Dear Richard Riordan -- latimes.com

Dear Richard Riordan -- latimes.com:

Dear Richard Riordan
An open letter to the former L.A. mayor on making parenting education part of public school reform.

"What's needed -- the sine qua non of improved learning -- is parenting education. Honestly and truly, in terms of real literacy, the home is more important than the school.

You know you can't build a good house without a good foundation. Similarly, family literacy is all the activity in the home that provides kids with the foundational experiences on which comprehending the written word is based.

What parents need to be taught specifically is how to support the linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional development of their children. That means no-cost activities such as conversing with kids, asking thoughtful questions, reading aloud, modeling reading and writing, exposing them to the larger world, showing them how to find and use resources, loving them, hugging them and speaking kindly to them.

I believe young parents can be shown, taught, encouraged and supported in learning to do these things. They love their kids deeply. They want success for them. Often they just don't know the best ways to help them, and that goes for wealthy parents as well as poor ones."

Teaching: Missionary Stint or Profession? | The Cornell Daily Sun

Teaching: Missionary Stint or Profession? The Cornell Daily Sun:

"Two year teaching stints may be gratifying for the bright, well-meaning young adults who sign up for them. They may learn important life lessons that will guide them for years to come. But if socially aware, good hearted, intelligent novice teachers really want to help our neediest youngsters I suggest they sign on for the long haul. Only by remaining in the classroom can they develop into the master teachers they may very well have the potential to become. And in time that may ultimately lead to a genuine revolution in the quality of our schools."

Op-Ed Columnist - Our Three Bombs - NYTimes.com

Op-Ed Columnist - Our Three Bombs - NYTimes.com:

"I am a 56-year-old baby boomer, and looking around today it’s very clear that my generation had it easy: We grew up in the shadow of just one bomb — the nuclear bomb. That is, in our day, it seemed as if there was just one big threat that could trigger a nonlinear, 180-degree change in the trajectory of our lives: the Soviets hitting us with a nuke. My girls are not so lucky.

Today’s youth are growing up in the shadow of three bombs — any one of which could go off at any time and set in motion a truly nonlinear, radical change in the trajectory of their lives."

The first, of course, is still the nuclear threat, which, for my generation, basically came from just one seemingly rational enemy, the Soviet Union, with which we shared a doctrine of mutual assured destruction. Today, the nuclear threat can be delivered by all kinds of states or terrorists, including suicidal jihadists for whom mutual assured destruction is a delight, not a deterrent.

But there are now two other bombs our children have hanging over them: the debt bomb and the climate bomb.

Think before you speak. Don't say "That's So Gay."

Think before you speak. Don't say "That's So Gay.":

"LATEST STORIES & VIDEOS
Have you been reminding others to 'Think B4 You Speak' at school or in your community? Tell Us Your Story. Or come up with a video to tell people it's not ok to say 'that's so gay', and it could end up right here. It's easy... Upload Your Video."

Parents play a crucial role in teaching their children about the negative impact of bullying and harassment. Talk about these issues with your children and within your community. Parents are also encouraged to Say Something Original and pledge to support safe schools efforts, and speak to your children’s teachers about using the Teacher's Guide to the Campaign (available in the For Educators section of this site).

GLSEN has created a teacher’s guide to assist middle and high school educators in presenting the various components of this campaign to students, framing and discussing the ads in class, and extending student learning about the negative consequences of homophobic language and anti-LGBT bias. The core of the guide consists of six educational activities that increase awareness and knowledge of the issues, develop skills for addressing them and promote social action. The activities can be used sequentially or as stand-alone experiences in the classroom, as part of Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) meetings, with students in diversity clubs, as part of a school diversity day or as part of other extracurricular activities that promote respect and equality.

City Insider : Newsom gives KJ lots and lots of San Francisco treats

City Insider : Newsom gives KJ lots and lots of San Francisco treats:

"There's yet another development in the ongoing saga of Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and his lost garment bag - and it involves an eye-popping array of 'We're sorry' gifts.
We told you earlier this week that Johnson lost his bag while helping an elderly man into a taxicab in Union Square - and then blogged that he would give Mayor Gavin Newsom his word nothing like this would happen in Sacramento.

Well, Newsom's aides not only recovered the bag, but found unnamed friends of the mayor to deliver it to Johnson personally in his Sacramento office. And, apparently to make sure all is forgiven (and maybe score a gubernatorial endorsement from the former NBA star?), Newsom tapped his business friends to put together a very, very nice gift basket."

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... School Board Backs Rule Reversal on SDSU Admissions

voiceofsandiego.org: Schooled... School Board Backs Rule Reversal on SDSU Admissions:

"The San Diego Unified school board unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday night urging San Diego State University to keep giving local students an edge in admissions to the school this year. The university has announced it would stop allowing local students to get in with lower test scores and grades than outside applicants.

SDSU has argued that local students will still get priority because of a new system that gives them extra points during the admissions process. SDSU President Stephen Weber sent a letter to the school board explaining the changes as a way to keep a good mix of local and outside students while the freshman class shrinks due to state budget cuts."

Education Week: Meetings Are Just Tip of Iceberg

Education Week: Meetings Are Just Tip of Iceberg:

"I have spent a career scrutinizing and analyzing events and topics in education, writing literally millions of words about my observations in books and articles. I confess that I took school boards for granted, regarding them as appendages to the process of teaching and learning. Then, in 2008, driven by a sense of curiosity and public service, I got elected to my local school board in central New Jersey, providing me with a box-seat view that even the most informed observer cannot obtain."

Politics K-12: Duncan to CA: Don't Count Your Race to the Top Funds Yet

Politics K-12: Duncan to CA: Don't Count Your Race to the Top Funds Yet:

"Duncan to CA: Don't Count Your Race to the Top Funds Yet

Just because California has removed its teacher-student data fire wall, thereby making itself eligible to compete for Race to the Top Fund grants, that doesn't mean the state is a shoe-in for the money.

In fact, it seems that Education Secretary Arne Duncan is trying to temper expectations by building a larger narrative that any changes prompted by Race to the Top also could put states in better position for other stimulus-related education grant competitions. After all, the Education Department realizes it can't give $4 billion in Race to the Top money to every state. (But, it's worth pointing out that California was often singled out by Duncan for having the firewall, and did act swiftly to get rid of it.)"

Education Week: Pre-K Lessons Tied to TV Shows Found to Spur Gains

Education Week: Pre-K Lessons Tied to TV Shows Found to Spur Gains:

"Video and interactive games are effective in teaching disadvantaged preschoolers the literacy skills they need for kindergarten, according to a large-scale evaluation financed by the U.S. Department of Education and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The randomized controlled study looks at a technology-supported literacy curriculum that involved video from “Super Why!,” “Sesame Street,” and “Between the Lions,” programs that are produced by PBS as part of the Education Department’s Ready to Learn Initiative. The study also included online games produced by the programs' producers, which targeted some of the same literacy skills as the shows themselves."

Education Week: Successful Schools Avoid False Choices

Education Week: Successful Schools Avoid False Choices:

"I know I am not the first to notice that education as a field tends to get whipsawed between what seem like incompatible alternatives: We can teach phonics or surround children with literature; we can teach skills or content; we can prepare students for the workforce or for college; we can provide schools that are equitable or schools that are excellent. The examples are endless."

For the past five years, I have been examining schools that have, for the most part, sidestepped these battles. They are schools I have visited as part of my work for the Education Trust, a Washington-based nonprofit organization. The job involves identifying and writing about schools with significant populations of low-income children and children of color that are also high-achieving or rapidly improving. In many of these, just about all of the students meet or exceed state standards, and achievement gaps are narrow, or sometimes nonexistent.

Ultimately, there’s no magic to how these schools achieve success. As one teacher told me, “It’s not rocket science. You figure out what you need to teach, and then you teach it.” She makes teaching sound easy, the way Tiger Woods makes golf look easy.

Education Week: NAEP Math Scores Idle at 4th Grade, Advance at 8th

Education Week: NAEP Math Scores Idle at 4th Grade, Advance at 8th:

"After marching steadily upward for the past two decades, students’ scores in 4th grade mathematics have stagnated on a prominent nationwide exam. That result seems likely to prompt calls for an inspection of state and federal efforts to boost elementary instruction in the subject.

Scores among 8th graders on the exam, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, continued to rise, meanwhile—a fairly consistent trend since the early 1990s.

Yet the scores on the 4th grade NAEP, a federally administered test touted as “the nation’s report card,” are bound to receive close scrutiny. Federal officials released the results at both grade levels today."

TEACHER ASKS FOR HELP

Friends, can you help? Our kids don't have jackets.

If you have an old jacket of your own child or can spare some time to buy some used jackets from Goodwill for kids, let me know. I can collect them.

Here's the request: PLEASE HELP--I WILL TOO

e-mail me: hkernan@mills.edu

Hey Holly-

I have a HUGE request that has recently come to my attention. Many of my students do not have jackets.

When I asked them why they did not bring a jacket today-(freezing and rainy) they said they didnt have one.

I almost started crying.

Any sort of donations of jackets, sweaters, rain boots, clothing etc. would be greatly appreciated. I know that kids grow like weeds-so maybe parents have items that just don't fit their child anymore.

Our students could really use them.

I appreciate your concern and caring so much.

Many thanks and Hopes-

Tracy

School lunches test Congress' appetite for spending | SouthCoastToday.com

School lunches test Congress' appetite for spending SouthCoastToday.com:

"Here's what everyone agrees on: Too many kids are fat. The food they get at school, which provides 35 percent of most schoolchildren's calories, is not nutritious enough and tastes lousy, to boot. And there's not enough money to change this unwholesome picture.

So here's the question: How much will it cost to fix school lunch?

Congress will seek the answer this fall as it budgets for childhood nutrition programs, which include about $12 billion annually for school meals. There is no lack of proposals. The nonprofit School Nutrition Association is asking for a 35-cent-per-lunch increase in the federal reimbursement rate, which now stands at $2.68. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., wants a 70-cent raise. Berkeley, Calif., chef and local-food pioneer Alice Waters is lobbying to bring the total to $5 per student. The administration, too, supports improving school food, at least rhetorically: President Obama has proposed an additional $1 billion for child nutrition programs, including school lunch, in his 2010 budget. Michelle Obama is promoting healthful eating as a signature issue."

Homosexuality 'not a civil right' (OneNewsNow.com)

Homosexuality 'not a civil right' (OneNewsNow.com):

"The chairman of the Orange County (California) Board of Education says she is 'appalled' that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is asking schools to set aside a day to honor a controversial homosexual activist.

Schwarzenegger signed a bill earlier this week creating an annual day of recognition for Harvey Milk. The designation of each May 22 as 'Harvey Milk Day' encourages schools around the state to commemorate the murdered homosexual politician and activist. (See earlier story)

Last month, the Orange County Board of Education voted unanimously (5-0) to oppose the creation of Harvey Milk Day. Dr. Alexandria Coronado, chairman of that board, says she is 'absolutely furious' that the homosexual community is claiming that passage of the Harvey Milk bill is a civil rights victory."

Morgan Freeman helps friend in Miss. gov's race - Wire Entertainment - sacbee.com

Morgan Freeman helps friend in Miss. gov's race - Wire Entertainment - sacbee.com:

"CLARKSDALE, Miss. -- Academy-Award winner Morgan Freeman says Mississippi is 'starving' for the right leadership, so the actor is using his celebrity status to help his friend run for governor in 2011.

Freeman has written a fundraising letter and is one of the hosts for a cocktail party in Los Angeles next week for Bill Luckett, an attorney seeking the Democratic nomination. Term limits prevent Republican Gov. Haley Barbour from seeking a third term."

A time for ideas, not illegal raids - Vallejo Times Herald

A time for ideas, not illegal raids - Vallejo Times Herald:

"Anyone who made even a cursory examination of last July's state budget agreement could see that it was a sham. It made unreasonable assumptions, desperate raids on local revenues that have to be repaid and relied on illegal transfers of special-purpose funds.

As time goes on, the shortcomings of the budget agreement are becoming even more apparent. The latest blow to the state's budgeting shenanigans comes from the California Supreme Court. It upheld a lower-court ruling that raids on funding for bus and train service are illegal.

The court rejected an appeal by the Schwarzenegger administration, which sought the right to divert $3.4 billion in transit funds to the general fund to help fill a gaping deficit hole."

PSLweb (Party for Socialism and Liberation): San Francisco Forum: Why Socialism?

PSLweb (Party for Socialism and Liberation): San Francisco Forum: Why Socialism?:

"It is during a moment of crisis that the true nature of capitalism is revealed.

Capitalism puts making profits over the needs of working people. Under capitalism, we see an endless cycle of war, environmental destruction, unemployment, people living on the streets and many dying of illnesses because they cannot afford health care.

Socialism, on the other hand, is the type of society whose main goal is to cover the needs of people. Under socialism, everyone will have a job, free high-quality health care, affordable housing and a free education. Join us for a talk and discussion on how this can be achieved."

Overcrowding impacts nursing students - News

Overcrowding impacts nursing students - News:

"Student enrollments in nursing programs in California have increased over the last few years, but shortage of well-trained nurses remains a problem because of budget cuts to higher education.

California colleges and universities will need to graduate more than 40,000 nurses within the next decade to meet projected demand, according to a report from the Legislative Analyst's Office.

However, because of the budget crisis, funds needed to expand or maintain nursing programs in state universities and community colleges are either cut or unchanged, said Sara Bachez, consultant for the Assembly Budget Committee."

O'Neill, Deukmejian campaign in support of tax hike to benefit LBUSD - Press-Telegram

O'Neill, Deukmejian campaign in support of tax hike to benefit LBUSD - Press-Telegram:

"LONG BEACH - Two prominent political figures from opposing parties are jointly campaigning in favor of a Nov. 3 property tax increase that would fund the Long Beach Unified School District.

Former Mayor Beverly O'Neill, a Democrat, and former Gov. George Deukmejian, a Republican, are urging voters to support the Nov. 3 ballot measure that would assess all properties $92 annually for five years. The measure would raise about $12.5 million a year toward a $95 million shortfall expected over the next two years.
Deukmejian and O'Neill also urged absentee voters to support the initiative.

'We can no longer depend upon Sacramento to provide the funds necessary to maintain a high-quality educational program here in Long Beach,' Deukmejian said in an interview. 'In my opinion, those of us who live here need to do everything we possibly can to maintain as a high a level of educational programs as possible.'"

Queer history month - News

Queer history month - News:

"The Sacramento State PRIDE Center is celebrating Queer History Month throughout October, striving to promote awareness and education of the queer community on campus and at large.

Gay Lesbian Bi-Sexual Transgender Month, as it is known nationally, has been recognized every October in countries around the world for nearly 50 years. Today queer communities around the world will commemorate National Coming Out Day, a holiday focused on promoting awareness of GLBT persons living honest and open lives.

National Coming Out Day was established in 1988 by Robert Eichberg and Jean O'Leary. The day was created to celebrate the second national march in Washington, D.C., the year before, when more than 500,000 people marched for queer rights."

Three special sessions mean another busy fall for California Legislature - San Jose Mercury News

Three special sessions mean another busy fall for California Legislature - San Jose Mercury News:

"In what's become an increasingly common routine under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's watch, legislators are once again giving up their traditional autumn vacations in hopes of tackling a host of issues lost amid another bad year of budget cuts.

This time, Schwarzenegger has summoned them back for three special sessions — the 12th, 13th and 14th since he's taken office — asking lawmakers in each instance to swing for the fences on subjects that have long divided the state: an overhaul of the state's crumbling water system, fundamental education reform and a proposal to dramatically alter California's tax code."

California's data-tracking system on students misfires - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

California's data-tracking system on students misfires - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"After years of effort, California has launched a statewide system that can track all manner of data for individual public school students as they move from kindergarten through high school.

But it's off to a shaky start.

Debbie Bennett at Black Oak Mine Unified School District in Georgetown kept getting the same message last week when she tried to log into the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System: 'Please bear with us while we correct this.'"

California joins race for school stimulus funds - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

California joins race for school stimulus funds - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News Sacramento Bee:

"California is back in the race.

Sunday afternoon Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a bill that took away the biggest obstacle to the state winning a share of $4.35 billion in federal Race to the Top funds for education.
Senate Bill 19, authored by Sen. Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, eliminates a statewide ban against tying student test scores to teacher evaluations."