Comments on: The real story behind textbooks http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/ my progress in writing, revising, sending to my editor, re-revising, fact-checking, galley-reading, and promoting a four-volume history of the world Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:24:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Beth from New Jersey http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86853 Beth from New Jersey Fri, 22 May 2009 20:48:41 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86853 The author's list of solutions sounds a lot like homeschooling: 1. Mix & Match -- Reduce dependence on basal curricula by allowing teachers to choose the components of their own curriculum. 2. Use History & Science Spines -- These would be thin, encyclopedic reference tools, checked by experts, and supplemented by living books. Hello. 3. High Tech Materials -- Use CDs, DVDs, the Internet, etc., as teaching tools Sounds like homeschooling. Hmmm........ The author’s list of solutions sounds a lot like homeschooling:
1. Mix & Match — Reduce dependence on basal curricula by allowing teachers to choose the components of their own curriculum.
2. Use History & Science Spines — These would be thin, encyclopedic reference tools, checked by experts, and supplemented by living books. Hello.
3. High Tech Materials — Use CDs, DVDs, the Internet, etc., as teaching tools

Sounds like homeschooling. Hmmm……..

]]> By: Cris http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86694 Cris Thu, 14 May 2009 05:38:49 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86694 As a homeschooler who fondly refers to TWTM as my curriculum "Bible" AND who is also a subscriber of Edutopia, I was immediately struck with the same "Duh!" reaction when I read this article (I even blogged about it, stating precisely that this concept drives what we do in Science, History, and the like per TWTM and Charlotte Mason). The whole idea of using "living books" with a spine to organize and prioritize is so simple but yet so genius in the way it serves both student and teacher alike. I've noticed many "new" ideas coming from the system lately that are suspiciously similar to what homeschoolers know by experience. Not sure how I feel about this yet... As a homeschooler who fondly refers to TWTM as my curriculum “Bible” AND who is also a subscriber of Edutopia, I was immediately struck with the same “Duh!” reaction when I read this article (I even blogged about it, stating precisely that this concept drives what we do in Science, History, and the like per TWTM and Charlotte Mason).

The whole idea of using “living books” with a spine to organize and prioritize is so simple but yet so genius in the way it serves both student and teacher alike. I’ve noticed many “new” ideas coming from the system lately that are suspiciously similar to what homeschoolers know by experience. Not sure how I feel about this yet…

]]> By: Karen http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86675 Karen Sat, 09 May 2009 23:06:36 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86675 Urban Mom, how terrific that your husband uses Ravitch's book with his classes, that they get an insight into how their education is manipulated and packaged. I think the greatest thing would be to sit kids down with that book, a textbook, and one of SWB's books or, with high school kids, a trade history book on one issue/historical event, and have them read them side by side. I would love to read a whole series of books on education with high school kids, including "Savage Inequalities," books on SAT testing, and books on how college admissions are run. Does anyone out there try this kind of thing with their own kids, or are most responders working with younger children at home? SWB, do you discuss any of these issues with your older boys? Urban Mom, how terrific that your husband uses Ravitch’s book with his classes, that they get an insight into how their education is manipulated and packaged. I think the greatest thing would be to sit kids down with that book, a textbook, and one of SWB’s books or, with high school kids, a trade history book on one issue/historical event, and have them read them side by side. I would love to read a whole series of books on education with high school kids, including “Savage Inequalities,” books on SAT testing, and books on how college admissions are run. Does anyone out there try this kind of thing with their own kids, or are most responders working with younger children at home? SWB, do you discuss any of these issues with your older boys?

]]> By: Colleen in NS http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86674 Colleen in NS Sat, 09 May 2009 17:43:13 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86674 " Every state has a prescribed compendium of what kids should learn — tedious lists of bulleted objectives consisting mostly of sentences like this: “The student shall be provided content necessary to formulate, discuss, critique, and review hypotheses, theories, laws, and principles and their strengths and weaknesses.” I looked through the education dept.'s curric. guidelines for language arts here one time to try to figure out how the local schools taught kids to read and to write. I combed through the first six grades or so, and could NOT figure it out. It was all garbledegook like this. I still don't know how they do it. ” Every state has a prescribed compendium of what kids should learn — tedious lists of bulleted objectives consisting mostly of sentences like this:

“The student shall be provided content necessary to formulate, discuss, critique, and review hypotheses, theories, laws, and principles and their strengths and weaknesses.”

I looked through the education dept.’s curric. guidelines for language arts here one time to try to figure out how the local schools taught kids to read and to write. I combed through the first six grades or so, and could NOT figure it out. It was all garbledegook like this. I still don’t know how they do it.

]]> By: Brenda http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86673 Brenda Sat, 09 May 2009 14:31:11 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86673 Not a bit surprised. I am an elementary public school teacher but I teach Music, so I can gather my own curriculum without a problem. In fact, that is what I am expected to do. But I have seen enough of what my students have to read in their classroom to be appalled and I hear the frustration of creative and talented teachers who are being held in check by the system because they must teach to the standards. These well-meaning and dedicated folks need help and compassion and our country's children need a champion. Makes homeschooling my 2 teenagers all the easier and rewarding. Not a bit surprised. I am an elementary public school teacher but I teach Music, so I can gather my own curriculum without a problem. In fact, that is what I am expected to do. But I have seen enough of what my students have to read in their classroom to be appalled and I hear the frustration of creative and talented teachers who are being held in check by the system because they must teach to the standards. These well-meaning and dedicated folks need help and compassion and our country’s children need a champion.
Makes homeschooling my 2 teenagers all the easier and rewarding.

]]> By: Sarah http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86671 Sarah Sat, 09 May 2009 01:34:25 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86671 Extremely interesting article. As homeschoolers we must also be diligent in our curriculum choices. Dangermom- my daughter was pulled from her private school after the adoption of "Everyday math", and was the impetus to our homeschooling voyage. She was being taught to add with a calculator in Kindergarten, and the math department head saw no problem with children no longer learning the multiplication tables. She saw it as "unnecessary." Miracles come in many ways, this led to much research, discovery of "The Well Trained Mind", and the rest is history. Extremely interesting article. As homeschoolers we must also be diligent in our curriculum choices.

Dangermom- my daughter was pulled from her private school after the adoption of “Everyday math”, and was the impetus to our homeschooling voyage. She was being taught to add with a calculator in Kindergarten, and the math department head saw no problem with children no longer learning the multiplication tables. She saw it as “unnecessary.” Miracles come in many ways, this led to much research, discovery of “The Well Trained Mind”, and the rest is history.

]]> By: Urban Mom (Valerie in Chicago over at WTM Boards) http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86670 Urban Mom (Valerie in Chicago over at WTM Boards) Fri, 08 May 2009 23:41:54 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86670 Karen, Urban Dad is currently teaching The Language Police with his 11th grade AP class. You see, he's a Chicago high school techer who does not use the textbook. He orders the books he wants directly from the publisher at a fantastic discount. He then passes the savings onto the students. The books are in the kids' hands, they can take notes in them and they get to keep them afterwards. Also, the kids won't lug the textbooks home anyway. As usual, one has to go around the system in order to actually get an education. Or, like us, opt out of the system altogether. Karen, Urban Dad is currently teaching The Language Police with his 11th grade AP class.

You see, he’s a Chicago high school techer who does not use the textbook. He orders the books he wants directly from the publisher at a fantastic discount. He then passes the savings onto the students. The books are in the kids’ hands, they can take notes in them and they get to keep them afterwards. Also, the kids won’t lug the textbooks home anyway.

As usual, one has to go around the system in order to actually get an education. Or, like us, opt out of the system altogether.

]]> By: Sebastian (a lady) http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86669 Sebastian (a lady) Fri, 08 May 2009 22:50:51 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86669 A friend of mine is living overseas. Her husband's employer pays for K-12 schooling, including an allowance for homeschooling. She was recently chided for ordering too many books. It was suggested that she should pick a spine text instead. A friend of mine is living overseas. Her husband’s employer pays for K-12 schooling, including an allowance for homeschooling. She was recently chided for ordering too many books. It was suggested that she should pick a spine text instead.

]]> By: Heather http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86668 Heather Fri, 08 May 2009 20:55:51 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86668 My only thought is that this is reminiscent of the purgatory that is the "text-book adoption committee." I spent three months there during the spring of '98. I think that may have been when I decided to homeschool. My only thought is that this is reminiscent of the purgatory that is the “text-book adoption committee.” I spent three months there during the spring of ‘98. I think that may have been when I decided to homeschool.

]]> By: David Prewitt http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/the-raving-writer/the-real-story-behind-textbooks/comment-page-1/#comment-86667 David Prewitt Fri, 08 May 2009 20:21:52 +0000 http://www.susanwisebauer.com/blog/?p=659#comment-86667 SWB: Thanks for posting the article. It's a fascinating view into the industry. (Also, Edutopia has been added to my favorites list.) I frankly don't know the solution to the problem. Perhaps the "spine text" idea presented in the article would work? I recall an old business axiom that "nobody gets fired for recommending IBM" from the early IT days. In other words, selecting something outside the norm was risky and selecting the (bland) IBM system was safe. Even if teachers had authority to make their own selections, would they gravitate to the bland because nobody gets fired for recommending XYZ? Also, would publishers dole out free samples to teachers in the same way pharmaceutical companies give drugs to doctors? If not, how would the teachers sample the various options? SWB: Thanks for posting the article. It’s a fascinating view into the industry. (Also, Edutopia has been added to my favorites list.) I frankly don’t know the solution to the problem. Perhaps the “spine text” idea presented in the article would work? I recall an old business axiom that “nobody gets fired for recommending IBM” from the early IT days. In other words, selecting something outside the norm was risky and selecting the (bland) IBM system was safe. Even if teachers had authority to make their own selections, would they gravitate to the bland because nobody gets fired for recommending XYZ?

Also, would publishers dole out free samples to teachers in the same way pharmaceutical companies give drugs to doctors? If not, how would the teachers sample the various options?

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