Latest News and Comment from Education

Friday, October 21, 2011

Film: 'American Teacher' - California Teachers Association

Film: 'American Teacher' - California Teachers Association:

Film: 'American Teacher'

By Sherry Posnick-Goodwin

american teacher

Films about teachers often tend to be stereotypical in nature. “Waiting for Superman” blamed “bad teachers” for being complacent and ineffective. Other movies — “Freedom Writers,” “Stand and Deliver,” “Dangerous Minds” — portray teachers as self-sacrificing saints eager to take a vow of poverty. “American Teacher” is more realistic. The film shows that the majority of teachers are smart, resourceful, hardworking, and doing the best they can in challenging circumstances. Instead of playing the blame game, the film makes a strong case that our teachers — who are responsible for educating America’s future generations — deserve to be valued, supported, and paid what they are worth.

The documentary is based on the book “Teachers Have It Easy: The Big Sacrifices and Small Salaries of America’s Teachers” (New Press 2005) authored by journalist and teacher Daniel Moulthrop, writer Dave Eggers, and Ninive Calegari, a former teacher and co-founder of 826 National, a student writing center.

Trigger Laws: Does Signing a Petition Give Parents a Voice?

Trigger Laws: Does Signing a Petition Give Parents a Voice?:

Trigger Laws • Does Signing a Petition Give Parents a Voice?




Illustration: Michael Duffy

By David Bacon

Parent trigger laws, according to their proponents, give parents power. Gregory McGinity, managing director of policy for the Broad Education Foundation, calls them “a way for parents’ voices to be heard.”

Sounds good. But is the parent trigger concept a way to put parents in charge of their kids’ education, or is it part of a political agenda that will rob parents of even more control?

The first parent trigger law was passed in California last year. It says that if the parents of 51 percent of a public school’s students sign a petition (the “trigger”), that petition will result in one of four options: firing the principal, bringing in an entirely new staff, closing the school, or handing over the school to a charter school operator. Rather than triggering a broader process, the specific option—for example, the specific charter school company—is part of the petition.

Several very conservative players in national education reform, in addition to Broad, have made parent trigger proposals a key part of their agenda. Many teachers fear the expansion of a privatized education system, and view parent trigger laws as a means for rushing the

All Education Matters: Tune In This Evening at 10 PM EST To Casey Ryan's The Cutting Room Floor

All Education Matters: Tune In This Evening at 10 PM EST To Casey Ryan's The Cutting Room Floor:

Tune In This Evening at 10 PM EST To Casey Ryan's The Cutting Room Floor

Occupy LAUSD: WHAT DOES ‘THE MAN’ HAVE TO DO WITH L.A.’S EDUCATIONAL WOES #ows

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Occupy LAUSD: WHAT DOES ‘THE MAN’ HAVE TO DO WITH L.A.’S EDUCATIONAL WOES:

Occupy LAUSD: WHAT DOES ‘THE MAN’ HAVE TO DO WITH L.A.’S EDUCATIONAL WOES

BY MUD BARON IN LAIST| HTTP://BIT.LY/NYQN7J

occupylausd-day3.jpg
Occupy LAUSD tents on Day 3 (Photo by @JoseDelBarrio via yfrog)

October 21, 2011 2:20 PM - Since Tuesday, Santee teacher Jose Lara has been sitting--no standing--at the corner of 4th and Beaudry at LAUSD Headquarters. Occupy Wall Street has beget Occupy L.A. has beget Occupy LAUSD. The movement states "This is a call out to the 99% in the Los Angeles Unified School District. It is time we Reclaim Our Schools from the 1% wealthy."

But what does "the man" have to do with huge class sizes, dirty classrooms, empty libraries, fallow gardens and laid off teachers? Haven't the schools been the victim of state budget cuts? According to Lara and education activist Robert Skeels the beleaguered



LAUSD & UTLA CONTRACT Prepare To Negotiate

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: LAUSD & UTLA CONTRACT: Los Angeles Unified School District & United Teachers Los Angeles Prepare To Negotiate:

LAUSD & UTLA CONTRACT: Los Angeles Unified School District & United Teachers Los Angeles Prepare To Negotiate

Anna Almendrala | The Huffington Post | http://huff.to/o0hUF5 10/21/11 07:19 PM ET - Even though contract negotiations between the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) haven't even been scheduled yet, Superintendent John Deasy's supporters are gearing up for a long fight. On Thursday, the Los Angeles Fund for Public Education sent out

BROWN SHAPES, SIGNS RttT ENTRY: State hopes feds buy different approach

By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess |http://bit.ly/oj4qUL Posted on 10/20/11 • After keeping child education advocates and his own staff in suspense for months, Gov. Jerry Brown approved the state’s application to the federal Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge on Wednesday – but not before shaping it in a way that will either turn off or intrigue federal officials and competition

A BULWARK AGAINST BAD EATING: Torlakson's new initiative for healthy habits

By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess | http://bit.ly/osI5KV Posted on 10/21/11 • With monster 49ers tackle Bill “Bubba” Paris heading a soccer ball to Brandi Chastain (her idea) and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson leading elementary school students in San Jose on a lap around the field while still in a suit, Torlakson on Thursday kicked off Team California for Healthy Kids,

THE WEALTHIEST SLIVER

Themes in the News for the week of Oct. 17-21, 2011 by UCLA IDEA | http://bit.ly/oB4m6b 10-21-2011 - Some California schools have very fine facilities and learning resources. Consider the high schools with 12 students in a class; experienced teachers with Ph.D.s teaching advanced placement and honors classes; fully stocked libraries; cutting-edge technology in science laboratories; access to

Can Teachers Be Friends With Students? - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo - Education Week Teacher

Can Teachers Be Friends With Students? - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo - Education Week Teacher:

Can Teachers Be Friends With Students?

| 1 Comment | Recommend

This week's question comes from Brad Patterson, who asks:

Can we be friends with our students? Where do we create barriers? How about social-media wise? I'm interested to hear about your experience, lessons learned, regrets, what you would offer as advice for new teachers.

It's an important question with two key components. One relates to the question of how teachers and students view their relationships with each other on a

Mar Vista: WALGROVE AVENUE ELEMENTARY NEIGHBORS OPPOSE CHARTER LAND LEASE PROPOSAL, FEEL IGNORED BY LAUSD

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Mar Vista: WALGROVE AVENUE ELEMENTARY NEIGHBORS OPPOSE CHARTER LAND LEASE PROPOSAL, FEEL IGNORED BY LAUSD:

Mar Vista: WALGROVE AVENUE ELEMENTARY NEIGHBORS OPPOSE CHARTER LAND LEASE PROPOSAL, FEEL IGNORED BY LAUSD

BY GARY WALKER - THE ARGONAUT | HTTP://BIT.LY/QT7V71

Oct 20, 2011 - A group of homeowners who reside within blocks of Walgrove Avenue Elementary School in Mar Vista is asking the Los Angeles Unified School District to reconsider its land lease proposal to offer space at the school to a charter organization.

Citing long-standing and rapidly worsening conditions with traffic, overburdened infrastructure, noise and a lack of attention to the elementary school, the homeowners and parents say these problems have infringed upon their lives since Ocean Charter School began sharing campus space with Walgrove five years ago, and the potential of a new charter could have devastating consequences on the neighborhood.

LAUSD has released a request for proposal (RFP) that will offer a 500-seat school on a 2-acre parcel of land at Walgrove to a charter

SBE Screening Committee Meeting for Nov 2011 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

SBE Screening Committee Meeting for Nov 2011 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education):

CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
1430 N Street, Suite 5111
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-319-0827
Fax: 916-319-0175

State Board of Education Screening Committee Members

Ilene Straus, Chair
Jim Aschwanden
Yvonne Chan
Carl Cohn
James Ramos

Meeting Notice:
Screening Committee of the State Board of Education

Tuesday, November 1, 2011
11:00 a.m.

California State Board of Education Office
1430 N Street, Conference Room 5101
Sacramento, California
916-319-0827

The purpose of this meeting is to review applications for the 2012-2013 Student Board Member position, and select twelve semi-finalists to be interviewed in conjunction with the 2011 Student Advisory Board on Education (SABE) Conference.

Agenda

  1. Call to order, Chair
  2. Welcome and Introductions, Chair
  3. Review and Discuss applications
  4. Selection of twelve semi-finalists
  5. Adjournment

ALL TIMES ARE APPROXIMATE AND ARE PROVIDED FOR CONVENIENCE ONLY
THE ORDER OF BUSINESS MAY BE CHANGED WITHOUT NOTICE

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION FOR ANY INDIVIDUAL WITH A DISABILITY

Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a meeting or function of the California State Board of Education (SBE), may request assistance by contacting the SBE Office, 1430 N Street, Room 5111, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone, 916-319-0705; fax, 916-319-0175.

For more information concerning this agenda, please contact Dana Wittek, Office Technician, California State Board of Education, at 1430 N Street, Room 5111, Sacramento, CA, 95814; telephone 916-319-0826; fax 916-319-0175. This agenda is posted on the State Board of Education's Web site.

Big Education Ape: 10-21-11 PM Page TWO #ows

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now:

Published by Coopmike48 – 6 news spotters today

Education

Are top students being shortchanged? - The Answer Sheet

washingtonpost.com - This was written by Paul Thomas, an associate professor of education at Furman University in South Carolina. A version of this was published on Daily Kos.By Paul Thomas One aspect of the education ...

DianeRavitch

Proving Why Parents Need a Revolution

huffingtonpost.com - Last week, Dr. Diane Ravitch launched a broadside against Parent Trigger and the parent empowerment movement, calling it a "stealth assault" and a "deceptive scheme" to undermine public education. ...

leoniehaimson

W. enters my wife's schoolboard race - Campaign Finance

salon.com - Emily knew it would be a tough race against her opponent, a deep-pocketed investment banker, but she felt confident she could run a solid campaign. She thought her experience as a social worker and...

leoniehaimson

Video

nypost.com - The city teachers union threatened to derail a new evaluation system, claiming school principals have used it to punish teachers before it even started.But Department of Education officials counter...

leoniehaimson

Video

nypost.com - On Tuesday, the state Board of Regents approved measures to address long-obvious weaknesses in test administration and scoring procedures and to thwart the rigging of results. Yet only one of the s...

DianeRavitch

Fighting for Upper West Side Schools

westsidespirit.com - Posted by West Side Spirit on October 19, 2011 · Leave a Comment By Dan Rosenblum Even though Noah Gotbaum came from a family of teachers, labor leaders and political figures, he never thought he’...

leoniehaimson

Shanker Blog » The Teachers' Union Hypothesis

shankerblog.org - For the past couple of months, Steve Brill’s new book has served to step up the eternally-beneath-the-surface hypothesis that teachers’ unions are the primary obstacle to improving educational outc...

DianeRavitch

Melody Barnes to Exit White House - Politics K-12

blogs.edweek.org - 20985 « Early-Learning Race to Top Contests: 35 State Applicants | Main | Senate Education Panel Approves ESEA Rewrite Bill »By guest blogger Lesli A. MaxwellMelody Barnes, President Obama's top do...

mikeklonsky

No Child Left Behind; Parents Need to Take Responsibility

huffingtonpost.com - Recent headlines in our newspaper blare out the results of the Academic Performance Index and the No Child Left Behind.Interesting, and not surprising, schools in poorer district didn't fare well. ...

coopmike48

Proposed charter school expects to run surplus

northjersey.com - A new proposal for an online charter school for 1,000 children statewide comes with an unusual twist: After its first year, the public school expects to have nearly $4.7 million left in the bank. T...

K12NN

Charter schools / Time to reassess

pressofatlanticcity.com - New Jersey has 80 charter schools. Next year, 25 more are scheduled to open, and another 42 applications are being considered by the Department of Education. But 15 years into the state's experimen...

coopmike48

Marian Wright Edelman: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, Stupid

huffingtonpost.com - “The Economy Stupid” were the words on the now famous sign in successful presidential candidate Bill Clinton’s 1992 war room. Today, that sign should be in the war rooms of all candidates—from thos...

coopmike48

High school applications due Oct. 28

thenotebook.org - The application deadline is just one week away. This weekend, Oct. 22-23, the High School Expo will be held at District headquarters, 440 N. Broad St. The Notebook will be at the expo, with a table...

coopmike48

What Back to School is Like for An Unschooler

democraticeducation.org - Posted in DemEd in Real LifePhilosophy of EducationParenting on Aug 21, 2011 - 08:07 PM For unschoolers like us, there is no back to school. There is continual learning, all of the time. We don't b...

coopmike48

Occupy Columbus Circle | OccupyWallSt.org

occupywallst.org - bobby 1 points 18 minutes ago VOTE COUNTING MINISTRY, DIRECT DEMOCRACY EBALLOT: http://www.usparliament.org/v-h-dd.php Results to be announced on November 6th, 2012. See the sole eballot cast, on t...

coopmike48

Quick Hits (10.21.11)

quickanded.com - ESEA mark-up aftermath. The reauthorization chatter continued this morning via tweets and blog posts. Eduwonks weighed in, betting on the bill’s chances of passage and nit-picking at amendments pus...

coopmike48

From a probation officer to a top teacher

signonsandiego.com - SAN PASQUAL VALLEY — Mark Burroughs’ route to his teaching career was an unlikely one.The fifth-grade teacher at San Pasqual Union School in the San Pasqual Valley toiled 10 years on the darkest si...

coopmike48

Introducing the #OccupySupply Fund | The Dissenter

dissenter.firedoglake.com - I’m really excited to announce the Occupy Supply Fund, a new effort at FDL to truly support the thousands of Occupiers protesting economic injustice and inequality across the country. 100% of donat...

coopmike48

Are Colleges Really Like Cable Companies?

missourieducationwatchdog.com - Education is big business, big money. In fact, it is easy to see which business model colleges and universities use when developing their degree programs. I am writing today about colleges in the w...

coopmike48

Psychologists Defend The Importance Of Working Memory Capacity

educationresearchreport.blogspot.com - ΩIn a new paper in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal published by the Association for Psychological Science, psychologists David Z. Hambrick of Michigan State University and El...

coopmike48

Blog posts on this issue

whitehouse.gov - The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release October 21, 2011 East Room2:09 P.M. EDTTHE PRESIDENT: Welcome, everybody. Please have a seat. It is a great pleasure to be with s...

coopmike48

Missouri repeals teacher-student Internet restrictions

northjersey.com - JEFERSON CITY, Mo. — Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has signed legislation repealing a contentious law that had limited online discussions between teachers and students. Nixon's Friday action eliminates a...

coopmike48