Educator Marion Brady offers us some words to chew over:
“Kids can’t be taught to think better using tests that can’t measure how well they think.
The logic should be obvious. What gets tested gets taught. Complex thinking skills -- skills essential to survival--can’t be tested, so they don’t get taught. That failure doesn’t simply rise to the level of a problem. It’s unethical.”
Test-based accountability has taken our schools and made it their central mission to increase test scores. No Child Left Behind did this through labeling of entire schools as failures, and the Obama administration has doubled down, having states tie teacher pay and evaluations to test scores.
Teachers are in an inescapable ethical bind. We know that the tests do not measure critical thinking.
As a science teacher, I believe that the essence of science is the exploration of the natural world. It is all about inquiry: asking good questions, and then using all the tools we can muster to investigate and answer those questions.
To get a student to behave as a scientist, the key is to put them in the role of a scientist. Challenge them with open-ended questions. Find out what THEY are curious about and inspire them to wrestle with that so they can truly understand it.
FP: Critical thinking is critical not only for being a scientist, but for a properly functioning democracy. Those who are familiar with my writings know that I ascribe the decline of the West to the destruction of education and its replacement with indoctrination, including for tests. We end up with a gullible public uninformed, unable to reason critically and independently, manipulated by the political and economic class. But that is precisely what the kleptocratic corporate welfare state needs.Teachers are in an inescapable ethical bind. We know that the tests do not measure critical thinking.
As a science teacher, I believe that the essence of science is the exploration of the natural world. It is all about inquiry: asking good questions, and then using all the tools we can muster to investigate and answer those questions.
To get a student to behave as a scientist, the key is to put them in the role of a scientist. Challenge them with open-ended questions. Find out what THEY are curious about and inspire them to wrestle with that so they can truly understand it.
'PA hasn't heard clear US rejection of UN statehood bid'
US opposition has only been delivered through mediators, Abbas says, adding Palestinian Authority doesn't want a clash with America; urges “popular and unarmed resistance against occupation."
FP: The PA is playing the Obama administration like a violin. I warned when the PA first raised the UN option to be skeptical about the US veto. Just don’t be surprised if Obama works something out with the PA and EU at Israel’s expense. Don’t rely on Congress to prevent it. It is too busy with America’s own problems and the election.Elliott Abrams: Will The Arab League Pay For Palestine?
Will the Arab League pay up?
Because donors are not meeting their pledges, the Palestinian Authority is nearly broke and cannot meet its payroll. The PA told a specially convened session of the Arab League today that it needs an immediate injection of $300 million. Already, PA employees are on half salary.
This is not because the United States or the EU is failing to support the PA financially, nor because Israel is failing to pass on withheld tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA; the US, EU, and Israel are meeting their commitments. It is solely because Arab states are not paying up, as PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has candidly pointed out.
And yesterday PA foreign minister Riad al-Maliki said the same thing: “The importance of the meeting is that it has become urgent that the Arab countries meet their financial obligations, particularly given the looming possibility that the Palestinian Authority will be unable to pay salaries for this current month and the next one, which is Ramadan.”
This is a simple and quick test of the oil-rich Gulf states, and especially Saudi Arabia. With crude oil in the area of $100 a barrel, it is not a measure of their financial ability; they have the money. And that being the case, this is a far better test than speeches and UN votes of just how committed to Palestinian progress they really are.
FP: It is also one of the tests of the readiness of the Palestinians for a state, which it blatantly fails, like all others. But why should the Arabs pay when the West is pumping jizziya and bankrupts itself in the process? It’s better than Jihad.Because donors are not meeting their pledges, the Palestinian Authority is nearly broke and cannot meet its payroll. The PA told a specially convened session of the Arab League today that it needs an immediate injection of $300 million. Already, PA employees are on half salary.
This is not because the United States or the EU is failing to support the PA financially, nor because Israel is failing to pass on withheld tax revenues it collects on behalf of the PA; the US, EU, and Israel are meeting their commitments. It is solely because Arab states are not paying up, as PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has candidly pointed out.
And yesterday PA foreign minister Riad al-Maliki said the same thing: “The importance of the meeting is that it has become urgent that the Arab countries meet their financial obligations, particularly given the looming possibility that the Palestinian Authority will be unable to pay salaries for this current month and the next one, which is Ramadan.”
This is a simple and quick test of the oil-rich Gulf states, and especially Saudi Arabia. With crude oil in the area of $100 a barrel, it is not a measure of their financial ability; they have the money. And that being the case, this is a far better test than speeches and UN votes of just how committed to Palestinian progress they really are.
'US paying salaries for jailed Palestinian terrorists'
Media watchdog tells congressmen PA spends over $5 million a month from US-provided budget in salaries to terrorists in Israeli prisons.
FP: Intentionally or not, the US funds Palestinian genocidal war on Israel. And it does it while bankrupting itself.Elder of Ziyon: 10 Unknown West Bank facts (VIDEO)
FP: If only the world cared for the truth the Palestinians would have no legs to stand on.
Egypt Hosts Terror Axis Meeting
Egypt this week hosted a “resistance” conference attended by the Muslim Brotherhood, Hizbullah and Palestinian Authority terrorist groups.
FP: Shocker: The axis of terror has gained another member. Couldn't have been predicted at all. Has nothing to do with US decline and appeasement of Islamists.Claire Berlinski: A Small Warning
So: Two PLA Sukhoi-27s cross the centerline chasing one of our U2s. Everyone downplays it--must have been an accident, nothing to see here. That's sort-of normal: These kinds of things do happen periodically in the Taiwan strait and have for decades and responsible politicians express displeasure but basically try to downplay them because what else are you going to do.
Then China starts demanding that the United States stop flying U2s near its coast. Note the asymmetry: They're not saying, "Well, that's sort of normal, these kinds of things do happen and have for decades and responsible politicians express displeasure but basically try to downplay them because what else are you going to do."
Roger Cliff, a specialist on the Chinese air force at the Project 2049 Institute--I don't know much about them--believes that last month's incident was more provocative than Taipei let on. He then says:
Then China starts demanding that the United States stop flying U2s near its coast. Note the asymmetry: They're not saying, "Well, that's sort of normal, these kinds of things do happen and have for decades and responsible politicians express displeasure but basically try to downplay them because what else are you going to do."
Roger Cliff, a specialist on the Chinese air force at the Project 2049 Institute--I don't know much about them--believes that last month's incident was more provocative than Taipei let on. He then says:
Unless China has frequently done so in the past, which I doubt, crossing the centerline to shadow a U-2 is rather provocative,” he said. “I can’t think of any reason why China would start to do that at this particular time ... "
Really? He can't? A bit lacking in imagination there, I'd say.
FP: Would you say the Chinese have discerned the US decline? Now the consequences.Israel ‘Solves” Missile Attacks by Building ‘Hidden Highway’
Israel has expelled Jews from Gaza, built bomb shelters and invented anti-Kassam missiles to defend the Negev. Now it has built a “hidden highway” to escape rockets.
…
The new road cost 4.5 million shekels ($1.3million) and was built in three months with the help of the Jewish National Fund (KNF) and the Engineering Corps of the IDF.
The route was built between trees, keeping it out of sight from Gaza’s sand dunes, and Vilnai said he ordered its construction after Hamas terrorists last April attacked a school bus with a laser-guided anti-tank rocket.
…
The new road “will give a feeling of security to Gaza Belt residents and will help them live normal lives,” said Vilnai.
Another ‘counterterrorist” measure carried out by the IDF and the JNF is to plant trees along the Gaza border so that terrorists will not be able to see their targets.
FP: What a great idea. Let’s hide. In fact, let's hide Israel as a whole…
The new road cost 4.5 million shekels ($1.3million) and was built in three months with the help of the Jewish National Fund (KNF) and the Engineering Corps of the IDF.
The route was built between trees, keeping it out of sight from Gaza’s sand dunes, and Vilnai said he ordered its construction after Hamas terrorists last April attacked a school bus with a laser-guided anti-tank rocket.
…
The new road “will give a feeling of security to Gaza Belt residents and will help them live normal lives,” said Vilnai.
Another ‘counterterrorist” measure carried out by the IDF and the JNF is to plant trees along the Gaza border so that terrorists will not be able to see their targets.
Israel: Turkey has not issued an ultimatum, talks continuing
Normalization talks between two countries continue • Release of U.N.'s Palmer report, probing the raid on the first Gaza flotilla, postponed • U.S. is involved in mediation efforts between Jerusalem and Ankara.
FP: Read: Turkey pees on Israel and she still pretends it’s raining. The US is pressuring Israel to apologize. I predict a cave in with no benefits whatsoever, just signaling of weakness.
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