Posted on 02/12/2008 7:51:36 AM PST by grundle
OK Winter...I decided I should give the guy the benefit of the doubt and look into his story a little better.
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/04/19/news/inland/vista/2_39_444_18_07.txt
This article gives us a glimpse into his status as a hero among the public school inspirational circuit.
Your local public school can take taxpayer money, and bring this self confessed fraud, liar, and cheat to inspire teachers.
He is speaking on behalf of this particular reading method which many schools are adopting into their districts...
http://www.lindamoodbell.com
A brief look at that site looks interesting enough to take a closer look again when I have some more time.
John Corcoran is the president of his own non-profit foundation...
http://www.johncorcoranfoundation.com
And what do we learn on this website?
well...first of all - John is not the product of public school education. He attended private catholic school.
He admits to cheating his way through.
He says he received an athletic scholarship for college, but also says his method was-again- cheating.
A girlfriend wrote and typed his book reports.
He learned that research papers could be bought.
He admits to stealing tests from prof offices - even a whole filing cabinet at one point.
(now most profs - upon discovering theft will quickly change the test) -these admissions still don’t explain how he managed to walk in classes without his girlfriend and take quizzes, mid-terms, and finals for four years.
He makes no mention of teacher competency tests -and I don’t know if his state required them at that time.
He conned other people into filling out job applications and landed a job as a Social Studies and English Grammar high school teacher. He quickly moved onto another school and taught Social Studies, bookkeeping (he WAS good at math), and phys ed.
He conned his students but claims he cared about them.
Here’s a real gem from his website....
“It was not uncommon for me to find almost half of my students unable to read past a third-grade level...”
(umm...John? if you couldn’t read - how did you know what grade level they were reading at?)
“...I couldn’t teach them to read, but I could help them learn as I had learned...”
(again...John!..you admit you CHEATED! Are you saying you taught them how to cheat?)
So what inspired him to come clean at 48?
Well..he didn’t teach up until he was 48. He quit teaching and spent 10 yrs. making a killing in real estate.
Then he says he lost all that dough in the recession.
He talked to Jesus and went to the literacy center the next day....
“I couldn’t believe this little lady, with less than 20 hrs. of training, could teach a guy who attended school for 35 years..” (ahem....CHEATED and CONNED people for 35 yrs!)
So how has he re-invented himself?
“For the past seven years, John’s primary business activities have been the creating, developing, marketing, and sales of services and products (including electronics) that promote and impart basic language skills and literacy values to children and adults, in the home, schools and the workplace.”
So...go ahead and cruise his site and decide for yourself if this man is a hero.
His speaking fees are not available on the site, but you can e-mail him for that info.
You might want to rethink how to turn this story into a public-school bashing thread Winter.
If I were you, I would be laughing at the fact that this guy is being paid oodles of money to travel around and “inspire” teachers.
Well, we are talking about an education degree. Ed majors are even dumber than journalism students, as a rule.
I don’t believe any part of his story. He’s a fraud.
The creepy part of Winter’s posts is that she refers to any kid that went to a public school as ‘institutionalized’ - as if they’d been to prison.
The homeschooled kids she refers to as ‘homeschooled acadmeically successful’ kids.
It wouldn’t surprise me to find out she’s got some doubts about the quality of the education she as a homeschool teacher has given her kid. Most teachers have their doubts from time to time. I can’t imagine the second thoughts a stay-at-home mom must have knowing the kids entire future is tied to how well she can teach trig, American and European Lit, chemistry, physics, etc.
That’s got to be double tough.
“The creepy part of Winter’s posts is that she refers to any kid that went to a public school as ‘institutionalized’ - as if they’d been to prison.”
Yes...it’s not personal. It’s her style and we’re used to seeing it around here.
“I can’t imagine the second thoughts a stay-at-home mom must have knowing the kids entire future is tied to how well she can teach trig, American and European Lit, chemistry, physics, etc.”
Well..the movement is getting larger, and help is available - especially online.
There are also “private schools” kids can enroll in online where the material is supplied to the family and tests and report cards are graded by the school.
What I find amusing about this thread is the assumption this guy attended public school as a child...he didn’t.
And now some here like him because they think he is exposing what they believe to be true.
Actually what he is doing is making a living off the fact he used to be a liar and a cheat.
Free Republic is **plainly** advertised as a conservative forum. I am here to change the language. Sometimes I invent new language. Sometimes I push forward the language of others. If this bothers you, why are you here?
re-read the post...I wasn’t the one complaining.
I pinged you out of courtesy.
Good morning - had your coffee yet?
Yes...it’s not personal. It’s her style and we’re used to seeing it around here.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Nothing **personal**, or in **personal** agreement, here? Really?
That’s why you’re worked up? Really?
“Actually what he is doing is making a living off the fact he used to be a liar and a cheat.”
That seems to be the new American Way.
Pretty smart guy. Many of the public-school teachers are completely powerless to hide their illiteracy.
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