The Irascible Professor

Unspecial Interests.

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:24:00 EDT

Guest commentator Peter Berger unloads on all the special interests that attempt to have their specific interests represented in the K-12 curriculum. The Irascible Professor agrees with Peter mostly, but cautions that in the "good old days" the school curriculum was not purely academic either.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Unlearning Outcomes.

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 21:15:00 EDT

Guest commentator John Streamas takes a hard look at learning outcomes in college and university courses. The Irascible Professor adds his thoughts on the matter.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Kicking The Catcher in the Rye out of the Curriculum.

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:37:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker skewers the new Common Core Standards for suggesting that such classic novels as The Catcher in the Rye and To Kill a Mocking Bird should be dumped from the U.S. high school curriculum in favor of articles on "insulation" or "invasive plant species."

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Why Essays are not Like Steaks.

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EDT

Guest commentator Todd Pettigrew explains why essays are not like steaks in this piece on student behavior. The IP adds his own observations on why some students don't write as well as they could.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Arming High School Teachers - Really?

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:34:00 EDT

Guest commentator and former high school teacher Georganne Spruce takes on the issue of arming teachers. The Irascible Professor adds his thoughts on the issue.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Restore Bankruptcy Protection to Student Loans.

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:40:00 EDT

Guest commentator Alan Collinge makes a strong case for restoring bankruptcy protection to student loans.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Can We Give Professor Conspiracy the Boot?

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 16:00:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker takes a hard look at Florida Atlantic University Communications Professor James Tracy's conspiracy theories, especially his suggestion that the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School was a "drill that went live."

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Short-Sighted About Long Hours

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EDT

Guest commentator Edward Carney challenges the value of extending the school year to help disadvantaged students.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

The Bloated Syllabus.

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 19:05:00 EDT

Guest commentator John Streamas addresses the issue of syllabus bloat in this article that may make a few college administrators nervous.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The Mindset that Matters.

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 19:26:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) looks askance at the ideas of psychologist Carol S. Dweck's theory that all it takes to succeed is the appropriate mindset, and that talent and intelligence play little or no role.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

My Life (Not Quite) In Academia.

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 13:32:00 EDT

Guest commentator Noelle Sterne explains how life on the periphery of academia can be both interesting and profitable - provided a person is flexible and can type.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Creativity in the Classroom - Beware.

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 18:49:00 EDT

In this controversial article guest commentator Diane Rosen warns teachers to be wary of creativity in the K-12 classroom. See if you think she is on the right track?

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

In the Wheelhouse.

Sun, 18 Nov 2012 19:33:00 EDT

Guest commentator Carolyn Foster Segal explains how the phrase "in the wheelhouse" became the buzzword of the 2012 election cycle.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Faculty Annual Report Guidelines.

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 15:23:00 EDT

Guest commentator Herbert Jack Rotfeld from Auburn University provides us with some humorous guidelines for faculty members preparing their annual reports. And, the IP notes that while these guidelines are tongue-in-cheek, they come perilously close to reality.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The General Must Be Destroyed.

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 19:54:00 EDT

Guest commentator Edward Carney pushes back against the notion that the magic bullet of technology can cure the ills of K-12 education.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

The Nineteenth Annual Emperor's Awards.

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 18:19:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) regales us with yet another set of Emperor's Awards honoring some of the more egregious education follies of the past year.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

The Gentleman's A-

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 19:12:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker together with The Irascible Professor discuss grade inflation at the college level -- how the Gentleman's C morphed into the Gentleman's (and Lady's) A-.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The SAT That Isn't (The Death of Aptitude).

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 18:31:00 EDT

Guest commentator Edward Carney laments the fact that the SAT, which once was an acronym for "Scholastic Aptitude Test" now is not an acronym at all. SAT doesn't signify anything. It's just the name of a test that prospective college students often are required to take.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The Brave New World of K-12 Virtual Education.

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:20:00 EDT

Guest commentator and teacher Mary X. Smith (a pseudonym) provides insight into K-12 virtual education from the perspective of one who has been there.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Penn State - Punishing a Culture of Administrative Corruption.

Tue, 24 Jul 2012 19:38:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor examines the appropriateness of penalties imposed by the NCAA and Big Ten Conference in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal. He is puzzled by the failure of the NCAA to impose the so-called "death penalty" on Penn State, and he is unhappy that one of the sanctions unfairly penalizes players who had no role in the scandal.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Twenty-first Century Exceptionalism.

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:00:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) gives those highly paid commencement speakers a run for their money with his own "commencement address" on the topic of "exceptionalism" in the twenty-first century.

Technocrati tag(s): education

Wanted, a New Chancellor for the CSU.

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 21:46:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor shares his thoughts on what qualities the Board of Trustees of the California State University system should seek in a new Chancellor for the system.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

A Brief Essay on Beliefs in the Classroom.

Thu, 21 Jun 2012 21:21:00 EDT

Guest commentator John J. Brugaletta provides us with some interesting thoughts on how to deal with individual beliefs in the college classroom. And, the Irascible Professor responds with a few comments of his own.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The Irrelevance of Data?

Sat, 09 Jun 2012 19:31:00 EDT

In this sure to be controversial piece guest commentator Edward Carney argues that education data is almost always irrelevant. The Irascible Professor, himself, is not in complete agreement.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

School's Proper Purpose.

Mon, 28 May 2012 18:00:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) takes on those in the K-12 education reform community who think that subject matter learning in the 21st century is passe, to be replaced by developing a love of learning, along with inquiry, communications, and community skills.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

"Girls" and the Post-College Blues.

Mon, 21 May 2012 19:45:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker reviews the new HBO comedy series "Girls." He concludes that the main characters are "overly-coddled twits." The IP agrees, but also finds that the show is anything but a realistic description of contemporary post-college culture.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

What Congress Can do to Fix the Student Loan Crisis.

Tue, 01 May 2012 18:51:00 EDT

Guest commentator Alan Collinge from StudentLoanJustice.org calls for a return to the bankruptcy option for student loan debtors to help solve the student loan crisis in the United States.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Chess - Only a Pawn in the Game.

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 18:10:00 EDT

Guest commentator, Beverly C. Lucey, suggests replacing standardized testing with chess classes. Does this radical suggestion make any sense at all?

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Anti-Intellectualism in Presidential Politics.

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 12:24:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker challenges the anti-intellectual views of Republican Presidential Primary candidate Rick Santorum with a reference to Richard Hofstadter's classic book Anti-Intellectualism in American Life.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Numeracy, is it Important?

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:06:00 EDT

Guest commentator J.J.S. Boyce looks at the importance of math skills (numeracy) in the context of a Florida school board member who failed the math portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test for tenth-grade students.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

College - Is It Worth the Cost and Effort?

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:51:00 EDT

Guest commentator Edward Carney challenges the myth that everyone should obtain at least a bachelor's degree in this controversial commentary on the value of a college education.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Under Construction.

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:43:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) is underwhelmed by the constructivist approach to education. His article explains why. The Irascible Professor adds a few comments about his own experiences with students "constructing" their own knowledge, along with a few cautions about relying exclusively on direct instruction.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Dear Millie, About that

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:57:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor has a "chat" with the incoming president of California State University, Fullerton about the notion of "student-centered" learning as it applies to the university.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

From Parchment to Attachment.

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:52:00 EDT

We start the new year with a humorous article from a new guest commentator. Devyani Borade from the U.K. riffs eloquently about the changes that technological advances have brought to the craft of writing. And, where they have fallen short.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Pinsker Reviews The Art of Fielding and The Marriage Plot.

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 16:40:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker provides insightful reviews of two new academic novels worth reading: The Art of Fielding and The Marriage Plot.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Asking for More.

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 17:54:00 EDT

Guest Commentator Poor Elijah takes a very dim view of project-based education, while the Irascible Professor counters with a much brighter view of the utility of this technique.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

How to Steal a University.

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:30:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor explains how the people's university - the California State University System - has been stolen from the citizens of California over the past 20 years by a self-serving and self-perpetuating administrative bureaucracy that has grown fat while tuition for CSU student has risen more than 400%.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Zombie Education.

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:23:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) looks askance at the overuse of technology in modern K-12 education. In Berger's view, the promise that the use of technology will lead to dramatic improvements in K-12 education is mostly illusory.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12 technology

We Get Emails.

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:24:00 EDT

Are you finding your inbox stuffed with unwanted spam, email from students complaining about their grades, or why they can't turn their homework in on time? If so, we think you will enjoy Sanford Pinsker's riff on email.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Democracy and the True Meaning of Happiness.

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 21:57:00 EDT

Guest commentator Todd Pettigrew skewers Presidential candidate Rick Santorum for misrepresenting the phrase "pursuit of happiness" in the Declaration of Independence.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Where Has All The Money Gone?

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 15:49:00 EDT

This biting guest commentary by Professor Ralph D. Westfall shows how much money is wasted in the California State University system on a bloated administrative infrastructure.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Mission (Statement) Impossible.

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 15:52:00 EDT

Guest commentator Carolyn Foster Segal brings us up-to-date on the status of college and university mission statements. Apparently the pendulum is beginning to swing away from excessively wordy, though often meaningless, mission statements.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

An Open Letter to Professor X.

Mon, 09 May 2011 20:55:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker continues our discussion of the role of adjunct and part-time faculty in higher education today in America with his open letter to Professor X.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

In an Adjunct Funk - on the Inside Looking Out.

Sun, 01 May 2011 13:02:00 EDT

Guest commentator Cindy Allen Hill examines in detail the life of an adjunct (part-time) faculty member in American colleges and universities -- a must read.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

You Can't Go Home Again, with Apologies to Thomas Wolfe.

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:30:00 EDT

Some interesting and humorous comments by guest commentator, Sanford Pinsker, about college graduates returning home to live.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The Year in Review.

Sun, 20 Mar 2011 17:01:00 EDT

Guest commentator Carolyn Foster Segal discusses many of the current problems in higher education.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Commonwealth.

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 13:07:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) presents powerful arguments urging public school administrators and teachers to stand up to the demands of pushy parents.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Helen Thomas and Free Speech.

Sun, 20 Feb 2011 20:08:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker delivers some sharp words about Helen Thomas' anti-Semitic remarks.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Breaking News - February 16, 2011. California State University System Spends Millions on Consulting Fees and Administrator Raises in the Face of Severe Budget Shortfalls.

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 18:07:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor exposes questionable raises and consulting fees in the California State University System.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Huckleberry Finn Minus the Hurt.

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EDT

Guest Commentator Sanford Pinsker challenges the value of Allan Gribben's new, expurgated version of Huckleberry Finn that substitutes "slave" for the N-word, and "Indian" for "injun."

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

The 17th Annual Emperor's Awards.

Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EDT

Once again guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) skewers the American educational establishment for some its more egregious follies of the past year.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

The Write Stuff.

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:21:00 EDT

Guest commentator Kim Marie Wood take a close look at the unscrupulous work of thesis writing services.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

I'll Be Burning Books in My Fireplace This Winter.

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 18:47:00 EDT

In this guest commentary David Langley riffs on his difficulty disposing of his scholarly library in the era of e-books.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

We Are Indeed "Waiting for Superman."

Sat, 20 Nov 2010 17:15:00 EDT

Guest commentator Libby Segal talks about her educational experiences in the context of the new documentary "Waiting for Superman." In the end both she and the Irascible Professor agree that it is the knowledgeable and caring teacher that makes the difference.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Half-time Interim Director of University Planning at CSU Fullerton Received $165,104 in FY 2009.

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 21:57:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor has learned that a retired CSU Fullerton administrator received over $165,000 to work as a half-time interim director of strategic planning on the campus.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Forms, Forms, and Yet More Forms.

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 13:43:00 EDT

Guest commentator Carolyn Foster Segal writes an amusing and biting riff on the inefficiency that is rampant in American higher education.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The Slow Death of Tenure.

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:27:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker laments the slow but sure erosion of the institution of tenure in higher education. The Irascible Professor adds his own views on the topic.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university tenure

Am I Green?

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 17:11:00 EDT

Guest commentator Carolyn Foster Segal focuses on paper as an avatar for environmentalism in the academy.

Technocrati tag(s): education, environmentalism

Who Should Care?

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 17:03:00 EDT

Guest commentator Mark Alton asks an important question about K-12 education. Namely, is it only the teacher's responsibility to care about the success of his or her students, or do the students themselves bear the primary responsibility for caring about their educational success.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Sometimes a Book is Just a Book.

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:18:00 EDT

Guest commentator Beverly C. Lucey takes on the criticism by the National Association of Scholars of college and university summer reading assignments for incoming freshmen, and the Irascible Professor adds his two-cents worth.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The English Professor's Burden.

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 16:32:00 EDT

Guest commentator and poet John Brugaletta writes eloquently this week about the grammatical burden borne by English professors, active or retired.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Civilization As We Know It.

Sat, 29 May 2010 17:00:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) laments the sorry state of discipline in the public schools today, and in particular, critiques the "Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)" approach to discipline that is popular now. The Irascible Professor provides his view of public school discipline when he was a student back in the "dark ages" (the 1950s).

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

To Grade or Not to Grade: That Is the Assessment.

Sun, 16 May 2010 17:56:00 EDT

Guest commentator Carolyn Foster Segal makes a key point about why the outsourcing of grading is a very bad idea.� Every instructor should read this piece.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

The "If Only" Theory of School Reform.

Tue, 04 May 2010 16:29:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor takes a very close look at all the "silver bullets" of school reform that have failed, and suggest why they haven't done the job.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Reinventing the Lead Balloon - Team-Based Learning.

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:36:00 EDT

Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) and the Irascible Professor go toe-to-toe over the value of cooperative learning (team-based learning) in K-12 and college classes in this latest offering from The Irascible Professor.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12 college university

Enthusiasm.

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:40:00 EDT

Guest commentator Felice Prager's article on enthusiasm begins ...When we told our relatives we were moving to Arizona, they balked at our decision and told us that our children would be subjected to Arizona's inferior schools with lower standards. They said that by moving away from New York, the full potential of our two sons never would be realized. Much to their dismay, our sons' schools produced two very bright adults who can match wits with anyone from the big city. ... The piece shows that her two sons certainly developed enthusiasm for learning in the Arizona public schools.

Salinger and Me.

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:18:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker shares his thoughts on J.D. Salinger's influence on his own development as a writer and a scholar of English literature.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

My Letter to the World (of Technology).

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:37:00 EDT

Guest commentator Carolyn Foster Segal's delightfully irascible screed on the curse of email is spot on target. You will enjoy her sharp-witted commentary.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Two Observations from a Long-Time Teacher.

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:46:00 EDT

Long-time high-school English teacher Rick Fowler provides his take on education legislation such as "No Child Left Behind" and "Race to the Top." Read what somebody with more than 30 years of classroom experience has to say about these two pieces of education legislation.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

More Unsung Heroes

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:18:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) examines Secretary of Education Arnie Duncan's proposals to improve teacher quality in America's public schools. The IP adds a few of his own observations to Poor Elijah's controversial comments.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Higher Education in California - Time for a New Master Plan II?

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 23:26:00 EDT

In a recent op-ed article in the Los Angeles Times William Tierney, professor of higher education at the University of Southern California and Director of the USC Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis, suggested that the current Master Plan for Public Higher Education in California is obsolete and needs to be replaced with a master plan that "better reflects the times." In this commentary the Irascible Professor examines the remaining suggestions (other than funding) in Tierney's proposals for a new Master Plan.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Higher Education in California - Time for a New Master Plan I?

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 17:01:00 EDT

In a recent op-ed article in the Los Angeles Times William Tierney, professor of higher education at the University of Southern California and Director of the USC Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis, suggested that the current Master Plan for Public Higher Education in California is obsolete and needs to be replaced with a master plan that "better reflects the times." In this commentary the Irascible Professor challenges Tierney's proposal to move from a taxpayer-funded model of public higher education in California to one that would charge "market cost" tuition and provide higher levels of student aid.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Poor Elijah's 2010 Education Wish List.

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EDT

To start the new year (and our 12th year of publication) off right, we present an education wish list for 2010 from Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) that's sure to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable in the education reform community.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

The Dissertation Blues, Then and Now.

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker riffs on the problems associated with finishing a Ph.D. dissertation in his witty and acerbic style.

Technocrati tag(s): education university

Education Reform - Not so Much.

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:46:00 EDT

.... We consult surgeons about surgical techniques, engineers about engines, and architects about skyscrapers. But when it comes to fixing our schools, we consistently rely on people who have absolutely no firsthand experience with real students or classrooms. No wonder education reform hasn't made schools better. ... Thus begins Poor Elijah's guest commentary on why much of what passes for education reform has been a failure.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Charter Schools - A Choice but not Necessarily a Great Choice.

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:22:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor looks at how good charter schools really are in light of new information from the Center for Research on Educational Outcomes at Stanford University.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

The 16'th Annual Emperor's Awards

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:50:00 EDT

Once again Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) skewers the education establishment with his annual Emperor's Awards.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Harvard, Malcolm X, and Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:45:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker provides some insight on the recent arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr., who was arrested for breaking into his own house.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Education's New Angle

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:44:00 EDT

Guest commentator Poor Elijah (Peter Berger) takes a close look at how to teach the history of the Civil War in light of the election of President Obama.

Technocrati tag(s): education K-12

Fees or Tuition - Let's Call it What it is.

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 15:20:00 EDT

The Irascible Professor challenges California to label "educational fees" at its institutions of higher education what they really are "tuition."

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

A Fortunate Age - My Commencement Season Reading.

Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:16:00 EDT

Guest commentator Sanford Pinsker didn't make it to graduation this year, but he did read Joanna Smith Rakoff's new novel A Fortunate Age. This book about a group of late '90s Oberlin College graduates is patterned after Mary McCarthy's The Group. Sanford's comments about this commencement season and the novel are sure to catch your attention.

Technocrati tag(s): education college university

Longing for the Good Old Days.

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:48:00 EDT

Guest commentator Susanne Shaphren riffs on education in the "good old days."