924 books
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2,380 voters
“There are no faster or firmer friendships than those formed between people who love the same books.”
― Clarence Darrow for the Defense
― Clarence Darrow for the Defense
“Preparation" is a treacherous idea. In a certain sense every experience should do something to prepare a person for later experiences of a deeper and more expansive quality. That is the very meaning of growth, continuity, reconstruction of experience. But it is a mistake to suppose that the mere acquisition of a certain amount of arithmetic, geography, history, etc., which is taught and studied because it may be useful at some time in the future, has this effect, and it is a mistake to suppose that acquisition of skills in reading and figuring will automatically constitute preparation for their right and effective use under conditions very unlike those in which they were acquired.”
― Experience and Education
― Experience and Education
“Our schools will not improve if we continue to focus only on reading and mathematics while ignoring the other studies that are essential elements of a good education. Schools that expect nothing more of their students than mastery of basic skills will not produce graduates who are ready for college or the modern workplace.
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Our schools will not improve if we value only what tests measure. The tests we have now provide useful information about students' progress in reading and mathematics, but they cannot measure what matters most in education....What is tested may ultimately be less important that what is untested...
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Our schools will not improve if we continue to close neighborhood schools in the name of reform. Neighborhood schools are often the anchors of their communities, a steady presence that helps to cement the bond of community among neighbors.
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Our schools cannot improve if charter schools siphon away the most motivated students and their families in the poorest communities from the regular public schools.
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Our schools will not improve if we continue to drive away experienced principals and replace them with neophytes who have taken a leadership training course but have little or no experience as teachers.
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Our schools cannot be improved if we ignore the disadvantages associated with poverty that affect children's ability to learn. Children who have grown up in poverty need extra resources, including preschool and medical care.”
― The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education
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Our schools will not improve if we value only what tests measure. The tests we have now provide useful information about students' progress in reading and mathematics, but they cannot measure what matters most in education....What is tested may ultimately be less important that what is untested...
***
Our schools will not improve if we continue to close neighborhood schools in the name of reform. Neighborhood schools are often the anchors of their communities, a steady presence that helps to cement the bond of community among neighbors.
***
Our schools cannot improve if charter schools siphon away the most motivated students and their families in the poorest communities from the regular public schools.
***
Our schools will not improve if we continue to drive away experienced principals and replace them with neophytes who have taken a leadership training course but have little or no experience as teachers.
***
Our schools cannot be improved if we ignore the disadvantages associated with poverty that affect children's ability to learn. Children who have grown up in poverty need extra resources, including preschool and medical care.”
― The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education
“... a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”
― A Game of Thrones
― A Game of Thrones
“Anyone who truly cares about children must be repelled by the insistence on ranking them, rating them, and labeling them. Whatever the tests measure is not the sum and substance of any child. The tests do not measure character, spirit, heart, soul, potential. When overused and misused, when attached to high stakes, the tests stifle the very creativity and ingenuity that our society needs most. Creativity and ingenuity stubbornly resist standardization. Tests should be used sparingly to help students and teachers, not to allocate rewards and punishments and not to label children and adults by their scores.”
― Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools
― Reign of Error: The Hoax of the Privatization Movement and the Danger to America's Public Schools
Crime Pays: The Fall Mystery & Thriller Author Panel Discussion
— 168 members
— last activity Oct 17, 2025 12:55AM
Join us September 7 - 12, 2010 for a thrilling discussion of the darker side of literature. This is a discussion group featuring authors Charles Todd, ...more
The 52 Book Club: 2026 Challenge
— 26147 members
— last activity 15 minutes ago
This group is for those participating in The 52 Book Club's annual challenges! With 52 unique prompts released each year, the goal is to diversify our ...more
Heather’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Heather’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
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