tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post255952976104668397..comments2024-03-09T03:28:44.216-05:00Comments on Thoughts on Education Policy: Steven Brill Wrote a Really Bad ArticleCorey Bunje Bowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09764159604965707919noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-10561981155891113192009-09-09T23:26:28.743-04:002009-09-09T23:26:28.743-04:00Yes, this was a hatched job. Not up to New Yorker ...Yes, this was a hatched job. Not up to New Yorker standards.<br /><br />You ask a good question. How WILL the other teachers be given merit pay?<br /><br />There is great concern among the teaching ranks as to how "Race to the Top", Obama's merit pay scheme, will play out. If scores are attached to the teacher giving the test, that would be vastly unfair. If the test is given in second period on language, math and science skills, the second period orchestra teacher is likely to get a windfall since orchestra students are generally the higher scoring kids. Yet the orchestra teacher is not their language, math or science teacher. Perhaps during second period, the excellent math teacher happens to have her low end class who don't score as well; she doesn't get credit for the job she's doing with the orchestra kids in her fifth period class.<br /><br />Remember Mark Twain. There are three kind of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.Richardnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-87979687387097182432009-09-04T12:42:12.898-04:002009-09-04T12:42:12.898-04:00Excellent dismantling. Thanks.Excellent dismantling. Thanks.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04089587797789660734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-7274636906827346952009-09-04T12:41:36.922-04:002009-09-04T12:41:36.922-04:00You've hit the nail on the head with this one....You've hit the nail on the head with this one. I was particularly annoyed with the way he cavalierly cited statistics without acknowledging the arguments against them or their recognized flaws. Your analysis of the problems with the school rating system adroitly points out how the use of test scores may cause more problems for the DOE down the road. But lets not make Brill the only target for our frustration. He's merely a businessman and a lawyer who dabbles in journalism. I was particularly bothered by the way this slanted article with so many obvious flaws was able to make it as a featured piece in The New Yorker.Sasha M. Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09355279772396466142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5458172893016186479.post-71130699255867866452009-09-04T11:34:26.235-04:002009-09-04T11:34:26.235-04:00Bravo, Corey! Very well stated. I couldn't eve...Bravo, Corey! Very well stated. I couldn't even get through half of that article, so thanks for a cogent reply!JSShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03021819001984170463noreply@blogger.com