Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, August 13, 2012

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 8-13 AM Posts #soschat #edreform



BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

Paul Vallas’ new corporate partnership signs $18 million deal with Indianapolis School System - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago
Paul Vallas’ new corporate partnership signs $18 million deal with Indianapolis School System - Wait, What?: Paul Vallas’ new corporate partnership signs $18 million deal with Indianapolis School System by jonpelto With the First Day of school only weeks away; new administrators throughout the school system, including three brand new principals at Bridgeport’s three main high schools, and lots and lots of unfinished business, Paul Vallas and “The Vallas Turnaround System” have signed a three-year, $6 million dollar a year, deal with the Indianapolis School System. The pattern is... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Befuddled Thinking On Teachers Unions

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 minutes ago
Jersey Jazzman: Befuddled Thinking On Teachers Unions: Befuddled Thinking On Teachers Unions by Duke Usually, I like Bob Braun of the *Star-Ledger*. He did some stellar work on Education Commissioner Chris Cerf'ssecret deals and shifting stories right after Cerf took office. He's called Governor Chris Christie out on much of his teacher-bashing nonsense. Braun also got Chris Cerf to admit that student characteristics were an important part of "successful" charter schools' achievements (an inconvenient truth Cerf tries to ignore whenever he can). So it's a shame to see Braun take... more »

Teachers Beyond the Law: How Teachers Changed Their World | The Official Blog of Oscar Weil

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 minutes ago
Teachers Beyond the Law: How Teachers Changed Their World | The Official Blog of Oscar Weil: Teachers Beyond the Law: How Teachers Changed Their World Posted on June 5, 2012 The beginning chapter of Teachers beyond the Law: *Chapter 1* *The Long Beginning* I waited in the Cook County, Illinois, courtroom with Norman Swenson, President of the Cook County College Teachers Union, Local 1600, and other leaders of the union for the proceedings to begin. Swenson was in serious danger because he had violated a judge’s injunction during a strike four years earlier, an action for which he h... more »

Small Change | California Father

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 43 minutes ago
Small Change | California Father: Small Change by California Father Hi, all, welcome back to school. Was watching an old favorite of mine, François Truffaut’s *Small Change*, and was reminded at the end of a sometimes joyous, sometimes trying summer with my son, of what I consider childhood’s essential truths. They are expressed here so eloquently by Jean-François Stévenin, an *instituteur*(teacher)* *in Theirs, France, as he explains to a group of his students what will likely happen to one of their classmates, Julien, who has been removed from his home because of his mother’s a... more »

Study: Kids slimmer in states with limits on school snacking | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 45 minutes ago
Study: Kids slimmer in states with limits on school snacking | Get Schooled: Study: Kids slimmer in states with limits on school snacking by Maureen Downey [image: A new study suggests a link between limits on school snacking and weight gain in students. (AP Images.)]A new study suggests a link between limits on school snacking and weight gain in students. (AP Images.) A new study may tip the balance in the debate over whether stricter school nutrition and vending machine policies can play a role in combating the growing childhood obesity problem in this country. The study found tha... more »

Louisiana Educator: Welcome Back, Louisiana Public School Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 48 minutes ago
Louisiana Educator: Welcome Back, Louisiana Public School Teachers: Welcome Back, Louisiana Public School Teachers by Michael Deshotels Louisiana teachers beginning the 2012-13 school year will face the greatest challenges in the history of our public education system. Teachers this year will be expected to do much more with much less and to do their jobs under the constant threat of humiliation and dismissal by a blatantly unfair evaluation system. This new system guarantees that at least 10% of the teachers who are rated by the new value-added system *must*be found to be “ineff... more »

Learning Online? Let the Buyer Beware - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 49 minutes ago
Learning Online? Let the Buyer Beware - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard: [image: Lily's Blackboard Rotating Header Image] Learning Online? Let the Buyer Beware Aug 13th, 2012 by Lily. I’m often asked how I feel about the disgraceful conduct of on-line universities in the news these days. Who isn’t appalled by the evidence and testimony given at recent Senate investigations that show for-profit on-line universities talking trusting students into programs that are frauds? Who isn’t disgusted by institutions that convince hopeful, often low-income students that an investment in... more »

Shanker Blog » Literacy For Life: The Role Of Career And Technical Education In Reading Proficiency

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 49 minutes ago
Shanker Blog » Literacy For Life: The Role Of Career And Technical Education In Reading Proficiency: Literacy For Life: The Role Of Career And Technical Education In Reading Proficiency by Randall Garton It is well established that a student’s reading proficiency level in elementary school is a good predictor of high school graduation success. The lower the reading level, the more likely it is that the student will not graduate on time. Against this background, it is sobering that many U.S. students reach high school without the reading and comprehension skills they need. Accordi... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Is this Teacher's Response the Main Reason Parents Home School?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 49 minutes ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Is this Teacher's Response the Main Reason Parents Home School?: Is this Teacher's Response the Main Reason Parents Home School? by stlgretchen ...Or do they? From Diane Ravitch's blog, *Do Parents Always Know What is Best?**.* The State Commissioner of Education John White memorably said in defense of school vouchers: *“To me, it’s a moral outrage that the government would say, ‘We know what’s best for your child,’” *White said.*“Who are we to tell parents we know better?” * Ravitch printed a teacher's response to the superintendent's statement:* * ... more »

NYC Educator: No Reality Needed Here

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 49 minutes ago
NYC Educator: No Reality Needed Here: No Reality Needed Here by NYC Educator Rupert Murdoch's money-losing rag, the New York Post, has run yet another illuminating editorial about teacher evaluation, this time criticizing Governor Andrew Cuomo. Let's put aside the fact that VAM, as a part of evaluation, has no scientific validity. Let's forget about the stories of excellent teachers being rated poorly, or wild year-to-year variations with the same teachers. Let's not even discuss the notion that students themselves bear no responsibility for their own test scores, good, bad or oth... more »

Dialogue with the Gates Foundation: Can Schools Defeat Poverty by Ignoring It? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 49 minutes ago
Dialogue with the Gates Foundation: Can Schools Defeat Poverty by Ignoring It? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Dialogue with the Gates Foundation: Can Schools Defeat Poverty by Ignoring It? by Anthony Cody [image: OakHomicides.jpg] Follow me on Twitter at @AnthonyCody This post is the third round of a five-part exchange with the Gates Foundation. This time I get to go first, and our topic is this: *What is the role of education reform in relation to the problem of family poverty? What is the best way to achieve greater equity in educational and life prospects for c... more »

UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-13-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] When Will Public Schools in Texas Close Down? by dianerav The new AYP figures are just out in Texas, and only 44% of the schools in the state made adequate yearly progress. Next year it will be a lot worse. By the rules set out in the NCLB law, the schools that can’t make it in a five-year frame will have to do something dramatic: They can turn into a charter school. They can fire all or most of the staff. They can be taken over by a private management firm. They can be taken over by the About Race to the Top ... more »

Ryan's VP Nod: What's It Mean for Education? :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Ryan's VP Nod: What's It Mean for Education? :: Frederick M. Hess: Ryan's VP Nod: What's It Mean for Education?*by Frederick M. Hess • Aug 13, 2012 at 8:29 am* *Cross-posted from Education Week* On Saturday, Mitt Romney announced Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan as his running mate. Ryan, chair of the House Budget Committee, has been perhaps the leading voice among House Republicans pushing for a smaller, more disciplined federal government. What's Romney's choice mean for education? First, let's keep in mind that the importance of VP picks is always overrated. That said, the Ryan s... more »

Court backs union, sends LAUSD layoffs case back to judge | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Court backs union, sends LAUSD layoffs case back to judge | EdSource Today: Court backs union, sends LAUSD layoffs case back to judge ** August 12th, 2012 | 2 Comments | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Handing United Teachers Los Angeles a significant procedural victory, a state appeals court has overturned a landmark ruling challenging the contractual rights of teachers in Los Angeles Unified. In 2010, Superior Court Judge William Highberger ruled that massive layoffs of teachers with limited or no seni... more »

Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Is Education a National Security Issue: A Critique of the Rice-Klein Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Is Education a National Security Issue: A Critique of the Rice-Klein Report: Is Education a National Security Issue: A Critique of the Rice-Klein Report by YongZhao In March the Council of Foreign Relations released the report of a task force chaired by former head of New York City Public schools and now a News Corp. executive vice president and close advisor to the media giant’s chairman and chief executive, Rupert Murdoch and former secretary of state Condoleeza Rice. The report *U.S. Education Reform and National Security *m... more »

Students Last: "No Teachers Will Be Hurt"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Students Last: "No Teachers Will Be Hurt": "No Teachers Will Be Hurt" by Students Last This story updates an older one entitled, "Stoning Teachers Raises Some Eyebrows" *WARNING: THIS STORY IS SATIRE. IT IS NOT REAL. IT IS NOT TRUE. SOME OF YOUR COMMENTS HAVE LED US TO BELIEVE YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THIS.* August 12, 2012 9:00am EST "Who would have thought that a concert that was supposed to honor teachers could engender so much controversy?" With these words, a sheepish Les Moonves, CBS President and CEO, began apologizing for his network's support of a concert at which attendees... more »

Skipping High School Can Lead to Fines, Jail for Parents - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Skipping High School Can Lead to Fines, Jail for Parents - High School Notes (usnews.com): Skipping High School Can Lead to Fines, Jail for Parents By KELSEY SHEEHY August 13, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: Teens could lose their license for skipping school, while their parents could face fines and jail time.] Teens could lose their license for skipping school, while their parents could face fines and jail time. Parents of students atAdrian High School inMichigan will face stiffer penalties if their teen skips school this year. The city's commissioners approved an ordinance last week t... more »

Eight problems with Common Core Standards - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Eight problems with Common Core Standards - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Eight problems with Common Core Standards By Valerie Strauss This *was written by Marion Brady, veteran teacher, administrator, curriculum designer and author.* By Marion Brady E.D. Hirsch, Jr.’s book, “Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know,” was published March 1, 1987. So it was probably in March of that year when, sitting at a dining room table in an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, my host — a Third grade teachers learn how to teach common core mathematics in Tennessee. (M... more »

It Really Doesn’t Matter Who Is Named Next Florida Ed Commish | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
It Really Doesn’t Matter Who Is Named Next Florida Ed Commish | Scathing Purple Musings: It Really Doesn’t Matter Who Is Named Next Florida Ed Commish by Bob Sikes Gerard Robinson found out real fast that he wasn’t needed for policy. Someone else does that. Writes retired school administrator and current chair of Florida School Choice Parent Advisory Council, Bill Person, in the*Tampa Tribune*: I found your recent editorial concerning the possibility of Hillsborough County School Superintendent MaryEllen Elia serving as our new state commissioner of education most informative an... more »

Teachers are only part of the student learning equation | Dangerously Irrelevant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Teachers are only part of the student learning equation | Dangerously Irrelevant: Teachers are only part of the student learning equation by dr.scott.mcleod@gmail.com (Scott McLeod) Here’s a slightly-modified version of a comment I left over at *The Des Moines Register* regarding teachers’ impacts on student learning outcomes… Sure, what happens in the classroom matters. But peer-reviewed research shows over and over again that between 2/3 and 4/5 of student achievement is based on non-school factors. Schools only contribute about 20% to 33% to students’ overall learning outcomes. I... more »

I support the Chicago Teachers Union. Post widely. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
I support the Chicago Teachers Union. Post widely. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Jonah Edelman invited to ASCD? from Fred Klonsky's blog by Fred Klonsky There are questions about this invitation. Wonder if they will video tape it? ASCD Presenter BioJonah EdelmanIt was the civil rights movement, combined with a life-changing volunteer experience teaching a bilingual 1st grader how to read, that inspired Jonah Edelman to commit his life to public service. Son of Marian Wright Edelman, he comes by it naturally, but he has earned his own accolades for his visionary work as one of our n... more »

The Educated Reporter: Race To The Top: School Districts Will Compete For $400 Million

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
The Educated Reporter: Race To The Top: School Districts Will Compete For $400 Million: Race To The Top: School Districts Will Compete For $400 Million by Emily Richmond The U.S. Department of Education sent out a rare Sunday press release yesterday to announce the next phase of the Race To The Top Grant program is underway, with individual school districts now able to apply directly for a share of $400 million in federal grants. As the Politics K-12 blog reports, the rules have been heavily revised since the draft was first put out for public comment back in May, and more than ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Banda To Hold Family And Community Meetings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Banda To Hold Family And Community Meetings: Banda To Hold Family And Community Meetings by Melissa Westbrook From the Seattle Council PTSA (co-presidents this year, Lauren McGuire and Rita Sheckler): *Seattle Public Schools is partnering with the Seattle Council PTSA to hold five family and community meetings this fall with Superintendent Banda. We invite you to come and meet Superintendent Banda, and hear his vision for Seattle Public Schools. * *Central: September 17*, 6-7:30pm at Mercer Middle School, 1600 S Columbian Way, Seattle, 98108 *S... more »

Lucy Calkins and Her Teacher's College Cult of Failure.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Lucy Calkins and Her Teacher's College Cult of Failure by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) Would you feed someone that has high cholesterol, or heart problems KFC's Double Down (bacon, cheese, sauce, between two pieces of chicken), mashed potatoes w/gravy, and a mashed potato bowl? No. Would you throw someone who is drowning a cinder block instead of a life preserver? No. So why is it that in chronically poverty stricken areas of NYC, where students come into kindergarten lagging so far behind, where each day it is a struggle to learn, where t... more »

Beyond the parent trigger hype and propaganda: just the facts « Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Beyond the parent trigger hype and propaganda: just the facts « Parents Across America: Beyond the parent trigger hype and propaganda: just the facts by CarolineSF Facts about the parent trigger *Researched by Caroline Grannan, San Francisco* *Parents Across America founding member* 1. There have been no successful parent triggers anywhere.i 2. Two parent triggers have been attempted, both in Southern California.i 3. The organization that created the parent trigger, Parent Revolution, organized both of those parent trigger campaigns. 4.Parent Revolution has been inaccurately describ... more »

A Paul Ryan Budget for Illinois? Be in Springfield Friday morning at 10:30 to say, “Keep your promises to state retiree pensions.” « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
A Paul Ryan Budget for Illinois? Be in Springfield Friday morning at 10:30 to say, “Keep your promises to state retiree pensions.” « Fred Klonsky: A Paul Ryan Budget for Illinois? Be in Springfield Friday morning at 10:30 to say, “Keep your promises to state retiree pensions.” by Fred Klonsky *Democrats attack the Paul Ryan Budget. Then propose one for Illinois.* How ironic. Now that Romney has picked Paul Ryan as his enabler, the Democrats are making much of the *Paul Ryan Budget *which proposes deep cuts, if not elimination, to Medicare. *But Democrats in Springfield want to do th... more »

Bill would force creation of standards for transitional kindergarten SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Bill would force creation of standards for transitional kindergarten *By Kimberly Beltran* Friday, August 10, 2012 Even as hundreds of California schools prepare to launch transitional kindergarten for the first time this year, a bill awaiting a Senate vote would create standards for what and how the program’s not-quite 5-year olds should be taught. AB 1853 by Democratic Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla of Martinez creates a plan for developing teaching standards for the program and for issuing a “recognition of study in transitional kindergarten” to holders of multiple subject teachin... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: "Humiliation is Not a Classroom Management Technique!"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: "Humiliation is Not a Classroom Management Technique!": "Humiliation is Not a Classroom Management Technique!" by Lisa M *I am offline until Friday, so I am posting some of my older blog posts from my Wordpress account.* My youngest son is no angel, not in any way, shape, or form. He had been getting in "trouble" since preschool. I would go to pick him up and he would wave and grin from the timeout area. He didn't know any better, he was just one of those kids that was always up and about. Back then, if you were that kid, you ended up in time... more »

The Paradoxical Logic of School Turnarounds: A Catch-22 (Tina Trujillo) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
The Paradoxical Logic of School Turnarounds: A Catch-22 (Tina Trujillo) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: The Paradoxical Logic of School Turnarounds: A Catch-22 (Tina Trujillo) by larrycuban *TINA TRUJILLO is an assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education at the University of California, Berkeley. She earned a Ph.D. in education from the University of California at Los Angeles and an M.A. in education from the University of Colorado Boulder. This commentary appeared in**Teachers College Record** on June 14, 2012. Sources cited here are listed in ... more »

Jay Matthews Slams D.C. Cheating Investigation « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Jay Matthews Slams D.C. Cheating Investigation « Diane Ravitch's blog: Jay Matthews Slams D.C. Cheating Investigation by dianerav [image: Class Struggle] Jay Matthews does not believe the investigation of the DC cheating scandal is credible. The DC Inspector General concluded that nothing much happened. He confined his investigation to one school only. He didn’t investigate any other schools. Matthews writes: *Now we know who did it. D.C. Inspector General Charles J. Willoughby has concluded his 16-month probe of cheating on the D.C. schools’ annual tests by saying that kids, no... more »

Among Michelle Rhee’s Florida Endorsements – Democrat Representative Ron Saunders | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Among Michelle Rhee’s Florida Endorsements – Democrat Representative Ron Saunders | Scathing Purple Musings: Among Michelle Rhee’s Florida Endorsements – Democrat Representative Ron Saunders by Bob Sikes Nestled among the predictable list of charter school friendly – or owners in three cases – is one democrat, Rep, Ron Saunders from Key West, who faces a tough primary Tuesday against Dwight Bullard. To privatization hacks like Rhee, Saunders represents the lesser of two evils. Gushes Rhee’s StudentsFirst website about Saunders: Rep. Saunders has served House District 120 for 12 ... more »

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: High school retention: Oakland's charter schools vs. OUSD schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: High school retention: Oakland's charter schools vs. OUSD schools: High school retention: Oakland's charter schools vs. OUSD schools by The Perimeter Primate Are the privately-operated charter high schools in Oakland doing a better job than Oakland Unified School District's high schools with holding onto their freshman students until the twelfth grade? One way to explore the answer is by comparing the enrollment at Grade 9 with that of Grade 12 at the different schools using figures posted by the California Department of Education’s DataQuest. This was done ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook As summer is slowly winding down (but not temperature-wise - yay!), the number of District meetings is slowly ramping up. *Monday, August 13th* Curriculum&Instruction Meeting from 4-6 p.m. This is quite the folksy agenda as practically everyone is IDed by their first name. I'm thinking this isn't a final agenda as there are number of scratch-outs. There are a number of policies to be discussed including Ensuring *Educational Equity, Advanced Learning, Definition of a Hig... more »

Dear Carmelo Anthony, Because It’s That Necessary [From a Knicks Fan] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Dear Carmelo Anthony, Because It’s That Necessary [From a Knicks Fan] | The Jose Vilson: Dear Carmelo Anthony, Because It’s That Necessary [From a Knicks Fan] by Jose Dear Carmelo Anthony, Let’s start out with the easy stuff. Congratulations on another gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. You impressed us with your usual array of offensive weapons, specifically the hot 3-point shooting. At some points, it really seemed like you flicked the ball off your fingers and it would still go in. You seem to thrive in international play, impressing the world in the 2006 World Champio... more »

Last Minute RPOF and Charter School Cash Coming in to Defeat Dade Republican Libby Perez in Primary Race | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Last Minute RPOF and Charter School Cash Coming in to Defeat Dade Republican Libby Perez in Primary Race | Scathing Purple Musings: Last Minute RPOF and Charter School Cash Coming in to Defeat Dade Republican Libby Perez in Primary Race by Bob Sikes It’s clear that for-profit charter schools are putting last-minute cash into the campaign coffers of chosen candidates. Another case in point is republican Libby Perez in her bid to win Tuesday’s race against incumbent Rep. Jeanette Nunez. Have the powers even chosen sides? On the surface, it would appear so as evidenced by the Repub... more »

STUDENTS CONVERGE AT OBAMA OFFICE TO RECLAIM VOICE Student Power Convergence 2012 #HereUsNow @StudentPower12 #ows

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Student Power Convergence 2012: *EMAIL: **info@studentpower2012.org* *WHAT: Press Conference to Reclaim Voice* *WHEN: Monday, August 13th at 1:00PM EST* *WHERE: 1570 N. High St., Suite C10 Columbus, OH* ** *STUDENTS CONVERGE AT OBAMA OFFICE TO RECLAIM VOICE* * * * * ** COLUMBUS, Ohio – Students from across the United States are gathering this week at Ohio State University for the National Student Power Convergence 2012, mobilizing for a new wave of student organizing and action. Against the backdrop of the upcoming elections, discontent among students is rising. We are aware that ne... more »

LAUSD - REED VS. UTLA OVERTURNED ON TECHNICALITY - WILL UTLA NOW FINALLY MAKE ITS STRONGEST ARGUMENT? - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
LAUSD - REED VS. UTLA OVERTURNED ON TECHNICALITY - WILL UTLA NOW FINALLY MAKE ITS STRONGEST ARGUMENT? - Perdaily.com: LAUSD - REED VS. UTLA OVERTURNED ON TECHNICALITY - WILL UTLA NOW FINALLY MAKE ITS STRONGEST ARGUMENT? by Leonard Isenberg [image: Cleavon Little.jpg] (Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) In a split decision, 2 out of 3 justices of the California 2nd District Court of Appeal reversed Reed vs. United Teachers Los Angeles solely on a technical aspect of the case, while not addressing the lower cour... more »

Forward tutoring: Educate, volunteer, improve [guest post] | Dangerously Irrelevant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Forward tutoring: Educate, volunteer, improve [guest post] | Dangerously Irrelevant: Forward tutoring: Educate, volunteer, improve [guest post] by dr.scott.mcleod@gmail.com (Scott McLeod) *[This is a guest post by Dustin Lewis, a 5th grade teacher at the American International Sch**ool of Budapest. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, he has been teaching internationally for four years, with a previous stop at The Anglo American School in Moscow. Dustin also works part-time promoting First Tutors, a UK-based tutoring service that specializes in finding the right individual tutors fo... more »

Constantine’s Sword: It’s the Patriarchy Stupid! | Lefty Parent

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Constantine’s Sword: It’s the Patriarchy Stupid! | Lefty Parent: Constantine’s Sword: It’s the Patriarchy Stupid! by Cooper Zale I recently finished reading the book *Constantine’s Sword – The Church and the Jews*, laying out the historical account of Christian antisemitism and how that seeded a ground of separation and hate that made the Holocaust possible, if not inevitable. The author, James Carroll, is a liberal Catholic theologian who feels that his Church has to fully acknowledge its culpability and atone for its sins for the institution to continue as a vibrant faith communi... more »

The Gates Foundation just bought 50 gallons of fake poo | Grist

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
The Gates Foundation just bought 50 gallons of fake poo | Grist: The Gates Foundation just bought 50 gallons of fake poo By Jess Zimmerman Photo courtesy of Maximum Performance. Bill Gates is into scat. His foundation is hard at work on a new space-age toilet, and to test the prototypes, it just bought 50 gallons of soybean-based fake feces from a soybean-based fake feces company. That’s some of it up above, sitting a lot closer to a dude’s hand than I’d want it to sit to mine. As we reported last year, the Gates Foundation is funding research on new, sanitation-improving toilets. T... more »

LAUSD rolls out new batch of healthy menus - LA Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
LAUSD rolls out new batch of healthy menus - LA Daily News: LAUSD rolls out new batch of healthy menus By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer Posted: 08/12/2012 11:03:07 AM PDT Updated: 08/12/2012 11:28:50 AM PDT [image: Milk, fresh salad, calzone and fruit ice cream are prepared at Del Omo Elementary.] Milk, fresh salad, calzone and fruit ice cream are prepared at Del Omo Elementary. (John McCoy/Staff) Find out more School lunch menus for August are at http://www.schoolmenu.com/directory/ca/lausd/ RELATED - Breakfast in the classroom, more appetizing lunch choices, eco-friendly... more »

Comics Journalism Takes on Education Reform | Graphic Novel Reporter

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Comics Journalism Takes on Education Reform | Graphic Novel Reporter: Comics Journalism Takes on Education Reform *This interview was conducted by Doré Ripley, a lecturer at Cal State East Bay and an adjunct professor at Diablo Valley College. She specializes in intensive writing. You can visit her on the web at* www.RipleyOnline.com. ------------------------------ We hear it on the television news, radio talk shows, and the internet: America’s public education system is failing. At least that’s what the media wants you to believe. In fact, American school children are doing better... more »

Lakeview Sit-in Sold Down the River by Local Labor Leaders | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Lakeview Sit-in Sold Down the River by Local Labor Leaders | Dailycensored.com: Lakeview Sit-in Sold Down the River by Local Labor Leaders by Danny Weil By Jack Gerson *Jack Gerson is a long time Bay Area activist who up until recently taught in the Oakland Public School System.* * * * * Shortly before 4am on Tuesday July 3, Oakland Unified School District police, backed by cops from the Oakland Police Department, the Oakland Housing Authority, and the California Highway Patrol, raided the sit-in and People’s School for Public Education at Lakeview Elementary. All participants were... more »

Knowledge does not admit vanity or egotism in education | Miguel Angel Escotet

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Knowledge does not admit vanity or egotism in education | Miguel Angel Escotet: Knowledge does not admit vanity or egotism in education by Miguel Angel Escotet *Dogmatism and rigidity in the university are sources of intolerance, authoritarianism and conflict. Moreover, flexibility is not a synonym of weakness; on the contrary, it is a symbol of spiritual fortitude that grows when it rectifies mistakes and discovers its own ignorance.* Higher education reform and innovation is a continuous, endless process. To remain in the same place one must keep moving; otherwise, one gets left... more »

Florida Democrats Display Education Talking Points in Flagler Primary | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Florida Democrats Display Education Talking Points in Flagler Primary | Scathing Purple Musings: Florida Democrats Display Education Talking Points in Flagler Primary by Bob Sikes A newly created House district was drawn for Flagler County and represents an opportunity for state democrats to win a seat. This Sheldon Gardner story in *St. Augustine.com* illustrates what should emerge as education talking points for democrats seeking legislative seats: Both (County Commissioner Milissa) Holland and (business owner Doug) Courtney do not support vouchers for private or religious schoo... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee never built a consensus - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Ms. Rhee never built a consensus - The Washington Post: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s missing consensus - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - E-mail - Reprints Published: August 8 Richard Whitmire’s Aug. 5 Local Opinions piece expressing nostalgia for former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee [“What if Rhee had stayed?”] missed the point, which should be a lesson for all school leaders. Whatever opinions one might have about Ms. Rhee’s impact, she unnecessarily created the dynamics of her own demise. Mr. Whitmire suggested that “kind... more »

Why Don’t Teachers Resist? « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Why Don’t Teachers Resist? « Diane Ravitch's blog: Why Don’t Teachers Resist? by dianerav In a discussion about a charter teacher who acquiesced to practices that were objectionable, some readers asked why she didn’t complain or take action. This reader explains why teachers must sometimes accept the intolerable: You are exactly right-easier said than done! Charter Schools are a company, a business. If you work for an employer then they expect loyalty. Imagine if people working in chicken processing plants, common around here, complained about the inhumane treatment of animals-... more »

Quote of the Day: UC Student Power in the 1880s « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Quote of the Day: UC Student Power in the 1880s « Student Activism: Quote of the Day: UC Student Power in the 1880s by Angus Johnston “The University of California was a young, comparatively small institution when I entered there in 1885 as a freshman. … My class numbered about one hundred boys and girls, mostly boys, who came from all parts of the State and represented all sorts of people and occupations. … We found already formed at Berkeley the typical undergraduate customs, rights, and privileged vices which we had to respect ourselves and defend against the faculty, regents,... more »

Geaux Teacher!: FEDERAL INTRUSION BY U.S. DEPT. OF EDUCATION - ILLEGAL? UNCONSTITUTIONAL?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Geaux Teacher!: FEDERAL INTRUSION BY U.S. DEPT. OF EDUCATION - ILLEGAL? UNCONSTITUTIONAL?: FEDERAL INTRUSION BY U.S. DEPT. OF EDUCATION - ILLEGAL? UNCONSTITUTIONAL? by noreply@blogger.com (Lee Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT) *The U. S. Department of Education interjects itself again into State and Local Education policy. Rather than doing it OPENLY and HONESTLY, Ed. Sec. Arne Duncan is feeding the flames of privatization of our democraticaly run and locally controlled public school systems through his carrots and sticks approach which amounts to BRIBERY AND COERCION. REPUBLICANS - in name o... more »

Teachers Don't Suck !: I've Got Lots of Questions??

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Teachers Don't Suck !: I've Got Lots of Questions??: I've Got Lots of Questions?? by Walt S. I've got lots of questions for our editor. * How many principals andadministrators have obtained their positions not by superior teaching abilities but instead through relatives and friends with political connections? ** How naive can this editor be. How many people have you known who got on the "wrong side" of an administrator and then "paid the price"? *** Since when has education become an athletic competition? **** Compensation - yes! But also how about - low status, constant public

White House History Classroom | Picturing the President's House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
White House History Classroom | Picturing the President's House: [image: The White House Historical Association / Home] *The White House Historical Association* offers teachers and students this selection of White House images. You will find pictures of presidents, first ladies, and the home and work place of the chief executive for each administration. These low-resolution images are from the digital image collection of the *White House Historical Association*. Watermarked images are copyrighted and permission must be obtained and appropriate fees paid prior to use. Please se... more »

You have got to be kidding! - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
You have got to be kidding! - Wait, What?: You have got to be kidding! by jonpelto Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch has hired a 27-year-old political appointee from Newark N.J. to serve as his new “Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Education and Youth Policy.” He will pay the guy $102,000 a year. The new appointee has absolutely no Connecticut experience, at all. There are more than 154,600 Connecticut residents who are unemployed and not one of them was qualified for this job? Compared to last year, more than 4,400 Connecticut residents have lost their jobs in state and local gov... more »







Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 7-21-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 7-14-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 7-7-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post
Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-30-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-23-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-16-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post
Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-9-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 6-2-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post



Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-29-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-28-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-27-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-26-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-25-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-23-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-20-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-19-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-18-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-17-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-16-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-11-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-4-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-2-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-1-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2