(Note: Sheila Tobias is an expert in the area of math education. Her comments are regarding a report from the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. The report recommends a balance of teacher-directed instruction (teaching of skills, drills) and child-centered instruction (exploration, conceptual understanding). It emphasizes that each grade should teach fewer math concepts in greater depth, … Read more
by David Safier It takes guts to be a whistleblower. The more stories you read about retaliation by their superiors and the disruptions in their lives, the more you have to admire these people’s courage at the same time you question their sanity. In this case, the former ELL coordinator in Florence (about 50 miles … Read more
by David Safier In what must seem like a neverending crusade to piss off every high school coach, high school athlete and couch potato – oops, I meant to say, sports fan – in Arizona, here is part three of my reasons why after school sports should be cut before we think of closing schools … Read more
by David Safier I hope I’m wrong. But I fear I’m not. Of the four schools slated for closure, the most likely to be shut is Ochoa Elementary. When I read the Thursday op ed in The Star, Closing Ochoa would hurt families, I thought, I’ve been through this movie before. Here’s the basic plot. … Read more
by David Safier Yesterday I suggested we could save 4 Tucson elementary schools as well as a handful of librarians and counselors by cutting the after school sports programs. I admit, I have no figures telling me how much the sports programs cost Tucson Schools, but I imagine if you tallied the obvious as well … Read more