Parents ‘n Schools

It is odd, perhaps, but it is true that one of the greatest champions of “the little guy” in America is the “biggest guy” — Warren Buffett. It is not odd at all, of course, if you trouble to study his life and you are familiar with his writings and talks. Such championing is entirely […]

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Perhaps you ask yourself…
… how do I tell my friends and neighbours what I know to be true about schooling?
How about you tell me.
Then I’ll tell them.
(And we’ll pretend it came from someone… important.)
Please tell me “one true thing”.
I’ll put them together into a handy collection of true things about schooling.
Then we’ll all share.
Here’s my […]

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In a “schooling as pipeline” post a couple weeks ago (rebroadcast from a year ago) I wrote:
“I believe government would be well-served to provide a handy checklist to parents at the beginning of every school year, aimed and designed as close as possible to their particular child (or at a minimum unique to each grade), […]

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(GLO — Dec 09 — There’s just something about the holiday season that itches the activist in me… the Alberta government has a “School Act Review” initiative underway these days, and I’m contemplating a submission… Education Minister’s love getting input in their work… particularly from well-meaning citizenry… you know, like me… and possibly you.)
See […]

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For a Whack on the Head… for Inspiration (in education and in life)… for books worth reading and insights into life worth living… visit
http://www.squidoo.com/Whatmattersnowfreeebook
and review all the links, books, authors and places available there and compiled in the course of Seth Godin’s project / free ebook “What Matters Now”.
Enjoy and share.
GLO
gordotto@parentsnschools.com
– Share with a Friend […]

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(GLO — Dec 09 — From about a year ago, TED.com continues to be a favourite source of thinking and learning, and incredibly convenient and powerful via the internet and iPod. A vast, rich collection of speakers and topics and mind-whacking notions. If that’s not schooling, what is?)
One of the best examples of the […]

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From John Hunt, worldwide creative director of TBWA, in his new collection “The Art of the Idea: And How It Can Change Your Life”.

“Expediency is not an idea.”
“Expediency wins so often because the obvious is overlooked. If a new idea is worth anything, it should make everyone a little nervous. It will be tougher to […]

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(GLO — December 2009 — The “consumer as watchdog” dynamic is not officially endorsed in government schooling. Instead, it works to opt parents in as “partners”. Not really in everyone’s best interests, I have come to believe. The consumer dynamic is a powerful dynamic, and a powerfully good one in such aspects as quality, diversity […]

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At Inspiring Education, they utilized the application “Wordle” to visually capture the trends in the conversation and the predominant language being used.
I visited Wordle online, and they invite linking to their site so they can generate a Wordle image for your particular text or blog.
Here is the Wordle representation for Parents ‘n Schools.

[…]

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(GLO — December 09 — Wrote this about a year ago, and believe it still pertains. The challenges of parents ‘n schools is not unlike the challenges of parents ‘n hockey, or parents ‘n life. It’s maybe just schooling that thinks it’s unique.)
There really is no “typical” involved parent, any more than there is actually […]

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