The polemicist expert discusses four themes

REAL Education.

Four Simple Truths for Bringing America's Schools Back to Reality, by Charles Murray Crown Forum, 2008, 219 pages.

The big bad wolf libertarian conservative returned. And it is in full form. Used radical attacks on social benefits, Charles Murray turned this time here to education. His first target is "No child left behind". Established in 2001 with broad bipartisan support, this federal program aims to bring all children to a minimum level of knowledge and degree. Murray is une aberration. Moreover the system in General is based on a false fiction, because children could all be in the same performance.

The author calls out "the age of educational romanticism". This romanticism is based on the belief that all children who are not good at school could do better. Correlatively, this romance is based on the idea that the educational system (with still more ways) would be effective. The educational romantic left think that if you put end to social inequalities and sexism, all children had épanouiraient perfectly. The right educational romantic believe that if it is finished with the politically correct school curriculum and the power of teachers ' unions, there also all children might do better. Well, it would not. For Murray, QI largely determines the school performance, which déteindront on social performance (income, crime, marriage, etc.). System educational American, that Murray did not hackneyed (but this is what he thinks), is too good for the bad, and too bad for good. It is a Court of recreation for rich and gifted children. It is a punishment for poor and weak children. Methods and standardized targets, Murray believes that education must only help any child to become what he can.

The polemicist expert discusses four themes. It emphasizes the fact that the potential (understanding of the intellect and the different skills) of the children varies considerably. He recalled that half of the children are below the average (more specifically the median). He considered that too many young people are directed towards higher education (10 or 20 of a class of age would amply). He believes that the future depends mainly the manner in which the best with will be educated.

In a Word, should educate only the most talented who are called to populate the elite. Education must be neither too long nor too specialized. He must teach them discipline, humility, the analysis of the data. Arithmetic truths, some observations and other more tendentious chant the bright book, which is a moral and political advocacy. Proponents of the sciences of education and educators will jump into the air after fallen of their Chair.

Disrupting Class

How Disruptive Innovation Will Change the Way the World Learns, by Clayton M. Christensen, Michael b. Horn, Curtis w. Johnson McGraw Hill, 2008, 238 pages.

Clayton M. Christensen, specialist of the innovations of rupture, is a professor at the Harvard Business School. With two sponsors, it focuses on the educational system. Both individual aspirations that collective, for it are high: maximize human potential, strengthening democracy, participate in economic prosperity. All would be little satisfactory as underfunded. There is not the issue in reality. In thirty years, the expenditure per student has doubled, without great impact on the results.

School bored more

Educational malaise is more serious than a question of means. In countries rich and pacified, there is not really large extrinsic motivations. There was no rage to overcome and succeed (if not for some) to endure the educational when tests in all the ways, life will be relatively pleasant. In a sense, "prosperity can be an enemy of motivation." It is important that the school can become a motivating experience.

Asking "outside the educational industry", the authors call a customisation (a "customization", say) of the teachings. Their option is totally focus the approach, in a modular form, on the child or student. Technology, especially computers, now allows it. It could thus be put an end to the monolithic lessons in the classroom. As is now often says in French, it is to change software, for any education.

The proposed route is not direct attack on the system. It assumes initially as a new function: that of implementing online courses and exercises. Especially, it begins a troubling but probably true observation. School bored more. Perhaps the lesson and the question of this book first of management. How do I get the students are bored not did learn more nothing but learn with pleasure which will allow them to realize their dreams Read at the same time in the "remarks on education", Alain, who already criticized the masterful in the educational...

School Lunch Politics

The Surprising History of America's Favorite Welfare Program by Susane Levine Princeton University Press, 2008, 250 pages.

"Me I prefer to eat in the canteen", sang Carlos. It is a historian of Chicago which offers us an exciting story of the Organization of school canteens in the United States. The popular National School Lunch Program was launched in 1946. It is currently about 30 million children, who eat as breakfast every day in schools, two-thirds of them 100,000 free.

Invented by Democrats, extended by Nixon, the programme saw to succeed three phases and three goals. First needed to sell the agricultural surplus. It took then engage more deeply in the fight against poverty. Finally, we must now contribute to health objectives. While it was originally to provide food to poor and disadvantaged children, should today be to prevent and combat obesity. In the meantime, commercial companies, fast food at the forefront, is are immiscées in the debate, while federal regulations required. Since the 1970s, because of the funding needs, canteens have been privatized and open private automatic machines and cafeterias. The market now represents $ 15 billion, naturally arouses of appetites. The whole is object of scientific and legal controversies on fats, sugars, and calories.

Susane Levine gives us an interesting study on coalitions of agricultural, commercial and educational interests. It shows how much and how people (mainly women elsewhere) of very various backgrounds (nutritionists, social workers, elected officials) were able to cooperate with a goal that has always remained, watermark, that integration by power. Indeed, then America is made of cultures very different (including to consider what is good), school canteens are instead of a struggle to say and to propose what is healthy. It should be noted that Reagan wanted such that ketchup is seen as a vegetable.