Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, October 31, 2011

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Mid Day Posts #ows


Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Mid Day Posts #ows


Blue Jersey:: The Failure of "Reform" - Charter Schools

Blue Jersey:: The Failure of "Reform" - Charter Schools:The Failure of "Reform" - Charter Schoolsby Jersey JazzmanSo yet another study was released this month about charter schools. What does it conclude?The overall tenor of our results is that charter schools are in some cases outperforming traditional public schools in terms of students' reading and math achievement, and in other cases performing similarly or worse.No one should be surprised at this: there is a large body of evidence that charter schools ... more »

TRICK OR TREAT THOUGHTS « Teachers Fight Back

TRICK OR TREAT THOUGHTS « Teachers Fight Back:TRICK OR TREAT THOUGHTSby alkleenA Golden Chalk Award goes to any elementary school teacher who actually manages to get their students to learn something, anything, curriculum related on Halloween.Elementary school teachers aren’t paid nearly enough for working on Halloween. There needs to be a bonus just for showing up.If you are a substitute teacher and you get a phone call from a school on Halloween morning, DON’T ANSWER IT NO MATTER WHAT. Unless ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Merit Pay = Cutting Teacher Pay

Jersey Jazzman: Merit Pay = Cutting Teacher Pay:Merit Pay = Cutting Teacher Payby DukeFor a long time, I've been asking a question of the believers in the Merit Pay Fairy: will your program decrease or increase the overall payroll of the teaching force?Looks like they can't avoid the question any longer in Tennessee:Two years into work with the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation to improve teacher effectiveness, city school officials have determined that the financial outlook has changed so much that ... more »

OCCUPY EDUCATION #OWS

OCCUPY EDUCATION:I will not be silent about the corporate takeover of America’s schools and the attempt to silence dissenting voices.I Occupy Education by encouraging students o have informed opinions and to think for themselves.

This Week In Education: ESEA: Where Were *You* When NCLB Got Rewritten?

This Week In Education: ESEA: Where Were *You* When NCLB Got Rewritten?:ESEA: Where Were *You* When NCLB Got Rewritten?by Alexander RussoWhatever your position on NCLB, or the Harkin-Enzi bill, or the Duncan waiver plan, there's one thing that seems really clear: Many of those who are (or could) be major players in the debate over federal education policy have yet not come anywhere close to exerting their full influence. This is unfortunate, given that time is short (see Alyson Klein ...more »

Teachers fight Wall Street/politicians’ war on schools #OWS

Eugene Weekly : Lead Story : 10.20.11:Reforming Education ReformTeachers fight Wall Street/politicians’ war on schools by Alan PittmanAfter a decade-long war on public education by Democratic and Republican presidents and Wall Street that has wracked schools with high-stakes bubble tests and crowded classes beyond fire codes, but has left kids no better educated, teachers are finally starting to fight back.“Last year students at my school spent four to five weeks taking standardized tests, that doesn’t even include the time they ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: A Challenge For Every NJ Newspaper:

Jersey Jazzman: A Challenge For Every NJ Newspaper::A Challenge For Every NJ Newspaper:by DukeSo many of you are convinced that firing our way to better teachers is absolutely necessary. You even claim it will close the income gap (oh, Tom, I really am trying to be civil, but you make it so hard when you won't evenattempt to answer my points). OK...With whom will you replace these fired teachers?Who is all teed up and ready to hit the ground running ... more »

Tricks and Treats - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

Tricks and Treats - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher:Tricks and Treatsby Nancy FlanaganHere's a salute to teachers all over the US, who are coping with kiddie madness today. No holiday belongs to children more than Halloween--and teachers usually approach the day with a mix of stoic resignation and determined tolerance for excess. As in: I got through this before, and I can do it again. Pass the Kit Kat bars.I once worked with an elementary principal ... more »

Blue Jersey:: A Democrat at the School Board Association Convention

Blue Jersey:: A Democrat at the School Board Association Convention:A Democrat at the School Board Association Conventionby: newschoolboardmemberMon Oct 31, 2011 at 09:14:06 AM EDTpromoted by RosiSo, I'm a school board member. A new one. I got elected by writing myself in when no one would put their name on the ballot. I got some friends to vote for me. Made a couple of phone calls. Knocked on 5 doors. Made sure everyone could spell my last name right (it's ... more »

Keep Wall Street Occupied No stats yet, check back later.

A fast, easy, free, and non-violent way to drive the big banks out of their greedy little minds is sitting in your mailbox right now. You just don't know it yet.

Eric Smith’s Airy Dismissive Evasion of Testing Critics | Scathing Purple Musings

Eric Smith’s Airy Dismissive Evasion of Testing Critics | Scathing Purple Musings:Eric Smith’s Airy Dismissive Evasion of Testing Criticsby Bob SikesJeffrey Solocheck finally tracked down former Florida ed commissioner Eric Smith. Solochek does a good job of probing Smith and this exchange caught my eye:Does it create the need for too many tests? Because I’ve heard districts talk about having testing almost every day of the school year for one grade level or another.You know, I started as a teacher ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank AM Posts #ows

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank AM PostsUrgent: Winter Donation Needs | OccupyWallSt.org #owsBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-7 minutes agoUrgent: Winter Donation Needs | OccupyWallSt.org:Urgent: Winter Donation Needsby OccupyWallStIt's been dumping snow here in NYC all day, high winds and 3 inches of slush on the ground. With the NYPD and FDNY confiscating six generators on Friday and this unprecedented October snow, those occupying Liberty Plaza in downtown NYC are in need of emergency supplies crucial for cold ... more »

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky's blog:Sunday links.by Fred KlonskySnow falls on Zuccotti Park in lower Manhattan, home of Occupy Wall Street.The ACLU sues the City of Chicago. Latino communities are underserved by the police with Rahm as mayor.Who attends the secret meetings of the cabal that really runs the Republican Party. You guessed it. The Koch brothers and Karl Rove behind closed doors.Egyptians march in Tahrir Square in support of democratic

Grumpy Educators: Charter Schools: Parent Caution Advisory

Grumpy Educators: Charter Schools: Parent Caution Advisory:Charter Schools: Parent Caution AdvisoryWhile charter school expansion continues in Florida, so do the challenges to local decision-making. KIPP is a nationally recognized charter operator; however, KIPP Jacksonville operates a middle school with an "F" performance. The charter's application to open two new charters was questioned by the Duval School Board, which asked KIPP to explain why they should approve an application for more schools when they are operating one with an "F". Duval ... more »