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Nov, 20, 2008
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By Linda Gassenheimer: Portobellos add a hearty flavor to pasta with pesto
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The Jewish Ethicist
by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Spread the wealth? Jewish tradition and income equality
Elliot B. Gertel:
'Mad Men': Tackling prejudices or reinforcing them?
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Nov, 14, 2008
Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: The Power of Spiritual Inertia
Caroline B. Glick: The perils ahead
Nov, 13, 2008
Stratfor Intelligence Briefing: How Bush and Obama together could change the Middle East dynamic
The Kosher Gourmet
by JeanMarie Brownson: Sweet and savory, crispy and meltingly tender bestilla
Nov, 12, 2008
The Jewish Ethicist
by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir : Tyrannical Co-Workers
Michael Doyle: High Court to consider today donated monuments that may have religious messages in public parks
Nov, 11, 2008
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Jonathan Tobin: They Will Decide Their Own Fate
Nov, 10, 2008
Rabbi Avi Shafran: $8 billion, modern-day Tower of Babel being built?
Barry Rubin: A letter to the president-elect from a Middle East realist
Nov, 7, 2008
Rabbi Francis Nataf: Of Children and Immortality
Caroline B. Glick: Livni's Obama strategy
Nov, 6, 2008
Rabbi Yonason Goldson: How I tricked a classroom of apathetic students into grasping the fallacy of moral relativism
The Kosher Gourmet
By Gina Kim: Tips for making the perfect soup --- includes recipes
Nov, 5, 2008
The Jewish Ethicist
By Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Destitute Debtors
Bruce Weinstein: 'Religulos': Bad title,even worse movie
Nov, 4, 2008
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Treasury Dept. submits to Shariah law
Frida Ghitis: A surprise for Obama in the Middle East
Nov, 3, 2008
Jonathan Rosenblum: Who says Jews are Smart?
Jonathan Tobin:
Was He Wrong About Everything?
Oct. 31, 2008
Rabbi A. Henach Leibowitz: Our Immutable Noble Essence
Caroline B. Glick: Running against Bush
Oct. 30, 2008
Jonathan Rosenblum: The End of the Special Relationship?
Steve Lipman: 'Kid Kosher' Gets A Title Shot
Oct. 29, 2008
Binyamin L. Jolkovsky: GET US THE TAPE THE L.A. TIMES REFUSES TO RELEASE, AND WE'LL GIVE YOU CASH!
Dr. Ari Korenblit: Making The Write Choice for President
Oct. 28, 2008
Mona Charen: Denial runs through American Jewry
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Sell-off to capitalism or sell-out to Islam?
Oct. 27, 2008
The Jewish Ethicist
by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Are tax deductions for charitable donations moral?
Jonathan Mark: The Mystery Of The Arab-American Vote
Oct. 24, 2008
'Why aren't all religious people vegetarians?': Response by Miriam Kosman
Caroline B. Glick: Testing Obama's mettle
Oct. 23, 2008
Daniel Pipes: Obama Would Fail Security Clearance
The Kosher Gourmet
by Linda Gassenheimer: A fast chicken dish with an Asian accent
Oct. 20, 2008
Gary Rosenblatt: Still One Torah
Jonathan Tobin:
Government 'Gifts' Are Not Free
Oct. 17, 2008
Jonathan Rosenblum: Sukkos and the Great Meltdown
Caroline B. Glick: The disappearance of law
Oct. 16, 2008
The Jewish Ethicist
by Rabbi Dr. Asher Meir: Copying DVDs: RIP OR RIPOFF?
Cal Thomas: Blaming the Jews (again)
March 22, 2007
J-Rhythms with Avraham Rosenblum: JWR's cutting-edge music program showcasing performers -- singers, song writers, musicians, and bands -- who learn and live the Torah lifestyle (OUR NEWEST IGODCAST !)
Oct. 29, 2003
Mortimer B. Zuckerman: Graffiti On History's Walls (MUST-READ!)
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Jewish World Review
August 15, 2008
/ 14 Menachem-Av 5768
Smart Kids, Bad Schools
By
Greg Crosby
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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Last week
my column focused on how public schools have stopped teaching American history with a POSITIVE slant. I made the point that no longer do our schools instill patriotism and pride in our country. If that were the only deficiency in today's schools that would be plenty, but it isn't. There are lots of other things that the public schools have not been teaching - things that were definitely taught when I went to school.
Old geezers like me will recall shop classes in school. Print shop, auto shop, wood shop, electrical shop and homemaking were great ways to learn fundamental skills - whether or not you were intending to pursue those skills as a career path, you were taught the basics in things that make up your daily life. What's wrong with knowing how a band saw operates, or learning a bit about electricity? What's wrong with knowing how to sew a button on? Or being able to cook a simple meal?
The arts are another thing that schools have either cut back on or eliminated altogether. Music, drawing, drama, sculpture and other creative courses were a lot of the reason some of us looked forward to going to school at all. Removing these classes is like taking the fun out of school. But that is exactly what has happened.
And then we were taught other things back when I went to school that have fallen by the wayside. Things like right and wrong, good manners, proper diction, and penmanship were part of the normal grade school curriculum in those days.
As a culture one could argue that we might be able to get by without proper diction and decent penmanship, although it is definitely a step backward for a civilized society. Not so, however, in matters of right and wrong, good manners and other common traits of decency and citizenship. When we stop teaching our youngsters these things, we're done for.
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In a new book, "Smart Kids, Bad Schools - 38 Ways to Save America's Future," an award-winning Natural Board Certified English High School teacher spells out why the schools are declining and what we can do about it. In just under 300 pages, this twenty-year veteran of the public school system offers his experience and advice to parents, education administrators, other teachers, and really all concerned Americans on how to fix a problem that has been more than 40 years in the making.
Told within a framework of five parts, the book has such intriguing and thought-provoking chapter headings as "The Good News: No More Summer School; The Bad News: No More Summer," "Let the Kids Sleep In," "Abolish Homework," "Outlaw Teachers' Unions" and "More Money Isn't the Answer."
The book is written in simple terms, easy to read, fast-moving, and at times even funny. Although he is still teaching high school English in the public school system, this author doesn't hold back one iota in his critique of the status quo. He hammers the education bureaucracy, teachers' unions, government programs, and even parents as willing or unwilling participants in the decline of public education. He is hard-hitting in his evaluation and makes his points at the top of his voice.
This author is opinionated, tenacious, and unrelenting in his passion for kids and the importance of creating a proper school system - he knows that better educated kids means a better tomorrow for all of us. And he knows that educating kids means not only teaching them reading, math and science, but teaching them right from wrong, good citizenship, and personal responsibility. It also means teaching some of our educators and parents a thing or two as well.
If I say that the writer of this book is strongly opinionated and even hard-headed at times, I know what I'm talking about. You see, it just so happens that the author of "Smart Kids, Bad Schools" is my baby brother, Brian Crosby. And even though like most baby brothers in the world, he thinks he knows it all, I can tell you this, when it comes to the public school system - he really does.
Brian may be my brother, but don't let that stop you - buy the book anyway. It's the smart thing to do.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
JWR contributor Greg Crosby, former creative head for Walt Disney publications, has written thousands of comics, hundreds of children's books, dozens of essays, and a letter to his congressman. A freelance writer in Southern California, you may contact him by clicking here.
Greg Crosby Archives
© 2006, Greg Crosby
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