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Our Old Guestbook Entries
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Date: | Fri Jun 29 14:47:37 2001 |
Name: | Lillie Clay |
E-mail: | lillie.clay@arpstl.army.mil |
Organization: | Webster University |
Location: | Webster Groves, Mo |
How the site was found: | Class Instructor |
Comments: | I am looking for a biography or information on the author.
I am doing a presentation and must include background information on the
author Alfie Kohn. Thank You!
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Date: | Thu Jun 28 20:02:45 2001 |
Name: | Michael O. Cannon |
E-mail: | obaiye@yahoo.com |
Organization: | Best Practice H.S. |
Location: | Chicago, Ill. |
How the site was found: | Walloon Institute |
Comments: | I'm looking for specific information on the value or
detriment of having honors classes offered in high school. Thank you.
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Date: | Thu Jun 28 09:53:44 2001 |
Name: | Laura Bauman |
E-mail: | wcc@stans.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | Your book, "Punished by Rewards" |
Comments: | My homeschooled family is a "before" and "after" commercial
for your ideas. Even you might be surprised at how happy, well-adjusted
and curious kids who don't get labeled or graded can be.........You
commented that the major faiths operate on a "Do this and you'll get that"
mentality, but many devout Christians consider that kind of faith immature
and superstitious. Regarding testing, I wonder if you're familiar with 2
Corinthians 10:12: "We do not dare to classify ourselves with some who
commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare
themselves with themselves, they are not wise." So you can add the Apostle
Paul among those who agree with you on that.
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Date: | Thu Jun 28 08:45:43 2001 |
Name: | robert heffernan |
E-mail: | rheffer992@aol.com |
Organization: | Shorewood Special Education Group Inc |
Location: | Shorewwwod, WI |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Thu Jun 28 08:43:24 2001 |
Name: | robert heffernan |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Mon Jun 25 21:59:51 2001 |
Name: | Dr. Kay Smith |
E-mail: | nosluffin@aol.com |
Organization: | Payson High School |
Location: | Payson, Utah |
How the site was found: | search |
Comments: | I would like to read again Alfie Kohn's opinion of
character education programs that are "Themes by the Month," and their
relationship to the Newtonian model of "fixing the machine or kid."
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Date: | Sat Jun 23 10:42:17 2001 |
Name: | Libby Armentrout |
E-mail: | armentr@attglobal.net |
Organization: | Middletown City Schools, Miami Univ |
Location: | Middletown, Ohio |
How the site was found: | given to us at Walloon |
Comments: | Thank you for making crystal clear myintuitive, fuzzy
thinking on standardized tests. I'll spread the word--not as well, but
maybe just as persistently. Wallooners benefited--and there were 400 of
us.
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Date: | Fri Jun 22 20:50:19 2001 |
Name: | Francesca Blueher |
E-mail: | bluewaft@aol.com |
Organization: | Albuquerque Public School teacher |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | back of the Children Deserve book |
Comments: | I am a fairly new teacher....I am totally engrossed in the
above mentioned book...wonderful true points about the public school
education. Has Mr. Kohn written anything since the passing of Bush's
education bill? Would love to know of his reaction.
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Date: | Thu Jun 21 21:42:20 2001 |
Name: | JEFF HERR |
E-mail: | cherr@esc11.net |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | UNDERMINE PASSIVE SCHOOL OPPRESSION;BOYCOTT THE TAAS!
SETTLE ONLY FOR THE EDUCATION OF SOCIAL CHANGE!
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Date: | Wed Jun 20 09:34:54 2001 |
Name: | Anne Nelson |
E-mail: | nelson@unite.com.au |
Organization: | Spensley Street PS |
Location: | Clifton Hill, Victoria, Aust |
How the site was found: | friend |
Comments: |
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Date: | Mon Jun 18 19:43:02 2001 |
Name: | sue dutton |
E-mail: | SUE_DUTTON@HOTMAIL.COM |
Organization: | MCADORY ELEM. |
Location: | ALABAMA |
How the site was found: | OTHER TEACHERS |
Comments: | I hope that this web site will help me find information on
standards and teacher leadership.
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Date: | Sun Jun 17 23:16:21 2001 |
Name: | Meryl Danziger |
E-mail: | mdanzig@javanet.com |
Organization: | The Little Red School House |
Location: | NYC |
How the site was found: | looked for it on Internet |
Comments: | I would like to meet Mr. Kohn. I think we'd have a lot to
talk about.
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Date: | Sat Jun 16 19:37:42 2001 |
Name: | Patrick D. Page |
E-mail: | ppage@g2a.net |
Organization: | Just Retired after 36 years in the classroom |
Location: | Central Wisconsin |
How the site was found: | Entered Alfie Kohn's name |
Comments: | I feel Alfie's message is one that must be heard by all
educators both young and old.Please continue to do your part to aid in
doing that.
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Date: | Sat Jun 16 10:32:19 2001 |
Name: | Mary Strezewski |
E-mail: | strezew@ix.netcom.com |
Organization: | Midwest Montessori Teacher Training Center |
Location: | Evanston, IL |
How the site was found: | Given out at your lecture in April, 2001 |
Comments: | Thank you for your wonderful message at the AMS conference.
You give voice to many of my own theories regarding how some of us deceive
ourselves about the methods we use. When they fail, we are too short
sighted to understand why. I always tell my adult students that if what
they doing isn't working, it certainly isn't the fault of the
children...they haven't read the books. We need to continue to search for
common sense answers. You have certainly aided in that search.
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Date: | Fri Jun 15 00:18:50 2001 |
Name: | Jaqui O'Shaughnessy |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Thu Jun 14 15:32:07 2001 |
Name: | Karen faiai |
E-mail: | kfaiai@aol.com |
Organization: | Mother |
Location: | North Carolina |
How the site was found: | cnn talkback live |
Comments: | I want to know more about these tests.
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Date: | Wed Jun 13 10:25:01 2001 |
Name: | Jacob R. Roe |
E-mail: | jroe39@hotmail.com |
Organization: | future teacher |
Location: | Whitney Point, NY |
How the site was found: | Timothy Slekar showed it to me. |
Comments: | I just finished reading "The School our Children Deserve"
and it has forced me to re-evaluate schooling, and testing. I
whole-heartedly agree with the entire book. I think every educator or
person who wants to dictate and mandate standards to teachers should read
some of your books. You will be hearing from me. I plan on dedicating the
rest of my life as a teacher to ending standardized tests, and raising
standards.
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Date: | Tue Jun 12 17:18:56 2001 |
Name: | Chuck Ohm |
E-mail: | cohm@triton.k12.mn.us |
Organization: | Triton Public Schools |
Location: | Dodge Center, MN |
How the site was found: | Ed. Specialist Program through Winona State |
Comments: | I have a question that I could use some help on. It is, "
Discuss the concept of 'covenant of shared values' and its importance to
curriculum development. Discuss 'democracy' as a basis for such a
covenant" I have picked this topic to research on and write my final paper
for our curriculum development class and could use some valuable
information or opinions to get started. Thanks, Chuck
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Date: | Sun Jun 10 10:09:13 2001 |
Name: | Michael Swickard |
E-mail: | michael@swickard.com |
Organization: | The Michael Swickard Talk Radio Show |
Location: | Las Cruces, New Mexico |
How the site was found: | Referenced in Punished By Rewards |
Comments: | It is difficult to hold contradictory thoughts to "common
sense" whatever that means to each of us. I started investigating the
concept of rewards for learning with the thought, "What an idiot Alfie
Kohn is to write this book." Very quickly I realized, "What an idiot I
have been." No gold stars for me, just the truth I found in this book.
Thanks.
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Date: | Wed Jun 6 21:26:21 2001 |
Name: | Jessica |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Wed Jun 6 10:50:20 2001 |
Name: | Bill Sacco |
E-mail: | sacco@sharpthinkers.com |
Organization: | SharpThinkers, Inc. |
Location: | Bel Air MD. |
How the site was found: | Read your "Schools" book and searched for you on the net |
Comments: | Share your views. Can I join your parade?
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Date: | Tue Jun 5 22:42:14 2001 |
Name: | John S. Aird |
E-mail: | jsaird@erols.com |
Organization: | Unaffiliated retiree. |
Location: | Silver Spring, MD |
How the site was found: | Listing in an article in the Washington Post. |
Comments: | My wife and I are in our tenth yerar of volunteering two
days a week as classroom teacher aides in an elementary school with a high
minority enrollment. We are concerned about student motivation, teaching
methods, and progress measurement. But educational methods seem to change
in cycles, as though they were based on whims, fashions, or unfounded
ideologies, not on empirical research and substantial evidence. Some of
Mr. Kohn's ideas seem to echo convictions that were popular in U. S.
education in the late 1960s, some of which appeared to have a destructive
effect on teaching and learning in the public schools at that time. Some
of his statements reflect great certainty that he is rioght, and his
opponents are wrong. On what is this sense of certainty based? I have
serious doubts as to whether his philosophy is appropriate to the needs
and problems of the students with whom I have been working over the past
ten years.
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Date: | Mon Jun 4 18:53:08 2001 |
Name: | Anita Wolpman |
E-mail: | anita_wolpman@sccoe.org |
Organization: | Teacher |
Location: | San Jose, California |
How the site was found: | Attended Urban conference/Oakland |
Comments: | I am so grateful to have heard your views, Alfie Kohn!! I
have, for many years shared your concerns regarding Behavioristic
Psychology and the "competitive "model used in our educational system, and
in our society at large. Thank you for presenting your thoughts with
passion and clarity. Anita Wolpman
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Date: | Mon Jun 4 10:45:18 2001 |
Name: | Casey |
E-mail: | vunguyen728b@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | from the book |
Comments: | I'm not finished with The Schools Our Children Deserve, but
I'm thankful to have a book that says so much of what I experienced as a
teacher. I worked in a low income, Hispanic school in Texas teaching 4th
grade. My first year I could teach and be creative. I loved it. The kids
learned. My second year more kids were required to take the state tests,
so we did testing drills from September to April. We were told by
principals to only focus on students who could learn and skip science and
social studies. They were not on the test. I didn't like it. The kids
didn't like it. I'm sorry all these good kids are missing an education
just because some people think testing is a judge of quality. I'm not
teaching now and wonder if I'll ever go back.
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Date: | Sun Jun 3 16:30:46 2001 |
Name: | Bryll Anthony SCHULTZ |
E-mail: | bschultz@sprynet.com |
Organization: | Teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District |
Location: | Noth Hollywood, California |
How the site was found: | Read a book picked up in a book store |
Comments: | As one who has been chastised for not being a "Team
Player", it is refreshing to find one who is playing on the same team as
I!
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Date: | Sat Jun 2 17:10:57 2001 |
Name: | Dorothy Wolden |
E-mail: | dwolden@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | search |
Comments: | Thank goodness for Alfie Kohn and his voice of compassion
and reason! I feel so much saner after reading his work. I keep giving the
books to my daughter's elementary school teachers and administrators but
they don't "get it." Next year we begin homeschooling.
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Date: | Sat Jun 2 14:36:40 2001 |
Name: | jim black |
E-mail: | jim@grasslands.ab.ca |
Organization: | grasslands public schools |
Location: | brooks alberta canada |
How the site was found: | attended alfie's presentation in calgary ab |
Comments: | enjoyed the presentation!have been thinking about those
tests in that way for some time.I stopped item writing and marking 4 years
ago.thanks for the website.
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Date: | Fri Jun 1 15:25:06 2001 |
Name: | Craig Bishop |
E-mail: | bishop.c@home.com |
Organization: | Calgary Seperate School District |
Location: | Calgary, AB |
How the site was found: | Attended Kohn's Lecture |
Comments: | Last night I saw Kohn speak in Calgary against standardized
tests. I think the commerce side of life is making social systems like
education fall into a model of the "Bottom Line" ideal. I don't think
business has any place in school because competition is at the root of
business success. Competition is inevitably failure. Students should
experience successes, not failures! Thanks for a wonderful, insightful and
inspirational talk around this topic.
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Date: | Fri Jun 1 09:21:59 2001 |
Name: | Kevin Mader |
E-mail: | kevin.mader@thuleus.com |
Organization: | THULE |
Location: | Seymour, CT |
How the site was found: | Browsed |
Comments: | Mr. Kohn's books are insightful! He has opened my eyes.
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Date: | Thu May 31 13:29:39 2001 |
Name: | David J schneider II |
E-mail: | Schndj13@uwgb.edu |
Organization: | student |
Location: | Green Bay,WI |
How the site was found: | carefully |
Comments: | I am currently a student at the University of Wisconsin at
Green Bay. I am very interested in teaching but am finding that it is very
difficult for me to do so because I feel our educational enterprise here
in the US is a joke. I have read all of Kohn's books and agree with
everything he has published. When I read the books, it is as if Kohn was
reading my mind. I have been studying Roussaueu, John Goodlad,
Montessouri, and William Glasser as well. I am about to enter into the
teacher cirtification program at the university I currently attend, but I
am reluctant to do so because I feel they will fail to teach me anything
usefull. I don't want to be trained by the state of Wisconsin to teach
"their" way because as I've said I believe, as Kohn believes, we can do
better! So I have found myself stuck between a rock and a hard place. Are
their any other options? I want to learn more about constuctivist or
progressive education so that I too can help to promote my educational
theories; theories that are revolutionary and demand an overthrowing of
the current system. I believe that if educators continue to fail to
recognize the importance of students' atittudes on learning, then children
will continue to destroy the school's stength by acting out against it;
just look at the increase of bomb threats and school shootings that have
permiated every inner city, suburban, and rural school across the country.
I fear that we have not even begun to see the end, and surely if schools
do not cange, a disater beyond our imagination will occure. Something must
be done now before it's too late!! We need to reasses every single belief
that governs our schools. I have enouph faith in the American public that
there are enouph creative people to come up with an endless list of
ressolutions to make our schools more need satisfying; for instance, look
at what Disney is doing. If our schoolchildren are to experience any
reprieve then a total restucturing of the current curricular and
pedigogical lines must occure. In the words of Kohn, "The bad news is that
we have paid the price for so long, the good news is that we can do
better. We can get kids hooked on learning--if that is what we really
intend to do." Our schools could be so much more if children were allowed
to direct their own learning, to learn that wich appeals to each
individual, and above all, helping to develope a love of truths. But,
unforetunetly when I think of all the external causes that spoil the
wisest of plans I begin to wonder if betterment is even possible.
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Date: | Thu May 31 06:27:43 2001 |
Name: | Lynne Oreck-Wener |
E-mail: | tehwener@home.com |
Organization: | Alternative Schools Advisory Committee |
Location: | Ottawa, Ontario-Canada |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | I have viewed your videos and read your books- your
passion, commitment and messages are enlightening. Thank you Please put me
on your mailing list
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Date: | Wed May 30 21:51:33 2001 |
Name: | Valerie Moon |
E-mail: | starrmoon@hotmail.com |
Organization: | member National Home Education Network |
Location: | Missouri |
How the site was found: | typed 'Alfie Kohn' into mamma.com search engine |
Comments: | I read _Punished by Rewards_ years ago while homeschooling
my kids and have since recommended it to new homeschoolers and people
inquiring into homeschooling. I was pleased to find the web site. Now I
can send out the url along with my Christmas cards. My idea of 'Alfie for
President' is simplistic but heartfelt. Would that the change in the
American education system were that easy.
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Date: | Wed May 30 21:23:32 2001 |
Name: | Blake Bordisso |
E-mail: | BigBbord@hotmail.com |
Organization: | highschool student |
Location: | kelseyville, CA |
How the site was found: | doing a reserch paper |
Comments: | I thank you for the enlightment on this topic. Your
information was very helpful in writing my reserch paper. I'm sure my
teacher will give me a very high score. I will never think about a
standardized test the same again.
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Date: | Tue May 29 17:04:27 2001 |
Name: | Stephanie M. Turner |
E-mail: | smtmesh245@aol.com |
Organization: | student |
Location: | Newark, DE |
How the site was found: | it was given in a book |
Comments: | Hi I have read a couple articals in school and after that I
bought two of your books. I'm an early education major and was woundering
if there is a book out there that tells about non tradional schools where
they are ect. a guide so to speak. I want to teach at a school like this
and when I have kids I want them to have tha oppertunity to be excited
about learning.
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Date: | Fri May 25 21:57:39 2001 |
Name: | Rachel Madu |
E-mail: | rachelmadu@hotmail.com |
Organization: | Family Education and Support Worker |
Location: | Vancouver, BC |
How the site was found: | Punished By Rewards |
Comments: | I just started reading Punished by Rewards, am thoroughly
enjoying it and am now thirsty for anything written by Alfie Kohn.
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Date: | Thu May 24 14:24:04 2001 |
Name: | Michele Sakaguchi |
E-mail: | houserm@cc.wwu.edu |
Organization: | Western WA University Pre-Service Teacher |
Location: | Bellingham, WA |
How the site was found: | Read "Beyond Discipline" |
Comments: | Please put me on your mailing list!
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Date: | Thu May 24 11:00:09 2001 |
Name: | Bill Bright |
E-mail: | brightideas98@hotmail.com |
Organization: | School Board Member |
Location: | Galup, NM |
How the site was found: | Read "The Scjhools Our Children Deserve" |
Comments: | Put me on your mailing list.
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Date: | Wed May 23 14:21:16 2001 |
Name: | Sharon Ingold |
E-mail: | sri@pfeiffer.edu |
Organization: | education major- college senior |
Location: | Oakboro, North Carolina |
How the site was found: | while researching a college paper |
Comments: | Your articles give me hope for positive changes to our
education system. As an adult who is changing careers and returning to
college, I know that the "traditional" teaching methods that were used
when I was in school didn't work!! I plan to teach hands-on, minds-on
lessons that encourage my students to learn through inquiry and action! I
know teachers who are using the "new" methods we are now learning in
college that are frustrated due to being at odds with other teachers and
administrators because they don't teach by giving worksheets and tons of
tests!! I needed to hear that there are others who believe that
standardized tests are ineffective and that we need to teach children how
to learn and how to understand concepts rather than trying to make them
regurgitate meaningless facts!! Keep up the great work and keep
encouraging teachers and future teachers like myself.
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Date: | Tue May 22 20:08:55 2001 |
Name: | Art Pelletier |
E-mail: | ajpell@email.com |
Organization: | NH House of Representatives |
Location: | (H)Dover, NH (W) Concord, NH |
How the site was found: | FairTest web site |
Comments: | Alfie, I was dismayed to learn (through a Boston Globe
columnist) of your "disinvitation" to a recent conference in Mass. due to
Dept. of Ed. interference. You know you're striking a nerve when such
tactics begin to appear. Give 'em hell, Harry -- er, Alfie!!
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Date: | Tue May 22 18:00:06 2001 |
Name: | Candy Burnett |
E-mail: | ckburnett@yahoo.com |
Organization: | Middletown Pre-K |
Location: | Middletown,NY |
How the site was found: | NYSAEYC Conference pamphlet |
Comments: | I was unable to attend the conference. I am very interested
in your ideas of reward/punishment. Which of your books would be most
helpful. I teach Pre-K (4-5 year olds.) Thank you.
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Date: | Tue May 22 17:54:46 2001 |
Name: | Candy Burnett |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Mon May 21 23:10:00 2001 |
Name: | Andy Zaugg |
E-mail: | zauggandy@hotmail.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | from What to Look for in a Classroom |
Comments: | I am about to become a secondary schol teacher, and am
appalled at the undemocractic, authoritarian atmosphere in the schools in
my area. At no time have my studies included anything regarding the fact
that children need to be participants in the decision-making regarding
their education. Nor have my education classes been other than traditional
fare. Where can I see humane education? I have been inspered by A.K.'s
writings, and would like to create at least a small haven of dignity and
respect in my own classroom, but I don't think it's allowed.
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Date: | Mon May 21 14:20:43 2001 |
Name: | Alien |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | keep up the good work
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Date: | Sun May 20 16:22:27 2001 |
Name: | Krusty Van der Squeal |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | Bravo! Keep up the good work!
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Date: | Sun May 20 12:55:14 2001 |
Name: | Kevin McCormack |
E-mail: | kevmac71@aol.com |
Organization: | Xaverian HS |
Location: | Bklyn NY |
How the site was found: | I was looking for it. |
Comments: | I was either dean & AP of discipline in my building for
about 5 years. I was effective in the short run but feared I was losing my
soul. I could make the toughest teenage boy "break" in a matter of no
time. But when I did it I knew something was terribly wrong. My
educational role models had become TV cops! I have been out of
"discipline" for 2 yeas now and have been working in my school to "subvert
the pervasive paridigm" of discipline. Last week I discovered "Beyond
Discipline" and have not been able to put it down!!! Your book has offered
me a way to rethink and challenge age old assumptions that defy validity;
especially in a school and a system dedicated to the life & teachings
of Jesus. Thank You
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Date: | Sun May 20 09:37:37 2001 |
Name: | wanwisa wongchalard |
E-mail: | wwisa@another.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Thailand |
How the site was found: | websearch |
Comments: | Thanks you for your ideas.
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Date: | Sun May 20 07:51:23 2001 |
Name: | Irene Bass |
E-mail: | bean5181@aol.com |
Organization: | none |
Location: | Puerto Rico |
How the site was found: | Excite |
Comments: |
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Date: | Sun May 20 01:49:57 2001 |
Name: | Kathy Whitney |
E-mail: | joehul@bellsouth.net |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | from disney site |
Comments: | Love your books. I'm a pre-service teacher ready to begin
this fall. Can I interview successfully spouting your wonderful ideas? Can
I implement your ideas in a classroom?
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Date: | Sat May 19 23:08:09 2001 |
Name: | Marilyn Hoffman |
E-mail: | Elitistmar@aol.com |
Organization: | Great Neck Public School Teacher, pre-kindergarten |
Location: | great Neck, NY |
How the site was found: | Ask Jeeves |
Comments: | A friend of mine who is in early childhood suggested that I
read the text of a speech that Alphie Kohn made regarding standards. The
speech was given in Syracuse, NY, quite recently. Can I obtain the text of
what Mr. Kohn discussed. I am very disheartened by what is happening in
the educational system and feel profoundly angry that the standards are so
off kilter. Children need to be children and play is there work. The new
rage in directed and imposed curriculum clearly goes against all that I
believe to be developmentally sound in Early Childhood Education
|
| |
Date: | Fri May 18 15:57:48 2001 |
Name: | Christina |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | BC, Canada |
How the site was found: | Through a psyc health newsletter from my area |
Comments: | This is a greatly refreshing site. I found it very useful
in retrieving information that I was in need of. Congratulations to Alfie
for finally speaking out about what so many of us have had on our minds
for so long, speaking out for those who are often not listened to,
speaking out for our students.
|
| |
Date: | Fri May 18 10:20:35 2001 |
Name: | lynn herschlein |
E-mail: | lynnhersch |
Organization: | locust valley central school district |
Location: | bayville, new york |
How the site was found: | kohn's writing |
Comments: | i need to get my hands on a ny times op-ed piece by howard
gardiner where he cautioned against test prep; equated high test scores
through intense prep with "mimicry", asserted that high scores should be
result of strong general preparation and good teaching, etc. any chance
someone clipped it as i did (but managed to hang on to it)? :)
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| |
Date: | Fri May 18 00:14:01 2001 |
Name: | David Bly |
E-mail: | david.bly@nfld.k12.mn.us |
Organization: | Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs |
Location: | Minnesota |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | I am writing to request your views on the following
Wellstone proposal that may be added to the K-12 education bill currently
being considered on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Proposed Wellstone
amendment. Sen. Wellstone is concerned that the federal government is
moving ahead too quickly with mandating annual testing in grades 3 through
8 without making the necessary investment in our schools. He may propose
an amendment on May 22 to the Senate bill that includes President Bush's
annual testing proposal. The Wellstone amendment would say that states
would NOT be required to implement the "new Bush tests" unless the federal
Title I program is fully funded for the year in which the tests go into
effect. Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
authorizes aid to local school districts for the education of
disadvantaged children. Title I grants are used to provide supplementary
educational and related services to low-achieving children attending
schools with relatively high concentrations of pupils from low-income
families. Sen. Wellstone believes that if you want to "leave no child
behind" annual testing is not enough. It must be accompanied by efforts to
ensure that all children have opportunities to learn. Sen. Wellstone
values your advice and direction. I would appreciate getting your written
comments on the proposed Wellstone amendment by Monday, May 21. We are
particularly interested in hearing from classroom teachers and parents.
Please direct your views and any stories from the classroom to: Josh
Syrjamaki, Policy Liaison U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone 2550 University Avenue,
#100 St. Paul, MN 55114 Phone: 651-645-0383 Fax: 651-645-0704
josh_syrjamaki@wellstone.senate.gov You can find more information about
President Bush's education proposal and the corresponding bills in the
House and Senate at these two website: President Bush's Proposal U.S.
Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/inits/nclb/index.html Comparison
of House and Senate Education Bills Congressional Research Service "ESEA
Reauthorization Proposals: Comparison of Major Features of S.1, H.1, and
Comprehensive Alternative Bills, May 14, 2001" Product Number RL30921
http://www.crs.gov/ Thank you in advance for your assistance. I look
forward to hearing from you. All my best. Josh Syrjamaki
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| |
Date: | Thu May 17 01:55:17 2001 |
Name: | Shelley Wagner |
E-mail: | trshmi@mindspring.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Chicago |
How the site was found: | educated guess |
Comments: | Fantastic! I expect to graduate from college next year with
a degree in psychology. Are there any graduate programs in Chicago in
which there are faculty members studying the detrimental effects of
standardized testing? My son is 4 years old. I didn't use punishments or
rewards before I read any of Mr. Kohn's books, but they affirmed my own
personal philosophy. I have not encountered any difficulties by excluding
rewards or punishments. Everyone should read these books, not just
parents, everybody!
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| |
Date: | Wed May 16 22:09:03 2001 |
Name: | William Mark Stierle |
E-mail: | touchdwn83@aol.com |
Organization: | Corporate Culture Development |
Location: | Santa Monica |
How the site was found: | Punished by Rewards book cover |
Comments: | Punished by Rewards was transformation for me and my
applications to understanding the function of behavior.
|
| |
Date: | Wed May 16 11:58:42 2001 |
Name: | amy jones |
E-mail: | jonesie04@hotmail.com |
Organization: | Bountiful High School |
Location: | Bountiful, Utah |
How the site was found: | Read Mr. Kohn's books!!! |
Comments: | You are my hero!! At last, someone with professional
credibility who believes as I do about education, classroom management and
parenting. With my principal's permission and support this year, I took
away grades and extrinsic motivation from my classes, specifically my AP
classes. Some of the students absolutely hyperventilated, at first, and
then recognized the possibilities and changed their thinking. Some of them
didn't hyperventilate but intellectually dropped out. The rest rejoiced
and did very well. It will be interesting to see how they did on their AP
test. They gave up their evenings and Saturday (no requirement either for
this or actually taking the AP test) to meet with me and and prepare
themselves. It was a great year!! Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!! Amy
Jones
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| |
Date: | Wed May 16 08:02:49 2001 |
Name: | Jyothsna |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | Browser |
Comments: | Loved Ur book Compliance to Community - did u know that it
made a teacher far away in India (me)sit up and think?
|
| |
Date: | Wed May 16 07:25:39 2001 |
Name: | angelie delos santos |
E-mail: | angeliedelossantos@yahoo.com.uk |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | I am currently writing my term paper about the effects of
rewards in the teaching and learning process. I was fascinated by the
articles of Mr. Alfie Kohn about rewards.His ideas could bring reform in
the field of education.
|
| |
Date: | Mon May 14 12:34:54 2001 |
Name: | Kelly Barrett |
E-mail: | labatblu48@yahoo.com |
Organization: | Binghamton University Student |
Location: | Binghamton, ny |
How the site was found: | in The Case Agiainst Standardized Testing |
Comments: | Changes need to be made in the education of our children!
This is a great place to start...Alfie's ideas are essential for reform.
|
| |
Date: | Mon May 14 01:41:50 2001 |
Name: | cathy wilton |
E-mail: | c.wilton@lycos |
Organization: | Pine Community School |
Location: | Brisbane,Australia |
How the site was found: | word of mouth |
Comments: | TRhankyou! As a teacher in an alternative setting and as a
parent, I have so much to learn and voices and opinions like those
expressed here, are not nearly loud enough. I really feel I have benefited
from your work. Thanks, again
|
| |
Date: | Sun May 13 23:14:35 2001 |
Name: | stephen Lim |
E-mail: | stephenlimts@yahoo.com |
Organization: | none |
Location: | Kuala Lumpur |
How the site was found: | search engine |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Sun May 13 23:11:53 2001 |
Name: | Curt Hayes, Professor (ret.) |
E-mail: | chayes@bainbridge.net |
Organization: | The University of Texas at San Antonio |
Location: | BCBL, San Antonio, TX 78216 |
How the site was found: | Through an article of testing |
Comments: | Old New England proverb: "You don't raise hogs by weighing
them"
|
| |
Date: | Fri May 11 16:38:47 2001 |
Name: | Beth Julian |
E-mail: | bjulian@neo.rr.com |
Organization: | Canton Montessori School, parent of 3 |
Location: | Ohio, USA |
How the site was found: | from cassette of lecture at AMS Chicago |
Comments: | I am thrilled to find such an articulate voice for the
"common sense" approach of treating children with respect. I hope to share
his message with the Parochial school educators that treat my two older
children as if they were Pavlov's dogs! Candy if you're quiet, no recess
if you talk when you're not "supposed" to! AARGH!
|
| |
Date: | Fri May 11 16:34:54 2001 |
Name: | Beth Julian |
E-mail: | bjulian@neo.rr.com |
Organization: | Canton Montessori School, parent of 3 |
Location: | Ohio, USA |
How the site was found: | from cassette of lecture at AMS Chicago |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 10 13:46:38 2001 |
Name: | Sara Dotty |
E-mail: | sdotty@qwest.net |
Organization: | Minneapolis Public Schools |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | by chance |
Comments: | I am a relatively new teacher (5 years) and would like to
broaden my knowledge base. I am asking for suggestions on new/current
topics to read about. Any book or article suggestions would be helpful.
Thank you.
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 10 13:44:23 2001 |
Name: | Sara Dotty |
E-mail: | sdotty@qwest.net |
Organization: | Minneapolis Public Schools |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | by chance |
Comments: | I am a relatively new teacher (5 years) and would like to
broaden my knowledge base. I am asking for suggestions on new/current
topics to read about. Any book or article suggestions would be helpful.
Thank you.
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 10 13:41:53 2001 |
Name: | Trudi Richards |
E-mail: | wingedlion@aol.com |
Organization: | Winged Lion Project for Relevant Education |
Location: | SF Bay Area, California |
How the site was found: | articles, books & word of mouth |
Comments: | THANK YOU for so clearly articulating, demonstrating and
documenting what so many of us KNOW but have been less able to express. A
TWIST ON "TOUGHER STANDARDS" AND TESTING: Don't you think it's time that
WE THE PEOPLE enforced Tougher Standards on our "leaders"? Please join us
in GRADING THE STATE on how well "they" are doing: Is our public education
system providing a RELEVANT AND MEANINGFUL EDUCATION FOR ALL PEOPLE?
Constact us at wingedlion@aol.com for a copy of the THE R.E.A.L. TEST
(Relevant Educ. at All Levels) currently being launched in California.
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 10 10:52:24 2001 |
Name: | Jennifer birckmayer |
E-mail: | jmb25@cornell.edu |
Organization: | Cornell University |
Location: | Ithaca NY |
How the site was found: | through netscape |
Comments: | interested in your ideas as a result of the NYSAEYC
conference - great presentation!
|
| |
Date: | Wed May 9 01:55:59 2001 |
Name: | Brian Comnes |
E-mail: | bcomnes@yahoo.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Marin County, CA USA |
How the site was found: | google search |
Comments: | 34% of Drake High students in Marin County opted out of the
STAR tests last week in protest, District wide it was 24% even the middle
school went over 10% opt out...find out more...write me at
bcomnes@yahoo.com
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| |
Date: | Tue May 8 19:27:56 2001 |
Name: | Carol Taylor |
E-mail: | cjst@ix.netcom.com |
Organization: | Civic Organizing Foundation/National Citizenship School |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Tue May 8 11:48:23 2001 |
Name: | Dr. Rebecca Shore |
E-mail: | DrRebeccaSHore@cs.com |
Organization: | NurseryMinds |
Location: | NOrth Carolina |
How the site was found: | Heard Alfie speak last weekend at NYAEYC |
Comments: | Alfie,I think I forgot to give you my website. I had an 8th
grader put it together for me. www.NurseryMinds.com. Sincerely, Rebecca
Shore, UNCG
|
| |
Date: | Mon May 7 21:42:15 2001 |
Name: | Jules Ohrin-Greipp |
E-mail: | wiscman@global101.com |
Organization: | Palo Verde Unified School District |
Location: | Blythe, California |
How the site was found: | I was looking for info on Alfie Kohn |
Comments: | I am a school psychologist in Blythe, California. I will be
using Alfie's books in a college course I am teaching. I also heard of
Scarsdale's (New York)successful (I think) boycott of the standardized
tests. I hope this will spread. I am doing my part to encourage the
discontinued use of these tests. Any info on how a boycott can be
initiated would be appreciated.
|
| |
Date: | Mon May 7 13:41:08 2001 |
Name: | Kenneth McGrath |
E-mail: | mcgrathke@wrps.org |
Organization: | Lincoln High School |
Location: | Wisconsin Rapids WI |
How the site was found: | Rogue Forum |
Comments: | enjoy your books-how much real hope is there? Milwaukee
Journal- Sentinel just criticized CA dropping SATs for admission. Called
SATs only true measurement. The SATs are not culturally biased or Asian
kids would do poorly also. Got any data?
|
| |
Date: | Mon May 7 12:35:57 2001 |
Name: | Jennifer Weiss |
E-mail: | jennifer@daycarecouncil.org |
Organization: | Day Care & Child Dev't Council of Tompkins Co. |
Location: | Ithaca, NY |
How the site was found: | NYSAEYC pamphlet |
Comments: | I saw Alfie speak at the conference. He was fantastic! I'm
interested in trying to bring him to Ithaca.
|
| |
Date: | Sun May 6 23:43:08 2001 |
Name: | Leslie Zarnowski |
E-mail: | BsnChick@aol.com |
Organization: | Henderson County Public Schools |
Location: | Hendersonville, North Carolina |
How the site was found: | Dr. Gayle Moller - WCU |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Sat May 5 17:20:18 2001 |
Name: | Cindy Whitman-Bradley |
E-mail: | buph@igc.org |
Organization: | Parent, Tamalpais Union School District |
Location: | Marin Coutny, California |
How the site was found: | From Kohn's books |
Comments: | I've been on this site and given messages before, but I
wanted to give an update about the student boycott of the STAR (
California required standardized tests for all students grades 2-11) test
at the Tamalpais district high schools. This was parent supported and 600
students got parent waivers not to take the test. Three of the five high
schools got more than 10% of kids not taking tests which means they are no
longer eligible for state funding. This has hit the local papers big time.
The students also formed a group called Marin Students for Liberating
Education and they have spoken at school board meetings and are looking
for ways to create an ongoing organization that will demand more power
over their education and their treatment in schools. My son is part of
this group and it is wonderful to see how articulate and well informed
these students are. They have their facts and they are level headed and do
not resort to demonizing as they address their opponents. My son is
finishing his junior year of high school and has decided to skip senior
year and enroll directly in the local community college because he is sick
of being treated so poorly at high school and wants to pursue his
interests in biology more seriously. When he took his High School
Proficiency Exam last weekend the first test site was over-booked so they
had to go to a second test site. That tells you something about what kids
think of their high school education in Marin County. Spread the word
about our success in the boycott; the kids are thinking of the next steps
in stopping the California STAR; hopefully they will also go after the
newly created Exit Exams as well. The power of the students is awesome!
|
| |
Date: | Sat May 5 13:10:59 2001 |
Name: | Michelle Slusher |
E-mail: | buddhacb@aol.com |
Organization: | NSSD - Woodlake Elementary School |
Location: | North Sacramento, CA |
How the site was found: | search....standardized testing also my professor & fellow colleagues spoke highly of Alfie Kohn |
Comments: | Thought provoking, interesting, & motivating! It's
unfortunate that my district bases students ability solely on their
acheivement test scores. I see students who are permanently scarred from
such tests and the pressure put on them is horrendous. I pray we educators
can make the difference....
|
| |
Date: | Fri May 4 18:46:05 2001 |
Name: | Julie Gabrielse |
E-mail: | jgabrielse1@yahoo.com |
Organization: | The Montessori Academy at Edison Lakes - teacher |
Location: | Mishawaka, IN |
How the site was found: | AMS Conference |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Fri May 4 12:55:52 2001 |
Name: | Kate Strefeler |
E-mail: | kstrefeler@neo.rr.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Ohio |
How the site was found: | was looking for background info on pros and cons of standized testing; thru findarticles com |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 3 21:28:05 2001 |
Name: | tieing the knot at the end of the rope |
E-mail: | nexttimee54@hotmail.com |
Organization: | family |
Location: | USA |
How the site was found: | heard of it |
Comments: | Per my son message below...please use this address to
contact me...nexttime54@hotmail.com as the otherone will not reach me.
"tieing the knot at the end of the rope" is as in--casting a lifeline out
there--tieing a knot at the end of the rope and hanging on for life....
Thanxs.
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 3 21:07:13 2001 |
Name: | tieing the knot at the end of the rope |
E-mail: | next time |
Organization: | family |
Location: | usa |
How the site was found: | heard of it |
Comments: | Hi, My 9th grade son thinks his is failing everything, in
school his grades are all less than 50%. He has a.d.d. and numerous things
have been tried within a systemically ill school over these last 2 years.
With 15 or so school days left, everyone has more or less call 'things' a
wash...only effort s come to my mind is to request a battery of tests to
identify his best learning styles. Circumstances in the past have
prohibitied me from home-schooling but am thinking about that. However,
don't think I can handle homeschooling. Any suggestions for types of test
to requests from school to do? Other suggestions?
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 3 15:44:51 2001 |
Name: | Debbie Hessert |
E-mail: | debhessert@yahoo.com |
Organization: | National Louis University |
Location: | Wheaton, Illinois |
How the site was found: | a search on Google.com |
Comments: | I look forward to reading more of your work. I have heard
good things about you!
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 3 11:32:48 2001 |
Name: | Tony Brown |
E-mail: | tony.f.brown@baesystems.com |
Organization: | BAE Systems Ltd |
Location: | Waterlooville, Hants, UK |
How the site was found: | via curious cat |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Thu May 3 11:11:41 2001 |
Name: | Tony Brown |
E-mail: | tony.f.brown@baesystems.com |
Organization: | BAE Systems Ltd |
Location: | Waterlooville, Hants, UK |
How the site was found: | via curious cat |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Wed May 2 18:06:07 2001 |
Name: | Dean Vogel |
E-mail: | devchino1@aol.com |
Organization: | California Teachers Association |
Location: | Davis, CA |
How the site was found: | Alfie gave it to me |
Comments: | Alfie, Thank you for the excellent presentation at the CTA
Urban Issues Conference in Oakland, CA. You gave us much to think about,
and very good examples of meaningful, relevant actions that educators
might take locally to begin resisting the testing madness.
|
| |
Date: | Wed May 2 15:31:06 2001 |
Name: | Kay Skonieczny |
E-mail: | kskonieczny@awsna.org |
Organization: | Association of Waldorf Schools of North America |
Location: | Sacramento, CA |
How the site was found: | referral |
Comments: | I work for the Association of Waldorf Schools of North
America and want to support and validate your research showing that
children who learn because teachers stimulate their natural curiosity tend
to retain and understand (and develop a love for life long learning I
might add) more than those who learn to get good grades or high test
scores. The Waldorf schools of which there are over 150 in North America
assess student progress in other ways than standardized tests. High school
students do take the PSAT and the SAT but teachers do no teach to these
tests. Waldorf students SAT scores range from average to above average to
national merit finalists. Waldorf students have also been accepted to and
graduated from most of the major private and public universities in this
country. This increased emphasis on testing is harmful to true learning
and to student health.
|
| |
Date: | Tue May 1 22:50:49 2001 |
Name: | KC Walsh |
E-mail: | kcwalsh@mindspring.com |
Organization: | Oak Grove School District |
Location: | San Jose |
How the site was found: | attended CTA's workshop on 4/28 |
Comments: | Dear Alfie: Thanks for such an inspirational session on
Saturday. I went in on Monday and told my Superintendent I was ready to
start a revolution! Have you noticed that when your awareness gets
heightened all kinds of information seems to converge? For example, on
Sunday night's episode of "60 Minutes" there was a segment on Sudbury
School. I watched it wondering what you thought of their program; thinking
you most likely approved wholeheartedly. Then, last night on "Boston
Public", an African-American student refused to take the state mandated
tests. It sounded like you were talking! Once again, thank you for the
enlightenment! Sincerely, KC Walsh
|
| |
Date: | Tue May 1 21:33:08 2001 |
Name: | Mimi Moorehead |
E-mail: | awmoorehead@pdq.net |
Organization: | We are unschoolers |
Location: | Houston, Texas |
How the site was found: | I looked for it |
Comments: | You're wonderful. When are you coming to Houston, Texas?
|
| |
Date: | Tue May 1 13:11:45 2001 |
Name: | Harry Brooks (reporter) |
E-mail: | hbrooks@nctimes.com |
Organization: | North County Times (newspaper) |
Location: | San Diego |
How the site was found: | Referred by Salisbury College |
Comments: | I'm a reporter that is putting together a story on SAT-9
testing in California. Story will also include the state's move to tie all
kinds of clout and rewards to a standard test. I was told that Alfie Kohn
could provide me with strong insight into this topic. The North County
Times is a 90,000 circulation daily newspaper in north San Diego County,
covering an area north from Del Mar into Oceanside and east from Pacific
Coast through Escondido. I would appreciate getting into contact with Dr.
Kohn as soon as is convenient. My phone number in Vista, Ca. is (760)
631-6621 My pager (call anytime and get immediate response) is (760)
781-6472. Thanks for your consideration, Harry Brooks
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 30 22:14:55 2001 |
Name: | Barbra Puckett |
E-mail: | bpuckett@jeffco.k12.co.us |
Organization: | El. teacher-Jefferson Cty. Public Schools |
Location: | Littleton, CO |
How the site was found: | I read your new book |
Comments: | We are experiencing many of the things you stated in your
book. Morale is low and our CSAP scores come in soon. We will probably
receive a "C"grade.
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 30 20:39:49 2001 |
Name: | Julia Ingram |
E-mail: | ianchia@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Tucson, AZ |
How the site was found: | Sherlock |
Comments: | Some members of The Partnership Way group believe Mr. Kohn
is due in Tucson soon. Any chance it's true? "No Contest" changed my
thinking about education, business and relationships. Thank you!
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 30 20:39:21 2001 |
Name: | Julia Ingram |
E-mail: | ianchia@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Tucson, AZ |
How the site was found: | Sherlock |
Comments: | Some members of The Partnership Way group believe Mr. Kohn
is due in Tucson soon. Any chance it's true? "No Contest" changed my
thinking about education, business and relationships. Thank you!
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 30 13:35:47 2001 |
Name: | Amber Newell |
E-mail: | amber.michael@virgin.net |
Organization: | |
Location: | England |
How the site was found: | link from Silencing the Bell-De-Schooling |
Comments: | Looking forward to reading your articles about self-esteem
and 'correct' behaviour. Was on a websearch to give myself courage and
comfort as sometimes others cause me to doubt (temporarily) our decision
that we would educate together at home. Finding so many like minds out
there is very boosting at a tough time.
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 30 01:39:25 2001 |
Name: | Cassandra Chadwick |
E-mail: | nutty4quilts@aol.com |
Organization: | Tucson Unified School District |
Location: | John B. Wright Elementary |
How the site was found: | I'm reading Kohn's work |
Comments: | I'm looking for information about students opting out of
testing.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 29 16:55:53 2001 |
Name: | Jennifer Chanos |
E-mail: | Jlinn777@aol.com |
Organization: | CCSD /Art Specialist Frank Lamping E. S. |
Location: | Henderson, Nevada |
How the site was found: | Looking for your article on Rewards/Punishment Debate |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 29 06:51:40 2001 |
Name: | Gabie Gedlaman |
E-mail: | mailto:www.azstandards.org |
Organization: | AZ Standards |
Location: | Arizona |
How the site was found: | Alfie Kohn Lecture |
Comments: | I've found the articles archived on the website most useful
as I've been trying to lobby my local and national lawmakers to vote
against 'high stakes' testing. Hope you'll all use these articles as
invitations for discussions
|
| |
Date: | Fri Apr 27 01:36:01 2001 |
Name: | Anonymity Requested |
E-mail: | uitlander188@aol.com |
Organization: | N/A |
Location: | N/A |
How the site was found: | Recently learned about Rockland Comm. College presentation, as well as your books |
Comments: | Mr. Kohn, how do you account for Japan, Singapore, Taiwan,
Canada, and Europe? I've met some of these people, and they clearly know
what they're talking about. Don't tell me theri reported higher academic
performances and skills are some sort of mass hallucination on the part of
the media? Please, if within your convenience, reply within 3 days. Thank
you. Anonymity Requested
|
| |
Date: | Wed Apr 25 20:04:15 2001 |
Name: | Stella Marrs |
E-mail: | Marrs7@opentech.net |
Organization: | Martin Luther King Multi-Purpose Center,Inc. |
Location: | 110 Bethune Boulevard, Spring Valley, New York 10977-4250 |
How the site was found: | Your visit to Rockland Community College on April 25, 2001 |
Comments: | This is my third attempt to send you a message. Your
message is a joy to hear. Working with children who are falling through
the cracks is painful. I want to share your message with our families and
school system. We have a Superintendent who is willing to make change. The
support our families can give him will have promise for change. Thank you
for your courage, tenacity, and know I truly enjoyed the way you fed us
this most vital information. I would appreciate being part of your mailing
list, should you have one. Anyway you now have my E-mail address and I
look forward to any information you share on a regular basis. I purchased
five of your books that will keep me really busy, and will share what I
heard and learned freely. Thank you for the Bright Moments. Stella Marrs
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| |
Date: | Wed Apr 25 19:33:25 2001 |
Name: | susa appel schneider |
E-mail: | wasuje@aol.com |
Organization: | true educator, parent, taxpayer, believer |
Location: | 56 burda avenue new city, new york 10956 |
How the site was found: | I was present at the 4/25 presentation |
Comments: | THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU I feel so validated and am
only sorry that my children could not hear you speak. Please e-mail/send
me a copy of Richard Mills statement of approximately 10 years ago,and a
copy of the letter written by the parents from Scarsdale to their
politicans. I would like to pass this on to other EDUCATORS and hope we
can expand the direction many groups are headed. I am so sorry that more
people did not attend because they need to feel validated and empowered.
Thank You once again for all your energy Susan Schneider
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| |
Date: | Wed Apr 25 19:04:56 2001 |
Name: | Valerie L. Mathews |
E-mail: | vmat210@optonline.net |
Organization: | Nyack Teachers Association |
Location: | Nyack, New York |
How the site was found: | Went to a presentation |
Comments: | Was very energized by Alfie's presentation at RCC this
afternoon. Am interested in chatting with other test weary middle school
teachers who are swimming upstream in their opposition to the ridiculous
amount of testing in NYS
|
| |
Date: | Wed Apr 25 09:59:11 2001 |
Name: | Mary Lou Schultz |
E-mail: | SchltzFmly@home.com |
Organization: | Encinitas School District |
Location: | Encinitas, CA |
How the site was found: | read your books |
Comments: | My district is pushing a "standards-based" report card.
Where can I find help in stopping this nonsense? Thanks!
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| |
Date: | Tue Apr 24 20:59:48 2001 |
Name: | Kathryn Boles |
E-mail: | arck5@yahoo.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Minnesota |
How the site was found: | Web search "Alfie Kohn" |
Comments: | As a mother, homeschooler, and human being, I fine your
books facinating! We try to strike a balance and try to encourage without
going overboard. I am curious what your views of homeschooing/unschooling
are? So many homeschoolers I know or read about are either "radical"
unschoolers or school-at-homers. It is difficult to find people who have
these same kind of concerns. Thanks, Kathryn
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| |
Date: | Tue Apr 24 11:52:39 2001 |
Name: | Terrance Brennan |
E-mail: | Terrance.Brennan@PLPS.org |
Organization: | Pompton Lakes Public Schools |
Location: | Pompton Lakes, New Jersey |
How the site was found: | Brian Chinni |
Comments: | I support your message against standarized testing. What
are you involved with currently, where are you located, and do you do
presentations. Thank-you.
|
| |
Date: | Tue Apr 24 11:49:38 2001 |
Name: | Terrance Brennan |
E-mail: | Terrance.Brennan@PLPS.org |
Organization: | Pompton Lakes Public Schools |
Location: | Pomton Lakes, New Jersey |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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| |
Date: | Tue Apr 24 08:48:26 2001 |
Name: | Susan Godsland |
E-mail: | orchid@eurobell.co.uk |
Organization: | Home Education Advisory Service |
Location: | www.heas.org.uk |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | just like to say that I've put details of Alfie's book
'Punished by Rewards' into our publication 'The Big Book of Resource
Ideas' along with the comment, 'Required reading for everybody involved in
education.'
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 23 22:02:45 2001 |
Name: | Dick Stokes |
E-mail: | dick_stokes@beavton.k12.or.us |
Organization: | Beaverton Schools |
Location: | Beaverton, Oregon |
How the site was found: | Tikkun Magazine March/April 2001 |
Comments: | "Out beyond right and wrong doing there is a field,I'll
meet you there." Rumi
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 23 11:23:40 2001 |
Name: | Cathleen Haskins |
E-mail: | cathhas@elknet.net |
Organization: | Montessori Program |
Location: | Burlington Area Schools, WI |
How the site was found: | Friends |
Comments: | Alfie Kohn-You have my respect and admiration. I was in
Chicago at the AMS conference and applaud your stand on the issues
involved in working with and having relationships with children. Your work
and advocacy on behalf of children inspires me and provides me with
information and ideas to further and better my own work with children.
Thank you for your work!
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 22 14:38:02 2001 |
Name: | Becky Stahlman |
E-mail: | becky_stahlman@hotmail.com |
Organization: | Scottsdale Unified Schools - teacher |
Location: | Scottsdale, AZ |
How the site was found: | Knew from Alfie's speech in Vancouver, Oct. 2000 |
Comments: | Ples let me know what you think about Nebraska's project
STARS. I am increasingly frustrated by state and district assessments and
wonder if Nebraska's ambitious project is all that it appears to be - a
more appropriate means of assessing students while giving teachers the
knowledge and power to create assessments.
|
| |
Date: | Sat Apr 21 23:38:36 2001 |
Name: | Sheryl King |
E-mail: | sking25@bellsouth.net |
Organization: | Passport School |
Location: | Orlando FL |
How the site was found: | article in edweek |
Comments: | Thank you for so clearly articulating my exact thoughts and
feelings about high-stakes testing and its impact on students, teachers,
education, and society.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Apr 20 06:33:18 2001 |
Name: | Debbie Walters |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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| |
Date: | Wed Apr 18 01:16:51 2001 |
Name: | Philip Gammage |
E-mail: | gammage.Philip@saugov.sa.gov.au |
Organization: | De Lissa Chair/ DETE (emeritus chair University of Nottingham) |
Location: | South Australia |
How the site was found: | In Listerv message |
Comments: | Corporate managerialism seems to have been a major trend in
the western world for a decade or two. The results (as I see it) are
beginning to be seen as very destructive in education and care, often
unhelpfully limitimg, especially in relation to professional optimism,
reflectivity and the retention of appropriate staff. Devolution to
community and local control has in reality (and certainly in UK and
Australia) often accompanied ever tighter centralisation of curricula and
accountablity
|
| |
Date: | Tue Apr 17 10:39:12 2001 |
Name: | Ron Klemp |
E-mail: | Rklemp@aol.com |
Organization: | Los Angeles Unified Sd, Cal State Nridge |
Location: | Los Angeles, CA |
How the site was found: | Alfie told me about it |
Comments: | Hi Alfie. I am working on bringing you to LA to talk with
new administratos in our Academy...we have a distinguished speakers
program....really enjoyed seeing you again in San Fran on March 29, or
30th...have read all your books! Thank you for being our voice of reason!
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 16 22:40:44 2001 |
Name: | Ronette Youmans |
E-mail: | rdyoumans@aol.com |
Organization: | San Dieguito Academy High School |
Location: | Encinitas, Calif |
How the site was found: | from CATE lecture |
Comments: | I'm interested in contacting other teachers in California
who are planning to donate their API $ to an unrewarded but deserving
school. A symbolic rejection of the whole API program.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 15 20:28:22 2001 |
Name: | eris |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | J L Stanford Middle School |
Location: | Palo Alto, CA |
How the site was found: | Via Mr. Kohn's recent lecture in San Fransisco |
Comments: | I must say that the ideas presented here have helped my
learning as a student. I now understand that my teachers are probably not
teaching in the best ways possible. Therefore I have shifted my focus from
the grades and tests to the subject matter itself. School is now more
intiresting although my grades have gone down a little. I have also
decided to spred the word about most of these ideas among the student and
administrative bodies at my school.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 15 20:26:15 2001 |
Name: | eris |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | J L Stanford Middle School |
Location: | Palo Alto, CA |
How the site was found: | Via Mr. Kohn's recent lecture in San Fransisco |
Comments: | I must say that the ideas presented here have helped my
learning as a student. I now understand that my teachers are probably not
teaching in the best ways possible. Therefore I have shifted my focus from
the grades and tests to the subject matter itself. School is now more
intiresting although my grades have gone down a little. I have also
decided to spred the word about most of these ideas among the student and
administrative bodies at my school.
|
| |
Date: | Sat Apr 14 07:58:31 2001 |
Name: | Matt Bova |
E-mail: | mattbovaeudora@yahoo.com |
Organization: | None |
Location: | Lawrence, Kansas |
How the site was found: | internet search |
Comments: | Just curious if there are some secondary teachers from
Kansas who share concerns about the increasing importance attached to
standardized, state-mandated testing.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Apr 13 14:29:38 2001 |
Name: | BJ Strauch |
E-mail: | BJStrauch@aol.com |
Organization: | Educational Leadership Graduate Student |
Location: | Florida |
How the site was found: | web search |
Comments: | As a graduate student AND a grandparent, I found the new
information on praise to be outstanding. Thank you BJ
|
| |
Date: | Fri Apr 13 08:47:45 2001 |
Name: | Sandra Edelman |
E-mail: | O2KOOLMOM@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | Debbie Rapaport |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Thu Apr 12 22:49:23 2001 |
Name: | Ann O'Brien |
E-mail: | annob13@optonline.net |
Organization: | |
Location: | Seaford, NY |
How the site was found: | Research for my midterm project |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Thu Apr 12 16:24:02 2001 |
Name: | Trudi Hagen |
E-mail: | TNHagen@aol.com |
Organization: | Community Day Care |
Location: | 1611 Westminster Place |
How the site was found: | internet search |
Comments: | Mr Kohn's work is amazing. I hope more people hear him and
read his books so we can change education in America.
|
| |
Date: | Thu Apr 12 09:17:11 2001 |
Name: | Nezzie DeFrank |
E-mail: | ndefrank@aol.com |
Organization: | Programs for Parents, Inc. |
Location: | 484 Bloomfield Avenue Ste. 26 Montclair, NJ 07042 |
How the site was found: | Young Children Magazine, March 2001 |
Comments: | I would like to know if our state has an "opt-out" clause
that allows parents to exempt their children from testing.
|
| |
Date: | Thu Apr 12 09:01:37 2001 |
Name: | Jennifer Pellow |
E-mail: | jpellow@austin.rr.com |
Organization: | just a Mom who's working for what's RIGHT |
Location: | Austin, Texas |
How the site was found: | I just typed in Alfie Kohn's name in hopes of finding something about him or his books or articles. |
Comments: | Alfie Kohn is one of the great minds of our time in terms
of impacting the schools that our children go to. Just about every time
that I have had an issue with our public elementary school, I have been
able to find support for (and research! to back up) my opinion in one of
Kohn's books. When I have just "not liked" a method being used at our
school, he has helped me to understand and unravel the underlying reasons
and problems with a method. From stoping bribes, to giving my 1st grader
choices in her class, to fighting for appropriate Kindergarden
expectations, he has helped me in so many ways to try to influence a
school district that is trying for force my square-pegged children into
their round holes. He even helps me to understand the reason for possible
opposition to ideas that seem simply perfect to me. (I'll stop
complimenting him now, because I don't want to undermine his internal
motivation!) All I can say is, "YOU DID IT, ALFIE!"
|
| |
Date: | Wed Apr 11 12:27:25 2001 |
Name: | Torsten Friedag |
E-mail: | tfriedag@efdot.com |
Organization: | education futures |
Location: | Sudbury, Suffolk, UK |
How the site was found: | after hearing about one of Alfie's books I looked for it |
Comments: | I am really impressed by Alfie Kohn's body of work and
believe that the parallels in the UK education system are equally
worrying. Especially in reforming challenging inner city schools we find
that the limitations of our constantly demanding assessment-based approach
does not allow schools time to develop appropriate strategies for their
learners. We need to focus on pedagogy that (re-)establishes in the
individual a love for learning. Creating real and enabling learning
environments that are learner friendly and supportive must be our aim.
------------------------------------- I would be very interested in
establishing a deeper discussion of these issues and widening the
knowledge of Alfie's work in the UK and Europe.
|
| |
Date: | Wed Apr 11 09:33:36 2001 |
Name: | Martha A. Seehorn |
E-mail: | aseehorn@sprynet.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Piney Flats, TN |
How the site was found: | Read Alfie Kohn's article in Educational Leadership |
Comments: | We need more courageous people like Alfie Kohn to take a
stand against the movement toward more standardized testing!
|
| |
Date: | Tue Apr 10 21:34:13 2001 |
Name: | Jennifer Williams |
E-mail: | mailto:caz_cheer_jenn@hotmail.com;%20willjenl@cazcollege.edu |
Organization: | Cazenovia College |
Location: | Cazenovia, NY |
How the site was found: | direct access |
Comments: | I just wanted to say that I am currently writing my senior
paper on topic of Bush's education reform plan as it pertains to
standardized testing and accountability, and I have found all of your
articles and books extremely helpful. The paper is coming along well, and
I have cited a number of your statements to help make the case against
standardized testing clear and understandable. The extensive list of
references you provide in your books is great and I have used it to help
build my case. Thanks for having so much out there for me to access!!
Hopefully my presentation and defense will be dynamic after all of the
research I have conducted. I plan to incorporate a number of video clips
from Bush's address to Congress, as well as some political cartoons, into
my PowerPoint presentation. It should be great!
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| |
Date: | Mon Apr 9 14:13:14 2001 |
Name: | Ayesha Livingston |
E-mail: | Ayeshaliv@aol.com |
Organization: | Family School |
Location: | 3000 Adams N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87110 |
How the site was found: | I read it in the book: Beyond Discipline |
Comments: | I'm very interested in transforming my classroom. This is
my second year teaching and my gut instinct is to give the students choice
but when I do it seems to slide out-of-control somehow. We have class
meetings weekly but there is much to "fix" in my opinion, especially with
students who have a difficult time controlling their own behavior. I teach
in an alternative type school within the public school system in
Albuquerque, so my curriculum is integrated and the classroom is multi-age
(grades 6-8). I am in the inquiry of continuous improvement both for
myself, my students, and our environment. Thanks Alfie for a book that
made me realize that I'm not crazy! I'm still a long way from where I want
to be, but I can see the path I must travel down to reach where I'd like
to be, but it's a start (albeit small). ~Ayesha
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| |
Date: | Sun Apr 8 23:26:05 2001 |
Name: | James E. Holleran |
E-mail: | jmklcholleran |
Organization: | Teacher |
Location: | Rochester (N.Y.) City School District |
How the site was found: | Reding about Kohn in Classroom Management books |
Comments: | I like the direction of some of Kohn's ideas about what are
we really asking children to do in our classrooms, and what might we
accomplish by sharing power with students.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 8 22:02:03 2001 |
Name: | Pam |
E-mail: | deepthinker50@hotmail.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Maine |
How the site was found: | friend |
Comments: | What as awesome amount of quality articles, They are great
for a research paper and students studying to become teachers.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 8 19:50:48 2001 |
Name: | Regina McHenry |
E-mail: | ginota@hotmail.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | word of mouth |
Comments: | I am a bilingual teacher and these days that means a
frustrated human being. I find encouragement and animation in Alfie Kohn's
writings.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 8 17:23:43 2001 |
Name: | Jerry A. Rice |
E-mail: | jrice3@stny.rr.com |
Organization: | SUNY Cortland College |
Location: | Cortland NY |
How the site was found: | Article in Syracuse Paper |
Comments: | I am proud to have been called an "Alfie Kohn" by a State
Education Dept. bureaucrat, when I decried his call for "zapping the gap"
in student achievement, but never once spoke of children, learning, or
meaningful education.
|
| |
Date: | Sat Apr 7 14:25:52 2001 |
Name: | Elsa |
E-mail: | ecruiz@surfus.net |
Organization: | High School Teacher of Mathematics |
Location: | Laredo, TX |
How the site was found: | While searching for articles for a paper on student motivation and achievement for a graduate levelc |
Comments: | I've enjoyed readingKohn's articles. Thanks, ER
|
| |
Date: | Fri Apr 6 12:13:27 2001 |
Name: | Debbie Rapaport |
E-mail: | DSRapa@aol.com |
Organization: | STOP (state tests opposed by parents) |
Location: | Scarsdale |
How the site was found: | saw alfie at Scarsdale High School |
Comments: | Oppose standardized tests as one size fits all measures.
Organizing a boycott of 8th grade tests in Scarsdale. Would like any
assistance from other areas and districts.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Apr 6 09:49:34 2001 |
Name: | Frank Short |
E-mail: | fhshort@earthlink.net |
Organization: | unnamed middle school |
Location: | ny |
How the site was found: | Westchester Lecture |
Comments: | What groups in Weschester are organizing to stop the
standards testing madness? How can I help?
|
| |
Date: | Thu Apr 5 07:31:05 2001 |
Name: | Elaine Parker |
E-mail: | eparker@isbasel.ch |
Organization: | International School of Basel |
Location: | Switzerland |
How the site was found: | At an IBO regional workshop in Sweden |
Comments: | I,m currently junior School Principal of the above school.
We have a total enrolment of 590, Preschool-grade 12, with 330 students in
the Junior section (Preschool- grade 5)Our main parent majority are UK/US
although over 40 nationalities are represented. We follow the Primary
Years Programme of the International Baccalaureate, we do not grade or
test in the junior school and flourish on child centred assessment and
evaluation through portfolio conferencing and rubrics. However we are
constantly under pressure from a minority of US parents who need to
compare their children and insist "we want grading". I have held
information evenings to explain the position, they know what to expect
when they enrol their children. How can I stop this small group from
politicking and influencing those who are already on board? The Swiss
Group International Schools,an association with 34 member schools holds an
annual conference. Next year this will be held in Geneva 1st,2nd, 3rd
March.Would you, Mr Kohn , be interested in presenting in some way? We
would be very interested to hear of your programme and fees. The S.G.I.S.
is linked to the ECIS.website. No doubt this organisation would be
interested in your subject too. Your message would then be conveyed
worldwide. sincerely, Elaine Parker
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| |
Date: | Wed Apr 4 16:17:55 2001 |
Name: | Nancy Sherrer |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | 2nd Gr. teacher |
Location: | Geneva, Alabama |
How the site was found: | info from magazine article |
Comments: | Oh my, what you are saying is so true and it makes my heart
break when I think of the total unfairness of what we are doing in the
schools today to these little ones. Why don't we look at the anger and
frustration school children are showing us by their violent
actions-----could we be part of the problem, instead part of the solution?
Please keep sending your message, for it is truly ours too.
|
| |
Date: | Tue Apr 3 21:44:02 2001 |
Name: | Michael Turner |
E-mail: | LThiker1@adelphia.net |
Organization: | Mt. Mansfield Union High School |
Location: | Jericho, Vermont |
How the site was found: | from an article |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Tue Apr 3 11:19:23 2001 |
Name: | Ella M. Woodbury |
E-mail: | woodbue@mail.doe.state.fl.us |
Organization: | Florida Department of Education |
Location: | Tallahassee, Florida |
How the site was found: | Article forwarded by colleague |
Comments: | After reading the article I visited your site. I found it
interesting. Your bibliographies are excellent and cover timely
educational concerns.
|
| |
Date: | Tue Apr 3 06:40:41 2001 |
Name: | Cecelia-Rose L. Camarillo |
E-mail: | cecelia_camarillo@hotmail.com |
Organization: | college student |
Location: | Honolulu, Hawaii |
How the site was found: | research project |
Comments: | You have opened my eyes even wider to my children's
education and the need to educate them with "high quality teaching".
Mahalo!
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 2 21:33:04 2001 |
Name: | Cindy A. Miller |
E-mail: | cmiller@cvs.k12.mi.us |
Organization: | Dakota High School |
Location: | Macomb, MI |
How the site was found: | from book and conference |
Comments: | Keep up the good fight....
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 2 18:38:38 2001 |
Name: | Thomas A. Smith |
E-mail: | tmit57@attglobal.net |
Organization: | Mocal |
Location: | Lake Orion |
How the site was found: | Visited the abolishapprasials site |
Comments: | Alfie, I was glad to see your comments on Tom Coens and
Mary Jenkins new book. I'm still hacking away at the behavior based safety
people. It seems like we're making some real progress thanks to your great
research and writings. I see that you will be in Detroit in December. I am
going to try to attend. It's great to see you are keeping things going and
helping people think critically about conventional wisdom/psychology. I
re-read your books and tell everyone about your works. I hope your family
is well (Two children now, that's wonderful!) Sincerely, Tom Smith
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 2 17:15:08 2001 |
Name: | Karen D. Stewart |
E-mail: | rtckkids@cland.net |
Organization: | Kidsville |
Location: | Springfield, Missouri 65807 |
How the site was found: | Luck, Luck and More Luck |
Comments: | Thanks for all the information, it will be used in a
"Masters" class I am now enrolled in at the local university.
|
| |
Date: | Mon Apr 2 11:22:51 2001 |
Name: | Susan |
E-mail: | max@ezy.net |
Organization: | newspaper |
Location: | Salisbury, Maryland |
How the site was found: | attended lecture, listened to tape, am reading book |
Comments: | Maryland's legislature is poised to pass mandatory gun
safety classes in kindergarten through 12th grade. I think this is an
outrage when we have removed the far more relevant and important driver
education from the schools because we "can't afford it." Everyone must
drive, but everyone is not required to handle guns in order to function.
What does Alfie Kohn think about this?? And what do others reading the
guest book think of this?? I think it's a waste of resources and
everyone's time and effort. I would advocate strongly that we return by
mandate to teaching 10th-graders to drive safely, to provide equal access
to everyone to driver education instead of the expensive, intensive and
logistically difficult practice of requiring students to attend classes
outside school before being able to become a licensed driver. Driving
kills many more people than guns, at least in this area of Maryland (the
deaths are just not as dramatic or newsworthy, for whatever reason).
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 1 23:40:08 2001 |
Name: | Daphne Brown |
E-mail: | daphnebr@hotmail.com |
Organization: | WMS |
Location: | N.C. |
How the site was found: | Reference from my master's class. |
Comments: | I am pumped up for reform in North Carolina! Thanks for
these articles and I look forward to more.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 1 21:59:37 2001 |
Name: | Michelle Cox |
E-mail: | mcox@bethel.k12.or.us |
Organization: | Shasta Middle School |
Location: | Eugene, Oregon |
How the site was found: | PBL conference 2001 |
Comments: | As I listened to Alfie speak at the Project-Based Learning
conference in San Francisco, I was both inspired and alarmed to have my
growing suspicion confirmed - the emperor really has no clothes! Sometimes
it's nice to be reminded that you're not insane... :)
|
| |
Date: | Sun Apr 1 04:13:28 2001 |
Name: | Junaidah Abdul Jamil |
E-mail: | junjamil@hotmail.com |
Organization: | Ministry of Education |
Location: | Malaysia |
How the site was found: | Peter Senge's book "Schools That Learn" |
Comments: | I am glad I found your website. I have read some of your
articles and I am looking forward to more. As an educator, I find your
views very insightful. Thank you!
|
| |
Date: | Sat Mar 31 22:22:25 2001 |
Name: | Carolyn Carpenter |
E-mail: | carolync@mcn.org |
Organization: | Laytonville High School |
Location: | Laytonville, California |
How the site was found: | KWKD PBL conference |
Comments: | Thanks for the inspiration at the Project-Based Learning
conference. Our staff would love to hear you and Gov. Davis discuss
education!
|
| |
Date: | Fri Mar 30 21:11:52 2001 |
Name: | Susan Burrill |
E-mail: | burrill@together.net |
Organization: | Peoples Academy Middle Level |
Location: | Morrisville, Vermont |
How the site was found: | Alfie told me |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Fri Mar 30 15:27:16 2001 |
Name: | Alice Levine |
E-mail: | cooterlevine@yahoo.com |
Organization: | personal |
Location: | Oakland, CA |
How the site was found: | SEARCHed for it |
Comments: | I heard you March 29 at Oakland. It occurred to me; there
has been talk of cloning organs for transplanting. The widespread
standardising testing may be an attempt to clone brains. Enjoyed your
presentataion. Alice Levine
|
| |
Date: | Fri Mar 30 04:31:21 2001 |
Name: | theresa Butler |
E-mail: | TBerrybutler@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Thu Mar 29 12:35:40 2001 |
Name: | Diane Everett |
E-mail: | everettd@wilton.k12.ct.us |
Organization: | Middlebrook Middle School |
Location: | Wilton, Ct. 06897 |
How the site was found: | I attended workshop given by Dr.Kohn. |
Comments: | Dr. Kohn's workshop has made me rethink much of my teaching
philosophy and has encouraged me to do some research regarding his
theories.
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Date: | Wed Mar 28 17:00:25 2001 |
Name: | Stephen H. Kellert |
E-mail: | skellert@gw.hamline.edu |
Organization: | Hamline University |
Location: | St. Paul, MN |
How the site was found: | Tikkun Magazine |
Comments: | I was taught debate by an Alfie Kohn at summer camp some 25
years ago, and I still remember the experience with fondness. I don't know
if this is the same Alfie Kohn, but I appreciate his insight and verve.
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Date: | Wed Mar 28 13:25:07 2001 |
Name: | Doris Ann Hayes |
E-mail: | mailto:dor@tds.net%20%20or%20hayesdor@salem.k12.wi.us |
Organization: | Salem Grade School |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Tue Mar 27 19:59:15 2001 |
Name: | Jennifer Williams |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | none, I am a student |
Location: | St. Michaels, MD |
How the site was found: | A friend that attended your lecture at Salsbury State |
Comments: | I would love to keep in contact with your organizaton!As a
student who plans to become a public school teacher I am thrilled to find
so many that share my ideas. My address is 341 N. Aurora St. Apt.E Easton,
MD 21601
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Date: | Tue Mar 27 17:26:23 2001 |
Name: | Albert Jones |
E-mail: | ajones4@calstatela.edu |
Organization: | California State University, Los Angeles |
Location: | Los Angeles, CA |
How the site was found: | google.com |
Comments: | I am interested in forming organization of classroom
management instructors in schools and colleges of education. The ideas and
input of Alfie Kohn are needed to argue for a change in the management
approaches of many classroom teachers. The behaviorist approach coinciding
with an anti-progressive teaching strategies in our schools is doing great
harm to our students and teachers. I would appreciate Dr. Kohn's attention
to this situation and his assistance to alter this trend in our schools.
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Date: | Mon Mar 26 21:31:32 2001 |
Name: | michael allen |
E-mail: | me_allen@hotmail.com |
Organization: | berkeley unified school district |
Location: | berkeley, ca |
How the site was found: | e-mail from instructor |
Comments: |
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Date: | Mon Mar 26 13:14:31 2001 |
Name: | Zach Mather |
E-mail: | zmather@uncbears.com |
Organization: | University of Northern Colorado |
Location: | Greeley, Colorado |
How the site was found: | in one of your books |
Comments: | Just wanted to say hi and that I think what you have said
and have to say are very important to the people and that I thank you for
doing it.
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Date: | Mon Mar 26 11:19:54 2001 |
Name: | elaine huttenlocker |
E-mail: | echutten@aol.com |
Organization: | Kenmore Teachers, RT/CT certifed |
Location: | Buffalo area NY |
How the site was found: | internet |
Comments: | I have recently taught a staff development course on
intrinsic motivation. Punished by Rewards was part of our lively
discussion... Lively because people are still trying to figure it all out.
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Date: | Mon Mar 26 10:25:29 2001 |
Name: | Geetha R Ratnakara |
E-mail: | d_geetha@hotmail.com |
Organization: | parent |
Location: | 1120,Olde Hickory Road |
How the site was found: | by reading the book, "The schools our children deserve" |
Comments: | Do you expect the mathematics teacher to teach Science?
Ofcourse education should make a person loving and caring apart from being
competent.Ofcourse a person is not full without being loving and caring.
But is it not why there arefamily and church? Just because the family and
church are not strong as they used to be does not mean we should
overburden the schools. Should we not focus on strengthening on families?
Ofcourse if I were a teacher I would be kind and try, whenver I can, to
add compassion to my academics. Ofcourse I liked the book, "the schools
our children deserve" immensely because it brought a thought in my mind
that I should change my attitude towards my precocious children. Thank
you.
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Date: | Mon Mar 26 00:30:02 2001 |
Name: | Heather |
E-mail: | h_miller99@yahoo.com |
Organization: | SSU Student |
Location: | Salisbury, MD |
How the site was found: | Alfie Kohn lecture |
Comments: | Your lecture at our school was great!! Thanks for coming.
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Date: | Sun Mar 25 20:36:25 2001 |
Name: | Lysa Tabachnick |
E-mail: | lysat@schoolvoices.org |
Organization: | School Voices |
Location: | Santa Cruz, CA |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | Hi, I come to your site all the time to get info and check
out whats new. I am the Northen CA coordinator for Fair Test. However I
have beeen focusing on local action recently with the group School Voices.
We would like to put you on our mailing list so we could share with you
what we are doing in terms of fliers, info sheets and the newsletter we
have created. I don't know what street address to direct these things too.
If you are to busy and don't want more mail I understand. Many members of
our group will be coming to Oakland to see you speak on 3/29. We are
looking ofrward to it. Thank you for your leadership and all your hard
work for children. Lysa Tabachnick lysat@cruzio.com
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Date: | Sun Mar 25 09:26:17 2001 |
Name: | Peyton Rutledge |
E-mail: | peytonrut@home.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | attended CEA symposium 3/24/01 |
Comments: | Thank you for coming. Teachers need reminders to support
and encourage change among their peers.
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Date: | Sun Mar 25 01:34:08 2001 |
Name: | Brad Hatch |
E-mail: | bradhatch3@earthlink.net |
Organization: | |
Location: | Nederland, Co |
How the site was found: | From book cover |
Comments: | I'm signing in agian after changing my email address. I've
read most of Alfies books because his underlying philosophy about human
nature is so much like my own. Theonly difference is that he knows how to
articulate it his views much better than I can. He also backs his opinions
up with solid research. I would like to be more active in governmnent
policy regarding education in the Colorado. I've already done two panel
discussions in highschools on the topics of the future of education and
standardized testing. Alfies books were a wonderful resource. If there are
other people in Colorado interested in activism to fight standardized
testing and promote a progressive views in education, I'd appreciate it if
they would contact me.
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Date: | Sat Mar 24 23:18:14 2001 |
Name: | Carlos A. Yibirin |
E-mail: | cyibirin@msn.com |
Organization: | CAY Group International, Inc. |
Location: | 507 Jeanwood ct., Bowie, Maryland 20721 |
How the site was found: | Mr. John Dutrow of Freestate Sport-4-All |
Comments: | My wife and I like to get involve in our kids activities
and education. I am a strong believer in collaboration and team work
rather than competition. My 6-year old has been attending Montessory
school since she was 3 years old. My wife and I just started our own
business in January of this year and we would like to attend one of your
seminars/conferences. Please let us know when you will be in our area.
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Date: | Sat Mar 24 00:21:15 2001 |
Name: | MARGARET CHATFIELD |
E-mail: | margaret_chatfield@clear.net.nz |
Organization: | Resource Teacher Special Needs |
Location: | New Zealand |
How the site was found: | Colleague passed it on |
Comments: | Great site for my study into Curriculum, Learning and
Assessment. Thankyou.
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Date: | Fri Mar 23 13:44:56 2001 |
Name: | Kevin Turner |
E-mail: | wikat02@hotmail.com |
Organization: | none |
Location: | Clawson, MI |
How the site was found: | searched altavista for "alfie Kohn" |
Comments: | I'm relocating to another state and was hoping you might
know of a publication that can prepare me to find the "right" public
school district and elementary school. I've read several of Alfie's books
and agree with what he has to say. Do you have any suggestions.
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Date: | Fri Mar 23 13:15:00 2001 |
Name: | Luis O. Reyes, Ph.D. |
E-mail: | luisoreyes@aol.com |
Organization: | Brooklyn College, CUNY, Schl. of Ed. |
Location: | 2900 Bedford Ave., Bklyn, NY 11210 |
How the site was found: | BAYCARE internet notice re event |
Comments: | I'm presenting to The NY State Puerto Rican/Hispanic
Legislative Task Force on the issue of high stakes testing and its impact
on English language learners (ELLs) on April 19th. Any help or data is
appreciated. Thanks!
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Date: | Wed Mar 21 22:34:09 2001 |
Name: | ron newman |
E-mail: | newmanruns2@hotmail.com |
Organization: | Wayne fingerlake boces |
Location: | midlakes middle school.clifton Springs ny |
How the site was found: | from tape on why standardized tests suck |
Comments: | Schools need to be about teaching, learning, thinking, and
growing. I hate when politicians jump into something they know little
about and use educators a whipping boys. Regan did it and now his clone
can call himself the "Education President" which matches his current
efforts in protecting the environment. What happened to teaching to
multiple intelligences, cooperative learning, teaching thinking skills
rather than rote regurgitation learning.
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Date: | Wed Mar 21 16:27:05 2001 |
Name: | linda Anderson |
E-mail: | landerson@hotmail.com |
Organization: | Utica College of Syracuse University , student |
Location: | Utica, New York |
How the site was found: | Dr. Vespo |
Comments: |
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Date: | Tue Mar 20 22:22:50 2001 |
Name: | Cheryl Stoner |
E-mail: | cstone@dover.k12.pa.us |
Organization: | Dover Area School District |
Location: | Pennsylvania |
How the site was found: | Link from a bookstore site |
Comments: | I've been interested in what Alfie has to say for the past
4 years. I am especially happy to see that he is addressing the push being
put on students and teachers. I would love to have Govenor Ridge of PA sit
down and listen to what Alfie has to say!!! Maybe even President Bush
could learn a thing or two.
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Date: | Tue Mar 20 13:33:26 2001 |
Name: | Carol A. Osborn |
E-mail: | carolos@flash.net |
Organization: | Teacher-Detroit Public Schools |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | Michigan Reading Association Conference |
Comments: | Dear Alfie, It was a PLEASURE to hear you speak at the MRA
Conference in Grand Rapids, MI. Finally, somesome who espouses the same
beliefs that I, as well as, other teaching friends have. Since the
conference, I have shared your vision with other teachers. Onc day, I hope
that we can abolish these useless tests, and get down to the real business
of teaching. Please continue to be the voice of classroom teachers.
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Date: | Mon Mar 19 12:31:49 2001 |
Name: | Bridgette McMahon |
E-mail: | BBKDelmar@aol.com |
Organization: | Student |
Location: | Salisbury State University |
How the site was found: | Lecture |
Comments: | Your lecture at SSU was great to hear, my biggest fear
about becoming a new teacher is that I will be held accountable for poor
performance by my students and then quickly out of a job. I hope that in
the future things will change and there will be less emphasis on these
tests and we can get back to the real reason we are in school to learn
about ourselves, our community, and the world. Thanks
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Date: | Mon Mar 19 00:18:55 2001 |
Name: | Sue Bennett |
E-mail: | sbennett@buncombe.main.nc.us |
Organization: | none |
Location: | Asheville, NC |
How the site was found: | Yahoo |
Comments: | I am interesting in finding information to learn how
parents can counteract the state required testing in the schools.
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Date: | Sun Mar 18 18:36:51 2001 |
Name: | Sue Wickham |
E-mail: | Susan.Wickham@state.mn.us |
Organization: | State of Minnesota Department of Administration |
Location: | St. Paul, MN |
How the site was found: | Search of your name |
Comments: | Very interested in the application of your ideas in
organizational settings.
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Date: | Sat Mar 17 20:12:26 2001 |
Name: | Rep. Art Pelletier |
E-mail: | ajpell@email.com |
Organization: | NH House of Representatives |
Location: | Dover, NH |
How the site was found: | FairTest site link |
Comments: | I really enjoy reading the guest book messages by folks
from all over the country (and, at times, the world). Occasionally, I send
an email to one of them whose message was especially interesting. Although
the messages are wonderful, I can't help but think there needs to be a way
to link everyone together to fight this testing frenzy and the dumbing
down of the schools. One or even several teachers in a school or district
will not only be ineffective but would risk their job if they refused to
cooperate. I'm disappointed that the teacher organizations seem to have
capitulated to the testing juggernaut. The challenge is to get the entire
membership of a school or district to act together to refuse to administer
the tests. With the current and promising-to-get-worse teacher shortage,
what recourse would the tyrants-at-the-top have? but such a move would
need support and helpl of the teacher unions. Perhaps electing new
leadership would need to be the first step. Else, I fear we're looking at
years before things turn around. Meanwhile, as some guests are doing,
encourage others to read Alfie's books and attend his appearances; even
try to lure the staff-development folks of your respective districts to
have him give a "workshop"; would certainly be a HUGE improvement on what
usually passes for "staff development" as organized by administration.
Good luck to all of us who've seen the light thanks to Alfie.
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Date: | Sat Mar 17 16:15:42 2001 |
Name: | sue karschnick |
E-mail: | kcritters@voyger.net |
Organization: | southwest elementary school |
Location: | howell michigan |
How the site was found: | i watched his presentation on star net |
Comments: | Mr. Kohn, I watched the tape of you discussion on state
testing and felt you gave a powerful message. I will copy your outling for
my prinipal and give her the info on watching the tape of your discussion.
I agree with what you said. I teach 2nd graders and the pressure to teach
to the style and topics that are on the test is discussed with us often.
Sue K.
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Date: | Thu Mar 15 04:45:49 2001 |
Name: | Shyamasree Sen |
E-mail: | monalokhi@hotmail.com |
Organization: | KOÇ School |
Location: | Istanbul Turkey |
How the site was found: | sent by a friend |
Comments: | nothing till I can read the articles
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Date: | Wed Mar 14 22:16:22 2001 |
Name: | Michael Lile |
E-mail: | lile@indy.net |
Organization: | high school art teacher |
Location: | indianapolis |
How the site was found: | recommended by colleague |
Comments: | I am consistently amazed at your ability to undermine
wrong-minded assumptions about learning and assessment and have been
empowered by your thoughts to make significants leaps as a "learning
advisor" (my new term for teacher) and learner. My fear, however, is that
after we (educators) strip away the bad practices, we will be left with
few options because we have not been educated (or empowered) for creative
thinking. I'd like to recommend that you spend a more energy helping the
creatively disadvantaged to envision a better way by offering more
insights into what replaces our current model. I thank you for your vision
& courage!
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Date: | Wed Mar 14 13:09:43 2001 |
Name: | Janet Sichau |
E-mail: | sichzam@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Berlin,MD |
How the site was found: | Last nights lecture at Salisbury State |
Comments: | THANK YOU for the inspiring talk. I taught in the elem.
school for 16 years and am now enjoying being a mom and voluteering in the
schools. Your message last evening was terrific and exciting. It gave some
really good reasons to homeschool. I especially liked the "civil
disobedience" suggestion for the standardized test time. This morning I
was in the school early and had a chance to speak with some of the teacher
who also attended last evening. All were excited and alive with your
comments and thinking from their standpoint just how to organize and
"disobey" THANK YOU
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Date: | Wed Mar 14 10:43:03 2001 |
Name: | Stephanie |
E-mail: | spankyfish206@yahoo.com |
Organization: | Student at Salisbury State University |
Location: | Maryland |
How the site was found: | lecture at SSU |
Comments: | I attended Alfie Kohn's lecture last night and I think he
is a brilliant man. I was very pleased with what he had to say about
standardized testing. I recommend that anyone with an opportunity to
attend one of Alfie Kohn's lectures should take advantage of that.
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Date: | Wed Mar 14 10:39:06 2001 |
Name: | Linda MURRAY |
E-mail: | lmurray@trschools.org |
Organization: | Three Rivers Michigan Community Schoolw |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Wed Mar 14 09:51:06 2001 |
Name: | Jeff Havens |
E-mail: | jphavens@yahoo.com |
Organization: | (formerly with)Guilford High School |
Location: | Rockford, IL. |
How the site was found: | search engine |
Comments: | My testimony concerning standardized tests: I taught
chemistry at Guilford High School last year and did so by emphasizing the
simple concept of photon exchanges between valence electrons of atoms. It
sounds imposing but is really quite simple. It easily lends itself to
graphic illustration that students seem to enjoy. This emphasis also
serves as a springboard for us to discusss very philosophical questions
that nearly all humans are interested in answering. When did the universe
begin and when will it end? Where did atoms come from? What is a
blackhole? Is time travel possible? Why does measuring something assure
uncertainty? etc. I even showed how the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life" is
similar to quantum mechanics but on a bigger scale through the properties
of electrons! I covered all the necessary material that would be expected
of any beginning chemistry course but approached it from a different
direction. My Principal was supportive but the head science administrator
did not understand particle or quantum physics to any extent and called a
meeting in which, I and five other administrators, was to attend. In the
meeting, it was revealed that one parent's concern catalyzed this process.
The parent's concern was that some of the material I was discussing would
not be covered on the ACT exam. The science administrator also expressed
"concern" that the topics weren't relevant because that wasn't the way she
taught chemistry, in the past and that I needed to teach in a manner so
students could succeed on the new district wide standardized tests. The
meeting ended with me inviting the science administrator to observe any of
my classes at any time. She took me up on my offer and the class went well
but I she still didn't understand how the supplementary topics we were
covering were going to help students succeed on the standardized tests. At
that point, I informed her anyone else may come into my class to observe
except for her. The most memorable experience of that year was when I was
explaining "Schrodinger's Cat." It was at the end of our unit on
properties of electrons. I had tried to make it quite theatrical by
building suspense. I think I achieved that goal with just two
illustrations of a live and dead cat and asking, "What does it mean?"
After I explained its possible meanings, most students seemed impressed
and a few were in awe. Stuff like this is not covered on standardized
tests. Standardized tests really limit a teacher's creativity.
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Date: | Tue Mar 13 20:44:12 2001 |
Name: | Jacob Stultz |
E-mail: | jstultz@twcny.rr.com |
Organization: | Manlius Pebble Hill School Student |
Location: | Syracuse, NY |
How the site was found: | Referred by a friend |
Comments: | Alfie, though I agree with you that schooling should not be
based around standardized testing, I do believe that there is good reason
to have the testing. First and foremost is the subject of college
admissions. For larger universities, the admissions departments of those
schools need some form of standardized testing scores, be they accurate or
not, for the purposes of sifting through the vast numbers of applying
students. Student essays are definitely a much better indicator of
scholastic aptitude; however, many colleges simply don't have the
resources or time to read every applying student's essay. Also, there
needs to be another form of mandatory standardized testing, for public
schools at least, for the purposes of at least making sure that the
classes at the schools are at par with each other, at the very least.
There also has to be some way to make sure that the core courses in each
school have approximately the same curriculum, for the purposes of
preparing for college. Certainly schools should not be based around
improving standardized test scores, but the standardized tests still need
to be there as a general gauge of a school's performance. On the subject
of homework: The efficiency of homework in teaching is purely based on how
it is assigned. For homework assigned as a review of work done in class,
your points about homework are valid. However, some higher level courses
have homework assigned for the purpose of preparing the student for the
next class; in these cases, there is a valid reason for assigning the
homework. Another possible problem with eliminating testing, is that class
sizes would have to be much smaller than they are at present, to allow the
teacher to know his or her students well enough to judge their progress in
the course. This will require schools to hire more teachers, which many of
them quite simply don't have the money for. It would certainly be great to
be able to reduce class sizes, but in many cases it's just not feasible.
Not only that, but as much as we'd all like to wish that all teachers were
motivated and truly inspired, some just don't care about their jobs. This
new method of schooling would depend even more on not only more teachers,
but also more skilled, talented, and motivated teachers. It would be
fantastic if this could be done, but in reality, it would be immensely
difficult to find that many good faculty. Many of your ideas are great
concepts, though some of them, like many great ideas, in all likelihood
would not function as intended in the real world.
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Date: | Tue Mar 13 15:12:24 2001 |
Name: | Stephanie Wist |
E-mail: | wistst@earlham.edu |
Organization: | Earlham College |
Location: | Richmond, IN |
How the site was found: | Reading The Case Against Standardized Testing in Sociology of Education |
Comments: | Alfie, I am working on a group project that is focusing on
the role of Standardized Tests in OHIO. We are comparing this topic to how
it relates to the Supreme Court ruling that state funding is
unconstitutional. We are soliciting your help in directing us to good
sources. We are trying to research KEY interest groups (i.e gov't,
legislature, teahcers, test corporations) We would like to know how tests
scores affect funding? How much is spent on test annually in districts or
state wide. Any information you could provide would be a great help to us!
Even if it is not that relevant..it is something! Thank you for your time
and your amazing books! Stephanie Wist Earlham College Class 2002
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Date: | Tue Mar 13 09:35:39 2001 |
Name: | Robyn Carter |
E-mail: | jaroca@surfnetusa.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Felton,CA |
How the site was found: | Punished by Rewards |
Comments: | Alfie Kohn is on the cutting edge of societal change. This
theory is very much like re-evaluation counseling.
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| |
Date: | Mon Mar 12 11:05:55 2001 |
Name: | Kirstin Reynolds |
E-mail: | kkreynol@syr.edu |
Organization: | Syracuse University |
Location: | Syracuse, NY |
How the site was found: | I heard Kohn speak last week. |
Comments: | Thank you for speaking in Syracuse last Thursday. I was a
teacher at a small, public middle school in New York City and now I am
finishing up two master's degrees at S.U. I will be looking for a teaching
position in the fall, and I want to work at a school with a progressive
administration and staff. I'm looking for a school where standardized
tests are scoffed at or at least minimalized. Any suggestions? I'd also
like to do anything I can to help. I'm completely opposed to the rhetoric
that many of our leaders are pushing about testing and standards. I want
justice, but I feel like my hands are tied or not tied to the right
organizations.
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| |
Date: | Mon Mar 12 08:27:12 2001 |
Name: | Cal Roberts |
E-mail: | crobe86209@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Vancouver, Wa. 98684 |
How the site was found: | Listed in WEA article |
Comments: | Thanks for all your work to enlighten us in alternative
ways to live and learn with eachother.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Mar 11 18:22:20 2001 |
Name: | Ben Olsen |
E-mail: | bto3805195@hotmail.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Gresham, OR |
How the site was found: | My professor told me the web address |
Comments: | Thank you so much for your website. I look forward to
reading your book!
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| |
Date: | Sat Mar 10 22:54:42 2001 |
Name: | gwyneth harner |
E-mail: | gharner@bellsouth.net |
Organization: | working on starting one |
Location: | ft. lauderdale, florida |
How the site was found: | read the book The Case Against Standardized Testing |
Comments: | I've been a high school guidance counselor for 29 years. I
loved your book; it really gave me hope. Certainly, in education, things
have to change but not in the direction they are changing! As things
continue to deteriorate, in our schools, where are the guidance
counselors???? Overwhelmed with (in my case) some 700 counselees,
frequently with cafeteria duty and NOW testing!!!! With Florida's infamous
FCAT's coming up this next week, our entire staff of 7 counselors has been
blocked out, and unalbe to see any students, for 2 weeks as we count,
sort, grid and stack tests, making sure the security numbers are all in
order. Next week we will be proctoring, collecting,labeling sorting and
shipping.....(our school has almost 4000 students, so you can imagine the
logistics of this testing plague.....) Who knows what else will be going
on in our schools while we are otherwise involved! And to what end???? At
any rate, I have some rather simle ideas I'm going to pursue this summer,
when school is over for the year. Keep up the good work! It is, indeed, a
sorry mess and I want to revolt!
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Date: | Sat Mar 10 17:42:58 2001 |
Name: | Tucker Estron |
E-mail: | OtherWise@omplace.com |
Organization: | http://greenzine.homestead.com/welcome.html |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | Yahoo search |
Comments: | I've been a longtime fan of Alfie's work, and I'm glad he's
getting more attention. For the man himself: What do you think can be done
to counter the current popular superstition that genetics is destiny? I
just saw a piece on 60 Minutes that claimed that "criminal behavior" is
somehow passed along in the genetic code. The media's all over any
research pro-genetic determinism but seems to ignore the researchers who
dissent.
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| |
Date: | Fri Mar 9 14:04:43 2001 |
Name: | Rochelle Haas |
E-mail: | rockyradio@aol.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | North Canton, OH |
How the site was found: | internet search |
Comments: | I am a school psychologist who has been practicing for
almost 12 years and who is ready to throw in the towel because of the
intense testing pressures that are being brought to bear on our students.
I find myself being loaded with referrals for multifactored evals. because
teachers, principals, and parents are concerned as to how their kids will
perform on high stakes testing and they are looking for IEPs so that
modifications and exemptions can be put in place. I feel that this is out
of control. The kids who really suffer are the low average/at risk kids
who typically don't perform well on tests but who are not disabled.
Whatever has happened to common sense? It is as if these standards have
been put in place to make their creators look good. It is disingenuous and
harmful and eventually we will see what it reaps: more student apathy,
drop-outs, emotional problems, school violence, etc. I think that we are
already seeing it. I heard an analogy once that I've never forgotten: If a
farmer wants to fatten his calves, what does he do? Weigh them? Or feed
them? Same applies to our students. Although it seems at this point we're
overzealously testing rather than teaching. I say, stop the madness and
lets began to employ research-based instructional and assessment methods
that support all kids.
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| |
Date: | Fri Mar 9 10:10:17 2001 |
Name: | Cap Lee |
E-mail: | Caplee@wi.rr.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Milwaukee WI |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | Congratulations to U of California president Richard
Atkinson in his attempt to scrap SAT's. Now let's get at all the other
"word games and riddles", the standardized tests. Let children demonstrate
learning through exhibitions and portfolio assessment and others build
into the daily routine of education and designed to give feedback to
teachers and students alike. And then we have to quit lying to children
with letter grades that also say nothing Stay the course Cap
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| |
Date: | Fri Mar 9 09:43:11 2001 |
Name: | jeremy duncan |
E-mail: | jdunca@wboro.org |
Organization: | whitesboro central school district |
Location: | whitesboro, ny |
How the site was found: | listening to alfie |
Comments: | great talk.....time to mobilize!
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| |
Date: | Thu Mar 8 14:32:01 2001 |
Name: | James B. Bostick |
E-mail: | jbbostick@hotmail.com |
Organization: | NYSUT member |
Location: | Syracuse, New York |
How the site was found: | from mph.or |
Comments: | As a math teacher, I have noted the dramatic differences in
talent of math students. To me it seems obvious we are doing neither end
of the spectrum a favor by teaching to a meaningless standardize test. The
results of the test yield no information to the individuals expected to
work so hard to pass them. At least tests such as the SAT are voluntary
and give some indication of relative ability and or achievement.
|
| |
Date: | Thu Mar 8 10:18:58 2001 |
Name: | Brent Hoffos |
E-mail: | bhoffos@cap.estevan.sk.ca |
Organization: | School Principal |
Location: | Estevan, Saskatchewan |
How the site was found: | Heard Alfie speak in Bismark |
Comments: | Enjoyed the workshops at Bismark High. I have been
practicing the class meetings and I have had some success. However, I
sometimes regress to tradition methods as a survial technique. Keep
writing and we will keep reading and practicing. Thanx!
|
| |
Date: | Thu Mar 8 10:18:46 2001 |
Name: | Brent Hoffos |
E-mail: | bhoffos@cap.estevan.sk.ca |
Organization: | School Principal |
Location: | Estevan, Saskatchewan |
How the site was found: | Heard Alfie speak in Bismark |
Comments: | Enjoyed the workshops at Bismark High. I have been
practicing the class meetings and I have had some success. However, I
sometimes regress to tradition methods as a survial technique. Keep
writing and we will keep reading and practicing. Thanx!
|
| |
Date: | Wed Mar 7 20:44:44 2001 |
Name: | Robert Kloppel |
E-mail: | bckloppel@seneca24.net |
Organization: | Seneca Falls Middle School |
Location: | Seneca Falls, NY |
How the site was found: | the Syracuse Post Standard |
Comments: | Thank you, Mr. Kohn, for taking on the important task of
letting people know how the so-called "standards" are robbing education of
its life. The pressure to "teach to the test" is yet another assault on
the creativity which is crucial to real learning. It is like letting blood
to help a patient who is dying due to blood loss.
|
| |
Date: | Wed Mar 7 19:55:36 2001 |
Name: | Jean MacLeod-O'Leary |
E-mail: | pnjoleary |
Organization: | music teacher |
Location: | Syracuse, NY |
How the site was found: | You are speaking here tomorrow night, March 8, and I read about you in the newspaper |
Comments: | I just heard about you and read a few of your articles.
What do you have to say about the arts in education. I fear that as our
schools frantically push to excel on these tests, the arts may be replaced
with more study time, more academics. What do you think?
|
| |
Date: | Wed Mar 7 14:42:45 2001 |
Name: | Molly Schneider |
E-mail: | rschneid@oswego.EDU |
Organization: | None-write letters to politicians |
Location: | Oswego, NY |
How the site was found: | You gave it to me on NPR's Talk of the Region 3/7/01 on WRVO. egion |
Comments: | Thank you for all the resources, I need to write
politicians about teaching instead of "Teaching for Testing". I will hope
they will educate themselves a bit before voting blindly.
|
| |
Date: | Wed Mar 7 14:37:56 2001 |
Name: | Molly Schneider |
E-mail: | rschneid@oswego.EDU |
Organization: | None-write letters to politicians |
Location: | Oswego, NY |
How the site was found: | You gave it to me on NPR's Talk of the Region 3/7/01 on WRVO. egion |
Comments: | Thank you for all the resources, I need to write
politicians about teaching instead of "Teaching for Testing". I will hope
they will educate themselves a bit before voting blindly.
|
| |
Date: | Tue Mar 6 19:19:25 2001 |
Name: | Tommy Miles |
E-mail: | tmiles@pcoe.k12.ca.us |
Organization: | Feather River Middle School |
Location: | Portola, CA, USA |
How the site was found: | byline in Ed. Week |
Comments: | The current issue of the NASSP Bulletin deals with
"Preparing Students to Pass SOL (Standards of Learning)Tests." I was
amused by the use of the acronym "SOL." -- Shit out of luck?
|
| |
Date: | Tue Mar 6 11:31:55 2001 |
Name: | Bill Crist |
E-mail: | wcrist@oswego.org |
Organization: | Oswego City School District |
Location: | Oswego, New York |
How the site was found: | from Newspaper Article |
Comments: | Unable to attend the gathering in Syracuse on March 8th but
checked out the site for further information - very informative and
provoking! I've read "No Contest" and parts of "Rewards..." and look
forward to getting new book, "The Schools Children Deserve". Keep up the
fight for quality education. You are a Champion (aren't we all...) of
better schools!
|
| |
Date: | Mon Mar 5 11:35:03 2001 |
Name: | David Bly |
E-mail: | david.bly@nfld.k12.mn.us |
Organization: | Alternative Learning Center |
Location: | Northfield, Minnesota |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | I am working with Senator Wellstone in his effort to debate
the efficacy of high stakes tests as a single measure of accountability.
As the one member of congress who seems to understand the isssue, he needs
the help of others across the country to help him demonstrate the harm
that this kind of measure can do to students and learning. If you have
stories tesamonials or other information you can pass on to him send them
to: Sen. Paul Wellstone 136 Hart Senate office building Washington, DC
20510
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| |
Date: | Mon Mar 5 06:21:48 2001 |
Name: | Mary Ann |
E-mail: | n/a |
Organization: | parent of 2 unschoolers and 1 schooling child |
Location: | new york |
How the site was found: | from your lecture |
Comments: | I was empowered after hearing you speak in Scarsdale. The
*best* part was hearing what other people are doing across the country to
protest the use of high-stakes testing. It made me feel much less alone in
my opposition to these tests
|
| |
Date: | Sun Mar 4 16:19:00 2001 |
Name: | Gina D'Adamo |
E-mail: | GDMusic58@aol.com |
Organization: | Parent |
Location: | Millburn, NJ |
How the site was found: | The Schools our Children Deserve |
Comments: | The only Problem with reading this book is that it confirms
my instincts. I hope your books message gets into the mainstream. I wish
there was something I could do for my daughter, besides partial home
schooling, being that we don't have the finances for private. Thank you
for standing up for our children.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Mar 4 16:12:00 2001 |
Name: | Gina D'Adamo |
E-mail: | GDMusic58@aol.com |
Organization: | Millburn, NJ |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Sat Mar 3 22:41:26 2001 |
Name: | Dennis H. Heins |
E-mail: | heinsd@erols.com |
Organization: | SunRise Consulting |
Location: | Centreville, VA |
How the site was found: | Back cover of Punished by Rewards |
Comments: | As a Human Resource professional for over 30 years, I find
your management ideas very much in agreement with my experiences. Managers
focus too much on the use of money as an incentive and too little on
working with the employee to make the job intrinsically valuable.
|
| |
Date: | Sat Mar 3 10:00:40 2001 |
Name: | Pat 001 |
E-mail: | llhs20200631@sina.com |
Organization: | beihua university |
Location: | jilin china |
How the site was found: | via michigan search engine |
Comments: | I am a teacher searving as and English teacher in Beihua
University in China.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Mar 2 13:28:27 2001 |
Name: | Stephen N. Butler |
E-mail: | Stephenb@Earlham.edu |
Organization: | Earlham College |
Location: | Richmond, Indiana |
How the site was found: | The Case Against Standardized Testing |
Comments: | Am using book in my course....sociology of education.
Indications are students will love it!
|
| |
Date: | Fri Mar 2 13:01:49 2001 |
Name: | Joe Pattaphongse |
E-mail: | jpattaphongse@essentialschools.org |
Organization: | The Coalition of Essential Schools |
Location: | Oakland, CA |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | I just wanted to make sure that as many people as possible
were aware that there is a recent article in Newsweek about the UC
President's proposal to drop the SAT as an admissions requirement. Kaplan,
the test prep service, is a subsidiary of Newsweek, which also own's
Score! a test prep service for elementary-aged youth. Although I'm sure
Newsweek has some well thought out editorial policy, I can not help but
believe that their vested interest in the test prep industry influenced
the tone of their article. Additionally, I believe that the other major
"news magazines" also own subsidiary test prep companies. I'm almost
postive the US News & World Report owns the Princeton Review. This is
very discouraging, and should remind us that education encompasses more
than schooling. The mass media is arguably a major player in the education
of the US citizenry and is decidedly undemocratic. If only John Dewey had
known about the future and the mass media back in 1912, maybe he might
have included it in his formulation for Democracy and Education.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Mar 2 12:45:02 2001 |
Name: | Mary Huane |
E-mail: | mhuane@aol.co.uk |
Organization: | MA student at Central School of Speech and Drama, also teacher |
Location: | London, UK |
How the site was found: | Brought a book whilst in New York, feel it will address issues I'm studying |
Comments: | Doing a thesis on making the learner a creative and
critical thinker making use of drama pedagogy across the curriculum, found
this book and felt it discusses issues I have been exploring
|
| |
Date: | Fri Mar 2 11:18:42 2001 |
Name: | Pauline Romero |
E-mail: | romerop@setmms.tusd.k12.az.us |
Organization: | Pueblo High School |
Location: | South |
How the site was found: | TEA Newsletter dated 2/26/01 |
Comments: | I teach vocational elective classes and feel this "plague".
Faculty had to vote on a 7-period schedule next year which fortunately
passed. Otherwise there would be no periods available to offer electives
because our students will need to improve on math skills with remedial
math classes next year as well as regular math classes. It bothers me to
see the concern on some of my colleagues faces who also teach electives
before the vote was tallied if the majority hadn't approved a 7-period
schedule.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Mar 2 11:11:57 2001 |
Name: | Steve Peters |
E-mail: | steve-vscavo@nova.novanet.com |
Organization: | Scavo H.S. & Treasurer of IAAE |
Location: | Des Moines, IA |
How the site was found: | From the book: "The Schools Our Childern Deserve" |
Comments: | You are my new hero. You have put these ideas into a
language that lets me better communicate them others. We have two
conferences here in Des Moines, hopefully we can get you to one next year.
|
| |
Date: | Thu Mar 1 17:10:21 2001 |
Name: | Lisa F. Wood |
E-mail: | lwood@ups.edu |
Organization: | University of Puget Sound |
Location: | 1500 North Warner |
How the site was found: | Have Read your book "Punished by Rewards" and use it in my classes |
Comments: | I've had great success with students in my theories of
personality class and introductory psychology course using the issues
raised in your book "Punished by Rewards". The debates have been intense
and lively and have helped students to recognize when rewards are useful
and when they undermine motivation.
|
| |
Date: | Thu Mar 1 10:12:23 2001 |
Name: | Sarah Feldman |
E-mail: | sfeldman18@hotmail.com |
Organization: | Columbus Elementary |
Location: | New Rochelle |
How the site was found: | Google.com |
Comments: | I am a teacher in New Rochelle and I am currently working
towards my masters degree. I am researching classroom management and I was
wondering if you know of any other authors/professors who share the same
belief on classroom management. Thanks, Sarah
|
| |
Date: | Wed Feb 28 21:40:41 2001 |
Name: | John B. Gosek |
E-mail: | goseek13@hotmail.com |
Organization: | National Education Assoc. - Student Program |
Location: | Western New Mexico University, Silver City, NM |
How the site was found: | a friend |
Comments: | I heard Mr. Kohn was supposed to be speaking in Tucson, AZ
and I was wondering if he has already been there.If not I was trying to
find out where and when. If he has already been there does anyone know of
any other Southwestern speaking engagements he might have coming up
besides Scottsdale, AZ in late July?
|
| |
Date: | Wed Feb 28 11:27:39 2001 |
Name: | Sue Briss |
E-mail: | pabriss@mindspring.com |
Organization: | Fernbank El. PTA |
Location: | Atlanta, GA |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | Do private schools (any kind: religious, single-sex,
rigorous traditional academics, alternative, etc) obsess about taking
standardized tests as much as public schools? Folks I know whose children
attend these schools in our area of the country say "no."
|
| |
Date: | Wed Feb 28 08:41:44 2001 |
Name: | Sue Briss |
E-mail: | pabriss@mindspring.com |
Organization: | Fernbank El. PTA |
Location: | Atlanta, GA |
How the site was found: | Through an address given by Mr. Kohn |
Comments: | We were able to stop our county from giving 2
norm-referenced tests back-to-back to three grade levels! But our current
governor has just recommended a "gateway" test for several grades. I
thought even the test makers said you should not make decisions such as
whether or not to promote a child based soley on one test!
|
| |
Date: | Tue Feb 27 23:01:17 2001 |
Name: | Stephen Holz |
E-mail: | northolz@boreal.org |
Organization: | Teacher |
Location: | North-Eastern Minnesota |
How the site was found: | Search for "Alfie Kohn" |
Comments: | I am in a Masters of Education Program, and getting my
teaching credential in Math/Science/Industrial Arts (Its a long story). I
am doing my Master's thesis on the standards movement and whether it is
compatible with the Progressive education movement that has waned and
flourished in fits and starts all of the last century. I am wondering
whether Mr. Kohn has not confused the standards movement with the high
stakes testing that has unfortunately grown out of it. I am familiar with
the Vermont Framework of Standards and Learning Opportunities, the NCTM
Standards, and those of the NSF. All of these seems to have great merit,
as does the Progressive movement of Dewey, Rogers, Sizer, and so many
others. Doesn't the muck up happen when these ideas get interpreted by
people who are not thinking of the best interests of the kids? High Stakes
testing seems to have "America's" best interest in mind, with fear of
reduced power and influence as an incentive and yardstick, with with the
beat the children over the heads. I am just beginning to study this topic,
and have not yet read Mr. Kohn's book. But if you have any input on this
topic that might steer me toward a more complete picture of your stand on
standards, and not just on high stakes testing, I would sincerely
appreciate it. Sincerely, Stephen Holz
|
| |
Date: | Mon Feb 26 17:55:48 2001 |
Name: | Lisa Wilkin |
E-mail: | lwilkin@gateway.net |
Organization: | Child Development Consortium of Los Angeles |
Location: | Los Angeles, CA |
How the site was found: | on the back of "The Case Against Standardized Testing" |
Comments: | I live in California...need I say more? My second grader
takes multiple choice spelling tests! I am trying to find other people in
my area who also believe in the dangers of standardized testing so we can
help get things changed here.
|
| |
Date: | Mon Feb 26 14:28:32 2001 |
Name: | Terry Rudd |
E-mail: | TCJPENNY@AOL |
Organization: | PARENT |
Location: | CHICAGO |
How the site was found: | ARTICLE |
Comments: | I enjoyed the article attacking the "Standars Movement". In
Chicago Mayor Daley ,and CEO Vallas are now introducing a choice of 5
reading programs (voyager being one of them)in 200 of the lowest
performing elementary schools in Chicago (Black and Latin). Have you any
information about these private reading programs and their effectiveness
for our children. Thank you
|
| |
Date: | Mon Feb 26 13:54:14 2001 |
Name: | Dr. Kathleen Foster |
E-mail: | kfoster@po-box.esu.edu |
Organization: | East Stroudsburg University |
Location: | East Stroudsburg, PA |
How the site was found: | from a graduate student who heard you speak at Bucknell University |
Comments: | Would Mr. Kohn be available to speak to 100-150 public
school administrators and graduate students in school administration on
Tuesday, April 10th, 2001 at East Stroudsburg University? The University
is located approx. 3.5 hours south of Boston in northeast Pennsylvania.
Possible topic: an elaboration on his book The Schools Children Deserve
for an administration based audience. Thank you, Dr. Kathleen Foster,
Graduate Coordinator - Professional and Secondary Education, East
Stroudsburg University kfoster@po-box.esu.edu
|
| |
Date: | Sun Feb 25 22:58:01 2001 |
Name: | Frank Wright |
E-mail: | fkwright@telusplanet.net |
Organization: | Alberta Teachers' Association |
Location: | Grande Prairie Alberta Canada |
How the site was found: | ATA News |
Comments: | I am heartened to see that the whole world has not fallen
blindly in love with standardized testing up the yingyang.
|
| |
Date: | Sun Feb 25 21:56:41 2001 |
Name: | Judy |
E-mail: | history30@yahoo.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | California |
How the site was found: | PENCIL |
Comments: | Great website. Why is it when politicians, district
administrators and local school boards exalt high stakes testing, they
never consult with intelligent educators and academics who offer
alternative perspectives to school reform. Thank you Mr. Kohn....I hope to
refer your website to my school principal.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Feb 23 15:44:06 2001 |
Name: | Mugenyi Cleophus |
E-mail: | cleophusma@yahoo.com |
Organization: | Kibaale District Local Government |
Location: | Uganda. |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | I read the recent copy of Phi Delta Kappan of January 2001.
There is an article by Alfa Kohn. I have liked the information on this
website and will make best use of it. It is not easy to access the
internet in my local district which is located near the shores of Lake
Albert. So i travel to Kampala, which is 140 miles to access this service.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Feb 23 11:41:32 2001 |
Name: | Wendy Gao |
E-mail: | wgao69@netscape.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | web search |
Comments: | I would like to find some private boarding high schools
that accept international students
|
| |
Date: | Thu Feb 22 21:53:41 2001 |
Name: | valerie karczewski |
E-mail: | valerie_karczewski@ceo.cudenver.edu |
Organization: | Adams 12 Schools |
Location: | Federal Heights, Colorado |
How the site was found: | university connections |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Thu Feb 22 10:12:16 2001 |
Name: | Mary Edwards, Partners Training Coordinator |
E-mail: | medwards@healthyarkansas.com |
Organization: | Arkansas Governor's Developmental Disabilities Council |
Location: | 5800 West 10th, Suite 805; Little Rock, AR 72204 |
How the site was found: | participant in a list serve |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Thu Feb 22 01:46:14 2001 |
Name: | Diann Hampton |
E-mail: | diann@tpg.com.au |
Organization: | retired but occasional high school teacher |
Location: | Australia |
How the site was found: | In the book, Punished by Rewards |
Comments: | I've sent you an email seperately hope you get time to read
it. The book confirms all that I've thought and argued for years. Thank
you Alfie. I loved your jokes. Also one thought, the job of teaching well
is so demanding that there is no reward big enough to pay for all that
teachers do. It is true, pay teachers a fair wage and then we can forget
it and concentrate on working out what to do to enable the spark (of
remembering their own natural curiousity) to come for each child.
|
| |
Date: | Wed Feb 21 18:29:06 2001 |
Name: | bertha campbell |
E-mail: | bdcampbell@peoplepc.com |
Organization: | Head Start |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Sat Feb 17 17:17:52 2001 |
Name: | Marnie Brady |
E-mail: | mbrady@consejo.org |
Organization: | Council of Latino Agencies' applied research project |
Location: | Washington,DC |
How the site was found: | DC VOICE |
Comments: | We are looking for information about the effect of high
stakes testing on limited English speakers, who are often exempted from
taking the standards- or whose scores are not reported. Any resources and
articles to send our way?
|
| |
Date: | Sat Feb 17 04:47:59 2001 |
Name: | Bob Arons |
E-mail: | bobarons@links2wireless.com |
Organization: | Links2wireless.com |
Location: | Rockville,Md. |
How the site was found: | Washington Post Article / Jan 9, 2001 |
Comments: | Alfie, I applaud your enterprising efforts to offer
refreshing guidence on our countrys most important activity... finding the
best ways to educate and lead.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Feb 16 15:20:33 2001 |
Name: | Thomas J.Smith |
E-mail: | mailto:Home(SMITHDUGAN@centurytel.net)%20School%20(slainte@mail.spartan.org. |
Organization: | Sparta Area Independent Learning School (S.A.I.L.S.) |
Location: | 111 S.Water.St. Sparta, WI. 54656 |
How the site was found: | Had the great pleasure to listen and learn last summer in the Twin Cities at the Alternative Ed.Conf |
Comments: | Read two of your books,,, man-ole'-man sure wish you were
near by to provide our school with some most viable do's and don'ts. We
are the district's school for 6th-12th, and presently have 27 students for
two teachers and one aide. Man I love/hate it on a daily basis.
YOU--THE--MAN with me!! Slainte, Thomas J.Smith
|
| |
Date: | Fri Feb 16 14:05:57 2001 |
Name: | Kathleen Kahn |
E-mail: | kkahn@chusd.k12.ca.us |
Organization: | Coalinga-Huron Unified School District |
Location: | Coalinga, CA |
How the site was found: | ASCD |
Comments: | I saw you on the "News Hour" last night on PBS with the
gentleman from FairTest. You did a wonderful job of articulating your
point of view (and I believe the correct one). It is too bad that you
could not have been on for the entire hour.Thank you so much for the work
you do. It is encouraging.
|
| |
Date: | Fri Feb 16 13:01:11 2001 |
Name: | Julie Brown |
E-mail: | jbrown@lsswis.org |
Organization: | Lutheran Social Services |
Location: | Milwaukee, WI |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | I'm interested in whether you know of any studies published
after your 1998 piece ("Challenging Behaviorist dogma...") that examine
the effects of incentive pay on long-term work quality. I'm not aware of
any but want to be sure before I make the case to higher-ups! Please feel
free to email your response. Thanks and bravo on your first-rate thinking!
|
| |
Date: | Thu Feb 15 14:16:47 2001 |
Name: | Teresa Valenzuela |
E-mail: | tcv359@aol.com |
Organization: | New Mexico State University |
Location: | Las Cruces, NM |
How the site was found: | "The Schools Our Children Deserve" |
Comments: | I was just introduced to your work last semester. I am a
doctoral student and teach literacy method classes and secondary field
experience seminars. I am using you book this semester as a required book
for the secon.fld.exp. It is refreshing to hear from a new voice the
things that I have felt in my heart over the ten years that I taught
elementary school. I am looking forward to using your articles and other
publications in the classes that I teach and that I am enrolled in....
Muchas Gracias, Teresa Valenzuela
|
| |
Date: | Wed Feb 14 14:00:19 2001 |
Name: | Dan Seidman |
E-mail: | daniel.e.seidman@sbcusd.k12.ca.us |
Organization: | San Bernardino City Schools |
Location: | San Bernardino, CA |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Mon Feb 12 12:25:30 2001 |
Name: | robert simon |
E-mail: | robert.simon@west.boeing.com |
Organization: | boeing aircraft |
Location: | palmdale,calif |
How the site was found: | I attended your seminar in Ontario 2-9-01 |
Comments: |
|
| |
Date: | Sun Feb 11 23:12:49 2001 |
Name: | Kate B. |
E-mail: | kj@compusmart.ab.ca |
Organization: | |
Location: | Canada |
How the site was found: | from a speaking engagement |
Comments: | In regards to your book "Punished by Rewards" I wanted to
pass on this story about one of my foster children who was always "bad"
especially in school. One Christmas when he was 17 we were picking up food
donations from one of the schools for the Salvation Army. This school was
in a "better" class of neighbourhood than where we come from. This jr high
school was very generous and there were many boxes of canned goods. One of
the teachers asked two of her students to help us and in return for
helping us they would get extra credit for something. I thought it very
sad that you couldn't just ask someone to help because it was the right
thing to do. My "bad" boy had worked all night at his menial job and was
helping me pick up the food so people would have food for Christmas. That
was the only "credit" he was going to get. Thanks for your ideas and keep
them coming.
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| |
Date: | Sun Feb 11 21:23:08 2001 |
Name: | Jennifer Poole |
E-mail: | jennwordgirl@aol.com |
Organization: | Chaminade College Preparatory High School |
Location: | West Hills, CA |
How the site was found: | from Alfie Kohn's keynote presentation at CATE |
Comments: | Thank you so much for your sane and sensible voice! It was
invigorating to listen to you at the CATE conference. Your words cut
through the inanity of nearly everything that is spoken about education by
people who have no business speaking on the matter because they simply
DON'T KNOW what they are talking about. Your ideas cut through the
inherent elitism of politicians who consistently fail to understand that
learning is a process rather than a product. Your vigilance on behalf of
marginalized students, and on behalf of the teachers who endeavor to
engage them in a process of learning DESPITE the grievous inequities in
the resources available for those students, is inspiring. Thank you for
your tenacious appeal to logic and your unrelenting criticism of those for
whom logic is lost in rhetoric and a lack of firsthand experience. Thank
you for being our voice while we are in the classroom, trying to help our
students discover and use theirs.
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Date: | Sun Feb 11 18:42:10 2001 |
Name: | Robert Kostuck |
E-mail: | rjk5@dana.ucc.nau.edu |
Organization: | Northern Arizona University (student) |
Location: | Prescott, Arizona |
How the site was found: | Dogpile search engine |
Comments: | I'm a teacher education and special education student at an
extension site of Northern Arizona University. A Special Education teacher
at the NAU campus I have never met recommended Alfie Kohn as one of the
authors who gave her "inspiration." So over the winter break, I read The
Schools Our Children Deserve, and I became disillusioned. Mr. Kohn is
passionate and persuasive, and I found myself wondering why I wanted to be
a teacher, when there existed such a pervasive administrative/political
hegemony that controlled what transpired in the classroom. Now, I'm back
in the semester and the methods classes, and I also find myself inspired
and energized by the work of Mr. Kohn and other writers with a similar
outlook on American education. But why should part of the challange of
teaching be a perpetual battle between teacher autonomy and administrative
control? Why should teachers fight for the right to participate in the
decision-making processes that have such a lasting effect on the students
and the teachers themselves? I'm studying the professional/public aspects
of teaching at the moment, and I wonder if the general public mistrust
against teacher wisdom and participation is somehow connected to the fact
that the salaries of public school teachers in America are paid for
(ostensibly) by the taxpayers? I'm looking down the long tunnels of
undergraduate and graduate school, trying to imagine what the state of
public education will be like in two or four years. It looks like it is
all uphill from here; which is not bad in itself. What's bad is that it
looks really steep, with a few cliffs along the way.
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Date: | Sun Feb 11 17:53:25 2001 |
Name: | Diane Sullens |
E-mail: | diane@inland.net |
Organization: | Lake Elsinore Unified School District |
Location: | Lake Elsinore, CA |
How the site was found: | Fairtest.org |
Comments: | I was able to hear your keynote address at the conference
in Ontario this past Friday. I was very encouraged by your enthusiasm. I
was also very encouraged by the amount positive remarks I heard from other
teachers regarding becoming "active" concerning what is happening in our
classrooms because of the "testing frenzy." Our staff meeting is this
Tuesday, and I am to report on what I have heard. Needless to say, you
have given me plenty to report about!
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Date: | Sun Feb 11 16:04:40 2001 |
Name: | Reed Jackson |
E-mail: | rmcjack@mindspring.com |
Organization: | Nash/Rocky Mount Schools |
Location: | Rocky Mount, NC |
How the site was found: | from information in The Schools Our Children Deserve |
Comments: | I live and work in a state where the emphasis on high
stakes, multiple choice testing is alive and well, unfortunately. Our
students are tested more and more each year, and although the state
officials brag about "rising test scores" on the state mandated
end-of-grade and end-of-course tests, somehow I am not confident that our
kids are graduating from high school any smarter, only more test savvy! I
am currently in a doctoral program in educational leadership and I am
using your research, Mr. Kohn, a great deal as I begin my dissertation. I
commend your work and would like to challenge all educators, parents,
business leaders, school boards, etc. to look more carefully at what this
emphasis on multiple choice testing is doing to our children in the name
of accountability. It is a shame!
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Date: | Sun Feb 11 10:44:17 2001 |
Name: | Martine Imon |
E-mail: | nhimon@email.msn.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Southwestern New Hampshire |
How the site was found: | Newspaper article, Education maverick rails against tougher standards |
Comments: |
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Date: | Sun Feb 11 05:09:53 2001 |
Name: | Jacek Strzemieczny |
E-mail: | jacek@ceo.org.pl |
Organization: | Center for Citizenship Education |
Location: | Warsaw |
How the site was found: | by lookong at Education update |
Comments: | I am impressed by Alfie sharp thinking and speaking. In
Poland we are starting to straggle with this same issue Myth of improving
education by testing children and judging schools. I am thankful by early
warning. My organization is going to fight this stupidity in Poland.
Sincerely Jacek Jacek Strzemieczny Centrum Edukacji Obywatelskiej (Center
for Citizenship Education) 00-790 Warszawa ul. Willowa 9/3 www.ceo.org.pl
tel/fax +48 (22) 646 20 25 mobile: +48 601 21 80 32 jacek@ceo.org.pl
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Date: | Sat Feb 10 18:38:00 2001 |
Name: | Teri Thomas |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | Rio Linda Union School District |
Location: | Hillsdale Elementary |
How the site was found: | ASDC |
Comments: |
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Date: | Sat Feb 10 15:34:53 2001 |
Name: | April Smock |
E-mail: | April_Smock@athenian.org |
Organization: | The Athenian School |
Location: | Danville, CA. |
How the site was found: | Washington Post article |
Comments: | Your work (along with my mom's--"The Constructivist
Leader") is the inspiration behind my 15 years of teaching. Please keep up
this important work, particularly in today's educational climate. Thanks
for offering us all hope.
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Date: | Fri Feb 9 19:47:56 2001 |
Name: | Nita Duhart |
E-mail: | Duhart@lightspeed.net |
Organization: | student |
Location: | Cal State Bakersfield |
How the site was found: | searching education |
Comments: | I am a liberal studies major at CSUB, and am interested in
bettering the school system for the children that I will ultimately be
teaching. Specificly I would like to know if your protgram has any music
ie: vocal/instramental programs availible. I believe this is a benifit for
the children. Could I get some feedback reguarding the programs avialable
please?
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Date: | Fri Feb 9 17:06:12 2001 |
Name: | Manjeet Chauhan |
E-mail: | manjc@home.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | Instructor at BCIT Dawne Bringeland |
Comments: |
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Date: | Fri Feb 9 15:34:15 2001 |
Name: | jim borgschatz |
E-mail: | jborgsch@plainview.k12.mn.us |
Organization: | teacher grade 5. |
Location: | Minnesota |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | Your presentation at Winona State is terific. I have
purchased the tape and will being using it with my fellow teachers. I am
feeling horrible pressure that my students must do well on the Minnesota
Comprehensive Assessment test. I would like to see standardized tests out
of public education in Minnesota
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Date: | Thu Feb 8 23:16:52 2001 |
Name: | Warren Williams |
E-mail: | warren.williams@suhsd.k12.ca.us |
Organization: | Hilltop High School - Sweetwater District |
Location: | Chula Vista, California |
How the site was found: | Article in L.A.Times |
Comments: | I'm driving up to listen to and meet you tomorrow in
Ontario at CATE. I believe in your message and want to begin seriously
stirring the waters of educational reform in San Diego County.
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Date: | Thu Feb 8 19:03:05 2001 |
Name: | Fred Shreenan |
E-mail: | fshreena@epsb.edmonton.ab.ca |
Organization: | Edmonton Public Schools |
Location: | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
How the site was found: | attended presentation in Edmonton |
Comments: | I found your insights into the nature of standardized
testing to be thought- provoking, inspiring and a 'call to action' for all
stakeholders in the education of our youth. I was also pleasantly
surprised to hear an American educator speak knowledgably about our
national and provincial education programs instead of framing all
references in a 'USA' context. Thankyou. Please come again!
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Date: | Thu Feb 8 03:08:01 2001 |
Name: | Dennis Berg |
E-mail: | dberg@nsd.org |
Organization: | Northshore School District |
Location: | Bothell Washington |
How the site was found: | Just thought Alfie had a site and there it was!!! |
Comments: | I am kindergarten teacher in the Northshore School district
in Bothell Washington. I have taught this grade level for 24. I am also a
adjunct professor for Seattle Pacific University in Seattle Washington. As
an Adjunct professor I create and provide staff develop classes for K-12
educators in school districts around Western Washington. One of the
courses I have created revolves around Alfie's video set and book From
Compliance To Community. I have also been applying Alfie's beliefs about
rewards, punishments, compliance, and community for the past 6 years in my
kindergarten classroom. This started 6 years ago when a parent gave me a
copy of Alfie's book Punishment by Rewards. Thank you Kit Vargus, as this
was the best gift a parent has ever given me and my students. Kit did this
because a group of parents were unhappy with my discipline approach in my
classroom. Punishment by Rewards was the hardest book I have ever read.
This was because 90% of what it said was inappropriate, I was doing in my
classroom. But most important, the research was there to back up Alfie's
claim! Rather than beat myself up over this, I said "O.K. you were doing
the best you could with the information you had at the time, but now it
was time to move forward with new information" and I did. This was a
difficult 6 year because old habits are hard to break. Some days it was
one step forward and 5 steps back. But now, 6 years later I truly believe
that discipline means to mentor and teach children how make better choices
in the future and not punishment. The best part of the research Alfie has
compiled is that it gives parents and educators a different choice from
the behaviorist approach of rewards and punishment. Thank You Alfie, as I
love teaching again and 6 years ago I was thinking about leaving the
profession!!!!!!! Dennis Berg dberg@nsd.org
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Date: | Wed Feb 7 13:42:25 2001 |
Name: | Mary VanCoons |
E-mail: | |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Wed Feb 7 09:41:15 2001 |
Name: | Piyaporn S. |
E-mail: | angeljeab@hotmail.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: |
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Date: | Tue Feb 6 16:27:02 2001 |
Name: | Carol Higgins |
E-mail: | chiggins@remc11.k12.mi.us |
Organization: | Middle School Teacher |
Location: | Marcellus, Michigan |
How the site was found: | ASCD Conference |
Comments: | This is the 12th year that I have administered the MEAP
test and the pressure is worse every year. Every educator that I talk to
locally feels negatively about it. Unfortunately, the state keeps raising
the bar and attaching more strings. I need to connect with more teachers
who are willing to take action, not just complain that, "There's nothing
we can do."
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Date: | Tue Feb 6 12:41:32 2001 |
Name: | Harriet Brown |
E-mail: | hnbrown@gdinet.com |
Organization: | |
Location: | Madison, WI |
How the site was found: | friend |
Comments: | I'm an advocacy writer and parent who is passionately
concerned about education. Right now I'm writing a magazine piece on
"accountability," and I have found this web site to be very helpful.
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Date: | Mon Feb 5 16:48:11 2001 |
Name: | Barbar J. Filar |
E-mail: | bjfilar@bellatlantic.net |
Organization: | Relay Middle Schol |
Location: | Relay. MD.21227 |
How the site was found: | friend |
Comments: | I teach a multi grade class of middle schoolers. This is my
second year here although I have been teaching forever (it seems). I am
more accustomed to younger students. This group is a challenge for me. I
feel as if I am falling into the rotten teacher syndrome - the horror of
everyone!- I am anxious to read your books. I not only want to be a better
teacher for these kids but I do strive - note I am trying!- to help them
to be critical thinkers, to care about learning and not about grades. I
feel so overwhelmed! Your books sound like the tonic I need to forge
ahead! I see also that you will be in Salisbury in March. I live 2 hours
away - not sure I can make this lecture but I will keep an eye out for
something closer to Baltimore in the future. Thanking you in advance!
Barbara Filar
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Date: | Mon Feb 5 00:13:09 2001 |
Name: | Donna Melvin |
E-mail: | Dmelvin@hpsd48.ab.ca |
Organization: | E.G.Wahlstrom Elementary School |
Location: | Slave Lake, Alberta. Canada |
How the site was found: | Via Mr. Kohn's recent lecture in Edmonton, AB |
Comments: | Dear Mr. Kohn: Having recently had the privelage of hearing
you speak in Edmonton, Alberta, I wish to take this opportunity to THANK
YOU for the wonderful, inspirational message you delivered regarding the
education of our children. I especially appreciated your statement
regarding: "Should you pass a classroom where there is silence, open the
door and ask why there is no learning occurring here?" As a new
adminstrator in a very large elementary school, I am challenged with new
teachers who are very progressive in their thoughts about education, and
mature teachers who wish to stay with a traditional model of delivery.
Again, thank you for words which have helped to clarify that we are going
in the right direction! Donna Melvin
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Date: | Sun Feb 4 19:13:20 2001 |
Name: | Amei Cheng |
E-mail: | acheng@pac.bluecross.ca |
Organization: | |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | Referred from Instructore |
Comments: |
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Date: | Sun Feb 4 16:25:19 2001 |
Name: | Maris Bentley |
E-mail: | mbentley@esu10.org |
Organization: | Sumner-Eddyville-Miller Public School |
Location: | Sumner, Nebraska |
How the site was found: | Through Nebr. Dept. of Education |
Comments: | I do a lot of reading about education. Your books have
always been illuminating and inspiring. Hope I have the chance to hear you
speak someday.
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Date: | Sun Feb 4 11:54:48 2001 |
Name: | Karen Larimore |
E-mail: | Klarim@aol.com |
Organization: | teacher 4th and 5th grade |
Location: | Louisville, Ky. |
How the site was found: | ASCD Education Update |
Comments: | All I am allowed to do by my principal is to teach the
test. I am heart broken by what I am forced to do to children. There are
no "teachable moments" and I am not instilling a love of learning. The
pressure on teachers and students is horrible. What can I do to help stop
this insanity?
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Date: | Sun Feb 4 11:31:45 2001 |
Name: | gaynne leachman |
E-mail: | leachmandg@aol |
Organization: | san juan unified schools |
Location: | |
How the site was found: | ascd newsletter (1/ 200l) |
Comments: | tho' i'm not "politically inclined" i'm certainly going to
spread the word via your articles.
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Date: | Sun Feb 4 10:33:17 2001 |
Name: | Nora Juarros |
E-mail: | juarros@dakotacom.net |
Organization: | Tucson Unified School District |
Location: | Tucson, AZ |
How the site was found: | from presentation |
Comments: | Was present at the talk you gave at the Westin La Paloma.
Totally inspired and reinforced about my beliefs regarding testing
especially with young children. Will we ever win the battle?
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Date: | Sat Feb 3 13:34:40 2001 |
Name: | Joan Cunningham |
E-mail: | CunninghamJ@ecs.edmonton.ab.ca |
Organization: | Edmonton Catholic Schools |
Location: | Edmonton, AB |
How the site was found: | attended your lecture, Fri, Feb.2/01 |
Comments: | Wonderful presentation - thank you! I had my own grade 12
year ruined by provincial exams in the 50's in BC. While my friends in the
advanced literature course were having great fun performing Shakespeare's
plays and those of other great writers, we in the Catholic Schools enjoyed
no recognition from the govt. of BC, and so had to sit all the exams. We
had a steady diet of rewriting old exams and memorizing soliloquies
complete with punctuation marks. I've only recently overcome my aversion
to Shakespeare. Now that's a tragedy!
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Date: | Thu Feb 1 21:39:40 2001 |
Name: | ben |
E-mail: | ben@hotmail.com |
Organization: | peta |
Location: | newport |
How the site was found: | yahoo |
Comments: | hello
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Date: | Thu Feb 1 17:13:35 2001 |
Name: | Gerald Brown |
E-mail: | gbrown@educationminnesota.org |
Organization: | Education Minnesota |
Location: | Duluth,Minnesota |
How the site was found: | |
Comments: | I enjoyed the message,at the bargaining conference in
reference to alternative compensation for teachers. "Pay them well" and
free them up to do what they are paid to do, Teach.
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Date: | Thu Feb 1 15:40:37 2001 |
Name: | William J. Haring |
E-mail: | bharing@educationminnesota.org |
Organization: | Education Minnesota |
Location: | St. Paul, MN |
How the site was found: | Colleague recommendation |
Comments: | Mr. Kohn, Thanks for your two presentations at our
bargaining conference last weekend. I found your insights to be
provocative, as well as motivating. I especially admire the passion you
bring to the issues you espouse. Thanks. I am looking to follow other work
by you.
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Date: | Thu Feb 1 11:59:43 2001 |
Name: | Liana Clarkson |
E-mail: | lclarso@mpsaz.org |
Organization: | Mesa Public Schools |
Location: | Mesa, Arizona |
How the site was found: | Article in ASCD magazine |
Comments: | I read the article "Education in a Dark Time". A voice of
reason in the midst of this clamor for "raising the bar" Olympic style.
What can I do? Liana Clarkson, teacher and parent
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