Well put Michael!
As Mike Cole has stated in the past, educational policies are decided in a
circle far beyond the realm of true education that it appears at this
point to be meaningless to think legislation will make any meaningful
change whatsoever.
eric
p.s. having listened to numerous speeches and interviews with Stuart
Smalley (aka Al Franken) he is not one I want deciding anything for me or
my family, let alone an entire nation. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
p.p.s. the waffler Norm Coleman wouldn't have done any better : )
"Michael Glassman" <MGlassman@ehe.osu.edu>
Sent by: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu
12/13/2009 11:04 PM
Please respond to "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity"
To: "eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity" <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
cc:
Subject: RE: [xmca] Obama's Learn Act
I really think that this legislation is, among other things, historically
insensitive. Do people really think, given our society's history with
assessment tests, that these tests are not going to be geared towards
middle class values? Do people really think that these tests are not
going to be used to label and differentiate groups? Do people really
think that these assessments are not going to be used to in some way
reinforce a deficit model for children who don't do well on the tests? The
fact that these tests are being conducted at such a young age makes these
ideas even more painful.
These senators Brown and Franken and Murray have their hearts in the right
place, but our discourse on education in the United States has become so
convoluted and narrow and so dominated by a faux realist perspective
(actually an unholy combination of realist and idealist) that even
legislators who mean well are I think making thoughtless mistakes. It
still pains me that Ted Kennedy and George Miller were major forces behind
NCLB. There are many reasons for this I think, not the least of which is
control of public discourse by a relatively small group of educators - but
just because you are giving money towards education initiatives does not
mean that you are helping the cause of universal education.
Michael
________________________________
From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu on behalf of cconnery@ithaca.edu
Sent: Sun 12/13/2009 10:10 PM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
Subject: RE: [xmca] Obama's Learn Act
Hi Peg and others:
Here is the specific language under section 9, e,1,c of the LEARN Act:
SEC. 9. SUBGRANTS TO ELIGIBLE ENTITIES IN SUPPORT OF BIRTH THROUGH
KINDERGARTEN ENTRY LITERACY.
(e) LOCAL USES OF FUNDS.-
(1) IN GENERAL.-An eligible entity that receives a subgrant under this
section shall use the subgrant funds consistent with the plan proposed in
subsection (c) to carry out the following activities:
(C) SCREENING ASSESSMENTS AND MEASURES.-Acquiring, providing training for,
and implementing screening assessments or other appropriate measures to
determine whether children from birth through kindergarten entry are
developing appropriate early language and literacy skills.
The question is, "WHO will determine what is appropriate and HOW will they
assess it?" This goes to the heart of Vygotsky's work.
Cathrene
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