- In case you might have missed it since it’s not strictly an education story, Intel recently announced it was going to build an enormous silicon chip production facility in exurban central Ohio, promising thousands of good new jobs to the region. The felicitous announcement precipitated the return of the Girls Who Code IT education program in nearby Lakewood Local Schools, with teachers, administrators, parents, and students all excited about the potential for what these scholars can learn…and what they can earn. (Newark Advocate, 2/3/22) According to the boffins at Columbus Business First, just under 50 percent of those thousands of jobs that “typically make up U.S. semiconductor manufacturing plants” require only a high school diploma. About 40 percent require bachelor’s degrees (including industrial engineers, software developers, electronics engineers, computer hardware engineers, and electrical engineers). About seven percent require associate’s degrees, and the rest are a mix of jobs requiring postsecondary non-degree credentials and no formal education at all. (NBC4 News, Columbus, 2/3/22)
- Meanwhile, in Lakeview Local Schools just outside Warren, it was a celebration of the Global Day of Play, as advocated in a TED Talk some while back. “In our quest for academic excellence,” said Lakeview Elementary’s principal, “are we doing what is best for social and emotional health?” (Tribune Chronicle, 2/3/22)
- I hope y’all know that I’m not demeaning the idea of little kids playing with cardboard boxes and craft supplies for a day. That’s all good in my book. But the admonition that “Schools can’t just strive for academic excellence because it hurts kids in so many ways!” almost always falls flat for me—because it is most often used by folks for whom “academic excellence” is an unhittable target no matter what. And that whatever is the “X” that is intended to be done “in addition” to academics is often just something easier that adults prefer to do “instead of” them. You can see the same sort of rhetoric in this piece, an op-ed from the superintendent of one of the local career centers. He calls it important stuff his school does “beyond academics” (a dubious list which includes “self-awareness” work and icky Myers-Briggs analysis). I assume he uses the word “beyond” because the actually important (vital, one might venture to say) “academics” part has already been given third or fourth or fifth place on the adults’ want-to-do list. (ThisWeek News, 2/3/22) Not exactly the same thing here, but a similar mindset. Despite the supe’s assurance that “we are seeing phenomenal progress” in district third graders’ reading skills in the current school year, the adults running Pickerington City Schools still feel it necessary to launch a supplemental effort to improve those skills. The Level Up effort is in addition to regular in-class time and while aimed at the 53 percent of kiddos who did not test at the proficient level this fall, it is entirely voluntary and so may or may not move the needle at all. The laudatory nature of the piece seems entirely down to the fact that the district convinced its teachers – for a generous stipend – to actually attempt the extra work at all, despite the clearly-stated need. (ThisWeek News, 2/3/22)
- Finally today, it’s Catholic Schools Week. In Cincinnati, that has resulted in science teacher extraordinaire Angela Breetz from Badin High School being named Educator of the Week by Local 12 News. And while a local news station might not exactly be the Nobel Committee, I ask you to take a look at Ms. Breetz’ classrooms, students, and work and see if doesn’t seem like just the kind of educational awesomeness more kids need right now. Sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? (Local 12 News, Cincinnati, 2/2/22)
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