The Ooey Gooey® Communicate : Get Involved section is here to help you get started in the struggle to give your children a better life. To get the goo going we refer to the wisdom of Alfie Kohn¹. Lisa often refers to the writings and philosophy of Alfie Kohn, and below you will find a summary by Alfie Kohn and links to his website on Rescuing our Schools from "Tougher Standards."
"A plague has been sweeping through American schools, wiping out the most innovative instruction and beating down some of the best teachers and administrators. Ironically, that plague has been unleashed in the name of improving schools. Invoking such terms as "tougher standards," "accountability," and "raising the bar," people with little understanding of how children learn have imposed a heavy-handed, top-down, test-driven version of school reform that is lowering the quality of education in this country.
"It has taken some educators and parents a while to realize that the rhetoric of "standards" is turning schools into giant test-prep centers, effectively closing off intellectual inquiry and undermining enthusiasm for learning (and teaching). It has taken even longer to realize that this is not a fact of life, like the weather -- that is, a reality to be coped with -- but rather a political movement that must be opposed."
-Alfie Kohn
WHY WE SHOULD OPPOSE IT:
The Case Against
"Tougher Standards"
HOW WE CAN OPPOSE IT:
Practical
Strategies to Save Our Schools
WHOM TO CONTACT:
A
List of State Coordinators
WHERE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION:
References
and Resources
¹ Alfie Kohn writes and speaks widely on human behavior, education, and social theory. Of his eight books, the best known are PUNISHED BY REWARDS: The Trouble with Gold Stars, Incentive Plans, A's, Praise, and Other Bribes (1993), NO CONTEST: The Case Against Competition (1986), and THE SCHOOLS OUR CHILDREN DESERVE: Moving Beyond Traditional Classrooms and "Tougher Standards" (1999). His most recent book, just published by Heinemann, is THE CASE AGAINST STANDARDIZED TESTING.
For more info visit alfiekohn.org
Ooey Gooey® and The Ooey Gooey Lady® are registered trademarks of Ooey Gooey Inc. All rights reserved.
All workshop titles and articles written by Lisa Murphy are © Lisa Murphy, Ooey Gooey, Inc. Rochester, New York.
For more information call Ooey Gooey, Inc. 800-477-7977, www.ooeygooey.com
Ooey Gooey, Inc.
3265 East Ave.
Rochester, NY 14618
Toll free: 800-477-7977
International: 1-585-383-1891
Fax: 585-383-8078
Site design and hosting by [ i ] motion design
