Free Republic

JOHN Howard believes the postmodern approach to literature being taught in schools is "rubbish" and is considering tying education funding to ending the "gobbledegook" taught in some states. The Prime Minister made the threat after accusing the state education authorities of "dumbing down" the English syllabus and succumbing to political correctness. "I feel very, very strongly about the criticism that many people are making that we are dumbing down the English syllabus," Mr Howard said. Australia's most distinguished literary scholar, Leonie Kramer, yesterday agreed with the Prime Minister's criticism of how English is taught in high schools. Dame Leonie, professor...

Every parent thinks their youngster is an academic Michael Jordan, or at least a Scottie Pippen. That is, until they see the report card. Parents can feel just as deflated by poor grades as their child, especially as the family deals with the transition from elementary to middle school and the looming importance of high school grades. ... One way the Portland School District has addressed the esteem issue is by creating a new grading system at middle schools that abandons A's and B's for grades of "always" and "often." Students in some schools, such as Harriet Tubman and Hosford...