Johns Hopkins University forum to explore 'Future Directions in Education'
On December 5, Johns Hopkins University will host a forum where three formative voices of the nation's current education debate will sound off on the "Future Directions in Education: What will work best for students?" The event will be held in the Shriver Hall Auditorium on the university's Homewood campus at 6:30 p.m.
According to the university, panel members will offer differing views on the reform efforts sweeping the country.
Included on the panel are: Michael Yudin, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education in the United States Department of Education will discuss the Obama administration’s approach which includes support for new national standards in math and reading, teacher evaluations tied to student performance and charter schools.
Michael Petrilli, executive vice president of the Thomas Fordham Foundation, a think tank on education issues, and who has offered frank and sometimes scathing commentary on education reforms in Baltimore (including that city teachers put themselves on "the wrong side of history" in voting down the contract last year.)
And lastly, Deborah Meier, an outspoken critic of the Obama administration’s approach and co-author of an Education Week blog, Bridging the Difference , with Diane Ravitch.
The Shaping the Future series is free and open to everyone, including our students, alumni, all interested educators, parents, and education advocates. The program includes a presentation by panel members and an opportunity for questions and comments from the audience. For more information or to sign up for the event, visit http://education.jhu.edu/shaping_future.
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
This is a breath of fresh air in a somewhat stale atmosphere. While I commend this type of event, I wonder though how useful such a conversation will be. I wonder if the ideas discussed here will be taken to heart by those leading policy in the city. Moreover, I wonder how many of the city policy makers will actually be present to hear the ideas being raised. This is the type of initiative and discussion that could prove to be the spark that the educational fire in Baltimore city needs in order to rekindle and blaze anew. Is the school board sending home informational flyers to families about this event? Are any voices leading educational activism aware of this forum? Are these voices organizing buses and carpools to get parents and families to this event? I hope that the hard conversation of what is right for children doesn’t get lost in the ideals and agendas of the panel leaders, and I hope that the open forum will truly allow for parents and students to ask real questions that get authentic change conversations going in the city!
Posted by: Heather Lovett | November 29, 2011 5:59 PM
Why are charter schools continuously lumped in the category of "the future of education" when the majority of them are failing?
The other topics are hotbutton issues that will last until someone (most likely not a teacher) comes up with a new issue... but this Charter thing is out of control. The numbers show charter schools are doing (in many cases) worse than their neighborhood equivalents, but local and national education reformers keep pushing the idea forward. I'm confused.
If I (as a teacher) kept doing something that wasn't working, but pushed ahead with it anyway my evaluations would be terrible and I might lose my job... just saying.
Posted by: Brandon | December 2, 2011 10:10 AM
I registered online to attend this event.
Posted by: Interested and Engaged Parent of City Schools | December 3, 2011 11:58 AM
This: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/05/opinion/why-school-choice-fails.html?_r=2
Posted by: Brandon | December 5, 2011 10:57 AM
@ Brandon - Thanks for sharing. That article could have been written by parents from Coldstream-Montebello... except most are low income working class who don't have time to write editorials.
Posted by: OverTheTop | December 6, 2011 6:57 AM