Prof. Stephen Krashen 12-08-2011 from Chicago Teachers Union on Vimeo.
Here are some of the highlights:
- The tougher standards movement is built on the premise that schools are broken.
- If you control for poverty, the US does very well in comparison to affluent students from other countries.
- The US has the highest level of children in poverty in the Industrialized world. 1 in 5 children live in poverty in the US (1 in 10 in Alberta and 1 in 25 in Finland)
- Better education will only get you a better job if jobs are available.
- The STEM crisis is a hoax. There is no shortage of engineers.
- If you want to do something about housing and education, first take care of poverty. Housing and education will take care of themselves.
- Poverty is the problem.
- There is practically zero correlation between international test scores and subsequent economic development.
- The impact of poverty on children is gigantic. Lack of food. Lack of healthcare.
- Poor children have practically zero access to books.
- Study shows that in affluent areas children have access to over 200 books while children in poverty have access to less than 2 books at home. School is not levelling the playing field.
- Children in poverty have practically nothing to read.
- We must protect children against the affects of poverty. This means three things: food (free and reduce meals). School nurses (medical care). Books and libraries (literacy)
