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Tuesday, December 27, 2011

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


Jersey Jazzman: Poverty Matters

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty Matters:Poverty Mattersby DukeA conversation about poverty and international test score comparisons from the comments:Stuart Buck said..."But for a woman who is so worried about defining poverty, it seems like quite a stretch to claim so assuredly that this is a "more valid" comparison than Ravitch's."The reason it's more valid is that even if it's a flawed way to measure poverty, at least different

Occupy the Academy Awards | California Father #ows

Occupy the Academy Awards | California Father:Occupy the Academy Awardsby California FatherAs we gear up for Occupy The Tournament of Roses Parade can thoughts of occupying the Oscars be very far off? Thinking about it put me in mind of two fellow CalArtists who crashed that glamorous event nearly 25 years ago, bringing down the Hollywood 1% before it was in style.

Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1% | Labor Notes #ows

Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1% | Labor Notes:Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1%Howard Ryan| December 26, 2011Rahm Emanuel, whom Occupy Chicago has dubbed Mayor 1%, fired another shot at the city’s public schools this month. He's proposed to close schools, fire teachers and staff, and hand over space to private charter school operators. Photo: Chicago Teachers Union.Rahm Emanuel, whom Occupy Chicago has dubbed Mayor 1%, fired another shot at the city’s public schools December 1. He proposed seven school closings and ...more »

Blue Jersey:: Winning charter school strategy: protect wealthy towns?

Blue Jersey:: Winning charter school strategy: protect wealthy towns?:Winning charter school strategy: protect wealthy towns?by the_promised_landHere is a curious turn of events in the ongoing debate over whether local school districts can be forced to spend taxpayer money on charter schools at the expense of public schools and without any local vote.It concerns the Hua Mei charter school proposal, a Mandarin-immersion school. Earlier this year, the proposal would have included - and thus drawn funds from - Christie hometown Livingston, ... more »

The Touchy-Feely Future Of Technology : NPR

The Touchy-Feely Future Of Technology : NPR:The Touchy-Feely Future Of Technologyby NPR STAFFIn 1975, when then-composer and performer Bill Buxton started designing his own digital musical instruments, he had no way of knowing he was helping to spark the next technological revolution. But nine years — and a master's in computer science — later, that all changed."I wasn't trying to make a computer interface, I was just trying to make a drum," Buxton tells NPR's Robert Siegel. "Did I envision ... more »

A December of Deceptions, Misleads and Misteps by Florida Republicans on Education Policy | Scathing Purple Musings

A December of Deceptions, Misleads and Misteps by Florida Republicans on Education Policy | Scathing Purple Musings:A December of Deceptions, Misleads and Misteps by Florida Republicans on Education Policyby Bob SikesEducation commissioner Gerard Robinson had a nice little spin on this month’s release of state graduation numbers.“I want to commend Florida’s teachers, students, parents and school leaders for their dedication to helping their students learn and earn their high school diplomas,” Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson stated in a release. ... more »

What to expect in January from the corporate privatizers in the state of Washington | Seattle Education

What to expect in January from the corporate privatizers in the state of Washington | Seattle Education:What to expect in January from the corporate privatizers in the state of Washingtonby seattleducation2011Remember: There is nothing “public” about charter schools except the funding of these franchises by our tax dollars.This began as a memorandum to a group of political and education activists in the state of Washington but as I started writing this, I realized that everyone in the state of Washington ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CHRISTMAS QUOTABLES

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CHRISTMAS QUOTABLES:CHRISTMAS QUOTABLESby Mike KlonskyCommunity activist Martha Sanchez, right, shares an emotional moment with her children, Gonzalo Romero, 17, and Catherine Romero, 12, celebrating victory in an eight-year battle to shut down a metal-finishing plant across the street from 28th Street Elementary School in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco, Los Angeles Times)Danny SchechterI did my Christmas penance back in a very cold and all too empty Zuccotti Park on Christmas day. There had been a 24 hour ... more »

He dresses up history and his students like the fit - latimes.com

He dresses up history and his students like the fit - latimes.com:He dresses up history and his students like the fitRoosevelt High teacher Chuck Olynyk uses costumes and props to encourage his students to become engaged with distant times and connect their own lives to history. But beneath the period garb, says a school principal, is a good instructor who cares about his classes.Comments1Share25Sophomores Ricardo Plascencia, left, and Guillermo Bazan, right, help Roosevelt High School world history teacher Chuck Olynyk ... more »

Occupy the Dream #ows

Occupy the Dream:Members of the African-American faith community have joined forces with Occupy Wall Street to launch a new campaign for economic justice inspired by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Faithful to its philosophical origin, the "Occupy the Dream" coalition has called for a National Day of Action on Martin Luther King Day – Monday, January 16, 2012 – to focus attention on the gross injustice visited upon the 99% by the financial elite.Occupy the Federal Reserve ... more »

Quality Blogging & Commenting Audit Meme | Langwitches Blog

Quality Blogging Commenting Audit Meme | Langwitches Blog:Quality Blogging Commenting Audit MemeDecember 25, 2011 Assessment, Collaboration, Featured Carousel, MemeNo CommentsAs a follow up to the series Stepping it Up: Learning About Blogs FOR your Students, I would like to crowdsource more samples of blog posts and comments for teachers to practice recognizing, evaluating and assessing various levels of quality work.A meme might be a good way to get the ball rolling.Wikipedia defines a Meme as:A meme is “an idea, behavior ... more »

Lesson #2 – Leadership is IMPORTANT | Connected Principals

Lesson #2 – Leadership is IMPORTANT | Connected Principals:Lesson #2 – Leadership is IMPORTANTby sharrisNBCS SCIL 2012 Leadership FrameworkI find leadership a fascinating topic. If something typifies our 21st century world for me, it is the lack of leadership where and when it is needed. This is evident in micro and macro contexts – in countries, communities and schools. The issue is possibly that the media focuses way too much on political leadership and political leaders seem way too concerned ... more »

ASCD Inservice: College, Careers, Citizenship

ASCD Inservice: College, Careers, Citizenship:College, Careers, Citizenshipby ASCD BloggersCollege, Careers, Citizenship"College and career ready" has become a catchphrase for public schools. But what does it actually mean? It makes sense for schools to hold themselves accountable not just for student proficiency scores and graduation rates but also for students' success after graduation. But many educators are concerned that high schools are now treating college as the only desirable option and neglecting career and citizenship goals.ASCD Express is looking for short, ... more »

Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom. « Fred Klonsky

Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom. « Fred Klonsky:Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom.from Fred Klonsky's blog by Fred KlonskyWhen former Vice President Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom at Fort Meade, Maryland, last week, it was his first public appearance in more than 19 months. Cheney has been held without trial for the past year and a half; only now is a hearing being conducted to determine if there is sufficient evidence to refer his case ...more »

Connecting the Classroom to the Capitol « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Connecting the Classroom to the Capitol « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Connecting the Classroom to the Capitolby Klea ScharbergWhat works best for children? What must we all—educators, families, policymakers, and community members—do to ensure their success? Answering those questions pushes us to redefine what a successful learner is and how we measure success. ASCD’s Whole Child Initiative seeks to change the conversation about education from a focus on narrowly defined academic achievement to one that encompasses a ... more »

Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan

Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan:OPINION: Now is not the right time for more charter schools in MichiganOn Dec. 14, our state legislators passed Senate Bill 618 to allow more charter schools in Michigan. Wasting no time, Gov. Rick Snyder signed it into law on Dec. 20. The leaders in Lansing like the idea of choice and competition, and when the population in Michigan is growing, that way of thinking would be just fine.But ... more »

Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ - NY Daily News

Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ - NY Daily News:Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ They are unwilling to work within the systemBY EADIE SHANKER NEW YORK DAILY NEWSMonday, December 26 2011, 3:50 AMLegendary teachers union leader Al Shanker would not have supported the current charter school movement.Battle over airwaves pits UFT vs. pro-charter forcesEditorial: Jobbing school reformBam education plan ... more »

SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reform - Washington Times

SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reform - Washington Times:SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reformBy Deborah Simmons-The Washington TimesSunday, December 25, 2011**FILE** D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray (Associated Press)STORY TOPICSEducationD.C. Public Education Finance Reform CommissionChristmasFOLLOW US ONFACEBOOKQUESTION OF THE DAYDid you spend less this Christmas because of the economy?YesNoUndecidedOtherLogin to VoteView resultsCOMMENTS (1)RECOMMENDTWITTERLINKEDINREAD LATEREMAILPRINTTEXT SIZE: +| -CLICK-2-LISTENSHAREANALYSIS/OPINIONThere’s a na... more »

Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board -- WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board -- WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --:Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kathleen S. Tighe, the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Education and a strong proponent of transparency and accountability in government, has been selected by President Obama to serve as the new Chair of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board.(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100702/RECOVERYLOGO)... more »

The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011 - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011 - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011by Valerie StraussThe year 2011 was monumental in education — monumentally good or monumentally bad, depending on your view.School reformers who believe in using business principles to run public schools had a banner year. More states expanded the number of charter schools, promoted vouchers and moved toward using student test scores to evaluate teachers.Read full article