American Education is rather like the weather: everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it.
Every few years, politicians, bureaucrats, and educational theorists go through the motions of doing something about it, but two facts remain constant:
1. Every year, up to half of all American schoolchildren pass from third to fourth grade without having mastered the basic skills of reading and writing.
2. Every year, a large percentage of high school seniors graduate unable to write a complete sentence or spell the words they use.
At the root of these failures lie two educational stalwarts:
1. A method of beginning reading instruction that does not address the needs of all five-year-olds.
2. The misplaced notion that science and technology are more important than language and literature.
My opinions about education derive from several decades of classroom experience at every level, from elementary to university. Parents of young children may find some of my essays on education helpful.
Eighth-grade Literacy
Adult Literacy
The Education Industry
