Blog · Computer Science · New York City · STEM Education

What Is Computer Science? The DOE Doesn’t Know: CS4All (Part 2)

As covered in Part #1, two weeks ago was the New York City Department of Education’s CSEdWeek, which is an extension of their CS4All initiative that they claim “will ensure all NYC public school students learn computer science” and help students develop “computational thinking, problem-solving, creativity, and critical-thinking skills.“ There are a few issues with… Continue reading What Is Computer Science? The DOE Doesn’t Know: CS4All (Part 2)

Blog · New York City · Teaching in NYC

“Teaching computer science so people can work with computers is akin to teaching students about locksmithery so they can unlock their doors.” – How the NYC Department of Education Doesn’t Understand Their Own CS4All Initiative! (Part #1)

The NYC DOE has a program called CS4All which they say “will ensure all NYC public school students learn computer science” and that this will make students “better prepared to utilize computer science during their K-12 experience and after graduation.” Two weeks ago was their CSEdWeek, which encouraged many schools to bring “computer science to… Continue reading “Teaching computer science so people can work with computers is akin to teaching students about locksmithery so they can unlock their doors.” – How the NYC Department of Education Doesn’t Understand Their Own CS4All Initiative! (Part #1)

New York City · State Legislature

State Senator Speaks On The Future of SHSAT, Screened Schools & G&T Programs

(This is a guest post by Yiatin Chu, Maud Maron, and Amy Tse, Founding Members of Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curricula and Education, a.k.a. PLACE NYC.) On December 12th, 2019, over 100 parents crowded around lunchroom tables of East Side Middle School to hear State Senator John Liu speak about Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposal… Continue reading State Senator Speaks On The Future of SHSAT, Screened Schools & G&T Programs

Blog · New York City

10 NYC Education Stories You May Have Overlooked In 2019 – And Why They Matter

Heading into 2019 and 2018, I wrote about which New York City education issues vexed parents the most based on their post’s popularity. I have another planned for the end of this year: 20 issues for 2020! But, over the past 12 months, there have also been topics that didn’t get the attention they deserved.… Continue reading 10 NYC Education Stories You May Have Overlooked In 2019 – And Why They Matter

Accountability · Blog · New York City

Carranza Offers To Accept Accountability…. After He’s Out Of Office?

“All I need is for the legislature to get out of the way, repeal that law and then hold me accountable for the quality of those schools,” New York City Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza boldly proclaimed on Tuesday, November 19 during a Town Hall meeting in the Bronx. He was referring to the Specialized High… Continue reading Carranza Offers To Accept Accountability…. After He’s Out Of Office?

Blog · New York City · NYC Teacher · Outstanding NYC Teachers

Giving Thanks For NYC’s Favorite Teachers

(This is a guest post by Glenn Fuhrman. Glen is a Trustee of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and of the TATE Americas Foundation, and a board member of the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.) My mother and my aunt were both public school teachers, as was my… Continue reading Giving Thanks For NYC’s Favorite Teachers

Blog · New York City

You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant! NYC Mandates All Districts Must Have a Diversity Plan

Last week, I reported on one national and one statewide proposal to improve America’s educational outcomes post the depressing results from the National Assessment of Education Progress (NEAP) report card. This week, we look at what’s being considered on the local level. In New York City, improving outcomes for over one million schoolchildren does not… Continue reading You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant and You Get a Grant! NYC Mandates All Districts Must Have a Diversity Plan

Blog · New York City

The Apollo Video Oral History Project

I’ve taken great pride in creating an African American Studies course for my school that explored not simply African American History, but African Americans through the lens of history, the arts, and culture. Gearing up for my third year of teaching this class, I was notified that I was going to teach Latin American Studies… Continue reading The Apollo Video Oral History Project

New York City

Don’t stop them now! Students can learn more than you think

Computers are fast and stupid, people are slow and clever. This is an axiom that anybody who works with computers must accept in order that computers and people may cooperate effectively. Yet, schools seem to ask students to do tasks to which computers are much better suited, and then let them graduate without ever having… Continue reading Don’t stop them now! Students can learn more than you think

New York City

It’s About Time: Education’s Latest Magic Bullets

A pair of structural changes, one statewide, one nationwide, have been introduced as part of the ongoing hunt for that magic bullet to cure America’s learning woes. And not a moment too soon. The 2019 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports came out last month. Nationwide, on average, math scores went up for 4th… Continue reading It’s About Time: Education’s Latest Magic Bullets