Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

It Might Be Worth Checking-Out These English Language Development Standards | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

It Might Be Worth Checking-Out These English Language Development Standards | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:

It Might Be Worth Checking-Out These English Language Development Standards

In September, WIDA released a draft version of the English Language Development Standards, 2012 Edition, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve. Their comment period ends on November 11th.

I’ve never paid much attention to WIDA’s standards in the past since California has not worked with them. However, a month ago WIDA won the grant to develop a new national common English assessment for ELL’s

All Education Matters: Indebted, Educated Occupiers Unite: Students Denounce Sallie Mae and Student Loan Debt #ows

All Education Matters: Indebted, Educated Occupiers Unite: Students Denounce Sallie Mae and Student Loan Debt:

Indebted, Educated Occupiers Unite: Students Denounce Sallie Mae and Student Loan Debt

Students in Washington, DC have joined forces to protest Sallie Mae and student loan debt. This is great news, because these young people have not yet graduated from college and are already aware of the student lending crisis.

I am currently in DC, and will be meeting with occupiers here. It is my hope that I'll be able to get in touch with

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: My Family And Moe, Larry, And Curly

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: My Family And Moe, Larry, And Curly:

My Family And Moe, Larry, And Curly

So, I would first like to thank all those who shared their well wishes. It is deeply appreciated. Also, my wife is home safe and sound and taking it easy.


Some good news. The blood test done Monday morning by the oncologist came back negative. Now apparently, well not actually, the attending physician (Who in retrospect went to the Wendy Kopp School of Medicine) in White Plains Hospital made the call that the CT scan showed lymphoma and that a biopsy was needed immediately. But more on this later.

So after consulting with her internist/GP whose specialty is oncology said that

Grumpy Educators: 2011 NAEP: The Nation's Report Card

Grumpy Educators: 2011 NAEP: The Nation's Report Card:

2011 NAEP: The Nation's Report Card

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) testing results were released for reading and math. Math scores show increase; however, there is little change in reading scores. Nationally, 4th graders scores in reading were "flat" or on the average unchanged since 2009. The scores for 8th graders in reading continued to rise. The results also indicated that scores for Hispanic and

School Tech Connect: Mr. Wrong

School Tech Connect: Mr. Wrong:

Mr. Wrong

This Rachel Maddow takedown of Paul Wolfowitz was just so funny, I have to post it here. I don't really care about Paul Wolfowitz, although I do agree with Rachel--- if I ever got something so completely wrong, I'd have the sense to bow out of public life.

Professional Learning Communities Roundup « Whole Child Education #edchat

The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:

Professional Learning Communities Roundup

Whether it be in a single school or online, in study groups, action research teams, communities of practice, or conversation circles, educators working together with a shared focus on learning and accountability help all students learn to high levels. In October we looked at professional learning communities (PLCs) and how they provide collaborative environments where staff members take an active part in improving teaching and learning.

Listen to the Whole Child Podcast with guests C. Robert Maxfield, associate professor and teacher leadership coordinator in the Department of Educational Leadership at Oakland University in Michigan; Steven Weber, director of secondary instruction for Orange County Schools in Hillsborough, N.C.; and Sunndip

Jersey Jazzman: Carpetbaggers

Jersey Jazzman: Carpetbaggers:

Carpetbaggers

Have to love it when B4K, the hedge-fund moneyed group that just decided just this year to get involved in "reform," shows "cautious" optimism toward the NJEA's proposals:
Finally, our antennae are alerted by the NJEA’s reversion to its traditional defense of tenure as it has always been (before we all apparently agreed that reform was needed): asserting that, first and foremost, it’s a defense against politicization and patronage. Predictably, the NJEA then simply asserts that the governor’s tenure reform proposal will "undermine" tenure and enable

Rule of Law vs. the Forces of Order | OccupyWallSt.org #ows

Rule of Law vs. the Forces of Order | OccupyWallSt.org:

Rule of Law vs. the Forces of Order

Occupy Wall Street, with its defiant style of non-violent protest, has consistently clashed with the NYPD’s obsession with order maintenance, resulting in hundreds of mostly unnecessary arrests and a significant infringement on the basic rights of free speech and assembly.

we the people

Prior to the massive protests at the WTO in Seattle, protest policing in the U.S. was a largely casual affair punctuated with isolated outbursts of police misconduct. After Seattle, police departments embarked on a major rethinking of how to handle increasingly large and militant protests and, most importantly, how to handle the growing use of large coordinated direct actions. Without too much concern for First Amendment rights, police departments have tended to take one of two approaches and sometimes a bit of both.

The first is the strategic repression of direct action movements in particular. Beginning with the Miami police’s aggressive response to the FTAA protests in 2003, many departments resorted to using surveillance, agents provocateurs and negative publicity before an event, followed by massive deployments, “less lethal” weaponry

Modern School: Oakland Teachers Participate in General Strike #ows

Modern School: Oakland Teachers Participate in General Strike:

Oakland Teachers Participate in General Strike


As of this morning, 268 teachers had called in for subs at Oakland Unified School District, according to Katy Murphy, of the Contra Costa Times? Last Wednesday, only 24 called in for subs. While this is nothing close to what is needed for a successful General Strike, it is a significant increase in absenteeism that is no doubt due to teachers’ participation in the strike.

In related news, thousands have participated in today’s day of actions, marching on banks, as well as the Port of Oakland. Students have skipped class to join the protests. Unions have provided food. Because so few long shore workers actually showed up for work today, the port was effectively shut down. And, as of 4 pm, the police have been relatively quiet, despite the fact that some protestors smashed bank windows.

It has been speculated that the police are engaging in their own strike against Mayor Jean

NYC Public School Parents: Eva Occupies #OWS

NYC Public School Parents: Eva Occupies OWS:

Eva Occupies OWS

November 2, 2011 (GBN News): NY City Mayor Michael Bloomberg believes he has found a sure-fire way of evicting those nettlesome Occupy Wall Street protesters, GBN News has learned. According to City Hall sources, the Mayor will employ the same methods he uses in the public schools, and will dislodge the protesters by siting a charter school in Zuccotti Park.

The Mayor is said to have had no trouble bringing the head of the Success Charter Network, Eva Moskowitz, on board with his plan. Ms. Moskowitz has already ordered desks, chairs, whiteboards, and other school equipment to be delivered to

Occupy Oakland: Unions provide food for thousands of protesters - latimes.com #ows

Occupy Oakland: Unions provide food for thousands of protesters - latimes.com:

Occupy Oakland: Unions provide food for thousands of protesters

Civic centerEven protesters have to eat.

A festive atmosphere reigned in Oakland's Civic Center Plaza late Wednesday afternoon as workers from the United Food and Commercial Workers union carried tray after steaming tray of burgers, beans and rice in for a mass feast.

The union was one of many under the Alameda Labor Council umbrella that staged the giant foodfest for thousands of Occupy Oakland demonstrators, who called for a citywide "general strike"



Big Education Ape: 11-2-11 PM Page 2 #edreform

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now:

Published by Coopmike48 – 6 news spotters today

Education

Bill Gates: Popping Up with Compulsory Proactive Help

dailycensored.com - Remember the obnoxious, hyperactive paperclip that popped up in Word when you were trying write a letter? As soon as you typed “Dear,” up popped up Clippy:It looks like you’re writing a letter. Wou...

DianeRavitch

When is bad, bad enough? - Baltimore Education reform

examiner.com - There’s a common saying in Twelve Step recovery programs that the alcoholic or addict can “get off the elevator at any time.” What this means is that an individual can determine through some moment...

DianeRavitch

Putting Zuckerberg’s Millions to Work for Schools

nytimes.com - NEWARK THE people in charge of giving away $100 million of Mark Zuckerberg’s money to improve the lives of children in this city operate from a drab warren of offices downtown, where th...

leoniehaimson

Oakland's general strike -- Today's teachable moment

michaelklonsky.blogspot.com - "We as fellow occupiers of Oscar Grant Plaza propose that on Wednesday November 2, 2011, we liberate Oakland and shut down the 1%." -- Occupy Oakland General Assembly votes to shut it down. Teach...

mikeklonsky

Charters line up for extended-day cash | catalyst

catalyst-chicago.org - Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced Thursday that most charter schools eligible for the financial incentives to lengthen the day by 90 minutes have quickly signaled that they are ready to jump on board. B...

mikeklonsky

GENERAL STRIKE & MASS DAY OF ACTION – NOVEMBER 2

occupyoakland.org - Liberate Oakland, Shut Down the 1%GENERAL STRIKE & MASS DAY OF ACTION Wednesday November 2, 2011 Below is the proposal passed by the Occupy Oakland General Assembly on Wednesday October 26, 2011 in...

mikeklonsky

Beware of Bias in High School Progress Report Cards

edwize.org - The DOE would have us believe that the high school progress reports it released last week are a neutral evaluation tool where any school can do well irrespective of student demographics and charact...

leoniehaimson

From the Vault: Jonathan Kozol

schooltechconnect.com - It's more of a soundtrack with pictures than a video--- but his speech was so great that day, I just started thinking about it again this morning. Prior to Diane Ravitch's Death and Life of the Gr...

tbfurman

School Tech Connect: Pick Up The Phone

schooltechconnect.com - I have a message from Glen Brown and Fred Klonsky that IEA has issued a firmer call to action. I'm posting it below. You can also look at Jim Reed's message---- and I'm going to tip my hat to him b...

tbfurman

Video

nypost.com - Apparently, even 5-year-old tots can be terrors.A number of city public schools suspended kids in kindergarten for misbehaving last year — including three schools that hit the double-digit mark.PS ...

leoniehaimson

Blog posts on this issue

whitehouse.gov - The White House Office of the First Lady For Immediate Release November 02, 2011 East Room2:33 P.M. EDTMRS. OBAMA: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you all, so much.Hello and welcome to the White Ho...

coopmike48

Bucking national trend, some New York students slip on NAEP

gothamschools.org - News on “the nation’s report card,” sent home today by the U.S. Department of Education, is not good for New York State. New York was one of just two states to post statistically significant declin...

leoniehaimson

Edwize, UFT.org, New York Teacher Win Awards

edwize.org - The International Labor Communications Assocation held its annual convention in Seattle in late September, and the UFT received several honors at the organization’s awards ceremony. The UFT’s websi...

coopmike48

Time now for innovation to forge ahead

ednewscolorado.org - Ben DeGrow is a public policy analyst with the Independence Institute, focusing on education labor issues. Last night’s election results are a wake-up call. First, what to make of the resounding me...

coopmike48

School Board Agenda Update

saveseattleschools.blogspot.com - Just heading out the door to the FACMAC meeting, I reviewed the Board agenda. It has changed somewhat (and there are still open slots on the Speakers List, 252-0040). The renewal of the MAP contra...

coopmike48

Dispatch from the funding front lines: Cortez

ednewscolorado.org - Vinny Badolato is vice president of public affairs at the Colorado League of Charter Schools. Results are in from the Nov. 1st election and one fact regarding the education related issues on the ba...

coopmike48

District recommends just 9 schools be closed

thenotebook.org - Photo: Benjamin HeroldActing Superintendent Leroy Nunery at press briefing this morning where he announced recommended school closings.After months of speculation that dozens of schools across the ...

coopmike48

Pay No Attention To The Standards

scholasticadministrator.typepad.com - Pay No Attention to the Standards Tom Hoffman: First we had everyone discussing whether or not there would be a required reading list when there never is in a standards document. Now it is all "pe...

coopmike48

Quick Hits (11.2.11)

quickanded.com - A different take on bullying. This column explores the bullying and harassment seen in education, from an adult standpoint. School leaders, board members, even superintendents, have been threatenin...

coopmike48

Video game playing tied to creativity

educationresearchreport.blogspot.com - ΩBoth boys and girls who play video games tend to be more creative, regardless of whether the games are violent or nonviolent, according to new research by Michigan State University scholars.A stud...

coopmike48

Blog posts on this issue

whitehouse.gov - The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release November 02, 2011 WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the White House announced the launch of the 2011 Campus “Champions of Change” Challen...

coopmike48

School Tech Connect: This Is How You Run For Pension Board

bigeducationape.blogspot.com - School Tech Connect: This Is How You Run For Pension Board:This Is How You Run For Pension Boardby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)Here's Ray Wohl, running for the board of the Chicago Teachers' Pension F...

coopmike48