On November 28, 2018, Dr. Taylor presented a webinar in conjunction with Classcraft entitled, "Student Collaboration: From Breakdown to Breakthrough"

One of the major concerns regarding our educational policies today is the trend towards a "back to basic" approach to education.  Whereby, test scores are the key measurement of success.  In preparing our students, when looking at mastery learning, incorporating numerous instructive materials, is it just a method of memorizing a specific set of materials rather then truly learning?  And in so mastering of concepts are we truly promoting learning?  In our methodology, we have trained not educated students. 

In defining Curriculum, I suppose we can spend a great deal of time defining what it is and get absolutely nowhere in solving the problems of today’s public education. As we look at who defines it and what’s important, we must ask the questions, what is their agenda and philosophically where do they stand when it comes to the role education and its’ institutions? Traditionalist would have us believe the rules of grammar, reading, rhetoric and logic, mathematics, and greatest books of Western World are the tools of the trade. Hutchins stated, “Knowledge is truth. The truth is everywhere the same. Hence education should be everywhere the same” p. 66 (Hutchins 1936) The question I have is whose truth? What is true to me in the little comfort zone of my life in suburban America, is not the same for someone who is raised in the inner city. So should my educational process, or my child’s education, be the same as an inner city child? Often there are cries for equal treatment for all! Yet, can this occur when we aren’t all playing on the same level playing field?

School districts over the past few years have equipped their schools with the latest in technology equipment.  This process has been accelerated with the requirements put forth by NCLB whereby technology literacy has been mandated for students by grade eight (Boyle, 2005).

When we look at identity as an important aspect of the makeup of the teacher and how they teach, is this identity based on some types of principles? And if so, the first question that arises is whose principles? Who determines what these principles are?