Just a couple of days ago, I said I wouldn’t blog on weekends. Yet, here I am, reading the news, reading my emails, and having a reaction to everything I read and impelled to share. It’s a Sunday. I just posted a blog. I violated the rule I just announced. Oh, well, they used to say that a woman reserves the right to change her mind. I have changed my mind about NCLB, testing, accountability, choice, competition, now I’m blogging on a Sunday.
I’ll try to stick to my book, but when I read something that catches my attention, I can’t resist reacting and sharing.
I think of this blog as my own hometown newspaper. I’m the editor and the main writer. I have lots of other reporters, most of whom are teachers or parents or principals or superintendents. They write for my hometown newspaper too.
There are times when I think, “Stop me before I blog again.” But most of the time I think, this is too much fun. And I am glad to say that there are thousands of readers who log on every day to read my hometown paper.
So, if I said you wouldn’t get a blog on a weekend, forget it. I’ll send out a post whenever I want–mostly from Monday to Friday– and do my best to write my book despite the seductions of blogging.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Please blog whenever you want to. I may lost my sanity without you.
Did you read Virginia got their waiver without accepting the CCSS?
Also, tell us what you think of the arbitration decision to reverse the closing of the schools slated for “turnaround”. I always wondered what would happen when the turnaround failed and what they would call a turnaround for a turnaround? The stories posted on this site were horrifying.
Seems to me that we need to turnaround the NYCDOE.
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I have a post tomorrow morning about NYC arbitrator decision.
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I love Linda’s quote: “We need to Turnaround the NYCDOE”. I think it should find a way into your book!
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Typo…sorry. I wish there was a way to edit a post….may lose my sanity.
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speaking as a very experienced blogger, who averages more than 1 post a day over more than 8 year, with my average post being over 2000 words, blogging can be very seductive and addictive, particularly if you are passionate about a subject and want to have a more immediate impact upon the thinking of others – the biggest problem with print media is how long, other than daily newspapers, it takes before your thoughts get into the hands of others. Even traditional media is realizing that if it wants to stay connected with its audience it needs more than its dead tree editions.
Lest you become discouraged, think of Paul Krugman, who writes a 2x weekly New York Times column, teaches at Princeton, posts periodic additional blog pieces, and still found time to win the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economis.
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I’m not discouraged, just slightly overwhelmed at my self-imposed deadline of writing a book by Labor Day.
As you know, I’ve been posting 4-10 blogs every day, but none are as long as yours usually are.
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I admire you for the discipline necessary to do a book. It is the one question I have about my own writing. I am interested in so many things I find it difficult to narrow my focus in the way necessary to sustain something of that length.
Of course right now being able to post anything is a bit of a miracle, as we have been without power for 35 hours, and may go another couple of days without it. As of this morning 1/2 of Arlington County is without power. Yesterday I found an outlet in Arlington Central Library and parked myself on the floor there for six hours to try to get some work done. This morning I have driven to Capitol Hill – there is a Starbucks at 3rd and Penna Ave with tons of outlets, and since this area has power it is not jammed.
I look forward to your next book. Do I get to review it as well?
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good luck on getting power restored
answer to your last question, yes.
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I too have selfish reasons for being glad you found time to blog! I have learned more about the ins and outs of politics and education here and shared it with my peers in the last few weeks than I have in years! Your topics are always interesting and so informative and the folks ere following and blogging on their own are all very knowledgeable. It makes for a very eagerly anticipated moment when I see a new addition you have posted here! All of us are also eagerly awaiting your next book!
Guess we will have to find a way to motivate you to do you “homework” by coming up with a reward for your effort. Maybe for every hour you work on your book you get to blog for 15 mins! 🙂
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I’m a parent interested in education and I’ve been enjoying your blog immensely. I especially like the randomness of new alerts in my inbox! I’ve read “Death and Life of the Great American School System” and appreciate its message and impact on anyone interested in education, especially leaders and decision-makers. Not that I want to keep you from your important book-writing endeavors, but for selfish reasons I ask that you please keep blogging whenever the mood strikes you. Your insightful and thorough analyses provide sanity and reason which comfort me in a time when educational news reads like satire from The Onion. Thanks for being a voice of hope and advocate for quality academics.
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Diane, the problem is not blogging, but reading your emails and news–that’s what gets you going–no reading (or thinking) equals no blog! LOL, Good luck on that one!
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It’s not really a choice. If you’re dialed in to what’s going on all around us with the war on teachers and the so called party of educators acting more like the mine owners than the miners, it’s all a matter of improvising and adapting. Before Period One it looked like we might get through the whole section but ten minutes in we realize this thing could turn into an entire week’s lesson. So Period Two starts with a brand new set of expectations tempered with reality. If the book goes to the printer on Halloween instead of Labor Day and you are still able to relay what needs to be shared to thousands of needy teachers there’s nothing lost. Glad the book is coming and also glad you realize how important it is to keep an ear to the ground and stay in touch as things develop. Peace
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Thank you. The reason for my Labor Day deadline is that I have a heavy schedule of travel and speaking this fall, especially in the midwest. That consumes all my energy. So, I intend to meet my deadline.
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Hi Diane,
Please break that self-imposed rule whenever you feel the need… We’ll all call “Extra! Extra!” and consider it a special ‘Sunday paper’ edition. 🙂
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“It’s your birthday and you’ll blog if you want to, blog if you want to… I’d blog too, if it was my birthday, too” … my feeble attempt at song 🙂 … Happy Birthday and Thank You!
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Doing what you know is best, by definition, is best for you – and all of us.
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Happy Birthday and do whatever you want! Lots of love and good wishes to you!
I saw this on a magnet at B&N and I enclose it all my birthday cards: “Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that people who have them live the longest.”
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Did not realize it was your birthday! Happy birthday to you! Here’s to all the good people born in July! Mine is this week! 🙂
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Your blogs are always so interesting, and so are all comments. I find I’m not getting things done that needs to be done because I read ever word and sometimes twice. My suggestion is cut down on the daily blogs and get the book written because I’m anxious to read it. Thanks for all that you and the others do. I felt almost alone for so many years, now I know I’m not alone. I read all the laws and their books; this has been planned for many years.
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One more for you:
from the NY Times:
June 29, 2012, 3:15 PM
http://takingnote.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/29/no-comment-necessary-texas-gops-2012-platform-opposes-teaching-critical-thinking-skills/
No Comment Necessary: Texas GOP’s 2012 Platform Opposes Teaching “Critical Thinking Skills”
By ANDREW ROSENTHAL
Via Talking Points Memo
The Republican Party of Texas’s 2012 platform has a plank on “Knowledge-Based Education” that reads:
We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.
It also says, “[e]very Republican is responsible for implementing this platform.” They say it was a mistake, but it will remain in place until 2014.
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When I taught gifted education in the 1980’s, I was ordered to attend a weeks workshop at the district office to learn how to teach value clarification. A lady from CA was the instructor. For approximately three of the five days, she had me tracing pictures in books to see if I could feel the outline. Finally, I said yes. Nuts!
I was given a book titled “Value Clarifications” that was filled with nonsense from my point of view. I asked if I had to use the book and was told I could use it as needed, so I used it as a book weight; I stacked my student’s creative writing and other assignment under it. I picked out things that did not relate to their privacy and assigned them. So, I used the book! It did delve into areas of privacy of the students that I considered none of my business.
Texas has been a leading state for much of this garbage for years. Certainly, the Basal Readers need improvement as does all other mandated curricula, but those activists in TX have confused OBE and Critical Reading Skills with Skinner programming. Skinner programming has been in TX for years and years, and supported by neo-conservatives and the corporate privateers. The people are simply following the programmed script that they have been fed. Be kind!
I taught Critical Reading Skills in college, and most certainly did not use OBE or behavior modification. These people, and others
should read Pavlov and Skinner. I suggest that the oppositon to us are using this to get their choice/charter schools. This is known as double-speak etc. Master manipulation by mega dollars…..So, don’t divert your attention to other than stopping charter/choice/voucher schools. That is my advise for all. Do not allow these people to manipulate you or divert your attention from the main objective; stopping charter schools and this Core “rat lab”.
I think that Diane and others have awakened a “sleeping giant” the American people, so let us concentrate on getting the most imporaant message out….destruction of due process, and destruction of local elected representation i. e. school boards. Plus, taxation wtihout representation. Remember, our forefathers fought a war of independence over this very concept.
As July 4th approaches, let us remember those who sacrificed so much to give us our freedom. God bless! Ann
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When I noticed that you posted today I said, “What??????? Then I read this post, “Forget It”, and enjoyed a great laugh. Diane, you can do WHATEVER you want, WHENEVER you want to do it! Especially on your birthday!!! I hope you are having a lovely day. Keep on doing whatever, whenever. And thanks for the chuckle!
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While I enjoy reading your posts, if you need it, there are plenty of teachers here who have perfected “The Look” and “The Voice” if you need it to help you get back on task. I’m sure we can also dig up some with “The Throat-Clear,” “The Turn-Around-And-Get-Back-To-Work-Finger-Wave,” and, the most dreaded and fear-causing tool in the arsenal-“The Single-Eyebrow-Lift”. Perhaps the reason teachers’ effectiveness fails to improve after 4 years is that too many get Botox and lose the ability to raise their eyebrows?
(NB: JOKING!)
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It’s still your birthday on the West Coast. I hope it was full of satisfying work and at least a little fun. Thank you for writing things that need to be read.
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