Leadership Blog

Walt Gardner's Reality Check

Walt Gardner taught for 28 years in the Los Angeles Unified School District and was a lecturer in the UCLA Graduate School of Education. This blog is no longer being updated.

Education Opinion Every Student Succeeds Act Can't Deliver on Its Promise
All students are educable, but there will always be a wide range of outcomes.
Walt Gardner, December 14, 2015
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1 min read
Education Opinion Teachers Pay Steep Price for Creativity
Teachers want to make their classes interesting, but they don't dare go too far if they want to remain employed.
Walt Gardner, December 11, 2015
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2 min read
Education Opinion Substitute Teacher Churn Shortchanges Students
It's a wonder anyone is willing to substitute in public schools.
Walt Gardner, December 9, 2015
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Education Opinion Is Suicide the Price for Student Achievement?
Doing one's very best in school is good enough.
Walt Gardner, December 7, 2015
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Education Opinion Catholic Schools Are at a Crossroads
Court-supported parental choice is an opportunity for Catholic schools to compete with charter schools for students.
Walt Gardner, December 4, 2015
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1 min read
Education Opinion What If Higher Education Were a Right?
When education is considered an entitlement, it has unintended negative consequences.
Walt Gardner, December 2, 2015
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Education Opinion Student Safety Requires Trade-Offs
The decrease in violence in city schools is no reason to remove metal detectors.
Walt Gardner, November 30, 2015
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Education Opinion Common Core Gets an Undeserved Beating
Individual needs and interests are compatible with definitions for literacy and numeracy.
Walt Gardner, November 27, 2015
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Education Opinion Do Unions Belong in Charter Schools?
The debate over the presence of teachers' unions in charter schools is a red herring.
Walt Gardner, November 25, 2015
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Education Opinion Student-Parent Responsibility for Learning
Learning can take place in diverse classroom settings, but following certain basic rules is indispensable.
Walt Gardner, November 23, 2015
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Education Opinion The Price for Six-Figure Teacher Salaries
Salaries of $100,000 are enticing, but at what price?
Walt Gardner, November 20, 2015
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Education Opinion The New SAT Retains the Old Objective
Despite changes, the SAT must engineer score spread in order to stay in business.
Walt Gardner, November 18, 2015
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Education Opinion Good Teachers Are Good Enough
The debate over whether great teachers are born or made is irrelevant.
Walt Gardner, November 16, 2015
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Education Opinion Two New Strategies to Recruit Teachers
The cost of housing deters top educators from accepting positions in cities.
Walt Gardner, November 13, 2015
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2 min read
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