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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Last Week's Best Posts on Big Education Ape » PostRank #EDREFORM #EDCHAT #WIUnion #sosmarch #p2 #pfla #1u


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Education Research Report: Lack of Free Play Among Children is Causing Harm #parents

2011-Aug-26
Education Research Report: Lack of Free Play Among Children is Causing Harm: Lack of Free Play Among Children is Causing Harmby Jonathan KantrowitzΩ Hovering helicopter parents who restrict their kids’ unstructured play may actually harm, rather than help, children according to the latest issue of the American Journal of Play, a scholarly journal which has gathered a distinguished group of experts to probe the near-extinction of free play and its effects on children and society. “Remarkably, over the last 50 ...
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Education Research Report: Lack of Free Play Among Children is Causing Harm #parents

2011-Aug-26
Education Research Report: Lack of Free Play Among Children is Causing Harm: Lack of Free Play Among Children is Causing Harmby Jonathan KantrowitzΩ Hovering helicopter parents who restrict their kids’ unstructured play may actually harm, rather than help, children according to the latest issue of the American Journal of Play, a scholarly journal which has gathered a distinguished group of experts to probe the near-extinction of free play and its effects on children and society. “Remarkably, over the last 50 ...
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Schools Matter: On Democracy Now! "Poverty Is the Problem": Efforts to Cut Education Funding, Expand Standardized Testing Assailed

2011-Aug-26
Schools Matter: On Democracy Now! "Poverty Is the Problem": Efforts to Cut Education Funding, Expand Standardized Testing Assailed: On Democracy Now! "Poverty Is the Problem": Efforts to Cut Education Funding, Expand Standardized Testing Assailedby Robert D. Skeels * rdsatheneThe Democracy Now! team discusses recent developments in New York's assessment plans, the U.S. Department of Education's controversial No Child Left Behind waiver extortion scheme, and other topics with celebrated education professor and author Dr. Diane Ravitch and New York City schoolteacher ...
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Blood Money (Or How Pearson is a Vampire on the Neck of Education)

2011-Aug-26
Blood Money (Or How Pearson is a Vampire on the Neck of Education): Blood Money (Or How Pearson is a Vampire on the Neck of Education)by adminWe are being asked (key word “asked”) to be trained (key word “trained”, like dogs,) by Pearson “Learning” August 29th and 30th. Pearson is going to pay us. Make no mistake, ladies and gentlemen, the money they are going to pay us is blood money. And the blood money they are going to pay ...
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Education Research Report: Bullying and intergroup conflicts in Philadelphia's public schools

2011-Aug-25
Education Research Report: Bullying and intergroup conflicts in Philadelphia's public schools: Bullying and intergroup conflicts in Philadelphia's public schools Ω Report Commentary In January 2010, after the violent incidents at South Philadelphia High School against Asian immigrant students, the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations began a series of public hearings as part of our unique mandate to ... Growth Over Time of the Receptive Vocabulary and Math Performance of Children Who Received Preschool Special Education Services Ω A new report ...
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International Rankings That Reformers Ignore: The Children Left Behind | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

2011-Aug-25
International Rankings That Reformers Ignore: The Children Left Behind | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: International Rankings That Reformers Ignore: The Children Left Behindby larrycubanIf there is one drumroll that most Americans recognize it is the familiar chord reformers have played for three decades: U.S. students score perform poorly compared to other countries in math, science, and other academic subjects. The familiar thrum drives the foot-tapping rhythm that reformers have used again and again to show that ...
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Robert Reich (This Labor Day We Need Protest Marches Rather than Parades)

2011-Aug-25
Robert Reich (This Labor Day We Need Protest Marches Rather than Parades): This Labor Day We Need Protest Marches Rather than Parades THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011Labor Day is traditionally a time for picnics and parades. But this year is no picnic for American workers, and a protest march would be more appropriate than a parade.Not only are 25 million unemployed or underemployed, but American companies continue to cut wages and benefits. The median wage continues to drop, adjusted for inflation. ...
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Is a School Just a “Place”? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

2011-Aug-25
Is a School Just a “Place”? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Is a School Just a “Place”?by obrienaLast week WAMU ran a segment on charter school closings in Washington, DC, that bothered me. Not because poorly performing (in terms of academics or finances) charter schools were closed (I firmly believe that low-performing charter schools should close), and not only because of the process by which the schools were closed (too late in the year for students ...
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NYC Educator: Walcott's First Draft

2011-Aug-25
NYC Educator: Walcott's First Draft: Walcott's First Draftby NYC EducatorIt's absurd to suggest that cheating is prevalent in New York City. Here in NY, we take test scores very seriously. In fact, we close schools and dismiss principals based solely on test results. So what possible motivation would anyone in the system have to cheat? We encourage all episodes of cheating to be reported fully, and I've invited anyone who knows of any cheating to contact me personally. What more ...
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Legal to Send Students to Court Instead of Detention? - School Law - Law and Daily Life

2011-Aug-25
Legal to Send Students to Court Instead of Detention? - School Law - Law and Daily Life: Legal to Send Students to Court Instead of Detention?By Stephanie Rabiner on August 24, 2011 8:46 AM | No TrackBacksIt used to be detention and a trip to the principal's office. Maybe suspension. But these days, school ticketing seems to have taken over traditional disciplinary measures in many of the nation's educational institutions, throwing children as young as 5 in front of a ...
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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Arne Duncan's new job at the D.O.E.? Celebrity catcher

2011-Aug-25
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Arne Duncan's new job at the D.O.E.? Celebrity catcher: Arne Duncan's new job at the D.O.E.? Celebrity catcher The ed secretary now appears to be in charge of silencing the administration's Hollywood critics. WaPo's Valerie Strauss broke the storywith a leak from inside Duncan's department. According to two people familiar with the efforts, the administration tried to arrange a meeting with Damon and government officials, including Education Secretary Arne
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Big Education Ape: 8-24-11 PM Seriously What Did YOU Ask ARNE EDition #AskArne

2011-Aug-24
Big Education Ape: Ed News Now: Big Education Ape: Ed News NowPublished by Coopmike48 – 7 news spotters todayNext update in about 12 hoursSee all articlesHEADLINESEDUCATIONPOLITICSENVIRONMENTART ENTERTAINMENTTECHNOLOGYCRIME#EDU#ASKARNEThe Trauma of Violence and Our Broken Communities - Off the Gridchicagomag.com - Posted Aug 12, 2011 at 11:42 AM By Alex KotlowitzEddie BocanegraFifteen years ago, I was on vacation with my family in upstate New York, when late one night I got a phone call from a homicide detec... mikeklonskyRethinking Teacher Compensation: Ethics ...
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4LAKids - Michelle Rhee & Antonio Villaraigosa on Public Schools: ANTI-TEACHER UNION ‘REFORMERS’ HOISTED ON OWN PETARD

2011-Aug-24
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Michelle Rhee Antonio Villaraigosa on Public Schools: ANTI-TEACHER UNION ‘REFORMERS’ HOISTED ON OWN PETARD: Michelle Rhee Antonio Villaraigosa on Public Schools: ANTI-TEACHER UNION ‘REFORMERS’ HOISTED ON OWN PETARDBY RANDY SHAW/BEYOND CHRON – REBLOGGED FROM DICK AND SHARON’S LA PROGRESSIVE | HTTP://BIT.LY/QZJJJJ Michelle Rhee​August 23, 2011 - Recent data shows anti-union school “reformers” hoisted on their own petard. After insisting that test scores should be the chief measure of schools, a flurry ...
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Instant Replay #AskArne Education Department 08/24/11 11:11AM, Education Department 08/24/11 11:11AM usedgov on USTREAM. Other Events

2011-Aug-24
Education Department 08/24/11 11:11AM, Education Department 08/24/11 11:11AM usedgov on USTREAM. Other Events: Video streaming by Ustream
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California education bill gets an A - latimes.com

2011-Aug-23
California education bill gets an A - latimes.comCalifornia education bill gets an ASB 547 improves on California's current yardstick for measuring improvement in schools in important ways.SB 547, which has passed the Senate, would use test scores as one of the major yardsticks for improving California schools, but it would also add other important factors including graduation rates. Shown here: Berkeley High School in Berkeley, Calif. (Robert Durell/ For The Times) California's system for measuring improvement in schools was always ...
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Schools Matter: Opt Out of Testing: It's a National Movement

2011-Aug-23
Schools Matter: Opt Out of Testing: It's a National MovementOpt Out of Testing: It's a National Movementby Jim HornJoin the new wiki to share information on strategies and tactics to shut down the sanctioned child abuse of high stakes testing. What you can do here?Click the link with your state name to see what is there.Add information on a page by "joining" the wiki then selecting "edit" and adding the information then "save."Don't worry if you make a mistake. You ...
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Cheating scandal catches up with union-busting education 'reformer'

2011-Aug-23
Teamster Nation: Cheating scandal catches up with union-busting education 'reformer'Cheating scandal catches up with union-busting education 'reformer'by Teamster PowerMichelle Me and someone else.We know it's wrong to revel in the misfortunes of others, but we just can't help ourselves when it comes to Michelle Rhee. If Michelle Rhee hasn't registered on your radar screen yet, she's a union-busting education "reformer" backed by for-profit education companies. She made her bones as the tough-on-teachers DC schools chancellor. Now she's running something called ...
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John Thompson on Brill's Re-write of Teacher Union History - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

2011-Aug-23
John Thompson on Brill's Re-write of Teacher Union History - Living in Dialogue - Education Week TeacherJohn Thompson on Brill's Re-write of Teacher Union Historyby Anthony CodyGuest post by John Thompson.It is a truism that when an attorney does not have the evidence, he or she argues the law. When lawyers do not have the facts or the law on their side, they tell a good story. Steve Brill's new book, Class Warfare, exemplifies that principle when indicting teachers and ...
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The High Cost of Low Graduation Rates | American Institutes for Research

2011-Aug-22
The High Cost of Low Graduation Rates | American Institutes for ResearchThe High Cost of Low Graduation RatesHow Much Does Dropping Out of College Really Cost?Monday, August 22, 2011AIR Authors: Mark Schneider and Lu (Michelle) Yin News Release: $4.5 Billion in Earnings, Taxes Lost Last Year Due to the High U.S. College Dropout RateFile: The High Cost of Low Graduation Rates: How Much Does Dropping Out of College Really Cost? (PDF)Executive SummaryPresident Obama has set an ambitious goal for the ...
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City Reports Increase in Allegations of Cheating by Educators - NYTimes.com

2011-Aug-22
City Reports Increase in Allegations of Cheating by Educators - NYTimes.comCity Reports Increase in Allegations of Cheating by EducatorsBy SHARON OTTERMANPublished: August 22, 2011RECOMMENDTWITTERCOMMENTS (2)SIGN IN TO E-MAILPRINTSINGLE PAGEREPRINTSSHAREAnnual allegations of test-tampering and grade-changing by educators have more than tripled since Mayor Michael R. Bloombergtook control of New York City’s school system, outpacing a broader increase in complaints of adult misconduct in schools during the same period, according to the special commissioner of investigation.Related in OpinionRoom For Debate: When Did ...
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Shanker Blog » Teachers' Preparation Routes And Policy Views

2011-Aug-22
Shanker Blog » Teachers' Preparation Routes And Policy ViewsTeachers’ Preparation Routes And Policy Viewsby Matthew Di CarloIn a previous post, I lamented the scarcity of survey data measuring what teachers think of different education policy reforms. A couple of weeks ago, the National Center for Education Information (NCEI) released the results of their teacher survey (conducted every five years), which provides a useful snapshot of teachers’ opinions toward different policies (albeit not at the level of detail that one might ...
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Michelle Rhee Eager for Spotlight, but Not in Cheating Scandal - NYTimes.com

2011-Aug-21
Michelle Rhee Eager for Spotlight, but Not in Cheating Scandal - NYTimes.comEager for Spotlight, but Not if It Is on a Testing ScandalBy MICHAEL WINERIPPublished: August 21, 2011RECOMMENDTWITTERSIGN IN TO E-MAILPRINTSINGLE PAGEREPRINTSSHAREWASHINGTON — Why won’t Michelle Rhee talk to USA Today?Enlarge This ImageAlex Wong/Getty ImagesMichelle Rhee has refused to talk to USA Today reporters about a schools scandal.RelatedTimes Topic: Michelle A. RheeMs. Rhee, the chancellor of the Washington public schools from 2007 to 2010, is the national symbol of the ...
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When Will the Bubble Burst? Student Loan Debt Swells 511 Percent - Education - GOOD

2011-Aug-21
When Will the Bubble Burst? Student Loan Debt Swells 511 Percent - Education - GOODWhen Will the Bubble Burst? Student Loan Debt Swells 511 Percentby Liz Dwyer It's no secret that American students are being crushed by student loans. We're on track to cross the $1 trillion mark in total student debt, exceeding household credit card debt, sometime later this year. That sounds pretty
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Students: the Achilles heel of test-based teacher evaluation? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

2011-Aug-21
Students: the Achilles heel of test-based teacher evaluation? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington PostStudents: the Achilles heel of test-based teacher evaluation?By Valerie StraussPaul Hafemann, a 7th/8th Grade social studies teacher at Mahopac Middle School in Mahopac, NY, sent me an email with the following story, or, rather, lesson about standardized tests. It points to a a major, and little discussed, issue about the push to evaluate, pay and retain teachers based on the standardized test scores of their ...
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School Tech Connect: A Night On The Town

2011-Aug-21
School Tech Connect: A Night On The TownA Night On The Townby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)What a night.... walked over to the neighbors' place here in Rogers Park last night for an evening on the patio. It couldn't have been nicer--- even with the rain it was a good time. We talked and talked and talked-- I met neighbors I hadn't even seen on the street, and we had that age-old discussion of whether Rogers Park was getting better or worse. Opinions ...