Re: when is madated any different?

nate (schmolze who-is-at students.wisc.edu)
Tue, 30 Mar 1999 06:58:09 -0600

Explicit mandates like whole language and the fiasco in Chicago are not the
norm or the most common way of mandating curriculum. The talk of standards
on the national level and its application on what it values and doesn't is
as much a mandate as requiring a particular approach to teaching reading.
Even if we limit it to reading,what a particular test values as important
knowledge in reference to reading in the end will have a bigger impact on
changing teaching practices than "mandates" in law. Explicit laws like in
California are not the only way teaching is mandated and in the end
probably the least efficient. Personally, for me those state tests have a
larger impact on teaching practices than a law mandating a particular
approach to reading.

Nate
----- Original Message -----
From: Ken Goodman <kgoodman who-is-at u.arizona.edu>
To: <xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu>
Sent: Monday, March 29, 1999 11:36 PM
Subject: Re: when is madated any different?

> Is peter's problem with "mandated?" In this case the mandate is in laws
> that criminalize non-conformist teaching or administrative decisions.
> What does that have to do with flying kites.
> --
> Kenneth S. Goodman, Professor, Language, Reading & Culture
> 504 College of Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
> fax 520 7456895 phone 520 6217868
>
> These are mean times- and in the mean time
> We need to Learn to Live Under Water
>