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LA’s Most Famous Teacher Critiques Common Core

Alexander Russo | July 15, 2013



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Hobart Elementary Teacher Rafe Esquith, via the Clarion Ledger

Hobart Elementary Teacher Rafe Esquith, via the Clarion Ledger

Rafe Esquith may or may not be LAUSD’s best classroom teacher, but he’s certainly one of the most well-known — at least outside of LA.

His familiarity comes largely thanks to his own writing (including a new book coming out this year) and others like Washington Post education columnist Jay Mathews writing about him as he does again for the second time in a week.

According to Mathews, Esquith is “the most imaginative and productive classroom teacher I know,” tireless and dedicated to current and former teachers alike.  But he’s also critical of the coming Common Core push towards nonfiction, imagination-killing directives from administrators in the central office, and after 29 years in the classroom he’s increasingly aware of the dangers of burnout.

You can read the full Washington Post column here: Why top teacher ignores latest reform directives.

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