Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 4-7 #soschat #EDReform

Meet the ALEC Staffers Who Help Corporations Write Our Laws

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

Meet the ALEC Staffers Who Help Corporations Write Our Laws: Meet the ALEC Staffers Who Help Corporations Write Our LawsSaturday, 07 April 2012 13:52By Zaid Jilani,Republic Report| Report27font sizePrintEmailThe American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is the most powerful corporate front group you’ve never heard of. The group, sponsored by some of America’s largest corporations, writes legislation that tends to benefit its donors and ships these template bills to state legislatures for compliant lawmakers to pass. ALEC haspushed for legislationdoing everything ... more »

education chief's tasks under new bill: accountability for voucher students and other oxymorons | The Republic

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Among new education chief's tasks under new bill: accountability for voucher students | The Republic: Among new education chief's tasks under new bill: accountability for voucher studentsNEW ORLEANS— Nonpartisan watchdog groups had mostly good things to say as Gov. Bobby Jindal'slegislationestablishing a statewide private school voucher program zipped through the House and Senate, but one little phrase was needed in the 47-paged bill to ease some of their concerns.It was inserted by the House into a list of things to ... more »

The in box. Haisman: Days of pension rage. « Fred Klonsky

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The in box. Haisman: Days of pension rage. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Haisman: Days of pension rage.byFred KlonskyPension Stalwarts ……Did You see the article that TRS Trustee Robert Lyons sent out — declaring–”Freeport Paper Gets It Right”?(article follows)No wonder Lyons thought theygot it right.The Freeport Journal Standardessentially reprinted the TRS news release ….. and of course they quoted Lyons once or twice.I hate to cover old ground but I didn’t like this”New Reality”stuff when I first heard it ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Shaping and Controlling the Narrative

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Seattle Schools Community Forum: Shaping and Controlling the Narrative: Shaping and Controlling the NarrativebyMelissa WestbrookI've been pondering what it means to try to bring forth information and encourage debate.In terms of doing that in our country, it doesn't take long to look around and realize how polarized discussion and debate have become. It gets personal, it gets snarky and it becomes more of a "so top that" situation than how are we working towards solutions. I readily will admit to ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts 4-7 #edreform #soschat

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Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLNBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-38 minutes agoTop Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: Top ContentRank1What is 21st century education?Added byThomas Whitbyon April 3, 20122The Power of Reflection...Posted bySandra Trachon March 31, 20123How do you motivate your online learners?Posted byJackie Savinion March 12, 20124Motherly instinct in teachers, is it necessaryPosted byDianaon April 3, 20125Interview with Heidi Hayes JacobsAdded byThomas Whitbyon March 29, 20126KONY 2012Added byThomas Whitbyon March 9, 20127Not on the ... more »

Lawsuit to halt closure of Santa Fe - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

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Lawsuit to halt closure of Santa Fe - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Lawsuit to halt closure of Santa FeBy Katy MurphyFriday, April 6th, 2012 at 6:19 pm inlawsuits,school closures.Just before the Oakland school board agreed to lease Santa Fe Elementary School to Emery Unified for $500,000 a year (for three years), the law firm Siegel Yeefiled a lawsuitto keep it open.The plaintiffs plan to ask the Alameda County Superior Court for an injunction. If ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Milwaukee's Best?

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Jersey Jazzman: Milwaukee's Best?: Milwaukee's Best?byDukeThose of you stopping by from outside the Garden State may not be aware that we have had a big battle brewing over school vouchers, in the form of the Opportunity Scholarship Act. There's talk that ascaled-down version of OSAis going to try to get through the legislature again, even though it's missing a key previous supporter, Senator Ray Lesniak (whose pet school, St. Pat's in Elizabeth, is shutting down this year - tells you ... more »

“What I Cannot Create, I Do Not Understand” | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

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“What I Cannot Create, I Do Not Understand” | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: “What I Cannot Create, I Do Not Understand”byLarry Ferlazzo“What I Cannot Create, I Do Not Understand”That’s what was on Nobel-Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman’s blackboard when he died:I found this image in an article at Scientific American titledHunters of Myths: Why Our Brains Love Origins.The entire article is somewhat interesting, but here’s what I think is the really important and useful part to teachers, and ... more »

Bill Gates: Making Teacher Evaluations Public 'Not Conducive To Openness' : The Two-Way : NPR

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Bill Gates: Making Teacher Evaluations Public 'Not Conducive To Openness' : The Two-Way : NPR: Bill Gates:Making Teacher Evaluations Public'Not Conducive To Openness'EnlargePaul J. Richards/AFP/Getty ImagesBill Gates addresses an energy innovation summit in Maryland in February. The Microsoft chairman told NPR in an interview forWeekend Editionthat teachers should be evaluated, but that the reviews should not be made public.Bill Gates is of course better known as the co-founder of Microsoft. But his foundation, The Bill And Melinda Gates Foundation, which ... more »

Saturday coffee + Old school « Fred Klonsky

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Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee.byFred KlonskyThis past week I was the target of a flurry of hate mails. Anonymous, of course.I will not post them.They were full of irony.There is nothing so ironic as somebody writing an anonymous comment calling me a coward.Or the one I actually posted from a guy who accused my blog of being all about me as evidence that I am a selfish teacher.He was anonymous too.The irony of criticizing me for writing a ... more »

NYC Chancellor won’t grade himself | Outside the Cave

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NYC Chancellor won’t grade himself | Outside the Cave: NYC Chancellor won’t grade himselfbyStephen LazarIf this is how the Chancellor evaluates himself, why is he grading schools and teachers on a curve that ends with letter grades, or their equivalent? Froman interview with Anna Phillips:Q. If you were to rate yourself, give yourself a grade for your first year as chancellor, whether it’s an A through F or a 1 to 10, what would you give yourself and why?A.And my ... more »

Education Research Report: HIV, Other STD, and Pregnancy Prevention Education in Public Secondary Schools — 45 States, 2008–2010

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Education Research Report: HIV, Other STD, and Pregnancy Prevention Education in Public Secondary Schools — 45 States, 2008–2010: HIV, Other STD, and Pregnancy Prevention Education in Public Secondary Schools — 45 States, 2008–2010ΩComplete article with tables and notesIn the United States, 46% of high school students have had sexual intercourse and potentially are at risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and pregnancy (1). The National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States recommends educating young ... more »

Tracks for Trayvon | Dissident Voice

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Tracks for Trayvon | Dissident Voice: Tracks for TrayvonbyAlexander Billet In a recent interview with Hip-Hop DX, a hoodie-clad Nas exhibited an understandable amount of despair at the case of Trayvon Martin:You never want to hear that kind of news. When it happens, you remember how many Trayvon incidents happen everyday all over the world… It doesn’t seem like the race problem will ever get solved. I like to be optimistic, but it doesn’t seem like it’ll ever get solved.And ... more »

How Do We Improve Public Schools? | Dissident Voice

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How Do We Improve Public Schools? | Dissident Voice: How Do We Improve Public Schools?byElizabeth WaltersHow can we improve public education for our children?The answers to this question — and the perspectives on the current quality of public education in the United States — are as varied and individualized as the 55 million students who attend public school in this country. Recently, legislators in Louisiana, like their counterparts in many other states, have sought to improve their state’s educational climate. ... more »

The Clock Begin Ticking on USF Poly Split, Dockery Asks Scott to Visit the Campus | Scathing Purple Musings

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The Clock Begin Ticking on USF Poly Split, Dockery Asks Scott to Visit the Campus | Scathing Purple Musings: The Clock Begin Ticking on USF Poly Split, Dockery Asks Scott to Visit the CampusbyBob SikesFlorida Governor Rick Scotthas until April 21to sign SB 1944. Within a letter Senator Paula Dockery sent to Scott recommending he visit the campus are some facts that many Floridians don’t know about the existing school:Dockery sent a letter to Scott’s office this week asking him ... more »

Disciplinary Literacy with the Common Core State Standards | Connected Principals

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Disciplinary Literacy with the Common Core State Standards | Connected Principals: Disciplinary Literacy with the Common Core State StandardsbyjjohnsonOver spring break I had the opportunity to attend a one day workshop with Doug Buehl on Disciplinary Literacy with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). First of all, I must say that Mr. Buehl was an amazing presenter! I was surprised to find out that he is originally a HS Social Studies teacher (yes, you read that right) and had great, ... more »

What Isn’t for Sale? ( Michael J. Sandel) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

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What Isn’t for Sale? ( Michael J. Sandel) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: What Isn’t for Sale? ( Michael J. Sandel)bylarrycubanMichael Sandelis a political philosopher and professor at Harvard University. This abridged version appeared in the April 2012 issue ofThe Atlanticmagazine. I, like others, have often referred to current efforts to improve U.S. schools, as “market-driven school reform.” Sandel places that phrase in a the larger context of American society over the past quarter-century.There are some ... more »

Disgusted with standardized tests, group of parents shunning them | Seattle Times Newspaper

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Danny Westneat | Disgusted with standardized tests, group of parents shunning them | Seattle Times Newspaper: Disgusted with standardized tests, group of parents shunning themA rebellion over standardized school testing in the Seattle Hill neighborhood southeast of Everett echoes a larger uprising around the country.Danny WestneatSeattle Times staff columnistRELATEDRead more of Danny Westneat's columnsDanny Westneat's columns via RSSMOST POPULAR COMMENTSHIDE / SHOW COMMENTSWhat is wrong with this picture: "Kids take the tests in the spring, but nobody...(April 3, 2012, by ... more »

Schools Matter: Dave Green: "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Teach for America and Its Inadequate Version of Teacher Training"

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Schools Matter: Dave Green: "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Teach for America and Its Inadequate Version of Teacher Training": Dave Green: "The Inconvenient Truth Behind Teach for America and Its Inadequate Version of Teacher TrainingbyJim HornContinuing our teach-in from last weekend's Occupation at ED, next up isDave Green, who does field supervision of teacher interns for Fordham U. in NYC. This is a really well-crafted presentation by someone who has seen TFA up close and personal. Please watch and learn.The KIPP ... more »

FEA Files Complaint Against State Board of Education on SB 736 | Scathing Purple Musings

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FEA Files Complaint Against State Board of Education on SB 736 | Scathing Purple Musings: FEA Files Complaint Against State Board of Education on SB 736byBob SikesFrom Jeff Solochek inGradebook:The Florida Education Association is contending that the state Board of Education hasn’t created appropriate rules to do the lawmakers’ will.“We believe they’ve written it in such a way that no one really can figure out how to comply,” Tony Demma, the FEA’s lawyer, told the Gradebook.The State Boardrule, adopted in ... more »

Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 10 hours ago

Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: Top ContentRank1What is 21st century education?Added byThomas Whitbyon April 3, 20122The Power of Reflection...Posted bySandra Trachon March 31, 20123How do you motivate your online learners?Posted byJackie Savinion March 12, 20124Motherly instinct in teachers, is it necessaryPosted byDianaon April 3, 20125Interview with Heidi Hayes JacobsAdded byThomas Whitbyon March 29, 20126KONY 2012Added byThomas Whitbyon March 9, 20127Not on the TestAdded byThomas Whitbyon April 1, 20128By Chance or By Change: Allowing the "Why?"Added byAnne Beckon ... more »

Daily Kos: An unusual Saturday morning

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Daily Kos: An unusual Saturday morning: An unusual Saturday morningbyrss@dailykos.com (teacherken)since it has been more than a week since I last saw my students - spring break began a week ago Friday.Yet I have not been totally out of touch from them - some have emailed me, as did several former students, in one case who had just heard that I was retiring.And today I begin to refocus on the forthcoming week. Officially it begins at 8 AM on Monday, ... more »

More on ALEC from Wisconsin to Florida, Legislation and Education | Seattle Education

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More on ALEC from Wisconsin to Florida, Legislation and Education | Seattle Education: More on ALEC from Wisconsin to Florida, Legislation and Educationbyseattleducation2011Due to the wide-spread interest in ALEC based on the responses fromyesterday’s post, I am going back through the archives and bringing up some of the “best” of ALEC which seems to bring out some of the worst in our legislators.By the way, Kraft just dropped ALEC, seeKraft Foods Joins Coca-Cola and Pepsi in Leaving Corporate Front Group ... more »

Sacramento Press / "Bully" Hits Sacramento Friday

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Sacramento Press / "Bully" Hits Sacramento Friday: "Bully" Hits Sacramento FridaybyKen Pierce Following the successful New York/L.A. premiere of“Bully”distributor Harvey Weinstein and filmmaker Lee Hirsch will open the compelling documentary in cities across the U.S. April 13, 2012. Last week the heavy-hitting documentary opened in five theaters and made an average of $23,000 per-theater in a single night.Here in Sacramento“Bully”will premiere at theTower Theaterfor invited guests Tuesday, April 10 then open for a limited run beginning Friday, April 13th.During the ... more »