Welcome (back) to the Education Policy Blog!

Welcome to the Education Policy Blog, hosted by the Forum on the Future of Public Education. We at the Forum see this blog as a space for deeper discussions of the issues that frequently get bogged down in political posturing, to the detriment of improving the education options of students.  

The Forum was established to bring the illumination of empirical evidence to debates where issues are often obscured in the ideological fog.  Too often, evidence is neglected or misrepresented in the service of politically-driven agendas.  We value solid, research-based evidence that offers insights on advocacy-based policies.  

In particular, we are interested in a particular set of reforms and policies, including those around incentivist reforms, privatization, meritocracy and equitable access to higher education, and, of course, the use of research in policymaking.

For this effort, the Forum has brought together a stellar set of scholars who can bring a broad set of evidence-informed perspectives on these issues.  In doing this, our goal is not to promote a particular position or agenda, but to create informed discussions and deeper understandings of key topics in education policy.  

In seeking to promote engaging and illuminating dialogue on these crucial education issues of the day, we welcome your comments, and ask only that participants be respectful of others participating in this forum.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Christopher Lubienski
Director of the Forum on the Future of Public Education

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Let There Be Competition

By: Bekisizwe Ndimande

John Stossel, host of Stossel show on Fox Business Network appeared on the O’ Reilly Factor taunting Chicago Public School (CPS) teachers, who went on strike earlier this year, for being confused about their demands. He blamed them for being responsible for the failing public schools. Perhaps Mr. Stossel doesn’t know that successful schools depend not just on teachers, but on adequate resources as well. He went on to say that the best way to reform education is through competition.

Markets in education is a dangerous discourse. An abundance of research shows that contrary to improving education, markets and competition, in the long term, perpetuate existing inequalities. Telling parents to compete for best schools for their children in choice programs like voucher plans, may sound appealing, but typically has detrimental effect on the public good. What would happen to the children of the parents who are unable to engage effectively in this competition? To compete, people would need the tools to help them win the competition. As a result, there are several drawbacks that can preclude marginalized parents from winning in this competition. For instance, research has shown that parents who have all the resources, including time, money, and correct information, are better situated to navigate good schools for their children. Consider a single parent mother who juggles three jobs a day, taking a subway to all these jobs, and does not have friends or colleagues with whom she can share good information about local schools. How is this parent expected to compete successfully in schools choice? The mayor of Chicago, Rahm Emanuel, together with Arne Duncan, Secretary of Education, do not send their children to the CPS system. Their children attend the prestigious Lab School at the University of Chicago. Perhaps this is the reason the Mayor and the Secretary do not find it urgent to increase resources to CPS schools and listen to the demands of the teachers so that these schools too can provide good education as is possible in the Lab School.  

CPS teachers had legitimate grievances and they ought to be commended for their courage in these times of attack on public education and unionized labor. The recent events in Wisconsin did not deter their courage. One of the teachers’ demands was to untie salary from students’ scores. They are also against the high stakes testing, as one of the placards read: “I want to teach to the students not to the test.” They want students to become critical thinkers who can make informed decisions in this democracy. In a quest to raise test scores, the Mayor seems to be fixed on the increase in the length of hours students are kept in classrooms without recognizing that the tests are racially and culturally biased in a way that disenfranchise students in poverty contexts. They also do not necessarily measure what teachers are teaching or what students are learning. One might ask whether the length of the school day can be so simply related to the scores on a standardized test.

Teachers in CPS may have not gotten all their demands met, but the act of engaging in the strike is a partial victory itself. They remind us that in a democracy test scores and competition are not the answer if we want all students to succeed. CPS teachers know that there is something wrong if education has to produce winners and losers.

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Children Fair (Bal Mela)

Children Fair in My School 

   

That was the month of November 2010, the students were very excited, because they had been to BHERAGHAT last month. Now all students wanted to do something new in our school. I suggested them that we may organise The Children Fair in our school this year. All students hesitated because it was a new and unknown activity for them. They did not participated in School Children Fair before it.


Some students became agree to participated in this fair. So we had decided to celebrated it the day after tomorrow.


On the decided day we celebrated children Fair (Bal Mela) in our school. Many students bring many home made dishes and some sweets and Namkeen to sell in this Fair. some students sold fruits and some sold "Gulab Jamuns".

All materials had been sold within two hours. All students and parents and teachers enjoyed this Fair. That was really an unforgettable Fair in my school life.



That activity was so important because that was the First Children Fair in that village as well as the school. Main purpose of that activity was making awareness to the school in parents and students and i want to develop leadership qualities in the students. That was a success activity of my school, which fulfilled our goals.

                                 

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Active Learning Methodology

ACTIVE LEARNING METHODOLOGY (A.L.M.)

Active Learning Methodology is a new concept in school education. It was first adopted in Tamil Nadu states of India. Than it spread to another states. School education department of Madhya Pradesh is allowing this methodology in selected blocks as an experiment.
First in Raisen District it was introduced in Udaipura and Sanchi block's school.Than it allowed to another blocks of the district.

Active learning methodology is known as A.L.M. in short. A.L.M. is different to another traditional methodologies. A.L.M. is very friendly and joyful methodology. If A.L.M. is success in schools, teachers and students feel very fresh and happy. A.L.M. is teacher friendly and students friendly teaching methodology.

What is new in A.L.M.?

A.L.M. is students centred methodology, while traditional  methodologies were teacher centred.

Teacher is not only a teacher but now teacher is a facilitator in learning.

TEACHER SHOULD BE A GUIDE TO THE STUDENTS.

THIS METHODOLOGY IS VERY INNOVATIVE AND USEFUL TO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS BOTH.

(More innovative experiences will be posted in this blog in future.)

ACTIVITIES IN gnms ghana tunda

(a.l.m.: the success story from tamilnadu to ghana tunda)

WHEN A.L.M. WAS STARTED IN MY SCHOOL G.N.M.S. GHANA TUNDA IN 2010-11, IT WAS NOT SO NEW IN MY SCHOOL, BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN TEACHING LIKE A.L.M. WHEN OUR SCHOOL WAS COMBINED MIDDLE AND PRIMARY, ONLY ONE ROOM WAS FOR MIDDLE CLASSES. SO WE HAD TO USE GROUP TEACHING. 

WE HADE MADE SEVERAL GROUPS IN OUR CLASSES NAMED "BHOJPUR GROUP", "BHERAGHAT GROUP", "BHEEM BAITHIKA GROUP", "VAN VIHAR GROUP" ETC.

   WE USED LEADERSHIP QUALITY OF THE STUDENTS. SOME STUDENTS WERE VERY ACTIVE IN THAT SESSION. WE MADE THE MONITOR IN EACH CLASS. WE GOT ACTIVE RESPONSE TO SOME YOUNG STUDENTS OF THE VILLAGE. 

USING ATTRACTIVE LEARNING MATERIALS IN CLASSROOMS:

SEVERAL TEACHING LEARNING MATERIALS WERE PREPARED BY THE STUDENTS. STUDENTS MADE THE TEACHING LEARNING MATERIALS IN GUIDANCE OF TEACHERS. SEVERAL LEARNING MATERIALS WERE PREPARED IN THE SCHOOL BASED ON A.L.M.; SUCH AS "THE IMPORTANCE OF TREES", "OUR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS" ETC. WE USED CARD SHEETS, PAPER CUTTINGS AND SEVERAL LOCALLY AVAILABLE RAW MATERIALS. IT WAS A VERY ATTRACTIVE ACTIVITY FOR STUDENTS IN THAT SESSION. WE USED CLASSROOM WALLS AS A LEARNING MATERIALS TOO. SEVERAL LEARNING STORIES WERE PASTED ON THE CLASSROOM WALLS; SUCH AS "THE SEASONS: - WINTER, SUMMER, RAINS AND SOME STORIES OF "THE STORY OF THE EVOLUTION OF THE MAN". THESE TEACHING LEARNING MATERIALS MADE OUR CLASSROOMS EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE. WE LEARNED WITH OUR STUDENTS WITH THE HELP OF THE "WALLS", "ACTIVITIES" AND "TALKING". WE HAVE TO ORGANIZE EDUCATIONAL EXCURSION TOO TO BRING ACTIVENESS AMONG THE STUDENTS. AND WE GOT SOME AMAZING RESULTS OF THESE ACTIVITIES. YES, WE INTRODUCED A.L.M. IN OUR SCHOOL SUCCESSFULLY.

   WE HAD INTRODUCED "MIND MAP" AS AN INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUE IN OUR SCHOOL. SO MIND MAP WAS VERY LIKED BY THE STUDENTS. 

A.L.M. WAS VERY SUCCESS IN OUR SCHOOL IN THAT SESSION (2010-11).

MR. SURENDRA SHARMA, BLOCK GENDER CO-ORDINATOR (B.G.C.) TOLD ME 2 YEARS BEFORE TO WRITE "A.L. M. SAFALTA KI KAHANI" (THE SUCCESS STORY OF A.L.M.). HE INSPIRED ME TO WRITE THIS STORY.

सक्रिय vf/kxe पद्धति कुछ दिलचस्प पहलू

यह उस सत्र में छात्रों के लिए एक बहुत ही आकर्षक गतिविधि थी।
"मौसम: - सर्दी, गर्मी, बारिश और"आदमी के विकास की कहानी"की कुछ कहानियाँ।
शैक्षिक भ्रमण का आयोजन
कक्षा की दीवार एक शिक्षण सामग्री के रूप में भी प्रयुक्त।
"मन मानचित्र" (Mind Map) एक नवीन तकनीक के रूप में पेश किया था।
"गतिविधियों" और "बात" की मदद से हमारे छात्रों के साथ सीखा है।

Anil Sahu

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SELF LEARNING METHOD

LEARNING BY DOING
I REALIZED THAT IF WE USED THE SELF LEARNING METHODOLOGY (LEARNING BY DOING) IN OUR SCHOOL, THAN WE GOT ITS AMAZING ADVANTAGES.THE MAIN POINTS ARE:• FIRST OF ALL TEACHERS SHOULD BE INTERESTED IN THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITIES. • CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT SHOULD BE SUITABLE FOR THIS. • SELF LEARNING MATERIALS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE. • STUDENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY. • IF WE DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MATERIALS, DON'T WORRY, WE MAY ARRANGE LEARNING MATERIALS FROM OUR ENVIRONMENT.

Read more posts on:
Anil Sahu’s Education Blog

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Stay tuned for a resurrection of the Education Policy Blog!

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A TOUR TO BHOJPUR

A TOUR TO BHOJPUR

LAST SUNDAY (ON 07 OCTOBER,2012) WE WENT ON ONE DAY TOUR TO BHOJPUR WITH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND STAFF.
WE STARTED OUR JOURNEY FROM VILLAGE GHANA TUNDA AT 7:30 A.M.
WE HAD VISITED CHHEEND MANDIR, HINGLAAJ MANDIR, BARI, JANGAL BABA AND THE BHOJPUR TEMPLE IN THE LAST.
THAT WAS AN EXCITING EXPERIENCE TO THE STUDENTS OF GOVT.MIDDLE SCHOOL GHANA TUNDA, BECAUSE ALL STUDENTS VISITED THE BHOJPUR TEMPLE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE. THAT WAS A NICE TRIP FOR THE STUDENTS.

ABOUT BHOJPUR TEMPLE:

BHOJPUR IS SMALL VILLAGE VERY NEAR FROM BHOPAL. WE MAY REACH BHOJPUR BY BUS OR TAXI. IN BHOJPUR, THERE IS A GREAT LORD SHIVA TEMPLE. BHOJPUR TEMPLE HAS A GREAT RELIGIOUS IMPORTANCE ALSO.

ABOUT CHHEEND DHAM:

CHHEEND DHAM IS SITUATED IN RAISEN DISTTRICT, NEAR TO BARELI TOWN. THERE IS A GREAT "HANUMAAN JI KA MANDIR". THIS PLACE IS VERY FAMOUS IN RAISEN, BHOPAL, VIDISHA, HOSHANGABAD, SEEHOR, NARSINGHPUR AND OTHER DISTRICTS OF MADHYA PRADESH. "CHEEND DUSSEHRA" IS VERY FAMOUS. CHHEEND TEMPLE IS ONE OF THE FAMOUS HINDU TEMPLE OF RAISEN DISTRICT (MADHYA PRADESH).

HINGLAJ MANDIR, BARI

HINGLAJ TEMPLE IS A VERY FAMOUS HINDU TEMPLE. IT IS IN BARI, DISTRICT RAISEN, M.P. IT IS ABOUT 2 K.M. AWAY FROM BARI BUS STAND (NATIONAL HIGHWAY NO.12).

THE FAMOUS PLACES OF RAISEN DISTRICT OF MADHYA PRADESH (INDIA)READ IN HINDI:

Nhan okys nknkth dk njckj

Nhan njckj cjsyh ds cgqr ikl gS Nhan dk efUnj u flQZ jk;lsu ftyk esa cfYd vklikl ds dbZ ftyks esa Hkh cgqr izfl) gSA izfr eaxyokj ;gka gtkjsk n’kZukFkhZ guqekuth ds n’kZu djusa vkrsa gS vksj Nhan njckj ls guqeku th dk vk’khZckn ysdj tkrsa gS lky Hkj ;gka Hk.Mkjs] vkSj dbZ /kkfeZd dk;Zdze pyrsa jgrsa gS Nhan dk n’kgjk Hkh cgqr izfl) n’kgjk gS tks ;gk cMh /kqe/kke ls euk;k tkrk gS vkus okys dqN c"kkasZa esa ;g LFkku iwjs Hkkjr esa izfl) gksus ckyk gSA ;gka dh guqekuth dh ewfrZ dh vn~Hkqr efgek gS A

Nhan dSls igWqps \ (HOW TO REACH CHHEEND?)

Nhan dk izfl) efaUnj  jk;lsu ftys ds izeq[k rglhy  cjsyh  ds xzzke Nhan esa fLFkr gSA ;g efUnj cjsyh ls yxHkx 6 fdyksehVj dh nwjh ij fLFkr gSA Nhan N.H. 12 ls Hkh 6 fd-eh- dh nwjh ij gSA iwjs o"kZ Hkj igqWpus ds fy;s iDdh laMd dh lqfo/kk gSA

fgaxykt nsoh dk efUnj ckMh

(HINGLAJ TEMPLE BARI, DISTRICT RAISEN)

fgxyakt efUnj ftyk jk;slu dh ckMh rglhy esa fLFkr gS ;g jk"Vªh; jktekxZ 12 ckMh ls 2 fdyksehVj vUnj fLFkr gS ;gk ij nwj nwj ls cgqr ls J`)kyq n’kZu ds fy;s vkrsa gSA ;gkW ij fgxaykt nsoh dk izkphu efUnj gS vkSj efUnj ls yx dj lLd`r ikB’kkyk gS foxr dqN o"kksZ ls ;gka ij lqUnj O;oLFkk,sa dh tk jgh gaSaA

esjk ;g vkys[k ’kSf{kd Hkze.k ds vykok jk;lsu ftys ds egRoiw.kZ /kkfeZd LFkyksa ds ckjs esa Hkh gS] ilaUn vk;s rks 'ks;j t:j dhft;saA 

(ONLY SELECTED PHOTOS POSTED ON THE BLOG DUE TO SOME REASONS)

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