Eduwonk Does Culture

NYC School Chief Joel Klein talks frequently of the culture change that is needed in education. At this time of year I often find myself writing a bunch of recommendations for law and graduate school for various interns and former employees from different activities. It’s always interesting to read the cover sheets and see what dimensions different schools want to evaluate students along. But the other day, one jumped out at me from a prominent university. It had all the usual aspects you’d want for graduate school in education and policy, but then it asks about “results-orientation, assertiveness, and professional knowledge” but with the caveat that those questions are “for school of business applicants only.” Hmmm….those don’t seem like such bad characteristics in our field either, do they? By golly, maybe Joel’s right…