Concise Title: What Does it Mean to Be Well Educated? And Other Essays on Standards, Grading, and Other Follies

Alfie Kohn, a renowned figure in the field of education, has been described by Time magazine as "perhaps the country's most outspoken critic of education's fixation on grades [and] test scores." The Washington Post has also recognized him as "the most energetic and charismatic figure standing in the way of a major federal effort to make standardized curriculums and tests a fact of life in every U.S. school." In this new collection of essays, Kohn tackles some of the most pressing and controversial topics in education in recent years.

At the heart of Kohn's work is a focus on the real goals of education, a topic that he argues is systematically ignored while attention is lavished on misguided models of learning and counterproductive techniques of motivation. This shift in focus towards the underlying objectives of education leads Kohn to draw radical conclusions and write wonderfully pungent essays that are uniquely his own.

From the title essay's challenge to conventional, conservative definitions of a good education to essays on standards, testing, and grades, Kohn boldly builds upon his earlier work and writes for a wide audience. He meticulously examines the severe educational costs of overemphasizing a narrow conception of achievement, offering a refreshing perspective on the current debates surrounding schools.

Kohn's new book is sure to be greeted with enthusiasm by his many existing readers, as well as by any teacher or parent seeking a nuanced and thought-provoking take on the state of education. As a writer who consistently pushes us to question our fundamental assumptions, Kohn's essays invite readers to rethink their understanding of the purpose and value of education in the modern world.

Through his incisive analysis and unwavering commitment to challenging the status quo, Kohn has established himself as a leading voice in the ongoing discussion about the future of education. His work encourages readers to look beyond the superficial metrics and standardized measures that have come to dominate educational discourse, and to instead focus on the deeper, more meaningful goals that should drive our approach to teaching and learning.

Whether one agrees with Kohn's perspectives or not, his writings are undeniably thought-provoking and have the potential to profoundly shape the way we think about the purpose and practice of education. As such, this new collection of essays from Alfie Kohn is a must-read for anyone interested in the critical issues shaping the educational landscape today.

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