Author. Educator. Father. World Traveler. EdwardFBerger.com is where I share my insights into the world of education.
The second edition of Vital Lies will be available soon as a free download!
What I am hearing: Tell us what you do. Don’t assume that we know. Each teacher has an obligation to explain to parents and the community what it is they do and why they do it. We want public schools with complete curriculum and all extracurricular activities. Keep evolving the public schools and curriculum away from the old production line models developed for a factory…
Edward R. Murrow once said: “I am in a financial morass from which I am unable to extricate myself.” Many States are in a political morass as a result of a planned assault on America. The question is, how do we extricate ourselves? In Arizona, one of the most corrupt states, leaders are emerging who know how. They use facts and data, and social media…
“We did not declare this war, but we have to win it.” Diane Ravitch 1. Define what is worth saving Parents across America are fighting for quality education. There are many options, but only one addresses the needs of the complete child: Comprehensive Education. What is that? It is a well-balanced curriculum like the curricula found in public schools that introduces every child to the…
For many years, I have written about the charter school movement. As you know, I label the majority of these schools “Partial Schools,” because they deprive students of a comprehensive, interdisciplinary curriculum. They discount the need for teacher certification and experience, and they duplicate many services and programs the taxpayers are already providing. What happened that created a chaos of charter schools? The Koch-ALEC machine…
IS EDUCATION REALLY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS TO All CHILDREN? If so, where are the follow-up studies of those dropped on their heads by the schools? We don’t have information – at least not in any district or charter schools I know of – about the kids pushed out of schools. We like to call them “dropouts,” but they really are “push outs.” For whatever reason,…
The Obama administration, and especially Arne Duncan, dealt a blow to educators, parents and educated citizens when they sided with corporations like Pearson, and those who believe a punishing blow to teachers and public community schools will improve American education. The USDOE is now an agency without credibility, driven by ideologies that are not based in reality. For example, pushing the false belief that bad…
There are questions we don’t ask because…? Maybe we never thought about the possibilities and couldn’t form the question. Or, maybe we thought about the possibilities and decided that what we imagined couldn’t happen – even if the changes wrought would make a significant contribution. This is a true story, my story as a young educator who explored that space between Thinking About The Possibilities,…
Many communities are fighting to save their public schools. When the administrators and elected board members interface with their communities to pass bond issues or stop the drain of students pulled away by partial schools, they assume everyone knows they are fighting for kids. That must be the reason they don’t focus on education issues. They focus on the things they deal with and understand….
To get the most out of this blog, view Ted Talks 2011 – Knowledge Is Power. #1: Sir Ken Robinson; and #5: Salman Kahn, and the Kahn Academy. I selected these two excellent presentations for many reasons, but the most important reveal is when Bill Gates comes on stage with Salman Kahn. His reaction and comments – those of a major player in the reform…
A majority of those who hold the power and wealth of our nation run their coercive top-down empires as personal wealth and power generators. They see themselves as decision makers who should shape the world (i.e., similar to the ‘rule of the few’ model used in China). They believe in their system of unquestioned force-based rule. They believe that that the American Constitutional system of…