We are thrilled to announce a new segment on BustEDpencils Radio: "What Would Matt Damon's Mom Say?" Every first Monday of the month, Nancy Carlsson-Paige, a leading advocate for public education and early childhood education and the mother of Academy Award-winner and activist Matt Damon, will join Tim and Johnny to answer questions about education policy.
In a past interview with Tim Slekar, Nancy shared her thoughts on education, activism, and the importance of early childhood education. She emphasized the need for a more holistic approach to education, one that values creativity, critical thinking, and citizenship skills.
Nancy's commitment to education and her passion for empowering young learners make her a perfect fit for BustEDpencils Radio. We look forward to the insightful discussions and valuable perspectives she will bring to the show.
Join us for the debut of "What Would Matt Damon's Mom Say?" on the first Monday of next month, and stay tuned for more updates and exciting guests on BustEDpencils Radio.
It's time to amplify our voices and take our fight for public education to the next level. We're calling on all passionate advocates, educators, parents, grandparents, students, researchers, and anyone who believes in the power of public schools to join us on the airwaves of BustEDpencils Radio!
We're on a mission to make BustEDpencils the go-to platform for unapologetic, no-holds-barred conversations about public education. But we can't do it without YOU. We want to hear YOUR stories, YOUR struggles, and YOUR triumphs in the fight to protect and transform our public schools into true incubators of democracy and critical thought.
Teachers, we know you're on the front lines, and your insights are invaluable. We want to hear your voices loud and clear, sharing the realities of the classroom, the challenges you face, and the victories you've won.
Parents and Grandparents, you're the backbone of our school communities. Your perspective on what's happening in our schools and how it's affecting our kids is crucial. We want you to share your experiences and your unwavering support for public education.
Students, you're the reason we're all here. Your experiences, ideas, and dreams matter. We want to hear your voice, your perspective on education, and your vision for the future of our schools.
University and College Researchers, your expertise sheds light on the policies and practices shaping our schools. We need you to break down the research and help us understand what's at stake and what we can do about it.
And here's where it gets even more exciting – we're also looking for volunteers to host BustEDpencils Listening Parties! Let's boost our ratings, spread the word, and create a movement that the mainstream media can't ignore. It's time to make public education a national priority, and with your help, we can make it happen.
This is our moment, folks. It's time to rally together, share our stories, and make our voices heard. If you're ready to join the fight and be a part of something big, email me at timslekar@gmail.com to volunteer. Let's take BustEDpencils mainstream and show the world that when it comes to public education, we mean business.
Together, we can save and transform our public schools. Let's Give it All!
Here we go again. Michael J. Petrilli can't seem to let go of the good old days of test and punish (Those days never went away). In a new post on The 74, Petrilli once again resurrects A Nation at Risk as a change catalyst that started the education reform movement. He acknowledges that education reform had some flaws "but a recommitment to accountability for results, along with a focus on making classroom instruction more coherent, effective, and equitable, could yield stronger results in the years ahead."
As an educational researcher and an advocate for a more nuanced approach to public education, my engagement with the discourse around standards-based reform is both analytical and deeply personal. In this blog post, I aim to unpack the layers of standards-based reform, drawing upon the experiences and insights captured in "Busting Pencils since 2011," a collection that chronicles my own journey through the changing landscape of education.
Firstly, let's approach standards-based reform with the necessary critical lens: it is a policy driven by the intent to uniformly elevate educational outcomes and close the achievement gap. However, a closer examination reveals a complex interplay between well-meaning objectives and unintended consequences that have emerged over the years. The data may suggest improvements, but behind the numbers lies a different story—a story of narrowed curricula, marginalized students, and disempowered educators.
The introduction of high-stakes standardized testing as a measure of accountability has led to significant shifts in classroom practice. Teachers, under immense pressure to produce test score gains, have often resorted to teaching to the test, which has stifled creativity and reduced rich educational experiences to a series of test prep exercises. The impact on students' development as critical thinkers and curious learners is palpable and concerning.
From an ethical standpoint, the moral implications of such a reform are worth considering. While standards-based approaches aim for equity, they often result in a paradox of educational inequality. Disadvantaged students, who may require more holistic and supportive learning environments, find themselves in increasingly restrictive educational settings where their diverse needs and backgrounds are not adequately addressed.
Furthermore, the reform movement has had profound implications for the teaching profession. The demoralization of teachers, a result of the scripted curricula and reduced autonomy, undermines their expertise. As pointed out in my reflective writings, the transformation of teachers from agents of change to enforcers of policy is a disservice to both the profession and the students they serve.
This examination of standards-based reform is not just a critique but a call for a return to an educational vision that respects the complexities of teaching and learning. It is about recognizing the value of teacher judgment, the importance of student engagement, and the necessity of a curriculum that extends beyond the narrow confines of standardized tests.
In conclusion, while the narrative of standards-based reform speaks of raising standards, we must question what we lose in its pursuit. Do we sacrifice the love of learning for the sake of uniformity? Do we trade the rich diversity of educational experiences for the predictability of test scores? True reform will come not from standardization, but from embracing the diverse talents of all students, the professional wisdom of teachers, and the collaborative efforts of communities.
In an era obsessed with standardized test scores as the ultimate measure of educational success, it's all too easy to succumb to narratives of impending economic doom. But what if education is more than just a set of numbers? On the latest episode of Busted Pencils, hosts Dr. Tim Slekar and Dr. Johnny Lupinacci, tear apartthe myths put forth by economists that link learning loss to a pending economic disaster.
The conversation kicks off with a humorous recount of Dr. Johnny Lupinacci's technical woes in the studio, highlighting the everyday hurdles educators face. This personal story leads into a discussion on the unforeseen side effects of outsourcing aspects of public education, like driver's education, which can have a ripple effect on voter suppression.
The hosts then tackle the recent uproar over declining math and reading scores among fourth and eighth graders, as reported by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). They dissect the alarmist predictions that link these drops to a future devoid of innovation and a less competent workforce. The episode boldly questions whether the educational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic might have actually spurred more creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, aspects that standardized tests fail to measure.
As the episode unfolds, the term 'learning loss' comes under scrutiny, and the narrative of educational turmoil during the pandemic is picked apart. The hosts challenge the capitalist obsession with perpetual growth and the quick-fix solutions that ignore proven approaches to enhancing learning. They advocate for investing in education by prioritizing smaller class sizes and diverse teacher recruitment over an exclusive focus on technology and standardized testing.
In the concluding segment, Dr. Johnny Lupinacci contemplates the notion that adversity can breed resilience and new opportunities. The episode celebrates the strength derived from challenging experiences and underscores that today's youth are pivotal in shaping a future that prioritizes their values over profit-driven economic forecasts.
Busted Pencils is more than just entertainment; it's a call to action. It compels listeners to engage and shake up the conversation on education, urging them to look past the doom-and-gloom projections and envision a brighter future rooted in resilience and critical thinking.
Tune into Busted Pencils for a bold, thought-provoking take on education and its true significance in our society. Let's redefine success and champion an educational system that fosters the economy of tomorrow—one that values humanity above profit margins.
