UPDATE: Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 3-5 AM Posts #soschat #edreform

To train and control or to teach and learn: is there a choice? « Cooperative Catalyst

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

To train and control or to teach and learn: is there a choice? « Cooperative Catalyst:To train and control or to teach and learn: is there a choice?by educatedtodeathOriginally posted at educatedtodeath.comIt seems that the goal of institutions is dominion over mankind. Organizations function to tame wild spirits and make them act civilly. This is not a terrible thing— people acting civilly. But, do the rulers act civilly? Not just the grand rulers, the government, corporations, etc., but the smaller ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Write to Your Legislator NOW

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Write to Your Legislator NOW:Write to Your Legislator NOWby Melissa WestbrookFrom afar I have been following the machinations of the State Senator Republicans (and the 3 Roadkill Dems including Rodney Tom) and the state budget.I can only say that, like Nick Hanauer, this is no way to show loyalty to your party. I think if Senator Tom wants to be a Republican, he should go back to being one (he acts like one anyway). I also ...more »

School Tech Connect: In Which I Admit I'm Squatting....

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

School Tech Connect: In Which I Admit I'm Squatting....:In Which I Admit I'm Squatting....by noreply@blogger.com (Tim)Scout In PursuitHere's an image from the day, mashed up in Fotoflexer. So here's a conundrum. I have a number of different URL's that I pay for--- none of them have anything to do with these topics--- and I keep up the payments for those URL's through my web hosting service, A Small Orange, a company I can't say enough good things about. If you ... more »

NYC DOE "Chancellor" Dennis Walcott Says That "Just Cause" in 3020-a Arbitration is Harmful To His Agenda - ParentAdvocates.org

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Parent Advocates - ParentAdvocates.org:NYC DOE "Chancellor" Dennis Walcott Says That "Just Cause" in 3020-a Arbitration is Harmful To His AgendaGovernment Lies, Corruption and Mismanagement | Posted 3/4/2012 at 4:28 PMWalcott gets my award for the most despicable member of any education administration currently in office. Cant we get rid of him? The reason for my saying this is that I know how school administrators push good people out of their jobs, just read my post on this blog and on ... more »

The Future of the Florida Senate: Will the Anti-Privatization Coalition Extend to Schools | Scathing Purple Musings

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

The Future of the Florida Senate: Will the Anti-Privatization Coalition Extend to Schools | Scathing Purple Musings:The Future of the Florida Senate: Will the Anti-Privatization Coalition Extend to Schoolsby Bob SikesWhat follows is an analysis by a long time observer of Florida politics. The writer desires to be recognized by a pseudonym, Lois Pace.Will the emerging center coalition in the Florida Senate flex its muscle as we enter the last two weeks of the legislative session? Will those Senators who ... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: A Public Challenge to Privatizing Schools

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One Teacher's Perspective: A Public Challenge to Privatizing Schools:A Public Challenge to Privatizing Schoolsby Imagine WisconsinThis week’s guestperspective comes from Bill Conway—Wisconsin’s 2009-2010 PTA Teacher of the Year.Conway is a veteran social studies teacher at Parker High Schoolin Janesville, WI.I read recently, with greatconcern, a JanesvilleGazette article about a private organization from Florida offering to keeptwo rural Wisconsin elementary schools open at a fraction of the currentoperating costs.It sent chills down my spine to read how this privateorganization cam... more »

Schools Matter: Confessions of a "Bad Teacher"

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Schools Matter: Confessions of a "Bad Teacher":Confessions of a "Bad Teacher"by Judy RabinFrom the New York TimesMarch 3, 2012Confessions of a ‘Bad’ TeacherBy WILLIAM JOHNSONI AM a special education teacher. My students have learning disabilities ranging from autism and attention-deficit disorder to cerebral palsy and emotional disturbances. I love these kids, but they can be a handful. Almost without exception, they struggle on standardized tests, frustrate their teachers and find it hard to connect with their peers. What’s more, these ... more »

Schools Matter: Teacher, Julie Cavanagh, on Test Scores

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 8 minutes ago

Schools Matter: Teacher, Julie Cavanagh, on Test Scores:Teacher, Julie Cavanagh, on Test Scoresby Jim HornFrom the NYDaily NewsAccording to the numbers, I am a highly effective New York City public school teacher. But you won’t see me jumping for joy over the news.My teacher data report, along with those of 18,000 other teachers, was released last week by the Education Department after a lengthy legal battle. That report says I have a career rating that falls at or above the ...more »

Breitbart gone. Kyle Olson picks up his banner. « Fred Klonsky

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

Breitbart gone. Kyle Olson picks up his banner. « Fred Klonsky:Breitbart gone. Kyle Olson picks up his banner.by Fred KlonskyGlen Yarbrough left the Limelighters.To those who thought the passing of Andrew Breitbart last week at the age of 43 meant the end of an era of mindless right-wing yahoo bloggers (and I’m pretty sure that most of you did not), I present Kyle Olson.Olson’s resume has mainly consisted of heading a tiny group of teacher haters in Western Michigan called ... more »

Tampa Bay Times: Charter School Dangers on Display in Scientology Case | Scathing Purple Musings

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

Tampa Bay Times: Charter School Dangers on Display in Scientology Case | Scathing Purple Musings:Tampa Bay Times: Charter School Dangers on Display in Scientology Caseby Bob SikesThe editors of the Tampa Bay Times have weighed in one week after Drew Harwell’s investigative pieceappeared on its pages last Sunday. They focus their ire on the shady dealings of Life Force Arts and Technology Academy director Hanan Islam while pointing out the dangers that current charter school policies place upon children and ... more »

We need more teachers like this « Cooperative Catalyst

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

We need more teachers like this « Cooperative Catalyst:We need more teachers like thisby joebowerIf you are proud of your high testsandgrades or ashamed of your low ones, you are a part of the problem.But if those who get low testsandgrades speak up against them they are easily labelled as ‘sour grapes’.That’s why those who get high testsandgrades have a responsibility to speak up and reject any accolades. Because they know that standardized tests measure what matters least. They also ... more »

March Madness Begins in Our Schools: It's Test Prep Time - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

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

March Madness Begins in Our Schools: It's Test Prep Time - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:March Madness Begins in Our Schools: It's Test Prep Timeby Anthony CodyFollow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCodyIn our nation's public schools, March Madness has taken on a whole new meaning. It is test prep time in America.Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is fond of saying that we should not teach the test. At the same time, there are huge consequences for schools, teachers ... more »

UPDATE: 31 arrested in women's rights demonstration at state Capitol | Richmond Times-Dispatch

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

UPDATE: 31 arrested in women's rights demonstration at state Capitol | Richmond Times-Dispatch:UPDATE: 31 arrested in women's rights demonstration at state CapitolCredit: EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCHVirginia State Police guarded the steps of the state Capitol during today's protest by abortion-rights demonstrators.Credit: EVA RUSSO/TIMES-DISPATCHPolice dragged some protesters from the steps of the state Capitol before arresting them today.RelatedAbortion protestors arrestedBrittany Fulk was among the demonstrators made to move back by riot police off the steps of the State Capitol» More... more »

Attention Santorum: 99 Percent of Republicans Expect Their Kids to Go to College - Education - GOOD

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

Attention Santorum: 99 Percent of Republicans Expect Their Kids to Go to College - Education - GOOD:Attention Santorum: 99 Percent of Republicans Expect Their Kids to Go to Collegeby Liz DwyerRick Santorum has been busy criticizing President Obama's push to ensure more American students go to college, but it turns out his opinion is out of step with America. The latest survey by the Pew Research Center for the People the Press reveals that 60 percent of Americans believe colleges ... more »

Governor Quinn: What if this happened to you? « Fred Klonsky

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

Governor Quinn: What if this happened to you? « Fred Klonsky:Governor Quinn: What if this happened to you?by Fred KlonskyComments from the petition to Governor Quinn to restore funding to TRIP, the state’s health insurance for retired teachers.Governor Quinn, what if your health insurance would SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE with out any warning and with no way to increase your monthly income and you were among the retired, who have worked hard all of their career? – PatriciaAfter 31 years of dedicated ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Corporate Media Can't Wait to Humiliate Teachers!

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

Jersey Jazzman: Corporate Media Can't Wait to Humiliate Teachers!:Corporate Media Can't Wait to Humiliate Teachers!by DukeThe vultures in the corporate media have been looking at how the NY Daily News, the NY Post, MSNBC, and theLA Times are trashing teachers. And they are so jealous - they can't wait to join in the fun! Take, for instance, the folks at Gannett, which owns the Asbury Park Post:Everyone agrees that the teacher evaluation system in New Jersey is due for an ... more »

Tom King's Blog of De-Fog!: Grading the Graders: More Meaningless Madness!

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Tom King's Blog of De-Fog!: Grading the Graders: More Meaningless Madness!:Grading the Graders: More Meaningless Madness!by Dr. TomHave you been following the recent drive among pundits and pols to find a new use for those standardized tests they give to our kids?Those costly tests, which also take much time away from learners and teachers, are largely useless in helping students. The sample of questions and student answers just don't tell anyone enough about what to do with the data.This kind ... more »

Transformaction - Arlington, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Transformaction - Arlington, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators:Looking AheadTransformactionThe world we know is built on transactions. Everything is a matter of give-and-take. We exchange what we have for things we want and need of similar value. Economically speaking, it works. We have learned to assign value to everything, and then conduct transactions based on those values. Living by making transactions works as long as you exist in a closed system. You ... more »

Fathers becoming a driving force in PTA

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Fathers becoming a driving force in PTA:Fathers becoming a driving force in PTANew York TimesSunday, March 4, 2012PrintE-mailShareComments (0)Font | Size: 0MORE EDUCATIONS.F. City College chancellor stepping down 03.01.12S.F. schools waive seniority for some in layoffs 03.01.12CSU trustees chairman ousted02.28.12New York --At Public School 11 in Manhattan in New York City, the senior president of the Parent Teacher Association is a vivacious chatterbox who ascended the school's executive board the way many do: forging bonds with parents and teachers, doing ... more »

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky:Sunday links.by Fred KlonskyThe correlation of value added scores in NY and the quality of a teacher from year to year? None.Retired math teacher GFBrandenburg’s blog explains why Bill Gates didn’t want the VAM scores made public. They’re total bullshit and blow the cover off of his reform agenda.The VAM scores mean nothing says a highly-rated New York school teacher.We’re almost at 8,000 signatures on retired teacher and former IEA President Bob Haisman’s petition to return ... more »

A Teacher Says “NO!” to Common Core Standards | Seattle Education

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

A Teacher Says “NO!” to Common Core Standards | Seattle Education:A Teacher Says “NO!” to Common Core Standardsby seattleducation2011I question the motivations of David Coleman, “architect” and lead author of the Common Core, whose video was shown to ICs last year giving a lesson on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s, “Letter from a Birmingham Jail”…This past summer, I viewed an entire two-hour tape of Colemen giving a speech to New York state educators about CCSS. Besides how condescending he was ... more »

Diane Ravitch: Reject case for status quo in schools | Shreveporttimes | shreveporttimes.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Reject case for status quo in schools | Shreveporttimes | shreveporttimes.com:Reject case for status quo in schoolsDiane Ravitch, a former Education Department official in both the Bush and Clinton administrations, spoke this week in Lafayette. Interestingly enough, she spoke to a meeting of the Louisiana School Boards Association.It's interesting because Ravitch speaks with the zeal of a convert on education issues. Once she embraced the structural changes on which much of the left and right agree as ways to improve ... more »

Grumpy Educators: No Unnecessary Tests (NUT) Report: Parent Right to Opt Out Lawsuit Emerges

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Grumpy Educators: No Unnecessary Tests (NUT) Report: Parent Right to Opt Out Lawsuit Emerges:No Unnecessary Tests (NUT) Report: Parent Right to Opt Out Lawsuit Emergesby SandraBig News!!! (March 2012)The ACLU is interested in supporting any parents whose children received a penalty/threats for opting out of testing.If you want to participate in the complaint please share the following:your storypermission to join in on the ACLU complaintyour return addressa signature on a hard copySubmit to: Nina Bishop, 3065 Windward Way, Colorado Springs, ... more »

Daily Kos: What’s so bad about American parents, anyway?

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Daily Kos: What’s so bad about American parents, anyway?:What’s so bad about American parents, anyway?by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)...the United States is one of only three countries in the world, along with Swaziland and Papua New Guinea, that have no federal paid parental leave policy. After President Richard Nixon vetoed the Comprehensive Childcare Act of 1971, which promised to ensure quality, affordable child care, American parents were left to fend for themselves. In a country that pays its child-care workers less than ... more »

A rare break from testing madness - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

A rare break from testing madness - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:A rare break from testing madnessby Valerie StraussThis was written by Pamela Grundy, a founding member of Mecklenburg Area Coming Together for Schools (Mecklenburg Acts), a grassroots coalition of parents, citizens and organizations working on behalf of Mecklenburg County’s public schools. This first appeared on the website of Parents Across America, an organization that she also co-founded that connects parents and activists from across the country to ... more »

Thousands of Sacramento-area teachers soon to receive pink slips - Sac Moms Club & Family - The Sacramento Bee

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 16 hours ago

Thousands of Sacramento-area teachers soon to receive pink slips - Sac Moms Club Family - The Sacramento Bee:Thousands of Sacramento-area teachers soon to receive pink slipsShareBy Diana Lambertdlambert@sacbee.comPublished: Sunday, Mar. 4, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 1BLast Modified: Sunday, Mar. 4, 2012 - 12:05 amThousands of pink slips will be in the hands of area teachers and other school employees by March 15. The notices warn the holder that they are in jeopardy of being laid off at the ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 3-3 #soschat #EDReform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 day ago

Saturday coffee + Old school. « Fred Klonsky #soschatBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-14 minutes agoSaturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky:Saturday coffee.by Fred KlonskyNo time to sit and savor the coffee this morning. Ulysses had a grooming appointment at 11:00.I don’t want to say what it costs us to get our dog’s hair cut. But Joe charges me $20 for clippers and a straight razor shave with hot towels. Ulysses costs way more.Thursday I had my yearly physical, so I ... more »

Mock Test Concerns from a Teacher (who also opts her own child out of the state test) | United Opt Out National

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Mock Test Concerns from a Teacher (who also opts her own child out of the state test) | United Opt Out National:Mock Test Concerns from a Teacher (who also opts her own child out of the state test)by admin(from California)Help! My principal (new to the school) wants us to give the students a mock test to prepare for the CST. It’s supposed to show us which standards students are struggling with. The tests are the released test questions. The 6th ... more »

School Tech Connect: The Week In Books

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 day ago

School Tech Connect: The Week In Books:The Week In Booksby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)I gave away my Kindle tonight. It's a neat tool, but it was actually slowing me down, what with having to make investment decisions on so many books.Within ten minutes, I found these at the big government socialized reading center. It's amazing how certain titles get by you. Life of Pi, for example. How have I not read that one yet? Another one of these titles, The Story of ... more »

You Can Catch More Flies with Honey! Lesson Learned! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!

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You Can Catch More Flies with Honey! Lesson Learned! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!:You Can Catch More Flies with Honey! Lesson Learned!by OldschoolteachWe sat in the gymtorium watching the presentation about the Negro Baseball League, and he wouldn’t stop. He sat a few feet away from me and he wouldn’t stop talking, wouldn’t stop leaning on other people, and he wouldn’t stop putting his hands on others. His teacher was absent, and the substitute, well, I guess he ...more »

Digital | The limits of online assessments

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 day ago

Digital | The limits of online assessments:The limits of online assessmentsby Jill BarshayHow tough is it for a math teacher to know if his or her students understand basic math?Tougher than you think, according Marilyn Burns, a veteran math educator and founder of Math Solutions, a unit of Scholastic Inc.She found that an alarming number of middle-school students couldn’t subtract 998 from 1000 in their heads. Instead, they cross out zeroes and subtract digit by digit without really understanding or ... more »

The last I’ll post on teacher data reports | Outside the Cave

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The last I’ll post on teacher data reports | Outside the Cave:The last I’ll post on teacher data reportsby Stephen LazarI’m just about ready to move on to writing about more important and pressing topics than the release of teacher data reports, but wanted to share a couple more great pieces that point out flaws in the reports, and their release. What all three of these pieces share — and every piece I’ve read in the New York Times, Daily ... more »

Limbaugh Apology Makes It Obvious He Has No Idea What Sandra Fluke Said « Student Activism

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Limbaugh Apology Makes It Obvious He Has No Idea What Sandra Fluke Said « Student Activism:Limbaugh Apology Makes It Obvious He Has No Idea What Sandra Fluke Saidby Angus JohnstonThree days after causing a huge uproar by calling Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke a “slut,” a “prostitute,” and a “feminazi,” Rush Limbaugh has apologized. But his statement makes clear that he has absolutely no idea what Fluke said in her testimony to Democratic members of Congress, or what her arguments ... more »

Money Pours Into Coffers of Heartland Institute, The Propaganda Arm of the Right Wing « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

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Money Pours Into Coffers of Heartland Institute, The Propaganda Arm of the Right Wing « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!:Money Pours Into Coffers of Heartland Institute, The Propaganda Arm of the Right Wingby millerlfRight Wing Heartland Institute Moves to Exclusive New OfficesOne South Wacker #2740Chicago, Illinois 60606See map: Google MapsAfter 15 years in offices on South LaSalle Street, Heartland Institute recently moved to an exclusive larger new office on the 27th floor of One South Wacker across the street ...more »

The Atlanta Scandal: Teaching in A Culture of Fear, Intimidation and Retaliation

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 day ago

Commentaries (Susan Ohanian Speaks Out):The Atlanta Scandal: Teaching in A Culture of Fear, Intimidation and Retaliation By Erich Martel Posted: 2011-07-20This essay is from Nonpartisan Education Review, July 2011.NOTE: The massive Special Investigation Into Test Tampering in Atlanta's School Systemreport Atlanta Investigative Report comes in four volumes (pdf):Vol 1Vol 2Vol 3Exhibits to the ReportOhanian Comment: Erich Martel, a Washington, D. C. teacher, draws an important conclusion from what happen in Atlanta: Those who think our public schools can be improved ... more »