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Friday, December 23, 2011

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


#OWS Thanks Our Supporters! | OccupyWallSt.org

OWS Thanks Our Supporters! | OccupyWallSt.org:OWS Thanks Our Supporters!by OccupyWallSt‎2011 was a revolutionary year for a new movement that is changing the world. From NYC to Cairo, we are just getting started. We are still busy building this amazing movement, and we couldn't do it without you -- our supporters! Let's make next year even better!Popout(This video was passed by consensus through the New York City General Assembly on Tuesday, December 20, 2011.)

I Lost Three Years of My Life – The Story of a Teacher Who May Never Teach Her Students Again « JD2718

I Lost Three Years of My Life – The Story of a Teacher Who May Never Teach Her Students Again « JD2718:I Lost Three Years of My Life – The Story of a Teacher Who May Never Teach Her Students Againby jd2718by Rodney Grubiak, retired teacherOn this day, Wednesday, December, 21, 2011, Bronx Supreme Court Justice Dominic Massaro found Raqnel James not guilty and totally exonerated her of the criminal charges that were brought against her almost three (3) years ... more »

Sacramento Press / No swap for Sac High and West Campus – for now

Sacramento Press / No swap for Sac High and West Campus – for now:No swap for Sac High and West Campus – for nowby Melissa Corker, published on December 22, 2011 at 6:28 PMSCUSD board trustee, Patrick kennedyThe potential West Campus/Sacramento High School “swap” is off the table, but the budget and facility use problems that spurred the proposal still exist – leaving open the question, is this really the end of the conversation?“We have serious issues as far as ... more »

All Things Education: When single-issue advocacy causes multiple-issue empowerment

All Things Education: When single-issue advocacy causes multiple-issue empowerment:When single-issue advocacy causes multiple-issue empowermentby Rachel LevyEducation journalist Joy Removits recently wrote this article on the education "reform" lobby. The article was not particularly remarkable, but I did discern a bit of pivoting on the part of some of the organizations, such as Students First, Stand for Children, and DFER (Democrats for Education Reform) Removits wrote about. In particular, they talked about being "single-issue" advocates and financially backing politicians only b... more »

School Tech Connect: The Civil Rights Issue Of Our Time

School Tech Connect: The Civil Rights Issue Of Our Time:The Civil Rights Issue Of Our Timeby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)Separate but whatever...Meanwhile, Rahm appears to be driving them away down at Lab.There is much happening at the Schools as we end 2011—including the activities associated with the searches for division heads for the Primary, Middle, and High Schools. We have long planned

solidaridad: United Way' Elise Buik's Myopic One Percent Policies #ows

solidaridad: United Way' Elise Buik's Myopic One Percent Policies:United Way' Elise Buik's Myopic One Percent Policiesby Robert D. Skeels * rdsatheneFirst published on OccupyLAUSD.org"By what logic does United Way engage in an activity that is shunned by all the other charities?" — Professor Ralph E. ShafferUnited Way of Greater Los Angeles' CEO Elise Buik's total compensation in 2010 was $286,985. Entering that figure on http://www.globalrichlist.com/ provides the following insights:You're in the TOP 0.001% richest people in the world!You are the ... more »

Green Ribbon Schools Program - School Facility (CA Dept of Education)

Green Ribbon Schools Program - School Facility (CA Dept of Education):Green Ribbon Schools ProgramThe U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) award is intended to recognize those schools taking a comprehensive approach to greening their school. A comprehensive approach incorporates and integrates environmental learning with maximizing positive environmental and health impacts. The award criteria are intended to focus on measurable outcomes wherever possible.This is a two-step process. The first step is to complete and submit the online application in ...more »

Join - Sacramento Tree Foundation

Join - Sacramento Tree Foundation:Unsubscribe l Forward to a FriendFollow the Sacramento Tree Foundation on: SACRAMENTO TREE FOUNDATIONA Note From Ray Little Gifts Make a Difference$5.00 - One Tree Guard(to protect a young tree) $10.00 - Two Seedling Grow Kits(for use in elementary school classrooms) $25.00 - Five Bags of Mulch(to make sure trees survive our hot summers) $35.00 - One 5 Gallon Shade Tree(to be planted in a park, school, or streetside) $50.00 - Two Shovels(for volunteers to use ... more »

Modern School: Pragmatism Beats Out Occupy and Bunga Bunga for Word of Year

Modern School: Pragmatism Beats Out Occupy and Bunga Bunga for Word of Year:Pragmatism Beats Out Occupy and Bunga Bunga for Word of Yearby Michael DunnMerriam-Webster is calling “pragmatic” the word of the year, saying there were more searches for this one word in 2011 than any other word, including “occupy,” according to the Daily Mail.Congressional Super Committe (by DonkeyHotey) Searches for the term “pragmatic” spiked this past year when Congress voted to increase the debt ceiling and when its super ... more »

Action for Week of December 18, 2011 | United Opt Out National #OWS

Action for Week of December 18, 2011 | United Opt Out National:Action for Week of December 18, 2011by adminAre you ready for the holidays??? Opting-out is probably not on your to do list this weekend but here is a simple action to share. Share the January 7th, National Opt Out Day poster. Post the following with it in your email or on your Facebook page: United Opt Out National has declared January 7th as National Opt Out Day. On this ... more »

Lesson Planning for Engagement « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Lesson Planning for Engagement « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Lesson Planning for Engagementby ASCD Whole Child BloggersPost written by Fiona S. Baker, a teacher educator with an interest in responsive classroom professional development. She has more than 25 years of experience as a classroom teacher, workshop presenter, school consultant, and faculty member at universities and colleges, and she currently teaches at the Emirates College for Advanced Education in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Connect with Baker by ... more »

Washington Post Co. used Kaplan students as a pawn to threaten Congress | Dailycensored.com

Washington Post Co. used Kaplan students as a pawn to threaten Congress | Dailycensored.com:Washington Post Co. used Kaplan students as a pawn to threaten CongressWritten by Danny WeilEducation, MediaDec 22, 20110diggShareMany readers might be wondering about the incessant coverage of for-profit predatory colleges and universities like Kaplan or the Phoenix University, to name just a few. The reason for the non-stop coverage is due to the incessant lobbying and profit taking on behalf of the one percent who own these ... more »

Schools Matter: Support for standardized testing? Apathy, low expectations, illogical thinking?

Schools Matter: Support for standardized testing? Apathy, low expectations, illogical thinking?:Support for standardized testing? Apathy, low expectations, illogical thinking?by skrashenIn his article “Gingrich, Romney, Obama - Education Triplets” (Washington Post, Class Struggles Blog, Dec 22, 2011), Jay Mathews writes:“ ... the general agreement over education policy at the highest levels of both parties pleases the many educators and parents who think using standardized tests, weeding out weak teachers and giving parents more choices will help our schools break out of ... more »

Want to Improve Schools? Make Parent Involvement Meaningful – SchoolBook

Want to Improve Schools? Make Parent Involvement Meaningful – SchoolBook:Want to Improve Schools? Make Parent Involvement Meaningfulby Al VannTruly involving parents and communities in our public schools, and the decisions that affect them, is essential to improving our school system.While parent involvement is crucial to a child’s educational success, the reality is that such involvement is not always present for various reasons. However, the larger communities in which a student’s school and home are located also play an instrumental role ... more »

The NEA’s Van Roekel and TFA’s Kopp on teacher quality. That’s reaching deep. « Fred Klonsky

The NEA’s Van Roekel and TFA’s Kopp on teacher quality. That’s reaching deep. « Fred Klonsky:The NEA’s Van Roekel and TFA’s Kopp on teacher quality. That’s reaching deep.by Fred KlonskyTeach for America’s Wendy Kopp, NEA’s Dennis Van Roekel’s new best friend.I had some friends get down on me a few weeks ago when I criticized the NEA leadership, President Dennis Van Roekel in particuluar, for the NEA’s commission or committee or whatever the hell it was on teacher quality.Egged on ... more »

Big Education APE 2011 Year in Review February #edreform Special #wiunion Edition

Big Education APE 2011 Year in ReviewFebruary #edreformBIGEDUCATIONAPE NOTE: FEBRUARY and MARCH WAS A BUSY PERIOD DUE TO THE FIRE STORM CAUSED BY THE CORPORATE DEFORMERSSam Cooke A change is Gonna comeNY State Charter Schools, Regents Scores and Other Test Data DispiritingDel Valle for Mayor | For All Chicago For Every Neighborhood: Del Valle: Parking Meter Deal a Violation of City Ethics--ChicagoistThe Answer Sheet - When whacking kids at school is legalSRC commissioner Girard-diCarlo resigns | Philadelphia Public School NotebookThe ... more »

Daily Kos: What if you feel betrayed by your union's leadership?

Daily Kos: What if you feel betrayed by your union's leadership?:What if you feel betrayed by your union's leadership?by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)I find myself asking that question right now as the result of reading an op ed in today's USA Today. It has the title Column: 3 ways to improve the USA's teacher, and it is jointly written by Dennis Van Roekel, national President of the National Education Union, the teachers union for which I am a building representative, and Wendy ... more »

Mother Crusader: Ti-i-i-ime, is NOT on my side, no it's not...

Mother Crusader: Ti-i-i-ime, is NOT on my side, no it's not...:Ti-i-i-ime, is NOT on my side, no it's not...by darciecimaOn December 20th I sent the following email to the Charter School Office, Carly Bolger, soon to be ex-director of said office, and I cc:ed Acting Commissioner Cerf:Hello Carly,Applicants submitted their addenda responses on Friday 12/16 to the Commissioner and to the districts. The Application Review and Approval Process Document in the New Jersey Department of Education 2011 Charter School Expedited ... more »

Good parents need access to good information « MomsRising Blog

Good parents need access to good information « MomsRising Blog:Good parents need access to good informationby Rebecca MeuninckLast week we hosted an event to test toys and holiday gifts for toxic chemicals. We do these events across Michigan and inevitably find some nasty chemical in one or more toys. At this particular event a mother of two came in carrying a large bag of her four-year-old son’s treasured items. She came to our event because her son’s blood lead levels ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty, Shmoverty - Part III

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty, Shmoverty - Part III:Poverty, Shmoverty - Part IIIby DukeGonna get wonky here...I have to admit it: Amanda Ripley really got under my skin. Twice. So much so that I went back to her blog to look at her two recent posts - here and here - about how much American schools suck and how people who tell you that poverty is the overriding cause are selling you magic beans.Lucky for you, Ripley has "...been to Finland, Korea ... more »