How evaluation metrics in teaching might have saved a teacher’s job. I fully understand a lot of the concern surrounding using metrics for teacher accountability. But if you’re not looking at the results, you’re looking at the methodology, or you’re just letting teachers do whatever they want. Looking at the methodology means firing teachers not for how well they are teaching, but how well they are teaching to the script. There are worse things, actually, but we need to recognize that’s what it is.
How Detroit turned a freeway into a river.
I got a real kick out of Adam Ozimek’s piece on nudges for paternalist economists. Bloomberg’s soda ban got a lot of coverage, but not nearly enough of it talked about the class implications, which I think are actually more important than the nanny-state ones.
The world’s worse password requirements. I recently had to change my bank online password due to an error on a teller’s part (my password didn’t meet newer requirements). When a teller tells you “Could you pull around and come inside?” it’s not a good thing.
Some righties are getting a real kick out of a new study suggesting that global warming skeptics have more scientific and numeric literacy than its believers. Since that was clearly not the results that the study’s founders had hoped to find, that’s icing on the cake. Seriously, I don’t consider it particularly relevant. I don’t consider it surprising. I consider it funny as hell.
My arch-nemesis Marion Nestle signs on to a letter to Congress that, for once, I am actually quite sympathetic to. I think the “and the proceeds should go to foodies programs to teach the value of nutrition” bit should be dropped, but there seems to be room for reform. A graphical explanation about how farm subsidies work.
Speaking of studies with unexpected results and of nutrition people, it turns out that healthy foods are not expensive.
In Texas, the one branch of the state government helped train an ex-con to become a barber, then another branch refused to grant him a license because he is an ex-con. The New York Times also had an article on barbering licensure.
While the nation whines, Washington dines.
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2 Responses to Linkluster Home Runs Given Up by Jesse Orosco
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Linkluster Home Runs Given Up by Jesse Orosco
teachers
I would suggest linking to page 1 of the article.
In the real world, when you fall out of your favor with your boss, it is time to go. For some reason, education doesn’t work that way.
Of course, if the principal is firing people for no good reason, then the principal should go.
Teaching is a lot more art than science, no matter how much educational consultants are trying to turn into a science. Furthermore, it would be pretty boring if all teachers taught the same way.
passwords
The concept of the secret question doesn’t make sense to me. You want me to use a tough password, but when I forget it you ask me the name of my high school mascot?
barber license
The mistake was in paying for the violent ex-con to train to be a barber. Thankfully the licensing board came to its senses in time. The training is a sunk cost; there is no reason to compound the error. Maybe he can be a barber at a jail, that way there are prison guards already there.
Washington
The obnoxiousness of the people featured in the article sickens me. Our tax dollars at work. Yuck.
Title changed. I’ve actually sort of given up on the naming convention, though if you keep supplying them I will keep modifying the title. Link also changed.
Re: Teacher
I don’t think it’s a “teacher thing” but rather a “civil servant thing”. Dad talked a lot about how difficult it was to let someone due to personnel conflicts.
Re: Passwords
Bob wrote about this a while back. Since then, both Sarah Palin and Mitt Romney have been burned by this.
Re: Barbers
I don’t believe barbers should need licenses. Or, if they do, they should be automatic-issue.
Re: Washington
Yeah, that got me all red-statey.