Learn me how to teach: No Blacks allowed!
I often tell the story how, as an under-graduate at Howard University in the 50's, I witnessed students from Africa being inducted into the most prestigious honor societies the school had to offer. I witnessed them studying like hell for fear of failing and having to go back home to face people in their villages who put up the money for them to come to Howard. I witnessed they did not hang out at the Howard Theater.
On television, I have since seen African teachers writing lessons in dirt as students hover around. I have seen classrooms of fifty or more African students sharing books and giving the uppermost respect and attention to the one teacher in the room and, alas, I have seen them come to Howard University and flourish speaking perfect English. Most of them were in the medical and engineering schools. There were no computers in those days. Bill Gates was born in 1955, the year I graduated from high school.
There was a saying at Howard that when the teacher calls the roll on the first day of class, if you hear African names you should immediately go to the registrars’ office to drop the course due to the fact the Africans would set the class average so high you would be left in the dust gasping for breath, wondering what hit you! (Smile)
There was more than one blessed teacher telling us on the first day, “I mark on the curve” and that may have been to keep their class numbers up because after the roll call, there were more than a few of us American students already heading for the door!
The oversight(?) Of Sec. Arne Duncan not inviting educators from Black countries like the ones I have seen on television does not say nice things about him. I say this not from this lone incident. The resolve of Mr. Duncan to help the educational system here in America has become, in my opinion, highly questionable. The words, ‘winging it’ readily comes to mind. Rachel Maddow would do a far better job as would Michele Rhee.
I would think educators from those African countries would have rendered valuable information were they invited to “*…(the) first-ever international summit on the teaching profession for high-performing nations and rapidly-improving countries on March 16 and 17 in New York City.”
And
Across the globe, education is the great equalizer, the one force that can consistently overcome differences in background, culture, and privilege. Increasing teacher autonomy and participation in reform is vital not just to improving student outcomes but to elevating the teaching profession. We reject the prevailing wisdom that it can't be done.
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arne-duncan/uncommon-wisdom-on-teachi_b_836541.html
* http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/internationaled/teaching-summit.html
As always,
BB
On television, I have since seen African teachers writing lessons in dirt as students hover around. I have seen classrooms of fifty or more African students sharing books and giving the uppermost respect and attention to the one teacher in the room and, alas, I have seen them come to Howard University and flourish speaking perfect English. Most of them were in the medical and engineering schools. There were no computers in those days. Bill Gates was born in 1955, the year I graduated from high school.
There was a saying at Howard that when the teacher calls the roll on the first day of class, if you hear African names you should immediately go to the registrars’ office to drop the course due to the fact the Africans would set the class average so high you would be left in the dust gasping for breath, wondering what hit you! (Smile)
There was more than one blessed teacher telling us on the first day, “I mark on the curve” and that may have been to keep their class numbers up because after the roll call, there were more than a few of us American students already heading for the door!
The oversight(?) Of Sec. Arne Duncan not inviting educators from Black countries like the ones I have seen on television does not say nice things about him. I say this not from this lone incident. The resolve of Mr. Duncan to help the educational system here in America has become, in my opinion, highly questionable. The words, ‘winging it’ readily comes to mind. Rachel Maddow would do a far better job as would Michele Rhee.
I would think educators from those African countries would have rendered valuable information were they invited to “*…(the) first-ever international summit on the teaching profession for high-performing nations and rapidly-improving countries on March 16 and 17 in New York City.”
In addition to the United States, the invited countries and regions are Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, People’s Republic of China, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Republic of Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
And
Across the globe, education is the great equalizer, the one force that can consistently overcome differences in background, culture, and privilege. Increasing teacher autonomy and participation in reform is vital not just to improving student outcomes but to elevating the teaching profession. We reject the prevailing wisdom that it can't be done.
Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arne-duncan/uncommon-wisdom-on-teachi_b_836541.html
* http://www2.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/internationaled/teaching-summit.html
As always,
BB
posted by BB at 4:44 PM
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