Comments on: Education Secretary Arne Duncan

By: Donna Amos

Donna Amos — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 04:19:16 +0000

I taught 8th grade for 21 years in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I retired at the end of 1999. I am very concerned about just how money is going to fix problem schools. What are your plans for bringing today’s parents on board as necessary partners with teachers in the education process? Without parent support and a homelife which encourages children to study and focus and take learning seriously as their “job”, in preparation for their future…then, I doubt that throwing lots of money at problems will not work.
I continually see my former students around town and have been honored to hear them tell me how something we read in class had stayed with them in their daily lives.
I loved teaching school and want more than anything for our country to be number one in education in the world. But, to be honest, I feel that our society has declined and values are missing which are necessary to become an educated person.
I wish you luck in your attempts to fix our schools.

By: Patsy Pendleton

Patsy Pendleton — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 01:57:58 +0000

I agree with Karen from Connecticut: “America’s schools are not failing; students are failing.” Focus on the fact that most students are passing classes and getting an education. Most teachers are certified and qualified and are dedicating their time above and beyond the call of duty. Recently retired, I taught high school English for 37 years and have witnessed the change in student behavior as well as parental behavior and support. Today, the two most prevalent problems in America’s high schools are student absenteeism and self-discipline. Regardless of how well the teacher is doing his/her job, the student cannot receive an education if he/she is not in class or if he/she is not willing to accept the opportunity to learn. Parents are unwilling to support the educational process, and they are unwilling or unable to discipline their children. As I see it, there will be little educators or politicians can do to improve the educational process until the parents are willing to discipline their children and are able to instill in them the desire to learn.

By: Patsy Pendleton

Patsy Pendleton — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 22:14:51 +0000

I agree with Karen from Connecticut: “America’s schools are not failing; students are failing.” Focus on the fact that most students are passing classes and getting an education. Most teachers are certified and qualified and are dedicating their time above and beyond the call of duty. Recently retired, I taught high school English for 37 years and have witnessed the change in student behavior as well as parental behavior and support. Today, the two most prevalent problems in America’s high schools are student absenteeism and self-discipline. Regardless of how well the teacher is doing his/her job, the student cannot receive an education if he/she is not in class or if he/she is not willing to accept the education. Parents are unwilling to support the educational process, and they are unwilling or unable to discipline their children. As I see it, there will be little educators or politicians can do to improve the educational process until the parents are willing to discipline their children and are able to instill in them the desire to learn.

By: Mark

Mark — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 02:11:15 +0000

Sorry, special education has grown to be a collosal and cruel joke. Seems over half the kids are special education now. There are kids in my child’s class who REGULARLY abuse other kids, to the point of stabbing them with pencils, but no one can do anything to the brat, cause he is “special education”. They actually have a full time “special ed” teacher who does the writing for one child – and that child is fine — because the child says he has trouble writing his letters. I know the kid well, he has stayed at our house overnight a dozen times. He is gaming the system and laughs about it. Special ed is a slippery slope that has grown far beyond its legitimate place.

By: Bowen Paulle

Bowen Paulle — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:37:58 +0000

Amazing. No one is saying anything about the elephant in the living room: socio-economic segregation. Wealthy minority kids ususally end up in middle class schools, poor kids do not — even if they are “white.” About one out of every 23 high poverty schools perform well. Of course Duncan and Obama and Tom make sure that their own kids go to middle class (if not elite) schools, like the rest of us powerful adults. They know all this, even if they don’t talk about it.
This omission is extra amazing because new forms of socio-economic desegregation are emerging–across the USA and beyond. I’m working on socio-eco desegregation in the Netherlands. Tom should do a show on this.
Charters can do well, they can also flop. No reason, yet, to think Charter sucesses can go to scale. Every reason to think many more middle class schools can be created through “contolled choice” (i.e., what they have in Cambridge MA). Goal should be to expand access to middle class schools while learning from success as good charter schools and using new funds for school buildings in locations that will stimulate more socio-economic balance.
Tragic that these basic points are not even issues for Tom, Arne, or the people posting comments. This could have been the perfect storm for reform. But what we are missing is the right vision and road map.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:37:32 +0000

I listened to part of the program and was dismayed to hear the same old administrative psychobabble. When did this man stop talking like a human being? I was angered by his affirmation that, although teachers deserved higher salaries, the deteriorating financial mess made it impossible at this time.

When is the time? For how many economic seasons have we heard the same guff from our leaders? We can’t raise teacher salaries because we’re fighting a war, because we have to give tax breaks to the already-wealthy, because times are too good, because times are too bad. If not now, when, Mr. Secretary? It’s time to give teachers more than lip service and a pat on the back.

By: Source Form #27 « The world of writing and thinking

Source Form #27 « The world of writing and thinking — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:01:18 +0000

[...] http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2009/03/education-secretary-arne-duncan/ [...]

By: Source Form #26 « The world of writing and thinking

Source Form #26 « The world of writing and thinking — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:59:10 +0000

[...] http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2009/03/education-secretary-arne-duncan/ [...]

By: Source Form #24 « The world of writing and thinking

Source Form #24 « The world of writing and thinking — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 18:46:26 +0000

[...] Works Cited: http://www.onpointradio.org/shows/2009/03/education-secretary-arne-duncan [...]

By: International Educational Directory > Stimulating learning

International Educational Directory > Stimulating learning — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 12:57:52 +0000

[...] On Point interviewed Duncan [...]

By: American Education: 2 Podcasts | Lessons Learned

American Education: 2 Podcasts | Lessons Learned — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 03:58:38 +0000

[...] an hour with Tom Ashbrook sharing the plan for improving American education. Listen to the On Point program. One comment on my part is that I did not hear Secretary Duncan make any reference to the role of [...]

By: John

John — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 17:57:47 +0000

What is required is less criticism and more practical solutions.

Here is what we do, short term, find the most effective instructor in your school and copy everything they do. Everything from calendars, quizzes, tests, books, teaching philosophy, etc.

Here is what we do in the long term, find the most effective instructors in the United States, study them, look for commonalities, and then distill their practices into a system that is easy to follow and implement. Standardize pedagogy, standardize books, keep standards high. I’ve written and entire blog on this:

http://howtolearnmath.blogspot.com/

By: Glen

Glen — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 02:30:18 +0000

Superb! However what about the students who do not go to college – never heard vocational students mentioned
If everybody goes to college – who will fix broken things?

By: Peter W. Van Ness

Peter W. Van Ness — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:14:53 +0000

Thank you, Mr. Duncan, for your vision.

You used the term Perfect Storm to describe the opportunity for reform. I am chair of a charter school founding group in Gloucester, MA where the Perfect Storm took place. Hearing you speak gives me hope that the reforms we seek may have a chance.

Unfortunately, the powers that be in our city (mayor, school committee, district superintendent) have mounted a “Perfect Storm” of opposition to the reforms our charter will bring to Gloucester.

Any advice?

p.s., Thank you, Mr. Ashbrook, for hosting Mr. Duncan.

By: Arne Duncan avoids taking a side in the KIPP vs. AFT debate | GothamSchools

Arne Duncan avoids taking a side in the KIPP vs. AFT debate | GothamSchools — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:55:00 +0000

[...] the fun fact that Duncan’s family did not have a television set when he was growing up, here. Filed under: Newsroom Tags: Arne Duncan, Charter Schools, KIPP, KIPP AMP, NPR, teachers’ [...]

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 18:29:34 +0000

Kill the teacher’s union and contracts that reward mediocrity.

Also, let’s increase pay for excellent teachers. The kids deserve the best.

By: J Victor Milner

J Victor Milner — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:46:56 +0000

… oops! Disregard the ‘and’ after cognizant. That phrase should read, “cognizant of the scope and overlapping complexities of …”.

By: J Victor Milner

J Victor Milner — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:41:31 +0000

After listening to Secretary Duncan, I am left with the disturbing feeling that he lacks a coherent new vision for education. He seems quite cognizant and of the scope and overlapping complexities of the problems in education. That conceded though, he displayed little evidence of the intellectual depth and wherewithal for visionary synthesis, I think, necessary to effectively address the complex ‘how to’s of addressing those problems. President Obama impresses me. He seems to have a truly practicable, yet revolutionary vision for the nation. I am saddened that he was unable to find a secretary with a comparable complementary vision for education.

By: Doris Partan

Doris Partan — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:02:06 +0000

Which Moms to reward? It has to be Moms whose kids qualify for Head Start programs or Moms of the children who get Free and Reduced Lunch. Doris Partan

By: Doris Partan

Doris Partan — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 04:45:32 +0000

Just had an idea- Arnie and Obama want to reward to great teachers. How about rewarding the great Moms, those that read, organize backpacks, meet with teachers, return notices, give homework space and time, turn off the TV and video games? Get the community involved – get gift certificates from GAP, Walmart, Target, MacDonald, Kentucky Fried Chicken. Closing the achievement gap moves the entire country forward from kindergarten through college and gives all kids an equal chance to Race to the Top! Doris Partan