Readings Essay #1
Dr. Bordelon's English I On-Campus Web Site
Assigned Readings
Writer's Notes Essay #1 (Download)
Randal C. Archibold What Kind Of Education Is Adequate? It Depends
Thomas Friedman "Learning to Keep Learning"'
Michael Moore Idiot Nation (PDF); same essay in HTML for copying and pasting Idiot Nation
Benjamin Barber's "The Educated Student" (PDF file): same essay in HTML for copying and pasting "Educated"
Ted Gest Fixing Your School
Michael Winerip Going for Depth Instead of Prep
Barbara Kantrowitz and Pat Wingert "What Makes a High School Great?"
Jean Anyon From Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work (PDF file); same essay in HTML for copying and pasting "Social Class"
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Additional Readings
Thomas Friedman "Learning to Keep Learning" -- another good essay on the importance of education for America's economic future.
America Skips School, by Benjamin Barber
Here is another fine essay by Barber which looks at the causes behind America's lack of interest in really changing schools.
Why Johnny Can't Read, Write, Multiply or Divide
Kate Zernike. New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Apr 15, 2001. p. 4.5
Great article with examples of student tests; discusses the difficulties of standardized testing.
Marjorie Coeyman Practical Skills vs. Three R's: A Debate Revives
Lynn Olson Calls for Revamping High Schools Intensify
Going for Depth Instead of Prep
Michael Winerip. New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Jun 11, 2003. p. B.8
Hirsch, E. D. "Not so grand a strategy: A National at Risk emphasized the importance of learning so-called "higher-order skills" in the early grades. But even chess grand masters need to learn the basics first."
Missed Opportunities
Education Week Vol. 20 No. 5 Oct. 4, 2000; Lexile Score: 1330; 25K, SIRS Researcher
Good Teachers + Small Classes = Quality Education
Michael Winerip. New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: May 26, 2004. p. B.7
Assessing Money's Role In Making Schools Better
Richard Rothstein. New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Nov 14, 2001. p. D.12
World-Class Schools
American School Board Journal
Educating the European Way
Weighing Students' Skills And Underlying Attitudes
Richard Rothstein. New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: May 16, 2001. p. B.8
Adding Up the Impact Of Raising Salaries (On funding and teachers)
Steven Greenhouse. New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Aug 8, 1999. p. 4.16
New Views of Human Intelligence
development., Marie Winn; Marie Winn, author of ''The Plug-In Drug,'' writes regularly about child. New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: Apr 29, 1990. p. A.16
Many Young Adults Can't Find Iraq on a Map, Survey Finds
Dallas Morning News (Dallas, TX) May 2, 2006; Lexile Score: 1280; 6K, SIRS Researcher
Calls for Revamping High Schools Intensify
Education Week Vol. 24, No. 20 Jan. 26, 2005; Lexile Score: 1320; 22K, SIRS Researcher
The High School Transcript Study: A Decade...Executive Summary
The High School Transcript Study: A Decade of Change in Curricula... March 2004; Lexile Score: 1530; 12K, SIRS Government Reporter
Many Public School Graduates Aren't College-Ready, Report Says
St. Louis Post-Dispatch (St. Louis, MO) Sept. 19, 2003; Lexile Score: 1260; 4K, SIRS Researcher
Practical Skills vs. Three R's: A Debate Revives
Christian Science Monitor July 8, 2003; Lexile Score: 1310; 9K, SIRS Researcher
Top High School Performers Stumped by Demands of College
Gannett News Service Oct. 20, 2003; Lexile Score: 1200; 10K, SIRS Researcher
Model Schools
American Enterprise Jan./Feb. 2001; Lexile Score: 1130; 165K, SIRS Researcher
Fixing Your School
U.S. News & World Report Oct. 9, 2000; Lexile Score: 1020; 33K, SIRS Researcher
Goodbye to All That
Harper's Nov. 1998; Lexile Score: 1320; 36K, SIRS Researcher
Closing the Achievement Gap by Detracking