Conversations about education

This article from today's NYT is thought-provoking, but I find the commentary a richer food for thought.

The conversation we are really having is about what kind of society we live in, and what we want to do about it. What would it really look like to truly close the "achievement gap"? Are we asking schools to solve all of our socio-economic problems? Is that possible?

— Eli Rector, Palm Desert, CA

I share the sentiments in other comments - esp. the one where these hand-wringing articles about the state of education today are characterized as jeremiads - but I think Eli's comment is right on the mark. Obviously, when we talk about education we're not just talking about books and kids and test scores. We're talking about our shared common experience as citizens, a loaded concept that transcends any dictionary definition of education and enters into sociocultural commentary.

I am not finished reading all (100+!) comments on this article. But I think it will be time well spent to hear some of these voices. Our education, our selves? Absolutely.

Public Library Association conference 2008

I am in the process of transferring all my notes from Word to the blog (adding links, etc.). Some of my favorites:

• Field trip to the Ridgedale library
• Field trip to the Minneapolis Central Library
• Why do we Dewey?
• Services to Homeschoolers
• School/Public Library partnerships
• Dangerous ideas
• Homework centers

Programs I spoke at/organized were:

• Supplementing Homework Centers and Resources with Online Homework Help
• YALSA/RUSA new reference guidelines for teens