THE DAILY RIFF: People, Politics & Business Archives

The Cost of College: The Pushback

Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, is having a busy week on the heels of President Obama's State of the Union address Read more

"No one tests you on empathy"

Lots of very smart people lack empathy. They're able to test their way through life and get A's. How about empathy, adaptability, initiative and responsibility? Read more

Apple and Education Publishing: The Disruptor

". . . we'd like you to come along for the ride. But if you choose not to, we won't hesitate to leave you behind . . ." -John Gruber, Daring Fireball, referring to his "guess" about Apple's strategy for the education textbook marketplace Read more

Jon Stewart on SOPA: "Angry Nerds"

Masterful - - - Read more

Legendary Quincy Jones riffs about technology, music, math, creativity, and . . . parenting

" . . .We'd go to executive conferences with Bill Gates and he'd say, 'Alan will you please take over?' . . . " - Quincy Jones Read more

Bill & Melinda's Field Trips

What Parents Can Do to Promote Learning. We know that children who are exposed to more real-life outside- the-class-wall activities guided by parents and schools, usually having to do with level of income in their household, tend to do better in school and in life. Read more

Zeitgeist 2011: Year in Review

Hacking School Ratings & Test Scores

"Recognizing that their students learn best when actively engaged, Consortium Schools typically use inquiry-based methods of learning . . ." Read more

Steve Jobs: What if you knew "life was made up by people that were no smarter than you . . . ?"

"Once you learn that, you'll never be the same again." Read more

What's Missing in Education: The Entrepreneurial Edge?

Video Interview- Eric Ries, "The Lean Start-up," and Mark Suster: . . . numerous take-aways for educators, parents and students, covering topics such as the necessity of failure; Steve Jobs; what the next middle class will look like; getting out of our silos (one of my favorite topics); how software development is not just about creating another Facebook; and what's missing in education. Read more

College: Debt too damn high - Should I stay or should I go?

Should I Stay or Should I go? Another bubble about to pop? Read more

How Much Do Early Years Lead to Student Success?

"Well, I'm going to follow up a little bit with the notion that a parent is the child's first teacher. Parents are also the most consistent teacher that a child will have over time. . . ." Read more

Does Education Need "A New Sheriff"? Elizabeth Warren

Gotta Watch Two Minute "Truth in Humor" Rap Viral Video: Elizabeth Warren Read more

Charlie Rose & Kauffman Foundation On Education & Entrepreneurship

Plus, President "Obama's Entrepreneur Problem" by naming GE's Immelt business czar Read more

What Would Ted Sizer Say About Technology?

Guest Post About Harvard & Phillips Academy Andover Education Legend
"One Of The Great Educational Minds Of Our Time" Read more

Can you describe the differences between feedback and measurement?

Measurement in Schools: Stuck and out of context? Read more

Saying No to Standardized Testing for College?

Colleges & Universities Jump On Board the "Test Optional" Movement: No SAT or ACT
VIDEO: One Student's Journey + Lawrence University Shares Views Read more

A More Complex Steve Jobs Revealed

Reporter Steve Kroft of CBS' "60 Minutes" reporter Steve Kroft interviews biographer Walter Isaacson in 2 prime time videos PLUS Jobs' relationship and views on Bill Gates, Larry Page of Google, and Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook. Read more

Ending the Dinosaur Era?

Global is not a test score. Two thought-leaders. Fred Wilson interviews Carlota Perez in this illuminating and inspiring video about our global future Read more

The Paradox of Wealth

"But what is overlooked in all the shouting is that paradoxically, the people who have the most to gain from insuring some measure of economic equality and social justice are the wealthy."The Paradox of Wealthby Joseph Ganem, Ph.D."For the body... Read more

A "rising global army of freelancers." Are students equipped for this world?

The problem lies with the system that punishes artists and rewards bureaucrats instead. Read more

Should Kids Be Paid (Bribed) For Good Grades?

Colbert Interviews Harvard Professor In Amusing Video PLUS
Death Threats, A Time Cover Story & "Morning Joe" Debate (w/Surprising Conclusions From Scarborough) Read more

Occupy Wall Street explained in a NY minute on Bill Maher's "Real Time"

Bongo drums, disorganization, and incoherence? Maybe not so fast . . . Read more

John Sculley on Genius

Former CEO of Apple riffs about Steve Jobs, what makes the best innovators & the nature of genius in this essay tribute to mentor - his "Oxford Don" - Alan Kay Read more

"Let's Raise Our Kids To Be Entrepreneurs"

"We're Giving Them Ritalin & Saying To Them: Don't Be An Entrepreneur Type, Fit Into This Other System And Become A Student". Video Read more

Steve Jobs: Liberal Arts Essential for Innovation

"We need to revolutionize education to encourage creativity and need to teach our kids to play, take a chance and create. By not teaching our children liberal arts we will hinder their capacity to innovate." Read more

College Drop-Out Steve Jobs' Commencement Speech: "Three Stories From My Life"

Followed His Curiosity & Intuition Which "Turned Out To Be Priceless Later On" VIDEO Read more

Steve Jobs: Why don't schools get rid of the crappy stuff?

People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on. But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. . . ." Read more

"Mr. Cellophane" Invisible Kids: In the middle of the achievement gap

Because you can look right through me, walk right by me, and never even know I'm there Read more

Malcolm Gladwell: We're Off the Rails

Being Smarter about Stuff: like Income Inequality Read more

Ten To-Do's for Young People to Consider

#1 - Build a "Personal Board of Directors" Read more

And the beat goes on . . . from Atlanta test score cheating to Wall Street to oil spills

" . . . the cheating occurred at 44 schools and involved at least 178 teachers and principals, almost half of whom have confessed, the governor said." Read more

What Should Kids Know?

What about reading and writing, civics, life skills, mastery skills, pleasure of knowledge? What kind of Math should high schoolers learn? Read more

The State of Education: An Info-graphic

Via a tweet from Guy Kawasaki, via Online Education. Read more

I Used to Think . . . that traditional public education was the institution with the most promise . . .

"I saw that teachers unions, administrators, parents, and school boards were locked in a bureaucratic stasis of self-interest. . ." Read more

The Bill Gates - Salman Khan "Big Brother" Education Strategy

A Frankenstein Moment? Read more

Richard Dreyfuss: "We have mis-educated our children so badly"

New Update links: Announces new Civics Initiative PLUS his iTunes EULA Read more

Thiel "Shows Them the Money" - pays 20 entrepreneurs $100,000 to drop out of college

Winners include "Flipped Classroom" Initiatives Read more

And we promote parent involvement while pulling stunts like this?

NCLB: Obama's "SuperSecret" Special Education Diversion Program Read more

Zuckerberg Doesn't Have a Tiger Daddy

FACEBOOK Zuckerberg father: "Rather than impose upon your kids or try and steer their lives in a certain direction, to recognize what their strengths are and support their strengths and support the development of the things they're passionate about." Read more

Commie Core Standards?

State Governors have convened again to bring in a system of Common Core Standards across the country so that all children will be taught exactly the same thing in English and Math from kindergarten through high school... Dr. D. Rigour Is Baack! (Humor) Read more

Teachers: Impossible Expectations

Guest post: "Teachers cannot be essential and irrelevant at the same time." Read more

Morning Joe: Michelle Rhee announcing new alliance with "union boss," plus teacher pay and seniority

On "Morning Joe" this morning: "union boss" George Parker and Michelle Rhee join forces at Students First org. Read more

"A" students tend to become professors, and "C" students become wealthy donors...

"Creativity, he said, might be an even more valuable asset that educators and parents should emphasize." -WSJ quoting Larry Summers, former President of Harvard, President Obama and Clinton advisor Read more

Stephen Colbert To Mr. Math: "Lies, Damned Lies"

Find out which numbers are lonely, lucky, liberal or conservative! Read more

Jon Stewart Offers Solution to Education Crisis in DairyLand

Two Videos: Crisis in Wisconsin and Teachers vs. Wall Street Read more

Education Love-Fest on "Morning Joe"

"Not embracing the status quo and doing everything we can to push for re-invention and self-renewal in education." Howard Shultz, Randi Weingarten, Geoffrey Canada Read more

The Cost of War : "nobody talks about it"

"Rather than nation-building over in Afghanistan, we ought to be doing be doing more nation-building in the United States." Read more

" . . . when you teach kids, you have a moral obligation to work to see the best in them . . ."

Leader Chris Lehmann Slams Teacher Blog Denigrating Students in "Bloggate" Read more

Starbucks Announces Education Collaboration on MSNBC's "Morning Joe"

"It's about all of us." -Howard Schultz, CEO, Starbucks Read more

Corey Booker On Collective Bargaining, Wisconsin, Tenure

On Morning Joe, joining "60 Minutes" Leslie Stahl in discussion about teachers Read more

Is a new "Thank You" culture coming?

Gary Vaynerchuk on "Morning Joe" with a message that social media will drive a more humanized and "small town" world. Read more

The Daily Riff's "Person Of The Year" in Education

Larry Rosenstock wins because if more people knew about his successful schools, they would be clamoring for them in their own backyards. Watch: 15 spectacular minutes- Read more

The Most Important Higher Education Study in Years - "Trust Us" won't cut it anymore

"Trust Us" Won't Cut It Anymore: American higher education,' the researchers found, 'is characterized by limited or no learning for a large proportion of students.' Read more

How To Create Jobs For At-Risk Youth

Guest Blogger Edward DeJesus Gets Real: " . . . More Youth Will Find More Successful, Productive Work In The Human Service System Than In The Green Industry . . ." Read more

David Brooks Says "Superior" Chinese Mom is "Coddling" her Children

"Practicing a piece of music for four hours requires focused attention, but it is nowhere near as cognitively demanding as a sleepover with 14-year-old girls." Read more

EDUCATION MASH-UP (Humor)

"So much cranky clamoring lately: Three major movies. Joe Scarborough, Seth Godin, even Carl Bernstein getting into the act. Who gave these intruders the stage? Don't "turn over the tables in the temple" in education!" I like the status quo. Cheers!" Dr. D. Read more

Randi Weingarten on The Colbert Report

Randi Weingarten, head of The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), one of the largest teachers' union in the country, visits Stephen Colbert on Comedy Central last night in this video Read more

Randi Weingarten on Morning Joe Today

Originally posted February 24, 2011... Read more

The Emerging Job Market

Does your grad have what it takes? Are our students learning "the right stuff"? Read more

Bill Gates Riffs about Math Education

Video: The Future of On-Line Lectures plus what Bill is reading and watching these days - Read more

How NJ Gov. Chris Christie "Did His Homework"

Plus Two Videos: MSNBC 's "Morning Joe" and viral heckler Read more

Who is The Daily Riff's "Person of the Year" in Education 2010?

The Winner Made Everyone a-Twitter Read more

What Is "Hacking Education"?

Featuring Sir Ken Robinson: "These technologies are transformative, not just economically, but culturally" Read more

A Glaring Fundamental Flaw In Education

Guest Post. What Is Effective Teaching? Is "learning to cope with failure" a parenting flaw or "the way we educate" outcome? Standardized Testing and Stuff We Really Don't Want to Talk About . . . Read more

Forgive Me, Father, For I Have Linked

Laura Bush's Middle School Initiative, Teacher Colleges Being Graded, and Maureen Dowd on the Catholic Church "app" (yes, you heard right) Read more

Disney's Schools In China

" Disney's focus groups find that for Chinese parents, 'education means everything'. English, in particular, is viewed as a ticket to the wider world ..." Read more

Michelle Rhee to Stephen Colbert: Students Ask for Great Teachers

" . . .the problem is you have no organized special interest group that represents children." Read more

Anderson Cooper Gives Rep. Michele Bachmann a History Lesson

Another "group" not treated equally, upon arrival to this country, that was not mentioned by Cooper . . . Video Read more

Hillary shares anecdotes about perseverance, tenacity and breaking some rules -

Hope we are imbuing our kids with the same sense of perseverance, tenacity, and sense of mission which were hallmarks of Holbrooke, as Hillary so heart-warmingly conveys. Read more

Jeb Bush on "Morning Joe": Digital Learning Takes Center Stage

"We hope we can get to a point, Governor Wise and myself, where digital learning becomes . . . as nonpolitical issue . . . becomes kind of the core way that we educate children." Read more

Mentoring: The New Activism in America

Newark Mayor Cory Booker - Blizzard Superhero - on the move with a call for action in the "education movement " Read more

Education of a President

"Change is hard," Obama says. "If people now want to take their ball and go home, that tells me folks weren't serious in the first place."- "Obama in Command: The Rolling Stone Interview" by Jann Wenner"'Given how much stuff was... Read more

A Very Modern President: Music Spoof

Hilarious. . . H/t PBS tweet. Video below:... Read more

Three Great Reads on High-Stakes Standardized Tests

Three Great Resources for Parents, Teachers & Administrators Read more

Today's Interview w/President Obama & Matt Lauer: Longer School Year?

President Barack Obama was interviewed this morning by Matt Lauer on NBC's "Today" program as a part of NBC's "Education Nation" special programming event. Full 30 minute interview is featured below.Beginning with several sobering statistics, the President and Lauer discussed... Read more

Harlem Village Academies: "Morning Joe" Talk What's Working: Isn't That Refreshing?

Watch: John Legend & Deborah Kenny Show How A School Can Get "Accountability" Right: Personalized Learning For Students, Autonomy for Teachers, Great Leadership & School Culture "Required". Video. Read more

Two Kinds Of Schooling

Seth Godin: "The first type of schooling can even be accomplished with self-discipline and a Dummies book." Read more

Arne Duncan, Michele Rhee, Randi Weingarten, Robert Bobb Kick-Off NBC's "Education Nation"

If you missed yesterday's "Meet The Press", do check out the clips below from this kick-off program for NBC's intensive three day "Education Nation"with panelists Sec'y of Education Arne Duncan, AFT head Randi Weingarten, DC school chancellor Michelle Rhee and... Read more

Waiting for Superman: A "Signal Moment" In Education?

"It's a moment ripe with ferment and possibility, but also rife with conflict, in which the kind of change that fills many hearts with hope fills others with mortal dread- and which gives a movie like 'Superman' a rare chance to move the needle." Read more

Jeff Bridges takes on childhood hunger

MSNBC's "Morning Joe" clip with Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough: "Obesity is just the flip side of this hunger issue" Read more

Recording Artist & Philanthropist John Legend To Bill Maher: "You're Wrong On Education"

Retaliates Against Maher's "Rule" To "Fire The Parents, Not The Teachers" Read more

"What Makes A School Great": Time Magazine Special Report

Teachers, Charter Schools, Business, Testing, Unions In The Hot Seat on "Morning Joe"Richard Stengel, Time magazine's editor-in-chief, announced next week's cover story, "What Makes A School Great" which, if judged by the teacher-obsessed conversation on today's MSNBC's "Morning Joe", should... Read more

Brian Williams @12Noon EDT: Teacher Town Hall - MSNBC's "Education Nation"

Check out Brian Williams and his "Teacher Town Hall", streaming live, which "will bring together teachers from across the country, both in-person and online, to brainstorm ideas, talk about what works . . . Read more

Work hard. Step out of your comfort zone. Discover your talents. Proud to be different. Be kind and respectful.

President Barack Obama's Back to School Speech Read more

Race To The Top Redux

"Parents Won't Be Fooled Again" PDK Poll Read more

"Further Proof That Teachers Matter"

PBS's John Merrow gets caught in education fire-storm about the L.A. Times teacher "Outing" story Read more

"The Cartel" Movie Follows The Money Trail In Education PLUS Charter School Clash on "Morning Joe"

Education Is Big Business: Videos - "Corruption Is Rampant, Pervasive & Institutionalized" Read more

"Net Neutrality Is The First Amendment Issue Of Our Time"

Senator Al Franken Takes On Google-Verizon And The Big Boys Read more

Bill Gates On "The Learning Ethic" & Charter Schools

"Thank God for charters . . .there's no room for innovation in the
standard (public school education) system." Read more

Ouch! "Deceptive Practices" Found At Kaplan, Inc., A Washington Post Company

Reports The New York Times from GAO investigators ". . . an admissions officer told investigators posing as applicants that the college had the same accreditation as Harvard. . . " Read more

College Grads: Diploma First. Passport Next.

"I don't care where you went to business school. I don't care whether your grades were good or bad. You have to leave the country." Read more

A Must-See "Morning Joe" Debate:

All Roads Lead To Education: Afghanistan, National Security And, Yes, Even Obesity Read more

Can O'Reilly and Olbermann Stop Our Brains From Aging?

Can O'Reilly and Olbermann Keep Our Neuro-minds Young? Read more

Google CEO Heads Obama's Innovation Team

"The Entrepreneurial Eco-System Is Broken . . ." : Judy Estrin, CEO, JLabs Read more

"Secretly Bilking College Students 101"

Elite Universities Selling Student Names & Addresses To Banks & Credit Card Companies Read more

NJ Gov. Christie Relentless In His Attack On Teacher Unions: "Selfish" & "Greedy"

Are Teacher Unions Overplaying Their Hand And Hurting "Teacher Love"? Read more

Now Big Gov/Biz Wants To Test Kids On Collaboration Skills?

"Show us the tests and results on 8th grader problem-solving skills. Quid pro quo, baby - let's check your standards and performance to see how you measure up . . ." Read more

Newt Gingrich Interview With Politico's Allen

"Solving Our Education Crisis": Wants Open-ended Charter Schools & Pay To Learn Plan Read more

Education Business: Major Revelations About For-Profit Schools In PBS Special "College Inc."

College Inc., a powerful special documentary aired last night on PBS's Frontline, covers the hot topics in higher education and is just too compelling to miss: for-profit schools like Phoenix University and DeVry, how on-line is impacting higher ed, the... Read more

Fired! Entire High School Staff & Faculty

Update May 17, 2010 - ReHired! CNN Reports: "Rhode Island School Reaches Deal To Rehire Teachers, Union Says" Read more

"Rewarding Teacher Performance? Resist The Temptation To Race To Nowhere"

"Rewarding Teacher Performance?
Resist The Temptation To Race To Nowhere" Read more

NJ Gov. Chris Christie Whacks Teachers Union On "Morning Joe"

White Hot Controversy: NYT's Andrew Ross Sorkin, Washington Post's Gene Robinson, Mike Barnicle, Dee Dee Myers Join Joe Scarborough Take On "The 1 1/2 % Solution" Read more

Yes, We Can. Hell No, You Can't. John Boehner In Very Viral Video

Too Funny To Resist. Check It Out. 2 min. Read more

The Rubber Room Movie: Education's Once Dirty Little Secret In Spotlight On "Morning Joe"

UPDATE!! NYC Rubber Rooms Closing!!! Read more

Florida - SB6 : Our High-Stakes Standardized Testing Culture

UPDATE!! Florida SB-6 Bill Vetoed By Gov. Crist!!!
More: Our High-Stake Standardized Testing Culture: Parents & Schools Beware Read more

Jeb Bush On MSNBC's "Morning Joe" : Controversy in Florida

NEW UPDATE: GOV. CRIST VETOES SB-6 BILL !!!! Parents & Schools: Understand More About Your Kids' Test Scores & Teacher Merit Pay Read more

Sir Ken Robinson: So Many "Are Prevented From Finding Their True Talents"

Education Processes At Fault. We Must "Radically Transform" Schools. See New CNN 3-Minute Video. Read more

The College MIA List #6: Those Who Dropped Out Or Never Attended

* Read More About the Steve Wozniak Relationship (Rift?) With Steve Jobs, Fellow M.I.A. In This Fascinating Piece From Slate: "The iPad is Steve Jobs' Final Victory Over The Company's Co-founder Steve Wozniak." Read more

"Morning Joe" PowWOW: "Great Expectations" In Education

Joe & Mika Brought Out The Big Guns: Mayor Bloomberg, Jeb Bush, John Legend, Al Sharpton, Blair Taylor, Mayor Cory Booker . . . see videos! Read more

Congress Passes New Student Loan Bill: Education Dept. "Flying Solo" Eliminating Banks

Fierce Bank Lobbying Defeated! "Can DOE Handle It Solo?", asks NPR. Goal To Make It Easier For More Kids To Get Loans. Read more

A Tipping Point In Education

JOE & AL READY "TO TURN THE TABLES OVER IN THE TEMPLE" Joe Scarborough and the Rev. Al Sharpton shook up the education world during a recent segment of "Morning Joe", where they had a very direct exchange and agreed on key points in education reform. Read more

Joe Scarborough: "Is The President Strong Enough" To Take On Teacher Unions?

"Morning Joe" Presses Arne Duncan Hard On Teacher Unions & Charters - Video Read more

Duncan On "Morning Joe": A New No Child Left Behind?

The chess pieces are starting to line up for the passing of a new education law which is morphing from the old No Child Left Behind into what is now called ESEA. Link here to overview from The New York... Read more

Michelle Obama: "We're In Charge" - Obesity Not Kids' Fault - Global Issue

Newsweek breaks this week with terrific multi-article coverage of First Lady Michelle Obama's take-no-prisoners campaign to help bring our child obesity epidemic and our super-size-it mentality to a tipping point. Link to articles here. An excerpt of her much-needed "tough... Read more

Top Chef Jamie Oliver Joins FLOTUS Michelle Obama Vs. Our Overweight Kid Epidemic

Join the "Food Revolution": Can Your High Schooler Cook 10 Healthy Meals? Videos. Read more

Scarborough and Bernstein In Heated Exchange With Teacher Union Head On "Morning Joe"

By C.J. WesterbergThe scene was Randi Weingarten, head of the AFT (teachers union), with Joe Scarborough, host of Morning Joe, journalist Carl Bernstein, and Willie Geist, host of Way Too Early.You could sense the restraint used by everyone at the... Read more

In The Arena: Teacher Union Head Weingarten Vs. School Reformer Rhee

Newsweek: "It Has An Almost Gladiatorial Aspect To It." - Chester Finn, Jr. Read more

Obama Speech Rattles Teacher Union Head

"Showed Real Courage": Uses Firing Of Entire Faculty At Rhode Island's Central Falls High School As Example Of Strategy For A School That "Continues To Fail" Read more

Smarter? Liberals or Conservatives? Hmmm...

ARE LIBERALS SMARTER THAN CONSERVATIVES? Read more

Cartoon - Teachers Union Head - Randi Weingarten

Revisited Due To Popular Demand. Joe Scarborough and Carl Bernstein on MSNBC's Morning Joe with Teacher Union Head in Heated Exchange - See Video. Read more

FOX News' John Stossel in Six-Part Video "Imprisoning Kids"

John Stossel Hosts Six-Part Video Series: "Imprisoning Kids"
Pro-Voucher & School Choice. Slams Union Practices. Read more

Olympian Apolo Ohno: On-Line Learning Gave Him The "10,000 Hours" To Be A Champion

Google Buzz Gets Whacked: Why Care?

We Should Know On-Line Privacy Issues To Be Able To Educate Our Kids About Them Read more

"The Flat World and Education": A Wake-Up Call For Teachers & Parents

Video Comparing The U.S. Vs. Other Countries: What They Do Right & What We Can Learn From Them. Is This The Book Of The Year By Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond? Read more

Bill Gates: "'Waiting For Superman' Is An Incredible Film"

Watch Two Min. Interview/Trailer: "Film Reminds Us We Need To Change The System" Read more

Tom Friedman: "Getting American Kids Excited About Innovation & Entrepreneurship Again"

Tom Friedman: "We Need To Get Millions Of American Kids, Not Just The Geniuses, Excited About Innovation And Entrepreneurship Again. We Need To Make 2010 The Year Of 'Start-Up America'." Read more

Are Standardized Test Scores Arne Duncan's One Note Song?

The Federal Stimulus and "Race to the Top" Grants - How Will It Affect Education?According to The Christian Science Monitor this month:"The federal stimulus money for education is prompting states, much more than before, to embrace reforms promoted by the... Read more

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