Loyal Flypaper reader (and American Institutes of Research VP) Mark Schneider has suggested a great new contest idea: Name the education sector's best aptonym!
As??recently popularized??by this New York Times blog, an aptonym is defined??as: "A??proper name that aptly describes the occupation of the person, especially by coincidence."
"Cutter & Sons, Butchers" and "Dr. Childer, Paediatrician" are examples of aptonyms.
Mark suggests Roy Romer as an aptonym. (If you know about Romer's career trajectory in recent decades, you'll understand why.) And of course, we have perhaps one of the best cabinet-secretary aptoynms of all time in our former Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings.
If you're a fan of the Alliance for Excellent Education, you might think that Bob Wise should count. And if you are devoted to reform math, tracking, or PISA, then Tom Loveless might fit the bill.
Who else? Post your suggestions below; the purveyor of the most apt aptonym will win a free copy of witty David Whitman's book, Sweating the Small Stuff. Let the games begin!
