The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 established our nation’s first incorporated territory and the structure that would govern and guide it going forward. It’s referenced in a variety of contexts and capacities to speak both to the purpose of government and to the systems and standards that make it work. As previously discussed here on Education…
Read MoreBuilding a Good Government The Northwest Ordinance of 1787— which established our nation’s first incorporated territory and the structure that would govern and guide it — speaks both to the purpose of government and to the systems and standards that will make it effective. It speaks to the philosophy of government in the acquisition of…
Read MoreWhat’s Your Bias? Is it possible to have a view of the world – and of education in America – that’s shaped by something bigger than the world around us? Are any of us unbiased in our perspectives on what the right path forward should be? The obvious answer is “No.” Nobody is unbiased….
Read MoreOur definitions of success and standards for goodness and beauty seem to be constantly shifting — and even spiraling — in our culture. On one hand, these shifts are a result of plummeting values that are permeating almost every other area of life. When urinals on a wall can be called art and when an…
Read MoreThe last 18 months of life in the classrooms of this country have been some of the most difficult in our educational history. From government-mandated shut downs to social isolation, fear, and undefined standards for performance, our students, teachers, and administrators have been facing truly unprecedented challenges. The new model they found themselves in made…
Read MoreThere’s a quote that is attributed most often to William Butler Yeats that says, “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” Education, in its purest form, isn’t about to-do lists or “getting it done with” but about the freeing of a mind. It’s not requirements and deadlines but igniting within…
Read MoreSchool Choice, Political Agendas, and Saving the Classroom Politics and Education. In each, one general principle seems to hold fast: It’s easier to know what people are against than what they’re for. People don’t speak out in favor of what they determine to be a good idea often enough. They’re much more likely to speak…
Read MoreAt Education America, we’re committed to leading better conversations about education. Sometimes that means we’re talking to educators about what’s working and what’s not. Sometimes it means we’re asking parents what they care about and how they’re helping their kids make the most out of learning. Sometimes it’s about trends or traditions; books we’ve read…
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