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Carry On (Simon Snow #1)
by Rainbow RowellBased on the characters Simon and Baz who featured in Rainbow Rowell's bestselling Fangirl, Carry On is a ghost story, a love story, a mystery and a melodrama. It has just as much kissing and talking as you'd expect from a Rainbow Rowell story – but far, far more monsters.Simon Snow just wants to relax and savour his last year at the Watford School of Magicks, but no one will let him. His girlfriend broke up with him, his best friend is a pest and his mentor keeps trying to hide him away in the mountains where maybe he'll be safe. Simon can't even enjoy the fact that his room-mate and longtime nemesis is missing, because he can't stop worrying about the evil git. Plus there are ghosts. And vampires. And actual evil things trying to shut Simon down. When you're the most powerful magician the world has ever known, you never get to relax and savour anything.
Cars: Read It Yourself - Level 1 Early Reader (Read It Yourself)
by LadybirdHow many different sorts of cars do you know? From electric cars to speedy racing cars, learn all about the interesting types of cars that people can drive. Cars is from Early Reader Level 1 and is perfect for children aged from 4+ who are taking their first steps beyond phonics.Each book has been carefully checked by educational and subject consultants and includes comprehension puzzles, book band information, and tips for helping children with their reading.With five levels to take children from first phonics to fluent reading and a wide range of different stories and topics for every interest, Read It Yourself helps children build their confidence and begin reading for pleasure.
Cartographies of Becoming in Education: A Deleuze-Guattari Perspective
by Diana MasnyCartographies of becoming in education: A Deleuze-Guattari Perspective proposes a non-hierarchical approach that maps teaching and learning with the power of affect and what a body can do/become in different educational contexts. Teaching and learning is an encounter with the unknown and happen as specific responses to particular problems encountered with/in life. In this edited volume, international scholars map out potential ruptures in teaching and learning in order to conceptualize education differently. One way is through the multidisciplinary lens of MLT (Multiple Literacies Theory) in which reading is intensive and immanent. The authors deploy different aspects of MLT while creating and experimenting with ethology, teaching, learning, curriculum, teacher education and technology in relation to visual arts, music, mathematics, theatre, workplace literacy, second language education, and architecture. With the forces of globalization, digital media and economic re-structuring reconfiguring the social, political and economic landscape, societies require innovative ways of thinking about education. Cartographies of becoming in education: A Deleuze-Guattari Perspective is a response to problems posed by such forces. The problematic surrounding Deleuze-Guattari and education continues to grow. Diana Masny’s scholarship in this area is well known and appreciated through her many essays and books that develop MLT (Multiple Literacies Theory). Cartographies of Becoming in Education: A Deleuze-Guattari Perspective continues her effort to broaden the notion of education and show its intersections with MLT. The series of essays do this by forming a number of ‘entries,’ five to be precise: politicizing education, affect and education, literacies and becoming, teacher-becomings, and deterritorializing boundaries. Each ‘entry’ explores the way an MLT inflected orientation enables us to further grasp the creative inventiveness of the Deleuze-Guattarian tool kit that can be applied to areas of music education, ethnography, art, drama, literacy, mathematics, landscape ecology, ethology and teacher education. It is a vivid illustration of the cartography that maps the rhizomatic movements that are taking place by international scholars who are deterritorializing education as a discipline of modernity. I highly recommend this collection of essays to those of us who are continually asking how might education be rethought through the unthought. It opens up new territories. – Jan Jagodzinski, University of Alberta, Author of Psychoanalyzing Cinema.
Cartographies of Race and Social Difference (Critical Studies of Education #9)
by George J. Sefa Dei Shukri HilowleThis book critically examines how race is constructed globally to intersect gender, class, sexuality, language ability and religion and answers some very important questions, like how does anti-black racism manifest itself within various contexts? Chapters in the book use the ‘Black and White paradigm’ as a lens for critical race analysis examining how, for example, the saliency of race and Blackness shape the ‘post-colony’, as well as the various ‘post’ colonial nations. The paradigm centers Whiteness as the lens of defining what and what is different. The negative portrayal of difference is anchored in the sanctity of Whiteness. It is through such analysis that we can understand how historically colour has been a permanent marker of differentiation even though it has not been the only one. It is through conversations and dialogue in the classroom that the book was created; given the current political shift in American and the rise of Anti-Blackness, anti-Indigeneity, Islamophobia and xenophobia. The book critically examines White supremacy, racialization of gender, “post-racial” false narratives, and other contemporary issues surrounding race.
Cartoon County: My Father And His Friends In The Golden Age Of Make-believe (PDF) (400MB+)
by Cullen MurphyFor a period of about fifty years, right in the middle of the American Century, many of the the nation's top comic-strip cartoonists, gag cartoonists, and magazine illustrators lived within a stone's throw of one another in the southwestern corner of Connecticut-a bit of bohemia in the middle of those men in their gray flannel suits. Cullen Murphy's father, John Cullen Murphy, drew the wildly popular comic strips Prince Valiant and Big Ben Bolt, and was at the heart of this artistic milieu. Comic strips and gag cartoons read by hundreds of millions were created in this tight-knit group- Superman, Beetle Bailey, Snuffy Smith, Rip Kirby, Hagar the Horrible, Hi and Lois, Nancy, Sam & Silo, Amy, The Wizard of Id, The Heart of Juliet Jones, Family Circus, Joe Palooka, and The Lockhorns, among others. Cartoonists and their art were a pop-cultural force in a way that few today remember. Anarchic and deeply creative, the cartoonists were independent spirits whose artistic talents had mainly been forged during service in World War II. Illustrated with never-before-seen photographs, cartoons, and drawings, Cartoon County brings the postwar American era alive, told through the relationship of a son to his father, an extraordinarily talented and generous man who had been trained by Norman Rockwell. Cartoon County gives us a glimpse into a very special community-and of an America that used to be.
Cartoon Kid - Zombies! (Cartoon Kid)
by Jeremy StrongAARGH - the school inspectors have arrived! There's trouble at school, but Casper and his friends have an out-of-this-world secret . . . THEY'RE ALL SUPERHEROES! Masher McNee and his monster zombie mob are no match for their extra-special powers in the playground. WHAM-BAM-JELLY-AND-JAM!With a snoring zombie giving Casper sleepless nights, and a gruesome discovery for show-and-tell, the Cartoon Kid is ready for anything - dead or alive!SPLUDDD!!!SPINNG!!!!BOOFFF!!!!!** Three funny stories in one book for 6+ by Jeremy Strong, the award-winning author of The Hundred-Mile-an-Hour Dog and My Brother's Famous Bottom.** www.jeremystrong.co.uk** Perfect for fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, and Liz Pichon's The Brilliant World of Tom Gates.
Cartooning: Create Your Own World Of Cartoons, Caricatures, Comic Strips And Manga (Collins Need to Know?)
by John ByrneThis practical step-by-step guide provides an ideal introduction to the exciting and fun world of cartooning, covering a wide range of cartoons, caricatures, comic strips and manga.
Cartooning, Caricature and Animation Made Easy
by Chuck ThorndikeWritten by an experienced teacher of cartooning, this volume combines The Secrets of Cartooning, the author's first and more elementary book, and The Art of Cartooning, his follow-up, in which he answered questions raised by readers of his earlier book. Each volume in this double edition is complete in itself as a series of lessons. The first part focuses on such basics as drawing the head, hands, and clothing; creating expressions; conveying motion; and obtaining shading effects. The second section presents a series of lessons in anatomy, followed by advice about drawing caricatures and detailed instructions for creating images for animated features and political cartoons.
Cartooning Teen Stories: Using comics to explore key life issues with young people (PDF)
by Jenny DrewComics are perfect for working with young people. More than just sci-fi and superheroes, they can help young people to explore the issues affecting them and to express their own ideas. Introducing the comic participation model, this practical photocopiable resource explains why comics are so relatable and engaging for young people. It looks at the different applications of comics, from simple doodle games to communicate one-on-one, to panel comics that relay entire stories. Five sample comics created in collaboration with young people are included, covering issues such as mental health, sexuality, trauma and bullying. There is also a practical how-to guide in comic form for creating a comic on any subject regardless of artistic ability, and accompanying session plans and worksheets that can be adapted to suit the needs of any individual.
Cartoons and Manga: Cartoons And Manga (Master This (PDF) #8)
by Des TaylorThis exciting series features a range of sports and hobbies, offering all the information budding enthusiasts will need to participate. Each titles information such as clothing and equipment, step-by-step skills and techniques and information on how to take the activity further, either by joining clubs, entering competitions or signing up for lessons.
Cartoons for Trainers: Seventy-five Cartoons to Use or Adapt for Transitions, Activities, Discussion Points, Ice-breakers and Much More
by Lenn MillbowerAs most instructors, presenters and trainers have discovered, cartoons are an excellent classroom resource for making key learning points in an enjoyable, engaging manner. Cartoons function well as metaphors for the subject at hand, help introduce or wrap-up key concepts, and serve to ease transitions between learning segments. However, as most users have also discovered, reproduction fees for cartoons in training can be expensive; permissions hard to obtain; and copyright holders difficult to track down.This book provides the solution. Cartoons for Trainers presents over 75 original cartoons, conceptualized by trainers for trainers. It includes a license that allows buyers to display these cartoons in the classroom. The cartoons focus on the transition points in any training program. Subjects include objectives, introductions, activities, case studies, role-plays, experiential learning, breaks, evaluations, and closings. For anyone who wants tips or guidance, the author provides a brief and practical introduction.In addition, the cartoons are reproduced on the included CD-ROM for use in electronic presentations. Purchase of the book constitutes permission for the buyer to reproduce the cartoons for overheads or place them in electronic presentations. Written by leading offbeat training expert Lenn Millbower, author of Training With A Beat: The Teaching Power of Music, and the composer of Do You Want to Learn With Music: Game Show Themes for Trainers, and drawn by New York show director Doris Yager, these cartoons exhibit a tongue-in-cheek wit reminiscent of Gary Larson's The Far Side and Scott Adams' Dilbert. All the cartoons make good-natured fun of the everyday foibles trainers experience, while addressing the fears that learners have toward training. This is an ideal trainer's companion and deserves a place in any trainer's toolbox.
Cartoons for Trainers: Seventy-five Cartoons to Use or Adapt for Transitions, Activities, Discussion Points, Ice-breakers and Much More
by Lenn MillbowerAs most instructors, presenters and trainers have discovered, cartoons are an excellent classroom resource for making key learning points in an enjoyable, engaging manner. Cartoons function well as metaphors for the subject at hand, help introduce or wrap-up key concepts, and serve to ease transitions between learning segments. However, as most users have also discovered, reproduction fees for cartoons in training can be expensive; permissions hard to obtain; and copyright holders difficult to track down.This book provides the solution. Cartoons for Trainers presents over 75 original cartoons, conceptualized by trainers for trainers. It includes a license that allows buyers to display these cartoons in the classroom. The cartoons focus on the transition points in any training program. Subjects include objectives, introductions, activities, case studies, role-plays, experiential learning, breaks, evaluations, and closings. For anyone who wants tips or guidance, the author provides a brief and practical introduction.In addition, the cartoons are reproduced on the included CD-ROM for use in electronic presentations. Purchase of the book constitutes permission for the buyer to reproduce the cartoons for overheads or place them in electronic presentations. Written by leading offbeat training expert Lenn Millbower, author of Training With A Beat: The Teaching Power of Music, and the composer of Do You Want to Learn With Music: Game Show Themes for Trainers, and drawn by New York show director Doris Yager, these cartoons exhibit a tongue-in-cheek wit reminiscent of Gary Larson's The Far Side and Scott Adams' Dilbert. All the cartoons make good-natured fun of the everyday foibles trainers experience, while addressing the fears that learners have toward training. This is an ideal trainer's companion and deserves a place in any trainer's toolbox.
Cartoons of World War II
by Tony HusbandIn peacetime cartoonists are a diverse collection of individuals with their own styles and projects, but when the trumpets of war blow it is like unleashing the dogs of war. Hitler, Stalin, Churchill, Roosevelt and Mussolini were a gift for them and, as this collection shows, one they weren't about to turn down. This book shows that humour was one of the key weapons of war, with countries using cartoons to demoralise their opponents and maintain morale. Each country had its own style: the British liked understatement, showing people drinking cups of tea while bombs fell, whilst the Germans chose Churchill serving up a cocktail of blood, sweat and tears to an emaciated and sickly British lion. Showcasing the very best cartoons from Britain, the USA, Germany, Russia plus the work of all of WWII's greatest cartoonists, including Bill Mauldin, Fougasse, Emett, David Low and Graham Laidler (Pont), this book is guaranteed to make you laugh.
The Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money
by Bryan CaplanWhy we need to stop wasting public funds on educationDespite being immensely popular--and immensely lucrative—education is grossly overrated. In this explosive book, Bryan Caplan argues that the primary function of education is not to enhance students' skill but to certify their intelligence, work ethic, and conformity—in other words, to signal the qualities of a good employee. Learn why students hunt for easy As and casually forget most of what they learn after the final exam, why decades of growing access to education have not resulted in better jobs for the average worker but instead in runaway credential inflation, how employers reward workers for costly schooling they rarely if ever use, and why cutting education spending is the best remedy.Caplan draws on the latest social science to show how the labor market values grades over knowledge, and why the more education your rivals have, the more you need to impress employers. He explains why graduation is our society's top conformity signal, and why even the most useless degrees can certify employability. He advocates two major policy responses. The first is educational austerity. Government needs to sharply cut education funding to curb this wasteful rat race. The second is more vocational education, because practical skills are more socially valuable than teaching students how to outshine their peers.Romantic notions about education being "good for the soul" must yield to careful research and common sense—The Case against Education points the way.
The Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money
by Bryan CaplanWhy we need to stop wasting public funds on educationDespite being immensely popular--and immensely lucrative—education is grossly overrated. In this explosive book, Bryan Caplan argues that the primary function of education is not to enhance students' skill but to certify their intelligence, work ethic, and conformity—in other words, to signal the qualities of a good employee. Learn why students hunt for easy As and casually forget most of what they learn after the final exam, why decades of growing access to education have not resulted in better jobs for the average worker but instead in runaway credential inflation, how employers reward workers for costly schooling they rarely if ever use, and why cutting education spending is the best remedy.Caplan draws on the latest social science to show how the labor market values grades over knowledge, and why the more education your rivals have, the more you need to impress employers. He explains why graduation is our society's top conformity signal, and why even the most useless degrees can certify employability. He advocates two major policy responses. The first is educational austerity. Government needs to sharply cut education funding to curb this wasteful rat race. The second is more vocational education, because practical skills are more socially valuable than teaching students how to outshine their peers.Romantic notions about education being "good for the soul" must yield to careful research and common sense—The Case against Education points the way.
The Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money
by Bryan CaplanWhy we need to stop wasting public funds on educationDespite being immensely popular—and immensely lucrative—education is grossly overrated. Now with a new afterword by Bryan Caplan, this explosive book argues that the primary function of education is not to enhance students' skills but to signal the qualities of a good employee. Learn why students hunt for easy As only to forget most of what they learn after the final exam, why decades of growing access to education have not resulted in better jobs for average workers, how employers reward workers for costly schooling they rarely ever use, and why cutting education spending is the best remedy. Romantic notions about education being "good for the soul" must yield to careful research and common sense—The Case against Education points the way.
The Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money
by Bryan CaplanWhy we need to stop wasting public funds on educationDespite being immensely popular—and immensely lucrative—education is grossly overrated. Now with a new afterword by Bryan Caplan, this explosive book argues that the primary function of education is not to enhance students' skills but to signal the qualities of a good employee. Learn why students hunt for easy As only to forget most of what they learn after the final exam, why decades of growing access to education have not resulted in better jobs for average workers, how employers reward workers for costly schooling they rarely ever use, and why cutting education spending is the best remedy. Romantic notions about education being "good for the soul" must yield to careful research and common sense—The Case against Education points the way.
The Case for Affirmative Action on Campus: Concepts of Equity, Considerations for Practice
by Eboni M. Zamani-Gallaher Denise O’Neil Green David O. Stovall M. Christopher Brown II* Marshalls the arguments for affirmative action* Offers strategies for actionWhy is affirmative action under attack? What were the policy’s original purposes, and have they been achieved? What are the arguments being arrayed against it? And–for all stakeholders concerned about equity and diversity on campus–what’s the way forward, politically, legally, and practically?The authors explore the historical context, the philosophical and legal foundations of affirmative action, present contemporary attitudes to the issue on and off campus, and uncover the tactics and arguments of its opponents. They conclude by offering strategies to counter the erosion of affirmative action, change the basis of the discourse, and coordinate institutional support to foster inclusive college environments and multi-ethnic campus communities.This book analyzes the ideological and legal construction of colorblind legislation that has led to the de facto exclusion of people of color from institutions of higher education. It addresses the role of the courts in affecting affirmative action in higher education as a workplace and place of study. It documents the under-representation of collegians of color and presents research on student opinion on race-based policies at two- and four-year institutions. It details the pervasiveness of the affirmative action debate across educational sectors and the status of race among myriad factors considered in college admissions. Finally, it considers affirmative action as a pipeline issue and in the light of educational policy.
The Case for Affirmative Action on Campus: Concepts of Equity, Considerations for Practice
by Eboni M. Zamani-Gallaher Denise O’Neil Green David O. Stovall M. Christopher Brown II* Marshalls the arguments for affirmative action* Offers strategies for actionWhy is affirmative action under attack? What were the policy’s original purposes, and have they been achieved? What are the arguments being arrayed against it? And–for all stakeholders concerned about equity and diversity on campus–what’s the way forward, politically, legally, and practically?The authors explore the historical context, the philosophical and legal foundations of affirmative action, present contemporary attitudes to the issue on and off campus, and uncover the tactics and arguments of its opponents. They conclude by offering strategies to counter the erosion of affirmative action, change the basis of the discourse, and coordinate institutional support to foster inclusive college environments and multi-ethnic campus communities.This book analyzes the ideological and legal construction of colorblind legislation that has led to the de facto exclusion of people of color from institutions of higher education. It addresses the role of the courts in affecting affirmative action in higher education as a workplace and place of study. It documents the under-representation of collegians of color and presents research on student opinion on race-based policies at two- and four-year institutions. It details the pervasiveness of the affirmative action debate across educational sectors and the status of race among myriad factors considered in college admissions. Finally, it considers affirmative action as a pipeline issue and in the light of educational policy.
A Case for Change in Teacher Preparation: Developing Community-Based Residency Programs
by Julie Gorlewski Amanda Winkelsas Suzanne N. Rosenblith Corrie Stone-Johnson Elisabeth Etopio David Gorlewski Tiffany Karalis Noel Bobbie Finocchio Amanda Seccia Ling Zhai Erin Kearney Xiufeng Liu Nooshin Shafaei Tanika ShedrickWhy are preservice teachers often told by veteran teachers to "forget what you learned" in teacher preparation programs? Why is there a gap between pedagogical practices employed at schools and those taught at colleges and universities? And why, after evidence from countless studies, are there still so few teachers of color working in our rapidly diversifying schools? These questions are addressed in this book, which describes a reconceptualized teacher preparation program based on a teacher residency model. This model is grounded in three core beliefs: first, that teacher quality is a shared responsibility between universities and school districts; second, that all students have a right to high-quality teachers who are as racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse as the students they teach; and third, that for education to be transformative, future educators must have the right balance of theoretical knowledge and practical experiences grounded in specific contexts. Through a combination of rich description and qualitative and quantitative program data, the authors make the case that university programs focused on the communities they serve can ensure more effective, learner-ready teachers who remain in the profession longer. By providing a detailed blueprint for program development, the contents of this book will be of value and interest to educational leaders, policy makers, and researchers.
A Case for Change in Teacher Preparation: Developing Community-Based Residency Programs
by Julie Gorlewski Amanda Winkelsas Suzanne N. Rosenblith Corrie Stone-Johnson Elisabeth Etopio David Gorlewski Tiffany Karalis Noel Bobbie Finocchio Amanda Seccia Ling Zhai Erin Kearney Xiufeng Liu Nooshin Shafaei Tanika ShedrickWhy are preservice teachers often told by veteran teachers to "forget what you learned" in teacher preparation programs? Why is there a gap between pedagogical practices employed at schools and those taught at colleges and universities? And why, after evidence from countless studies, are there still so few teachers of color working in our rapidly diversifying schools? These questions are addressed in this book, which describes a reconceptualized teacher preparation program based on a teacher residency model. This model is grounded in three core beliefs: first, that teacher quality is a shared responsibility between universities and school districts; second, that all students have a right to high-quality teachers who are as racially, ethnically, and linguistically diverse as the students they teach; and third, that for education to be transformative, future educators must have the right balance of theoretical knowledge and practical experiences grounded in specific contexts. Through a combination of rich description and qualitative and quantitative program data, the authors make the case that university programs focused on the communities they serve can ensure more effective, learner-ready teachers who remain in the profession longer. By providing a detailed blueprint for program development, the contents of this book will be of value and interest to educational leaders, policy makers, and researchers.
The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools (History and Philosophy of Education Series)
by Jonathan Zimmerman Emily RobertsonFrom the fights about the teaching of evolution to the details of sex education, it may seem like American schools are hotbeds of controversy. But as Jonathan Zimmerman and Emily Robertson show in this insightful book, it is precisely because such topics are so inflammatory outside school walls that they are so commonly avoided within them. And this, they argue, is a tremendous disservice to our students. Armed with a detailed history of the development of American educational policy and norms and a clear philosophical analysis of the value of contention in public discourse, they show that one of the best things American schools should do is face controversial topics dead on, right in their classrooms. Zimmerman and Robertson highlight an aspect of American politics that we know all too well: We are terrible at having informed, reasonable debates. We opt instead to hurl insults and accusations at one another or, worse, sit in silence and privately ridicule the other side. Wouldn’t an educational system that focuses on how to have such debates in civil and mutually respectful ways improve our public culture and help us overcome the political impasses that plague us today? To realize such a system, the authors argue that we need to not only better prepare our educators for the teaching of hot-button issues, but also provide them the professional autonomy and legal protection to do so. And we need to know exactly what constitutes a controversy, which is itself a controversial issue. The existence of climate change, for instance, should not be subject to discussion in schools: scientists overwhelmingly agree that it exists. How we prioritize it against other needs, such as economic growth, however—that is worth a debate. With clarity and common-sense wisdom, Zimmerman and Robertson show that our squeamishness over controversy in the classroom has left our students woefully underserved as future citizens. But they also show that we can fix it: if we all just agree to disagree, in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools (History and Philosophy of Education Series)
by Jonathan Zimmerman Emily RobertsonFrom the fights about the teaching of evolution to the details of sex education, it may seem like American schools are hotbeds of controversy. But as Jonathan Zimmerman and Emily Robertson show in this insightful book, it is precisely because such topics are so inflammatory outside school walls that they are so commonly avoided within them. And this, they argue, is a tremendous disservice to our students. Armed with a detailed history of the development of American educational policy and norms and a clear philosophical analysis of the value of contention in public discourse, they show that one of the best things American schools should do is face controversial topics dead on, right in their classrooms. Zimmerman and Robertson highlight an aspect of American politics that we know all too well: We are terrible at having informed, reasonable debates. We opt instead to hurl insults and accusations at one another or, worse, sit in silence and privately ridicule the other side. Wouldn’t an educational system that focuses on how to have such debates in civil and mutually respectful ways improve our public culture and help us overcome the political impasses that plague us today? To realize such a system, the authors argue that we need to not only better prepare our educators for the teaching of hot-button issues, but also provide them the professional autonomy and legal protection to do so. And we need to know exactly what constitutes a controversy, which is itself a controversial issue. The existence of climate change, for instance, should not be subject to discussion in schools: scientists overwhelmingly agree that it exists. How we prioritize it against other needs, such as economic growth, however—that is worth a debate. With clarity and common-sense wisdom, Zimmerman and Robertson show that our squeamishness over controversy in the classroom has left our students woefully underserved as future citizens. But they also show that we can fix it: if we all just agree to disagree, in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools (History and Philosophy of Education Series)
by Jonathan Zimmerman Emily RobertsonFrom the fights about the teaching of evolution to the details of sex education, it may seem like American schools are hotbeds of controversy. But as Jonathan Zimmerman and Emily Robertson show in this insightful book, it is precisely because such topics are so inflammatory outside school walls that they are so commonly avoided within them. And this, they argue, is a tremendous disservice to our students. Armed with a detailed history of the development of American educational policy and norms and a clear philosophical analysis of the value of contention in public discourse, they show that one of the best things American schools should do is face controversial topics dead on, right in their classrooms. Zimmerman and Robertson highlight an aspect of American politics that we know all too well: We are terrible at having informed, reasonable debates. We opt instead to hurl insults and accusations at one another or, worse, sit in silence and privately ridicule the other side. Wouldn’t an educational system that focuses on how to have such debates in civil and mutually respectful ways improve our public culture and help us overcome the political impasses that plague us today? To realize such a system, the authors argue that we need to not only better prepare our educators for the teaching of hot-button issues, but also provide them the professional autonomy and legal protection to do so. And we need to know exactly what constitutes a controversy, which is itself a controversial issue. The existence of climate change, for instance, should not be subject to discussion in schools: scientists overwhelmingly agree that it exists. How we prioritize it against other needs, such as economic growth, however—that is worth a debate. With clarity and common-sense wisdom, Zimmerman and Robertson show that our squeamishness over controversy in the classroom has left our students woefully underserved as future citizens. But they also show that we can fix it: if we all just agree to disagree, in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools (History and Philosophy of Education Series)
by Jonathan Zimmerman Emily RobertsonFrom the fights about the teaching of evolution to the details of sex education, it may seem like American schools are hotbeds of controversy. But as Jonathan Zimmerman and Emily Robertson show in this insightful book, it is precisely because such topics are so inflammatory outside school walls that they are so commonly avoided within them. And this, they argue, is a tremendous disservice to our students. Armed with a detailed history of the development of American educational policy and norms and a clear philosophical analysis of the value of contention in public discourse, they show that one of the best things American schools should do is face controversial topics dead on, right in their classrooms. Zimmerman and Robertson highlight an aspect of American politics that we know all too well: We are terrible at having informed, reasonable debates. We opt instead to hurl insults and accusations at one another or, worse, sit in silence and privately ridicule the other side. Wouldn’t an educational system that focuses on how to have such debates in civil and mutually respectful ways improve our public culture and help us overcome the political impasses that plague us today? To realize such a system, the authors argue that we need to not only better prepare our educators for the teaching of hot-button issues, but also provide them the professional autonomy and legal protection to do so. And we need to know exactly what constitutes a controversy, which is itself a controversial issue. The existence of climate change, for instance, should not be subject to discussion in schools: scientists overwhelmingly agree that it exists. How we prioritize it against other needs, such as economic growth, however—that is worth a debate. With clarity and common-sense wisdom, Zimmerman and Robertson show that our squeamishness over controversy in the classroom has left our students woefully underserved as future citizens. But they also show that we can fix it: if we all just agree to disagree, in an atmosphere of mutual respect.