Monday, January 23, 2006

Links to interesting postings - 23 Jan 06

Spunky at SpunkyHomeSchool has two good posts worth checking out. In the first she warns of a national movement to involve the federal government more in education. "...for the first time the federal government will rate the academic rigor of the nation's 18,000 high schools." There is great reason for concern over the federal government meddling more with education. In Spunky's other post she warns about how public schools are tolerating, and even encouraging cheating.

HomeSchoolBuzz has a post today pointing to an article about a young boy that should be a grade ahead, but the school won't move him. The school officials say their hands are tied. Here is a classic bureaucratic response: "We are following policy." This is one of the problems with many public schools, they get so caught up in the rules that they won't do what is best for a child.

Daryl on Home Education & Other Stuff mentions that he found a top ten list of web sites about homeschooling. I am also flattered.

EdWonk on The Education Wonks points to an article in Newsweek called The Trouble With Boys. EdWonk quotes part of the article and comments on it. Over the last thirty years boys as a group have been underperforming academically. Part of this appears to be due to expecting young boys to sit still. Over a hundred years ago children (boys and girls) weren't sent to school until they were eight. Raymond and Dorothy Moore argue in their book Better Late than Early that sending children to school too early is bad for them. Maybe with the increase effort to have more children go to preschool boys will fall even farther behind.

Instapundit also mentions the issue of boys falling behind. The Washington Times has a special report. One of the sad things is this is not really news. Peopole will make a fuss about it, but I don't expect any real changes in the next five years. During which time another million, or two million, boys will suffer.

No comments: