Competition vs. Collaboration – A warning for us all
March 23, 2011 by Mary Adams · Leave a Comment
I heard this interview of Diane Ravitch on NPR in the car the other day about why she went from being an advocate in the Bush administration of No Child Left Behind to being a strong critic. Her logic:
“There should not be an education marketplace, there should not be competition,” Ravitch says. “Schools operate fundamentally — or should operate — like families. The fundamental principle by which education proceeds is collaboration. Teachers are supposed to share what works; schools are supposed to get together and talk about what’s [been successful] for them. They’re not supposed to hide their trade secrets and have a survival of the fittest competition with the school down the block.”
This is a great reminder for us about strategic thinking in so many spheres. The power of knowledge in the intangible capital economy Read more
21st Century Skills
February 25, 2009 by Mary Adams · 1 Comment
There was an editorial in the Boston Globe yesterday about “The Value of Teaching 21st Century Skills” that has set off a firestorm of comments, mostly negative. The writer, Maura Banta, sets out the view:
That is why the debate over the value of teaching students so-called “21st century skills” is baffling. These skills include problem-solving, financial and business literacy, global awareness, and innovation. A vocal minority disregard them as “soft skills,” others recognize them for what they truly are: the number one job requirements for anyone interested in success after high school. Read more
The Current Crisis and Our Schools
October 8, 2008 by Mary Adams · 1 Comment
It’s no coincidence that in the middle of the current financial crisis, there are also people talking about the crisis in education. David Brooks framed the challenge last summer in New York Times. This week, Roger Frank Bass of the Milwuakee Journal Sentinel made his case and The Quaker Agitator blog also chimed in here.
There is still something of a gap in our understanding of the link between education, human capital and the development of our economy. It is absolutely clear Read more
