For anyone interested, I’m about to do a live chat about Michelle Rhee and the future of DCPS. If you have a question or an idea, click here. The conversation will run from 10:oo-10:30am EST.
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Tag Archives: DCPS
Questions for the Next Schools Chancellor
Today, presumptive-next-mayor Vincent Gray will meet with presumptive-ex- chancellor Michelle Rhee to discuss the future of DC public schools.
In a way, this is a lose-lose meeting for both. As Rhee has made clear in her typically tin-eared style, she is skeptical Gray shares her commitment to a particular set of reforms. Meanwhile, Gray’s ultimate decision about Rhee is guaranteed to disappoint a significant percentage of his electorate – either those who voted for him to register their disapproval of Fenty’s and Rhee’s style of leadership, or those who voted against him to see her reign continue.
This puts Mr. Gray in a bit of a pickle, but he might as well use the opportunity to think about the essential questions he would want to ask any potential candidate to be the next Schools Chancellor. Here are five he might want to consider:
The (DC) Odyssey
A decade ago this month, I taught The Odyssey to a 9th grade classroom for the last time. Today, I’m reminded of Homer’s central lessons – now nearly 3,000 years old – as I watch Adrian Fenty’s tenure as DC mayor speed towards a potentially spectacular, and tragic, end.
I mean ‘tragic’ the ways the Greeks did – as a form of art based on human suffering in which some people find pleasure, but all people find wisdom and insight. And although the election is still a week away, no doubt political scientists are already scrambling to understand why a young leader who, just four years ago, began a presumptively-lengthy reign of the nation’s capitol by winning every single precinct, may now soon be out of work.
Categories: Leadership, Learning, Organizational Change
Tags: adrian fenty, collective capacity, DCPS, Homer, michelle rheee, The Odyssey
2 CommentsShould She Stay or Should She Go? Michelle Rhee and the Upcoming DC Election
It’s almost election season in DC, which means I need to decide once and for all if Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee – and, by extension, Mayor Adrian Fenty – deserve another four years at the helm.
Here are the arguments as I see them:
Categories: Assessment, Equity, Leadership, Learning, Organizational Change, Teacher Quality
Tags: collective capacity, DCPS, Learning, michelle rhee
13 CommentsThe Inspired Mindset — Starting a School, Part III
This morning, over orange juice, coffee and red grapes in the theater room of the Capital City Public Charter School, a small group of interested educators, scholars and citizens listened as Center for Inspired Teaching’s Director of Teaching and Learning, Julie Sweetland, explained what makes the Center’s work so powerful. Inspired Teaching is the entity [...]
Categories: Learning, Teacher Quality
Tags: Center for Inspired Teaching, DCPS, Learning, Starting a School, teacher training, teaching
Leave a commentMore Tests on the Way in DC?
In yesterday’s Washington Post, reporter Bill Turque wrote that Michelle Rhee is seeking an outside contractor to help dramatically expand DCPS’ use of standardized tests, so that every grade from K through 12 will have some form of assessment to measure student progress and teacher effectiveness. Is this what happens when we pray too long [...]
Categories: Assessment, Leadership, Learning
Tags: balanced scorecard, DCPS, Learning, michelle rhee, testing, thurgood marshall academy
1 CommentWhy Send My Son to Public School?
Earlier this week, Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee announced the latest hopeful sign for D.C.’s public schools – a spike in citywide student reading and math scores. “We’re thrilled at the progress we’ve made this year,” said Rhee. “We still have an incredibly long way to go.” I’m grateful for the early improvements in the D.C. [...]
Categories: Assessment, Equity, Learning
Tags: balanced scorecard, DCPS, inspectorates, Learning, michelle rhee, NAEP, NCLB, test scores
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