Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 2-9 AM Posts #edreform #ows

Modern School: Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 hours ago

Modern School: Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant:Breaking News: Union Membership is Rising, Declining or Remaining Constant0diggUnions and union busting are big news lately. Thus, it should be no surprise that much of the media jumped upon a recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on the state of union membership in America. The only thing surprising about the report was how differently it was parsed by various news sources.The Los Angeles Times excitedly ...more »

All Education Matters: The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 hours ago

All Education Matters: The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?:The Loop 21: Can Occupy Survive The Winter?by Cryn JohannsenHere is a snippet from my latest piece over at The Loop. It covers the eviction of Occupy Austin last weekend, homeless outreach in Providence, and so much more! Updates from Remaining #OWS Outposts Across the CountryWhen Occupy Wall Street kicked off on September 17th in lower Manhattan, few expected that it would spread with such rapidity and intensity. But it ... more »

Productivity continued… « School Finance 101

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 hours ago

Productivity continued… « School Finance 101:Productivity continued…by schoolfinance101Over at Sara Mead’s Ed Week blog, Mark Dynarski checks in with a few relevant questions and observations. Actually, as it turns out, we agree ALMOST entirely with Dynarski when he says:And focusing on peer-reviewed research as a form of quality assurance, as Baker and Welner suggest, seems problematic. Peer-reviewed research journals have highly variable degrees of editorial control, and peer review itself can vary from cursory reading to exhaustive and detailed comments. ... more »

Assessment Roundup « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 hours ago

Assessment Roundup « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Assessment Roundupby Klea ScharbergWe focus extensively on test scores and far too little on the whole child. We often choose one-size-fits-all fixes while ignoring solid research about the infinite ways students learn and children develop. The true measure of students’ proficiency and college-, career-, and citizenship-readiness must be based on more than just their scores on state standardized reading and math assessments.We shouldn’t simply teach to the test. We need ... more »

Diverse: Issues In Higher Education Headlines

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Higher Education Headlines:SUNO Reaches 94 Percent of Pre-Katrina EnrollmentLatest articles - 9 minutes agoSUNO president Victor Ukpolo said he credits aggressive recruitment efforts and good relations with local high schools for the school's continued growth. in NewsEmerging Scholars: Visionary Thinker – Osagie ObasogieLatest articles - 9 minutes agoThe tenth profile in a 12-part series on prominent young scholars is that of Dr. Osagie Obasogie, who is an associate professor of law at the University of California, Hastings. in NewsPepperdine Students ... more »

Scottsboro Alabama Schools Trample the 1st Amendment With Bible Man

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

The Freedom From Religion Foundation has complained to the Jackson County Alabama School Board that elementary school students are attending school assemblies to hear Bible Man tell stories from the Bible and he reportedly passes out free Bibles. He has done this for 30 years. According to a parent of students who attended the Jackson County schools, she states: In all the years that my children have attended Jackson County schools, the schools have never notified me about "Bible Man" ... more »

A Conversation on Personalizing Education Tutorpedia Foundation Fundraiser: For The Love of Education - San Francisco

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Tutorpedia Foundation Fundraiser: For The Love of Education - Eventbrite:A Conversation on Personalizing Education Our Wednesday, February 15th fundraising event at 111 Minna Gallery from 6-9pm in downtown San Francisco will feature a panel conversation focusing on the most effective ways to personalize education for our students.Our list of speakers includes:Alan Lowenthal, State Senator and Chair of Senate Education CommitteeLinda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor, Stanford University School of Education, Author of "The Flat World and Education: How America's Commitme... more »

The Teachers Union and Quality Teaching « InterACT

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

The Teachers Union and Quality Teaching « InterACT:The Teachers Union and Quality Teachingby David B. CohenShannan Brown (SJTA President) and Eric Heins (CTA Vice-President) are union leaders who promote quality teaching. (Photo: Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education; 1/20/12) Some people would say that “the union” and “quality teaching” don’t belong in the same sentence, or blog post title.My bet is that those people don’t know about the two Quality Teaching Conferences run by the California Teachers Association (CTA) ... more »

Critical Thinking attacked in Iowa HS | Dailycensored.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Critical Thinking attacked in Iowa HS | Dailycensored.com:Critical Thinking attacked in Iowa HSWritten by Danny WeilEducationFeb 8, 20120diggShare A high school in Iowa is at the center of a communism versus capitalism dispute after a teacher handed out a worksheet on the Cold War in a social studies class. Or that is what the media would like the public to think. The real controversy is about denying students opportunities to think critically by extending to them the necessity of entering ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: An important part of movement building

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: An important part of movement building:An important part of movement buildingby Mike KlonskyAs usual this time of year, there's a debate about the value of taking the struggle to save our schools into the electoral arena. Some see it as a diversion. I see it as walking on two legs. Why is it important for educators and ed activists to support progressive candidates? Here's one reason why.State Rep. Cynthia Soto (D-Chicago), chair of the task force, ... more »

Advanced Placement Exam Gains - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

Advanced Placement Exam Gains - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education):State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Applauds California'sSignificant Gains in Number and Success of Students Taking AP ExamsSACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said Wednesday he is exceptionally proud of the greater number and success of California students in the class of 2011 who took rigorous Advanced Placement (AP) courses, followed by demanding AP exams."Substantially greater numbers of California's public high school students were among the graduating class of 2011 ... more »

School districts’ response to pension cost shift: “No way.” « Fred Klonsky

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

School districts’ response to pension cost shift: “No way.” « Fred Klonsky:School districts’ response to pension cost shift: “No way.”by Fred KlonskyGovernor Quinn wants teachers to pay twice.The Cullerton-Quinn plan to shift the state’s constitutionally mandated pension obligation to local school districts is not going over too well.The plan would have the effect of having teachers pay their current contribution of 9.4% and then give up salary and benefits so that their local school boards could afford to pay into ... more »

VIDEO: Students Stand Up & Walk OUT for NYC Schools « EdVox

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 9 hours ago

VIDEO: Students Stand Up Walk OUT for NYC Schools « EdVox:VIDEO: Students Stand Up Walk OUT for NYC Schoolsby edvoxnyVideo by Justin Watson, student at Legacy HSDear Teachers and Principals of NYC,On February 1st, 2012, students across New York City walked out at 2 P.M to protest school closures and other failed education policies. We, the students, called for this walk out because of many aspects. We pleaded for change and basically have been told no by the DOE. All ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Imagine

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Imagine:Imagineby AnngieJohn Lennon asked us, through music, to Imagine. As long as we're looking to reform education, let's follow his suggestion and imagine what could be in public education.Imagine how much less school would cost if we didn't have to subscribe to, practice for and administer standardized assessments.Imagine how much could be saved if teachers were given a not-to-exceed classroom budget that they could spend any way they chose, without having to buy a specific set of ... more »

Workers & Working Families “Welcome” Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker Today. Naples, FL « Continuing Change

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Workers Working Families “Welcome” Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker Today. Naples, FL « Continuing Change:Workers Working Families “Welcome” Wisconsin Gov Scott Walker Today. Naples, FLby gatorbonbcWisconsin … SW Florida residents and Wear Red for Ed has joined with the AFL CIO and many other activists/organizations to rally/protest the visit of Wisconsin’s Gov Scott Walker in Naples, FL today. We will be sure to let him know we do not need another Scott in Florida… we have Rick Scott…and he is one ... more »

The rush to endorse is unseemly. « Fred Klonsky

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

The rush to endorse is unseemly. « Fred Klonsky:The rush to endorse is unseemly.by Fred KlonskyTeachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learn. That’s a bargain worth ... more »

Occupy the DOE in DC Schedule: March 30th to April 2nd, 2012 | United Opt Out National #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Occupy the DOE in DC Schedule: March 30th to April 2nd, 2012 | United Opt Out National:OCCUPY THE DOE IN DC SCHEDULE: MARCH 30TH TO APRIL 2ND, 2012Our schedule is up! It is subject to revision. Please click HERE to find our schedule, map information for hotels and pertinent locations, a letter to share about our plans to occupy, posters and Occupy DOE Rules of Engagement. We encourage everyone to join the forum to begin making arrangements for carpools and ... more »

TWITTER TOWN HALL 3 p.m. ET (12 p.m. PT)- El secretario de Educación DUNCAN SERÁ SEDE DE SALA CIUDAD TWITTER para la Excelencia Educativa HISPANO

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Education Department on USTREAM: .:EDUCATION SECRETARY DUNCAN TO HOST TWITTER TOWN HALL ON HISPANIC EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCEFollowing President Obama’s State of the Union Address – in which critical topics like college affordability, dropout rates, teachers, and job training were addressed – U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will engage with the Hispanic community through a twitter town hall at 3 p.m. ET on February 8. The conversation will be conducted in both English and Spanish.José Rico, executive director of the White ... more »

Shanker Blog » A Look Inside Principals' Decisions To Dismiss Teachers

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Shanker Blog » A Look Inside Principals' Decisions To Dismiss Teachers:A Look Inside Principals’ Decisions To Dismiss Teachersby Matthew Di CarloDespite all the heated talk about how to identify and dismiss low-performing teachers, there’s relatively little research on how administrators choose whom to dismiss, whether various dismissal options might actually serve to improve performance, and other aspects in this area. A paper by economist Brian Jacob, released as working paper in 2010 and published late last year in the journal ... more »

Michelle Rhee comes to Oakland, is greeted by protesters - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 13 hours ago

Michelle Rhee comes to Oakland, is greeted by protesters - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools:Michelle Rhee comes to Oakland, is greeted by protestersBy Katy MurphyTuesday, February 7th, 2012 at 9:55 pm in Uncategorized.The well-known former chancellor of Washington, D.C.’s public schools spoke tonight at a private event organized by the Oakland Speaker Series at the Paramount Theatre.Michelle Rhee, who founded the Sacramento-based advocacy group StudentsFirst in 2010, after leaving her chancellor’s post, has challenged many ... more »