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When I finished the Prologue of The Death and Life of the Great American School System, I made the following note - "I appreciate that Rativch talked about how her views on education changed as she saw American education policy continually fail. It shows that people are allowed to change their minds as their perspective and experience changes." I think that this is so important in anything we experience in life, that it is okay that we change our minds as we experience new things. This is something that is touched on in some of the other reading and research I did about her, and in an interview she did with the Washington Post she says that often times people in the public eye aren't known for admitting that "they were wrong" but she was willing to do so.

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In reading about Diane Ravitch - especially looking at some of her blog posts, I think that she is someone that is able to cut through the noise of educational policy and what is happening within education on a federal level.

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1. I appreciate her ability to eat crow and recant former beliefs, to work to undo damage that she had a part in. However, as the Sol Stern article pointed out, she is very convinced that she is now right. I would imagine that if someone had been that convinced of their correctness in the past, but then undergone a radical shift in philosophy, they would approach their new philosophy with more caution.

2. She now denounces even the idea of standards-based education. This is something that makes me very nervous. It seems to be pushing into the realm of de-regulation in the other direction. While I believe that the educational needs of students will differ based on local culture, and that some elements (such as art, history, and literature )should be truncated to at least the state level, a complete absence of standardization opens the floodgates for more issues. What is taught shouldn't change that greatly, how is it taught should be effected to

3. She has a habit in her book to employ overtly verbose verbiage to elevate and obfuscated her meaning. Rather, she uses 10 dollar words where plain speech would be good enough. Ossified springs to mind as an example. It is one thing to use these words in an academic paper or for an assignment, but for texts that you want people at large to read, you should avoid doing this. I for one am j

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1. I think that Ravitch can serve as an example to all educators that it is okay to have a change of heart and mind.  Ravitch was a supporter and leader in an area that she now works against. She is following the data explaining her position of what she supports now. I respect her position and willingness to change and defend why she has changed her thoughts.

2. As I was going through my undergraduate studies, Common Core was a hot topic at the time. Ravitch has helped me gather my thoughts about why I disagreed with Common Core.  Ravitch has an eloquent way of explaining why she is opposed to specific educational ideas, while also bluntly stating how terrible the ideas are.

3. As I continue to read throught The Death and Life, I find myself wanting to read Slaying Goliath. After reading the description, I can only imagine what it is like. Finally, I would spend time reading Ravitch's memoir if she ever took enough time to stop blogging and write one. She mentions that is what she would write in an interview that we read. Her memoir would be very interesting and I am sure very well written.

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While I was reading some of Ravitch's blog I began thinking she is a little radical in her beliefs about education, but I do think that some of her other works would be just as interesting an The Death and Life of the Great American School System.

She also makes me very interesting in learning more about the history of America's education system, I feel like I only scratch the surface of what I know.

Also - sorry, that I wrote these in 3 separate posts, I was struggling a little bit to come up with some of my observations, so as I did more research I found more things to add.

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1.  I think it is refreshing that Ravitch is so open about changing her mind and going from the politically moderate to the radically liberal. It is also an area her critics grab on to, as changing one's mind even due to strong evidence can be interpreted as weak.

2. One big takeaway from all of this information is how much bipartisan support there is for the current reform movement. She notes that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders even support high-stakes testing and privatization.  While word choice is instrumental in garnering support, it makes me wonder why these are still being celebrated on both sides of the political spectrum when there is data to say it is not effective or not as effective as promised.

3. The critical article authored by Stern really made me question the data Ravitch is using to support her very bold claims. It also demonstrates the power of data and how its interpretation can greatly impact policy. Yet, the only data that seems to make such impact is quantitative. While Ravitch cites NAEP data, she also relies on qualitative and anecdotal evidence.

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1. She keeps students as the central focus when addressing reform. When assessing the impact of reform efforts she immediately assesses how students are impacted by assessing diversity gaps, social emotional concerns, and developmental data. I appreciate her continuous reminders that the students are really what education is about and having the highest test scores is a measure we, adults, have chosen to assess these kids. This is modeled throughout the chapters & in the Washington Post article where she defends students individuality and criticizes ANAR for blaming economic trends on schools.

2. She models being a life long learner in that her opinions are continuously developing and changing as she learns and experiences more. I appreciate her transparency in this process and feel it is a great model for educators. We tell our students they should strive for growth and lifelong learning. Ravitch is a great example of this.

3. I appreciate that she is not afraid to "swim upstream". She gladly aligns herself with small advocacy groups that support things she believes in even if they don't have the money & fame. She does not hesitate to broach touchy subjects such as politics in education and confidently states problems she finds. She seems to have a strong moral compass and follows it loyalty, even if that means ruffling some feathers. However, I do find some of her beliefs a little extreme.

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1. Diane Ravitch is a strong independent woman who doesn't need a man. (I say this half jokingly, but in all seriousness I genuinely appreciate her tenacity, and her willingness to champion her beliefs. I know some seem critical of the aggressive tone her work takes, but I also find myself questioning how much societal morays and implicit expectations have constrained her over the years. Has she always had to speak loudly in order to be heard? Let's remember that she's much older than us and may have had to elbow herself to the table a time or to to avoid being fed mere scraps.)

2. I REALLY appreciate her mentioning the word "guidelines" and suggesting that this word should supplant "standards" in the educational realm. I completely agree with her and also feel that a simple shift in word choice could have a big impact in our educational system. We're constantly throwing around jargon as it is, so why not make this switch?

3. I love how she comes for people but also brings receipts with her. My issue with so many of our readings in grad school (sorry Dr. Smith) is that they generally speak in lofty statements without any specific examples. I know this is the nature of the higher education beast, but I also know I learn best when provided pointed examples designed to help support or cement an idea. So, for me, Ravitch is very effective because she will make a bold claim, but also back it up with specific details that help to solidify her perspective.

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There were a lot of things I managed to become conscious of in regards to the author of our primary text. My first observation comes from trying to understand the lense in which Ravitch uses in her pursuit towards "bettering" education. I will leave that up for you to decide if she is doing such, but she is very politically biased when it comes to specific policies, but it's to a degree that can be deemed extreme to moderate-leftists as well as conservatives, which is why I think she possesses critics on both sides.

While her speeches and articles seem to have good intentions, I am not impressed with the way she goes about addressing these issues. One of her articles, "Demoralizing Teachers" is an article I have massive concern for. I understand the point she is trying to make, but the intrusive language she uses to go about the argument is not beneficial to her stance, -nor is it compelling or advertised in a way that is going to convince others, especially those not already on her side, of the importance of this if she is not more critical with her words.

Lastly, at least for this forum, I was pleasantly surprised to see her rejection of both Bush and Obama's educational policies geared towards a push for common core standards and standardized testing. I would be interested to see if and what solution she poses in place of this .

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1. Like a lot of my classmates, I appreciate that Ravitch was able to make a radical shift in her opinions given, according to her, new information.  In today's pop culture and, particularly, politics, there is a huge lack of willingness to admit changes in opinion or that, heaven forbid, someone was wrong about something.  I cannot, for the life of me, understand why this is.  As someone who has made a huge political and social shift as far as my opinions are concerned in the past five years or so, I appreciate when others are willing to question long held perspectives in the face of new evidence or societal changes.

2. I find it interesting that Ravitch has managed to make enemies on both sides of the aisle.  The conservative school choice proponents don't like her since she's basically attacking their livelihood, and more liberal proponents of national standards don't care for her either since she's come to oppose things like Common Core.  In such divisive times, it appears that hating Diane Ravitch is something people in politics and education can apparently agree on.

3. It's interesting to hear about education from the perspective of an academic who isn't a former educator. While I don't tend to give these voices a lot of sway as far as my opinions, I think her outside perspective brings an interesting dynamic to education issues. As teachers, we have things about school that we love or hate and it is often difficult for us to see education from an objective viewpoint, so hearing about issues in education from someone with a history, politics, and research background is unique for me.

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1. I think Ravitch is gusty to say she was wrong about her initial beliefs about education. Few people would be willing to publicly admit they were wrong about such an important issue. It takes courage to be willing to look at the evidence and determine that your core belief system needs to be evaluated and changed.  Those that believe that accountability in testing to the point of firing teachers and giving schools failing grades are wrong. Ravitch was even willing to revise her book when given the opportunity and made changes to reflect her current mindset in the face of being criticized by her former allies and colleagues.
2. Ravitch should be respected because she just doesn't talk the talk, she walks the walk. Her organization, Network for Public Education has conferences, sponsors research, brings together activist, and has a political action group that endorses candidates.  She is going above and beyond to stand by her beliefs and do the work to as she put it, "arouse the consciousness" of other to resist the privatization of schools. She's doing the work.
3. She truly believes in democracy. She is not on the side of any political party, although she once identified as a democrat. She stated, "Improving schools must proceed along with improving children's lives." I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. Shouldn't that be the goal of education? To educate students so they all can achieve the American dream?

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1. Ravitch is unapologetically herself. In both her book and the other sources we reviewed, Ravitch  was quite honest about her feelings about education, and how they have changed over time. I admire her tenacity and drive to share her viewpoints, even if they are different that those around her. I also admire her willingness to admit that she had changed her stance on issues. Many people would have moved on, but she felt the need to revise her book to express herself as the educator she is now, not the educator she was then.

2. Ravitch is willing to "buck" the system. She does not always align with a specific political party, and she certainly is not afraid to take others "down" (with evidence). Ravitch has become a well known figure in education, and her support of initiatives or candidates is not revered by some. I think her following comes from honesty. She does not tell people what they want to hear. She tells people her perception of the information, and does not care if they agree.

3. Ravitch uses teachers perceptions of information to guide her stances on issues. In her interview about the revision of her book, she mentioned changing her stance on Common Core Standards after hearing from teachers how the process was ineffective or even harmful for students. Many well-known authors, or educational elite, would not care what teachers have to say. Ravitch acknowledges that teacher's have to live with the decisions made at the upper-levels of education on a daily basis. Their opinions and critiques should be heard and utilized in the planning process.

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1. After reading some of Ravitch's work and reading about her, I must say I truly appreciate how she has been open about how her beliefs of educational reform have changed over time. As I have read some of her critics, I think it is odd they consider her beliefs changing as negative. Personally, I believe it takes more knowledge and strength to admit you no longer feel the same as you once did.

2. If I had a twitter account, I would definitely follow Diane Ravitch! What I find attractive about her tweets and retweets is that she is bringing attention to the real problems in education and not just the topics mainstream media wants to talk about.

3. I think one reason most of us really like what Mrs. Ravitch has to say is because she seems to have the "teacher" perspective when addressing educational reform. While she still discusses the related polices and legislation related to issues, her intentions come from a place of actually wanting to improve education, just as a teacher.

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1.  This quote from Ravitch's interview stood out to me: "The book was immediately hailed and reviled because I renounced my support for high-stakes testing and charter schools. People in public life these days are not known for saying 'I was wrong.' I did." I found this segment of her interview so refreshing, and I really admire Ravitch for the way she so publicly and adamantly explained her changes of position on such hot topic educational issues. I think this sort of behavior is a vital quality of strong leadership in all realms as well.

2. I find myself gravitating toward Ravitch's point of view on many issues (but especially high-stakes testing). During her interview, she stated, "The result is that most children fail the Common Core tests, and that is a terrible thing to do to little children. They should have both challenge and success, not be branded as failures in third grade." I am not sure I have ever identified more with an explanation of the negative impacts of high-stakes tests on such young children. This issue is one I wrestle with daily as a third grade teacher. I am constantly trying to find the "right" balance between preparing my students for their EOG and preparing them for real life while celebrating each of their unique strengths and talents.

3. Despite the harsh words of her critics (who admittedly make some valid points concerning the data behind some of Ravitch's claims), I am really looking forward to reading Slaying Goliath in the future as well as following Ravitch on social media. This year, I am trying to invite multiple, diverse perspectives on the issues that matter most to me. For this reason, I also plan on digging deeper into some of the claims made by the author of "The Closing of Diane Ravitch's Mind" in order to understand some of the points that were made more thoroughly as well. However, I am particularly excited to continue following Ravitch's blogs and posts about educational equity.

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1.) I think it is a shame that some of her critics or readers do not take her seriously because she has changed her mind so radically. I think comparing her posts to an Occupy Wall Street poster or propaganda hub and not taking into account that she has facts to back up her arguements.
2.) She is very progressive in her ideas and I agree with her that national standards and national tests are a dead-end. All children are not the same, cannot be taught the same, cannot be measured the same.
3.) I think it is hilarious that she referred to the charter system as a Ponzi scheme. It comes off as a way to privatize public schools, and she makes a good point. I have noticed that after her 70-some years in the business and now an activist, she does not hold back about what she thinks. Unfortunately, the way she is presented in these articles is not the best light for a true advocate of the public school system.