About Author: Tom Staly

Posts by Tom Staly

  • Karl F. Kuhn, author of the Conceptual Mathematics program and the series of articles about standardized testing which has been featured here examines the concept of multiple intelligences developed by Howard Gardner.  Excerpts from this article: Recent research has led to a recognition that should have been obvious all along, that intelligence is not a single concept, but that there are many types of intelligence within the human mind. This recognition has been termed “Multiple Intelligences.” …America places inconsistent emphasis on the intelligences. In school, language and math are the two most emphasized intelligences, but interpersonal and kinesthetic tend to be unsupported, even opposed. …It is best not to reduce any multidimensional, complex system, such as intelligence, to a single number. Go to this link to read the complete article: http://conceptualmath.org/philo/assessment.html   Go to this link for the series of...

    IQ vs. Multiple Intelligences and Assessment

    Posted on January 29, 2012 | No Comments
    Karl F. Kuhn, author of the Conceptual Mathematics program and the series of articles about standardized testing which has been featured here examines the concept of multiple intelligences developed by Howard Gardner.  Excerpts from this article: Recent research has led to a recognition that should have been obvious all along, that intelligence is not a single concept, but that there are many types of intelligence within the human mind. This recognition has been termed “Multiple Intelligences.” …America places inconsistent emphasis on the intelligences. In school, language and math are the two most emphasized intelligences, but interpersonal and kinesthetic tend to be unsupported, even opposed. …It is best not to reduce any multidimensional, complex system, such as intelligence, to a single number. Go to this link to read the complete article: http://conceptualmath.org/philo/assessment.html   Go to this link for the series of...

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  •                                                   Tri-City Herald Editorial Comments at this link: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/25/1800190/voters-should-approve-their-local.html    

    Kennewick School District Levy Election

    Posted on January 26, 2012 | No Comments
                                                      Tri-City Herald Editorial Comments at this link: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/25/1800190/voters-should-approve-their-local.html    

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  • The Tri-City Herald recently endorsed charter school legislation in Washington then invited readers to offer their opinions.  The editorial and selected responses are linked below. The Herald editorial: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/17/1790103/its-time-to-take-a-look-at-charter.html  Bob Valiant: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795533/fast-focus-meet-the-lemmings.html  Kathy White:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795526/fast-focus-we-dont-need-charter.html Greg Fancher:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795534/fast-focus-look-beyond-propaganda.html  William Pennell:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795525/fast-focus-not-the-answer.html  Daniel Bell:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795538/fast-focus-giving-charters-low.html Sandra Smith: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795537/fast-focus-different-learning.html Judy Golberg: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795536/fast-focus-no-to-charter-schools.html  

    Charter School Debate in Tri-Cities

    Posted on January 24, 2012 | 4 Comments
    The Tri-City Herald recently endorsed charter school legislation in Washington then invited readers to offer their opinions.  The editorial and selected responses are linked below. The Herald editorial: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/17/1790103/its-time-to-take-a-look-at-charter.html  Bob Valiant: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795533/fast-focus-meet-the-lemmings.html  Kathy White:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795526/fast-focus-we-dont-need-charter.html Greg Fancher:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795534/fast-focus-look-beyond-propaganda.html  William Pennell:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795525/fast-focus-not-the-answer.html  Daniel Bell:  http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795538/fast-focus-giving-charters-low.html Sandra Smith: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795537/fast-focus-different-learning.html Judy Golberg: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2012/01/22/1795536/fast-focus-no-to-charter-schools.html  

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  • 2011 was our first full year of reporting and we are proud of our results.  This site has established a place for local citizens to publish their ideas about education to a wider audience and enables anyone to comment on featured articles. Now for 2011’s top 12 - 12. In January the Tri-City Herald reported the existence of KSD Citizens. Link:  http://ksdcitizens.org/2011/01/16/advocate-group-keeps-tabs-on-kennewick-schools/   11. The Tri-City Herald as “The Voice of the Mid-Columbia” did not accept our invitation to investigate the development of the Children’s Reading Foundation and the improper fiscal relationship between the foundation and the Kennewick School District.  This is a story which has yet to be completed. We believe Kennewick families and taxpayers deserve to know the details of this story and expect the Herald to fulfill its mission in that regard.  Meanwhile, we will continue to...

    KSD Citizens Top 12 Stories for 2011

    Posted on January 8, 2012 | No Comments
    2011 was our first full year of reporting and we are proud of our results.  This site has established a place for local citizens to publish their ideas about education to a wider audience and enables anyone to comment on featured articles. Now for 2011’s top 12 - 12. In January the Tri-City Herald reported the existence of KSD Citizens. Link:  http://ksdcitizens.org/2011/01/16/advocate-group-keeps-tabs-on-kennewick-schools/   11. The Tri-City Herald as “The Voice of the Mid-Columbia” did not accept our invitation to investigate the development of the Children’s Reading Foundation and the improper fiscal relationship between the foundation and the Kennewick School District.  This is a story which has yet to be completed. We believe Kennewick families and taxpayers deserve to know the details of this story and expect the Herald to fulfill its mission in that regard.  Meanwhile, we will continue to...

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  • Excerpts from this article: Over the last few years America has invested a great amount of talk into the low quality of education. Most of this talk focuses on teachers. Teacher accountability programs have been mandated by NCLB and created in almost every state. However, as we shall review below, most of the major decisions affecting the quality of education are not made by teachers. …Education is primarily top-down. Politicians and administrators make the decisions about the methods, the curriculum, and the goals. They give teachers mandates. Teachers are frequently not permitted to draw on their training and experience to contribute to the decisions about curriculum, methods, or student needs. …This top-down approach is plagued by fads and constant reform. …NCLB and other reforms place increasing pressure on educators to teach all students the same material – regardless of the...

    Can We Be Confident In Standardized Test Results? – Part 9

    Posted on January 4, 2012 | 1 Comment
    Excerpts from this article: Over the last few years America has invested a great amount of talk into the low quality of education. Most of this talk focuses on teachers. Teacher accountability programs have been mandated by NCLB and created in almost every state. However, as we shall review below, most of the major decisions affecting the quality of education are not made by teachers. …Education is primarily top-down. Politicians and administrators make the decisions about the methods, the curriculum, and the goals. They give teachers mandates. Teachers are frequently not permitted to draw on their training and experience to contribute to the decisions about curriculum, methods, or student needs. …This top-down approach is plagued by fads and constant reform. …NCLB and other reforms place increasing pressure on educators to teach all students the same material – regardless of the...

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  • Excerpts from this article: …Schools pay much lip service to student-centered education lately.  However, actions taken by schools and school administrators frequently run contrary to actually supporting student-centered learning.  So, to raise awareness of student-centered education, we provide the assessments of schools and classrooms below.  …Student-centered learning does have risks, but so do the alternatives.  We do not have enough resources to be fully aware of each student’s individual optimums, or to teach each student according to his individual optimum.  Demanding perfect student-centered approaches from teachers will overwhelm them with more work than they can possibly do. …when schools demand curriculum-centered or test-centered learning, teaching tends to focus on the lowest cognitive levels. Students tend to get treated as tests-scores and academic rank, not as individuals. Students tend to gain knowledge without gaining understanding.

    Can We Be Confident In Standardized Test Results? – Part 8

    Posted on December 19, 2011 | No Comments
    Excerpts from this article: …Schools pay much lip service to student-centered education lately.  However, actions taken by schools and school administrators frequently run contrary to actually supporting student-centered learning.  So, to raise awareness of student-centered education, we provide the assessments of schools and classrooms below.  …Student-centered learning does have risks, but so do the alternatives.  We do not have enough resources to be fully aware of each student’s individual optimums, or to teach each student according to his individual optimum.  Demanding perfect student-centered approaches from teachers will overwhelm them with more work than they can possibly do. …when schools demand curriculum-centered or test-centered learning, teaching tends to focus on the lowest cognitive levels. Students tend to get treated as tests-scores and academic rank, not as individuals. Students tend to gain knowledge without gaining understanding.

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  • CCS adopted July 20, 2011. Now what?

    The Common Core State Standards Adopted In Washington State

    Posted on December 14, 2011 | 2 Comments
    CCS adopted July 20, 2011. Now what?

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  • Excerpts from this article:  …We have had a full decade of No Child Left Behind, and we now know that the law has been a disaster. …Now we know the results of this absurd law. More than 80% of our schools have been labeled failing schools. By the year 2014, nearly 100% of our schools will be considered failures. Has any other national legislature in history ever passed a law guaranteed to label every single one of its schools a failure? I don’t know of any.  …Let’s be clear about what NCLB has really accomplished: It has convinced the media and major philanthropies and Wall Street hedge fund managers that American public education is a failure and that radical solutions are required.  …We have now had ten years of No Child Left Behind, and we now know that there has...

    Diane Ravitch Knows How to Improve Public Education

    Posted on December 12, 2011 | 1 Comment
    Excerpts from this article:  …We have had a full decade of No Child Left Behind, and we now know that the law has been a disaster. …Now we know the results of this absurd law. More than 80% of our schools have been labeled failing schools. By the year 2014, nearly 100% of our schools will be considered failures. Has any other national legislature in history ever passed a law guaranteed to label every single one of its schools a failure? I don’t know of any.  …Let’s be clear about what NCLB has really accomplished: It has convinced the media and major philanthropies and Wall Street hedge fund managers that American public education is a failure and that radical solutions are required.  …We have now had ten years of No Child Left Behind, and we now know that there has...

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