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|
Date:
| Sun Jan 30 21:39:13 2000
| Name:
| Fran Hamberger
| E-mail:
| fhamberg@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Alexandria City Public Schools, NEA, NCTE, NVWP
| Location:
| Alexandria, Virginia
| How the site | was found: Google.com search for A.Kohn
| Comments:
| Hooray! After reading about Alfie Kohn in an article in the Writing Project journal, I bought his latest book. So far (p.100), I am finally feeling validated in my gut feelings about the dangers of the "standards" movement. The state of VA is into standards in a big way, and it is almost enough to make me quit!
|
Date:
| Sun Jan 30 15:29:08 2000
| Name:
| Thomas Zatorski
| E-mail:
| czatorsk@optonline.net
| Organization:
| South High School
| Location:
| Valley Stream, New York
| How the site | was found: Read author's books
| Comments:
| I have your work for many years and am now using your thoughts, as well those of others, for keeping a 'pay for grades' scheme sponsored by a high school ring company out of our school. Wish me luck!
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 29 18:46:34 2000
| Name:
| Sanjoy Mahajan
| E-mail:
| sanjoy@mrao.cam.ac.uk
| Organization:
| University of Cambridge
| Location:
| Cambridge, England
| How the site | was found: listed at the end of an interview with Alfie Kohn
| Comments:
| Privitization of education and "standards" mania has infected the United Kingdom, which imports only the bad features of America.
Since both parties, Tory and Labour, are united on undermining education (as they are on most issues), there is little hope for any change.
There is even an official government scheme, the Private Finance Initiative, to shift schools (and hospitals and subways) into private hands, and then to make the public subsidize the private industry by leasing back the property at huge rates.
So it is a relief to read at least a few voices standing up to the mania, even if they are across the ocean.
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 29 17:46:25 2000
| Name:
| Karen Stratton
| E-mail:
| kes@teleport.com
| Organization:
| student teacher
| Location:
| Oregon
| How the site | was found: Looked up Alfie Kohn, whose books I read
| Comments:
| I am in a student teaching program in Oregon, a state which has gone heavily toward "outcome based education" as judged by standardized tests. I am very concerned that there is no place for an idealist like myself in public education. For me this is a second career, I was once a lawyer, but would really like to teach elementary school. But I can't "make them do it" by telling them it will be on the test.
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 29 09:41:16 2000
| Name:
| Alison
| E-mail:
| Alison@nycap.rr.com
| Organization:
| future teacher
| Location:
| capital region NY
| How the site | was found: The Best of Our Knowlege NPR
| Comments:
| The articles are very convincing and passionate. It would be helpful to me if you added web site access to some of the research you draw from.
Thank you for your thoughtful work.
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 29 00:34:09 2000
| Name:
| David H. Kessel
| E-mail:
| socshop@webtv.net
| Organization:
| The Sociology Shop
| Location:
| Springfield, OR
| How the site | was found: Search Engine
| Comments:
| I have used your "Case Against Competition" in INtro. Soc classes for a long time. I admire your point of view and reasoning abilities.
Please visit The Sociology Shop at:
http://www.angelfire.com/or/sociologyshop/index.html
Thanks,
David H. Kessel
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 28 14:58:52 2000
| Name:
| Robert Duron
| E-mail:
| rduron@ccisd.net
| Organization:
| Clear Creek Independent School Dist.
| Location:
| Just South of Houston, Tx.
| How the site | was found: New Book P.208
| Comments:
| Clear Creek is a very high performing district when measured by traditional standards (TAAS Test)...i am in a position (Executive Director of 9 of the 28 Schools) to make changes....i am interested in dialouge with Dr. Kohn and others about where to start...i am motivated because i see students suffering with dumbed down classroom experiences....they are disturbed and i have always believed in a saying, "if you come to comfort the disturbed, you will surely disturb the comfortable"... i think its time we disturb the comfortable!
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 28 13:47:20 2000
| Name:
| Barbara Wills
| E-mail:
| jwills1@columbus.rr.com
| Organization:
| just a concerned Mom
| Location:
| Columbus, OH
| How the site | was found: Heard you speak in the fall, just got on the internet
| Comments:
| Want to thank you for all you're doing for our children. Someone has to stand up for them. Our generation was so good at criticizing our parents for what they did wrong. But we are doing a "bang-up" job of dumping on our children.
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 27 16:15:30 2000
| Name:
| Jo Sippie-Gora
| E-mail:
| jo@josippie.com
| Organization:
| Coldwell Banker
| Location:
| NJ
| How the site | was found: referenced in magazine article "Doing Business"
| Comments:
| As a former teacher and current real estate salesperson, I have experienced first-hand the emphasis on test scores. When I have taken the position that you so clearly stated in "Sell Schools, not Test Scores", it's been perceived mostly with mistrust. After all I'm a salesperson! Anyway, I will continue to spread my message (and yours). Will you give me permission to copy a good part of it to put on my website, www.josippie.com? I would be most happy to acknowledge you as the author, of course!
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 27 08:56:23 2000
| Name:
| Rebecca Neville
| E-mail:
| rneville@ecasd.k12.wi.us
| Organization:
| Eau Claire Area Schools
| Location:
| Eau Claire, WI 54701
| How the site | was found: ncte
| Comments:
| I love your work because it is helping me establish a clearer vision of the demons that are wrapping their fingers around the necks of our school systems. I live in "Thommy Thompson Land" where just last night he laid out his proposal for teacher merit pay based on student achievement measured by tests and the like. How does one persevere in this climate where we focus on AP classes and "raising the bar"?
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 24 21:04:15 2000
| Name:
| Susan Seigel
| E-mail:
| susan.seigel@salem.mass.edu
| Organization:
| Salem State College
| Location:
| Salem, MA
| How the site | was found: discussion with colleague
| Comments:
| I use several of Alfie Kohn's books and articles (e.g. "Choices for Children") in my intro to education and democratic education courses. As a mom of a 3-year old, I also have found his insights helpful as a parent.
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 24 15:17:02 2000
| Name:
| Pam Abad
| E-mail:
| pabad@aol.com
| Organization:
| The Learner-Centered School
| Location:
| Antioch, CA
| How the site | was found: typed in www.alfiekohn.org
| Comments:
| Interested in more information about where Alfie Kohn is lecturing in person and if there is anyone else you know of who speaks at schools to teachers and parents.
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 24 07:41:12 2000
| Name:
| Eric Bohlman
| E-mail:
| ebohlman@netcom.com
| Organization:
| OMS Development
| Location:
| Chicago
| How the site | was found: Google search
| Comments:
| I've recently made an alarming connection between "high stakes" uses of test scores and "zero tolerance" discipline policies in schools. Both seem aimed at removing human judgment from the process. Why would anyone want to do that? To escape responsibility; to be able to justify a decision that had a harmful outcome with "I was only following orders." The Nuremburg defense seems to have become rather attractive lately.
|
Date:
| Sun Jan 23 04:03:45 2000
| Name:
| Roy D. Wilson
| E-mail:
| wilson@aol.com
| Organization:
| Institute For Community Leadership
| Location:
| Seattle, WA
| How the site | was found: Susan Ohanian
| Comments:
| We're looking for contacts or other individuals in the states of Washington, Oregon and California who network or otherwise actively organize for democratic assessments and democratic schools. Thanks.
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 22 21:35:11 2000
| Name:
| William P. McClary
| E-mail:
| BMcClary@SLN.ESC.EDU
| Organization:
| Empire State College
| Location:
| Saratoga Springs, NY
| How the site | was found: CAught part of interview with you on PBS
| Comments:
| Have requested book from library. Sounds great !!
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 22 21:30:32 2000
| Name:
| marianne callahan
| E-mail:
| mamie_g@excite.com
| Organization:
| south burlington high school
| Location:
| south burlington, vermont
| How the site | was found: northern lights/teacher development
| Comments:
| i'm teaching an elective this spring which will be without grades. i'll let you know how it turns out. it is economics and my clas size is only 13, as compared to my madatory u.s. history sections which average 27 students.
this will be the first time i have tried this; any suggestions of what to AVOID doing?
thanks.
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 22 18:45:46 2000
| Name:
| Dr. Martha M. Kronholm
| E-mail:
| martkron@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools
| Location:
| Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54494
| How the site | was found: Web search
| Comments:
| I am interested in sending Alfie Kohn a publication that I'm hoping he might have a chance to comment on...
Could you send me an address that I could use to send him a book entitled "Great Ways to Motivate Students to Read"?
I'm sure that he will find it very interesting!
Thank you,
Martha
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 22 18:04:49 2000
| Name:
| Ann Roy
| E-mail:
| roy.toys@mciworld.com
| Organization:
| New Holstein School District
| Location:
| New Holstein, WI 53061
| How the site | was found: Given to me by Alfie!
| Comments:
| After a challenging week (professionally), I had the opportunity to hear you deliver an inspirational, timely and much needed message in Milwaukee, WI at the WASB convention. I can only hope that Board members and my colleagues in education were listening. Being new on the job (Director of Curriculum, Assessment and Instruction - one month!), I was beginning to wonder if anyone besides me had the notion to look beyond the WI Model Standards to envision an environment which considers ALL of the data our children offer us to make solid choices for their learning opportunities. Thank you, Alfie for the message and the tools to go ahead. I'll be anxious to cruise your website often for additional tools to use in my quest. YES! (I also feel a need to apologize for the unstatesman-like delivery of our Governor. But then, you've heard that sort of speech before...To think, his standards did nothing to teach him the proper use of the suffix "ing." Note - he utilizes "in." As our state motto dict
ates, Forward!
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 22 09:39:34 2000
| Name:
| Jacqueline Monette
| E-mail:
| jackie@pagefox.com
| Organization:
| Berlin Central School
| Location:
| Berlin, NY
| How the site | was found: NPR's best of our Knoweledge
| Comments:
| I loved the first program an am looking forward to part two.
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 22 00:16:22 2000
| Name:
| pam curtiss-horton
| E-mail:
| pammynat@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| oakland unified school district
| Location:
| ca
| How the site | was found: book-it tv
| Comments:
| I have discovered another very interesting web-site, fairtest.org. Check it out!
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 21 22:33:33 2000
| Name:
| Brian Sitz
| E-mail:
| brian_sitz@hopkins.k12.mn.us
| Organization:
| Hopkins North Junior High
| Location:
| Minnetonka, MN
| How the site | was found: Saw Alfie Kohn on television
| Comments:
| Interesting views and intriguing concepts.
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 21 20:38:48 2000
| Name:
| James R. Ace
| E-mail:
| Jamesa7146@AOL.COM
| Organization:
| Retired educator
| Location:
| Dracut, MA 01826
| How the site | was found: Watched Alfie on Book TV
| Comments:
| As a former professor, teacher, and administrator of 39 years experience, I am deeply disturbed by the enthusiastic nonsense that is being promoted as good- for-our-schools by local school committees and superintendents. It is a disgusting display of self serving and political egotism mouthed by people who will do irreparable harm.
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 21 13:32:31 2000
| Name:
| George Wood
| E-mail:
| None
| Organization:
| None
| Location:
| 22 Jones Road Kelso, WA 98626
| How the site | was found: Magizine article
| Comments:
| Have you considered how we might use the new "Information Age" to change the way we provide education to the public? I have ideas I would be willing to share with you. Call me at 1 (800) 722-8218.
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 20 22:17:36 2000
| Name:
| Ellen A. Thompson
| E-mail:
| ellent9275@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| South Hero, VT
| How the site | was found: Friends
| Comments:
| Keep up the good work
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 20 20:25:24 2000
| Name:
| Karen Maddry
| E-mail:
| Karenncary@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: email loop
| Comments:
| I think the concept of punished by rewards is very relevant in today's society, and very much over-used in the public schoools
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 20 15:15:43 2000
| Name:
| Jane Walsh
| E-mail:
| sinead@bcn.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Berkshires, MA
| How the site | was found: homeschooler
| Comments:
| Love the messages, I'm leaving another just to read the others, what a hotbed of educational unrest!
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 20 15:10:17 2000
| Name:
|
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
|
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 20 12:52:58 2000
| Name:
| Vincent Goh
| E-mail:
| thegohfamily@aol.com
| Organization:
| Concerned parent
| Location:
| Houston, texas
| How the site | was found: introduced by Vicki Cobb
| Comments:
| I am grateful that you are addressing an issue that is so fundamentally important to the well being of our children and their future. I hope that enough people would wake up and listen.
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 19 16:54:24 2000
| Name:
| Marvin Borchelt
| E-mail:
| mbor@Trailnet.com
| Organization:
| Realtor
| Location:
| Roswell, New Mexico
| How the site | was found: Article in Realtor Magazine
| Comments:
| I found your article to be quite liberal and even misleading to a certain extent, so I decided to check out your Web Page to see what additional damage you might be doing.
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 19 11:26:31 2000
| Name:
| Jeanine Kelnhofer
| E-mail:
| mkelnhofer@juno.com
| Organization:
| Bexley City Schools
| Location:
| Bexley, Ohio
| How the site | was found: Through a staff development discussion
| Comments:
| Very interested in updates!!
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 19 11:21:12 2000
| Name:
| Jane Walsh
| E-mail:
| sinead@bcn.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: WAMC ALbany,NY Education Show
| Comments:
| I just reread many of the articles, printed to share them also, as a homeschooling mom I appreciate the work, I wish public radio and the mainstream press would explore these topics more, Thankyou for your work.
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 17 21:29:21 2000
| Name:
| Terence McGiver
| E-mail:
| mcgivetp@cobleskill.edu
| Organization:
| SUNY@Cobleskill
| Location:
| Cobleskill, N.Y., 12043
| How the site | was found: I was listening to PBS on Monday evening Jan. 17, 2000
| Comments:
| I am a professor at SUNY Cobleskill and I have a keen interest in utilizing the constructivist method in my classes, and the idea of shifting away from traditional methods {transmission model} certainly is an important message to get across to educators.
|
Date:
| Sun Jan 16 21:06:32 2000
| Name:
| Victorious Colleman
| E-mail:
| Mcescher2@aol.com
| Organization:
| I wish I had or was part of one.
| Location:
| Santa Cruz Ca.
| How the site | was found: a quick net sreach
| Comments:
| I have read a few of Kohn's books andfond out that what he tell is true. Now I may not be on hte honor roll in high school but I donn't wat to be. See the claases for the "smarter" chlidern are noteven better at the "drill n' skill" that the other classes do. Now far be that the teachers teach anything in depth.
now one thing that I want to say is a little thing.
"Ain't it funny how the factory doors close
Round the time that the school doors close
Round the time that the doors of the jail cells
Open up to greet you like the reaper"
Now why do I say this, well simple they are all run about the same way. School are made in work that is factory like, andit is the law that all go to school or go to jail. LikE jails the poor get thte shor end of every thing.Like the factory only the poepel in chage can say what and how they do anything.
|
Date:
| Sun Jan 16 12:55:53 2000
| Name:
| Robert B.Cole
| E-mail:
| Darth_Bud@qwebtv.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: Advocate
| Comments:
| Hi, I read the bit in the advocate and could not agree more. I love the part about kids becoming "critical, creative, curious thinkers" ha ha ha!!!!!
Thats rich! all they want is GED level ed. so the kids can grow up to be happy little factory workers. Thats why rich kids go to privit school so they can learn to think that they are better than the rest of us with a real edu. and go on to a collage thats also why collage is not free for everone as it should be, adults included. The goverment has to maintain a large blue collar workforce to keep the labor wages low or profit will fall and the rich will level out with the rest of us and the middle class will grow and take over all THEY want is rich and stuggling working poor and until we all demand much better schooling it won't change.
I just finished "LIES MY TEACHER TOLD ME" and it was a real eye opener, I hope to read Alfie's book soon but I do understand the problem.
As for myself I went to school in Fla. and what a wast of time that was, I felt that I was a loser who was just pushed thru the process because they had already given up on me by the third grade I felt like if you are not the top ten percent no one cares unless you get in trouble, just be a good little clog and move along ok! The down side to this is I LOVE LEARNING but not in that kind of warehouse. I went to summer school one time where they used proper teaching I.E. small classes, self paced and teacthers who cared! And I did very well if only all my schooling was like that I would have droped out after the tenth grade.
I joined the Navy and got my G.E.D. on the frist try without even studying.
But I still spent a few years relearing all I should have learned in the frist place.
I'm 39 now and still going to school part time so I can get a degree someday, I go to HCC in MA. and want to go to U Mass.
But I'm still very bitter about my early schooling, or lack of I should say!
So good luck and if I can help in anyway contact me.
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 15 20:21:39 2000
| Name:
| jaime marun
| E-mail:
| jaime_marun@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| marun & associates
| Location:
| Barranquilla - Colombia (south america )
| How the site | was found: By Copernic
| Comments:
| Alfie Kohn message is very intuitive and according to nature's laws.The first time that I hear about these concepts were in a DR Deming seminar.At this moment I teach and practice Alfie Kohn Theory. Performace appraisal destroy the neccesary cooperation for team working and team working is a neccesary condition in order to achieve the common objective.
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 15 01:41:36 2000
| Name:
| Ralph A. Thiel
| E-mail:
| rattchr@webtv
| Organization:
| Oshkosh Area School District
| Location:
| Oshkosh, Wisconsin
| How the site | was found: Alfie Kohn search
| Comments:
| I just got done reading Alfie Kohn's latest (and greatest) book, The Schools are Children Deserve. Incredible insights on how things ought to be in our schools and our educational system. The real question is, "Are school districts willing to buy into this progressive way of thinking??" One would hope so, but I've come up against much opposition in the schools in which I've worked for the past 15 years. To budge the traditional education mindset is a daunting task! I'm only hoping that I can sustain the energy to continue waging this war of ideologies in my current school district. How does a person keep up the good fight without burning out or getting fired? (a thought to ponder).
Keep on fighting the good fight, Alfie!
Respectfully,
Ralph A. Thiel
Traeger Middle School
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54904
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 14 17:20:31 2000
| Name:
| Judy Clement
| E-mail:
| mason_mitchell @ yahoo.com
| Organization:
| 4-H
| Location:
| Eugene.OR
| How the site | was found: Book
| Comments:
| Do you have any advice as to how to proceed to introduce your ideas on the detrimental effects of rewards to a local 4-H to facilitate an openess to listening to what you have discovered in your research?
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 14 09:49:50 2000
| Name:
| Amy Spitzer
| E-mail:
| amyspitzer@earthlink.net
| Organization:
| SUNY Oswego (graduate student: secondary education)
| Location:
| New York
| How the site | was found: referred
| Comments:
| Still processing all that I've read here!! I am currently trying desperately to make sense of the testing/assessment/grading conundrum. It all clashes so violently with my philosophical beliefs about education, yet seems like an integral apsect to any public high school. I would love any and all opinions on the subject, and of course the opportunity to communicate with anyone via email.
|
Date:
| Fri Jan 14 06:40:02 2000
| Name:
| joanna g. sorreiro
| E-mail:
| jorog@samnet.net
| Organization:
| springfield school system
| Location:
| springfield, ma
| How the site | was found: article in Springfield Advocate
| Comments:
| I applaud and appreciate your efforts to eliminate MCAS as sole assessment of student competency and educator accountability. What can I do to help?
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 13 21:53:58 2000
| Name:
| pam curtiss-horton
| E-mail:
| pammynat@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| oakland unified school district
| Location:
| oakland, ca
| How the site | was found: pbs program
| Comments:
| I have left a message before, but I would like to read the other messages and couldn't find another way in without leaving another message.
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 13 20:19:06 2000
| Name:
| Derek Sheppard
| E-mail:
| booroobin@squirrel.com.au
| Organization:
| The Booroobin (Sudbury) School - a centre of learning
| Location:
| Maleny, Queensland, Australia
| How the site | was found: By seeing a reference to you & following it through in an article about the International conference
| Comments:
| Hi,
The issues that you have been talking about in the US inevitably end up in Australia. We have had a huge struggle over the last 3 years, which we appear to have mostly won to be accepted as a unique School in our own right with clear principles and an underlying philosophy, based on the Sudbury Valley School. Have a look at our web site if you get a chance, and you'll find up to date information about what's happening here http://booroobinschool.squirrel.com.au
Have you or will you be coming to Australia some time to throw a few salvos into the system here? There is only so much that we can do and it sometimes gets a little lonely, although we have the community of Sudbury Valley Schools in the background.
Regards, Derek Sheppard
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 13 13:22:40 2000
| Name:
| Myla
| E-mail:
| Myla@toddandsherman.com
| Organization:
| Todd and Sherman Land Development
| Location:
| Houston, Texas
| How the site | was found: Realtor Magazine Article
| Comments:
| I appreciated the article Alfie wrote in the Jan 2000 issue of Realtor Magazine. It was refreshing and should be the "mission statement" of every school in our nation! Thank you.
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 13 12:05:03 2000
| Name:
| Paul Montgomery
| E-mail:
| pmontgom@nfpc.com
| Organization:
| National Fruit Product Company
| Location:
| Winchester, Virginia
| How the site | was found: Great!
| Comments:
| none today
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 13 11:48:06 2000
| Name:
| Stacy Heard
| E-mail:
| heards@johnson.hickman.k12mo.us
| Organization:
| Hickman Mills School District/teacher
| Location:
| Kansas CIty, Missouri
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| I was very inspired by the message I heard from you at the NSDC. Keep up the great work!
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 13 05:50:15 2000
| Name:
| Robert J. Garcia
| E-mail:
| rogjg@swbell.net
| Organization:
| Corpus Christi Ind. Sch. District
| Location:
| Corpus Christi, Texas
| How the site | was found: another co-worker
| Comments:
| I really enjoy the site. I had the opportunity to hear Mr. Kohn in Austin Texas in 1997 and really enjoyed his book, Punished by Rewards.
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 12 22:36:54 2000
| Name:
| jaime marun
| E-mail:
| jaime_marun@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| marun & associates
| Location:
| Barranquilla
| How the site | was found: By Copernic
| Comments:
| In the seminar with Dr Demings ,I learn about your concepts and theory then I read your book " punished by Rewards ".My intuition guided to me that your concepts are valid and according to reality. At this moment I teach and practice your concepts with my family and my students. Ihave developed a logic tree in order to demonstrate the logic of your concepts, I would like to send to you this tree ( if you agree ).
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 12 19:47:37 2000
| Name:
| Peg Neejer
| E-mail:
| neejer@erols.com
| Organization:
| parent
| Location:
| Williamsburg, VA
| How the site | was found: re-visit
| Comments:
| Retrning to read other messages. I did share your information with members of the Spec Ed Advisory Committee here in Williamsburg.
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 12 19:30:14 2000
| Name:
| Lori Bodine
| E-mail:
| acctg@besspress.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Honolulu HI
| How the site | was found: Lecture on CSpan
| Comments:
| As a parent of a 1st Grader, Mr. Kohn's passionate lecture opened my eyes to the dangers of relying on the standardized tests my son will soon be taking to evaluate his progress in school. Thank you!
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 12 15:06:05 2000
| Name:
| W. A. Robison
| E-mail:
| war@walt.nat.k12.la.us
| Organization:
| Natchitoches Parish School District
| Location:
| Natchitoches, Louisiana
| How the site | was found: internet search
| Comments:
| I have not finished reading "The Schools Our Children Deserve," but after only a few sections, I would like to say "Thanks" for expressing so well all the things I've been complaining about for years. I only wish I could afford a copy of the book for our governor, our legislators, and our board members (plus someone to read it and explain it to them). Keep up the good work.
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 12 05:48:07 2000
| Name:
| Norman Turner
| E-mail:
| njh@hvi.net
| Organization:
| New Paltz for Quality Public Education
| Location:
| New Paltz, NY
| How the site | was found: Can't recall
| Comments:
| Dear Mr. Kohn,
We're engaged in a fight to keep standardized tests out of the four schools in our district. May I ask if you're available to come and address a meeting, and, if so, what your fee would be?
Thanks
Norman Turner
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 10 22:49:01 2000
| Name:
| Linda McGowan
| E-mail:
| chip_mcgowan@tccsa.net
| Organization:
| Chippewa Local School District
| Location:
| Doylestown, OH
| How the site | was found: From a colleague
| Comments:
| Bravo! More people need to see and hear what you have to say about what this testing is doing to our schools and, even more tragically, what it is doing to our children. My grandchildren are suffering through this and I know they are not learning what they will need to know to be successful adults. Fear of failure is making many of them physically ill. We must have a voice of reason and Mr. Kohn's voice must be heard before we lose a whole generation to this madness.
|
Date:
| Sun Jan 9 00:44:06 2000
| Name:
| Fran Rodenburg
| E-mail:
| fran_rodenburg@educ8.org
| Organization:
| Bismarck Public Schools
| Location:
| Bismarck, North Dakota
| How the site | was found: Mr. Kohn mentioned it at the NSDC in Dallas.
| Comments:
| I've read five of your books...and have thoroughly enjoyed everyone of them. They serve as a great source of inspiration!
|
Date:
| Sat Jan 8 15:57:38 2000
| Name:
| Helen Ryley
| E-mail:
| hryley@benchmarkone.com
| Organization:
| CSDC
| Location:
| Denver
| How the site | was found: Interent search
| Comments:
| I am working on behalf of the Colorado Staff Development Council inquiring about Dr. Kohn's availability to present the morning session for our 2001 state conference, February 6, 2001.
I need to know availability and fees for 1/2 day. The conference is held annually in Denver, CO.
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 6 23:54:30 2000
| Name:
| henry wessels
| E-mail:
| henrywessels@bigplanet.com
| Organization:
| old prof art
| Location:
| cal poly st u san luis obispo ca 93407
| How the site | was found: enjoyed book review show t v in dec.
| Comments:
| wow i have found your views and presentation so very right . . . and important for our future.
ALLERT please note the 'state of the state' spech bu our gov davis on jan 5 th full of bribes and one sad/funny moment when he asked the assembled leaders to applaud the school principal who promised to dye hair green at school assembly if kids completed reading x number of books. the jerk also made it clear that while offering all perks that no perk could come about if it ment more commitment from voters (higher tax) present $ are just from richer statewide econmey. . . . in sum he wants all credit for great ed. imprivement (esp more tests) but no blame for asking public to pay a smidge more for improvements. the budget will be published monday hope your staff can see thrugh some of the b s.
one perhaps positive note it may have the effect of cooling outcry for vouchers/charter elete schools.
i voted for the guy but cant help feeling a sense of gloom/doom about voter manipulation by guile. is ok to quote any of this but please use proper caps etc. keep up your good work. our kids and country need your bright leadership. best to you henry
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 6 17:56:21 2000
| Name:
| Bill R. Stuart
| E-mail:
| brstuart@antlope.apscc.nau.az.us
| Organization:
| Antelope Union High School District
| Location:
| Wellton, Arizona
| How the site | was found: It was given to me by a friend.
| Comments:
| Just looking at the information!
|
Date:
| Thu Jan 6 17:36:32 2000
| Name:
| Barbara Kenyon
| E-mail:
| bkenyonvt@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| IHPI,Inc.
| Location:
| Vermont
| How the site | was found: net search
| Comments:
| none
|
Date:
| Wed Jan 5 15:25:29 2000
| Name:
| Nick Pratt
| E-mail:
| nick@nickpratt.com
| Organization:
| Realtors
| Location:
| Kalamazoo/Portage, MI
| How the site | was found: from Realtor Magazine article
| Comments:
| youir article interested me. Is there some speicific additional information on your web site or in your book(s) which might assist me in presenting schools in a better fashion to relocating families?
|
Date:
| Tue Jan 4 23:14:46 2000
| Name:
| Richard Rosebrook
| E-mail:
| rrosebrook@mindspring.com
| Organization:
| saratoga schools
| Location:
| greenfield blue ribbon school
| How the site | was found: word of mouth
| Comments:
| Thank you for caring and being able to carry the torch!
|
Date:
| Tue Jan 4 00:12:23 2000
| Name:
| ola gordinier
| E-mail:
| jgordini@iglou.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| louisville ,ky
| How the site | was found: reading "Punished by rewards".
| Comments:
| I want to thank you for your important work . I am raising two boys -12 and 7-
who in everyone's opinion are wonderful
people and I tell everyone that the reason they are so loving and responsible is that they are not punished or praised but simply heard.
I homeschooled them for three years for the same reasons you discuss in your books-grading, behavior modifcation and all the other so called classroom management tools which I cannot accept.Unfortunately, I had to send my boys to school because of my divorce and now I have to deal with all that nonsense. Your books are a lifeline to me, especially when I am faced with the teacher or the principal so set in their ways and so convinced that they are right.I am going to need a lot of
strenght to get through this so I 'll appreciate any good thought sent my way.
Thank you again and all the best to you-you are an inspiration .
Ola Gordinier
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 3 16:08:44 2000
| Name:
| Lynn Waters
| E-mail:
| LWaters111@aol
| Organization:
| Realty Executives
| Location:
| Maryville TN 37804
| How the site | was found: Realtor Magazine
| Comments:
| Enjoyed your article, "Sell schools, not test scores". So much that I felt like clapping in my office! Although we have three separate systems in our county - all three ranked top in the state for many reasons, but the city school seems to get high acolades due to test scores, but I know the school does NOT outdo the others. It is a hurdle to present the other two systems to be as good as the this school. I intend to keep your article in my files for future reference.
|
Date:
| Mon Jan 3 00:24:50 2000
| Name:
| Debbie Hymen
| E-mail:
| dhymen@coldwellbanker.com
| Organization:
| Coldwell Banker
| Location:
| Highland Park, Illinois
| How the site | was found: I saw it in Realtor Magazine
| Comments:
| I read your article entitled "Sell schools, not test scores" and I was cheering to myself all the way through. I do not believe that test scores mean very much and am continually frustrated with individuals who put so much stock in comparing schools based on their performance on various standardized tests. I was not one of the good test takers but have found in my adult life that I am a good student. I am also on the School Board of our local elementary school district and question the usefulness of these necessary evils we call standardized tests. Bravo for putting this in our magazine. I will continue to browse your web site for more information.
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 31 13:35:26 1999
| Name:
| RAFAEL OJEDA
| E-mail:
| rojeda@haroldallen.com
| Organization:
| NAR,REALTORS, & Hispanic Org,Pierce Co.
| Location:
| TACOMA WA
| How the site | was found: ALFIE KOHN's article in NAR REALTOR mag
| Comments:
| ref REALTOR mag JAN 2000.www.realtormag.com
Thank you for the other ED links, I am
involve in our Washington State ED
reform for all our children. And working
with our State Legislators.
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 31 04:40:39 1999
| Name:
| Ian McLachlan
| E-mail:
| ianmac@iafrica.com
| Organization:
| st stithians college
| Location:
| south africa
| How the site | was found: search
| Comments:
| I am intrigued with the paradoxes that your writing reveals. The closer one gets to the truth the more likely one finds a paradox.
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 30 18:18:29 1999
| Name:
| nghtt
| E-mail:
| gyent
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| Waldorf. Md
| How the site | was found: Fro Mr. Kohn
| Comments:
| I experienced the standard test systems years ago, when I grew up back in my country (Vietnam). We had to take a total of four natinal standard tests: two from elementaty to junior HS and senior HS and two final test at grades 11th and 12th to graduate from HS and be permitted to college level. Our government used them as part of means to get soldiers population during the war (if students failed then they were not waivered from military duty). A lot of students were commited suicides out of depression for failing the last two tests including girls). The one that passed may be commisioned or non-commisioned depended on the test level. This is a way to select elite officers.
The outcome was we did study hard because of pressure from society, family, culture and competitive harshness at that time. We may be good at math, science and other subject if we were succedded (cheating and bribery were also populated of course). However, we did not contibuted positively to our society, except the war machine, as it should be because we only studied for our self-survival ( to avoid military draft)or to satisfied our parents'demands of family dignity.
In peace time, like in the USA now, test standards is damaging too, I believe. It may produce a high scored students but not a constructive citizen who knows how to walk his own way of exploring life and love it. He has to conform to the demand and only think of his own survival to study; therefore he will be either very selfish or very insensitive to his surroundings and other human beings. He is pegged in one way thinking "compete for his own shake only".
It does not mean, our current education is right, we all know it is not. Mr. Kohn's suggestion is the start of better alternative for solution. We must expand and explore ways to build it up. One of my suggestion is a nation wide coalition or cooperation of educators to plan for a strategic course of actions like we did in many other organizational structure to achieve our goals and get the government's recognition and support.
Good luck everyone, next millennium will be brighter for our children if we act now.
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 30 13:15:38 1999
| Name:
| Joanne Johnson
| E-mail:
| johnsonjoa@mbusa.com
| Organization:
| N/A
| Location:
| Sussex County, New Jersey
| How the site | was found: Caught a lecture on my local cable network
| Comments:
| I am the mother of a 1 year old child and, like most mothers, I am very concerned about her future and the future of education in this country.I would like to learn more about my options as a parent. I'd also like to know how I can become involved in helping to change the existing structure.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 27 14:16:40 1999
| Name:
| Jeff Jones
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
| Owensboro High School
| Location:
| Owensboro, KY 42301
| How the site | was found: In book, "Schools our children deserve"
| Comments:
| Loved the book. How does a non-tenured teacher in a non-union system survive and flourish in a traditional setting using some of the methods you suggest? I am going to try to revolutionize at least one class for the next semester. I hope it works.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 25 15:49:36 1999
| Name:
| brian kenyon
| E-mail:
| btokenyon@juno.com
| Organization:
| billie martinez elementary school
| Location:
| 341 14th Ave
| How the site | was found: I read "the schools our children deserve"
| Comments:
| Thank you for all of your insights and challenges. Educating children the way you recommend takes a lot of effort, but it sure is fun. I can't wait to see what my students will do every day..
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 24 23:39:50 1999
| Name:
| Josh Kraushaar
| E-mail:
| jkraush@cais.com
| Organization:
| Student at Annandale HS
| Location:
| Springfield, VA
| How the site | was found: through "Schools Out Children Deserve"
| Comments:
| I could not agree more with the conclusions presented in your book. I attended private schools for ten years, and recently transferred to my local public school in affluent Fairfax County, and couldn't be more shocked at the lack of education *precisely* due to the insistence on standardized testing and traditional teaching methods.
In fact, with the traditional teaching methods employed by teachers in many public schools -- the curriculum is far, far behind private, progressive school education.
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 23 23:56:27 1999
| Name:
| Anthony Biglan
| E-mail:
| tony@ori.org
| Organization:
| Oregon Research Institute
| Location:
| Eugene, Oregon
| How the site | was found: email message about it
| Comments:
| The claims that are made about rewards being harmful are simply not supported by the empirical evidence. There is a wealth of empirical evidence showing that praise and rewards in school settings are powerful motivators that support student learning and success. Indeed, meta-analysses of all of the studies done on the topic indicate that rewards have one of the largest effects on student learning.
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 23 23:01:56 1999
| Name:
| Joan Gerstein
| E-mail:
| joangerstein@hotmail
| Organization:
| San Marin High School
| Location:
| Novato, Ca
| How the site | was found: from a friend
| Comments:
| What a wealth of clear-headed thinking at my fingertips! I have just completed my Administrative Credentials program at the right moment in time. I desire to find or help create a learning environment in which the ideas of Kohn and other transformative educators can be made manifest. Not only am I stifled by the constraints of the traditional school and District mentality, but I also see my high school sophomore son turned off more, year by year, as he wades thru the system. Fortunately. he has become involved with the one little bright spot at our school - a Media Academy where soph. thru seniors spend 2 to 3 periods a day together with the same teachers doing integrated and cooperative work. Unfortunately in the "getting into the best colleges" system, he will suffer. French III, which he should have had this year, is only offered during the Academy time. And I have been forewarned, that he may have to forego taking AP Chem., AP Physics and Calculus, which tend to be offered during the
3 period Academy slot. I was told that, at least in the past, the most academically gifted students aren't in the Academy, so the honors classes do not, as a rule, build their schedule to accommodate Academy students. As much as I would like to see my son in those classes, I realize the benefit of the Academy model, and how it is the only aspect of high school Daniel likes ( aside from his friends, who,of course are in the Academy).
|
Date:
| Wed Dec 22 14:47:48 1999
| Name:
| Valerie Pike
| E-mail:
| valerie.pike@das.state.oh.us
| Organization:
| State of Ohio, HR Division
| Location:
| 30 E. Broad St. Columbus OH 43215
| How the site | was found: Internet search
| Comments:
| Seeking keynote speaker 9/28/00 in Columbus Ohio
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 20 00:09:45 1999
| Name:
| Timothy W. Godsey
| E-mail:
| godseytw@email.uc.edu
| Organization:
| University of Cincinnati
| Location:
| Cincinnati, Ohio
| How the site | was found: saw interview on booktv
| Comments:
| I am a graduate student in Criminal Justice who will be teaching at the collegiate level soon and was wonderfully surprised by your lecture and "The Schools Our Children Deserve". Very insightful and best of all EMPIRICALLY BASED. You displayed a wonderful sense for research methodology and statistical analysis that is sorely lacking in the public forum. Thank you for this wonderful resource that has readjusted my attitude toward my own studies.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 18 13:19:34 1999
| Name:
| Duke Kavinsky
| E-mail:
| dukek+@pitt.edu
| Organization:
| University of Pittsburgh
| Location:
| A646 Crabtree Hall, Pittsburgh, PA 15261
| How the site | was found: I just read The Schools Our Children Deserve
| Comments:
| Just read The Schools Our Children Deserve, and I thought it was fantastic. Some time ago now, I read Alfie Kohn's book No Contest: The Case Against Competition ... and I thought it was right on target as well. Thanks.
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 17 09:34:24 1999
| Name:
| David Hixenbaugh
| E-mail:
| dhix@taylorvilleschools.com
| Organization:
| Taylorville Community Unit Schools
| Location:
| Taylorville,Illinois
| How the site | was found: Illinois School Board Journal Nov/Dec 1999
| Comments:
| Appreciate you position as regards the negative effects of an over emphasis of standards and tunnel vision regarding their results and implied importance as related to learning. I too, see many of our best teachers, frustrated and and becoming uninspired. There is "no joy in Mudville" Thansk for keeping a light shining.
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 17 02:03:07 1999
| Name:
| wes taylor
| E-mail:
| fccc@infomagic.com
| Organization:
| Flagstaff Center for Compassionate Communication
| Location:
| Flagstaff, AZ
| How the site | was found: surfing - inspired by Alfies books
| Comments:
| Deep gratitude to Alfie for contributing to my sense of hope and confidence toward the transformation of our educational systems and society entirely!! I strongly recommend you investigating Marshall Rosenberg's book Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Compassion and the related website: www.cnvc.org (the Center for Nonviolent Communication).
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 16 15:48:05 1999
| Name:
| Tom Carroll
| E-mail:
| Yonec95@aol.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| Troy, New York
| How the site | was found: teacher
| Comments:
| I am to be a public school elementary teacher in an inner city setting. I abhor grades but understand them to be what our government feels to be the foundation of public education. I understand it's detriments but also feel that I would be doing an injustice to society by teaching in any other school besides an inner city public institution. I do this for the reason that I feel it is unfair that inner city kids have to deal with the worst conditions and the worst ideologies associated with education. Our best teachers need to be in the schools that need them the most, not in upper, white, middle class suburbia. Of course, I am a 23 year old idealist with only a couple years of experience with inner cities, but I feel my committment and passion needs to be there.
I have read parts of Mr. Kohn's Punished by Rewards, especially those parts dealing with grades and how to overcome using them in established "traditional" districts. I have also read The Schools Our Children Deserve and am completely frustrated by the fact that I will not be able to reflect such extraordinary ideas in these settings. But I still feel that I need to be there. Please ask Mr. Kohn to give me some words of advice. I first heard his name 4 years ago in an educational psychology class and honestly, that is what gave me a direction in my life. I finally was introduced to a subject that I felt had potential to change the world, and Mr. Kohn had the arguments I agreed with the most. I feel like I am alone with this dilemma. I know it's not probable with his busy schedule but I would surely appreciate some sort of response. Thankyou for your time.
sincerely,
Tommy Carroll
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 16 15:31:50 1999
| Name:
| Bob Elwell
| E-mail:
| r_elwell@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| HRD Training design and delivery
| Location:
| South Florida
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Enjoyed the passionate talk with us at the recent NSDC conference in Dallas
|
Date:
| Wed Dec 15 19:31:51 1999
| Name:
| Susan Corbett
| E-mail:
| Susiec96@aol
| Organization:
| 2nd Presbyterian Child Care Center
| Location:
| Richmond, VA
| How the site | was found: C-SPAN
| Comments:
| Alfie....Are YOU there? I see all of these painful, heartfelt mwssages and I never see YOU. I understand that you want US to organise, but speeches and books and websites just make you one of the elite......even if you do disdain a podium. Most of us are down here in the trenches looking for a leader. HELP!!!
|
Date:
| Wed Dec 15 13:47:24 1999
| Name:
| Mark Joel
| E-mail:
| joel_mark@durham.edu.on.ca
| Organization:
| Durham Distric School Board
| Location:
| Ontario Canada
| How the site | was found: Conference NSDC:Dallas
| Comments:
| Loved your talk at the conference. Am spreading your word. Would be interested in finding out about costs to have you speak to our school district. I am the staff development co-ordinator for the board. 1-905-666-6928.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 14 09:50:40 1999
| Name:
| Phil Johnson
| E-mail:
| pjohnson@agencypja.com
| Organization:
| Philip Johnson Associates
| Location:
| Cambridge, MA
| How the site | was found: At a party
| Comments:
| Alfie,
I enjoyed talking to you on Sunday. What an amazing collection of work!
Phil
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 14 07:06:49 1999
| Name:
| Michael Hobbs
| E-mail:
| hobbsms@aramco.com.sa
| Organization:
| Saudi Aramco Schools
| Location:
| Abqaiq, Saudi Arabia
| How the site | was found: Reference printed in Education Digest
| Comments:
| I enjoyed visiting your webpage, and appreciate the ability to copy your article on "grading". As I continue to develop my thoughts about the practices we use in our schools, I will certainly reflect on the message you deliver in this article.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 14 01:22:19 1999
| Name:
| Garre LaGrone
| E-mail:
| teachtex@arn.net
| Organization:
| NSDC
| Location:
| Amarillo, Texas
| How the site | was found: You mentioned it at Conference
| Comments:
| I heard you at the NSDC conference in Dallas. I whole-heartedly agree with what you are saying!!!!
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 13 21:01:41 1999
| Name:
| Sheila Decter
| E-mail:
| ajcongbstn@aol.com
| Organization:
| American Jewish Congress
| Location:
| Boston
| How the site | was found: via Education Week
| Comments:
| Looking forward to your visit on January 9th.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 13 16:18:53 1999
| Name:
| Thom Moore
| E-mail:
| tmoore@s.psych.uiuc.edu
| Organization:
| University of Illinois
| Location:
| Champaign, Il
| How the site | was found: saw it advertised on CSPAN
| Comments:
| I happened to catch your presentation on CSPAN a couple of weeks ago and could not believe what I was hearing. I thought I am not alone nor am I crazy about all of this standards and testing stuff. I heard Gov. Romer of Colorado talk about education and standards and made alot of sense if you think that all knowledge is already known, or if you want to produce robot. I think all of this stuff has a foundation in elitism and racism. Think back to when all of this hand wringing over the quality of education started getting attention. When children were being bussed for integration, many religious people especially in the south took their children out of the public school and started private academies, and then launched an attach on the public schools. This movement gained strength in the north with the anti-tax movement and the proposition 13 in California. As conservatives have chipped away at social behavior, prayer in the school, and vouchers the accountability and standards movement has grown
. Each of these situations have the effect of excluding african Americans, and low income children from the educational process. Of course this would be sounding denied by standards people.
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 12 10:11:51 1999
| Name:
| Wolf Kirchmeir
| E-mail:
| wolfkir@onlink.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Canada
| How the site | was found: e-mial list
| Comments:
| Interested in your philosophy.
I LIKE your uncluttered, fast-loading homepage - no fancy graphics to slow things down. Just the facts. Great!
(Of course, you could jazz up the fonts abit if you want some, er, visual impact.)
Interesting comments from other vistors, too.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 11 08:50:52 1999
| Name:
| richard j. hendin
| E-mail:
| rhendin@aol.com
| Organization:
| retired teacher
| Location:
| west bloomfield, michigan
| How the site | was found: i looked for it on google
| Comments:
| Thank you for your fight against the wrong headed "tougher standards" crowd. I believe that they really dislike young people. As one who taught humanities, one wonders how a test can measure an individual's love for a Mozart symphony or a painting by Hopper. In fact, these are not even considered as being important. How are students going to learn to critique the advertising of the tobacco companies and political messages. Interesting, isn't it that one of the proponents of such testing is unable to anwer questions of world politics, yet he is running for the office of the chief executive. At any rate, please continue your marvelous work.
Richard J. Hendin
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 10 21:59:25 1999
| Name:
| Shane Davey
| E-mail:
| Spikefps@aol.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| Florida
| How the site | was found: I saw Alfie Kohn do a speech on C-Span2's BookTV
| Comments:
| It is true, I am a student and the schools just keep tring to raise the standards. They dont realise that it is not helping. In classes like thay are now where they give so much work to do. Me and many other students I know just try to get it done indteed of really tring to learn it well. Then when those standardized tests roll around we dont do well on then and thay wonder why!
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 10 19:05:33 1999
| Name:
| Susan Corbett
| E-mail:
| Susiec96@aol
| Organization:
| Second Presbyterian Child Care Center
| Location:
| 5 N 5th St. Richmond, VA. 23219-2217
| How the site | was found: C-SPAN
| Comments:
| TO VIRGINIANS WHO COME HERE:
I am scared for my 18 month old grand daughter and appalled as an early childhood educator by the SOLs. I am on the ANTI-SOL mailing list, but I cannot see that their arguements are what they could be OR that they are affecting anything. Also I see in them only angry parents (a force to be sure), but no teachers who grasp theory or child growth and development.
Is THIS web site a door for change or just a venue for us to whine?
TALK TO ME, VIRGINIA!!!!
Susie Corbett (804-649-0152)
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 10 18:26:29 1999
| Name:
| Susan Corbett
| E-mail:
| Susiec96@aol
| Organization:
| 2nd Presbyterian Child Care Center
| Location:
| Richmond, VA
| How the site | was found: C-SPAN
| Comments:
| I sent you a message a week ago (albeit with a goofy bit I meant to delete and did not), and I keep watching your guestbook. I see SO many people here who grasp what you were saying and need to find a way to connect with one another and fight this educational insanity. I AM ONE OF THEM!
I suppose it is presumptuous of me to look to you for help, but you are the one who got on C-SPAN. And many of us who come to this site feel powerless and need direction to make this a national issue.
Where do we go now? What do we do???
You have hit a nerve. HELP US.
PLEASE ANSWER ME AND ALL OF THE OTHERS I READ HERE.
Thank you, Susie
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 10 10:52:17 1999
| Name:
| Barbara Kenyon
| E-mail:
| bkenyonvt@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Institute for Human Potential,Inc.
| Location:
| Derby, Vermont
| How the site | was found: web search
| Comments:
| I am a therapist,trainer and parent of several exceptionally-abled children.I home school one of my younger daughters.
Earlier this week I caught Alfie on CSPAN.I would love more information and plan on getting the newly released book.Currently we have an earlier published book in our at home library.
Given some of the diversity of thought in education,I find myself in complete and total agreement with Alfie.As he addressed the audience (in Mass. I believe) I found that my neck became vigorously exercised with all the nodding I had been doing in agreement.
I would offer this observation and disappointment: 1.the audience seemed to not be filled,(I wish for the sake of children,teachers,adinistraters,parents and citizens everywhere that the room had been packed to standing room capacity!) 2.that the audience had seemingly little diversity in its makeup.This is also disappointing as ALL children from ALL groupings would benefit from exposure to Alfie's sharing of this information with their teachers,parents,politians,community leaders ,etc.
I was extremely happy that this was broadcast and that we were able to catch it!
Fondly'
Barbara
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 9 23:05:54 1999
| Name:
| John C. Bartul
| E-mail:
| Jack5@Juno.com
| Organization:
| Educational Tutoring & C onsulting
| Location:
| Somers, New York
| How the site | was found: My son recommended it.
| Comments:
| Haven't checked you out yet.
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 9 15:05:19 1999
| Name:
| Jenn Woodmansee
| E-mail:
| go90feet@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Ashland University
| Location:
| Ashland, Ohio
| How the site | was found: shown in CNN booktalk
| Comments:
| Excellant topic, and as pre-service teacher, I am interested in knowing more
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 9 12:43:45 1999
| Name:
| ron & margee lennard
| E-mail:
| kspiritml.com
| Organization:
| parents
| Location:
| san diego ca
| How the site | was found: saw you on book channel on tv
| Comments:
| do you have a calif. or so. calif contact?
|
Date:
| Wed Dec 8 15:00:43 1999
| Name:
| Michael H. Stuart
| E-mail:
| mikstu87@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| High school math teacher
| Location:
| Northern California
| How the site | was found: Presentation on CSPAN2
| Comments:
| I recently saw Mr. Kohn's presentation on CSPAN Book TV. While I agree with a good deal of what he says, I noted that he stood in front and talked while a group listened passively, seated in rows. The opposite of what IMHO we ought to be striving for in our schools.
|
Date:
| Wed Dec 8 09:26:51 1999
| Name:
| Heather Claxton
| E-mail:
| hjclaxton@aol.com
| Organization:
| Barton Elementary, Irving ISD
| Location:
| Irving , TX
| How the site | was found: Recommendation of friend
| Comments:
| I'm very interested in learning more about teaching children to think instead of teaching them to take tests!
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 22:11:48 1999
| Name:
| Debbie Fish
| E-mail:
| dcfish@mindspring.com
| Organization:
| Muscogee County School District
| Location:
| Columbus, Georgia
| How the site | was found: Keynote by Alfie in Dallas NSDC
| Comments:
| Enjoyed your provocative message--purchased your tape as I have some of the same concerns about the push towards more testing and standards in our state and community. Will keep putting the ideas in front of people.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 20:35:37 1999
| Name:
| annie mcconville
| E-mail:
| bananie29@aol.com
| Organization:
| mother of four children
| Location:
| Federal Way, WA
| How the site | was found: I saw one of your lectures on C-SPAN
| Comments:
| I saw part of a lecture by Mr.Kohn on tv the other day. I definitely agree that we need to stop worrying about the scores and "raising the bar" for our kids.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 19:51:40 1999
| Name:
| Lorene Taylor
| E-mail:
| sallentay@aol.com
| Organization:
| Homeschooler
| Location:
| 10167 N. 12th Street
| How the site | was found: Book TV, Home Education Magazine
| Comments:
| I was so excited to see you on Book TV!
I've read Punished By Rewards and I'm excited to read your other material. I always look for your colunm in Home Education Magazine...I'm a big supporter of your work and love to hear your ideas...I'm glad to see you getting your message across on national TV.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 16:57:27 1999
| Name:
| John mcCormick
| E-mail:
| jmccormick@bmrsd.net
| Organization:
| Blackstone-Millville Regional HS
| Location:
| Blackstone, MA 01504
| How the site | was found: CSPAN
| Comments:
| Saw you on CSPAN and it was like a cloud lifting. I'm teaching World History for the first time and trying to "cover" everything in the frameworks. This is becomming overwhelming and increasingly impossible. After seeing the speech on TV in Concord I started planning lessons based on critical thinking and Bloom's Taxonomy, group work, etc. I had been getting away from that type of instruction in order to cover material for MCAS preparation. I knew that there were anti-MCAS arguments out there, but none that were as well thought out and cogent as yours. Thanks for the site. I've already emailed it to all teachers in my district. It's good to remember that we do have a choice and that we should not comply meekly with decrees issued from Malden and Beacon Hill. Thanks again.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 16:28:40 1999
| Name:
| Mick Murphy
| E-mail:
| Mick.Murphy@btinternet.com
| Organization:
| Rounds Green Primary School
| Location:
| West Midlands UK
| How the site | was found: Searched after reading
| Comments:
| Thanks for providing me with a theoretical basis for my pragmatic actions.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 14:49:43 1999
| Name:
| Lonni Skrentner
| E-mail:
| eskrentn@edina.k12.mn.us
| Organization:
| Edina Public Schools
| Location:
| Edina, MN 55424
| How the site | was found: on page 208 of Schools Our Children Deserve
| Comments:
| I've been fighting our state's Profile of Learning and its related performance packages for three years. After reading your book, I understand why. I'm at the stage where I do enough to fill the state's mandate and organize my classroom the rest of the time the way I want to. QUESTION? What is your evaluation of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program?
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 10:15:35 1999
| Name:
| Randy Dean
| E-mail:
| deanr@sandsprings.k12.ok.us
| Organization:
| Charles Page High School
| Location:
| Park and Adams Rd., Sand Springs, Ok 74063
| How the site | was found: From the NSDC conference in Dallas
| Comments:
| While I agree with your message, I wonder how one would deliver it without being run out of town with tar and feathers attached.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 09:46:56 1999
| Name:
| jonelle pool
| E-mail:
| jpool@gettysburg.edu
| Organization:
| Gettysburg College
| Location:
| Gettysburg, PA
| How the site | was found: Word of mouth
| Comments:
| Thanks for providing the contacts in the states
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 09:38:18 1999
| Name:
| James B. Midgett, Ed.D.
| E-mail:
| jmidgett@Palmterrace.volusia.k-12.fl.us
| Organization:
| Volusia County Schools
| Location:
| Daytona Beach, FL
| How the site | was found: Searched for Alfie Kohn
| Comments:
| Enjoyed your thoughts on competition, grades, and raising standards. Florida's Governor Bush apparently is unmoved by research and the wisdom of professionals in the field. It would have been so much more refreshing if the governor had run on a platform of increasing student performance than on ending social promotion. He fails to see that this harms children and increases the drop out rate. Grading schools demoralizes professionals at the schools rated with a D or F by his standards and rewards mediocrity at the A schools. Test scores are for the most part a refelction of the wealth of the community and not necessarily indicative of teaching ability.
|
Date:
| Tue Dec 7 02:34:47 1999
| Name:
| Anne Sirota
| E-mail:
| sirota@gseis.ucla.edu
| Organization:
| UCLA
| Location:
| Los Angeles, CA
| How the site | was found: from hearing you talk at NCTE
| Comments:
| Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your two presentations at NCTE. I have long been opposed to behaviorism as a teacher and as a parent. Thank you!!
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 22:16:23 1999
| Name:
| lavonne
| E-mail:
| blc1@lightspeed.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: i saw him on tv
| Comments:
| I saw Alfie on tv doing a book review (for his latest book, I think). I thought many of his comments were very interesting. Especially when he said "back to basics in education is a misnomer." Being an educator, that comment rang very true.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 22:03:32 1999
| Name:
| Kathleen Conley
| E-mail:
| katcon17@aol.com
| Organization:
| Hamburg Area School Board
| Location:
| Hamburg, PA
| How the site | was found: Yahoo
| Comments:
| Just happened on Mr. Kohn discussing his book on TV the other evening. I've been on the board to 16 years and while I have heard complaints about teaching for the test, I never heard all the facts. I need to know more and I will be reading the book. Kate
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 21:39:23 1999
| Name:
| Ruth Morgan Raffaeli
| E-mail:
| raff@stratos.net
| Organization:
| freelance writer
| Location:
| Cleveland, Ohio
| How the site | was found: Booktv
| Comments:
| Lifelong interest in how real learning happens. You speak the first and most complete truth I've heard in years. Thank you. I wept and cheered when I heard you. Perhaps I can find a way to contribute to the hope you bring to education. It's too late now for my own children. Maybe it's not too late for grandchildren. I attended a school like you describe in the fourth, fifth and sixth grade IN 1937! in Greenbelt, Maryland - experimental society and experimental school at elementary level. You speak as though you were there, but you are too young. Don't ever give up! It isn't necessary to answer unless you can think of something I can do to help.You've got organizing to do.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 18:07:49 1999
| Name:
| james j. veliky
| E-mail:
| jveliky@aol.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| Pittsburgh Pa
| How the site | was found: watched your talk on c-span 2
| Comments:
| none
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 14:53:08 1999
| Name:
| Mike Petrasek
| E-mail:
| petrasem@isd197.k12.MN.us
| Organization:
| Independent School District 197
| Location:
| 1897 Delaware Ave Mendota Hgts, MN 55118
| How the site | was found: Saw Mr Kohn on C-Span
| Comments:
| I agree with your opinions 100%, keep up the good work. Maybe someday it will make a difference, for our kids.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 14:17:33 1999
| Name:
| Sarah
| E-mail:
| Clsygrl7@aol.com
| Organization:
| student
| Location:
| Michigan
| How the site | was found: I have been reading books on the "dumbing down" of students and my teacher gave me this address.
| Comments:
| The book sounds interesting. I'll have to pick it up.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 12:29:53 1999
| Name:
| Chris Hull
| E-mail:
| chull@hlpusd.k12.ca.us
| Organization:
| William Workman High School
| Location:
| City of Industry, CA
| How the site | was found: CSPAN2
| Comments:
| From what I heard this weekend on CSPAN2, I seem to have found someone who shares my philosophy on the debacle presented by "standardized testing and toughened standards" set by those least qualified to do so. I'm looking forward to reading the book.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 11:48:02 1999
| Name:
| ronald l. m. ramsay
| E-mail:
| architext@plainsarchitecture.org
| Organization:
| north dakota state university
| Location:
| fargo, nd 58105-5285
| How the site | was found: saw your presentation on c-span
| Comments:
| Immediately after the C-Span program, I ran to my bookdealer and got your most recent publication. I'm anxious to see how I can apply some of these ideas in courses I teach (without benefit of any training in "education") in an undergraduate architecture curriculum. Any advice?
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 10:33:29 1999
| Name:
| Peter Neu
| E-mail:
| peterneu@inil.com
| Organization:
| West Chicago Comm. H. S. & Nat'l-Louis U.
| Location:
| Illinois
| How the site | was found: C-Span broadcast lecture on 12/4
| Comments:
| Great lecture! I taught in Hong Kong for 7 years, and know from that experience the stupidity and destructiveness of "standardized exams." I would like to help in any way possible.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 09:41:52 1999
| Name:
| Beth Ann O'Rourke
| E-mail:
| borourke@mail.ucf.edu
| Organization:
| University of Central Florida
| Location:
| Orlando
| How the site | was found: lecture on C-Span
| Comments:
| When I bought the book, Punished by Rewards, from Barnes & Noble, I was liberated. Finally, I felt vindicated from being the weird teacher who motivated students with intrinsic rewards and not GRADES. Grades are the educational equivalency of a bribe. Thank you Alfie Kohn!
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 09:17:02 1999
| Name:
| Paul Duffy
| E-mail:
| nattyboh1@yahoo.org
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| MD, USA
| How the site | was found: Book TV
| Comments:
| Your comments on CNN's Book TV resonated strongly with the feelings my wife and I are having regarding the education system in our country. We moved to Howard county, MD in part because of the reputation of the public school system. But my wife and I were shocked by the expectations set for him and his kindergarten classmates. We are beginning to realize that the school system's glowing reputation is due to it's ability to produce good standardized test takers. Our son is very bright, but we fear that he may get turned off to learning because of the constant pressure to perform and achieve, even at his age. We would love to send him to an alternative school, such as Montessouri, but we cannot afford such a luxury. I almost feel like telling him to ignore his teacher's proddings, but I don't think that is the right message either. I'm not sure how we will approach our childrens' educational dilemma, but your message has renewed our dedication to addressing this issue. Thank you very much
!
Paul and Molly Duffy
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 08:52:57 1999
| Name:
| s Broadt
| E-mail:
| broadts@mail.santarosa.k12.fl.us
| Organization:
| teacher
| Location:
| florida
| How the site | was found: book review
| Comments:
| I want to read the book
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 07:28:06 1999
| Name:
| D.A. Goodrich
| E-mail:
| goodrd@danbury.k12.ct.us
| Organization:
| Danbury High School
| Location:
| Danbury, Ct.
| How the site | was found: C-Span
| Comments:
| I really enjoyed mr. Kohn's C-span
presentation 12/5/95. I'm buying
the book.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 07:04:53 1999
| Name:
| Peg Neejer
| E-mail:
| neejer@erols.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Williamsburg, Virginia
| How the site | was found: public television program
| Comments:
| As the parent of three sons residing in the "state of confusiion" known as Virginia, I found your lecture about your new book refreshing! My children all wear labels to school every day.
One son was labled as gifted, one labed LD (dyslexia) and latter also gifted (you can imagine the crisis this creates on a daily basis for the administration!) and the youngest is thus far simply LD and living in the shadow of his older siblings. For all of my boys, the individual teacher has been the key in every class,sport or activity they have undertaken. Without exception it has been the teacher who stresses learning through all of the senses and who possesses the inner glow of truly liking what they do that has made the difference. Have I kept my sons home on some standardized test days - YES!!!!I have refused to let certain teachers teach my sons - YES!!
And just when I thought I had made some headway, along comes the SOLs. I look forward to reading your book. Thanks
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 06:48:16 1999
| Name:
| Robert D. Spencer, Ph. D.
| E-mail:
| bspencer@remc12.k12.mi.us
| Organization:
| Lakeview School District
| Location:
| Battle Creek, Michigan
| How the site | was found: I saw Alfie on Cable TV. He provided the web site address.
| Comments:
| I enjoyed the commentary regarding the effects of testing on students, teachers, and schools. Keep the faith.
|
Date:
| Mon Dec 6 00:00:31 1999
| Name:
| Emily Britton
| E-mail:
| BoehmRA@worldnet.att.com
| Organization:
| Sun Valley High School
| Location:
| Mesa, Arizona
| How the site | was found: CSPAN lecture on BookTV
| Comments:
| Arizona is raging right now with parental furor over a high stakes graduation exam - and legislative apathy. Your lecture on CSPAN reminded me of how important this issues is, despite the proverbial stack of papers waiting to be graded. Thanks for the infusion of anger and energy. WE NEED IT DOWN HERE!!!
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 22:34:06 1999
| Name:
| Dr. James W. Reinsch
| E-mail:
| james.reinsch@gte.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Pleasanton, CA
| How the site | was found: I enjoyed your talk on December 4 at Emerson Umbrella.
| Comments:
| Where can I get a copy of the report you mentioned "Third International Math and Science Report". I tried finding it via SavvySearch but had no luck.
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 18:15:21 1999
| Name:
| cary atwood
| E-mail:
| catwood@mesa.k12.co.us
| Organization:
| self
| Location:
| Gra;nd Junction, Colorado
| How the site | was found: network of likeminded teachers
| Comments:
| Hearing you at the recent NCTE Convention in Denver recharged my batteries and points up the increasing need to remain vigilant against the onerous forces of the standards movement. The key is through parents, and through each other. Keep up the great work. The next 6 months in Colorado with the Governor's new proposals for education will be a challenge!
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 16:15:43 1999
| Name:
| Dwight Pearson
| E-mail:
| PearsD@Prodigy.Net
| Organization:
| North Carolina State University (graduate student)
| Location:
| Raleigh, North Carolina
| How the site | was found: From viewing a lecture given on standards given in Boston over CSpan
| Comments:
| Good lecture.
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 16:01:23 1999
| Name:
| Mary Saunders aunders
| E-mail:
| none
| Organization:
| author,educator (Spread Your Wings and Fly)
| Location:
| Albuquerque, New Mexico
| How the site | was found: CSPAN BOOK TV
| Comments:
| As a former speech-language pathologist who is reentering the field of education as independant educator and author I am so pleased to see that encouragement to learn as humans are intended to learn is being shared and that documentation is available for me to share. Let's put learning back into the minds and hands of the students and teachers. Thank you !Thank you! Thank you!
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 14:20:33 1999
| Name:
| fran greenfield
| E-mail:
| fran@chl.com
| Organization:
| author, psychotherapist, mind/body educator
| Location:
| New york city
| How the site | was found: saw you lecture on gspan book program, dec. 5th.
| Comments:
| Have recently co-authored a book on asthma,"Asthma Free in 21 Days" to be pub. by HarperSanFrancisco in April 2000. One of the most interesting chapters for me to write was about children and includes a philosophy similar to your own (or at least to what i heard you verbalize on Saturday's program). Several phrases you used really resonated and gave fuel to thoughts and practices I've experienced for years (some, actually since childhood). In brief, my belief and reseach have resulted in a program that advocates giving our children room to breathe -- some free, clear space where they can be in the "don't know" place without being judged, or judging, without expecations, standards, or trying to please someone else with the right answer.
Though my co-author, Kathy shafer was asthmatic since early childhood and familiar with the physical symptoms and some of the mental /emotional issues involved, the subject of asthma was new to me when i began this project. That gave me space to learn about what asthma really meant, not just physically, but socially, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. The more than doubling of cases of childhod asthma, which is the number one cause of absenteeism for children, has baffled scientists and continues to. I believe that much of what you are saying, however, has influenced this increase tremendously. Kids freedom to create, to innovate, to become their own authorites to experience a real education as opposed to a rote, atandardized regimen created to please adults with their own agendas in mind,
has been severely limited by much of what you spoke of in your lecture -- and leaves them stifled, smothered, with no room to breathe.
In my book we use a program called FUN, which means Focus, Undo, Now Act, to create a healing change both in the person's mental and physical aspects. The exercsies are brief and employ imagination as the main technique -- and kids get to create their own healing images, to learn to explore the filed of mind medicine in an experiential, light hearted way.
If you are interested I would be happy to send you a copy of the book once they are printed which should be by latee January.
I don't know if what what I am saying here makes sense to you or seems as intimately related to your work as what I felt when i heard you speak. But after more than twenty years of experience as an educator, therapist and researcher in the field of mindbody medicine I could not hear what you said without making an instant connection.
Right now, I want to take this chance to thank you for stating aloud what has been so clear in my own mind for years and which i was almost banned from a parent/child picnic for saying when my now 33 year old daughter was a freshman in junior high. What our kids are getting is not in the least a"real education." at best it fills time, keeps them busy. At worst it demeans their individual intelligence and potential and deters them from exploring the options and opportunities to grow, learn, feel good about themselves.
I wish you the best and look forward to reading your book and hearing you speak again.
Sincerely,
Fran Greenfield
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 11:30:22 1999
| Name:
| Fred Goudy
| E-mail:
| fgoudy@bellatlantic.net
| Organization:
| retired teacher and director of athletics
| Location:
| Lebanon, PA
| How the site | was found: C-span
| Comments:
| I edited my e-mail address. Unfortunately, the easiest way to teach is to teach to test standards. State the facts, test objectively (and test often, I might add, it makes the days fly by), enter a grade and move on. Be satisfied to know that those who cannot/will not regurgetate the facts simply do not want to learn. The old "he could if he wanted to, he just doesn't want to," generalization that makes failing "his" fault not mine. All of this is said with tongue placed firmly in cheek.
With tax payer demands to "hold the line" on taxes, I believe teachers are pushed into finding more ways to survive and fewer ways to teach. KEEP UP THE GOOD FIGHT! I take no responsibility for any spelling errors. I need a spell checker!
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 11:09:48 1999
| Name:
| Fred
| E-mail:
| fgoudy@bellatlantic.net
| Organization:
| retired teacher & A.D.
| Location:
| Lebanon, PA 17042
| How the site | was found: C-span TV
| Comments:
| Keep up the good work. I am interested in strategies to encourage taxpayers (far different beast than parent groups) to insist of quality education. Also, what impact do smaller class sizes have on teaching strategies, evaluation, assessments, affective domain?
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 10:55:45 1999
| Name:
| barbara larson
| E-mail:
| barbl17@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| educator
| Location:
| upstate new york
| How the site | was found: c-span
| Comments:
| I found your lecture concerning the new standards and student achievement enlightening. Educators in New York find themselves in the dilema of helping our students meet the new standards while sustaining their love of learning. Children enter school with such enthusiasm to learn all they can about their world but soon seem to lose this eagerness. Are we the ones who are causing this?
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 10:11:14 1999
| Name:
| Heather Taws
| E-mail:
| Taws5@AOL.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Jensen Beach, Florida
| How the site | was found: C-Span t.t. lecture
| Comments:
| I lost my teaching job, the reason given was that I would not raise test scores. I was under the assumption that I was hired to teach content, not to teach to the test. A sad commentary on our public schools.
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 09:11:01 1999
| Name:
| carl j. pierce
| E-mail:
| pier35@webtv.net
| Organization:
| oil city area school district
| Location:
| oil city, PA 16301
| How the site | was found: c-span
| Comments:
| I enjoyed the broadcast from Emerson Umbrella which I viewed on 12/4/99. It was refreshing to hear someone say those things about all the innocuous paperwork
generated by our current governor in his attempts to raise standards.
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 08:11:08 1999
| Name:
| Allison L. Baer
| E-mail:
| baersfive@aol.com
| Organization:
| Turner Middle School
| Location:
| Warren, OH
| How the site | was found: A friend sent me the website
| Comments:
| Thanks for your insight on traditional teaching and standardized tests. It is encouraging to find a website that actually thinks. Sometimes it can get discouraging when everyone else around me is a traditional teacher and I am not. Things can also get nasty. I printed out your article and am taking it to school and passing it out to people. Thanks for the support!!!
|
Date:
| Sun Dec 5 02:35:59 1999
| Name:
| Rebecca Wolfe
| E-mail:
| wolfe@rockisland.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Shaw Island, Washington 98286
| How the site | was found: C-Span Program today; discussion of "The Schools Our Children Deserve"
| Comments:
| For about fifteen years I have been discovering more and more the truth of what your book (The Schools Our Children Deserve) is saying. I hope to be able in the next fifteen or more years to help teachers, school leaders, the media, and others to understand this message and WHY it is true. I am interested in finding the best, most effective way to do this. As of today, I'm hopeful that the work you're doing may open a door to facilitate my service in this urgent cause.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 23:38:25 1999
| Name:
| Mitch Wrubel
| E-mail:
| m.wrubel@worldnet.att.net
| Organization:
| Public School 180
| Location:
| Brooklyn, NY
| How the site | was found: From watching lecture on TV
| Comments:
| I was thrilled to listen to your comments regarding treating students as creative proactive entities rather than reactive lumps of clay. I wish you would come to NYC and speak to the bureaucrats running the NYC Board of Education and our mayor who thinks that higher test scores mean better students and schools without ever coming into the schools and listening to what is really going on.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 22:37:33 1999
| Name:
| Scott Barber
| E-mail:
| swbarber63@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Roehm Middle School
| Location:
| Berea, Ohio
| How the site | was found: C-Span
| Comments:
| I agree with many of the words that Mr. Kohn said on C-span (12/4/99) about education, and especially standardized testing. We need to develop holistic children, not little generic-- #2 pencil-- bubble the useless fact-- children. If you need a voice of someone who is involved in education, please let me know.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 21:45:44 1999
| Name:
| Jim Gorman
| E-mail:
| jgorman@trvnet.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Iowa
| How the site | was found: Cspan Book TV
| Comments:
| I am a public school educator and a doctoral student in educational administration. I was inspired by your presentation at the Massachusetts Umbrella school on CSPAN and want to read more of your work. I have always felt that the "accountability" movement, while well intentioned, is politically motivated and dangerous to quality learning. It was refreshing to hear another voice in the wilderness.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 21:42:27 1999
| Name:
| David L. Newquist
| E-mail:
| newquisd@nvc.net
| Organization:
| Emeritus faculty, Northern State University
| Location:
| Aberdeen, South Dakota
| How the site | was found: C-Span boradcast from Emerson Umbrella
| Comments:
| You have provided a much neeed critique of the accountability-and-testing fad and a resource for busy educators to martial the information and arguments for challenging it. South Dakota has gone beyond academic quackery in its academic policies into totalitarianism, and it is clear that the accountability craze has more to do with controlling and suppressing those teachers who have an assertive brain cell or two than with the goals of true education and how to achieve them.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 20:55:33 1999
| Name:
| john Thompson
| E-mail:
| lokione@flashnet
| Organization:
| Oklahoma City Public Schools
| Location:
| OKC
| How the site | was found: C-Span
| Comments:
| I always enjoy your work, and I mostly agree. I need some advice. First, here is a contribution to Kohn's corollary. I teach in an inner city school, and I am one of those liberals who is flirting with the idea of an exit exam. Last week, however, I failed in National Certification. It was a jolt because I enthusiastically embraced the NBPTS Standards, which compared teaching to a beautiful tapestry. The problem is that the portfolios and tests are graded by the ETS. The NBPTS process celebrates the "many shapes of the river," but grading is contracted to an organization based on "our way or the highway." Consequently, I need advice for my appeal. Even though I have a PhD from Rutgers and I am an award-winning author, I had unbelievably low scores on the professional knowledge questions. One test question asked about the Dust Bowl and the Okies. I have written an award-winning book on that subject, but I received a 1, or the lowest possible score. More impotantly, I received good sc
ores for lessons which were similar to those in suburban schools. Lessons for my (much more typical)inner city kids with low skills received the scores of 1.25 or so. I have written a ten page analysis of how the grader must have not understood conditions in our collapsing school (I had 175 students, the kids buried five of their friends, etc.)
Is there any hope for an appeal? Any suggested strategies? I met the letter and spirit of the NBPTS, but my understanding is that they will reject any challenge to the ETS. Do you have any suggestions?
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 20:21:44 1999
| Name:
| Donna Cravey
| E-mail:
| donnacravey@hotmail.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| FL
| How the site | was found: Enjoyed your lecture on CSPAN
| Comments:
| I watched with interest your lecture on Standardized testing. I was amazed to realize that my child's school is teaching with the major emphasis Florida's new, tough tests. At this time, my fourth-grader is spending 3 of his 4 daily classes being coached on how to get an "acceptable" score on the FCAT and "Florida Writes" tests. Science, History, Social Studies, Music and Art have been abandoned.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 20:10:08 1999
| Name:
| Gary Weston
| E-mail:
| viejosan@home.com
| Organization:
| Associón Nuestros Ahijados
| Location:
| Petaluma, CA
| How the site | was found: I saw Alfie on C-span
| Comments:
| I hope that Alfie's optimism is well founded as to the coming revolt against the stupidity of the legislators and other politicians who use the schools purely as a tool to curry donations and votes. Even though I agree with almost everything I heard him say, I'm afraid I can't share this optimism.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 20:09:33 1999
| Name:
| Mrs. Donna Douglas
| E-mail:
| DBuddy792@aol
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Plantation, Fl.
| How the site | was found: Tv
| Comments:
| Thank you for your viewpoint and the clear,concise way that you present the information. All parents need to hear what you have to say about standardized testing and the impact it is having on the educational system.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 19:57:08 1999
| Name:
| Hazel J. Lewis
| E-mail:
| hazelewis@home.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Troy, MI
| How the site | was found: heard Mr. Kohn speak on C-Span Book TV
| Comments:
| Retired H.S. Media Specialist who is concerned about public educ.and the education my grandchildren are getting. I am extremely unhappy with Gov. Engler's attitude toward public education in MI
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 19:30:57 1999
| Name:
| Joe L Braly, Ed. D.
| E-mail:
| jbraly7436@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Sarasota, FL
| How the site | was found: BookTV
| Comments:
| Enjoyed you lecture earlier today, plan to purchase your newest book immediately.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 19:01:13 1999
| Name:
| Susan M. Corbett
| E-mail:
| Susiec96@aol
| Organization:
| 2nd Presbyterian Child Care Center
| Location:
| Richmond, VA
| How the site | was found: C-Span
| Comments:
| As the director of a preshool center based on the British Infant Schools and the Granny of an 18 month old girl who will face the SOLs in 5 years, you were the light I thought I might not see at the end of the "education" tunnel.
I am in touch with those who are fighting the SOLs statewide, but they seem not to have the hard facts and research you quoted. And I have no clue where to start locally.
This testing monster is now a burecratic monolith, and from fighting Head Start I have learned how little anyone can do.
I am curious. Have you ever looked at Head Start? In its own way Head Start is as much a cult as Back to Basics and Accountability.look like anarchy, but with endless lip service to what would seem to be child centered values. And people who are progressive in every other way submit and sign on like lemmings.
What ever happened to the idea of creativity as intrical to the ART of teaching?
I suppose the answer is that Socrates would remind me genuine teaching is always subversive and DANGEROUS!!!
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 18:41:59 1999
| Name:
| Pamela Curtiss-Horton
| E-mail:
| pammynat@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Teacher in Oakland Unified School District
| Location:
| Oakland, CA
| How the site | was found: Watching program on authors on PBS
| Comments:
| I am so thankful that I turned on the television today. I have felt for quite some time that I am a lone voice crying, screaming in the wind. Most teachers know that standardized tests are harmful to the educational process, but they feel that there is nothing that can be done about them or that their positions would be threatened if they spoke up in opposition.
I will no longer silently oppose these tests while my students are imprisoned by them. I speak out at every faculty meeting and am educating the parents about their rights to sign waivers if they do not want their first graders tested. Yes, in Oakland we test 1st graders, six hours of grueling, inappropriate testing. California does not mandate standardized testing for 1st graders, but Oakland chooses to pay out of district funds to admister it. I could go on for hours about my anger, grief, and frustration over what this type of testing does to our children and our curriculum. We'll save it for another day.
Pamela Curtiss-Horton
Oakland, CA
e-mail address pammynat@hotmail.com
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 18:17:22 1999
| Name:
| Eric Henderson
| E-mail:
| ersta@megapipe.net
| Organization:
| Teacher and Coach
| Location:
| Alexandria, VA
| How the site | was found: CSPAN
| Comments:
| Excellent portrayal of the SOL and its impact on classroom teaching and learning. Keep it up, Virginia needs to be changed.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 18:12:30 1999
| Name:
| Susan Fleming
| E-mail:
| kfleming@ptd.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Denver, PA
| How the site | was found: Book TV
| Comments:
| Enjoyed the lecture on why the standards movement is not the way to go! I wish that public education was not such a political institution. It should strictly serve educational needs of students. (Public School Music Teacher)
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 18:05:58 1999
| Name:
| Pamela L. Smith
| E-mail:
| garland@intelos.net
| Organization:
| parent
| Location:
| 206 Garland Dr. Staunton, VA 24401 VA 24401
| How the site | was found: Book tv C-SPAN2
| Comments:
| Mr. Kohn,
I really enjoyed listening to your speach on C-SPAN2. The SOL'S are presenting much controversy in our school system; your thoughts and ideas are very encouraging. I wish that you were able to speak to our high school here in Staunton (Robert E. Lee). I look forward to reading your book, that I will be purchasing soon. Maybe I will be able to share some of your ideas with our school board.
Sincerely,
Pamela L. Smith
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 18:03:11 1999
| Name:
| John Scott
| E-mail:
| jscott9614@aol.com
| Organization:
| Racine Unified School District
| Location:
| Sheboygan WI 53081
| How the site | was found: Saw you on CSpan
| Comments:
| You are too extreme. There is a middle ground which involves good instruction, and I agree with your definition of "good instruction," and assessments usable for large populations. In 25 years as an educator, I have not seen as much progress toward quality instruction and increased learning as I have seen in the last several years in Wisconsin. This has occured when educational leaders used the motivation of test scores to a. get funds to provide quality staff development b. get teachers to exert more effort to learn new means of instruction and move away from norm referenced thinking and strategies c. quality instruction was promoted, district assessments were developed and state assessment was used constructively and reasonably. Such skills as performance assessment, the use of writing rubrics across the curriculum and cooperative grouping have been used as tools to increase standardized test scores and the quality of instruction.
Please, focus your critisizm of assessments and educational leadership methods more clearly on the "back to basics" people and allow progressive educators to continue to use the momentum which state accountability offers to provided more teachers with the expertise and motivation to improve their instruction.
Your effort to have students refuse to take tests is destructive of what many of us in Wisconsin have been doing to improve classroom instruction. Our CTBS test and writing tests are much better than some other tests on the market. We can teach understanding and higher level thinking skills and improved writing in the context of this assessment. Let Us Do It without whipping up the element of unreasonable anti-testing hysterics we saw in the recent high stakes testing debate here in Wisconsin. The backlash will hurt the very educational innovations you espouse. A middle ground which allows us to use this assessment as a tool to improve education would serve us all much better. I hope you will begin to help and not hurt the efforts and progress we in Wisconsin have made over the last several years. We need several more years of progress to begin to show a real difference.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 18:02:27 1999
| Name:
| Robert Ashley Martin
| E-mail:
| ramartin@sirius.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| San Mateo, CA
| How the site | was found: C-SPAN Book TV
| Comments:
| John Holt, again. Mr. Holt said if the world could be saved by a book, it would be "The Continuum Concept," by Jean Liedloff.
I now add Dr. Kohn to the list of very important people who deserve much attention!
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:58:56 1999
| Name:
| Linda Gaines
| E-mail:
| lindbob@concentric.net
| Organization:
| GATES High School
| Location:
| Tacoma WA
| How the site | was found: watched booktv on CSPAN
| Comments:
| I teach at an alternative high school with students who have dropped out of traditional schools. We are also required to give state tests and there is nothing that can be done to change that. Our students don't have advocates
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:52:55 1999
| Name:
| Jack Nelson
| E-mail:
| jacknels@aol.com
| Organization:
| Marcus Whitman Junior High School
| Location:
| Port Orchard, WA
| How the site | was found: CSPAn
| Comments:
| Our district has mandated yearly testing called "Levels Tests". It was developed by the NW Lab to assist districts in determining progress toward meeting Washington State's Essential Learning Requirements. Do you know anything about these tests? What is your opinion of the Washington State assessment?
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:52:40 1999
| Name:
| Dorothy D Vorndran
| E-mail:
| ddvorndran@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Franklin, TN
| How the site | was found: C-Span2
| Comments:
| My son is a high school history teacher in Reading, MI. I found your concepts quite interesting and thought my son would appreciate knowing of your website.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:50:45 1999
| Name:
| Robert Ashley Martin
| E-mail:
| ramartin@sirius.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| San Mateo, CA
| How the site | was found: C-SPANs Book TV
| Comments:
| You referenced John Holt, author of "How Children Fail." The same John Holt also references "The Continuum Concept." See www.continuum-concept.org.
This site will explain how to raise a "happy" child, ready for the schools you and we desire!
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:46:30 1999
| Name:
| Michael G. Neece
| E-mail:
| mneece@starhop.com
| Organization:
| Christa McAuliffe Planetarium
| Location:
| Concord, NH
| How the site | was found: Mentioned site on C-SPAN2
| Comments:
| Having worked primarily in "informal education" in which learning is hands-on, interactive, and inquiry-based, I applaud your stance that similar features should be part of "formal education" as well. I hope that your vision becomes a reality since I never personally saw the relevance of most of my classes in middle school and high school.
In short, applause, applause!
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:43:24 1999
| Name:
| Jerry Smith
| E-mail:
| Gothic_spawn@excite.com
| Organization:
| n/a
| Location:
| Sandusky,Ohio
| How the site | was found: I was watching your T.V. Presentation on 12/4/99
| Comments:
| I think Alfie Kohn has a brain that is 30 times bigger than his head(no offense at all intended). If we only had a few more million/billion people like him teaching and directing our schools and boards of education i would enjoy going to school. Great job.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:38:43 1999
| Name:
| Vincent A. Dinolfo
| E-mail:
| Vincenzo_Dinolfo@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Parent who has noticed much of what you have said!
| Location:
| Gastonia, North Carolina
| How the site | was found: Saw you on C-SPAN2
| Comments:
| I applaud, with great regard, your Q&A on Book TV and can assure you that I will read your book with studious intent.
Thank you!
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:36:06 1999
| Name:
| Dudley P. Tenney
| E-mail:
| dudtenney@webzone.net
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| Tulsa, OK
| How the site | was found: you gave the address on C-Span 2 while discussing your book
| Comments:
| It may sound like a strech, but your critique of our school system(s)is applicable to air(line) safety.
I spent 33 years as an airline pilot, at times involved in training, and can see the philosophies and concepts you were discussing in the training/airperson certification process.
Any progress you can make in changing a poor system in the K-12, and college will result in changes in airline training.
Good luck!
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:33:33 1999
| Name:
| mark cohen
| E-mail:
| photomark@dellnet.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| wilkes-barre pa
| How the site | was found: cspan
| Comments:
| You are wishing for a system of education that is impossible with most of todays teachers, they don't understand actual learning; and parents are bascially involved with sports.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:32:43 1999
| Name:
| Linda Garrett
| E-mail:
| GLGLCG@AOL.com
| Organization:
| Jefferson County Board of Education
| Location:
| Birmingham, AL 35242
| How the site | was found: TV
| Comments:
| If you have any evaluations or criticisms on Alabama educational system, please share it with me. Yes, I am an educator who is very concerned about my students.
Thanks.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:30:53 1999
| Name:
| HARRY MANFREDINI
| E-mail:
| HMANFRED @ AOL COM
| Organization:
| ALMAVIVA MUSIC
| Location:
| CA
| How the site | was found: SAW THE TV LECTURE
| Comments:
| Just watched your lecture on Cspan. Enjoyed and agreed with it. I wonder if you ever consider the economic and political hot potatoes you but in the oven. Also the
effects of the teacher's unions on this deplorable situation. I wish I could help in this education of those who really need it. Those in power, parents, real teachers, students, and
those who care about what has happened.
Although I saw you on television, and that was a good thing, The effect of the media on these things. I have opinions on these topics, and I bet that many of them would be echoed by yours as well
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:28:12 1999
| Name:
| Duane Salander
| E-mail:
| dsalander@terraworld.net
| Organization:
| Tyro Community Christian School
| Location:
| Tyro, Kansas
| How the site | was found: Watched your book review on TV
| Comments:
| Currently teaching in Christian School and using antiquated methods. I am interested in learning how to incorporate better methods, especially some form of a "block system" - something better than simply lengthening class periods for alternate days.
Also intend to purchase and read your new book - THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN DESERVE -
I teach bible, math and science 7 - 12 and am most interested in continuing my teaching carreer with junior high teaching.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:23:44 1999
| Name:
| Carolyn Crawford
| E-mail:
| zanedavis@qnet.org
| Organization:
| teacher,CTA (useless)
| Location:
| Lee Vining, CA
| How the site | was found: C-SPAN - bookTV
| Comments:
| You are the first person I've been able to find who is saying what teachers are thinking. I'm very angry about what the state is doing in California - Top down decisions with no teacher input and I'm angry about the union which is (as far as I can tell) doing NOTHING!. The state is also trying to get teachers to police other teachers (euphemistically called Peer Assistance Review)rather than making administrators do the job they were hired to do (but usually have no clue about what makes a good teacher). As a special ed. teacher I do take issue with saying that direct, explicit phonics instruction is essential for learning to read. It may well be true that the students who are capable of searching out underlying patterns in reading...I remember well that's how I learned to read...but special ed. kids, have problems identifying patterns, generalizing these patterns and cannot easily associate sounds with symbols. They need lots of practice. (and I am not talking about worksheets, but Lindam
ood and Barbara Wilson approaches). But back to the issue...I tuned in to C-SPAN in the middle of your presentation. I checked the program guide and you are not going to be rerun this weekend. I would have liked to have copied your talk. I shall search the site to find out if you have any info that would help educate our community. I would also like to know of any other websites where the teachers are angry and discussing the kinds of things in your book.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:22:11 1999
| Name:
| SARAH
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
| PARENT
| Location:
| WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA
| How the site | was found: BOOK TV LECTURE @ EMERSON UMBR.
| Comments:
| I WAS CAPTIVATED BY YOUR LECTURE ON BOOK TV. I AM GOING OUT NOW TO BUY YOUR MOST RECENT BOOK."TOUGHER STANDARDS" IS THE IN THING IN FLORIDA.I DO NOT FEEL IT IS WORKING.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:21:58 1999
| Name:
| Mike Fergus
| E-mail:
| mfergus@wt.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Houston, Texas
| How the site | was found: c-span presentation (on right now!)
| Comments:
| Thank you for having the courage to take on the idiots. My wife is a teacher (ESL pre-k) and we are watching with great interest.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:21:55 1999
| Name:
| John Thurlow
| E-mail:
| john@thurlow.com
| Organization:
| Pine Cone School
| Location:
| Scarborough, Maine
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Alfie Kohn is an incredible thinker and his leadership is needed if we are going to endure this ill-conceived standards movement.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:19:20 1999
| Name:
| Linda Garrett
| E-mail:
| GLGLCG@AOL.com
| Organization:
| Jefferson County Board of Ed.
| Location:
| Birmingham, AL
| How the site | was found: TV
| Comments:
| Wow, did you hit "my button". As an educator in Alabama, I have a sincere concern regarding testing in order to receive a high school diploma. Our state superintendent, Dr. Ed Richardson, has discribed the state graduation exam as a coming train wreck. Yes, the train is still a coming because the state legislature and the state board of education have approved this "high standard graduation exam" and every one must take it. Talk about raising standards, this test proves only that better than 75% of graduates will not pass. Why can't this train be stopped? That is the question everyone is asking. Without a diploma, students cannot go to college in spite of their college acceptable ACT and SAT scores. Have you heard about our graduation exam? It is suppose to be the toughest one in the nation. What an honor! Ha.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:18:41 1999
| Name:
| Bill Hay
| E-mail:
| haybhb@aol.com
| Organization:
| Concerned Parent
| Location:
| Springboro, Ohio
| How the site | was found: C-Span television
| Comments:
| Please advise if there is any active group in the state of Ohio opposing the testing in Ohio schools. My daughter passed all courses in high school and was denied a high school diploma and denied participation in the graduation ceremony due to one question on the math state test. She was basically treated like a high school drop out.
The Springboro School district and the State of Ohio have caused a young adult to have a bitter hatred for our education system. I want it changed, but have not been able to find the resources to even get anyone to listen.
Thank You
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:14:17 1999
| Name:
| Skip Marshall
| E-mail:
| spinnakers@excite.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Little Rock, AR
| How the site | was found: Given on Television
| Comments:
| Very interested in how is the better way to measure achievement disparity between white and black students
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:09:21 1999
| Name:
| Ronald X. Mollins
| E-mail:
| rxmjr3@aol.com
| Organization:
| Norton Public Schools
| Location:
| Norton, Mass.
| How the site | was found: c-span
| Comments:
| I am working on a strategic planning task force for the future of our schools and need as much info as possible. Thank you.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:04:12 1999
| Name:
| Susan Katanic
| E-mail:
| katanic@access1.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: I saw Mr. Kohn on C-Span2
| Comments:
| It's fascinating listening to Mr. Kohn. My husband and I have felt this way for a long time, that what they are teaching our children is not preparing them for their future. I would love to be able to find a school that teaches our children how to prepare themselves for the true life. How to respect others and how to be good and honest adults. These schools are so bent on pegging our round children in square holes. i really would love to know what I can do to make a difference.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:04:10 1999
| Name:
| bob pitre
| E-mail:
| rap355@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Chicago
| How the site | was found: saw Alfie on TV
| Comments:
| Is there any work being done on learning by building knowledge based on hands on application of proven sceintific principles?
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:02:10 1999
| Name:
| John H. Wernery
| E-mail:
| Akinaishi@aol.com
| Organization:
| na
| Location:
| Miami
| How the site | was found: C-span
| Comments:
| Why do we not hear this information on the national news?
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:02:01 1999
| Name:
| Bruce Gingery
| E-mail:
| bgingery@gtcs.com
| Organization:
| Gateways to CyberSpace
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: C-Span BookTV rebroadcast of October Lecture
| Comments:
| Re: "The Schools Our Kids Deserve" | You've verbalized an excellent exposition of the underlying research to prove what I've seen since the early 1960's in education. You've gone beyond the mere "sound byte" to bring up the underlying cognitive processes and positive and negative incentives to excellence in education. Learning can be its own greatest incentive, IF the student does not loose the sense of accomplishment in mastery of an aspect of a topic. The US is not the only country that has fallen into the multiple-choice instant fact regurgitation superficiality, but it's endemic here.
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 17:01:31 1999
| Name:
| Jamie Duesing
| E-mail:
| jamie_duesing@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Student
| Location:
| North Carolina
| How the site | was found: C-SPAN
| Comments:
| I am an 18 year old female high school student, who happened to flip past your presentation on C-SPAN in search for something "good" to watch. Your speech drew me in and promted me to tape what was left. I'm very excited and surprised to find people who are finally making sense! When I was in third grade I wrote my senator a letter asking why she thought Japanese childern were generally more gifted than American kids. She responded by giving me the "back to the basics" speech you talked about. I was very impressed by how closely this letter corresponded with what you said. I listened to your speech thinking "Yes! This guy is SO right!" Thanking for understanding.
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 16:53:38 1999
| Name:
| Rene Kozarsky
| E-mail:
| rkozarsky@earthlink.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| TX
| How the site | was found: C SPAN
| Comments:
| When was your last classroom teaching experience and at what level was it-just curious?
|
Date:
| Sat Dec 4 16:37:19 1999
| Name:
| B Sherrill
| E-mail:
| bsherrill@iss.k12.nc.us
| Organization:
| Teacher
| Location:
| North Carolina
| How the site | was found: Television Lecture
| Comments:
| Was so delighted to finally hear someone stand up and say what we in the classroom know so well. Standardize testing is destroying education in this nation.
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 3 22:54:00 1999
| Name:
| Elke Geiger
| E-mail:
| elke@teleport.com
| Organization:
| Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
| Location:
| Portland, Oregon
| How the site | was found: at the bottom of a comic
| Comments:
| Thank you for the good work.
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 3 16:04:26 1999
| Name:
| Bob Speiser
| E-mail:
| rspeiser@rci.rutgers.edu
| Organization:
| Graduate School of Education
| Location:
| Rutgers University, New Brunswick
| How the site | was found: via your Kappan articles
| Comments:
| Bravo!
|
Date:
| Fri Dec 3 03:47:18 1999
| Name:
| Sarah Lawrence-Oldfield
| E-mail:
| oldlaw@gci.net
| Organization:
| University of Alaska Southeast
| Location:
| Douglas, Alaska
| How the site | was found: search (GoHip)
| Comments:
| I am excited to create a caring learning community when I begin to teach next year.(2000)
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 2 21:39:31 1999
| Name:
| Cindy Charest
| E-mail:
| charest@ibm.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Westbrook, ME
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Looking forward to hearing you speak at the Maine Support Network Winter Retreat
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 2 19:20:57 1999
| Name:
| Michael Marchildon
| E-mail:
| mmarchildon@amigo.net
| Organization:
| Del Norte High School
| Location:
| Del Norte, CO 81132
| How the site | was found: NCTE Convention
| Comments:
| I knew I hated the standards movement, but I could'nt articulate why until I heard Mr. Kohn speak at the convention. I want to be able to explain why high-stakes testing is bad for kids.
|
Date:
| Thu Dec 2 19:19:22 1999
| Name:
| Michael Marchildon
| E-mail:
| mmarchildon@amigo.net
| Organization:
| Del Norte High School
| Location:
| Del Norte, CO 81132
| How the site | was found: NCTE Convention
| Comments:
| I knew I hated the standards movement, but I could'nt articulate why until I heard Mr. Kohn speak at the convention. I want to be able to explain why igh-stakes testing is bad for kids.
|
Date:
| Wed Dec 1 23:58:08 1999
| Name:
| Lynda Redendo
| E-mail:
| lredendo@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| ASU
| Location:
| Tempe, AZ
| How the site | was found: student recommendation
| Comments:
| Glad to make your acquaintance!
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 20:48:59 1999
| Name:
| NANCY
| E-mail:
| GALLARDO@CLDS.NET
| Organization:
| N/A
| Location:
| HINESVILLE GA
| How the site | was found: HEARD PART OF LEC ON TV TODAY W/ ALFIE
| Comments:
| WANT INFO ON BETTER WAYS TO EDU. MY 9YR OLD GIRL WHO HATES SCHOOL/READING/ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES BRAIN POWER. HER SCHOOL IS BIG ON (ITBS) TESTS. ALSO AFRAID FOR HIGHER GRADES SCHOOLS IN DISTRIC ARE KNOWN FOR VIOLANCE. THINKING ABOUT HOMESCHOOLING HER, BUT I DID NOT DO VERY WELL IN SCHOOL AND THINK I MIGHT DO HER MORE HARM THAN GOOD. I AM TAKING A FEW CLASSES AT A TECH SCHOOL AND AM LEARNIING A BIT BUT IT HAS BEEN 14 YEARS SINCE I GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL BY THE SKIN OF MY TEETH. HELP!!! PLEASE!!!THANK YOU
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 11:58:18 1999
| Name:
| James Sindelar
| E-mail:
| jsindelar@d211.org
| Organization:
| Retired College Counselor-Twp.H.S.Dist.211
| Location:
| Palatine, IL
| How the site | was found: Mention in BookTV CSpan Talk
| Comments:
| When my Wife (4th grade teacher) joins me in retirement at the end of this school year, we will have completed a total of 68 years of educational experience. We have five of our own children including our youngest two whom we adopted from India each at age eleven.
I found your address to be right on target especially regarding testing in Illinois. Unfortunately, the "tougher standards" advocates have the zealot group mentality and momentum that is difficult to derail or even reroute especially if their methods appear to be producing results. Your presentation provides acceptable alternatives with a clear rationale that is difficult to refute!
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 09:32:47 1999
| Name:
| Paul Montgomery
| E-mail:
| pmontgom@nfpc.com
| Organization:
| National Fruit Product Company, Inc.
| Location:
| Winchester, Virginia
| How the site | was found: C-Span Book Lecture on 11-29-99
| Comments:
| The Standards of Learning (SOL) system adopted by Virginia is the bureaucratic system's typical response to a problem or need. Although starting with the best of intentions, the Virginia government has created a system that is unfair, unreasonable, and one that promotes memorization as the only means to survive. My 5th grade daughter is not learning, she is being force-fed facts and information at a very rapid rate. It is not unusual for her (or her other 5th grade friends) to be only concerned about memorizing this week's school work, in order to pass this week's tests. What was taught last week is mostly forgotten, because it is rarely reinforced. Why? Because the teachers have so little time other than to force-feed their students more information in as dictated by the SOL system.
I find it interesting that I have talked with many teachers and school administrators about the Standards of Learning system, yet not a single one has endorsed the system. Of course, teachers are forced to adhere to it and tolerate the system's senseless approach to teaching the children.
Unfortunately, in a few years the politicans will develop a new system in an attempt to solve our education system's problems. And, as has happened with this approach, things will most likely be made worse.
Thanks for writing and speaking out against the standards approach to learning. Not only have you helped to educate me on the topic, you are providing inspiration to me to continue to fight against it at the local level.
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 08:57:50 1999
| Name:
| Janine Keyser
| E-mail:
| jkeyser@fast.net
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
| Bethlehem, PA
| How the site | was found: Saw the lecture you gave on CSpan-2 .
| Comments:
| While you were talking about the school systems and how they are hung up on satndardized testing, I was assumming that you were refering to public schools (I did not catch the whole lecture and may have missed this question if it was given). Since the public school rankings and testings are the only published (in the Northampton and Lehigh Counties) how do the private and Catholic schools fit into your equations? I do not disagree with you on any point, however I as a mother of 2 young children am trying to find the "best school" around here for my children to attend. I would also like to share my experience with you. I went to public school until 10th grade, my grades were horrid, i was un interested in the teachings and the teachers seemed uninterested in the individualized attention that the students needed. When I went to private school from 10th -12th grade, my grades improved, I was more confident, and I was more apt to participate in activities such as track and band. I give full c
redit not only to the teachers, but to my classmates and the different style of teaching used. Learning should be fun, and attention should be given to all students. I went from a C average in Math scores(on report cards) to an A average. What you say should be done works, but it should not only be about the testing, the teachers need a complete overhaul in their dedication to the students. Thank you for your time. Janine Keyser
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 08:40:21 1999
| Name:
| chlyde russano
| E-mail:
| cacana@aol.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| boca raton, fl
| How the site | was found: c-span
| Comments:
| Excellent points. Bureaucracy, clics, teacher's unions and politics...What else can be said. If the child is not the goal everything has been said.
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 08:29:13 1999
| Name:
| Greg and Laurie Mulligan
| E-mail:
| upmoe@bresnanlink.net
| Organization:
| Teacher
| Location:
| Bay de Noc, Michigan
| How the site | was found: C-Span
| Comments:
| I wish you could deliver you message here in our community.
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 08:29:10 1999
| Name:
| Randy Hoheisel
| E-mail:
|
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: I saw Mr. Kohn on C-Span
| Comments:
| I believe that Mr. John Taylor Gatto is correct in his assertion that American schools are deliberately designed not to educate children to think for themselves because they are based on a collectivist theory of society where society is run from the top down like a military organization. American schools are deliberately engineered not to educate children but to train them to be compliant citizens, because this is what most people think is best.
Until we return to a view of society which emphasizes the role of the individual, all education reforms will fail because they will be aimed at the wrong target.
If you don't think Americans have a collectivist view of society just ask people what the job of the President of the United States is; and I bet the most common response will be: "He runs the country".
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 08:15:19 1999
| Name:
| susan beaver
| E-mail:
| swbeaver@msn.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| louisiana
| How the site | was found: lecture
| Comments:
| I was impressed with you lecture about
standardized testing. It is the norm
here in Louisiana. As a mater of fact
They have just made it so that if children in this state do not pass these
tests then they do not pass to the next grade. I feel that this is an outrage!
Help!!!!
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 29 07:30:55 1999
| Name:
| Larry Jeffryes
| E-mail:
| jeffryel@lahs.losalamos.k12.nm.us
| Organization:
| Los Alamos High School
| Location:
| Los Alamos, NM
| How the site | was found: Saw A. Kohn on C-Span Book Notes
| Comments:
| What would it take for A. Kohn to speak to the Los Alamos Public Schools...assuming someone here could be talked into it?
Or advice on how to set up a "standards based school" in light of current standards movement and A. Kohn's insights?
|
Date:
| Sun Nov 28 12:43:10 1999
| Name:
| Tim Delehaunty
| E-mail:
| tdelehaunty@lacademy.edu
| Organization:
| Lawrence Academy
| Location:
| Groton MA
| How the site | was found: I read Mr. Kohn's most recent book.
| Comments:
| I am looking to contact those who are involved with or thinking about implementation of ungraded high schools.
|
Date:
| Sat Nov 27 20:52:54 1999
| Name:
| DAWN REED
| E-mail:
| DAWNTV8@AOL.COM
| Organization:
| Early Childhood Student at Northeastern State University
| Location:
| Tahlequah, OK
| How the site | was found: Search Engine
| Comments:
| I am researching for a final exam, my instructor has turned me on to the incredible world of how children learn. One of her lectures is on rewards and punishment and how the views of Alfie Kohn.
|
Date:
| Fri Nov 26 18:41:22 1999
| Name:
| Rhonda Johnson
| E-mail:
| joh1245@attglobal.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Port Huron,Michigan
| How the site | was found: From pg 208 in Schools Our Children Deserve
| Comments:
| I've read Punished by Rewards and I love this new book, too.
Your last chapter about how to organize has got me inspired. Thank you.
|
Date:
| Wed Nov 24 19:12:40 1999
| Name:
| Gary Duke
| E-mail:
| garyduke@pobox.com
| Organization:
| Richland College Library
| Location:
| Dallas, Texas
| How the site | was found: Paths of Learning
| Comments:
| I have read several of Mr. Kohn's book and think his interpretation of the research is right on. And it's a good thing...the more deeply one thinks about rewards based learning and standards crazy schooling, the more insane and dehumanizing it seems. If only there was a way that more people could be confronted with Alfie's ideas. :)
|
Date:
| Tue Nov 23 03:26:22 1999
| Name:
| Pat Orrell
| E-mail:
| orrell@cnw.com
| Organization:
| The Attic: A Developmental Learning Community
| Location:
| Woodinville Washington
| How the site | was found: Dale Phillips recommended it.
| Comments:
| Appreciate your work!
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 22 18:06:34 1999
| Name:
| Larry Hoffman
| E-mail:
| larryhof@uwm.edu
| Organization:
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
| Location:
| Milwaukee, WI
| How the site | was found: Read about it in Rethinking Schools
| Comments:
| An Alfie Kohn support and discussion group for educators has met several times in Milwaukee. On December 3, 1999 we will hold a joint TGIF with Rethinking Schools from 3:30 to 6 PM at the Oakland Trattoria at Oakland and Locust. Anyone interested can contact me.
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 22 12:18:31 1999
| Name:
| Leif Anderson
| E-mail:
| leif9@email.com
| Organization:
| Cheyenne Teachers Education Association (CTEA)
| Location:
| McCormick JHS, 6000 Education Dr., Cheyenne, WY 82001
| How the site | was found: Presentation at NCTE convention in Denver
| Comments:
| Excellent presentatiom at NCTE conference!! Thank you, Mr. Kohn!
WYCAS is a high-stakes test in Wyoming for 4th, 8th, and 11th graders. Eleventh graders won't be able to graduate unless they pass the WYCAS!
Pilot year is over. 1999/2000 is Big Test Year #1!
I look forward to exploring this site.
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 22 11:47:30 1999
| Name:
| Patty Grasmick
| E-mail:
| rgrasmik@ria.net
| Organization:
| McClave School
| Location:
| McClave, Colorado 81057
| How the site | was found: National Council of Teachers of English convention
| Comments:
| Please send your evaluation/criticism of the Colorado Standards and their CSAP
(Colorado Student Assessment Program) testing. Your remarks in Denver made me question the direction of Colorado education. Thank you for what you're doing for the education of our children.
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 22 10:11:06 1999
| Name:
| Joel K. Briscoe
| E-mail:
| jbriscoe@admin.bhs.davis.k12.ut.us
| Organization:
| Bountiful High School
| Location:
| Bountiful, Utah
| How the site | was found: ?
| Comments:
| Some influential members of the Utah State Legislature have suddenly got the religion of standards. For awhile it appeared we might get our assessments before we got the standards! Alfie Kohn is one of the few people who make sense on this issue.
|
Date:
| Mon Nov 22 09:54:20 1999
| Name:
| Robin Alexander
| E-mail:
| RobinKathy@compuserve.com
| Organization:
| UW La Crosse
| Location:
| La Crosse WI
| How the site | was found: search
| Comments:
| Very interested in the grading issue in college. Would like to communicate with people interested in eliminating the grading system.
|
Date:
| Sun Nov 21 16:38:17 1999
| Name:
| rosemary battleson
| E-mail:
| battle@edtech.unco.edu
| Organization:
| University of Northern Colorado
| Location:
| Greeley, CO
| How the site | was found: Refered from NCTE Convention
| Comments:
| Your message was inspiring, and also very valuable to me, since I am beginning to prepare for my comprehensive exams for my doctoral program, and one of my questions has to do with high stakes testing.
|
Date:
| Sat Nov 20 23:43:32 1999
| Name:
| Hong Mei Li
| E-mail:
| lih@dickinson.edu
| Organization:
| Dickinson college
| Location:
| Carlisle, PA
| How the site | was found: professor
| Comments:
| It's is very helpful for educational research. I will read more and reflect on my teaching methods.
|
Date:
| Sat Nov 20 12:54:23 1999
| Name:
| Jess Moore
| E-mail:
| jessmoore26@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| student
| Location:
| worthington, ohio
| How the site | was found: i was doing research
| Comments:
| I agree with Kohn's views and would like to find out if he has written any articles on how schools have focused on building self-esteem more than self-confidence through achievement. Or something along those lines.
|
Date:
| Sat Nov 20 10:06:42 1999
| Name:
| RandySchenkat
| E-mail:
| schenkat@hbci.com
| Organization:
| WinonaCouncilfor Quality
| Location:
| Winona, Mn
| How the site | was found: Kevin Rafferty
| Comments:
| Alfie.... we're undertaking a community effort termed relearning learning. Hope to be using Scardamalia and Bereiter's CSILE . Some of this was kicked off by John Abbott's visit here- see www.21learn.org and our website. learners.vtginc.com Best Wishes, Randy
|
Date:
| Tue Nov 16 13:59:55 1999
| Name:
| Barbara Coloroso
| E-mail:
| bcoloroso@aol.com
| Organization:
| kids are worth it
| Location:
| Littleton Colorado
| How the site | was found: Talked with your distributor, a friend of mine,r Jim Allen in Toronto
| Comments:
| Congrats on your latest book. I recommended it in the Family Matters series in the Globe and Mail Internet program. As well, you got a great review next to my review in the Toronto Star September 18.
|
Date:
| Tue Nov 16 01:31:49 1999
| Name:
| Tom Clifford
| E-mail:
| tcliffor@monterey.k12.ca.us
| Organization:
| Carmel High School
| Location:
| Carmel, California
| How the site | was found: Calif. League of High Schools
| Comments:
| At the end of your talk on Friday at the CLHS meeting, you expressed frustration with those people who blindly accept the norm-referenced tests like the SAT-9 and other standard based, statewide examinations. Having taught for four years at a very mediocre school before moving to a very fine school (Carmel High School), I see the need for accountability and the need to share this information with the public. Although I didn't like the SAT-9 test, I accepted it without ever really thinking about it or questioning it. However, as you spoke on Friday, I became transformed. I found your arguments extremely compelling and convincing, and I realized I was one of the masses who accepted the arguments of the test while ignoring my own dissatisfaction with the procedure and the results. The title of the conference was "Redefining High Schools"; your talk redefined my vision of how Carmel High should strive for authentic assessment and move away from the SAT-9 and standardized tests. For this I thank yo
u.
I heard California Gov. Gray Davis speak about API and his incentive and punitive programs to encourage schools to improve. At the time, I found his arguments compelling as well. It seemed reasonable to give more money to those schools which performed poorly to allow them to improve. His penalties should the school fail to improve, did seem extreme and harsh, but perhaps its time to "get tough" on bad schools. Then on Friday night, after your speech, I bought your book Punished by Rewards. Suddenly his arguments seem flawed on a number of fronts.
I can see how your speech and your books will impact my thinking and my teaching from this point forward. I have created web pages from my students and their parents. There I would like to discuss my position on standardized norm-referenced tests and I would like to create a link to your site as well. Again thank you for your talk on Friday.
Sincerely,
Tom Clifford
Instructor of English
Carmel High School
tclifford@redshift.com
|
Date:
| Sun Nov 14 10:54:51 1999
| Name:
| Wallace J. De Filippo (Wally)
| E-mail:
| wdefilippo@aol.com
| Organization:
| Cordero Middle School
| Location:
| Jersey City , New Jersey
| How the site | was found: Newark Star Ledger article led me to search web
| Comments:
| I feel like I have been a cave for not being aware that you have been preaching the same philosphy I have for so long. I have been fighting this same battle but not nearly as eloquently or as successfully as you. I am very encouraged by your position. I have ordered your new book and I plan on reading your earily works as well. Keep up the great work. I want to be a part of creating a more positive learning experience for our children. Wally
|
Date:
| Sat Nov 13 20:38:10 1999
| Name:
| Jennifer Walter
| E-mail:
| Jennifer_Walter@telus.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| Vancouver, B.C.
| How the site | was found: thru an article I read
| Comments:
| I love the researcy you have done.
|
Date:
| Sat Nov 13 02:56:59 1999
| Name:
| Art Darin
| E-mail:
| darina@exchange.esuhsd.org
| Organization:
| Mt. Pleasant High School
| Location:
| San Jose, CA
| How the site | was found: Recent conference in Monterey
| Comments:
| I have read your books and enjoyed your talk at the conference. We are focused on creating the "joy of learning" as our primary aim. We have four learning communities which helps us with weekly collaboration of staff on how to improve our school to meet our aim. We are certianly not focused on testing, but the pressure is there. Thanks for your input.
|
Date:
| Fri Nov 12 21:32:46 1999
| Name:
| Lynn Peterson
| E-mail:
| fallingh2o@earthlink.net
| Organization:
| Nueva Center for Learning
| Location:
| Hillsborough, CA
| How the site | was found: flyer from recent presentation at our school
| Comments:
| Hearing your perceptions and the questions you posed was the kind of inspiration that keeps me going in this challenging, sometimes schizophrenic and always exciting field of learning that I've chosen. I lost some sleep (literly!) but gained energy non-the-less! Thanks for sharing your time and ideas with us!
|
Date:
| Fri Nov 12 19:24:28 1999
| Name:
| Levon
| E-mail:
| Levonguy@cs.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: I wanted to knwo about Alfie Kohn's book.
| Comments:
| Alfie Kohn really brings out what is needed today in schools. His philosophy on education and returning to the basics is a wonderful plan. I, a junior high student, fully support this old approach at learning and teaching and think it is imperative to the students of America that we return to this plan. Creating creative minds are much more important that preparing for standardized tests. Teachers no longer have time to go over what is considered unnecessary information for they must spend all available time on showing the students how to do well on tests they will take once in their life and that never truely shows the true person. I personally love to write creative stories but I haven't had a creative story project since elementary school because the teachers are filling up the time with essays. To better ourselves and the future of our constry we need to return to the basic teaching we once used to help our students learn to be creative and learn.
|
Date:
| Thu Nov 11 19:18:43 1999
| Name:
| Carol Dworkin
| E-mail:
| cddworkin@aol.com
| Organization:
| Special Education Coordinator
| Location:
| Middle Country Central School District
| How the site | was found: Article in Educational Leadership
| Comments:
| Yes, yes, and yes!!! Living in New York as an educator right now is just a little bit stressful. I will be quoting you liberally - the only question is will my colleagues, who are hell bent on stuffing "knowledge" into kids at a frantic pace to "get them ready for the test", listen??? Thanks for being....
|
Date:
| Thu Nov 11 17:49:16 1999
| Name:
| Tiffany Frydrychowicz
| E-mail:
| tiffanybird@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| LeMoyne College
| Location:
| DeWitt, New York
| How the site | was found: Doing research on Alphie Kohn
| Comments:
| Glad to visit the website, having a difficult time finding research on those that oppose character education, and desparately need some.
|
Date:
| Thu Nov 11 14:43:29 1999
| Name:
| Michelle Madgett
| E-mail:
| m.madgett@worldnet.att.net
| Organization:
| Elementary teacher
| Location:
| San Jose
| How the site | was found: book, Schools Our Children Deserve
| Comments:
| I am tremendously alarmed by what is happening in public education. I became a teacher to try to usher in change, like a clipper ship cutting through a rough sea. After 4 years, I find my soul resembles a tattered sail. I'm not ready to give up -- I am hoping to connect with truly progressive people out here in the West. (Almost everything I read originates in the Eastern U. S.)
|
Date:
| Wed Nov 10 15:43:44 1999
| Name:
| Barbara Carroll
| E-mail:
| barbara.b.carroll@gte.net
| Organization:
| Public School Board of Education
| Location:
| New Paltz, New York
| How the site | was found: search on "AlfieKohn"
| Comments:
| After 12 years trying to move our district from worksheets to learning tasks meaningful to kids and from arbitrary authoritarianism to a sense of shared community, I find myself awash in a sea of retro-conservatism. All I hear are cries (BY EDUCATORS!!!!) for lockstep compliance with NY State Standards and talk of cops & drug dogs in our schools. Perhaps charter schools ARE the only way sane progressives get give children the schools they deserve!!!!
|
Date:
| Wed Nov 10 13:29:24 1999
| Name:
| Ruth Blumer
| E-mail:
| Blumer55@aaol.com
| Organization:
| teacher
| Location:
| PA
| How the site | was found: Key word
| Comments:
| Doing research on tougher standards
|
Date:
| Tue Nov 9 22:53:53 1999
| Name:
| Rona Brown-Smith
| E-mail:
| bigbossrona@netscape.net
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: CSU Monterey Bay assignment
| Comments:
| I have just been introduced to your work. Thank you!!!!!!
|
Date:
| Tue Nov 9 17:52:14 1999
| Name:
| Dale Phillips
| E-mail:
| dalephil@aol.com
| Organization:
| Developmental Activities Program
| Location:
| 2161 Leslie Dr., Coralville, IA 52241
| How the site | was found: Google
| Comments:
| I believe that children learn through doing. My commitment has been to help teachers create a positive learning environment in which each child develops to his/her potential. As an educational consultant for Grant Wood A.E.A. (State of Iowa) I worked with teachers in classrooms and school districts for 20 years. I co-direct the Developmental Activities Program (dap) with my husband, Darrell G. Phillips, Assoc. Prof. Emeritus, U of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. dap is a hands-on, Piaget-based math/science program that was created to help students develop logical thinking. We believe that standards and achievement testing should not be done at the expense of developing children's thinking. Instead, our research shows that children's thinking may be assessed reliably and with validity and placed within Piaget's hierarchical framework. We also believe that students must select their own activities, interact with objects each at his/her own level, and that teachers should teach/assess through questioni
ng. Our publications, Developing Logical Thinkers by Dale R. Phillips, Ph.D., Structures of Thinking, by Darrell G. Phillips, Ph.D. and Sciencing by Darrell G. Phillips, are published through Kendall/Hunt, Dubuque, IA. Call 1-800-KH-BOOKS.
|
Date:
| Tue Nov 9 01:12:39 1999
| Name:
| Karen Cailotto
| E-mail:
| cailotto@earthlink.net
| Organization:
| MA Education, CSUMB
| Location:
| Brentwood, Califonia (Contra Costa Co.)
| How the site | was found: Link through university
| Comments:
| Thank you for being a forceful voice in the never-ending education debate.
|
Date:
| Sat Nov 6 21:44:30 1999
| Name:
| Terri Feil
| E-mail:
| Tlfred5@aol.com
| Organization:
| Uncg student
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| I am a big "fan"...I only with there were more teachers out there that share the same view of human nature and classroom managment....as a mother of three and working on my MED elementary ed. I have witnessed some pretty horrific school situations...I am committed to do what is right by children even if it means going against what the "state" (of North Carolina) mandates. I will not push a child beyond his/her capabilities so that his/her self esteem is at risk. Something which adminsistrators and teachers alike for some mistaken reason seem is not a vital part of a child's education!!! I have read all of your books, and I look forward to reading your new one. I think that your arguments are philosophically sound, I just wish educators would be more receptive to the sentiment and trust themselves and children!!!!!
Thank you for the inspiration in my life...part of my decision to pursue this career at 38 yrs old is attributed to my readings of your books, as well as the many horrible experiences that my own children have gone through in the public ed. system of N.C. There is a better model out there, I have seen it and I am dedicated to shape it if only for a few!!
Terri Feil
|
Date:
| Sat Nov 6 19:29:35 1999
| Name:
| Ruth W. Hart
| E-mail:
| ruthwhart4@aol.com
| Organization:
| none
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: daughter...Cynthia Charest
| Comments:
| A voice of reason and good sense in a very troubled time for public schools. I wish his books were compulsory reading for teachers!
|
Date:
| Thu Nov 4 21:14:20 1999
| Name:
| JoEllen Nahra
| E-mail:
| jnahra@mail.st-alphonsus.pvt.k12.ia.us
| Organization:
| St. Alphonsus School
| Location:
| Davenport, Iowa, 52802
| How the site | was found: Link from Merrow radio page
| Comments:
| Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
|
Date:
| Thu Nov 4 16:18:18 1999
| Name:
| jamie milem-oettinger
| E-mail:
| tjoettinger@earthlink.net
| Organization:
| parents
| Location:
| columbus, ohio
| How the site | was found: looked it up
| Comments:
| wanting to gain more information on Alfi Kohn topics
|
Date:
| Wed Nov 3 12:39:46 1999
| Name:
| Andrew Schipper
| E-mail:
| pseedberk@aol.com
| Organization:
| Project SEED
| Location:
| Berkeley
| How the site | was found: commentray piece in Ed Week
| Comments:
| I always find your writing thoughtful, witty and logical. Thanks for being a voice of reason in a sea of educational chaos.
|
Date:
| Tue Nov 2 15:23:36 1999
| Name:
| Renée Cole
| E-mail:
| rcole@austinc.edu
| Organization:
| Austin College
| Location:
| Sherman TX
| How the site | was found: graduate class discussion
| Comments:
| I'm interested with several of my colleagues on starting a school in the area with your concepts. Thank you for your inspiration.
|
Date:
| Tue Nov 2 07:39:52 1999
| Name:
| Geoff Wilson
| E-mail:
| gbwilson@ozemail.com.au
| Organization:
| Lecturer, National Institute for Christian Education; Editor, Christian Teachers Journal
| Location:
| Melbourne, Australia
| How the site | was found: via (online) interview in Nov Educational Leadership
| Comments:
| Great to see the variety of resources available on your site! Fortunately, 'testing' and 'standards' haven't (yet?!) become the focus of schooling down under to the extent that they have in the US, but our (federal) Minister of Education is doing his best to change that.
|
Date:
| Thu Oct 28 14:03:39 1999
| Name:
| Heather Alderman
| E-mail:
| halderman@aera.net
| Organization:
| American Educational Research Association
| Location:
| 1230 17th St. NW Washington, DC 20036
| How the site | was found: The School Administrator magazine
| Comments:
| I enjoyed your talk at the American Youth Policy Forum on October 22nd.
|
Date:
| Wed Oct 27 20:30:34 1999
| Name:
| Walt Coker
| E-mail:
| Walter.Coker@NAU.EDU
| Organization:
| Northern Arizona University
| Location:
| Flagstaff, Arizona
| How the site | was found: Through A.S.B.J.
| Comments:
| I very much enjoyed the article on "Raising Test Scores and Ruining our Schools." We live in a "test drunk" nation that is developing the standardized test industry into a gigantic organization.
|
Date:
| Wed Oct 27 18:08:52 1999
| Name:
| Blossom Gelernter
| E-mail:
| piaget@erols.com
| Organization:
| Bank Street College
| Location:
| New York City
| How the site | was found: ASCD Education Update
| Comments:
| Thanks for your intelligent, helpful thinking on the Standards issue. There's not very much of a thoughtful nature out there and even some "progressive" educators have become Standard Bearers.
|
Date:
| Tue Oct 26 13:36:32 1999
| Name:
| Mike Beighley
| E-mail:
| mbeighley@greenwood-school-wi.edu
| Organization:
| School District of Greenwood
| Location:
| Greenwood Wisconsin
| How the site | was found: Administrator article
| Comments:
| If you have a list serve service or anything like this please add me to it. I find these articles etc. more and more meaningful as we move toward an accountability driven school system.
|
Date:
| Tue Oct 26 10:20:33 1999
| Name:
| Lani Martin, Ph.D.
| E-mail:
| lanimar@telis.org
| Organization:
| higher education
| Location:
| California State University, Fullerton
| How the site | was found: Institute for Democratic Education
| Comments:
| We are under siege in California. The OrangeCounty Register has an editorial this morning which decries the lack of progress in test scores (in a year!!!) and touts vouchers again.
|
Date:
| Mon Oct 25 22:15:10 1999
| Name:
| jim mc larty
| E-mail:
| jmclarty@arkedu.k12.ar.us
| Organization:
| state board
| Location:
| arkansas
| How the site | was found: nasbe
| Comments:
| really enjoyed your speech. plan to buy and read your book
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 22 21:11:26 1999
| Name:
| T. Shabander
| E-mail:
| daffyone@gateway.net
| Organization:
| Student @ Wayne State University
| Location:
| Detroit, MI
| How the site | was found: Yahoo! Search (for mid-term question)
| Comments:
| I am a student pursuing an elementary ed. degree. I must say that some of the other comments have made me question my choice of second career -- burn-out at 3 years? How horrifing! I hope that I've made the right decision in pursuing teaching.
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 22 19:34:59 1999
| Name:
| John Bliss
| E-mail:
| trafalla@aol.com
| Organization:
| Public School Teacher
| Location:
| Rochester, New York
| How the site | was found: Ed. Leadership Article
| Comments:
| I am a city school teacher in Rochester and the "get tough" standards movement has led to our district to buy into many school wide reforms. The best teachers are fleeing or crying and the students are getting their asses kicked
by brocures that promise higher scores through conformity and strictness.
It is shameful.
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 22 13:49:29 1999
| Name:
| Roseana Auten
| E-mail:
| rauten@compuserve.com
| Organization:
| Education writer and parent
| Location:
| Austin, TX
| How the site | was found: The Schools Our Children Deserve
| Comments:
| The House just passed a new Tougher Standards plan. God help us! We who think like Kohn and other reform-minded parents and educators have a very large mountain to climb.
|
Date:
| Thu Oct 21 13:46:34 1999
| Name:
| Chuck Holloway
| E-mail:
| chollowa@monon.mccsc.edu
| Organization:
| Aurora Alternative High School
| Location:
| Bloomington, In
| How the site | was found: Amer. School Brd Jrn., 9/99
| Comments:
| We are a small public alternative high school working day to day at putting into practice some of the suggestions AK makes as to meeting needs of high school students in America today. Our website is www.mccsc.edu/alternative. Feel free to contact us.
|
Date:
| Thu Oct 21 13:44:58 1999
| Name:
| Chuck Holloway
| E-mail:
| chollowa@monon.mccsc.edu
| Organization:
| Aurora Alternative High School
| Location:
| Bloomington, In
| How the site | was found: Amer. School Brd Jrn., 9/99
| Comments:
| We are a small public alternative high school working day to day at putting into practice some of the suggestions AK makes as to meeting needs of high school students in America today. Our website is www.mccsc.edu/alternative. Feel free to contact us.
|
Date:
| Wed Oct 20 18:03:39 1999
| Name:
| pat hess
| E-mail:
| pathess@unm.edu
| Organization:
| NCTM/Exxon K-3 project
| Location:
| Albuquerque, NM
| How the site | was found: Susan Ohanian
| Comments:
| None. Just agree with what you are saying.
|
Date:
| Wed Oct 20 04:59:15 1999
| Name:
| rita g. gordon
| E-mail:
| rgg22@slic.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
|
| How the site | was found: article
| Comments:
| what ever happened to a.s. neil? mr. kohn's publications rejuvinated my teaching career, reminding me of the importance of my original teaching philosophy. when i read punished by rewards i was literally sickened by how sidetracked i had become. thank you.
|
Date:
| Tue Oct 19 13:03:52 1999
| Name:
| claire starkey
| E-mail:
| claire@fintrac.com
| Organization:
| fintrac
| Location:
| washington dc
| How the site | was found: search
| Comments:
| Would like to be kept abreast of lecture schedules, any new publications, any new ideas coming up. Having problems getting a VERY traditional school to start respecting children.
|
Date:
| Tue Oct 19 12:19:10 1999
| Name:
| Megan Weaver
| E-mail:
| happysquishy3@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| college student
| Location:
| Oxford, Mississippi
| How the site | was found: web search
| Comments:
| I love reading Kohn's work and have ever since I discovered it several years ago. I am presently learning to write as persuasively on the subject as he does. Thank you Mr. Kohn--I hope I can meet you sometime.
|
Date:
| Mon Oct 18 13:10:41 1999
| Name:
| Dorothy Terman
| E-mail:
| dterman@iusd.k12.ca.us
| Organization:
| Irvine Unified School District
| Location:
| Irvine, CA
| How the site | was found: Ed Leadership Articles
| Comments:
| I, too, am very disturbed about the "Tougher Standards" movement and the damage it does to students (and dedicated teachers). (I'm Science and Math Coordinator in a K-12 District). The punitive accountability that goes with the standards demeans students and teachers alike.
|
Date:
| Mon Oct 18 00:34:00 1999
| Name:
| Jeanne-Marie Iorio
| E-mail:
| dolphin871@aol.com
| Organization:
| Harvard Graduate School of Education Student
| Location:
| Cambridge, MA
| How the site | was found: through magazine articles
| Comments:
| Your words have validated my beliefs on so many levels. I feel that it imperative that we continue to promote good places for children.
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 15 23:10:44 1999
| Name:
| Ruth Nudelman Lazarus
| E-mail:
| mikelaz@avenew.com
| Organization:
| Teen Living Programs, Inc.
| Location:
| Chicago and Oak Park, Illinois
| How the site | was found: websearch
| Comments:
| I'm so glad to find this website, my interest is professional and personal. I'm looking for ideas on communicating some of this info to my organization, which works with homeless teens,(both from an managerial and clinical standpoint) as well as my kids' schools,(as a parent and community member).
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 15 22:03:31 1999
| Name:
| Linda Schmidt
| E-mail:
| JSchm55429@aol.com
| Organization:
| Clark County School District
| Location:
| Las Vegas, Nv.
| How the site | was found: Participant in Mr. Kohn's lecture today
| Comments:
| Thanks for a great inservice. Finally someone who can validate the destructive forces of AR!
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 15 12:56:49 1999
| Name:
| Stephen Russo
| E-mail:
| steve.russo@phoenix.k12.or.us
| Organization:
| Phoenix High School
| Location:
| Phoenix, Oregon 97520
| How the site | was found: magazine
| Comments:
| How can we get you to speak to our school district?
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 15 10:44:51 1999
| Name:
| Kevin Rafferty
| E-mail:
| kevin_rafferty@fm.cytec.com
| Organization:
|
| Location:
| 230 Oak Leaf Drive, Winona MN 55987
| How the site | was found: Through "The Schools Our Children Deserve"
| Comments:
| Thank you for the inspiring book. I am sharing it with teachers in our community. I am interested in a few things;
1. How did Alfie come to discover Whitehead's fantastick work "The Aims of Education"?
2. How can I find out about how to link with groups in Minnesota that are working to move us away from standardized testing?
3. Currently we have the "Profiles of Learning", what is Alfie's opinion on this particular model for learning?
|
Date:
| Thu Oct 14 11:25:56 1999
| Name:
| Scott Lamont
| E-mail:
| slamont@missouri.asfm.edu.mx
| Organization:
| American School Foundation of Monterrey, Mexico
| Location:
| Monterrey, Mexico
| How the site | was found: By reading Alfie's new book!
| Comments:
| I thoroughly enjoyed reading your new book. It is encouraging as an educator of young children to know that I am heading in the right direction, yet I realize that I have so much further to go in getting my students to become the "thinkers" that they really are capable of being. Thanks for the useful suggestions on how to be a more effective teacher.
|
Date:
| Wed Oct 13 22:19:31 1999
| Name:
| Jane Armstrong
| E-mail:
| jcwah1999@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| Village School
| Location:
| Gorham, Maine
| How the site | was found: Long-time fan!
| Comments:
| Alfie- I really appreciate all you have done for the profession of teaching and learning- I am a teacher of 3 years and I am closing in on burn-out already. I would love to hear you talk someday (do you have any conferences coming up in New England?) as well as chat with you via email about possibilities with persuing education in a more progressive and alternative way- any suggestions? Thanks for listening!
|
Date:
| Tue Oct 12 10:47:10 1999
| Name:
| Judy Clement
| E-mail:
| mason_mitchell@yahoo.com
| Organization:
| The School House
| Location:
| 737 W. 19th Eugene, Oregon
| How the site | was found: used Alfie Kohn
| Comments:
| I saw a video of your presentation to a group of 4-H agents and was very excited by your message and have begun to read No Contest. I am a volunteer in 4-H and would be interested in any changes that occured in 4-H programs as a result of your talk. I would like to start a discussion group here of your findings in relationship to the Lane County 4-H Program. Any information on ways others have been able to change 4-H structures to foster cooperation would be helpful.
As my sister and I have a nursery school I am pleased to see you have a new book on schools and will try to find it today. Thank you for your work.
Sincerely, Judy Clement
|
Date:
| Mon Oct 11 17:22:40 1999
| Name:
| Hal Kuczwara
| E-mail:
| halkucz@concentric.net
| Organization:
| Funlosophy Training and Development
| Location:
| PO Box 745516, Arvada, CO 80006
| How the site | was found: Education Week
| Comments:
| I am working on a Doctorate at the University of Colorado. I am looking at Expulsions and how they affect families. I am very interested in your writings on this subject.
|
Date:
| Sun Oct 10 20:42:44 1999
| Name:
| alyson reilly
| E-mail:
| gareillys@mindspring.com
| Organization:
| dekalb county schools, georgia
| Location:
| atlanta, ga
| How the site | was found: stumbled upon it
| Comments:
| I am a HUGE Alfie Kohn fan! I totally agree with your philosophies. I heard you speak at Penn State, Harrisburg, PA before I moved to Georgia. BUT, I need real life applications of philosophies. Especially now that I'm in an inner-city school. Help! I want you to come and speak in Atlanta!
|
Date:
| Sun Oct 10 18:10:51 1999
| Name:
| Mark B. Mortenson
| E-mail:
| mmort@netins.net
| Organization:
| Northern Trails Area Education Agency
| Location:
| Clear Lake, Iowa
| How the site | was found:
| Comments:
| Greeting from the people in Cedar Rapids this past summer. Enjoyed meeting you and hearing you speak.
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 8 16:35:17 1999
| Name:
| Bob Koehs
| E-mail:
| bkoehs@maisd.k12.mi.us
| Organization:
| Marquette-Alger Intermediate School District
| Location:
| Marquette, Michigan
| How the site | was found: Alfie presented here last night and gave it to us.
| Comments:
| Alfie,Last night, at the Upper Peninsula Reading Conference, you both entertained and challenged all of us attending to reconsider how we teach and how we parent. I for one will continue to work toward recapturing the creativity of our children and the adults I work with. Adult reward junkies are visible examples of the results of punishments and rewards over several generations. Thank you for being with us, Alfie.
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 8 16:17:11 1999
| Name:
| Robert McNallie
| E-mail:
| rmcnalli@tds.net
| Organization:
| School District of Black Hawk
| Location:
| South Wayne, WI
| How the site | was found: magazine article
| Comments:
| None
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 8 14:30:36 1999
| Name:
| William Higgins
| E-mail:
| x95higgins1@wmich.edu
| Organization:
| Western Michigan University
| Location:
| Kalamazoo, MI
| How the site | was found: I read "Beyond Discipline" and got curious
| Comments:
| This book, along with my prof's support of it, gave me the courage to ask the question "Why?" and put the current educational system under the gun. I often lay in bed at night and go on a mental crusade in an effort to find a way to change the world because of the inspiration Kohn's ideas gave me. I am currently an intern teacher and I am doing my part to sneak the idea of community into my classroom in order to get kids thinking and abolish the dictatorial nature of schooling.
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 8 11:03:01 1999
| Name:
| Stace Rierson
| E-mail:
| slr@uwm.edu
| Organization:
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
| Location:
| Milwaukee, WI
| How the site | was found: In the document, "A Public Conversation: Education Reform in Massachusetts"
| Comments:
| Hello!
I am happy to have found your site. I am a Master's student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, beginning my thesis on the Wisconsin high school graduation test, which is currently being developed.
I have a question regarding the commonly cited statistic, that 'states with a high school graduation test see their dropout rate increase.' What is the source of that statistic?
I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Stace Rierson
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 8 10:44:36 1999
| Name:
| Tom Thackeray
| E-mail:
| tomthack@hotmail.com
| Organization:
| Roundup High School
| Location:
| Roundup, MT
| How the site | was found: Journal article
| Comments:
| I am often intrigued, sometimes provoked, and always enlightened by Mr. Kohn's perspectives. He turns thinking around, and he forces thoughtfulness. Carry on.
|
Date:
| Fri Oct 8 00:37:50 1999
| Name:
| Shelley Young
| E-mail:
| SLY1973@aol.com
| Organization:
| Little Friends Children's Center
| Location:
| Negaunee, Michigan
| How the site | was found: Reading conference where Alfie Kohn spoke
| Comments:
| Great speaking!
|
Date:
| Thu Oct 7 12:02:25 1999
| Name:
| Joanne K. Metzen
| E-mail:
| metzenj@mpsk.k12.wi.us
| Organization:
| Jefferson Elementary School Principal
| Location:
| Manitowoc, Wisconsin
| How the site | was found: key words "Alfie Kohn"
| Comments:
| ABSOLUTELY FACINATING!
|
Date:
| Wed Oct 6 21:31:21 1999
| Name:
| Colleen McGuigan
| E-mail:
| mcguigan@execpc.com
| Organization:
| Midwest Express Airlines
| Location:
| Milwaukee, WI
| How the site | was found: Alfie mentioned it in his speech on Tuesday, 10/5/99 in Milwaukee.
| Comments:
| I look forward to reading more of your ideas.
|
Date:
| Wed Oct 6 19:35:25 1999
| Name:
| Barnes Adams
| E-mail:
| BAdams3461@aol.com
| Organization:
| Sebastian Middle School
| Location:
| St. Augustine, Fl
| How the site | was found: Yahoo
| Comments:
| I appreciate Alfie Kohn's perspective on American education. As a progressive educator in an increasingly regressive state, Kohn uplifts me as well as giving me powerful evidence to argue against the ghastly, ill-conceived, politically expedient policies of our political establishment.
|
Date:
| Wed Oct 6 15:30:43 1999
| Name:
| Mary A. Barr
| E-mail:
| lrecord@cll.org
| Organization:
| Center for Language in Learning
| Location:
| El Cajon, CA
| How the site | was found: search engine
| Comments:
| Thanks for all your work and for the plug you gave the Learning Record in your latest book.
|
Date:
| Mon Oct 4 11:40:58 1999
| Name:
| Kris Schultz
| E-mail:
| klschultz01@snet.net
| Organization:
| teacher
| Location:
| Willington,CT
| How the site | was found: Education Week article
| Comments:
| Very timely and enjoyable article - hope to read some of your books. Thank you
|
Date:
| Sun Oct 3 15:36:30 1999
| Name:
| Danielle Pavao
| E-mail:
| dmpavao@massed.net
| Organization:
| Atlantis Charter School
| Location:
| 2051 S.Main St. Fall River,MA 02720
| How the site | was found: I heard Alfie speak.
| Comments:
| I,ve heard you speak several times, and enjoyed every minute. Thank you so much for sharing your insight on such logical thinking that many of us are blind and deaf to.
|
Date:
| Sat Oct 2 05:33:46 1999
| Name:
| Judith Neff
| E-mail:
| merlin@icx.net
| Organization:
| St. Joseph School & University of Tennessee
| Location:
| Knoxville, Tennessee
| How the site | was found: Education Week
| Comments:
| Keep up the work. We need it more than ever in a time of ever expanding intoxication with competition, mechanical answers and reductionism.
| |
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