Comments for Harvard Graduate School of Education

Comment on It Takes a University: Martha K. Ferede by Fitsum G/michael

Fitsum G/michael — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:32:00 +0000

Oh! Martha it is very interesting accomplishment.It is a unique dimension of helping challenged refugees to access higher education.I hope you will come up with a fruitful research output.

Comment on Ed.L.D. Students Visit Model Systems by M. Azhar

M. Azhar — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:49:00 +0000

Dear Mr. Elmore,
I found out interesting while going through this article—mentioning about a group of students has traveled to the countries, which have successful models, or have successful stories in the field of education. Obviously, they have compared their findings with the United States. While a similar kind of work, I have done while sitting here at Lahore-Pakistan and my findings are not very different from what your students have observed. I have studied in the context of Pakistan which has a poor educational model and cannot be compared even some of the African countries, who have achieved several milestones in the shortest possible time. I have taken a pool of countries, from Europe, Central Asia, Africa, North America and South America. Eventually, I came up with interesting commonalities across these systems but amongst all these South Korea to me appeared as an exceptional case, which undoubtedly invested more in teachers by paying them handsome salaries along with huge investment in terms of resources and commitment to promotion of citizenry in their educational discourse by way of curriculum and instruction. I can discuss more in detail, if you want to.

Azhar

Comment on Pathways to Prosperity Seeks to Redefine American Education System by Eshafer1

Eshafer1 — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:49:00 +0000

It is time for capitulation on the “college for all” mantra and a standardized secondary education path which has its sole base in standardized testing. The graduation assessments measure a narrow range of student potential and often limit the consideration of other dreams for students (think art, drama or other interesting work or pursuits that provide personal agency). Several things come to mind after reading the comments here. First, ability matters and those with high intellectual ability are between three and five times more successful (think earn a doctorate, secure a patent, publish an article in a scientific journal or publish a literary work), Lubinski and Benbow. These are important and necessary contributions in a high imagination economy but hardly within the grasp of many students. Second, for those concerned with “tracking” we do that now in a de facto manner by failing 25% of the students out of the system and 35% of community college enrollees who never see the second semmester. Is a student with a practical skill and earning potential better able to pursue additional education than the dropout or even a graduate with low academic skills who manages to graduate? Work skills matter and high school graduates with them have higher initial earnings. Third the college for all system has levied a trillion dollars of student debt on to the backs of our postsecondary graduates and non graduates. This is a pretty steep personal and societal cost to pay for a system that yields 30% with BAs and 42% with any degree or credential. In fact, one of the stunning findings in the Pathways report is that 27% of those with a credential earn more than the average individual with a BA. Finally, we have an engagement crisis that results in the performance crisis. High School academic life with rare exceptions is boring and fails to provide relevance to the student’s daily or future life (Beth is on to something). If the current system was designed for an industrial system and provided the workers we needed to be successful for 65 years isn’t it time to create a system that mirrors how work is done in a high imagination economy to get the workers we need today.
Here are a few difficult steps to consider.

Create multiple paths to graduation including career programs with rigorous convergence of academic, technical and employability skills.

Incorporate national technical skills assessments into the package of school graduation assessments and allow for substitution with those technical assessments that meet psychometric standards.

Require all students to take a minimum of three career courses or a program equivalent.

Insist on rigorous and relevant instructional practices. Rigor isn’t about making it hard or even requiring seat time it is about making difficult and important skills and information accessible to students. This means providing relevant experiences that are real world, interdisciplinary, complex and practical. It is about getting students to think and work.

Develop a merit based/guidance system that guides students to interesting pathways and allow students to move over to a new path upon demonstration of ability and interest. Our global competitors in Asia and Western Europe do this now.

Finally, stress the importance of apprenticeships, corporate training, credentials (at less than the AA) and the military as legitimate forms of post secondary education. These often provide entry into middle class earnings and life. These choices often create less debt and the earning power to gain additional education.

Comment on Jewell-Sherman Receives Humanitarian Award by Dawn Miller

Dawn Miller — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 01:28:00 +0000

An amazing accomplishment, Dr. Jewell-Sherman! Congratulations!
I am so proud of you! You are an inspiration to us all.

Comment on Harvard EdCast: The Jazz in Teaching by Poppy

Poppy — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:22:00 +0000

I strongly recommend listening to this podcast. I’m an English teacher, currently studying a Bachelor of Jazz course. Most of my colleagues can see no connection between what I am studying and what I do in my English classroom. Here, Marsalis lies it all out, plainly and clearly.

The skills of playing jazz music can not only inform excellent classroom teaching and learning practice but are also a blue-print for exceptional learning in all subject areas! And in true jazz style Marsalis is casual, conversational, humble and affirming. My line in the conversation is when he says to the interviewer ‘ put those notes away son, you know your stuff, you don’t need them’. How many jazz teachers have said that to their students!

Comment on Geoffrey Canada to Receive Medal for Education Impact by Avisatkins

Avisatkins — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:43:00 +0000

You are amazing!

Comment on Jewell-Sherman Receives Humanitarian Award by Abebary_lema

Abebary_lema — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:10:00 +0000

Congratulations, Dr Sherman!!! I am proud of you. You are one of the best model for all of us. Almighty God bless you.

Best,
Abebaye

Comment on Jewell-Sherman Receives Humanitarian Award by Drew Echelson

Drew Echelson — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:03:00 +0000

Congratulations, Dr. Jewell-Sherman! HGSE is proud of you. Thank you for all that you do.

Comment on Jewell-Sherman Receives Humanitarian Award by Thabo Phokojoe

Thabo Phokojoe — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Congratulations Dr Sherman! You are an inspiration to us and we will continue to be proud to have you in our circle of friends and mentors.

Comment on IEP Students Spend J-Term in Morocco by Fl

Fl — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:15:00 +0000

i’m glad they had this opportunity, but why would you describe that as “rigorous” policy analysis? It doesn’t not sound like an empirical study was involved.