Technolandy

Day 158 (of 2025/26) 3 news stories you may have missed: Harvard grades; no more mothers/Father’s Day; and commencement drama…   and a bonus reflection on BC Professional Development Days (today in our district)

1. Harder to get as at Harvard? https://apple.news/AWPsEjJP4TXyYYnP37-vhzg a letter grade should not be made “easier” nor “harder” but a clear expectation that if met, gets the A (mind you I also have the same mindset with most “student of the year” awards too…). A cap on As? Why not predetermine the number of each grade available, scrap the curriculum and then put students against each other instead. Presentations. Essays. Interpretive dance (as valid as m/c tests) scored by judges… since it’s not about learning … or maybe just which parents donate the most?
2. Canadian school taking the formal leap to ‘ditch mother’s and father’s day’ in the name of diversity https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-schools-ditch-mothers-and-fathers-day-celebrations-in-the-name-of-diversity and since day one-ish I’ve always marked the dates noting that what “mother and father” mean differs from student to student – I even did a poem recently noting that for Mothers Day: https://technolandy.com/2026/05/08/day-153-of-2025-26-3-education-news-stories-you-may-have-missed-and-a-mothersday-poem-sports-days-screen-time-grade-inflation-and-a-bonus-on-bans-not-being-cure-alls/ and even that they may be crafting more than one art item… It’s not easy to have your name attributed to such an emotional event/stance though, and I hope the principal knows he has support and understanding!
3. Commencement dramas occurred (I’m paying attention as I get to (have to?) do my first speech on a graduation stage this year. I loved Jonathan Haidts address turn into a debate https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/jonathan-haidt-nyu-commencement-speaker-campus-speech-debate.html calling out (in addition to his use of only some data in his “research” oops my bias is showing) his cultural framing of generations; his stances and actions around DEI and the university taking away the spaces that would otherwise allow gatherings…. Also not surprised at the boos in Central Florida when AI was brought up https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/12/florida-students-boo-graduation-speaker-ai. Good things to ponder as I get to writing…

Bonus

I know some people will make comments about the professional development (Pro-D on this side of the Rockies) that are embedded in our school calendar. Sometimes even wishing them away… and I have at times reminded them that the changes may not be what they would want… as the 5 days were added to the calendar, not replacing instructional time – and even extended the school year to the end of June (or last friday of June depending on the district language at the time) and to remove these valuable (IMO) days would lead to an earlier end to the school year… as early as June 16 possible. Though some districts kept younger students longer… but that was when the focus was on days that had shorter hours than what we currently run… so likely no pro-d = June 15-ish. Teachers worked hard to get these days into he calendar and I continue to appreciate them throughout the year, even though I know, understand, and appreciate how schools have become more of a reliance for daycare, which is why we operate as the Ministry of Education AND Child Care.