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The Obama Effect

There has been some preliminary research done on how having a black president as a role model for African-Americans may be affecting their education, or at least the way in which they show it.  The phenomenon, nick-named “the Obama effect” may be evidence that African-American students are changing their perceptions of what it means to be smart.  There is now someone of their race who is not just successful in his own right, but who has the charisma, intelligence and influence over the world.  Furthermore, they may be changing their view of the mainstream American public when considering that it was the American populace who made Obama president.  When I saw this article, posted on New York Times, January 23, the headline was what first struck me – “Study Sees an Obama Effect as Lifting Black Test-Takers“, and I was fascinated.  

Continue reading The Obama Effect

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January 30th, 2009 | Tags: , , , | Category: Commentary, News Articles | 3 comments

History Lessons

It is fascinating to read about events such as the American Revolution in a French textbook … 1) History becomes compartmentalized into an abstract string of facts that is not relevant to the world in which we live today. 2) It fosters a seperationist attitude in American students which will become increasingly damaging as the world grows more and more globally connected … So what should be done about this? [...]

January 17th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , | Category: Book Reviews | One comment

Bush Calls for Resolve on NCLB Renewal

While education may be dear to President Bush’s heart some questions still linger about this legislation. 1) Why does NCLB not fund schools to make necessary changes to personnel and curriculum? 2) Why are schools that show improvement still punished? 3) Why are “failing” schools closed and re-opened by private schools using public funds? 4) Why are there no consistent guidelines from between states, or even between districts on how to measure progress? 5) Why does the law equate testing with teaching? … this law was designed to punish our schools, not to improve them. [...]

January 9th, 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , | Category: Commentary, News Articles | One comment