When Rewards Aren’t Rewards


Over the last 24hrs, er…, make that 36 hours now, I’ve overheard two conversations, and read an article all dealing with the same thing: rewarding students. Parents are mad, as well they should be. But not mad enough to do anything about it, complaining, writing a letter to the school district, or a letter to…

Create the Creative Class, Deprecate the Drone


Having written a few notes about education, particularly about the holy triumvirate of Higher Education, K-12 Education, and Business, I’ve gotten some feedback. Feedback is good; feedback is the signal people need to re-tune their message, to clarify misunderstanding. One of the frequent concerns I’ve received regards my desire for more business interaction in high…

Reality Distortion Field, GOP-style


Our political climate is horrible. You might say, “Duh, I know this.” Knowing something doesn’t necessary mean you are aware of the insidious and nuanced misinformation propagated by politicians at every turn. Even the worst politicians are usually able to weave a fantasy narrative about how they are “right,” and their opponent is “wrong,” in…

What Is Your Population Number?


I got a great question over the weekend. "Is it possible to know WHERE the 7 billionth person will be born?" While a finite number of people are born every day, knowing exactly WHERE the precise birth event occurred that introduced the 7 billionth person to the world is highly unlikely. Even in the 21st…

Is Standardized State and Federal-Mandated Testing Destroying Education?


Update: The following essay was written October 2011. On March 30th, 2013, the Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent and 34 other school officials were charged with running a “corrupt organization” (yes, just like the Mafia). The 35 individuals have been indicted for falsifying standardized test scores. (WashingtonPost) Let me begin by stating I am not going…

Is Education Reform Even Possible?


I like thinking about education, talking about education, educating myself, and preaching on the importance of education. The world is rapidly changing. People, business, and governments need to be adaptable and nimble to remain competitive and innovative. I worry about the state of education in the United States. Bureaucracies, especially Democratically-driven bureaucracies are notoriously slow…