Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, March 26, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-26 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform


In Case You Missed It: State orders mediator to oversee City teacher evaluation negotiation; PEP approves 19 co-locations « EdVox

In Case You Missed It: State orders mediator to oversee City teacher evaluation negotiation; PEP approves 19 co-locations « EdVox: In Case You Missed It: State orders mediator to oversee City teacher evaluation negotiation; PEP approves 19 co-locationsbyedvoxnyHere on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it…Here is a recap ... more »

Playing Smart: A New Guide to Help Communities Open the Schoolyards | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

Playing Smart: A New Guide to Help Communities Open the Schoolyards | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Playing Smart: A New Guide to Help Communities Open the SchoolyardsbyNEA Health Information NetworkWe’ve never needed safe play spaces in our communities more than we do now.Nearly a third of kids and adolescents in America – and two-thirds of adults – are overweight or obese. Many are urged to get more exercise but can’t follow this advice very easily where ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Facebook Privacy = Student Privacy. It's the Same Issue.

Missouri Education Watchdog: Facebook Privacy = Student Privacy. It's the Same Issue. Where's the Outrage over the Longitudinal Data System? The Argument is the Same. Your Privacy is YOURS. Your Data is Not Your Employer's and not the Government's.: Facebook Privacy = Student Privacy. It's the Same Issue. Where's the Outrage over the Longitudinal Data System? The Argument is the Same. Your Privacy is YOURS. Your Data is Not Your Employer's and not the Government's.bystlgretchenFacebook put out a statement about ...more »

The Fate of the Common Core: The View from 2022 :: Frederick M. Hess

The Fate of the Common Core: The View from 2022 :: Frederick M. Hess: The Fate of the Common Core: The View from 2022by Frederick M. Hess • Mar 26, 2012 at 8:31 amCross-posted fromEducation WeekPrintSendRSSShareFunny story. A few weeks back, I was out in DC after one of my AEI working groups. It got late and just a few of us were left, including ed tech gurus Jonathan Harber, Larry Berger, and Mick Hewitt. Anyway, walking out of Panache ... more »

5 Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference - High School Notes (usnews.com)

5 Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference - High School Notes (usnews.com): 5 Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher ConferenceByLAURA MCMULLENMarch 26, 2012RSS FeedPrintParents andhigh schoolteachers are not typically people with ample free time. But as the two groups that often influence children and their education the most, parents and teachers need to make time to communicate with each other.They should form a partnership, saysNational Parent Teacher Association (PTA)president Betsy Landers, because parents and teachers both want their students to succeed. ... more »

(CReATE): Misconceptions and Realities about Teacher and Principal Evaluation: An Open Letter of Concern to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard, and the Chicago School Board

Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE): Misconceptions and Realities about Teacher and Principal Evaluation: An Open Letter of Concern to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard, and the Chicago School Board: Misconceptions and Realities about Teacher and Principal Evaluation: An Open Letter of Concern to Mayor Rahm Emanuel, CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard, and the Chicago School BoardbyCreate ChicagoMarch 26, 2012Misconceptions and Realities about Teacher and Principal EvaluationAn Open Letter of Concern toMayor Rahm Emanuel,Chicago Public S... more »

20 questions for parents about K-12 school reform - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

20 questions for parents about K-12 school reform - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: 20 questions for parents about K-12 school reformbyValerie StraussThiswas written by Ronald Willett, a former university professor, researcher and administrator, and former corporate executive, entrepreneur and CEO. For the last decade, as an avocation, he has tracked and researched U.S. K-12, and advocated its legitimate reform and pursuit of innovation.By Ronald WillettInan earlier post, I made a case for taking a broader perspective about ... more »

solidaridad: Why everyone effected by the LAUSD cuts needs to come to Thursday’s rally at Mariachi Plaza

solidaridad: Why everyone effected by the LAUSD cuts needs to come to Thursday’s rally at Mariachi Plaza: Why everyone effected by the LAUSD cuts needs to come to Thursday’s rally at Mariachi PlazabyRobert D. Skeels * rdsathenePopoutMicheltorena Screening: The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for SupermanbyRobert D. Skeels * rdsatheneThe Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman Micheltorena Screening

The legislative shell game in Olympia and its roots in the corporate privatization of our public schools | Seattle Education

The legislative shell game in Olympia and its roots in the corporate privatization of our public schools | Seattle Education: The legislative shell game in Olympia and its roots in the corporate privatization of our public schoolsbyseattleducation2011Why is this man laughing?I came across this article that I had saved under “Online Learning” and realized that it needs to see the light of day once again. It is reflective of the legislative games that Republicans (and Rodney Tom) have been playing ... more »

Melissa Harris-Perry: Standing in solidarity with Trayvon Martin #trayvonmartin

msnbc video: Standing in solidarity with Trayvon Martin: Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economyMelissa Harris-Perry Mocks Geraldo Rivera For Trayvon Martin Hoodie Comments (VIDEO)Posted: 03/25/2012 10:10 am Updated: 03/25/2012 10:19 amVisit msnbc.com forbreaking news,world news, andnews about the economy89736352,126GET MEDIA ALERTS:SIGN UPREACT:AmazingInspiringFunnyScaryHotCrazyImportantWeirdFOLLOW:Video,Geraldo Rivera Melissa Harris-Perry,Melissa Harris-Perry,Melissa Harris-Perry Geraldo,Melissa Harris-Perry Trayvon Martin,Trayvon Martin Melissa ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 3-25 #soschat #EDReform

Jersey Jazzman: Arne Duncan: Indifferent ManiacBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-12 minutes agoJersey Jazzman: Arne Duncan: Indifferent Maniac: Arne Duncan: Indifferent ManiacbyDukeWhat a nutcase:Publishing teachers' ratings in the newspaper in the wayThe New York Timesand other outlets have done recently is not a good use of performance data, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in an interview yesterday."Do you need to publish every single teacher's rating in the paper? I don't think you do," he said. "There's not ... more »

Walton Family Foundation awards Denver $8M for school reform - The Denver Post

Walton Family Foundation awards Denver $8M for school reform - The Denver Post: "Walton Family Foundation "Walton Family Foundation awards Denver $8M for school reformPOSTED: 03/25/2012 01:00:00 AM MDTBy Karen AugéThe Denver PostThe Walton Family Foundation gave out more money for education reform last year than any other year in its history, and a big chunk of it ended up in Denver.Organizations here, from individual schools to influential nonprofits, got just shy of $8 million of the $159 million in ... more »

Watch us on Livestream from March 30th to April 2nd: Occupy the DOE in DC | United Opt Out National

Watch us on Livestream from March 30th to April 2nd: Occupy the DOE in DC | United Opt Out National: Watch us on Livestream from March 30th to April 2nd: Occupy the DOE in DCbyadminFor those interested in watching the occupation of the Department of Education in D.C. from March 30th to April 2nd, the majority of our livestreaming will be athttp://www.livestream.com/califather. (all day Saturday, all day Sunday and Monday afternoon.During other times, including Friday, one of the following two ... more »

Resources for Teachers Teaching about Trayvon Martin | Outside the Cave #trayvonmartin

Resources for Teachers Teaching about Trayvon Martin | Outside the Cave: Resources for Teachers Teaching about Trayvon MartinbyStephen LazarTomorrow we will begin a formal discussion of Trayvon Martin’s murder in my classes. As all my students are of the colors that causes them to experience police harassment and distrust in lighter communities, there won’t be much need for background. We’ll readthis articleto establish facts, and then use the following protocol:Students are presented with readings (and sometimes video) on the eventThe ... more »

School Tech Connect: Let's Join Forces In Illinois #soschat

School Tech Connect: Let's Join Forces In Illinois: Let's Join Forces In Illinoisbynoreply@blogger.com (Tim)As you might know, I've been working on a database.It's a project where people interested in our issues--- public education, neighborhood schools, pensions, the fight against privatization, testing, segregation, etc.-- can organize themselves by political districts.It's all about building effective lobbying relationshipswith the individuals most accountable to us.The database project is coming out this week, so brace yourself.As a part of this project, I have also created ... more »

What the latest revelations on test cheating really mean - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

What the latest revelations on test cheating really mean - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: What the latest revelations on test cheating really meanbyValerie StraussThiswas written by Gary Miron, professor of education at Western Michigan University who has extensive experience evaluating school reforms and education policies. Over the past two decades he has conducted several studies of school choice programs in Europe and in the United States, including nine state evaluations of charter school reforms. Before coming to ... more »

The Commissioner’s Network is not about school improvement or community engagement. It is about power. - Jonathan Kantrowitz - Connecticut News

The Commissioner’s Network is not about school improvement or community engagement. It is about power. - Jonathan Kantrowitz - Connecticut News: Jonathan KantrowitzPolitical activist, health nutAbout Jonathan KantrowitzThe Commissioner’s Network is not about school improvement or community engagement. It is about power.March 25, 2012 at 1:56 pm byJonathan Kantrowitzby Wendy Lecker…SB 24…gives sweeping powers over schools with the lowest test scores to the state education commissioner in establishing a Commissioner’s Network. The commissioner will decide how and by whom these ... more »

Calif. Hmong community launches online translator - Boston.com

Calif. Hmong community launches online translator - Boston.com: Calif. Hmong community launches online translatorBy Gosia WozniackaAssociated Press/March 25, 2012E-mail|Print|Comments (0)Text size–+00ShareThisNewFRESNO, Calif.—When Phong Yang, a Hmong refugee from Laos, landed in California's Central Valley -- via stops in Thailand and France -- he was 14 years old. He learned to speak Hmong from his parents, but today he has a hard time teaching the language to his children, who are distracted by cell phones and computers.Many Hmong are losing their ... more »

The in box. Kyle Olson’s papa wasn’t exactly a rolling stone. « Fred Klonsky

The in box. Kyle Olson’s papa wasn’t exactly a rolling stone. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Kyle Olson’s papa wasn’t exactly a rolling stone.byFred KlonskyFred,As a MI resident, I know all about the Mackinac Center, even did a point-counterpoint op-ed for them once. (Yes, I was counterpoint. Ha.) While they get Koch money, they have other usual-suspect funders, including Walton, DeVos VanAndel, and Dow. It’s hard to track where all that money comes from and goes but the purpose ... more »

A former KIPP teacher comments on her experience | Seattle Education

A former KIPP teacher comments on her experience | Seattle Education: A former KIPP teacher comments on her experiencebyseattleducation2011KIPP is one of the charter school franchises that’s been tossed around in Seattle by ed reformers as an option if charter schools were to be legalized in our state. I’ve been following KIPP and several articles that I have come across are listed in the right column of this blog under “KIPP”. It could possibly be the worst example of a ...more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts 3-25 #edreform #soschat

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Gideon Stein Looks Down His Nose From His BalconyBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-6 minutes agoSOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Gideon Stein Looks Down His Nose From His Balcony: Gideon Stein Looks Down His Nose From His Balconybynoreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)OnMarch 12, I wrote about one of Eva Moskowitz's official henchman Gideon Stein.But calling Gideon Eva's henchman is not enough. I think, at least my opinion is Gideon is Eva's Little mouthpiece.Now to remind you who Gideon is, he ... more »

CT Gov proposes to take the public & parents out of public education « Parents Across America

CT Gov proposes to take the public parents out of public education « Parents Across America: CT Gov proposes bill to take the public — parents — out of public educationbyleoniehaimsonby Wendy Lecker, cross-posted from theStamford Advocate.The Connecticut Education Commissioner, Stefan Pryor, is aco-founder and former board member of Achievement Firstchain of charter schools. If the Governor’s bill passes, Pryor will have the power to take over any struggling school in the state, eviscerating the power of the local school ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: The Food Police in Wellesley Stike Back at Kids

Missouri Education Watchdog: The Food Police in Wellesley Stike Back at Kids: The Food Police in Wellesley Stike Back at KidsbystlgretchenWho is supposed to be setting educational policies for schools? The state or the Federal Government?This is a classic example of governmental overreach reported by boston.com. The food police strikes again! Poor kids. It's supposed to be about them, right? It's to make them fit and healthy according to Michelle Obama. It's more as if the schools via the Federal ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Just Wondering

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Just Wondering: Just WonderingbyMelissa WestbrookNow we know a few more things about the situation at Lowell and I just have to ask Dr. Enfield and Mr. Apostle a couple of questions:This was in the comments section on the thread about the release of the investigation report.Last year, Gregory King shared with the entire staff during a staff meeting, a "This is my life" power point. In it he revealed that his father had been killed by ... more »