Class Struggle - Jay Mathews on education.

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 01/29/2012

Is college too much for disadvantaged students?

By Jay Mathews

Many think poor students’ low college completion rate is their fault, or a sign that it is too much for them. Here are fives ways to fix that.

By Jay Mathews | 05:00 AM ET, 01/29/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 09:03 PM ET, 01/26/2012

Can computers teach writing?

By Jay Mathews

Some experts say it can happen. The Hewlett Foundation is sponsoring a competition to push the research forward. But I am deeply skeptical and won’t accept this until English teachers say it is okay.

By Jay Mathews | 09:03 PM ET, 01/26/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:30 PM ET, 01/24/2012

Admissions 101: How many AP courses should I take?

By Jay Mathews

Have you seen colleges give preference to a student who has an amazing ton of APs, as opposed to one who just has a healthy amount?

By Jay Mathews | 12:30 PM ET, 01/24/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:16 PM ET, 01/22/2012

Lifting bans on parents in classrooms

By Jay Mathews

Virginia Del. Patrick Hope has submitted a bill to remove barriers to parents observing their kids in class. It‘s a good first step — if it gets anywhere.

By Jay Mathews | 01:16 PM ET, 01/22/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 01/20/2012

5 wrong ideas about college admission

By Jay Mathews

Your high school counselors will give you good college advice, but often you won’t listen because your friends have a different idea. Those stupid ideas thus live on.

By Jay Mathews | 05:00 AM ET, 01/20/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:50 PM ET, 01/18/2012

Our region can handle Darwin debate. Yours can’t.

By Jay Mathews

Many ridiculed my suggestion for enlivening biology classes by testing evolution against alternative theories. Schools can’t handle it, they said. Maybe not their schools, but Washington area schools are better than other schools. Bring it on, Creationists.

By Jay Mathews | 11:50 PM ET, 01/18/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 03:10 PM ET, 01/18/2012

Admissions 101: Do legacies make private schools look good in college admissions?

By Jay Mathews

Parents see lots of kids from private schools go to Ivy League colleges and their equivalents. But it is not the private schools that accomplish that feat.

By Jay Mathews | 03:10 PM ET, 01/18/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 05:00 AM ET, 01/15/2012

Matt Damon’s mother is wrong

By Jay Mathews

The National Education Association has been at odds with the Teach For American program for two decades, for no useful reason. They should get together to improve teacher training. But now Matt Damon’s mom, an education professor, wants to aggravate the feud.

By Jay Mathews | 05:00 AM ET, 01/15/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 02:37 AM ET, 01/12/2012

Santorum’s good but hated education idea

By Jay Mathews

GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum and I don’t agree on much, but I like his support for encouraging lessons in high school on alternative theories of evolution. He thinks God might have had a hand in creating our species. I don’t — Darwin was right about natural selection. But the debate would enliven biology classes, which can be dull.

By Jay Mathews | 02:37 AM ET, 01/12/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 11:54 AM ET, 01/10/2012

Admissions 101: Many colleges don't teach creative thinking and writing very well

By Jay Mathews

Do we care about that, or is the reputation of the colleges of more use, as we choose colleges?

By Jay Mathews | 11:54 AM ET, 01/10/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Admissions 101

Posted at 04:16 PM ET, 01/08/2012

Who needs analytical skill? Our colleges have football.

By Jay Mathews

College football’s BCS system provokes outrage among much of the public. Why can’t the fact that colleges aren’t improving many students’ analytical skills stir similar passions?

By Jay Mathews | 04:16 PM ET, 01/08/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 10:37 PM ET, 01/04/2012

Stunningly reasonable achievement gap approach

By Jay Mathews

I didn’t think Arlington County superintendent Rob Smith knew what he was doing when he declared war on the achievement gap. It would hurt him, I warned. Guess who was right?

By Jay Mathews | 10:37 PM ET, 01/04/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 01:10 PM ET, 01/03/2012

Admissions 101 (Bowl season edition): How important is a university’s sports reputation?

By Jay Mathews

Should we consider a university’s football and basketball success when we pick a school?

By Jay Mathews | 01:10 PM ET, 01/03/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Class Struggle: January, 2012