Comments on: Teaching values http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/05/teaching-values/ Thinking and Linking by Joanne Jacobs Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:47:54 +0000 hourly 1 By: wayne martin http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/05/teaching-values/#comment-33471 wayne martin Wed, 16 May 2007 19:50:51 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/05/16/teaching-values/#comment-33471 This issue of civics and history failures of US students has been around for a while. It might be interesting to have someone correlate the NAEP scores with the proven failures of US public school and college students in these areas: --- H t t p : / / w w w ,washingtonpost.com Sunday, March 14, 2004 Most students struggle with U.S. history Problems with subject transcend generations, education experts say By / Washington Post WASHINGTON — When the U.S. Department of Education reported that in 2001 nearly six out of 10 high school seniors lacked even a basic knowledge of the nation’s history, Bruce Cole was indignant and concerned. “A nation that does not know why it exists, or what it stands for, cannot be expected to long endure,” said Cole, the chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities. --- From the Fordham Institute: Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong? by James Leming, Lucien Ellington, Kathleen Porter-Magee 08/01/2003 H t t p : / / w w w .edexcellence.net/institute/publication/publication.cfm?id=317 ----- This issue of civics and history failures of US students has been around for a while. It might be interesting to have someone correlate the NAEP scores with the proven failures of US public school and college students in these areas:

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H t t p : / / w w w ,washingtonpost.com
Sunday, March 14, 2004

Most students struggle with U.S. history

Problems with subject transcend generations, education experts say
By / Washington Post

WASHINGTON — When the U.S. Department of Education reported that in 2001 nearly six out of 10 high school seniors lacked even a basic knowledge of the nation’s history, Bruce Cole was indignant and concerned.

“A nation that does not know why it exists, or what it stands for, cannot be expected to long endure,” said Cole, the chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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From the Fordham Institute:

Where Did Social Studies Go Wrong?
by James Leming, Lucien Ellington, Kathleen Porter-Magee
08/01/2003

H t t p : / / w w w .edexcellence.net/institute/publication/publication.cfm?id=317
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]]> By: Cardinal Fang http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/05/teaching-values/#comment-33470 Cardinal Fang Wed, 16 May 2007 17:29:55 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/05/16/teaching-values/#comment-33470 There are several things I wonder about in that study. First, the author chooses a 90% level of statistical significance-- that's questionable. Second, he reports that various studies show statistically significant effects, but there is no discussion of the size of the effects. It could be that there are measurable effects, but they are so small as to be inconsequential. (It would be like discovering a teaching method that increased IQ, with a significance of 99.9995%-- but only increased it by one-tenth of a point. Yes, there is an effect, but it's so small it's uninteresting.) The author divides the studies into two groups: ones that attempt to correct for selection bias (the tendency for parents who select private school to be different than parents who don't) and ones that don't correct for selection bias. Why does he even bother to report the answers for the second group of studies? There are several things I wonder about in that study. First, the author chooses a 90% level of statistical significance– that’s questionable.

Second, he reports that various studies show statistically significant effects, but there is no discussion of the size of the effects. It could be that there are measurable effects, but they are so small as to be inconsequential. (It would be like discovering a teaching method that increased IQ, with a significance of 99.9995%– but only increased it by one-tenth of a point. Yes, there is an effect, but it’s so small it’s uninteresting.)

The author divides the studies into two groups: ones that attempt to correct for selection bias (the tendency for parents who select private school to be different than parents who don’t) and ones that don’t correct for selection bias. Why does he even bother to report the answers for the second group of studies?

]]> By: SuperSub http://www.joannejacobs.com/2007/05/teaching-values/#comment-33469 SuperSub Wed, 16 May 2007 10:56:16 +0000 http://joannejacobs.com/2007/05/16/teaching-values/#comment-33469 Much of the concept of "civic values" derives from basic concepts like responsibility and respect. Public schools have a long history of failing to teach these characteristics to students, and without them, public school students won't become active in their communities because they don't feel responsible to the community nor do they respect others. Charter schools maintain higher levels of discipline and expectations that teaches, little by little, concepts like responsibility and respect to their students. Much of the concept of “civic values” derives from basic concepts like responsibility and respect. Public schools have a long history of failing to teach these characteristics to students, and without them, public school students won’t become active in their communities because they don’t feel responsible to the community nor do they respect others.
Charter schools maintain higher levels of discipline and expectations that teaches, little by little, concepts like responsibility and respect to their students.

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