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Date:
| Sat May 31 19:15:54 2003
| Name:
| Cynthia Rucker
| E-mail:
| crucker@laca.org
| Organization:
| Maysville 6-12
| Location:
| Mount Perry, OH
| How the site | was found: through a breadnet link
| Comments:
| Interesting site. Today, a student in my English 10 class
asked me the difference between a private school education and a public
school one--we are in a public one--and...I told him they spend much less
time worrying about state tests!
|
|
Date:
| Fri May 30 07:15:46 2003
| Name:
| Charles Meeker
| E-mail:
| charlesmeeker@msn.com
| Organization:
| Port Huron Area School District
| Location:
| Port Huron, Mi 48060
| How the site | was found: Google
| Comments:
| Excellent message regarding high stakes tests. When I raise
these same concerns with my education colleagues I am told that testing
train has left the station. My response has been that while that may be
true, it's on the wrong track.
|
|
Date:
| Fri May 30 06:35:23 2003
| Name:
| Edward Sparks
| E-mail:
| esparks@csnewfrontiers.qc.ca
| Organization:
| New Frontiers School Board
| Location:
| Ormstown, Quebec, Canada
| How the site | was found: ASCD Smartbrief
| Comments:
| At a conference in Toronto this year, you talked about an
experiment in which teachers of equal ability teaching classes of equal
ability were given a curriculum to teach but with different directives.
One group was told that a high stakes test would measure the learning and
the other group would was told that the idea was to help the students gain
a deep understanding of the material. Could you let me know where I can
find a report on this study. Thanks.
|
|
Date:
| Fri May 30 04:31:44 2003
| Name:
| David Airey
| E-mail:
| david.airey@millville.org
| Organization:
| Millville Board of Education
| Location:
| New Jersey
| How the site | was found: My ASCD smartbrief lead me to an article in the
Philadelphia Inquirer.
| Comments:
| The text of the article made reference to your website and
I felt compelled to find and bookmark it for future use. In New Jersey
testing and state requirements for completing forms, surveys, and a host
of other nonsensical "stuff" make my job as an educator absolutely
frustrating.
|
|
Date:
| Thu May 29 19:27:27 2003
| Name:
| John Perry
| E-mail:
| mentelibre@att.net
| Organization:
| Florida Coalition for Assessment Reform
| Location:
| Tampa, FL
| How the site | was found: May 29, 2003 Philadelphia Enquirer article by Connie
Langland
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Thu May 29 16:45:41 2003
| Name:
| Ellen Blue
| E-mail:
| ellen_blue@scs.k12.nc.us
| Organization:
| Stanly County Schools
| Location:
| Albemarle, NC
| How the site | was found: Google search
| Comments:
| I am writing a research paper for my masters program.
Honestly, I had never heard of Alfie Kohn until this assignment. I can't
believe it! I agree with everything I have read on this site. Actually, I
can believe it. I am certain that the powers-that-be in our state don't
want us to read to much of this stuff. It seems our entire school program
state-wide is based on end-of-grade standardized testing!! Thanks for
being the voice of reason. I hope I do you justice in my paper!
|
|
Date:
| Thu May 29 14:37:32 2003
| Name:
| JAMES F. O'NEILL
| E-mail:
| joneill@chatham-nj.org
| Organization:
| School District of the Chathams
| Location:
| Chatham, NJ 07928
| How the site | was found: noted in article about speech on testing in Lr. Merion, PA
| Comments:
| Thanks for your efforts to derail this foolish and
simplistic answer to insuring quality education. God forbid we all strive
to have schools as good as they are in Texas.
|
|
Date:
| Thu May 29 12:15:44 2003
| Name:
| Lisa Lavoie
| E-mail:
| llavoie@txcc.commnet.edu
| Organization:
| Tunxis Community College
| Location:
| Farmington, CT 06032
| How the site | was found: via an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer
| Comments:
| I would love to have Mr. Kohn come to Connecticut and
de-program the school administrators who have lost sight of the purpose of
education and the beauty of learning. My daughter's teachers spend weeks
teaching to the tests and most of the children are so frightened "they
won't pass." The horror truly comes when the towns are rated in the local
newspaper and real estate values are assigned accordingly. What a world,
what a world. Please keep your trumpets blaring! Our children are not
numbers.
|
|
Date:
| Thu May 29 12:03:45 2003
| Name:
| Kathryn M. Benson
| E-mail:
| kmb@sprhill.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Springhill, LA
| How the site | was found: ASCD online
| Comments:
| Surely more and more effort will be made by concerned
educators, students, and parents to loosen the stranglehold of
standardized testing.
|
|
Date:
| Thu May 29 09:54:29 2003
| Name:
| Dawn M. Burke
| E-mail:
| dawnmarieburke@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Pa Homeschooling
| Location:
| Franconia, PA
| How the site | was found: newspaper article in Philadelphia Inquirer
| Comments:
| Alfie, your philosophy of education is exactly why I left a
public school teaching position and took my 3 sons out to homeschool them.
Most children in traditional school settings are deprived of the fine arts
of music, artwork, literature, and critical thinking. While the state of
Pennsylvania requires standardized testing in 3rd, 5th and 8th grades for
homeschooled students, I don't put a big emphasis on the "day of all days"
(the testing date), but present it to my sons as an opportunity to check
out there general knowledge, and encourage them to do the best that they
can. Having an academically gifted son, an average son, and a
learning-disabled son, I can see how the emphasis on standardized testing
is an unhealthy balance of achieving a complete education. Standardized
tests do not evaluate critical thinking skills, and cultural knowledge and
appreciation. Thanks for your determination to rally for true education
for students in our country!
|
|
Date:
| Wed May 28 05:43:57 2003
| Name:
| daniela iizuka
| E-mail:
| iizuka@erols.com
| Organization:
| Committee for Special Ed. of Lower Merion School District
| Location:
| Pennsylvania
| How the site | was found: heard from Alfie Kohn
| Comments:
| Please convey to Mr. Kohn how much I enjoyed his
presentation to teachers, parents, and administrators last night in Lower
Merion School District. I agree with his message 100% and am now inspired
to be more pro-active toward eliminating most if not all standardized
tests! Thank you very much. sincerely, Danny Iizuka
|
|
Date:
| Wed May 28 05:15:36 2003
| Name:
| Chantelle Lloyd
| E-mail:
| clloyd3@pobox.une.edu.au
| Organization:
| University student
| Location:
| Armidale, Australia
| How the site | was found: Google search engine
| Comments:
| Your website was very helpful in filling me in on your
theory and backgroud. You are a theorist we are looking at, at the moment,
so this website was very helpful.Thanks
|
|
Date:
| Sun May 25 07:51:45 2003
| Name:
| Guy Moores
| E-mail:
| novascotia@hushmail.com
| Organization:
| a school board in N.S.
| Location:
| Nova Scotia, Canada
| How the site | was found: regular visitor
| Comments:
| Dear Alfie: I want to thank you for your web site. I come
here often for a taste of sanity in this bizarre world of educational
testing. In Nova Scotia a grade 12 provincial mathematics exam will be
introduced in January 2004. The teachers in this province are being told
that teaching to the test is exactly what the Provincial Department of
Education wants us to do with respect to the upcoming provincial math
exam. In this way, Department of Education officials say we will be
covering all of the learning outcomes. At the present time there are so
many outcomes it is impossible to cover all of them. The stress level
among teachers and students is high now because there are too many
learning outcomes. Next year the situation will be much worse as the
emphasis switches to achieving success on a standarized exam. I fear for
our average or marginal students. Mathematics is so important for these
students who will be facing a pace of learning that will be so hard and
fast that they will not be able to keep up. The failure rates surely will
rise. To make all of this even more confusing, the largest school board in
Nova Scotia (Halifax Regional School Board) embarked on a process several
years ago to treat students as individuals, to recognize that each student
is uniquely different in how he or she learns. At the school board level
the emphasis has been on learning styles and on a wide variety of
assessment strategies. Formal testing has been de-emphasized. I think the
school board got it right. So now we have two conflicting philosophies in
the same province. We are being asked to teach mathematics using a
constructivist approach and, at the same time we are being told to teach
to the test with an impossible number of learning outcomes. This is
insanity and this is why I am so grateful for your web site.
|
|
Date:
| Fri May 23 23:16:56 2003
| Name:
| Vishnu Kant
| E-mail:
| vishnukant@vsnl.net
| Organization:
| The Teacher Foundation
| Location:
| India
| How the site | was found: through a friends
| Comments:
| Wonderful work, Dr. Cohn! Could I request you to post me
about your activities, and how can I benefit from them here in India.
|
|
Date:
| Fri May 23 16:09:46 2003
| Name:
| Charlene Bain
| E-mail:
| craeb@msn.com
| Organization:
| Heritage Institure, Antioch University
| Location:
| Washington state
| How the site | was found: A class syllabus
| Comments:
| I'm interested in learning more about Alfie's philosopy. I
attended two of his lectures on May 16 and 17, 2003. I found them thought
provoking and contrary to practices I'm familiar with.
|
|
Date:
| Wed May 21 07:22:35 2003
| Name:
| Dr. Dan
| E-mail:
| drdanarch@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Nebraska
| How the site | was found: Google
| Comments:
| Some states have found another way to to turn an ordinary
event into a competition: selection of license plates in Nebraska (Indiana
and Nevada as well, I believe) is done through a design contest. In
Nebraska, the contest is open to all residents--including professional
artists. I wonder if a child (or average-Jo/Joe adult, for that matter)
with a clever idea but just a box of crayons really has a prayer against a
professional armed with QuarkXpress or Adobe Photoshop. "Losers" in
contests often feel resentment toward the "winners," as Mr. Kohn points
out in "No Contest: The Case Against Competition." This contest is no
exception. It's a license plate, for Pete's sake. What a basis for turning
people against one another.
|
|
Date:
| Mon May 19 23:34:51 2003
| Name:
| Linda Winter
| E-mail:
| Momwinter98645@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| Kelso School District
| Location:
| Kelso, WA
| How the site | was found: recommended
| Comments:
| Our classroom management class group is doing a
presentation on Beyond Discipline. I look forward to learning about it!
|
|
Date:
| Sun May 18 20:43:22 2003
| Name:
| Jahi Omari
| E-mail:
| healinghands9@aol.com
| Organization:
| Enrichment Education Svc. Inc
| Location:
| Atlanta,GA
| How the site | was found: "High Stakes" article
| Comments:
| I thoroughly enjoyed reading your article. You spoke with a
voice and concern that is very real for me. Continue to sound the trumpet.
|
|
Date:
| Fri May 16 23:03:13 2003
| Name:
| Dena Ramm
| E-mail:
| rammlyon@cedarcomm.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Stanwood
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Thank you for your inspiring words tonight. We will be
better teachers and parents. Looking forward to reading about "choices".
Great website. My son and students also thank you.
|
|
Date:
| Tue May 13 02:14:15 2003
| Name:
| Heather Young
| E-mail:
| heathfieldyoung@xtra.co.nz
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| New Zealand
| How the site | was found: doing some research for unschooling workshop
| Comments:
| I had always intended to homeschool my son, and the state
of the local school only served to reinforce that decision. I soon found
that 'traditional' homeschooling did not suit us either. For years I
actually thought no one else in the world was 'slacking off' the way we
did until I happened on to some Growing Without Schooling issues. At times
I found unschooling my one son to be frightening. It went very much
against the local culture, and I was, again for years, unsure if it was
the right way to raise my child to his best advantage. I could only go on
the feeling that it seemed to be the best way for us as a family. He is 14
now and I am much more confident in what we have done as a family. We left
The US 10 years ago, as my husband is a kiwi (what NZer,s call
themselves), and on finally purchasing a computer and finding this and
other websites (through the computer talents of my self taught son-sorry,
proud mother getting carried away) my overwhelming emotion is 'whew!' well
we made it this far, lets keep going! It is pretty inspirational to see
the number of people who care about young people and are willing to
challenge seemingly insurmountable odds in their cause. My thoughts are
with you all.
|
|
Date:
| Mon May 12 22:50:58 2003
| Name:
| Merry Proebstel
| E-mail:
| senoritagirlfriend@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Simmons College
| Location:
| Boston, MA
| How the site | was found: google for "Alfie Kohn"
| Comments:
| I am basing my senior thesis paper around the subject of
Kohn's book _No Contest_. I am extremely excited about the topics therein
and wonder if there is some way I could contact Kohn within the next year
to discuss my topic?
|
|
Date:
| Mon May 12 11:09:45 2003
| Name:
| Barbara Hall
| E-mail:
| hallhaus@milwpc.com
| Organization:
| IDEAL Charter School
| Location:
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| How the site | was found: search
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Mon May 12 00:37:36 2003
| Name:
| Cathy Wilton
| E-mail:
| mailto:lokikane%20@yahoo.com.au
| Organization:
| Australsian Association for Progressive and alternative
education
| Location:
| Sydney, Australia
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| The Australasin Association for progressive and alternative
education (AAPAE) are constantly challenging the Australian government's
push for compulsory standardised testing and implementation of set
curriculum documents. We challenge the the idea that there can only be one
way to teach and learn. We'd love any likeminded people to shrae our ideas
at ausschools@yahoogroups.com.au
|
|
Date:
| Sat May 10 17:24:55 2003
| Name:
| Don Fawcett
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Wed May 7 06:44:35 2003
| Name:
|
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Somewhere in Middle School
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Our school is going through STAR testing. We have not made
our API goals for the last two years. I don't care but everyone else does.
So I turn to your site ever morning for a daily dose of wisdom. Thank you.
|
|
Date:
| Sun May 4 17:19:15 2003
| Name:
| J. Ellis
| E-mail:
| AnnLV74@aol.com
| Organization:
| ETC Prepatory Acedemy
| Location:
| Mercer Island, WA
| How the site | was found: recommended
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Sun May 4 10:42:27 2003
| Name:
| Loren Floto
| E-mail:
| lrfloto@aol.com
| Organization:
| Maria Montessori Magnet School
| Location:
| Rockford, IL
| How the site | was found: Listened to your taped keynote address, 2002
| Comments:
| Thanks for providing continual inspiration to avoid the
pitfalls of creeping competition and criticism, which seem to afflict me.
We are waging a losing battle against the growth of standardized testing
and regimentation in Illinois public schools. Teachers are not organized
to resist, but find it easier to 'go along,' Kind of like the whole nation
is 'going along' with the Bush agenda.
|
|
Date:
| Sat May 3 07:48:28 2003
| Name:
| Angela C. Davis
| E-mail:
| davisa72@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| New York, NY
| How the site | was found: From your books
| Comments:
| Hello Alfie: I recently attended your presentation at Pace
University. I have read "The Schools Our Children Deserve" and "Beyond
Discipline," however, it was even better to listen to you reiterate your
key points in person. I was one of the participants who stayed after to
speak with you and I thank you for your suggestions about alternatives to
grades. During the conversation after your presentation, you mentioned
Wiggins and not quite agreeing with some of his work. I recently read
"Understanding by Design," and found it very insightful in terms of
curriculum design and unit planning. I would love to get your thoughts
about Wiggins and of course, any critiques of his work. Thanks again for
your work. It is truly inspirational.
|
|
Date:
| Fri May 2 16:01:43 2003
| Name:
| Katy Liston Davies
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Wed Apr 30 10:49:30 2003
| Name:
| Stephen E. Brown
| E-mail:
| sbrown@parkland.edu
| Organization:
| Parkland College
| Location:
| Champaign, Illinois
| How the site | was found: from a link
| Comments:
| I attended your telecourse "Why Incentives Don't Work" many
years ago, and still find the concepts learned there to be valid and
valuable. Please put me on your mailing list. Thank You. Steve
|
|
Date:
| Tue Apr 29 17:45:38 2003
| Name:
| Roslyn Dubinsky
| E-mail:
| Rozdub@aol.com
| Organization:
| Glenridge Elementary School
| Location:
| Clayton, Missouri
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Please place me on your email list of scheduled lectures.
|
|
Date:
| Tue Apr 29 12:02:25 2003
| Name:
| Linda Frame
| E-mail:
| framel@jsd.k12.ak.us
| Organization:
| Juneau School District
| Location:
| Juneau, Alaska
| How the site | was found: google search
| Comments:
| Thank you!!! I needed good substantiation for a paper on
politics of education. Testing is so infuriating that I can not pass it
up! Keep up the great work! We need your words of wisdom. from one more
stubborn teacher who believes in creativity and kids!
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 25 04:03:29 2003
| Name:
| Karen Attanasio
| E-mail:
| attanaka@collier.k12.fl.us
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: Lecture at FGCU
| Comments:
| Wow! I have a new mission as a parent and future educator -
Spay the FCAT.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 25 01:49:40 2003
| Name:
| Gladys Brooks
| E-mail:
| Chinaraine@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Student
| Location:
| Washington, D.C.
| How the site | was found: doing a research paper
| Comments:
| I love Alfie Kohn's work. I would love to learn more about
inviting him to D.C. Peace and Blessings, gladys
|
|
Date:
| Thu Apr 24 10:15:36 2003
| Name:
| David
| E-mail:
| dmarble@awrsd.org
| Organization:
| Westminster elementary school
| Location:
| westminster, MA
| How the site | was found: search engine
| Comments:
| Mr. Kohn-- I'm dying to know your thoughts-- I'm the new
father of a 4 month old baby girl. I'm interested in how you dealt with
the issue of getting your child to sleep thru the nite. My wife and I have
essentially been "shaping" and modifying the baby's surroundings (soothing
her in the crib,etc..). We're definitely avoiding the Ferber method
(letting her cry for different increments each night) because I just don't
feel right about it. However, I do get pangs of guilt that I'm not
teaching the baby to sooth herself to sleep. Obviously, she's so young now
that it's not a pressing concern, but eventually it might be. Any
thoughts?
|
|
Date:
| Thu Apr 24 10:08:50 2003
| Name:
| David Marble
| E-mail:
| dmarble@awrsd.org
| Organization:
| Westminster Elementary School
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
|
|
|
Name:
| Janice Allee
| E-mail:
| janspang@aol.com
| Organization:
| Depew Public Schools
| Location:
| Depew, Oklahoma
| How the site | was found: Search engine
| Comments:
| I have read all of Alfie Kohn's books and wanted to know if
he had written a new one.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Apr 19 11:31:32 2003
| Name:
| Mike Kell
| E-mail:
| mdkell1027@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Sachool District Springfield Township
| Location:
| Erdenheim, PA
| How the site | was found: Education Week article giving me your website
| Comments:
| IAm in a progressive school, public. We are in the throws
of standardized movement. I and my principal (Iam the assistant) are
focusing on teaching and learning and project based academicas for lowerer
achievers and remediation education to increase student performances. We
view opportunities to learn as a priority. We have a increaseingly diverse
population. Our transfer-in students are ever increasing and we are
focusing on educating the lowest quitile. We factor in many assessments!
Keep writing the articles- I'm in agreement! Thanks, Mike Kell
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 18 15:27:20 2003
| Name:
| Elizabeth Silverthorne
| E-mail:
| emealing@ucla.edu
| Organization:
| Student, UCLA
| Location:
| Los Angeles
| How the site | was found: google search
| Comments:
| I am perhaps a bit young to have discovered Alfie Kohn, but
when I read The Schools Our Children Deserve it was like seeing a
beautifully articulated compilation of all my most passionate feelings
regarding our education system. I just graduated from high school last
year and I still don't know how I managed to stick with it all. As a
gifted student throughout my school career, I was continually confronted
by the absolute ineffectiveness of our education system. Luckily, I had a
supportive group of friends and a few incredible teachers who encouraged
me in developing my criticisms and ideals regarding the way children ought
to be educated. I must say that Kohn is absolutely on track with
everything I have ever felt as a young student. To all parents and
students who have been robbed by a system which does little to develop the
immense potential of all learners, even in the face of the bulk of
educational research which calls for change, must we sit back and let
things continue to worsen? I am a Psychology student with an Education
Studies minor who is blessed to be able to intern at the University
Elementary School, a laboratory school that collaborates with UCLA's
graduate school of education. Many of Kohn's theories are implemented at
this school (it is non-graded, etc), and the difference is incredible!
Students are genuinely exicted about coming to school each day. I have
always known I would dedicate my life to finding a way to change the
system, and for the sake of the many people whose views are represented
here, and especially for my own future children, I will not sit back and
allow things to continue to worsen. I hope to continue on to graduate
school, and use my experience to become active politically, the only means
I can see to make real changes. What is being done right now, on local and
national levels, to effect change? I respect the opinions of those who
have also seen this site, and would love to know what you all are doing.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 18 10:08:37 2003
| Name:
| Lynn Helde
| E-mail:
| lynnhelde@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| Pittsfield, MA Public Schools
| Location:
| Pittsfield, MA
| How the site | was found: Reference
| Comments:
| I'm currently reading Building Classroom Discipline by CM
Charles. I've just read the chapter on Beyond Discipline...some of your
philosophies and ideas on structuring a class. It sounds so similar to
many of the things I've been learning about the responsive classroom. I've
been an adult teacher/trainer focused on managment skills, etc for years
now... I've been trying to share the sames message... people don't need
tangible rewards... let students "attribute" their successes and failures
to themselves and their efforts, not because of other people and things!
Thanks for being so thought provoking! I'm enjoying doing the research on
you and your theories. I'm actually doing my final class project on you
and your principal teachings! I can't wait! Good Luck! Lynn Ashburn Helde!
|
|
Date:
| Thu Apr 17 22:19:03 2003
| Name:
| Lauren Silver
| E-mail:
| cartini@telkom.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Indonesia
| How the site | was found: search engine
| Comments:
| Dear Mr. Kohn, I have just read your book, "Punished by
Rewards." At first it made me feel very nervous, as I began to recognize
the real effects of manipulative control techniques promoted as ways to
"motivate." But my stomach calmed down a bit as I reached the latter parts
of the book which point to sound alternatives that, insha'Allah, will
eventually change the way people relate to one another. Although I realize
your intention is to improve the lot of children, students and workers, it
seems the proponents of behaviorist methods may actually be more
entrenched now as a result of your arguments. Therefore, a change of
approach might be in order, and I would like to offer the following modest
suggestion regarding strategy. I propose that you establish a cash prize,
initially to be awarded annually, to the persons or institutions best
exemplifying the principles of behaviorism in practice. The competing
candidates should be ranked-if possible according to a standardized
national test-and the "most behaviorist" gets the prize. (Since this idea
equally resonates with behaviorist thinking, it should be possible to find
a proponent of behaviorism willing to put up the prize money.) As the
inevitable effect will be to reduce the intrinsic appeal of behaviorism,
there will follow an outcry lamenting the decline of behaviorist values in
America. The solution to which, of course, will be to increase the amount,
and perhaps the frequency, of the cash prizes. Larger prizes will be given
on a monthly-even daily-basis, until eventually the only behaviorists left
will be the contest sponsors (who will probably have lost interest by
then). Thank you, and God bless you!
|
|
Date:
| Sat Apr 12 08:46:32 2003
| Name:
| Sandra Young
| E-mail:
| youngs@tirr.tmc.edu
| Organization:
| TIRR Systems
| Location:
| Houston, TX
| How the site | was found: a friend recommended it
| Comments:
| Please give me an outline of your basic views on
compensation.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 11 18:25:54 2003
| Name:
| Sara Ellis
| E-mail:
| pigtree@fa2.so-net.ne.jp
| Organization:
| Tokyo Cow
| Location:
| Tokyo, Japan
| How the site | was found: npr
| Comments:
| Dear Mr. Kohn, just listened to an old interview with you
on npr. As a teacher in Japan I cannot agree with you enough about
standardized testing. I have worked for years within a system that bases
the entire futures of Japan's young people on the results of entrance
examinations. It is, I believe, the worst education system in the world.
The students are so driven into binary thinking that they cannot formulate
simple sentences or take part in casual conversation. The common analogy
here is "dutiful robot." There is no encouragement of critical thinking or
creativity, there is only one right answer for everything. Literature is
taught to them in chunks, for example, the only thing they have to know
from Hamlet is "To be or not to be." Even Japanese classics are taught in
this fashion, disjointed quotes, and the names of writers and the dates
they were born. I have English language teachers who instead of being able
to enjoy teaching the beauty of the language come up and haggle me with
questions like "Which word is better, morose, melancholic, or depressed?"
They must choose one for the test without regard for the nuance of each
word. Even worse! Grammatic rules are simply made up by certain "scholars"
for testing where there are actually none in English. In the meantime ,
the kids studying all of this drivel cannot even form a sentence either
verbally or on paper. Everything is ground down to a binary code, art,
English, music, math, history. There is no room for creativity at all. The
teachers who want to teach in creative ways are unable to and eventually
run down by the system(run by Japan's bureau of thought police, the
Ministry of Education) which forces them to always be on a tight schedule,
teaching a certain amount of material by a specific date, year after year
after year. Anyway, you already know all of this I presume but here's the
real secret, because of the crazed emphasis on standardized testing, kids
in Japan have become the worst behaved students in the developed world.
The kids who don't do well on these tests are so nihilistic about their
futures that they have no intellectual curiousity whatsoever. Everything
these kids learn on their tests is forgotten weeks later, it's the
training of short-term memory only. I howled with laughter when the U.N.
recently gave Japan the number two spot for education in the world. It's
the number one spot for automaton training. I am sickened whenever I hear
calls for standardized testing in the United States. No matter how
"crappy" some of my teachers may have been, they were never frantic
babysitters working only to spoon feed me information.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 11 06:51:20 2003
| Name:
|
| E-mail:
| illmatic@breakbeat.is
| Organization:
| The ENS443 crew
| Location:
| Forojar
| How the site | was found: Through a dominating teacher
| Comments:
| The site could be a bit more exciting....There are no
pictures here!!!
|
|
Date:
| Thu Apr 10 17:04:49 2003
| Name:
| Jenny Perreault
| E-mail:
| jinlyn26@aol.com
| Organization:
| University of Northern Iowa
| Location:
| Cedar Falls, IA
| How the site | was found: MSN Search
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Thu Apr 10 03:56:55 2003
| Name:
| j.d. struckmann
| E-mail:
| ckjdat@hotmail.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: google search
| Comments:
| I enjoyed your lecture last evening at Pace. I was the big
white guy down front in the red sweater who asked about the dollar cost of
standardized testing. Please do some checking and find what it costs per
kid per year. I think that it in and of itself is a compelling aurguement
against standardized testing. We could do such better thing with the
money. A group from my grad class in classroom management at Queens
College is presenting Beyond Discipline to our classmates. We have the
entire 1 1/2 hour class. In your experience, what would be the best way to
approach this? We want to start by getting our peers (who will not have
read the material) to be open to your ideas. We also want to model your
ideas as much as possible. Thank you in advance for your responses.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Apr 9 18:53:09 2003
| Name:
| Debbie Mumford
| E-mail:
| mrsmumphie@aol.com
| Organization:
| Pace Ed. Admin. student and Asst. Dir of Alcott Montessori
School
| Location:
| North Salem, NY
| How the site | was found: attended lecture at Pace 4/9/03
| Comments:
| The feed to the Pace Pleasantville campus was very poor,
but of what I heard I enjoyed your remarks. But the question remains, we
still have kids graduating from high schools who can't read, can't figure
out Math, and they have a diploma. And colleges and universities have
remedial programs all over to help these students. Are we teaching and are
kids learning what they need to know? Standardized tests may bethe wrond
way to go, but what is your opinion as to what we should do???
|
|
Date:
| Wed Apr 9 13:05:27 2003
| Name:
| Noreene Chen
| E-mail:
| noreenetc@earthlink.net
| Organization:
| Renaissance School
| Location:
| Parker Colorado
| How the site | was found: Attended a lecture
| Comments:
| looking for other non-graded, multi-age schools.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Apr 9 07:56:50 2003
| Name:
| Jack Hartsfield
| E-mail:
| jackgail@charter.net
| Organization:
| public schools
| Location:
| Fort Worth, TX
| How the site | was found: I did a search for Alfie Kohn
| Comments:
| I have been in public education for 26 years -- the last 18
as a principal. At this time, I am leaving the principalship and the
district I am working for and attempting to go back into the classroom. I
just looked up this web site in order to get some moral support -- to know
that there are people out there who don't believe that standerized testing
is the answer to society's woes or that bribing kids is a healthy concept.
Thanks for the opportunity to vent a little.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Apr 9 06:21:41 2003
| Name:
| irfan
| E-mail:
| onay
| Organization:
| turkish society for quality
| Location:
| istanbul
| How the site | was found: amazon.com
| Comments:
| Ive read no contest long time ago then red your articles. I
fully agree with you on fatal consequences of extrinsic "motivators". I
only want to add my observation that for many people(if not all) incentive
programs is even humiliating since it has the message that"you people can
only deliver your best with some form of bribe" thx again alfie for
destroying myths with scientific approach
|
|
Date:
| Tue Apr 8 22:12:24 2003
| Name:
| Eric Warren Severson
| E-mail:
| ewsev2@conncoll.edu
| Organization:
| The Human Race
| Location:
| Planet Earth
| How the site | was found: I looked for it on yahoo.com after reading one of Mr.
Kohn's books
| Comments:
| Mr. Kohn, I just attended your two lectures at the
University of Northern Colorado today (I was the one who asked a question
about economic theory.) The Case Against Competition was my first
introduction to your work, but I have heard such great things from readers
of your work on education and was so impressed by your lectures that I
plan to read more. The most profound statement in your book, I feel, was
the page where you state that one should drive down the highway and try to
imagine a real human being in the driver's seat of each oncoming car, and
look into people's eyes and truly try to reach a state of empathy and
understanding. If we could all learn to do this, everything from
professional boxing to spousal abuse to war and terrorism could be
replaced by a more humane order. Keep up the good fight, -Eric
|
|
Date:
| Mon Apr 7 17:43:16 2003
| Name:
| Amanda Conrad
| E-mail:
| lamsc@choice.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Cincinnati, Ohio
| How the site | was found: Friend
| Comments:
| Great Stuff!
|
|
Date:
| Sun Apr 6 14:02:19 2003
| Name:
| Nicky Campbell-Allen
| E-mail:
| mailto:redsquare%20@inspire.net.nz
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| New Zealand
| How the site | was found: via the author details at the back of a book
| Comments:
| Hi there, I am in the process of reading your book titled
"Punished by Rewards" and am finding it highly intriguing. At present I am
completing a Masters Degree and came accross this book during a literature
search. My thesis is on best practices in reward and recognition and your
comments have certainly given me a lot of food for thought. I am
interested in any other articles (yours or others)that you may be able to
send. One thing I do note is that (I guess as your book eludes to) that
the mamority of the comments below are from teachers and educationalists
as opposed to managers and leaders in business.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Apr 5 08:53:55 2003
| Name:
| Phillip Stockard
| E-mail:
| philmarii@aol.com
| Organization:
| student
| Location:
| Augusta, GA
| How the site | was found: Internet sites from a Reality Therapy article
| Comments:
| please schedule a visit to Georgia, soon!
|
|
Date:
| Sat Apr 5 08:53:11 2003
| Name:
| Phillip Stockard
| E-mail:
| philmarii@aol.com
| Organization:
| student
| Location:
| Augusta, GA
| How the site | was found: Internet sites from a Reality Therapy article
| Comments:
| please schedule a visit to Georgia, soon!
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 4 22:11:22 2003
| Name:
| Dana Sherman
| E-mail:
| Dlynnshman@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: Lecture at MJC in Modesto, Ca.
| Comments:
| Great Lecture, helpful website, intriguing concept. Thanks
for taking the time to travel to Modesto, to lecture.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 4 21:21:56 2003
| Name:
| Johanna Green
| E-mail:
| travel@safeplace.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Philadelphia
| How the site | was found: listed in journal article
| Comments:
| If I were a doctor with a terminally ill patient who wanted
to pursue assisted suicide, I would not send him to Dr. Kavorkian, I would
give him your article, "Beyond Discipline," and then send him to teach in
an inner-city school. I taught public school in one of the worst
neighborhoods of Philadelphia for three years and the only reason that I
have lived to tell about it is because of the direction of my mentor to
implement Lee Cantor's Assertive Discipline. I fought him tooth and nail,
he shoved it down my throat, in the end I only tried it to prove him
wrong, and darn it, it worked!! My students had been under my old system
from September to March, I had written my first year of teaching off
thinking I would try again with a new batch of kids in the fall, but the
assertive discipline model actually enabled me to teach instead of dodge
spitballs and the kids actually learned something. The following year the
principal sent new teachers to observe my classes as a positive model for
classroom management and when I moved to the suburbs a few years later I
became a mentor teacher. And yes, as a mentor teacher, I have seen
assertive discipline turn the most unruly classrooms(which, contrary to
popular belief, do exist in wealthy, affluent suburban school districts
when no or a touchy-feely system of discipline is in effect) into centers
of learning.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 4 11:07:37 2003
| Name:
| Donne Copenhaver
| E-mail:
| docopenh@ashland-city.k12.oh.us
| Organization:
| Ashland Alternative School
| Location:
| Ashland, OH
| How the site | was found: Colleague Referal
| Comments:
| PLEASE SCHEDULE A LECTURE IN OHIO, AND E-MAIL ME ASAP WHEN
YOU HAVE DONE SO!!!
|
|
Date:
| Fri Apr 4 10:58:07 2003
| Name:
| Donne Copenhaver
| E-mail:
| docopenh@ashland-city.k12.oh.us
| Organization:
| Ashland Alternative School
| Location:
| Ashland, OH
| How the site | was found: Colleague Referal
| Comments:
| This site is remarkable. It's a great resource and
educational tool for myself and the rest of the teachers with whom I work.
I plan on sharing the site with them and all the wonderful insights found
within the site. Thanks for making it available.
|
|
Date:
| Thu Apr 3 16:53:48 2003
| Name:
| andreas horaites
| E-mail:
| andreas_horaites
| Organization:
| southern oregon education service district
| Location:
| 101 N Grape St. Medford, OR 97501
| How the site | was found: I read Jerry Becker's piece online
| Comments:
| I wish to extend my warmest professional's hug to Alfie
Kohn. I would love to know when he will be speaking next in Oregon. His
message is so very right on topic.
|
|
Date:
| Thu Apr 3 16:47:09 2003
| Name:
| Shelley Mayfield
| E-mail:
| smayfiel@sierranevada.edu
| Organization:
| Sierra Nevada College
| Location:
| Lake Tahoe, Calif.
| How the site | was found: Proffesor
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Thu Apr 3 11:30:29 2003
| Name:
| sheila ann thompson
| E-mail:
| rsthompson@tc3net.com
| Organization:
| student teacher
| Location:
| adrian mi. head start
| How the site | was found: a teacher
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Wed Apr 2 13:52:22 2003
| Name:
| M. Stowe
| E-mail:
| mestowe@mail.dps.k12.va.us
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Just came from a child study committee, two names kept
coming to mind Kohn and Wong.
|
|
Date:
| Tue Apr 1 18:21:43 2003
| Name:
| Susan Olson
| E-mail:
| catpaws@acadia.net
| Organization:
| MSAD #34
| Location:
| Belfast, Maine 04915
| How the site | was found: Graduate class article
| Comments:
| Read your article "But Not Quite" which was published in
the ASCD leadership journal. I am a kindergarten teacher and want to do it
right. Your article told me all the things I am doing wrong, but offered
no alternatives. What is the right language to use with children? What
should I be doing in my classroom? Please help - I have been teaching for
29 years, and would like to get it "right" before I retire!
|
|
Date:
| Tue Apr 1 13:45:06 2003
| Name:
| Jonathan Erwin
| E-mail:
| jerwin1@stny.rr.com
| Organization:
| Choice Consulting
| Location:
| Corning, NY
| How the site | was found: Searched
| Comments:
| I would be interested in any additional information or
research further supporting Dr. Kohn's work re: The Schools Our Children
Deserve and Punished by Rewards. Keep up the great work!!! Jon E
|
|
Date:
| Mon Mar 31 15:22:14 2003
| Name:
| joette Weber
| E-mail:
| weberj@ohiou.edu
| Organization:
| OU
| Location:
| athens, ohio
| How the site | was found: on the back of one of Kohn's books
| Comments:
| So, Mr.Kohn, I am sitting here the night before I begin
teaching the reading assessment course to undergrades. Of course I will
include your lecture on tape from C-Span, the Fair Test Examiner and the
latest publications from Hein. by Coles and Flippo, the Ohanian site...
What am I forgetting or not aware of? ps. I am more comfortable in my
Reading Recovery position all morning at my local elem. school of 90%
free/reduce lunch qualifiers than these preservice educators that badly
need inspiration! Anyone out there teach at the college level with some
words of wisdom? Joette
|
|
Date:
| Mon Mar 31 06:11:08 2003
| Name:
| richemonde domond-badaud
| E-mail:
| abadaua@aol.com
| Organization:
| MDCS
| Location:
| Florida
| How the site | was found: wilson website
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Sun Mar 30 14:11:07 2003
| Name:
| Joy Bartlett
| E-mail:
| jobart@bigvalley.net
| Organization:
| Modesto City Schools
| Location:
| Modesto, CA
| How the site | was found: Lecture on 3/29/03
| Comments:
| Thank you for coming to Modesto. I enjoyed your lecture and
will be trying to empliment more of your "working with kids" ideas.
|
|
Date:
| Sun Mar 30 00:05:15 2003
| Name:
| Camille Howe
| E-mail:
| chowe@lcisd.org
| Organization:
| Lamar CISD
| Location:
| Beasley, TX
| How the site | was found: Foreword to Ohanian's book
| Comments:
| Mr. Kohn, I am an education major, and mother of 3. I work
for the local school district in an accounting capacity for now. I have
been active with PTO, Gifted and Talented programs, Volunteers in Public
Schools, Boy Scouts and local volunteer efforts in education. My research
paper is based on the premise of Ohanian's book, that the over-emphasis on
standardized testing is detrimental to the education of our children. In
better terms, it is a lack of a well-rounded education. TAAS/TAKS scores
have increased in Texas over the past few years, but college entrance exam
scores have gone down. The move of reading levels downward from one grade
to the next is insane. I just want to thank you for your efforts, as I can
see by your enthusiastic and numerous articles and books. I am hoping to
use some of your work to support my thesis and possibly take my written
research to my local school board. Unfortunately, in Texas, we started
several years ago what Bush is now passing on at a Federal level. Thank
you for your time and effort in this very important struggle we face as
parents, educators and citizens. Sincerly, Camille Howe
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 29 18:54:25 2003
| Name:
| Mary Zilko
| E-mail:
| MZilko@optonline.net
| Organization:
| H.S. Counselor
| Location:
| Long Island, NY
| How the site | was found: Professor in Ed. Administration
| Comments:
| Alfie Kohn is able to articulate everything I've ever known
intrinsically. As a H.S. Counselor, I've watched my students become
increasing frustrated, lose their self-esteem, and frequently in serious
consideration of dropping out. GED's are becoming their only alternative.
As a parent of a junior and freshman in H.S., I've watched my boys lose
their interest in learning. They are tired of being tested to death, and
view school as a punishment, with the exception of the social and athletic
activities. They shouldn't have to dread school. If Department of
Education and schools in general would ony listen to the teachings of
Alfie Kohn, we would have a great education system. I only wish the
educators of yesterday had taken a stand against the whole testing
movement. Now it is up to those of us who understand the concept of Alfie
Kohn to turn things around. Having read his newest book, "The Truth About
Testing" I am empowered to spread the word about the myths of standardized
tests. It provides hands-on strategies to implement a movement against
testing. It IS possible to make a change in our education system, so that
children develop a "love of learning"... Until that time, the drop-out
rates will continue, violence will grow, and our children will continue to
have social problems, and poor self-esteem. They shoud be taught to think
on their feet and feel good about themselves. It can be done. Thank you,
Alfie.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 29 15:06:34 2003
| Name:
| troylana manson
| E-mail:
| troylanam@msn.com
| Organization:
| life long learners inc.!
| Location:
| modesto california for now...?
| How the site | was found: prior knowledge
| Comments:
| i saw alfie today....its been a year since he last
disturbed me ...i like being in that state...helps propell me in a
direction to define my values and understand the global community
.....!!!???
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 29 14:23:40 2003
| Name:
| Marsha Kidd
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Modesto, California
| How the site | was found: Heard Dr. Kohn speak today
| Comments:
| Thrilled, inspired to be a loving grandmother. Thank you.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Mar 28 12:47:00 2003
| Name:
| Nader El Badry
| E-mail:
| Naderelbadry@Hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Agriculture Research Centre
| Location:
| Egypt, Giza
| How the site | was found: By searching
| Comments:
| The latest updated materials for Principales in Chemistry.
Thanks...
|
|
Date:
| Thu Mar 27 19:26:32 2003
| Name:
| Elizabeth Willoughby
| E-mail:
| missusliz@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| None
| Location:
| Clinton Township, MI
| How the site | was found: sought it out
| Comments:
| I am interested in spearheading a campaign in my school
district to oppose the current use of standardized testing. My children
are not yet of the age to attend school, but I am looking toward the
future. I am also working towards a master's in teaching. After
researching the topic of standardized testing, I am in "shock and awe"
(borrowing this, lol). I have only some substitute teaching experience, so
the day-to-day goings on in the educational environment are as foreign to
me as a parent of a student. Why am I being taught constructivism,
theories on Dewey's democratic education, and inquiry-based learning
techniques when, it seems to me, I will forced by an 'aligned curriculum'
to revert back to traditional techniques? How abhorrently dissapointing. I
believe the general public is unaware of the consequences of
standards-based testing. They need to be informed, how to do it?
|
|
Date:
| Tue Mar 25 12:17:45 2003
| Name:
| Thomas P.Powers
| E-mail:
| tompowers@worldnet.att.net
| Organization:
| attorney,representing public school administrators'unions
| Location:
| Maryland
| How the site | was found: newspaper article
| Comments:
| I am interested in articles or any publications that
examine the harm being done administrators and teachers by the santions
and potential sanctions for perceived violations of stadardized test
procedures or protocols.If you know of any please advise--thanks.
|
|
Date:
| Tue Mar 25 05:54:49 2003
| Name:
| bill necoechea
| E-mail:
| billnec@yahoo.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| This message will probably not have much of an impact on
either you or your readers, but I will say it anyway. I am not writing to
object to your educational philosophy, but to what seems to be your
undelying political philosophy, and (even more so) to how it is presented.
I am responding, in particular, to your tendency to make hyperbolic
statements, usually of an anti-U.S. character. Usually this would not
merit much attention (it is fairly common among the radical left, who are
certainly well-represented in educational phiolosophy), but the U.S. is
currently at war, and I think it needs an active defense. You have a
tendency to exaggerate in general, but the three worst (and most
offensive) examples are: (i) in your essay on September 11, (ii) in your
book "The Schools our Children Deserve," and in one of your articles
criticizing standardized testing. In (i), you spend a great deal of time
cataloguing the "evils" of the U.S., but you fail to mention the fact that
the U.S. was largely responsible for defeating fascism, rebuilding large
parts of Western Europe and Japan after World War II, and, in general,
tends to provide (on average, and by world standards) a high standard of
living and personal freedom for its citizens (including Alfie Kohn). These
facts would certainly add to your analysis. In (ii), you refer to the flag
salute (in one of your early chapters) as a "salute to the fatherland".
This sounds like a comparison of the U.S. to the militarized Germany of
the 1930's and 1940's. If this is supposed to be funny, it is not. If it
represents your sincere political beliefs, well, that is more frightening.
In (iii), you refer to standardized testing as a type of "educational
ethnic cleansing." Certainly, one can have a rational debate on the pros
and cons of testing, but "educational ethnic cleansing." Once again, I
seem to see a very flawed analogy: do you really mean to make a comparison
to the mass-killings in the former Yugoslavia during the 1990's? There
comes a point at which rhetorical tricks cross the line: this statement
has the simultaneous effect of exaggerating an issue which is debatable
(standardized testing), and minimizinf a more serious issue (mass klling
in Serbia). In you article "In defense of progressive schools", you wax
about the value of producing "ethically sophisticated" students, but if
these are examples of your ethical sophistication, it is questionable. In
conclusion, I will quote a person (Senator Daniel P. Moynihan) who says it
better than I do. "Am I embarrassed to speak for a less than perfect
democracy? Not one bit. Find me a better one. Do I suppose there are
societies that are free of sin? No, I don't. Do I think ours is, on
balance, incomparably the most hopeful set of human relations the world
has? Yes, I do."
|
|
Date:
| Mon Mar 24 19:36:26 2003
| Name:
| debbie fraser
| E-mail:
| debbie_fraser63@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Tertiary Student
| Location:
| Dunedin, New Zealand
| How the site | was found: By enquiring about Alfie Kohn on the web
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Mon Mar 24 09:15:11 2003
| Name:
| REBECCA BEYER
| E-mail:
| rebeccabeyer@excite.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Chicago, IL
| How the site | was found: google
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 22 17:02:24 2003
| Name:
| Syd Korsunsky
| E-mail:
| skor11@shaw.ca
| Organization:
| Pembina Trails School Division
| Location:
| Winnipeg
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Mr. Kohn, After reading books and articles, and changing my
classroom assessment practices to fit so many of the ideas you espouse,
and I support, it was an honour to finally hear you in person. Your
message was so inspiring. I had the privilege of presenting, with 8 of my
students, later that afternoon, and it was great to see that when my kids
spoke, they almost always prefaced their comments with "As Alfie said this
morning . . ." (they also had the privilege of hearing you speak, and they
were so impressed that so many of the principles you discussed were in
place in their classroom last year). The best compliment we received was
when one teacher asked us how we were able to align our little
presentation so closely to yours. Although the theme of our presentation
was "how revision raises the quality of writing", it was really about how
much they value authentic response to their writing, and how if I do grade
it, which I only do when it comes to report cards, it is never a final
mark. And the clincher was when teachers asked them why they would keep
revising work, even when they had received a grade of 100%. "Because it
matters to us what we write about - the grade has nothing to do with it."
And this from a group of students from upper middle class homes that admit
that prior to last year, they were "mark addicts." To hear you speak, and
then hear them afterwards, reaffirmed for me our commitment to fighting
against all those practices that reduce work to a meaningless number on a
page. Thank you for that, and for being one of the only voices out there
for us. Finally, I want to thank you for your "bird's nest" reference. The
speakers who followed you, supposedly with a similar philosophy, seemed to
place assessment strategies at the forefront of teaching. I love how you
place the learners first, and encourage us to use strategies that truly
enhance their learning. Sincerely, Syd Korsunsky
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 22 15:21:27 2003
| Name:
| Sharon Canadine
| E-mail:
| canadine@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Teacher
| Location:
| El Paso, Texas
| How the site | was found: Dr. Cesar Rossatto
| Comments:
| I firmly agree with your website and information. I am an
educator and throughout my degrees, multiple intelligence and allowing
multiple ways to assess a child has always been supported. Why not with
this test!
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 22 15:21:14 2003
| Name:
| Sharon Canadine
| E-mail:
| canadine@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Teacher
| Location:
| El Paso, Texas
| How the site | was found: Dr. Cesar Rossatto
| Comments:
| I firmly agree with your website and information. I am an
educator and throughout my degrees, multiple intelligence and allowing
multiple ways to assess a child has always be supported. Why not with this
test!
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 22 09:21:31 2003
| Name:
| eleonora scoppa
| E-mail:
| scoppaele@virgilio.it
| Organization:
| scuola media
| Location:
| napoli
| How the site | was found: meeting about valutation
| Comments:
| should you be so kind to make me know news about valutation
and autovalutation in scuola media.many thanks!
|
|
Date:
| Thu Mar 20 07:16:28 2003
| Name:
| Robert Stevens
| E-mail:
| bob.stevens@cesu.k12.vt.us
| Organization:
| Mt. Mansfield Union High School
| Location:
| Jericho, Vermont
| How the site | was found: NASSP-Principal Leadership article
| Comments:
| Dear Mr. Kohn, I am a high school principal at Mt.
Mansfield Union High School in Jericho, Vermont. I have been at this
school for 20 years and have been an educator for 32 years. I am always
looking to challenge myself and those around me. I really enjoyed your
article in Principal Leadership. Are you available to speak in our state?
I am thinking first about my school/district, but I also believe it might
be interesting to make your presentation available to our state. As the
NASSP state coordinator and member of our Vermont Principals Executive
Council, I can see several potential audiences. First and foremost-are you
available and what would your fees be? Thank you. Bob Stevens
|
|
Date:
| Wed Mar 19 10:49:47 2003
| Name:
| Leslie Stallard
| E-mail:
| lstall@btsn.com
| Organization:
| btsn, inc.
| Location:
| Kitchener
| How the site | was found: google search
| Comments:
| Saw Mr. Kohn on Rogers Cable Podium series on TV. What a
fascinating concept! As he spoke, I could easily think of examples
supporting his viewpoint--i.e., humans are so comparatively fragile, we
could not have survived as a species without cooperating with each other.
Excellent!
|
|
Date:
| Mon Mar 17 18:22:41 2003
| Name:
| Anne-Marie
| E-mail:
| cchoice@froggy.com.au
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Sydney
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Hi there, I was wondering if you could send me the location
for all Steiner Schools in NSW. Thanks Anne-Marie
|
|
Date:
| Mon Mar 17 02:10:51 2003
| Name:
| Alex
| E-mail:
| ec@optimates.us
| Organization:
| http://www.optimates.us/conservative_books.htm
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: Web
| Comments:
| Conservatives have always been more educated and cultured
than liberals -- and we need to keep it that way. Check out [our]
conservative Great-Books reading list. Alex Cambridge, MA
|
|
Date:
| Sun Mar 16 16:27:04 2003
| Name:
| Dr. Howard Sage
| E-mail:
| nnewsgnews@earthlink.com
| Organization:
| Sage Directions
| Location:
| New York, New York
| How the site | was found: P.S. 9 Yahoo group
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Fri Mar 14 01:53:52 2003
| Name:
| bernie mcdonough
| E-mail:
| bernie_mcdonough@antiochsea.edu
| Organization:
| antioch university seattle
| Location:
| seattle, wa
| How the site | was found: link from seattle school district
| Comments:
| please let me know about upcoming seattle events--can i
register?
|
|
Date:
| Thu Mar 13 10:19:48 2003
| Name:
| Sarah Miller
| E-mail:
| sarah_miller@cps.ci.cambridge.ma.us
| Organization:
| Cambridge Public Schools
| Location:
| Cambridge, MA
| How the site | was found: through a search for "alfie kohn"
| Comments:
| Your material is wonderful. I want to be challenged by it
and to grow, and yet I am often left with the feeling that I have nothing
left to stand on and that is very uncomfortable. But I love your work.
Thank you.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Mar 12 10:55:42 2003
| Name:
| Craig Morgan
| E-mail:
| craigm@509j.net
| Organization:
| Jefferson Country School Distict 509J
| Location:
| Madras, Oregon
| How the site | was found: I got the info at a recent conference
| Comments:
| Thanks for the message that you give at a keynote address
this past Monday in Portland, Oregon. Even though I have done many of the
things that you talked about over the years, I was not able to put it into
words. You have enabled me to "codify" my teaching practice and
philosophy. I was greatly encouraged by your address. Thanks so much!!
|
|
Date:
| Wed Mar 12 05:03:02 2003
| Name:
| kawaljit singh
| E-mail:
| kawalhot@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| london school of commerce
| Location:
| london
| How the site | was found: in google.com
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Tue Mar 11 13:09:36 2003
| Name:
| James Bishop
| E-mail:
| gatorjim871@msn.com
| Organization:
| Orange County Public Schools
| Location:
| Orlando, Fl
| How the site | was found: I searched the internet for items relating to Alfie Kohn
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Fri Mar 7 06:25:44 2003
| Name:
| Lisa Prothero
| E-mail:
| http//www.LisaProthero@msn.com
| Organization:
| 11 grade student @Pontiac central highschool
| Location:
| pontiac
| How the site | was found: Jordan Nash (from WestBloomfield HighSchool)
| Comments:
| School is hard for us all. Oh like test days, we struggle
to pass.It's like a nightmare that we want to go away. How can a test not
make us worry or be stress out? I have been woundering the same question
as you.The MEAP is alot of work they say we will give you 60 minutes for
the practice test but really they only give you 35 minutes for the day.So
how do we make this not stressful.There are alot of students wanting to
read all the material, but doesn't have enought time to complete the
questions.So I would like to know what to do.If you have the answer please
email me at Http//www.LisaProthero@msn.com
|
|
Date:
| Thu Mar 6 20:10:21 2003
| Name:
| Diane Landis
| E-mail:
| landisdiane@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| chula vista california
| How the site | was found: looked in google for Alfie Kohn
| Comments:
| Alfie Kohn, you are 1000% correct in all you say. I've been
a teacher for many years, trying to "buck the built-in system" in the
schools--so difficult, but I keep trying. It's actually quite fun to see
what I can get away with sometimes. Keep writing and speaking, please --
you inspire us. How do you keep your spirits up when it must at times feel
like you are banging your head against a brick wall? For our kids' sake, I
hope we all live to see things change.
|
|
Date:
| Thu Mar 6 06:00:36 2003
| Name:
| Paola Buisegna
| E-mail:
| bispao@fastwebnet.it
| Organization:
| CGIL Scuola-Proteo Fare Sapere
| Location:
| Rome-Italy
| How the site | was found: Reading The case against...
| Comments:
| I will be reporting about this book and its message to a
group of 300 teachers and heads, and I would appreciate a message of
support or "hello" from A.Kohn to this National Seminar on Evaluation
taking place in Italy Paestum, March 20-21 Thank you very much, I really
appreciate what you denounce Paola Bisegna
|
|
Date:
| Wed Mar 5 10:04:27 2003
| Name:
| Jack Hartsfield
| E-mail:
| jackgail@charter.net
| Organization:
| schools
| Location:
| Fort Worth
| How the site | was found: article
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Wed Mar 5 09:18:40 2003
| Name:
| alan mandell
| E-mail:
| alan.mandell@esc.edu
| Organization:
| State University of New York: Empire State College
| Location:
| New York, New York
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Good morning. I am not sure how the site works, but I
searched for it as a part of my effort to locate materials relevant to a
debate at my institution regarding "grades" and adult learners. We are
institution that, for many years, has used narrative evaluations. There is
a strong move in the direction of shorter narratives and grades. As a
faculty member, I feel strongly that such a change will alter our culture
and our communication with our students, but I have been unable to locate
any research (or systematic thinking) on the topic. Because I am generally
familiar with AK's work, I thought he (or someone!) might have an idea of
a direction for my searching that would be constructive. If anyone has any
ideas about this, I would appreciate them very much. Regards, Alan
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 1 23:09:46 2003
| Name:
| Perry Kalynuk
| E-mail:
| pkalynuk@escape.ca
| Organization:
| educator, Fort La Bosse School Division
| Location:
| Virden, Manitoba
| How the site | was found: reference from Dewryn Davies, Winnipeg, Manitoba
| Comments:
| Dear Alfie, In my role as a public school teacher (34
years) in rural Manitoba, I agree whole heartly with the major premises of
your writings. As a coach, teacher, parent, summer business owner, and
community leader I agree that the best way we can teach good citizenship
is by emulating good citizenship ourselves. It was the cynical, right
wing, 'blame the public institutions' approach of our last provincial
Conservative govn't that got me angry enough to get involved in provincial
politics. I look forward to seeing you in Winnipeg on March 20th.
Sincerely, Perry Kalynuk, NDP candidate for the next provincial election
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 1 19:13:39 2003
| Name:
| Ann Bussee
| E-mail:
| abussee@pe.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Riverside, CA
| How the site | was found: info from a fellow teacher
| Comments:
| I was energized and inspired by your forward in Ohanian's
book, WHAT HAPPENED TO RECESS...
|
|
Date:
| Sat Mar 1 11:56:26 2003
| Name:
| Chris Halpin
| E-mail:
| halpinc@middletownk12.org
| Organization:
| Navesink Elementary School
| Location:
| Middletown, New Jersey
| How the site | was found: Looked for it.
| Comments:
| I hve been an educator for 40+ years and an administrator
for 20+. I am a Constructivist through and through. I will not tire of the
battle despite the fact that I recognize I am being totally quixotic.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Feb 28 15:28:41 2003
| Name:
| Heather Vanover
| E-mail:
| basketball_princess20@msn.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| how do u take a test without bein at
school?????????????HELP!!!!!!!!!!Please email me if u know hoe
|
|
Date:
| Wed Feb 26 19:58:12 2003
| Name:
| Bev Hall
| E-mail:
| jbhall@gate-way.ca
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| Cambridge
| How the site | was found: From my daughter Laura
| Comments:
| I would like to read your thoughts on standardized testing
in the public schools in Ontario
|
|
Date:
| Wed Feb 26 14:51:55 2003
| Name:
| Renee
| E-mail:
| aliens4us2@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| WV
| How the site | was found: other website (nomoretest.com)
| Comments:
| Hello....No More Tests! I'm fired up and ready to make a
big move.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Feb 26 10:06:00 2003
| Name:
| John-David Struckmann
| E-mail:
| ckjdat@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Martin Luther High School
| Location:
| Queens, NY
| How the site | was found: google
| Comments:
| can one reconcile Kohn's great ideas about education,
specifically classroom management, with the concept of original sin? he
speaks disparagingly of those who take a "dark view of human nature" as
only able to "manage" a classroom through punishment. i believe that those
two things are not exclusive.
|
|
Date:
| Tue Feb 25 21:38:20 2003
| Name:
| Linda Counts
| E-mail:
| lmcounts1949@hotmail.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Prairie View
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Mon Feb 24 18:27:59 2003
| Name:
| Balaji S. Reddie
| E-mail:
| balaji@demingindia.org
| Organization:
| THE DEMING FORUM ( INDIA )
| Location:
| Pune , India
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| I'm the founder of THE DEMING FORUM ( INDIA ) . Need I say
more ? I read about Alfie Kohn in Dr. Deming's classic "The New Economics"
.
|
|
Date:
| Sun Feb 23 09:16:44 2003
| Name:
| Derwyn Davies
| E-mail:
| derdav@shaw.ca
| Organization:
| None
| Location:
| Winnipeg, Manitoba
| How the site | was found: from my daugher (teacher - Ontario)
| Comments:
| While teaching, I agitated long and hard against simplistic
judgemental statistics. I have passed information about your website to
Mosaic - a group of teachers, parents and university people working to
raise awareness about the evils of standardized tests and curricula.
|
|
Date:
| Sun Feb 23 08:15:56 2003
| Name:
| Mary Zilko
| E-mail:
| mjb1956@aol.com
| Organization:
| Wyandanch High School
| Location:
| NY
| How the site | was found: Ed Admin Professor
| Comments:
| Perhaps your site could include a sample letter for
educators to forward to policy-makers at all levels. If we join forces
against high-stakes testing, our voices will be heard. While it will not
be a simple task, I am confident we can eventually make a difference.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Feb 22 10:50:46 2003
| Name:
| C. Halpin
| E-mail:
| halpinc@middletownk12.org
| Organization:
| Navesink Elementary School
| Location:
| Middletown, New Jersey
| How the site | was found: Searched...know author
| Comments:
| I am interested in your work. I am an elementary principal
and an adjunct professor. Since, I hated school until I got to college I
have great sympathy for today's (and yesterday's and tomorrow's children).
However, I believe that any efforts you may make will not make much
different -- It is important to remain quixotic.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Feb 22 09:41:28 2003
| Name:
| Deborah Jones
| E-mail:
| maud578@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Waterloo Region District School Board
| Location:
| teacher @ Westvale public school
| How the site | was found: your lecture of yesterday
| Comments:
| government coup ETFO From: Subject: To: Cc: Attachments:
Message Deborah Jones Dear Sir: After reading your book - Ed. Inc. I had
some thoughts which I mentioned on the teacher's website (Waterworks).
They were my speculations on "Steps We Can Take". I thought I would
include them below along with a hearty thanks for the thought provoking
lecture - now all we need is some action!!... Now to the coup - if you
remember - two years ago on Waterworks I tried to organize a government
coup - my dream was to have every teacher in Ontario arrive at Queen's
park and surround the parliament buildings - linking hands - when we were
sure most members were in attendance. At that time I was thinking that we
wouldn't let them out until Bill 160 was repealed - now there are too many
bills under the bridge - so after listening to Mr Kohn yesterday - I've
revised my thoughts somewhat - suppose we didn't let them out until they
had tried a new version - prepared by a competitive company - of the grade
10 test - and we have written permission signed by each one of them- that
the results be published in order of grade - by riding and by subject area
- by a major newspaper chain! Of course - if they succeeded in passing
we'd have to fire the corporation and insist that the test wasn't up to
international standards!!! Just some thoughts! Deb Jones @ Westvale
|
|
Date:
| Fri Feb 21 21:14:37 2003
| Name:
| Esther Etchells
| E-mail:
| MEetchells@aol.com
| Organization:
| Waterloo Regional District School Board
| Location:
| Waterloo, Ontario CANADA
| How the site | was found: at your lecture there this morning
| Comments:
| Your lecture was not only "intellectually stimulating", it
also reinforced philosophies I was blessed to have been able to teach by
in the 70's and 80's in what I call the "golden area." Then we were
encouraged to personalize student programming and testing to some degree.
I enjoyed your one liners, powerful quotes and witty understated, ironic
humour. You got our attention and respect!
|
|
Date:
| Fri Feb 21 17:03:54 2003
| Name:
| Bob Collier
| E-mail:
| quaussiebob@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Publisher, Parental Intelligence
| Location:
| Canberra, Australia
| How the site | was found: Dogpile search engine - my search term was "In praise of
good parenting articles"
| Comments:
| Thank you for the great ideas! :)
|
|
Date:
| Fri Feb 21 16:03:25 2003
| Name:
| Robert G. Monie
| E-mail:
| bobm20001@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| Delgado Community College
| Location:
| New Orleans, LA 70119
| How the site | was found: Google Search
| Comments:
| Hi, I tutor math and English (mostly to students born in
Vietnam, Japan, and other Asian countries) in New Orleans. I am amazed by
what their educational system has enabled them to do. One, a student in
pharmacy school, told me today that she is studing Calculus from the
"worst-written book ever" (reviews on Amazon confirm this). I asked if she
was having trouble with the problems, and she said no. She didn't read the
book; she just picked up the problems and solved them "by type," the way
her tutors in Saigon had taught her. I generally agree with you that
attempts to "get tough" in American schools result in even less teaching
than usual. Intead of teaching, you tell them you're going to teach them,
then you tell them they've been taught; you record both these activities
fulsomely in your log, then you test them, and if they do poorly, you wash
your hands of it. And we call the Asians "inscrutable"!
|
|
Date:
| Thu Feb 20 22:49:48 2003
| Name:
| joan smith
| E-mail:
| joans@lcisd.net
| Organization:
| Lubbock
| Location:
| Texas
| How the site | was found: paper
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Thu Feb 20 10:45:22 2003
| Name:
| Private Krankenversicherung Vergleich
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Nice page, a lot of good informations -;) please visit also
my page Private
Krankenversicherung Vergleich.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Feb 19 12:32:43 2003
| Name:
| Dr. Tom King
| E-mail:
| tking@doane.edu
| Organization:
| Doane College
| Location:
| Crete, Ne
| How the site | was found: Web
| Comments:
| Great reading!
|
|
Date:
| Tue Feb 18 18:41:52 2003
| Name:
| Paula Balonek
| E-mail:
| pb88jb2@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Ohio
| How the site | was found: Father told me about it
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Mon Feb 17 15:18:21 2003
| Name:
| Brian Harrison
| E-mail:
| abharrison@sympatico.ca
| Organization:
| Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario
| Location:
| Keswick, Ontario
| How the site | was found: From the jacket of "The Schools Our Children Deserve"
| Comments:
| I had the good fortune to be part of the group that brought
Alfie in as the keynote address at our annual PD conference on the weekend
- he was both powerful and empowering! As a long time believer it was
amazing to see the consesnsus spread throughout the room. Sitting with a
local politician, I was delighted with his initial discomfort, then
growing recognition that all is NOT well in our schools. We have begun, I
hope, the baby steps here in my district. Check back for updates!
|
|
Date:
| Mon Feb 17 13:48:00 2003
| Name:
| Edmundo Valenzuela
| E-mail:
| edmundo@ups.urbe
| Organization:
| Universitā Pontificia Salesiana
| Location:
| Rome - Italy
| How the site | was found: reading "Building classroom discipline" of Charles C.M.
| Comments:
| Hello I'm happy to know your work in the School to make it
a place of a new education. Compliments for all! Greeting from Rome
Edmundo Valenzuela
|
|
Date:
| Mon Feb 17 13:41:25 2003
| Name:
| Edmundo Valenzuela
| E-mail:
| edmundo@ups.urbe
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
|
|
|
Name:
| Mary Findley
| E-mail:
| mfindley@starpower.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Washington DC
| How the site | was found: via Google
| Comments:
| Mr. Kohn, I'm a long-time ardent admirer of your work,
especially of "No Contest" and "Punished By Rewards". Please continue your
carefully reasoned and well-documented research, writing and speaking on
behalf of democracy, civility, children, and fair compensation policies.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Feb 15 19:07:01 2003
| Name:
| Anne Girard
| E-mail:
| rhgirard@rogers.com
| Organization:
| yrdsb
| Location:
| Newmarket, Ont. Canada
| How the site | was found: Heard you speak today in Markham !
| Comments:
| Thank you for a very thought provoking experience. I have
begun to read your book and am thinking how to incorporate your ideas into
my life as a grade 3 teacher and one of the many who question the wisdom
of the EQAO and such like. How very interesting that onthe day I was
listening to you, my American born husband was marching in a peace march
for the first time in his life, in our town to protest the war in Iraq.
Both events have brought home to me the great divide there seems to be
between the governors and the governed in our two countries. There is much
to be done!
|
|
Date:
| Sat Feb 15 11:51:13 2003
| Name:
| BeVivian
| E-mail:
| bevivian@bellsouth.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Tn
| How the site | was found: searching using askjeeves
| Comments:
| I was thrilled with so much information and insite I just
had to write a thank you. I am taking courses in early childhood
development and have been in the role as "teacher" even without a paper
degree for over thirty years so to have such great references to say "see
I am not the only one that feels this way" is very rewarding to say the
least. Thanks
|
|
Date:
| Sat Feb 15 10:23:28 2003
| Name:
| Erik Ramm-Schmidt
| E-mail:
| erikrammschmidt@hotmail.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Helsinki, Finland
| How the site | was found: A search engine
| Comments:
| Dear Alfie Kohn Your books have been a great inspiration
for me and have helped me in my work as a Montessori teacher. In this part
of the world large changes are taking place within mainstream education.
Sweden abolished grades to a large extent few years ago and now they are
planning new more radical changes. Individual students in future Swedish
schools will make up their own work schedule and to a large extent make up
their curriculum based on their interests. We are not talking about a few
schools or classes, but the whole system of education in an entire
country! I believe it will be worth studying what happens now in Sweden.
If the Swedish model of child-centred education is successful it will
become a model for the rest of the world. It can also show that there are
workable alternatives to contemporary education, which is based on rote
learning and extrinsic rewards. Best wishes Erik Ramm-Schmidt
|
|
Date:
| Fri Feb 14 13:13:01 2003
| Name:
| Danielle Weaver
| E-mail:
| weaverrj@hotmail.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Fri Feb 14 09:32:15 2003
| Name:
| Andre Poulin
| E-mail:
| andre_poulin@Cameco.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: Search Engines
| Comments:
| Dear Mr. Kohn: Thank you for writing Punished by Rewards.
Your methodical work enabled me to consolidate both the concerns I had as
an undergraduate psychology student some twenty years ago and almost
fifteen years of business coaching/consulting. It is my wife, an educator,
who brought your work to my attention. She faces the challenge of
approaching her work, consistent with your perspective, in the public
school system.
|
|
Date:
| Thu Feb 13 23:33:44 2003
| Name:
| Samantha Williams
| E-mail:
| willsamantha4@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| USA
| How the site | was found: none
| Comments:
| Keep up this great resource. I bookmark your site, best
greetings Samantha Williams
|
|
Date:
| Wed Feb 12 12:28:14 2003
| Name:
| Dr. Thomas Knesrict
| E-mail:
| tom_knestrict@mail.msj.edu
| Organization:
| College of Mount St. Joseph
| Location:
| Cincinnati, Ohio
| How the site | was found: After reading THe Schools Our Children Deserve
| Comments:
| As a junior faculty member at a very conservative school,
in a very conservative town, I often feel like like I am the salmon
swimming up stream in my discussions about standards/testing and logical
positivism in general. I would like some help so I appreciate your
perspective and plan on reading all you write and reccomend. Thanks
|
|
Date:
| Sun Feb 9 08:08:09 2003
| Name:
| Jeanne Shepard
| E-mail:
| jms01@u.washington.edu
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| tantobeak.com
| How the site | was found: Know the books
| Comments:
| Am an occupational Therapist, not a teacher or a parent,
but have been a fan for years. Keep up the good work.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Feb 8 10:06:28 2003
| Name:
| Kd D'Port
| E-mail:
| kddport@msn.com
| Organization:
| Albuquerque Public Schools
| Location:
| Albuquerque, New Mexico
| How the site | was found: hyperlink from a friend and fellow teacher
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Sat Feb 8 00:24:28 2003
| Name:
| Robert Gear
| E-mail:
| alrojo@omantel.net.om
| Organization:
| SQU
| Location:
| Oman
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| I very much enjoyed this site and the ideas promoted.
|
|
Date:
| Thu Feb 6 11:55:22 2003
| Name:
| Melisa Preuss-Muņoz
| E-mail:
| melisalitre7@yahoo.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Chicago
| How the site | was found: ooeygooey
| Comments:
| Thank you!
|
|
Date:
| Wed Feb 5 12:20:04 2003
| Name:
| Kaia Tollefson
| E-mail:
| kaia@unm.edu
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Albuquerque, NM
| How the site | was found: Web search
| Comments:
| I'm trying to find documentation of parents' rights in
terms of their choosing to exempt their children from participation in
standardized tests. From what I understand this is a state by state issue
rather than a federal one. This question came up because a teacher-friend
of mine recently told me that she and the other teachers at her school
were recently told by their site testing coordinator that they are not
allowed to tell parents of their right to exempt children from the tests.
The reason given for this was that the Leave No Child Behind legislation
requires of every school a 95% participation rate in the tests in order
for federal funds to keep flowing. This abridgement of teachers' First
Amendment and academic freedom rights is troubling, but equally so is the
intentional exclusion of parents from conversations about what is
happening in schools, with their children. Further, a gag order like this
exacerbates the unfortunate gulf that already tends to exist between
schools and homes, sending the clear message to teachers that they and the
families they serve are not on the same team, so to speak. This message is
particularly damaging to the healthy development of home-school
relationships for new teachers, I would think. If anyone has any
information about parents' rights (federal or by state) in this regard, or
any similar experiences, I would appreciate hearing from you. (I am a
teacher, too, who refused to administer the tests to my fifth graders last
year. This year I am working on a dissertation, studying parents' and
teachers' responses to the accountability movement.)
|
|
Date:
| Sun Feb 2 17:54:39 2003
| Name:
| frank Fitch
| E-mail:
| fitchef@muohio.edu
| Organization:
| Miami University
| Location:
| Oxford Ohio
| How the site | was found: Book
| Comments:
|
|
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 31 07:11:34 2003
| Name:
| william c. necoechea
| E-mail:
| billnec@yahoo.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: internet search
| Comments:
| There are very few (highly) critical responses to this
website, and I disagree so strongly with your beliefs that I wanted to
write. 1. I would disagree with your value statements, but perhaps my
strongest disagreements are with the degree of certainty you attach to
specific ideas. Your ideas merely represent a school of thought (among
many). In economics, there are the monetarists, the keynesians, the
supply-siders, etc. Each of these schools has its plus and minus
arguments, but none of them represents a "reigning paradigm" in the sense
that evolution is in biology, quantum mechanics is in physics, or the
atomic theory is in chemistry. Yet, your books are typified by an
absolutism that would make a member of the religious right proud. This
difference between the natural and social sciences is covered in great
depth in many books, the best of which is Richard Feynman's "The Character
of Physical Law." 2. Many of the issues that you discuss are so intensely
"value-laden" and subjective that they are probably not amenable to
reasonable scientific inquiry. Thus, while the energy released during a
chemical reaction probably qualifies as hard data, "long-term intrinsic
motivation" probably does not. 3. There is a reasonable counter-argument
to practically all of the arguments that you make. I frequently hold a
position different from either you or your most extrement critics, but you
should at least acknowledge the arguments of Milton Friedman, Mortimer
Adler, etc. These people are not dummies, and the fact that you do not try
to refute their arguments in any of your works is somewhat revealing. 4.
You also seem to have a rather "Messianic" outlook towards your opinions,
which usually always interferes with objectivity. In the afterword to "No
Contest: The Case Against Competition" you describe the audience reaction
to your presentations as falling into three different classes, but you do
not acknowledge the possibility of reasonable disagreement. This outlook
is reminiscent of the "moral one-upsmanship" that you frequently see in
Marxist thought, in which one's opponents are not only in intellectual
error, but also evil. 5. Ironically enough, I am a teacher and a centrist
Democrat, and I do not want either Bill Bennet or the radical left in
charge of things. Hopefully, common sense and reason (and not utopianism
or ideological fads) will prevail. 6. I disagree on other issues as well,
but I think that this is enough for right now.
|
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 30 11:48:31 2003
| Name:
| Leigh Clise
| E-mail:
| slc0429@mail.ecu.edu
| Organization:
| ECU teaching student
| Location:
| Greenville, NC
| How the site | was found: another student
| Comments:
| I am researching your "model" for a presentation. I would
love any insight or input that you might have to offer. Thank you.
Sincerely, Leigh Clise
|
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 30 02:51:28 2003
| Name:
| Carl Johnson
| E-mail:
| petr4sberg@aol.com
| Organization:
| University of California Irvine
| Location:
| Irvine, california
| How the site | was found: through yahoo
| Comments:
| Hi, I am curious into a video mentioned by Alfie Kohn in
his article,"Published by Rewards." He mentions a video of an experiment
done on children with a bobo punching doll and their intrinsic motivation
being decreased when they were paid to play with the doll. I was wondering
if there were a way to get a copy of this for my psychology class. Thank
youvery much, any help would be great.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 29 13:10:45 2003
| Name:
| Jane Reynolds
| E-mail:
| jane_reynolds@wayzata.k12.mn.us
| Organization:
| Wayzata Public Schools
| Location:
| Plymouth, Minnesota
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| I have recently read several of Alfie Kohn's books
(Punished by Rewards, Beyond Discipline, The Schools Our Children Deserve)
and really resonated with each and every one of them. (Thank you, Mr.
Kohn, and keep saying the things you are saying!) Now I would like to
network with other teachers who are interested in a "Constructivist"
philosophy. These could be open meetings (at a local school, for example)
if anyone here in the Twin Cities area is interested,OR it could be
networking through e-mail. I just know that I would like to meet with
like-minded educators and discuss ways to create and maintain the kinds of
classrooms Alfie Kohn is talking about in his books. Indeed, this kind of
support seems necessary in order to go "against the grain" of traditional
instruction. I teach fifth grade, but I see no reason why this could not
be a group of teachers who work at different levels, K-12. Please e-mail
me if you are interested. Thank you.
|
|
Date:
| Sun Jan 26 22:04:59 2003
| Name:
| LISA tERRY
| E-mail:
| LTERRY100@AOL.COM
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| LOOKING FOR ARTICLE "ONLY FOR MY KIDS" BY ALFIE KHON
|
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 25 08:24:20 2003
| Name:
| Deborah A. Schultheis
| E-mail:
| dschultheis@ctdi.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: Read an article in Educational Leadership
| Comments:
| I would like to know more about the group you have started
which is opposed to the Tougher Standards movement? I am a second career
education student who finds your work to the point and so important in
these times of testing and standardized curriculum. As a student of
education I feel that I may have started too late and may find it rather
difficult to be a teacher in a classroom where the emphasis is on testing
and standardized curriculm. I was hoping that as a teacher I could guide
students in their learning and hope to encourage them to be life long
learners. I strongly disagree with this movement and want to become
involved in a group such as yours to stop this trend of testing, testing
and more testing.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 22 13:46:28 2003
| Name:
| Keith Moore
| E-mail:
| kamoore1@ualr.edu
| Organization:
| University of Arkansas at Little Rock
| Location:
| Little Rock
| How the site | was found: Education Week
| Comments:
| Just read, Beware of the Standards, Not Just the Test.
Great article.
|
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 22 12:45:10 2003
| Name:
| Dom Pendino
| E-mail:
| pendind@lmsd.org
| Organization:
| Lower Merion Education Association
| Location:
| Ardmore, Pa
| How the site | was found: meeting
| Comments:
| How do arrrange a lecture by Alphie Kohn? What is the cost?
Availability? Etc
|
|
Date:
| Tue Jan 21 12:44:48 2003
| Name:
| D.F. Muldoon
| E-mail:
| dmuldoon@creighton.edu
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Omaha, NE
| How the site | was found: Link on www.abolishappraisals.com
| Comments:
| I had a special-education teacher whose time-out chair
morphed into something even more awful: a wooden box about the size of a
coffin, standing upright, smack dab in the middle of the classroom. It had
air-vent holes drilled around the perimeter near the top, giving it the
semblance of a crate in which animals are shipped. Offenses that would get
a child "timed out" included saying "Uh-uh" to refute the teacher's
statements, to writing excessively about Chrysler automobiles (which was
deemed an obsession). Behavior modification was tailor-made for each
pupil. This was in the mid-1970s, before such things would have been
considered child abuse. I'll direct your attention to a splendid but
out-of-print book entitled The Magic Feather: The Truth About Special
Education by Lori and Bill Granger. It was a life-saver (no hyperbole; I
mean that literally) and it made it possible for me to begin recovery.
Cheers to you and keep up the good work!
|
|
Date:
| Tue Jan 21 09:43:21 2003
| Name:
| Cindi Chandler
| E-mail:
| tanafix@aol.com
| Organization:
| Tuscaloosa City Schools
| Location:
| Tuscaloosa, Alabama
| How the site | was found: I wanted to be able to read more about testing.
| Comments:
| We have something new in reading assessment in Alabama this
year. It's called DIBELS and measures how many words children read in a
minute. Originated in Oregon (not the only bad thing to come from that
state). Anyway, I know that if a child reads fluently on grade level,
there's a good chance he or she is going to be successful, so seeing how
speedily a child is reading can give a quick general idea of a child's
reading. However, just like other assessments, DIBELS has been take way
too seriously. In fact, last week all teachers in our school were called
in to the principal's office to get scolded because our children were the
slowest readers in the school system. Amazingly, very few teachers were
upset about this! Can you believe it?
|
|
Date:
| Tue Jan 14 20:04:34 2003
| Name:
| Jerry Jones
| E-mail:
| jrjones@idirect.com
| Organization:
| Durham District School Board
| Location:
| Whitby, Ontario, Canada
| How the site | was found: Your books
| Comments:
| I want to thank you for your insight and perspective on how
the changes in education have effected our schools, our students and the
learning process. When ever I get overwhelmed and stressed by the mindless
facts and figures I am sometimes forced to teach my students, I re-read
"The Schools Our Children Deserve". This book has inspired me to focus on
teaching kids, not content. To provided my students with exciting, active
and hands on daily learning experiences. I look forward to reading more of
your writing in the future. Thanks for everything. J.Jones
|
|
Date:
| Tue Jan 14 11:02:06 2003
| Name:
| J. Woodworth
| E-mail:
| JWLamplit@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Syracuse, NY area
| How the site | was found: from one of Alfie's books
| Comments:
| I'm a Prof. of Education and parent of 3 (ages 7, 9, 11).
Testing is not the answer...I will use this site in my class and The Case
Against Standardized Testing will be required reading in my courses. THANK
YOU for giving us a voice!
|
|
Date:
| Tue Jan 14 09:53:43 2003
| Name:
| Melah Gindi
| E-mail:
| me_gindi@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| PA President
| Location:
| NYC, NY 10025
| How the site | was found: searching for std testing articles on yahoo
| Comments:
| PA President MS246 Crossroads Middle School (where test
boycotts get us into trouble!) Hope to attend your lecture here in April.
Keep rocking the boat! Melah L. Gindi
|
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 13 13:41:31 2003
| Name:
| Jonathan Grice
| E-mail:
| jgrice@bssd.net
| Organization:
| Blue Springs Schools
| Location:
| Blue Springs, Missouri
| How the site | was found: From a Ed Professor
| Comments:
| Thank you for access to the writings and lectures of Mr.
Kohn, if there are any emails you could send me keeping me updated, I
would appreciate it.
|
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 13 10:56:30 2003
| Name:
| MUGU JOE,LAGOS,NAIJA
| E-mail:
| MUGUJOE@MUGU.COM
| Organization:
| TTT
| Location:
| LAGOS
| How the site | was found: FROM A FRIEND
| Comments:
| I LOVE THIS SITE.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 11 11:38:00 2003
| Name:
| Dennis Glaeser
| E-mail:
| dglaeser@msn.com
| Organization:
| Fond du Lac Board of Education
| lign=top>E-mail:
| MUGUJOE@MUGU.COM
| Organization:
| TTT
| Location:
| LAGOS
| How the site | was found: FROM A FRIEND
| Comments:
| I LOVE THIS SITE.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 11 11:38:00 2003
| Name:
| Dennis Glaeser
| E-mail:
| dglaeser@msn.com
| Organization:
| Fond du Lac Board of Education
| Location:
| Fond du Lac, WI
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Less reliance on high-stakes testing and raising classroom
assessment and formative assessment to be at least on a par with
standarized testing will be a start in the right direction in solving the
high stakes madness we are currently embracing as judging the
effectiveness of our educational systems. I'll take the teacher and
teacher tests any day over one shot assessments where students are timed
and forced to operate in a knowledge only mode without resources. How did
we ever get into this mess and more importantly how were our politicians
tricked into believing that high stakes is the answer? Probably because it
is easy and results in a number, however meaningless, that can be compared
to numbers gotten in other districts and states!!
|
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 10 17:49:43 2003
| Name:
| Dale Skoreyko
| E-mail:
| dale.skoreyko@epsb.ca
| Organization:
| Edmonton Public Schools
| Location:
| Londonderry Junior High, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Thank you! Now to move parents, teachers, and colleagues to
this level of understanding.
|
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 9 13:07:59 2003
| Name:
| Kathleen Diffatte
| E-mail:
| kdiffatte@aol.com
| Organization:
| College of St. Catherine (student)
| Location:
| St. Paul, MN
| How the site | was found: Through school
| Comments:
| As an adult learner (that's the least painful way to say
I'm older than many of my classmates) about to complete my elementary ed
degree, you are my inspiration and motivation. I can and will make changes
and make a difference in my classroom.
|
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 9 11:40:14 2003
| Name:
| Noah Spaulding
| E-mail:
| noahbball@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| escuela internacional sampedrana
| Location:
| san pedro sula, honduras
| How the site | was found: read one of Mr. Kohn's books
| Comments:
| When is the education field going to wake up? All this talk
of more standardized tests is going to destroy education! When did school
stop being fun?
|
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 8 21:05:02 2003
| Name:
| Lawrence P. Creedon
| E-mail:
| lpcreedon@aol.com
| Organization:
| Framingham International Education program
| Location:
| Framingham, MA
| How the site | was found: Recommended by Students
| Comments:
| Mostrecently I have been using Kohn:The Schools Our
Children Dedserve in my graduate level international education courses in
Honduras and Mexico. The volume is excellent and extremely well received
by students. A student in Honduras recommnded the Kohn web site.
|
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 4 15:31:24 2003
| Name:
| Kristine Jones-Cecere
| E-mail:
| kjcecere@aol.com
| Organization:
| 5th grade teacher
| Location:
| Bergen County, New Jersey
| How the site | was found: a fan
| Comments:
| My hero!
|
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 3, 2003
| Name:
| Diane Coventry
| E-mail:
| jesusfreak03301@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| Concord, NH
| How the site | was found: Letter to the editor in local newspaper
| Comments:
| As a concerned parent of three(one bright child out of
school without a diploma after 12 years in the system)and a student
teacher in college, I am apalled with standardized testing. The website is
an excellent source of information and a good place to start educating the
public. My immediate solution was to place my youngest child in private
school, but with standardized testing looming for my high school age
child, locating this site was timely. I hope to be a force against this
type of testing as both a parent and an aspiring teacher.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 3 14:40:11 2003
| Name:
| Jonas Cox
| E-mail:
| jcox@soe.gonzaga.edu
| Organization:
| Gonzaga University
| Location:
| Spokane WA
| How the site | was found: Searched for it by name.
| Comments:
| I find Alfie's books very useful in my teaching. They are
well researched and well written.
|
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 3 13:51:55 2003
| Name:
| flora rhodes
| E-mail:
| rhodesf@k12.hermiston.or.us
| Organization:
| middle school
| Location:
| hermiston
| How the site | was found: co-worker
| Comments:
| sign me up
|
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 1 08:31:27 2003
| Name:
| Hanny Hanssen
| E-mail:
| hanny@hanssen.nl
| Organization:
| Center for creative learning
| Location:
| Sterksel, Netherlands
| How the site | was found: trough friends
| Comments:
| I would like to thank you for your books and articals
becauce they help me to explain to people what our center is about. Our
center / school is a place for gifted children (underachievers) who can't
make it in the regular schoolsystem. We try to help them to find back to
themselves and find meaning to there lives. We don't have classrooms
anymore, different ages 6 years till 23 years old join together, we don't
teach the normal curriculum but we help them to learn what they want to.
We don't have rules and we look beyoud princepals. We try to do what they
say they need by listening to them. But free yourself from the educational
system and culture isn't easy. Your writing helps us. Thank you, with love
Hanny
|
|
www.alfiekohn.org -- Š Alfie Kohn |