Friday, May 4, 2012

New studies show, it's Rahm who needs a longer school day

"Research, schmeesearch!"
But the extended day approach being implemented in many schools as a result of the department’s push to increase instructional time falls short. It largely ignores the deep body of research on what makes effective expanded learning. Instead, too many schools are merely adding another hour or so of regular class time onto the school day. Not surprisingly, two very recent studies suggest we might not accomplish much with this approach to improving schools. -- Washington Post
Excuse me, Mr. Mayor. Did you see that there's more "new" research -- two new studies, in fact -- "flashing warning signs about the move to extend the school day."  Of course there's really nothing new here as I've been reporting for months now. 

Now I know you're not a big ed research guy and prefer repeating things planted in your noggin by people like Jonah Edelman of Stand For Children. Remember? He was the guy who told you that if your cousin lived in Houston, he/she would get three more years of education because of their longer day. What a load of crap that turned out to be.

Houston schools are floundering and parents there are also pushing back on longer school day plans. Your poll ratings are plummeting. Parents and teachers are rebelling against your imposed 7.5-hour day and you have become the poster boy for getting rid of mayoral control of the schools. Even Mayor Daley is bright enough to make some political hay over this at your expense.

Stop everything and read, Mr. Mayor. 

3 comments:

  1. I love your stuff; always a little more informative and witty than the rest of the bunch!
    keep it up coach, at the end of the day it will be people like us that will help the kids; teachers, not billionaires n corporations out to make a buck off the back of kids lunch money.
    This Jonah Edelman creep... i saw this video where a billionaire from Chicago, I think James Crown tells how they broke the union, bribed legislators to do away with teachers due process he said its going to get tense when we try to lengthen the day without paying. DianeRavitch tweeted he was financing Obama's senate campain... Well, These guys were running Chicago schools wit Duncan n charters and all and its been more than ten years of closing schools, charters,and they keep on doing it as if it worked. It didn't and Emmanuael and possibly Obama may pay a price for this come November. I used to like these guys. What a shame. Who'll bail out the poor kids after these Wall Street Ederform gurus are proven wrong again?

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  2. Anon,

    Who said anything about bail?

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  3. No bail 4 poor kids. Its a charter 4 privatized prisons, that's what billionaires financed edreform lead to!

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