It’s perfectly reasonable to choose from among many diverse occupations. Location makes a difference in these choices: students in desert communities don’t dream of becoming local fishermen. For Whitewater, while there’s sure to be more than one career path, it’s practical and reasonable to contend that a university town should encourage a university education as…
Education
Education, School District
The Better, Reasoned Approach on ACT Scores
by JOHN ADAMS •
There’s been ongoing discussion about the ACT test results at our high school. Among a smaller percentage of students, those scores are higher over these last two years. That’s good news for those who actually took the test. Results require a context; the fitting context for scores is the participation rate of students taking a…
Education, School District
Checklist for Evaluating a School Budget Referendum
by JOHN ADAMS •
1. There’s time to evaluate a proposal. The November election isn’t far, but it’s not tomorrow, either. There’s time for a careful assessment. 2. Numbers, Figures, Results, Metrics. Information should be presented fairly, and in context. Old Whitewater has the mental tic of wanting to look good, regardless of whether performance is good. They’re not…
Education, School District
Whitewater’s ACT Scores and Participation Rates
by JOHN ADAMS •
Last week, I wrote about the lower number of students who were taking the ACT at Whitewater High School. Although the scores are higher, fewer students are taking the test. That’s to the credit of students taking the test (and those teaching them), but it’s an unfavorable sign for the district. See, What’s Being Done is…
Education, School District
What’s Being Done is More than Just a (Sketchy) Number
by JOHN ADAMS •
A good discussion about education is one about substantive work in academics, athletics, and art (an expansive curriculum). A few days ago, press releases touted the ACT scores of some of our students over the last three years. The data showed progress from 2011 to 2014, as against the statewide ACT average. They’re good scores;…
Education, School District
The Visigoths Who Love Music
by JOHN ADAMS •
It was quite some time ago that the Visigoths sacked Rome, acquiring thereafter (if not before) a bad reputation. It’s safe to say that whatever challenges Whitewater faces do not involve rampaging hordes seeking to overturn our social order. We’ve had parents protesting over possible budget cuts, to music or other programs. You’ll see below,…
Education
The Nuttiness from the Janesville Schools (and what it says about Janesville’s culture)
by JOHN ADAMS •
Over at the Gazette, there’s a story about that city’s latest public school program: enticing fee-paying foreign students to study in the Janesville public schools. Not content with attracting Chinese students, Superintendent Karen Schulte traveled to see if she could learn a few multicultural insights in Abu Dhabi. Yes, that’s the one-and-only Abu Dhabi, of…
Beautiful Whitewater, City, Education, Good Ideas, School District, Science/Nature
Science Night in Whitewater
by JOHN ADAMS •
Diet Coke & Mentos from John Adams on Vimeo. Last night was Science Night in Whitewater, and many hundreds from the city turned out to see dozens of displays and exhibits. My family had a fine time, and I’d say that Science Night (held periodically but infrequently) is one of our favorite public events in…
Education, Government Spending, School District
Lead Substantively, Support Fiscally
by JOHN ADAMS •
Update, 3.19.14. Someone’s asked if the Common Core discussion at Monday’s school board meeting doesn’t undercut my argument about the need to lead every presentation with a substantive (academics, athletics, art) discussion. On the contrary, I had it in mind, and it bolsters my contention. A discussion of curriculum at a board meeting, but…
Education, Planning
Janesville Schools’ Reckless Plan
by JOHN ADAMS •
Education, Good Ideas, School District
Rube Goldberg Machines
by JOHN ADAMS •
Charity, Education, School District
Welcome, New Teachers
by JOHN ADAMS •
Welcome to Whitewater, Wisconsin. I’m sure our city will be better for your presence. In these weeks and months ahead, so very many helpful people will offer advice and guidance to you. A few others, unhelpfully, will draw close and whisper ever so softly about how you should think, feel, and act to be a…
Education, Government Spending
Attack of the Prissy Administrators
by JOHN ADAMS •
People spend vast sums on public education, and some of that money’s wasted every time a principal or superintendent denies a valedictorian his or her diploma for saying the word hell in a commencement speech. Has that ever happened? Yes, at least once, and that’s once too often: Prague High School is withholding Kaitlin Nootbaar’s…
Education, School District
Spanish, French, Mandarin, Brazilian Portuguese, &c.
by JOHN ADAMS •
It shouldn’t be odd that people speak more than one language. Many who arrived here, and all who were originally here, spoke a language other than English. We’ve a multicultural community, and beyond it trade with all the world, yet use of other languages seems odd to us. I remember being initially surprised when former…