Walt Gardner's Reality Check
Walt Gardner taught for 28 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District and was a lecturer in the UCLA Graduate School of Education. This blog is no longer being updated.
Education
Opinion
Random Student Searches Cross a Line
Students have a reasonable expectation to personal privacy when they are on school grounds.
Education
Opinion
The Surest Way to Be Admitted to One's Dream College
The surest way to get admitted to a dream college is to have parents who are mega donors.
Education
Opinion
Why Writing College Application Essays Is So Hard
Effective writing cannot be taught in the traditional way.
Education
Opinion
The Douglas County School Board Election Harbinger
If voters want their dollars to be used at Catholic schools, they first need to amend their state Constitution.
Education
Opinion
Vocational Education Awards Are Needed
Vocational education would gain greater respect if the media gave more coverage to the world championship of vocational skills.
Education
Opinion
Forcing Teachers to Reapply for Their Jobs
Even the best teachers by themselves cannot turnaround persistently failing schools.
Education
Opinion
What About a Bar Exam for Aspiring Teachers?
Performance assessment has better predictive value than any standardized test now in existence.
Education
Opinion
Censorship of Classics Still Exists
It's time to get real about students today if we expect them to respect teachers.
Education
Opinion
Why Parental Choice is Essential
Only parents should be able to decide which school best meets the needs and interests of their own children.
Education
Opinion
College Rankings Hurt by Graduates Choosing Teaching
It's a sad commentary that evaluating higher education has been reduced to the size of its graduates' paychecks.
Education
Opinion
Teachers No School Wants
There has to be a time limit on how long teachers can remain in reserve rooms.
Education
Opinion
Charter Schools Demand Exception to the Law
As long as charter schools can play by their own rules, comparisons between their outcomes and those of traditional public schools are futile.
Education
Opinion
The Controversial Pledge of Allegiance
Allowing students to abstain from reciting the Pledge of Allegiance may ironically help teachers achieve their ultimate goal by showing that the U.S. is free enough to permit disagreement.
Education
Opinion
The Right Place for Remedial Education
Don't students in credit-bearing classes have a reasonable expectation that the instruction they receive is truly college level?