School board members are receiving death threats. School board meetings have become shouting matches. The national news is regularly reporting about the most local of politics—school board elections in tiny districts. The two primary topics causing all this conflict are COVID-based mandates for masking and/or vaccination and teaching about racism in social studies classes. This post is about…
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When I observe our dogs, I often envy their seeming ease in the world. Sure, Pippin gets anxious when we leave the house (and the couch cover gets a wee bit more torn up as a result); Poppy cringes when treats are tossed her way (perhaps because she was abused before we rescued her); and Hershel has a pillow…
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In late July, I set out to find baby gray tree frogs. They’re emerald green and (I’ll just say it) incredibly adorable. They are also very difficult to find because they’re well-camouflaged, sitting as they do on green leaves. But because I’m looking for them, I often find them. I see what I’m attending to….
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About 10 years ago, I was attending a play at our local theater, which was across the street from our town high school. It was 11 p.m., and one of the actors was closing the show with a soliloquy when sirens started sounding outside. The fire truck’s deafening sound went on and on without moving,…
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Nandita Bajaj is the Executive Director of Population Balance, a non-profit organization that educates about—and offers solutions to address—the impacts of human overpopulation and overconsumption on the planet, people, and animals. A humane educator and a passionate advocate for planetary health, Nandita’s area of interest is on the intimate links between pronatalism, anthropocentrism, and overpopulation…
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What should we teach students in school? Given the realities of globalization, constantly evolving technologies, rapidly shifting job opportunities, and a planet in peril from climate change, it’s important to re-evaluate the body of knowledge and skillsets that we require children to obtain. It helps to come to this task with a beginner’s eyes, unfettered…
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Passionate about preparing young people to lead lives of joy and purpose, Steve Cochrane has had a remarkable journey through the field of education. It is a journey that has taken him from the campus of Princeton University where he served as an admissions officer and an assistant dean of students to the classroom of…
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Most people in industrialized countries have experienced 13 years of formal schooling, so it is not surprising that many consider themselves to be legitimate critics of education. Our feelings about schooling run the gamut. Some believe that if the curriculum and pedagogy were good enough for them, they should be good enough for children today. Others…
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Julie Meltzer has served in a wide variety of roles in education in several states over the past 30 years. Her work has always been within the context of equity and capacity building. She is a systems thinker who collaborates with others to improve education at the local, state, and national levels. Julie is a…
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In the United States, the current purpose of schooling is expressed in the mission statement at the U.S. Department of Education website: to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. Is this mission sufficient and appropriate for students whose future is threatened by global problems they will be required…
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