Here's some reading for your long weekend. Remember to promote and share the voices that you think are important.
The Socio-Economic Divide on College Campuses Is Getting Wider-- Fast
One more trend that underlines growing inequity in the US.
Costs, Performance Fuel Charter Criticism
Turns out that cyber charters don't do a good job or save money.
The Magic School Bus in an Actual Public School
This is humor, and kind of fun, and kind of sad. Poor Ms Frizzle
San Diego Editor Continues Spurious Attacks
Thomas Ultican is tireless when it comes to continuing pushback against San Diego newspaper attacks on public ed.
What Really Makes No Excuses Charters
Another data-packed, amateur-comprehensible look at charters and the stories they tell, from Jersey Jazzman
The Troubling Trend To Collect Behavioral Data on All Children
Nancy bailey looks at more programs designed to track student behavioral data.
Education Can't Fix Poverty
Have You Heard podcast interview with historian Harvey Kantor about why we think schools can fix economic woes/
Voucher Champs Take Note
Mercedes Schneider takes a closer look at the Illinois voucher deal and points out that nobody yet knows how the bill will be paid
Educolor Collective Calls Educators To Confront White Supremacy
Including in their own schools and classrooms-- an important call to action for the beginning of the school year.
DeVos Education Roundtable
Betsy DeVos had an education round table. Guess who was-- and was not-- invited.
A Black Face in a White Space
A graduate talks about his four years as a black student at University of Pennsylvania. Plenty to think about here.
Sunday, September 3, 2017
A Classroom of Tomorrow
Good morning,children, and welcome to today's classes in the Mr. Edbrand Fifth Grade Room, brought to you by Exxon here at Apple Elementary School. I'll remind you that all Samsung devices and Microsoft Surface tablets must be placed in the big box just outside the door. As usual we'll be recording and webcasting today, and only properly sponsored materials can be shown on camera.
Oh, Chris-- you brought in your signed clearances from home? Excellent-- you can finally move your desk out of the cupboard and join your classmates on camera.
Today we're going to continue working on this week's essay, "Why Pepsi Is the Most Refreshing Drink." Remember, we're going to be writing them with the new Edutech Markotron 5000s that came in yesterday. No, Ronny-- you're trying to hold your Markotron like a pen or pencil-- just flip your wrist so your hand is upside down and backwards-- the Markotrons work fine if you just change the way you write. At recess we'll be trying out the new game from EduGo-- did everyone sign their decline-of-liability forms? And while at your work stations, remember not to slouch so that the new DataGrabber Mining Module can track every part of your facial expressions.
I'll also remind you that part of your class requirement is to post a picture from class on Instagram or Twitter; remember, you only get credit if you use the hashtag #MrEdbrandTeaches, because every day what...? That's right-- "Every day I'm increasing my digital footprint."
After lunch we'll be filming the spots for the demo of EduGadget's Gramminator-- the ones we rehearsed for the last few days-- so make sure you get your face and hair all straightened out before then. Remember-- we're doing two versions, one with all the white kids in the front and another with all the white kids in the back. It's so EduGadget can use them in different markets, dear. We'll do that right after the Faberware Super Writing Center.
Yes, it's true that Miss McSpine has left the school. After that unfortunate incident with her ex-fiance, she lost most of her sponsorship deals, and the school had to let her go.
Which reminds me-- I'm very cross about yesterdays video footage, We had to scrub several spots because somebody decided it would be funny to hold up a Microsoft logo in the background. Look-- someday when you're a grown-up professional, you can develop your own personal brand, but right now, the only personal brand in this room is mine, and we are not a Microsoft classroom. Look at my teaching suit-- do you see Microsoft on here anywhere? No-- Google on the left sleeve, Apple on the right, and these other spots for our friends at McGraw Hill. Turn around? Stop giggling-- you know very well that Pearson is on my butt. Yes, I think it's funny, too. Yes, Leah, I do look like a NASCAR driver.
Oh, before we do the Pledge To Apple, I need to tell you that I drove to school today in a Lexus XLR, the preferred car of top fifth grade teachers across the valley.
No, Chris, I never imagined it would be like this for me as a teacher. The New York Times (that was a newspaper-- ask your parents) wrote about teacher branding and selling out to companies years ago, but nobody knew how big it would get.
Now let's get to work. We have lots to do-- I'll be on hiatus next week for my product introduction tour in Hawaii, thanks to my friends at MegaEduTechCorp. Yes, I will miss all six of you, but I'll see you soon. And when I come back, I'll have lots of new products for us to try, some new curriculum units to unpack and deliver, and maybe a new car, too.
What, Pat? No, I told you. We'll start studying history when and if we find a sponsor.
Boy, when people back in the day said that education would be transformed by the free market, they had no idea.
Oh, Chris-- you brought in your signed clearances from home? Excellent-- you can finally move your desk out of the cupboard and join your classmates on camera.
Today we're going to continue working on this week's essay, "Why Pepsi Is the Most Refreshing Drink." Remember, we're going to be writing them with the new Edutech Markotron 5000s that came in yesterday. No, Ronny-- you're trying to hold your Markotron like a pen or pencil-- just flip your wrist so your hand is upside down and backwards-- the Markotrons work fine if you just change the way you write. At recess we'll be trying out the new game from EduGo-- did everyone sign their decline-of-liability forms? And while at your work stations, remember not to slouch so that the new DataGrabber Mining Module can track every part of your facial expressions.
I'll also remind you that part of your class requirement is to post a picture from class on Instagram or Twitter; remember, you only get credit if you use the hashtag #MrEdbrandTeaches, because every day what...? That's right-- "Every day I'm increasing my digital footprint."
After lunch we'll be filming the spots for the demo of EduGadget's Gramminator-- the ones we rehearsed for the last few days-- so make sure you get your face and hair all straightened out before then. Remember-- we're doing two versions, one with all the white kids in the front and another with all the white kids in the back. It's so EduGadget can use them in different markets, dear. We'll do that right after the Faberware Super Writing Center.
Yes, it's true that Miss McSpine has left the school. After that unfortunate incident with her ex-fiance, she lost most of her sponsorship deals, and the school had to let her go.
Which reminds me-- I'm very cross about yesterdays video footage, We had to scrub several spots because somebody decided it would be funny to hold up a Microsoft logo in the background. Look-- someday when you're a grown-up professional, you can develop your own personal brand, but right now, the only personal brand in this room is mine, and we are not a Microsoft classroom. Look at my teaching suit-- do you see Microsoft on here anywhere? No-- Google on the left sleeve, Apple on the right, and these other spots for our friends at McGraw Hill. Turn around? Stop giggling-- you know very well that Pearson is on my butt. Yes, I think it's funny, too. Yes, Leah, I do look like a NASCAR driver.
Oh, before we do the Pledge To Apple, I need to tell you that I drove to school today in a Lexus XLR, the preferred car of top fifth grade teachers across the valley.
No, Chris, I never imagined it would be like this for me as a teacher. The New York Times (that was a newspaper-- ask your parents) wrote about teacher branding and selling out to companies years ago, but nobody knew how big it would get.
Now let's get to work. We have lots to do-- I'll be on hiatus next week for my product introduction tour in Hawaii, thanks to my friends at MegaEduTechCorp. Yes, I will miss all six of you, but I'll see you soon. And when I come back, I'll have lots of new products for us to try, some new curriculum units to unpack and deliver, and maybe a new car, too.
What, Pat? No, I told you. We'll start studying history when and if we find a sponsor.
Boy, when people back in the day said that education would be transformed by the free market, they had no idea.
Saturday, September 2, 2017
Do Not Make Lessons Relevant
This article is actually from 2014, but it touched a nerve that has been raw since I was a student in the 1970s. The author is talking about the issue of students asking "Why do we need to learn this anyway" and after setting up the problem, he drops this:
The best solution to this problem is to make every lesson relevant to each student. However, given the impossibility of achieving that goal, I offer a few teaching tips that can mostly make that dreaded question about relevance a thing of the past.
And to make matters worse, the link to this article called it "Three Ways To Make Your Lessons Relevant."
No. No no no no no, and also, no.
The instant you decide you want to "make" your lesson relevant, you've lost, because you have admitted that the lesson is not actually relevant. After all, you don't look at the ocean and say, "We'll have to find a way to make that wet." If your spousal unit says, "I'm looking for ways to make myself like you," that is not a good sign.
Your lesson should BE relevant, and you should know why it is relevant. And if your students ask why it's worth their time, you should be able to answer that question.
Put another way-- if you don't have a good reason for teaching the lesson, then why are you teaching the lesson? Note: "Because we always have" and "Because that's just one of those things teachers do" are not good answers. "Because I've been told I have to," is not much better, but in the current day and age, it is sometimes the honest answer.
So any time you find yourself trying to think of a way to make a lesson relevant, take a step back and instead ask yourself why you are teaching that lesson at all. As teachers, we have been given stewardship over a sizeable chunk of our students' lives. The most fundamental responsibility we have is to avoid wasting any of that precious time.
The best solution to this problem is to make every lesson relevant to each student. However, given the impossibility of achieving that goal, I offer a few teaching tips that can mostly make that dreaded question about relevance a thing of the past.
And to make matters worse, the link to this article called it "Three Ways To Make Your Lessons Relevant."
No. No no no no no, and also, no.
The instant you decide you want to "make" your lesson relevant, you've lost, because you have admitted that the lesson is not actually relevant. After all, you don't look at the ocean and say, "We'll have to find a way to make that wet." If your spousal unit says, "I'm looking for ways to make myself like you," that is not a good sign.
 |
| Yeah, that's wet. |
Your lesson should BE relevant, and you should know why it is relevant. And if your students ask why it's worth their time, you should be able to answer that question.
Put another way-- if you don't have a good reason for teaching the lesson, then why are you teaching the lesson? Note: "Because we always have" and "Because that's just one of those things teachers do" are not good answers. "Because I've been told I have to," is not much better, but in the current day and age, it is sometimes the honest answer.
So any time you find yourself trying to think of a way to make a lesson relevant, take a step back and instead ask yourself why you are teaching that lesson at all. As teachers, we have been given stewardship over a sizeable chunk of our students' lives. The most fundamental responsibility we have is to avoid wasting any of that precious time.
Friday, September 1, 2017
A Teacher Who Changed My Life
Actually, it's not really changing a person's life-- you can't change what hasn't happened yet. But "A Teacher Who Dramatically Affected the Trajectory of My Life" is too long for a headline.
The teacher was my elementary music teacher, Miss Gause, who affected my life in two huge ways.
First, she walked back to where the boys sat in the corner and droned away in monotone, and she harassed us into trying to match pitch. It was not the cool thing to do, but it got me to actually listen to what was going on. In those days, we took a music aptitude test-- a listening test-- in fourth and fifth grade, and that test either earned us a recommendation to start an instrument, or it didn't. In fourth grade, I flunked the test. In fifth grade I passed. The difference was Miss Gause. It is impossible to imagine what my life would have been like if I had not played an instrument. Most of my important friendships, both marriages, everything I've learned and applied about performance, the vast part of my community involvement-- all of those flowed from playing an instrument and being involved in music. If Miss Gause had ignored us and let us drone on, my life would look completely different today.
For the second moment of impact-- well, as shocking as this may be, when I was ten years old, I could be a bit of an asshat. One day I sat in the back of the room and entertained a few people with my hilarious imitation of Miss Gause's directing technique. For that, I received a paddling (it was the mid sixties). None of that affected me a great deal (other than realizing I would have to be asneakier asshat better person). Here's what made an impression that I still carry with me today. Miss Gause caught me, yelled at me, and paddled me, wit what I remember as a fair amount of fury.
And then the business was done. She never brought it up again, she never threw it in my face, she never started treating me as if I were a Terrible Child, and she even let me have plum jobs like helping host the sixth grade talent show. This was a mind-blowing revelation-- that you could get in trouble for something, pay a penalty, and then continue on with a blank slate. I've tried never to forget that-- once a student screws up, I try to deal with it and then let it go.
I think of that incident more often these days. How would my infraction be handled by a modern school? My misbehavior would be entered into some digital behavior file, to settle in next to the time I got out of line on the way to water fountain and my sassy mouth in first grade and that time I punched my mom in the bladder when I was a fetus. In many schools, there is no over-done-moving on for students because members of the Cult of Data believe that if we can just track every bit of information about every notable (or even non-notable) action performed by the young human, we can better mold them and sculpt them and modify them into the person we think they should be. So we'll just keep accumulating more and more data in our Eternal Permanent Cyber-record as we travel the cradle-to-career pipeline, until we find ourselves facing a potential employer who says, "Well, the software suggests that based one some misbehavior when you were ten, you might be a bad risk for our corporate operations."
I know, objectively, that more information can be helpful in understnding our students and helping them, but the growth of creepy stalkerish Big Brother programs, complete with software that promises to analyze the student's personality-- well, that feels like something else. Something intrusive and disturbing and ultimately not very helpful to the student at all. Because I still remember the lesson-- deal with it, and then let it go and let the student start fresh
Now, I have one other major point to make about Miss Gause, and I hope she can forgive me for this--
She was not a particularly great teacher.
I think the gig was hard on her, the students kind of a pain in the butt. She did not make a lifelong career out of teaching, and she did not win awards and honors and accolades for her pedagogical genius. I suspect that under many systems of teacher evaluation, she might not have shone as the brightest star.
And yet, she is one of the most influential figures in my life. If circumstances had taken her in a different direction and I had never met her, I would literally be a whole different person.Would either of us have been helped by a high-stakes test-based accountability system or a heavy-duty Data Overlords program? It's hard to believe so.
The teacher was my elementary music teacher, Miss Gause, who affected my life in two huge ways.
First, she walked back to where the boys sat in the corner and droned away in monotone, and she harassed us into trying to match pitch. It was not the cool thing to do, but it got me to actually listen to what was going on. In those days, we took a music aptitude test-- a listening test-- in fourth and fifth grade, and that test either earned us a recommendation to start an instrument, or it didn't. In fourth grade, I flunked the test. In fifth grade I passed. The difference was Miss Gause. It is impossible to imagine what my life would have been like if I had not played an instrument. Most of my important friendships, both marriages, everything I've learned and applied about performance, the vast part of my community involvement-- all of those flowed from playing an instrument and being involved in music. If Miss Gause had ignored us and let us drone on, my life would look completely different today.
For the second moment of impact-- well, as shocking as this may be, when I was ten years old, I could be a bit of an asshat. One day I sat in the back of the room and entertained a few people with my hilarious imitation of Miss Gause's directing technique. For that, I received a paddling (it was the mid sixties). None of that affected me a great deal (other than realizing I would have to be a
And then the business was done. She never brought it up again, she never threw it in my face, she never started treating me as if I were a Terrible Child, and she even let me have plum jobs like helping host the sixth grade talent show. This was a mind-blowing revelation-- that you could get in trouble for something, pay a penalty, and then continue on with a blank slate. I've tried never to forget that-- once a student screws up, I try to deal with it and then let it go.
I think of that incident more often these days. How would my infraction be handled by a modern school? My misbehavior would be entered into some digital behavior file, to settle in next to the time I got out of line on the way to water fountain and my sassy mouth in first grade and that time I punched my mom in the bladder when I was a fetus. In many schools, there is no over-done-moving on for students because members of the Cult of Data believe that if we can just track every bit of information about every notable (or even non-notable) action performed by the young human, we can better mold them and sculpt them and modify them into the person we think they should be. So we'll just keep accumulating more and more data in our Eternal Permanent Cyber-record as we travel the cradle-to-career pipeline, until we find ourselves facing a potential employer who says, "Well, the software suggests that based one some misbehavior when you were ten, you might be a bad risk for our corporate operations."
I know, objectively, that more information can be helpful in understnding our students and helping them, but the growth of creepy stalkerish Big Brother programs, complete with software that promises to analyze the student's personality-- well, that feels like something else. Something intrusive and disturbing and ultimately not very helpful to the student at all. Because I still remember the lesson-- deal with it, and then let it go and let the student start fresh
Now, I have one other major point to make about Miss Gause, and I hope she can forgive me for this--
She was not a particularly great teacher.
I think the gig was hard on her, the students kind of a pain in the butt. She did not make a lifelong career out of teaching, and she did not win awards and honors and accolades for her pedagogical genius. I suspect that under many systems of teacher evaluation, she might not have shone as the brightest star.
And yet, she is one of the most influential figures in my life. If circumstances had taken her in a different direction and I had never met her, I would literally be a whole different person.Would either of us have been helped by a high-stakes test-based accountability system or a heavy-duty Data Overlords program? It's hard to believe so.
IL: DeVos Can't Stick To Script
Illinois has just joined the ranks of the education voucher states in the US after a protracted mess of shenanigans and skullduggery.
Mostly what the legislature and Governor Rauner did was use an artful combo of bribery and hostage-taking to leverage a big, fat pay day for voucher schools. If folks wanted to free up funding for schools (handy, now that the school year started), they would have to give up the voucher dollars. As protective cover, they were given a new funding system and a couple of pieces of gold for public schools.
The depressing news here is that Illinois once again shows that public schools cannot look to either party to defend public education. Democrats took the deal and voted for Voucher Christmas. Some folks called them out, but most of the press about the bill has stuck to the script-- this is an awesome win for public schools and don't pay any attention to that voucher program (which is, you know, not exactly really a voucher program). It's a compromise, a bipartisan happy day.
Except that one voucher fan didn't get the memo on how the bill was supposed to be properly spun-- Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos:
Real change and innovation in education will not come from Washington—it will come from states where parents and students demand more education options and have their voices heard. I commend Gov. Rauner and Superintendent Smith for their leadership in making Illinois the 18th state to adopt a tax credit scholarship program. By expanding choices for families and focusing funding on individual students, this program will help thousands of Illinois children succeed.
Oh, no, Secretary! You forgot to call this a compromise. You forgot to say that these "savings accounts" aren't really back door vouchers! You forgot to say what a great funding victory this was for public schools! You forgot to pretend that this bill helped ALL schools through its awesome compromisiness. You could have called it a victory on many sides... on many sides.
Part of the deal in Illinois was supposed to be that voucher fans (of all parties) would refrain from doing a victorious happy dance, that they would avoid saying out loud "We are one step closer to replacing public schools." But no-- there's DeVos, down in the end zone, doing her victory dance and spiking the ball and hollering, "In your FACE, public schools!!" Next time someone better make sure she gets the memo.
Mostly what the legislature and Governor Rauner did was use an artful combo of bribery and hostage-taking to leverage a big, fat pay day for voucher schools. If folks wanted to free up funding for schools (handy, now that the school year started), they would have to give up the voucher dollars. As protective cover, they were given a new funding system and a couple of pieces of gold for public schools.
The depressing news here is that Illinois once again shows that public schools cannot look to either party to defend public education. Democrats took the deal and voted for Voucher Christmas. Some folks called them out, but most of the press about the bill has stuck to the script-- this is an awesome win for public schools and don't pay any attention to that voucher program (which is, you know, not exactly really a voucher program). It's a compromise, a bipartisan happy day.
Except that one voucher fan didn't get the memo on how the bill was supposed to be properly spun-- Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos:
Real change and innovation in education will not come from Washington—it will come from states where parents and students demand more education options and have their voices heard. I commend Gov. Rauner and Superintendent Smith for their leadership in making Illinois the 18th state to adopt a tax credit scholarship program. By expanding choices for families and focusing funding on individual students, this program will help thousands of Illinois children succeed.
Oh, no, Secretary! You forgot to call this a compromise. You forgot to say that these "savings accounts" aren't really back door vouchers! You forgot to say what a great funding victory this was for public schools! You forgot to pretend that this bill helped ALL schools through its awesome compromisiness. You could have called it a victory on many sides... on many sides.
Part of the deal in Illinois was supposed to be that voucher fans (of all parties) would refrain from doing a victorious happy dance, that they would avoid saying out loud "We are one step closer to replacing public schools." But no-- there's DeVos, down in the end zone, doing her victory dance and spiking the ball and hollering, "In your FACE, public schools!!" Next time someone better make sure she gets the memo.
Thursday, August 31, 2017
Who's College Ready?
Gail Mellow (LaGuardia Community College) turned up in the New York Times this week to challenge the classic picture of a college student.
For many of us, "college student" conjures up images of a fresh-faced nineteen year old, enjoying the chance to live independently, study hard, and maybe indulge in the sowing of some untamed oats. The modern reformy "college and career ready" picture is similar-- 18-year-olds walk across the stage, grab their diplomas, and walk straight into a college dorm. But Mellow's gathered data create a different picture. Here are some stats:
40% of US college students attend a community college.
0.4% of US college students attend "one of the ivies."
Over half of all undergrads live at home, mostly to make things more affordable.
40% of college students work thirty or more hours per week.
25% work full time while also attending college full time.
25% of all undergrads are older than twenty-five.
25% of undergrads are single parents.
Between 2011 and 2015, 20% of two-year college students lived in food-insecure households.
Now, Mellow has a dog in this fight, and he works his way around to the notion that government should give more funds to community colleges (like, you know, his). But the broad idea of his point remains--
We don't really know what a "typical" college student looks like.
And if we don't know what a college student looks like, then how can we know when somebody is ready to be one?
Does "college ready" include "on good terms with your parents so you'll have a place to live"? Doe it mean "not pregnant"? Is some version of a gap year so normal now that a college ready student is one with a gap year plan? And should we be making all future college students sit down and take a course about how to negotiate a loan? (The answer is "yes.")
There's definitely nothing here to suggest that what students need to be more college ready is a greater ability to take a Big Standardized Test, nor do any of these issues seem to line up with theCommon Core [Insert Your New Name Here] Standards. It continues to be impossible to make students "college ready" when we still have no idea what that term actually means.
For many of us, "college student" conjures up images of a fresh-faced nineteen year old, enjoying the chance to live independently, study hard, and maybe indulge in the sowing of some untamed oats. The modern reformy "college and career ready" picture is similar-- 18-year-olds walk across the stage, grab their diplomas, and walk straight into a college dorm. But Mellow's gathered data create a different picture. Here are some stats:
40% of US college students attend a community college.
0.4% of US college students attend "one of the ivies."
Over half of all undergrads live at home, mostly to make things more affordable.
40% of college students work thirty or more hours per week.
25% work full time while also attending college full time.
25% of all undergrads are older than twenty-five.
25% of undergrads are single parents.
Between 2011 and 2015, 20% of two-year college students lived in food-insecure households.
Now, Mellow has a dog in this fight, and he works his way around to the notion that government should give more funds to community colleges (like, you know, his). But the broad idea of his point remains--
We don't really know what a "typical" college student looks like.
And if we don't know what a college student looks like, then how can we know when somebody is ready to be one?
Does "college ready" include "on good terms with your parents so you'll have a place to live"? Doe it mean "not pregnant"? Is some version of a gap year so normal now that a college ready student is one with a gap year plan? And should we be making all future college students sit down and take a course about how to negotiate a loan? (The answer is "yes.")
There's definitely nothing here to suggest that what students need to be more college ready is a greater ability to take a Big Standardized Test, nor do any of these issues seem to line up with the
Back To School Bloviating
Flipping through twitter this morning, and lo and behold, my governor Tom Wolf has offered some advice for the start of school:
In case you can't see it, the advice is:
1) Get plenty of sleep.
2) Eat a good breakfast.
3) Be nice.
And he encourages Pennsylvania to have a good school year.
It's easy to just slide by this little slice of conventional, almost cliche advice, but this is where I am-- I have come to really appreciate a politician who sticks to what he knows. As a father and practicing human being, Wolf hits on three good pieces of advice that we have reason to believe he actually knows something about.
Compare this to some of the other back-to-school gubernatorial messages of the past. Like Pat McCrory of North Carolina spouting his support for teachers and his pledge to give them a raise (both, as it turns out, rather counter-factual).
Here's Gov. Steve Bullock exhorting students to "make Montana proud," and telling them to pay attention and do their homework because "it pays off." So remember kids-- there's no intrinsic rewards to education and it's not about you, anyway. Louisiana teachers got a cheery greeting from First Lady Donna Edwards that said she knows they're working hard and spending their own money, and thank you, and we've totally got your back. Five years ago Scott Walker and the Missus talked about their support for teachers and students, and how it was great that teachers were helping "get the skills they need for a career or to move on to college," because lots of these messages are just one more chance to plug the same old policy ideas.
Some messages are personal and heartfelt. Michigan's Lt. Governor Brian Calley, father of a child with autism, last year offered an encouragement to students to make friends and reach out to those who are sometimes left out.
But mostly the back-to-school format is employed as it was used by former Delaware Governor Jack Markell in 2015. It's just an opening clause. "As we welcome students back to school, I am optimistic about the year ahead... blah blah blah launch again into plugging my school reform ideas."
In fact, given the number of reformy officials who vow that they are implementing their ideas For The Children, it's remarkable how hard it is to find instances of those same officials actually addressing children, encouraging children or generally using children as anything other than a hook on which to hang their policy talking points. That is perhaps a step better than Betsy DeVos and Donald Trump, neither of whom had anything of substance to offer about the start of the school year. President's Obama and Bush I addressed school children directly during their terms (both offered remarks loosely connected to the idea of personal responsibility, and both took grief from the opposing party because, of course, politicians couldn't just say, "Gee, Mr. President, thanks for taking a direct interest in our nation's youths!")
Despite all the noise about For The Children and the please to stop politicizing education, it is remarkable how few politicians are able to put those two simple principles to work at an obvious time like back-to-school season. Talk is cheap, actions are louder, and yes, this is not That Big a Deal, but I add it to the list of actions and inactions that tell me that for all their talk, few elected officials really give a rat's posterior about education as anything other than a political game piece, a source of money for hungry corporate interests, and a nice touch for their brand.
So it's not a huge deal, but Tom Wolf's "Eat and sleep well, and be nice" struck me as a fresh, pleasant message for the children of Pennsylvania.
Hey PA students — start the school year off right with my #BackToSchoolTips. pic.twitter.com/GKwjUMt1ZZ— Governor Tom Wolf (@GovernorTomWolf) August 30, 2017
In case you can't see it, the advice is:
1) Get plenty of sleep.
2) Eat a good breakfast.
3) Be nice.
And he encourages Pennsylvania to have a good school year.
It's easy to just slide by this little slice of conventional, almost cliche advice, but this is where I am-- I have come to really appreciate a politician who sticks to what he knows. As a father and practicing human being, Wolf hits on three good pieces of advice that we have reason to believe he actually knows something about.
Compare this to some of the other back-to-school gubernatorial messages of the past. Like Pat McCrory of North Carolina spouting his support for teachers and his pledge to give them a raise (both, as it turns out, rather counter-factual).
Here's Gov. Steve Bullock exhorting students to "make Montana proud," and telling them to pay attention and do their homework because "it pays off." So remember kids-- there's no intrinsic rewards to education and it's not about you, anyway. Louisiana teachers got a cheery greeting from First Lady Donna Edwards that said she knows they're working hard and spending their own money, and thank you, and we've totally got your back. Five years ago Scott Walker and the Missus talked about their support for teachers and students, and how it was great that teachers were helping "get the skills they need for a career or to move on to college," because lots of these messages are just one more chance to plug the same old policy ideas.
Some messages are personal and heartfelt. Michigan's Lt. Governor Brian Calley, father of a child with autism, last year offered an encouragement to students to make friends and reach out to those who are sometimes left out.
But mostly the back-to-school format is employed as it was used by former Delaware Governor Jack Markell in 2015. It's just an opening clause. "As we welcome students back to school, I am optimistic about the year ahead... blah blah blah launch again into plugging my school reform ideas."
In fact, given the number of reformy officials who vow that they are implementing their ideas For The Children, it's remarkable how hard it is to find instances of those same officials actually addressing children, encouraging children or generally using children as anything other than a hook on which to hang their policy talking points. That is perhaps a step better than Betsy DeVos and Donald Trump, neither of whom had anything of substance to offer about the start of the school year. President's Obama and Bush I addressed school children directly during their terms (both offered remarks loosely connected to the idea of personal responsibility, and both took grief from the opposing party because, of course, politicians couldn't just say, "Gee, Mr. President, thanks for taking a direct interest in our nation's youths!")
Despite all the noise about For The Children and the please to stop politicizing education, it is remarkable how few politicians are able to put those two simple principles to work at an obvious time like back-to-school season. Talk is cheap, actions are louder, and yes, this is not That Big a Deal, but I add it to the list of actions and inactions that tell me that for all their talk, few elected officials really give a rat's posterior about education as anything other than a political game piece, a source of money for hungry corporate interests, and a nice touch for their brand.
So it's not a huge deal, but Tom Wolf's "Eat and sleep well, and be nice" struck me as a fresh, pleasant message for the children of Pennsylvania.
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