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Monday, April 9, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts 4-9 #edreform #soschat


Court challenges are brewing across US over the use of public dollars for private education - The Washington Post

Court challenges are brewing across US over the use of public dollars for private education - The Washington Post: Court challenges are brewing across US over the use of public dollars for private educationText SizePrintE-mailReprintsByAssociated Press,Updated: Monday, April9,12:04AMWASHINGTON — Students like Delano Coffy are at the heart of brewing political fights and court battles over whether public dollars should go to school vouchers to help make private schools more affordable.He was failing in his neighborhood public elementary school in Indianapolis ... more »

Deepening the Debate over Teach For America: Responses to Heather Harding - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Deepening the Debate over Teach For America: Responses to Heather Harding - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Anthony CodyAnthony Cody spent 24 years working in Oakland schools, 18 of them as a science teacher at a high needs middle school. He is National Board certified, and now leads workshops with teachers focused on Project Based Learning. With education at a crossroads, he invites you to join him in a dialogue on education reform and teaching for change and ... more »

Daily Kos: Important piece critical of Teach for America

Daily Kos: Important piece critical of Teach for America: Important piece critical of Teach for Americabyrss@dailykos.com (teacherken)was posted this morning by my good friend Anthony Cody. TitledDeepening the Debate over Teach For America: Responses to Heather Harding, it appears at his Living In Dialogue blog at Ed Week / Teachers.A brief explanation. Anthony has over the past few months put up guest posts by people who have been critical of Teach for America. As a result, he psted exchange/interview with ... more »

Teacher: Dear students, I’m sorry about that test I made you take - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Teacher: Dear students, I’m sorry about that test I made you take - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Teacher: Dear students, I’m sorry about that test I made you takebyValerie StraussThis was written by Ruth Ann Dandrea, who has taught secondary English in upstate New York for 29 years. A freelance writer, she is co-author of“Women on Water,” about women’s kayaking, which will be available from North Country Press this spring. This appeared in “Pencils Down,” a new ...more »

NYC Educator: Trash Journalism

NYC Educator: Trash Journalism: Trash JournalismbyNYC EducatorThe New York Daily News, along with the other papers, has been covering a group of 16 teachers it's labeled as "pervs" because of their alleged sexual misconduct. The DOE removed all these teachers from their classes, and attempted to fire them, but failed. However, Chancellor Walcott has determined that he knows better than any damn arbitrator.Naturally, this is not his fault, and it's not Mayor Bloomberg's fault. This is because nothing is ever ... more »

For-Profit Schools Under Fire For Targeting Veterans : NPR

For-Profit Schools Under Fire For Targeting Veterans : NPR: For-Profit Schools Under Fire For Targeting Veterans Hundreds of thousands of veterans have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years, eager to get an education under the new post-Sept. 11 G.I. Bill.Many vets looking for a school find they are inundated by sales pitches from institutions hungry for their government benefits. Now, lawmakers are looking for ways to protect vets without narrowing their education choices.Daniel Elkins, a legislative associate with ... more »

2012 State of America's Library Report Shows Free Access to Information in Jeopardy -- CHICAGO, April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

2012 State of America's Library Report Shows Free Access to Information in Jeopardy -- CHICAGO, April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --: 2012 State of America's Library Report Shows Free Access to Information in JeopardyALA releases Top Ten List of Most Frequently Challenged Books of 2011CHICAGO,April 9, 2012/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Publishers limiting library ebook lending, budget cuts and book challenges are just a few library trends of the past year that are placing free access to information in jeopardy. These trends as well as ... more »

Editorial: New compact offers a truce in charter wars - Editorials - The Sacramento Bee

Editorial: New compact offers a truce in charter wars - Editorials - The Sacramento Bee: Editorial: New compact offers a truce in charter warsSharePublished: Monday, Apr. 9, 2012 - 12:00 am | Page 13AThe Sacramento City Unified School District is among 16 across the country that have signed a compact to work with charter schools. This initiative, supported with $100,000 from the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation, aims to get beyond relationships of antagonism and isolation. It seeks to put contentious ... more »

The Educated Reporter: Is the State of U.S. Public Schools a Threat to National Security?

The Educated Reporter: Is the State of U.S. Public Schools a Threat to National Security?: Is the State of U.S. Public Schools a Threat to National Security?byEmily RichmondA Council on Foreign Relations task force, led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, claims that the poor quality of America’s public education system represents a threat to national security. But the group'srecommendations for fixing schools have no shortage of detractors, including some of the experts who were asked to serve on ... more »

NJ Spotlight | NJ's First Virtual Charter School a Screen Test for Online Learning

NJ Spotlight | NJ's First Virtual Charter School a Screen Test for Online Learning: NJ's First Virtual Charter School a Screen Test for Online LearningDespite questions over funding, enrollments pour in for K-10 virtual classroomsprint|email|shareByJohn Mooney,April 9, 2012inEducation|Post a CommentNew Jersey’s first comprehensive charter school to hold all of its classes online is beginning to enroll students from across the state for next fall, even as questions persist to how exactly the new breed of schools will operate and be ... more »

All Education Matters: Student Loan Debt Crisis: How much student loan debt do you have?

All Education Matters: Student Loan Debt Crisis: How much student loan debt do you have?: Student Loan Debt Crisis: How much student loan debt do you have?byCryn JohannsenHow much do you owe in student loans?Plus, here are a few more questions, that I hope you'll answer:1) how many degrees you do you have?2) what school(s) did you attend (non-profit, for-profit, both)?3) what did you study?4) are you in default?5) if you're in a relationship, is

The Real Reason for the Arts « Cooperative Catalyst

The Real Reason for the Arts « Cooperative Catalyst: The Real Reason for the ArtsfromCooperative Catalyst » 5 questions about everythingbyJohn T. SpencerI watched a mediocre, meandering speech by Kurt Vonnegut. The video quality was lousy enough for him to look like he was an intellectual ninja, his mouth struggling to catch up with his voice. And then, he said what I’ve been feeling about education.“The computer said ‘I’m going to do all the becoming from now on.’ You become ... more »

When Keeping It Real Goes Awry | The Jose Vilson

When Keeping It Real Goes Awry | The Jose Vilson: When Keeping It Real Goes AwryfromThe Jose VilsonbyJoseMitch Mitchellrecently asked me on my 900th post:Just asking, but what’s stopped you from publishing posts you said you’ve written and held back on? How many posts would you be up to if you hadn’t done that?I honestly don’t know. I tend to have three general guidelines that keep me in my lane: don’t venture too much into love, don’t discuss my principal ... more »

School Tech Connect: Again With the Constitution

School Tech Connect: Again With the Constitution: Again With the Constitutionbynoreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)While it is absurd for anyone to think that Article XIII, Section 5 contains an invisible contains an invisible phrase at the end, visible in red only to very serious people,it is even more absurd and cynical to think that this same invisible phrase does not appear in Article IX, Section 3.I've read the entire Constitution, and nowhere is there a statement about one section being less important ... more »

Project 10,000 « Cooperative Catalyst

Project 10,000 « Cooperative Catalyst: Project 10,000byalanthefriesenLast night I read the incredible manifesto “Stop Stealing Dreams: What Is School For?” by Seth Godin. Pat Farenga discussed (http://coopcatalyst.wordpress.com/2012/03/05/why-homeschooling-should-be-part-of-rethinking-education) the article from a homeschooling perspective back in March, but I’ve been thinking all day about how we could put into practice the ideas that Godin discusses in the manifesto.Over the last year I’ve been exploring ideas of student choice in my own English classroom. Students are able to pick... more »

Constructive Generational Conflict Between Boomers & Millennials | Lefty Parent

Constructive Generational Conflict Between Boomers Millennials | Lefty Parent: Constructive Generational Conflict Between Boomers MillennialsbyCooper ZaleFollowing up on my last piece,“Shot Across my Boomer Bow”, and the provocativeEsquirearticle “The War Against Youth”that inspired it, I am still (as a member of the Baby Boom generation myself) wrestling with what is the best path forward for us regarding these important generational issues. With any conflict that needs to be resolved and involves strong feelings and difficult issues, I believe we do ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 4-8 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

Will an Oakland school district initiative slow teacher turnover, or make it worse? - ContraCostaTimes.comBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-54 minutes agoWill an Oakland school district initiative slow teacher turnover, or make it worse? - ContraCostaTimes.com: Will an Oakland school district initiative slow teacher turnover, or make it worse?ByKaty MurphyOakland TribunePosted: 04/08/2012 12:00:00 AM PDTUpdated: 04/08/2012 05:10:03 AM PDTClick photo to enlargeOakland School District Superintendent Tony Smith speaks during an Oakland Unified School...OAKLAND -- Ask student... more »

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky: Sunday links.byFred KlonskyChicago Springpreparesfor NATO in May.Critic of corporate reform Marion Brady.His blog has gone viral.Scott Walkersigns repeal ofequal pay provisionsin Wisconsin’s front in the War on Women.Fox Snooze’s Mike Flannery.His one-sided reporting on pensions.What else is new?Chicago Teachers UnionPresident Karen Lewis.“I’ve called you here today to tell you that Chicago teachers and para-professionals are fed up.”US Bank closes UC Davis branch.“We’re prisoners of Occupy.” They are circled by protesters every day.On SaturdayNReditor ... more »

We're All in this Together - Arlington, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

We're All in this Together - Arlington, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators: We're All in this TogetherThe Public Schools of Northborough and Southborough, Massachusettsform a regional school system where the two towns each fund their own K-8 programs and then jointly finance the cost of Algonquin Regional High School. Imagine the possibilities for conflicts of interest as each town provides public education at taxpayer expense. During my tenure there as Director ...more »

Debate over private school vouchers heats up again, shifts to low-income students | OregonLive.com

Debate over private school vouchers heats up again, shifts to low-income students | OregonLive.com: Debate over private school vouchers heats up again, shifts to low-income studentsPublished: Sunday, April 08, 2012, 2:31 PM Updated:Sunday, April 08, 2012, 2:49 PMByThe Associated PressView full sizeAPHeather Coffy, right center, leaves the St. Monica School with her children, left to right, Delano Coffy, 15, Alanna Marshall, 8, and Darius Coffy, 11, in Indianapolis. Students like Delano are at the heart of brewing political fights and ... more »

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: The Hypocrisy of Sock Puppet Dennis Walcott and the Daily News

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: The Hypocrisy of Sock Puppet Dennis Walcott and the Daily News: The Hypocrisy of Sock Puppet Dennis Walcott and the Daily Newsbynoreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)TheDaily Newswith seemingly nothing better to do, has taken a course over the last several days to do Uncle Mike's bidding and besmirch teachers who have been accused of inappropriate contact with students. The News whines that these teachers, when afforded their rights under the United States Constitution were either found not guilty, had ... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Easy money without govt. regs for ed start-up companies

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Easy money without govt. regs for ed start-up companies: Easy money without govt. regs for ed start-up companiesbyMike KlonskyCongress has passed a bill making it easier for ed start-up companies to raise capital while at the same time, easing government regulation. The Jump-Start Our Business Start-Ups, orJOBS Actwould allow companies to raise up to $1 million, The bill establishes a new form of company financing called “crowd funding” and allows school entrepreneurs to raise money ... more »