The Case Against “Tougher Standards” By Alfie Kohn People who talk about educational “standards” use the term in different ways. Sometimes they’re referring to guidelines for teaching, the implication being that we should change the nature of instruction — a horizontal shift, if you will. (In the case of the standards drafted by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics … Read More
Getting Hit on the Head Lessons (#)
EDUCATION WEEK September 7, 2005 Getting Hit on the Head Lessons Justifying Bad Educational Practices as Preparation for More of the Same By Alfie Kohn Suppose you have a negative reaction to a certain educational practice but you’re unable to come up with any good reasons to justify your opposition. All is not lost: You can always play the “human … Read More
Emphasis on Testing Leads to Sacrifices in Other Areas (**)
USA Today August 21, 2001 Emphasis on Testing Leads to Sacrifices in Other Areas By Alfie Kohn Even as teachers ready their lesson plans for the new school year, they are keeping a wary eye on Washington, D.C. A congressional conference committee next month is expected to hammer out a version of President Bush’s plan to require standardized testing for … Read More
First Lesson: Unlearn How We Learned (commentary)
WASHINGTON POST October 10, 1999 First Lesson: Unlearn How We Learned By A Look At . . . Getting Back to Basics Alfie Kohn We are facing an educational emergency in this country. You’ve heard that claim before, of course, but this time there’s a twist: Much of the current crisis is the result of policies enacted in the name … Read More
Why Students Lose When Tougher Standards Win: A Conversation with Alfie Kohn
EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP September 1999 Why Students Lose When Tougher Standards Win A Conversation with Alfie Kohn If students are to help design their own learning experiences and if teachers are to be free to develop a curriculum on the basis of their students’ needs, schools must buck the “Tougher Standards” movement, author Alfie Kohn says. John O’Neil and Carol Tell … Read More