things like this, definitely you’d have to do this in person and you may have disadvantaged children who need far more than an image to learn from and obviously this would have to be dealt with this way. However, I would assume, that in a school or, like your listener reported, you would have two of them where you are teaching, and particularly for small children, you may have presentations in there like from Sesame Street Workshop which are essentially distance learning methods while the rest goes on. In other words, I am not saying that 100 percent of the time and that in all cases, there is only one way of how knowledge can be distributed; not at all.
BL: We just have a minute left, what do you hope that your foundation will accomplish?
WS: The purpose of the foundation is to show and to accomplish how anyone, anywhere can obtain a high quality, world class education at the least amount of expense or at no cost at all.
BL: Win Straube is the author of QGE=A, which stands for Quality Generic Education is the Answer. Thank you for joining us.
WS: Thank you.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Is Quality Generic Education the Answer? Consider this book review...
QGE=A, Quality Generic Education is the Answer
By Win Straube
ISBN-10: 076183771X
Web Page: www.univpress.com
Review by Heather Froeschl
I have been an advocate for my children’s education and I will continue to be, despite being labeled by some teachers as “the problem parent” of the classroom. If that is what it takes to be involved, then so be it. Win Straube encourages parents and educators alike, as well as every citizen, to become more involved in our nation’s children’s education, in our own education, and subsequently, in our nation’s future. In his book “QGE=A, Quality Generic Education is the Answer” readers will be inspired to find ways in which the best education can be offered at the lowest possible cost.
Is this book relevant to every United States citizen, regardless of their being a parent, teacher or student? Absolutely. We are all parts of the main cog system and we all have the power to make positive change. So what is Quality Generic Education? It is identical quality to “brand name” education that is universally applicable, available to all, and not ideologically directed. In short, it means that an education garnered from a state university would be of equal value to one from Harvard. I can hear the gasps of disbelief at such a notion, but I am all for such a concept to become a reality. How can it? Straube knows about education, and he explains it all very nicely.
The author discusses a motivation to learn that he hopes all citizens are capable of, the roles of parents and teachers, the purpose of public schools, and what we should all be doing to encourage learning. His explanation of generic education includes the examination of lessons taught without bias or religious influence on student’s opinions and focuses on what we need to do in order to make our nation’s education systems more efficient, and more readily accepted by other educational systems. Looking at our higher education possibilities, and what is now available through long-distance learning, and the internet and the costs of those things, Straube is explaining the future of our children’s and grandchildren’s education. He speaks of what distracts us as students, what is lacking in our learning, and even explains how a college education is not enough to ensure success. What is the cost for education? Is it simply funds? Is it the promise of student loans, or is it also the price of our personal beliefs when the school we attend is telling us what to believe? There is much to examine, and Win Straube certainly opens the eyes of his readers.
“QGE=A” is a greatly researched and fact backed book, offering a lengthy and valuable appendix. The style is straightforward and convincing of the need for change, yet Straube’s voice is not demanding in an overpowering way. He knows what needs to be done and offers his guidance, wisdom, and plans to every reader. I encourage everyone with the slightest interest in our schools and colleges, students and teachers, and our nation’s competitive future, to read this book and take a step toward creating a better learning environment for all.
By Win Straube
ISBN-10: 076183771X
Web Page: www.univpress.com
Review by Heather Froeschl
I have been an advocate for my children’s education and I will continue to be, despite being labeled by some teachers as “the problem parent” of the classroom. If that is what it takes to be involved, then so be it. Win Straube encourages parents and educators alike, as well as every citizen, to become more involved in our nation’s children’s education, in our own education, and subsequently, in our nation’s future. In his book “QGE=A, Quality Generic Education is the Answer” readers will be inspired to find ways in which the best education can be offered at the lowest possible cost.
Is this book relevant to every United States citizen, regardless of their being a parent, teacher or student? Absolutely. We are all parts of the main cog system and we all have the power to make positive change. So what is Quality Generic Education? It is identical quality to “brand name” education that is universally applicable, available to all, and not ideologically directed. In short, it means that an education garnered from a state university would be of equal value to one from Harvard. I can hear the gasps of disbelief at such a notion, but I am all for such a concept to become a reality. How can it? Straube knows about education, and he explains it all very nicely.
The author discusses a motivation to learn that he hopes all citizens are capable of, the roles of parents and teachers, the purpose of public schools, and what we should all be doing to encourage learning. His explanation of generic education includes the examination of lessons taught without bias or religious influence on student’s opinions and focuses on what we need to do in order to make our nation’s education systems more efficient, and more readily accepted by other educational systems. Looking at our higher education possibilities, and what is now available through long-distance learning, and the internet and the costs of those things, Straube is explaining the future of our children’s and grandchildren’s education. He speaks of what distracts us as students, what is lacking in our learning, and even explains how a college education is not enough to ensure success. What is the cost for education? Is it simply funds? Is it the promise of student loans, or is it also the price of our personal beliefs when the school we attend is telling us what to believe? There is much to examine, and Win Straube certainly opens the eyes of his readers.
“QGE=A” is a greatly researched and fact backed book, offering a lengthy and valuable appendix. The style is straightforward and convincing of the need for change, yet Straube’s voice is not demanding in an overpowering way. He knows what needs to be done and offers his guidance, wisdom, and plans to every reader. I encourage everyone with the slightest interest in our schools and colleges, students and teachers, and our nation’s competitive future, to read this book and take a step toward creating a better learning environment for all.
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