Technology Is Not a Panacea for Struggling Schools

Sure, iPads Can Be Helpful, But They Can’t Create a Culture of Achievement

It’s still mystifying that in this time of limited educational funding, the people running the Los Angeles Unified School District were such an easy sell when it came to technology.

After LAUSD made an enormous investment in iPads and Pearson educational products developed for those iPads, teachers quickly discovered the iPad program didn’t work as guaranteed and the Pearson applications were useless. Superintendent John Deasy resigned in disgrace, elections changed the school board, and the FBI began an investigation into allegations of bid-rigging.

I’m inclined to believe that those in charge saw …

Seniors Belong on Playgrounds

For Many Southern Californians, the Secret to Eternal Youth Lies in Constant Play

Beth Molnar of Pasadena has been fascinated with figure skating since she was a child. She returned to the sport seriously at 30 and now, at 66, is a regular …

Can California’s Youngest Minds Help Fix the Drought?

How A State-Wide Contest for Kids on Water Conservation Opened the Floodgates For Creative Ideas

While the actions of adults on water conservation will determine our fate, making kids aware of water and the drought is important too.

At the California Arts Council, we noticed …

Who Are the Homeless People in My Library?

A Fresno Librarian Made a Documentary to Get More Than a Glimpse at the Lives of Patrons She Serves Every Day

Several years ago, when I first began working as a librarian at the Central Library in downtown Fresno, I escorted a daily customer named James toward the door at closing …

What Would Happen If We Put Teachers in Charge of School Reform?

Innovations Like New Standardized Tests and Merit Pay Distract Those of Us Who Are Trying to Make Real Change in the Classroom

Being a teacher has always been a challenge. It is a much greater challenge in the era of “reform.” It has been infuriating to read all the silliness, even worse …