James Baldwin said it best:
"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."
A Big Education Ape Nite Cap
Applause for Teachers « Diane Ravitch's blog
Applause for Teachers « Diane Ravitch's blog: Applause for Teachers by dianerav On Saturday afternoon, I went to a matinee of the Broadway show “Godspell” with family. It is a very engaging show with a wonderful young cast. I enjoyed their boundless energy. Most of them seemed to be just a few years out of high school or college, and so very talented and attractive. If any of you are in New York City this summer, go to the TKTS booth in Times Square and buy a ticket. Every seat in the house is a good one. The star of the show, by the way, is a graduate of the Los Angeles High Scho... more »
Schools Matter: New Jersey's Cerfdom Brings Treasure to Corporate Broadies
Schools Matter: New Jersey's Cerfdom Brings Treasure to Corporate Broadies: New Jersey's Cerfdom Brings Treasure to Corporate Broadies by Jim Horn Below is an email I received from a former NJ DOE employee whose moral fatigue forced her from a good paying job with the State. Read it and then you will know why the Eli Broad calls his kind of philanthropy investments rather than grants. _______________________ I am a former NJ DOE employee who resigned recently because I could no longer be a part of the extortion and fraud that is taking part there under the Broad Administration of C... more »
Dylan, Morrison and Huerta. « Fred Klonsky
Dylan, Morrison and Huerta. « Fred Klonsky: Dylan, Morrison and Huerta. by Fred Klonsky Last week President Obama honored three people I admire greatly with the Medal of Freedom Award: Nobel Prize winning author Toni Morrison. Poet, songwriter and singer Bob Dylan. And co-founder with Cesar Chavez of the United Farmworkers Union, Dolores Huerta. *“I tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Reforms I'm For
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Reforms I'm For: The Reforms I'm For by Charlie Mas We spend a lot of time talking about the reforms promoted by Education Reform Advocacy Organizations which we oppose. I also spend a lot of time correcting them when they say that those who oppose them are fighting for the status quo. So folks might wonder what reforms I actually support. It's a fair question. I absolutely believe that public K-12 education in Washington, and across the country, needs serious reform. It is build on a model that, in turn, is built on the faulty assumption tha... more »
The Anti-Testing Rebellion | Truth in American Education
The Anti-Testing Rebellion | Truth in American Education: The Anti-Testing Rebellion by Shane Vander Hart [image: Standardized-Testing]Is sweeping the nation. In Texas 445 school districts have joined together in adopting a resolution calling on their state lawmakers to decrease the emphasis on high-stakes standardized testing. Robert Scott, the Texas Education Commissioner back in February saidthat the focus on high stakes testing has become a “perversion” of what policymakers had intended. Schools, parents and students are tiring of life in public schools being centered around ... more »
CTA's recommendations for the June 5 primary - California Teachers Association
CTA's recommendations for the June 5 primary - California Teachers Association: CTA's recommendations for the June 5 primary [image: image] CTA’s recommendations for the June 5 primary election Now more than ever, support and VOTE for CTA’s recommended candidates. Remember — your vote makes a difference. In California’s “open primary” system, the top two vote-getters, regardless of political party, will move on to the November general election. Now more than ever we must elect lawmakers who will fund public schools and support teachers. Know that when you cast your vote for CTA-rec... more »
The Strength of our CTU Leaders comes from our Members, Parents, and Students of Chicago Public Schools | The Classroom Sooth
The Strength of our CTU Leaders comes from our Members, Parents, and Students of Chicago Public Schools | The Classroom Sooth: The Strength of our CTU Leaders comes from our Members, Parents, and Students of Chicago Public Schools by classroomsooth Educators across the country are following what’s happening in Chicago to see how we are leading the way against corporate-style education reform that hurts and disempowers the students and teachers in the classroom, the curriculum of our neighborhood schools, and the local leadership of parents and taxpayers for a rich public education... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: TFA's Tactics Within SPS
Seattle Schools Community Forum: TFA's Tactics Within SPS: TFA's Tactics Within SPS by Melissa Westbrook As we have previously explained at this blog, TFA is not a teaching corps development program. They certainly want their members to stay in education (but the majority do not remain teachers). They want them to be principals, superintendents, administrators, School Board members and even, yes, deans of colleges of education. And not to mention, to find a place on the stage of national and state administrators and elected officials. Now this is interesting because you can ... more »
(Not so) Old school. « Fred Klonsky
(Not so) Old school. « Fred Klonsky: (Not so) Old school. by Fred Klonsky June 1, 2012. Jackson Browne at a GOTV rally in Madison, Wisconsin. *Recall Walker.*
Engaging Parents In School… » I’m Not Convinced New Houston Parent “Super Centers” Are The Way To Go…
Engaging Parents In School… » I’m Not Convinced New Houston Parent “Super Centers” Are The Way To Go…: I’m Not Convinced New Houston Parent “Super Centers” Are The Way To Go… by Larry Ferlazzo The Houston School District has been touting the creation of five new “parent super centers” with computers. I’ve previously posted about my reservations about these kinds of centers: *I generally don’t tend to be a big fan of these kinds of parent centers because they are often well-intentioned efforts to “do to” parents (involvement) instead of “doing with” (engagement). It can have a kind ... more »
Education Research Report: Bunkum Awards Spotlight Shoddy Education Research
Education Research Report: Bunkum Awards Spotlight Shoddy Education Research: Bunkum Awards Spotlight Shoddy Education Research by Jonathan Kantrowitz * Grand Prize Winner Says Charter Schools Should be Like Cancer* The National Education Policy Center (NEPC), housed at the University of Colorado Boulder, has announced the winners of the 2011 Bunkum Awards – presented for the most compellingly lousy educational research for the past year. The 2011 Bunkum Grand Prize goes to the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), which received the “Cancer is Under-Rated Award” for Going Exponent... more »
Jersey Jazzman: We Have To Call Out Nonsense
Jersey Jazzman: We Have To Call Out Nonsense: We Have To Call Out Nonsense by Duke More on the... uh... *distinguished* winners is at NEPC. More Like This! Popout This think-tanky crap is pervasive not only in education, but environmental policy, economics, science... really,
Brizard accuses CTU of disrespecting teachers. « Fred Klonsky
Brizard accuses CTU of disrespecting teachers. « Fred Klonsky: Brizard accuses CTU of disrespecting teachers. by Fred Klonsky According to CPS CEO JC Brizard, the 5,000 teachers who rallied in support of their union leadership just don’t get it. They didn’t realize that the CTU leaders were disrespecting them. Stupid teachers. Responding the the CTU’s announcement that members will vote to authorize a strike before summer break,Brizard said, “What are they voting on?” Brizard said. “You’re asking educated professionals to decide something that they don’t know what they’re decidin... more »
Saturday coffee + Old school + « Fred Klonsky
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky San Diego weather. Top down. 72 degrees. A few puffs of clouds in an otherwise bright blue sky. Chicago on the second day of June. The street festivals have started. There’s a German Fest up Lincoln Square with *oompah bands. *Division Street in front of Letezia’s – where we had coffee this morning – was closed for another street fair. Next week looks like more San Diego weather. I have three more days of kids. Then a records day. Then I follow the fifth graders out the door. Grace, a first grader: “Why are you leavin... more »
Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 6-2 AM Posts #soschat #edreform
*BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS* America’s Most Screwed City Schools: Where are the least fairly funded city districts? « School Finance 101 coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 minutes ago America’s Most Screwed City Schools: Where are the least fairly funded city districts? « School Finance 101: America’s Most Screwed City Schools: Where are the least fairly funded city districts? by schoolfinance101 Contrary to reformy wisdom regarding spending bubbles… the harmlessness …. oh wait… the benefits of spending cuts… and the fact that we all know as a reformy fact that we... more »
America’s Most Screwed City Schools: Where are the least fairly funded city districts? « School Finance 101
America’s Most Screwed City Schools: Where are the least fairly funded city districts? « School Finance 101: America’s Most Screwed City Schools: Where are the least fairly funded city districts? by schoolfinance101 Contrary to reformy wisdom regarding spending bubbles… the harmlessness …. oh wait… the benefits of spending cuts… and the fact that we all know as a reformy fact that we’ve already dumped plenty of money into our high need districts nationwide – it turns out that there actually are still some school districts out there that appear somewhat disadvantaged when it comes ... more »
Calling Jeb Bush! Calling Arne Duncan! Talk to this teacher! « Diane Ravitch's blog
Calling Jeb Bush! Calling Arne Duncan! Talk to this teacher! « Diane Ravitch's blog: Should Community Schools Survive? dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 34 minutes ago Reporter Jaisal Noor has created a gripping radio documentary about the fight to save neighborhood schools. He lets the “reformers” have their say. They want to close down the so-called failing schools and replace them with new schools that won’t be failing schools, at least not for a few years. Then they too can be [...] Calling Jeb Bush! Calling Arne Duncan! Talk to this teacher! dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 5... more »
From Feminism to Unschooling | Lefty Parent
From Feminism to Unschooling | Lefty Parent: From Feminism to Unschooling by Cooper Zale Wendy Priesnitz Just got through reading Wendy Priesnitz piece, “Unschooling as a feminist act” that was republished in theAlternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) *Education Revolution* magazine. Wendy is a fellow comrade in the large circle of activists for education alternatives where AERO functions as part of the connective tissue among us. Within that larger group, Wendy and I share a focus as unschooling (what she refers to as “life learning”) activists. So I was intrigued by t... more »
Data! Data!Data! and Presenting Playfully! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!
Data! Data!Data! and Presenting Playfully! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!: Data! Data!Data! and Presenting Playfully! by Oldschoolteach This post is twofold, a little about data and a little about a playful presentation about data. We celebrate data, “Data Day!”, on June 11, this is a districtwide thing we got going on. Every school gets together as a staff and “celebrates” the data that we have gathered. I have nothing against data. As a matter of fact, my team got a better understanding of how to use data to guide instruction this year. We used data to plan carousels(stu... more »
Technocratic Groupthink Inflates the Testing Bubble - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Technocratic Groupthink Inflates the Testing Bubble - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Technocratic Groupthink Inflates the Testing Bubble by Anthony Cody Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody As I was taking a look at the latest report from the National Council on Teacher Quality, a disturbing thought came to mind. The NCTQ has prepared a report that criticizes schools of education for failing to jump on the "obsessed with data" bandwagon. You can just feel the irritation in the words of NCTQ president Kate Walsh when she says: A lot of schools of education continue t... more »
This Week's Education Research Report 6-2-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Education Research Report: This Week's Education Research Report Memory training unlikely to help in treating ADHD, boosting IQ Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 21 hours ago *No evidence that working memory training programs improve general cognitive performance, research analysis shows * Working memory training is unlikely to be an effective treatment for children suffering from disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity or dyslexia, according to a research analysis, "Is Working Memory Training Effective? A Meta-Analytic Review," published by the Americ... more »
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN 6-2-12
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: Top Content Rank1[image: Are you attending ISTE12? Who else will be there?]Are you attending ISTE12? Who else will be there? Posted by Thomas Whitby on May 16, 2012 2[image: Rick Wormeli: Formative and Summative Assessment]Rick Wormeli: Formative and Summative Assessment Added by Thomas Whitby on May 28, 2012 3[image: Skype in the Classroom]Skype in the Classroom Posted by Liz Anderson on May 27, 2012 4[image: Stop the Circus]Stop the Circus Added by Thomas Whitby on June 1, 2012 5[image: Annual Conferences (input needed)]Annual Conferences ... more »
Marsha Elliott Brings God To The Bronx http://www.southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Marsha Elliott Brings God To The Bronx by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) ** ** *"You have not answered his question. What does God need with a starship?" - * *Spock, Star Trek V The Final Frontier * * * *In the beginning, we were all fish. Okay? Swimming around in the water. And then one day a couple of fish had a retard baby, and the retard baby was different, so it got to live. So Retard Fish goes on to make more retard babies, and then one day, a retard baby fish crawled out of the ocean with its...* -*Mrs Garrison, 4th grade teacher South Par... more »
This Week's Answer Sheet - School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post
The Answer Sheet - School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] 15 critical questions about school reform Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 3 hours ago This *was written by educator Anthony Cody, who worked for 24 years in the Oakland schools, 18 years teaching science at a high-needs school and six years as a mentor and coach of teachers. He is a National Board-certified teacher. This post appeared on his Education Week Teacher blog, Living in Dialogue *. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitt... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Ravitch on the Ed Show: The War on Public Education
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Ravitch on the Ed Show: The War on Public Education: Ravitch on the Ed Show: The War on Public Education Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Posted by Mike Klonsky at 7:02 AM [image: My Photo] Mike Klonsky Educator, author, school reform activist. All opinions expressed on this blog, unless otherwise specified, are mine and don't necessarily represent those of any other group or organization. Contact: smallschoolsworkshop@yahoo.com Gov. Walker called on Rhee to help him fight Wisc. teachers Mike Klonsky at ... more »
Friends of Public Education; Be Heard :: Save Our SchoolsSave Our Schools
Friends of Public Education; Be Heard :: Save Our SchoolsSave Our Schools: Friends of Public Education; Be Heard *FRIENDS OF PUBLIC EDUCATION; BE HEARD* Dear Friends of Public Education, Every day, dedicated individuals steeped in rich local and historical perspective write about what is happening to our public education system. Parents share their observations about inequities parading as innovative “solutions.” Teachers give witness to school reform initiatives that have negatively affected students. Academics devote years of research to be able to offer perspective and empirical ... more »
Amid protests, Philly SRC adopts $2.5 billion school budget at wild meeting - Philly.com
Amid protests, Philly SRC adopts $2.5 billion school budget at wild meeting - Philly.com: Amid protests, Philly SRC adopts $2.5 billion school budget at wild meeting [image: Protesters speak out during the School Reform Commission meeting at which the $2.5 billion 2012-13 budget was adopted. The spending plan will require the district to borrow $218 million to meet expenses.] Over the objections of hundreds, the School Reform Commission adopted a $2.5 billion 2012-13 budget at a wild Thursday meeting interrupted frequently by chanting angry audience members. No one - activists or o... more »
Business as usual for the IEA and the IFT? « Fred Klonsky
Business as usual for the IEA and the IFT? « Fred Klonsky: Business as usual for the IEA and the IFT? by Fred Klonsky There is no rest for the weary. The rich and powerful forces that have had their sights on teacher pensions did not take a day off since Quinn and Cross pulled the pension bill Thursday. And neither can we. And by “we,” I am talking about the network of activists, retired and active teachers, bloggers, Tweeters, those with long email lists, local presidents and troublemakers who led the grassroots movement to kill the bill. As for the sleep-inducing leadership of t... more »
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Very Good Story On Home Visits Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 21 hours ago Home Visits Yield Hope and Cooperation is from the NEA Priority Schools Campaign, and is a very good story on teachers making home visits with help from the Parent Teacher Home Visit Project. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About Teacher Home Visits. “Fact-checking “Won’t Back Down”” Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 1 day ago I’ve previously posted about an upcoming and apparently very mis... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 6-2-12 #SOSCHAT
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Wisdom of a Teacher dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 hours ago I have met so many teachers who are so wise about teaching, about students, and about what really needs to be done to make schools work better. One of them is Arthur Goldstein, an experienced English teacher in New York City. His students are mainly English language learners. As his longtime fans know, he teaches [...] Save the Arts dianerav at Diane Ravitch's blog - 2 hours ago When the budget cuts start, the first victim is usually the... more »
Parents’ secret anti-charter weapons: wit, talent, YouTube « Parents Across America
Parents’ secret anti-charter weapons: wit, talent, YouTube « Parents Across America: Parents’ secret anti-charter weapons: wit, talent, YouTube by CarolineSF Presented in good fun and with serious but light intent. Thanks to Joe Sharp for helping with iPhone video. Lyrics: LSD Charter School Blues Derived by Ken Adams and Wes Fredenburg (Apologies to Robert Zimmerman and Marshall Mathers) Well I'm in the basement helpin' with some homework Thinkin' 'bout the charter, thinkin' that it won't work All these faces I'm seein' at the dropoffs Promised that they'd be takin' their names ... more »
Louisiana Educator: Jindal is Not All Powerful
Louisiana Educator: Jindal is Not All Powerful: Jindal is Not All Powerful by Michael Deshotels Thousands of educators who attended Education Committee meetings early this legislative session were disheartened by the way the Jindal "Education Reforms" were rammed through the legislature seemingly without regard to the legitimate objections of educators. It seemed like Governor Jindal had complete control of the legislature and that it was hopeless to oppose him. Now it looks like he has spent much of his political capitol bullying legislators, humiliating professional educators, a... more »
The Graphic Truth: Disaster Capitalism and Education Reform | Dailycensored.com
The Graphic Truth: Disaster Capitalism and Education Reform | Dailycensored.com: The Graphic Truth: Disaster Capitalism and Education Reform Posted by: P.L. Thomas Posted date: *June 02, 2012* In: *Daily Journal (Opinion), Education, Politics* | comment : 0 Comments Reflecting on how one becomes the person she/he is offers a clarity that both brings into focus and distorts how our history shapes us. But for me, it is undeniable that who I am as a student, teacher, writer, and scholar was profoundly influenced by the coincidence of my becoming a comic book collector in the 1970s. Di... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Stupid Data Tricks
Jersey Jazzman: Stupid Data Tricks: Stupid Data Tricks by Duke How silly has our society become we when it comes to matters of importance, like education? Initial reaction to yesterday's release of the New Jersey School Report Card gives us some indication. Let's start with the 21st Century's new Pennysaver: AOL's Patch Network. I took a quick tour around the state, and reaction runs like this: Jefferson: SAT scores went below the state average in 2010-2011 at Jefferson Township High School, according to the New Jersey Department of Education School Report Cards, released on Thu... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Petro Dollars Get Behind Common Core
Missouri Education Watchdog: Petro Dollars Get Behind Common Core: Petro Dollars Get Behind Common Core by Anngie My and my husband's paths crossed this weekend when I happened to catch (*out of the corner of my eye because I cannot imagine sitting down to watch this*) an ad by Exxon Mobile, that ran during the golf tournament he was watching on tv, promoting the Common Core Standards. It was every bit the propaganda that CCCS enthusiasts could want. "Forty five states have joined together to assure consistent academic standards across America. These internationally recognized b...more »
Bring on the Learning Revolution « Cooperative Catalyst
Bring on the Learning Revolution « Cooperative Catalyst: Bring on the Learning Revolution by Tara S (Cross-posted from Life’s about the Journey) In Sir Ken Robinson’s second most notable TED talk, Bring on the Learning Revolution, he talks of a 2nd climate crisis. One as severe as the one coupled with global warming, but not a crisis of environmental resources. Rather, a crisis of human resources. He says that we poorly use talents- people endure life rather than enjoy it. You can do what you love and in these cases what you do springs out of who you are. Sadly this is only true fo... more »
VAM: What it Will and Won’t Tell You About My Teaching « InterACT
VAM: What it Will and Won’t Tell You About My Teaching « InterACT: VAM: What it Will and Won’t Tell You About My Teaching by Martha Infante [image: Image] *Primum non nocere* First, do no harm With 2.5 weeks left of a school year unlike any other in my two decade long career in education, perhaps it should come as no surprise that at precisely this moment, groups are moving forward in a strategic strike to insert Value Added Methodology into teacher evaluations in the second largest school district in the country LAUSD. A group described as “an independent group called Our Schools, ...more »
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. « Fred Klonsky
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. « Fred Klonsky: Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water. by Fred Klonsky Following yesterdays collapse, Illinois GOP House Leader Tom Cross says he has 30 Republican votes to gut teacher pensions. What will Obama’s side of the aisle do?
Sac City Unified, teachers' union reach tentative pact - Education - The Sacramento Bee
Sac City Unified, teachers' union reach tentative pact - Education - The Sacramento Bee: Sac City Unified, teachers' union reach tentative pact Share By Melody Gutierrez mgutierrez@sacbee.com Published: Friday, Jun. 1, 2012 - 4:27 pm The Sacramento City Unified School District reached a tentative agreement with its teachers union that includes health benefit concessions and two furlough days. Sacramento City Teachers Association members will begin voting today on a plan that also includes 10 furlough days if Gov. Jerry Brown's tax initiative fails in November. The Sacramento City U... more »
“Blame em” Klein is urged about teachers union in latest emails | GothamSchools
“Blame em” Klein is urged about teachers union in latest emails | GothamSchools: “Blame em” Klein is urged about teachers union in latest emails by Philissa Cramer The latest internal Department of Education emails to come to light are mostly dark: The 228 pages released today contain large swaths of blacked-out text. But between redactions, a few messages stand out — including one in which charter operator Eva Moskowitz speedily outlines an agenda that became the driving focus of former Chancellor Joel Klein’s last year in office. Urging Klein to be “SUPERAGGRESSIVE in [the] stand... more »
