Counter-intuition

This week's adventures put me into a plethora of different classrooms, which is actually not a different experience for any instructional coach by now; we get the pleasure of experiencing it all, so to speak. What has emerged from this, however, is the theme of the value of differing perspectives, whether in science (Where did life come from, how did cells form?), math (more than one way to solve a problem), performance arts (varying interpretations), or other areas. What I internalized was a broader range of thinking, and, sometimes, discovering what was instinctive to me as a truth may actually not be the case when more deeply examined. 

With that, it seems appropriate to examine some divergent perspectives and taking it a step further by welcoming the others' insights into the mix. I offer these reading choices, and I'd like to see what others think about them. Please leave a comment or question regarding either, and we'll proceed from there. Bear in mind that these are counter-intuitive to many of us and are not necessarily representative of the beliefs of WDMCS, the Valley instructional coaches, or myself.

Article 1: Parental Involvement is Overrated

            Excerpts:

“Most people, asked whether parental involvement benefits children academically, would say, “of course it does.” But evidence from our research suggests otherwise. In fact, most forms of parental involvement, like observing a child’s class, contacting a school about a child’s behavior, helping to decide a child’s high school courses, or helping a child with homework, do not improve student achievement. In some cases, they actually hinder it."

“As it turns out, the list of what generally works is short: expecting your child to go to college, discussing activities children engage in at school (despite the complications we mentioned above), and requesting a particular teacher for your child.”

Article 2: The Lure of Statistics for Ed Researchers

            Excerpt:

“Quantification, I suggest, may be useful for the professional interests of educational researchers, but it can be devastating in its consequences for school and society.”