To Govern a Republic, One Must Know the Minds That Created It.
The more we teach our children about history the more likely they will not make our mistakes. ~ Diversified Dame
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The Questionability of ‘Truth’
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Author Archives: Jeffrey
Study Suggests Lack of Reading Driving Contentious Society
Image Credit: Leigh A. Murrell (cropped)
It’s a commonly accepted fact that reading offers far more cognitive benefits than watching television. This is largely because television is a more “passive” activity, while reading goes deeper, encouraging greater thought and fostering verbal communication.
But a recent study out of Kensington University in London suggests that the advantage of choosing reading over television can have more than cognitive benefits; it can have behavioral benefits as well. Continue reading
California’s Common Core Mistake
The Common Core curriculum-content standards are a national listing of topics that students are expected to learn in the subjects of English and mathematics. An independent initiative of three Washington, D.C.-based organizations created the national standards, but they were endorsed and promoted by the Obama-era U.S. Department of Education. The standards were released in June 2010. Their summer launch meant that teachers and parents did not have much of an opportunity to discuss their merits and drawbacks. Abiding by the standards was necessary for states to be eligible for massive federal grants. California adopted the national standards and fully implemented them in 2014-2015. Continue reading
Ross: The Genius of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
… I am quickly approaching sixty years of age; June 28th to be exact. As someone who is soon to become an official senior citizen, I have seen 11 Presidents come and go. I don’t remember Eisenhower; I was too young at the time, I do remember Kennedy, or at least the Cuban Missile Crisis and his assassination and how the nation mourned his passing.
One thing about him I did not know, until later that is, is that in 1962 he hosted a dinner at the White House for 49 winners of the Nobel Prize. Nobel Prize winners are supposed to be leaders in their respective fields who have made great breakthroughs in areas such as world peace, science, or literature. So I can imagine that having 49 Nobel Prize winners in your presence at one time would be pretty awe inspiring; even for a President of the United States.
Yet did you know that President Kennedy, in an address to these Nobel Prize winners, stated the following, “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.” I don’t know about you, but as it pertains to intellect and accomplishments I think that is probably the highest praise a person could ever get. Continue reading
Benson: Oklahoma Reminiscences
Recently, I picked up a book at one of the local libraries called Killers of the Flower Moon—The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI, written by a David Grann. Mr. Grann is a staff writer at the New Yorker so there would probably be some things he and I would not agree on politically, but he did write an interesting book about how a group of people in Osage County, Oklahoma killed off several Osage Indians in order to get the headrights to their oil leases and make lots and lots of money from that.
It interested me because, back in the late 1960s I had briefly lived in Osage County, Oklahoma, which had been the old Osage Indian reservation. It is still listed that way on some maps.
My Dad had sold his home in the East and bought a trailer and we went West, so wherever we set the trailer up at night, that was home, at least for that night. We got as far as central New Mexico, looking for work, of which there was very little. At the same time I was trying to make a little selling my paintings. The art market in New Mexico was pretty competitive and I wasn’t nearly as good as most of those artists around Taos and Santa Fe, so we headed back east from there. Continue reading
Graduates: Here’s an Honor Code for Life
Amid a national epidemic of dishonesty, acting with integrity is more important than ever.
The following is an adaptation of an address to Rice University’s class of 2018.
George Washington
When I was deciding what I wanted to say today, I kept thinking about a Rice tradition that’s an incredibly important part of student life here: I’m talking about the honor code.
When you first arrived on campus, you attended a presentation on the honor code. And your very first quiz tested your knowledge of the code. And so today, I thought it would be fitting for you as graduates to end your time here the same way you began it: by hearing a few words about the meaning of honor.
Don’t worry: There won’t be a quiz. But there will be a test when you leave this campus — one that will last for the rest of your life. And that’s what I want to explain today — and it actually starts with the opposite of honor.
As a New Yorker, I was surprised to learn that an act of dishonor in my hometown almost blocked Rice from coming into existence. William Marsh Rice was murdered at his home in Manhattan by two schemers who tried to re-write his will… Continue reading
Bitcoins, Beer and the Student Loan Disaster
How much of this should the American taxpayer subsidize?
A large percentage of the $1.48 trillion student loan debt accumulated by Americans was never spent on tuition at all. Instead, much of that money went towards everything from beer, Bitcoin, spring break shenanigans and exotic reptiles.
More than one in five; or 21.2% of college students, surveyed by The Student Loan Report admitted to spending student loan money on cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTC). That speculation is risky because Bitcoins lost almost 65% of their value between December 2017 and April 2018. A Bitcoin was trading at $19,205.11 on December 17, 2017, and $6,701.40 on April 5, 2018, data from Coinbase indicates. (Read complete column)
‘It’s Really Not Fair!‘
Rutgers Student Calls Out School for Aiding Illegal Immigrants
Look closely at the name at the bottom of the image. – Ed.
A Rutgers University student is calling out his school for “privileging” illegal immigrants over American citizens and legal immigrants.
In February, Rutgers students started a petition opposing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appearing at a career fair, arguing it would alienate undocumented students. The agency voluntarily withdrew from the career fair after talks with administrators.
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Why are Teachers ‘Raising the Children’?
The average American is inundated with hundreds of voices every day. Politicians. Talking heads. Entertainment stars. Teachers. Students. The list could go on.
But while there are multiple voices, many of the big ones seem to give a similar message concerning politics, culture, and education. Especially education.
Just what is this education message? It often includes suggestions of more money, more hours in a school day, and the incorporation of children into the school system at ever earlier ages, largely through Pre-K education. Continue reading
Well Johnny What Did You Learn At School Today?
“By educating the young generation along the right lines, the People’s State will have to see to it that a generation of mankind is formed which will be adequate to this supreme combat that will decide the destinies of the world.” ~ Adolf Hitler
It’s 3 O’clock in the afternoon when little Johnny comes barging through the front door after school, throws his back pack into a corner and heads for the refrigerator. He yanks open the refrigerator door and pulls out a carton of milk. He gets a glass from the cupboard and fills the glass full from the milk carton. He gulps down the milk and heads for his bedroom where his play station awaits his anxious fingers. But before he can leave the kitchen, his mom says, “Wait a minute Johnny, I want to hear how your day at school went.” Johnny says, “Oh mom!” and returns to the kitchen. Continue reading
Another Take: The Teacher Strikes Aren’t About Pay…
They’re About Mobilizing Democrats
Democrats and their allies among the teacher activists are following the playbook outlined by Saul Alinsky in ‘Rules for Radicals.’
Teachers all over the country are going on strike. They say they want higher salaries and education funding and the tax increases necessary to pay for them. But there’s a bigger motivation underlying the strikes — mobilizing Democrats.
The strikes began in West Virginia on Feb. 22 when teachers walked off the job. They demanded higher salaries and relief from increasing health insurance costs. The teachers stayed off the job until March 7. The legislature approved a 5 percent pay increase for all state employees. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice appointed a task force to lower healthcare costs… Continue reading
Three Education Stories Show Why We Are (Still) Doomed
I’m having a fire sale on education stories this week. Also a parallel fire sale on quotes from my 2009 book We Are Doomed, because the education chapter of that book was the most fun to write and it’s pertinent to this week’s stories. Here’s a sort of keynote quote from that chapter:
The whole topic of education is a glorious feast for pessimists of all kinds.
Education story #1: PS , an elementary school, kindergarten through fifth grade, on West 70th Street in Manhattan. That’s a tony neighborhood. A two-bedroom apartment on West 70th will currently cost you around two million dollars.
I wrote about PS 199 in the education chapter of We Are Doomed. A kerfuffle had broken broke out in November 2008, when an apartment up there only cost one million dollars: Continue reading
Juntti: Can your children read CURSIVE???
I had a very restless night of sleep last night due to finding out that one of my great grand kids can’t read cursive. He will be 13 in October!!! How did I learn this bit of information?
I bought four of my great grandkids their first bible and wrote a personal note to each of them on the inside page. The 12 year old came over to thank me for it and I asked him if he read my note to him. He looked at me and said he can’t read ‘cursive,’ as if it is a foreign language or such. He had to have his mom read it to him and said she had trouble too. I have always had compliments on my handwriting so it isn’t that my handwriting is bad. I began learning to write in cursive in the third grade. Continue reading
It’s time for all Teachers to be able to afford a great day
Tribute to the Teachers; Alexandra Nechita
Teachers across the country can no longer survive on the salaries they are offered to do the most important job of all. This is teaching our children the tools and honing their talents in order to have them do well in what is a very complicated world. Teachers are paid on a yearly contract that runs around 185 days. There are many professions that do contracted work. If the contract is for 365 days or 100 days it makes no difference. The important thing is to get the job done and done well. Some believe in the concept of those who do, do and those who can’t teach. I do get a kick out of this statement because those who can do because they were taught how too.
Teaching has always been equated with the success of its students. The profession has never been defined by money even though the ability to live and teach at the same time has always been difficult. I can define teaching because I am a retired teacher. I wrote the following 25 years ago about one of my days teaching. Continue reading
How We Became Homeschoolers
I thought I might chronicle the steps taken to end up where we are now, with respect to education. This may help those considering homeschooling, a bit.
When my wife first became pregnant, I started researching education alternatives for children. I thought that was simply one of the duties of being a parent– however, rarely it happens! I generally don’t imagine “everybody else does it”–that is, almost everybody defaults to using the government schools–is much of an excuse for skipping this duty. Continue reading
K-12: Let the Peasants Eat Popcorn
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie made billions in steel, sold his business, and switched to philanthropy. He built 2,500 libraries, at least. In his 1889 essay The Gospel of Wealth, he said that “the rich have a moral obligation to distribute their money in ways that promote the welfare and happiness of the common man.”
Where are the people who feel like that today? Here’s the first step they would take. They would ensure that all kids in our public schools learn to read in the first grade. Then those children could go to Carnegie’s libraries and enjoy the books. We have to ask: where are the Carnegies these days – that is, people with big bucks and big hearts? Continue reading
Empathy Is Tough to Teach, but Is One Of the Most Important Life Lessons
(Katy David/TED-Ed)
Dr. Brené Brown has become famous for her speaking and writing about vulnerability, worthiness, shame and the other important emotions running underneath daily life all the time. One theme she returns to over and over is the importance of cultivating empathy, a very different reaction than sympathy. Continue reading
This is Not a Day Care. It’s a University!
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
This past week, I actually had a student come forward after a university chapel service and complain because he felt “victimized” by a sermon on the topic of 1 Corinthians 13. It appears this young scholar felt offended because a homily on love made him feel bad for not showing love. In his mind, the speaker was wrong for making him, and his peers, feel uncomfortable.
I’m not making this up. Our culture has actually taught our kids to be this self-absorbed and narcissistic. Any time their feelings are hurt, they are the victims. Anyone who dares challenge them and, thus, makes them “feel bad” about themselves, is a “hater,” a “bigot,” an “oppressor,” and a “victimizer.” Continue reading
65% of Public School 8th Graders Not Proficient in Reading
67% Not Proficient in Math
A student is showing his frustration at the example of the new math.
Sixty-five percent of the eighth graders in American public schools in 2017 were not proficient in reading and 67 percent were not proficient in mathematics, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress test results released by the U.S. Department of Education.
The results are far worse for students enrolled in some urban districts. Continue reading
Stromberg: American History As It Can Be Written
It’s now pushing twenty years since I began to ‘surf’ the Net, but amongst the first writers with whom I became familiar with was the author of the following post, Joseph R. Stromberg, whose work was published by Lew Rockwell, the Independent Institute, The Imaginative Conservative, the Mises Institute and other noted publications. His writings still draw me to this day – but that is part of the problem… what day? Other than one link, which holds his archives from a single publication – I had lost track of Stromberg – until tonight. What we post here this day, is from his 2003 archives – but well worth the read. And yes – as one would conclude – I have chosen to post the column in Mr. Adair’s Classroom. Truth IS Truth and history IS History. One can tear down the statues, dig up bodies and destroy Federal (Confederate) cemeteries – but as long as searchers and students of TRUTH live – History will live.
We post the following as a challenge to readers, teachers and those who choose to study and learn Truth.
Thank you Mr. Stromberg and thank you Dr. Wilson. ~ Jeffrey Bennett, Editor Continue reading