Other Blogs Recommended

First in what will be a series of of suggested other blogs to check out or follow.

First, from Education Weekly (EdWeek), is the dialogue blog of Diane Ravitch and Deborah Meierhttp://www.deborahmeier.com/. Their books have long influenced-- Meier's Central Park East Secondary School and her The Power of their Ideas are exemplars of Sizerian, essential schooling. Ravitch is the best of progressive education's interrogators: we should all be grateful to her for pushing and pressing and asking the best of questions and providing the best of critiques for where child-centered, liberal schooling can go too far, or lose focus. Ravitch's best book is Left Back.

Several times a month, Ravitch and Meier write lengthy, deliciously wordy letters to each other, corresponding with 18th century elegance in a 21st century medium. They offer insights, suggest readings, challenge and respond to each other.


Second, a schoolhead's school blog, called the Compass Point, from Poughkeepsie Day School's Head, Josie Holford. She seems to post two or three times a week, and they are lovely entries. I admire the way she interweaves commentary and observations about her own school, its daily routines and ongoing work, with her reporting and analysis of the wider world of education and society. Another great quality of her blog is its attention to the pictorial-- something grealy lacking in my own blog; it is great the way she integrates pictures from her school, and screenshots from other sites. This is very much the format and style of blog I intend to provide in my next school leadership role.