Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-29-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #soschat #p2 #1u


BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA 

Recap of Last Week's Best Post 


The 6 P’s for Education « My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The 6 P’s for Education « My Island View: The 6 P’s for Education by tomwhitby Dell Computer has sponsored four education Think Tanks over the last year, or so, and I have been fortunate to participate in three of them. At each get-together educators, education related organizers, education industry executives, and most recently students, were brought together in an open discussion on the weighty topics of education and education reform. All of the discussions were video-taped, and live-streamed, and even animated on a mural to a viewing audience. The final production was archived... more »

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Adam Smith Warns: Beware the Profit-Seekers « Diane Ravitch's blog: Adam Smith Warns: Beware the Profit-Seekers by dianerav A faithful reader sent the following quotation from Adam Smith’s *The Wealth of Nations*: *Merchants and master manufacturers are, in this order, the two classes of people who commonly employ the largest capitals, and who by their wealth draw to themselves the greatest share of the public consideration. As during their whole lives they are engaged in plans and projects, they have frequently more acuteness of understanding than the greater part of country gent... more »

Mom angry that male vice principal spanked child | ABC News Blogs - Yahoo! News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mom angry that male vice principal spanked child | ABC News Blogs - Yahoo! News: Mom angry that male vice principal spanked child By Abby Ellin | ABC News Blogs – 13 hrs ago - Email - - - 6 - Print Mom Angry That Male Vice Principal Spanked Her Daughter Rather than spend two days in in-school suspension for allegedly letting another student copy her classwork, Taylor Santos, a well-regarded student and athlete at Springtown High School, near Fort Worth, Texas, chose to get paddled. As her mother, Anna Jorgensen, told ABC News affiliate WFAA-TV in Dallas, Taylor di... more »

Mitt Romney on the Common Core | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Mitt Romney on the Common Core | Truth in American Education: Mitt Romney on the Common Core by Shane Vander Hart Mitt Romney was asked about the Common Core Standards at the Education Nation Summit yesterday. Here is what he had to say when asked by Brian Williams, “what do you make of the Common Core?” You know, I think it’s fine for people to lay out what they think core subjects might be and to suggest a pedagogy and being able to provide that learning to our kids. I don’t subscribe to the idea of the federal government trying to push a common core on various states. It’s on... more »

Register to Vote and Voting | USA.gov

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Register to Vote and Voting | USA.gov: Registering to Vote and Voting Information to assist citizens with registering to vote and voting. - Absentee Voting (for Citizens in the United States) - Election Assistance Commission - Polling Place Finder - Register to Vote by Mail - State Election Offices - State Voter Laws - Voter Registration Deadlines, by State - Voting Assistance Guide for Uniformed and Overseas Citizens

Common Core State Standards Initiative | The Standards @educationnation #ednatTTH

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Common Core State Standards Initiative | The Standards: *The Standards* Building on the excellent foundation of standards states have laid, the Common Core State Standards are the first step in providing our young people with a high-quality education. It should be clear to every student, parent, and teacher what the standards of success are in every school. Teachers, parents and community leaders have all weighed in to help create the Common Core State Standards. The standards clearly communicate what is expected of students at each grade level. This will allow our teachers to b... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee writes about Chicago? Really?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 minutes ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee writes about Chicago? Really?: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee writes about Chicago? Really? by Mike Klonsky I guess with all eyes on Chicago, Broom Lady Rhee just couldn't resist. But her Washington Post piece, "Chicago teachers strike underscores shift among Democrats" is so full of lies and misinformation that Rhee simply fulfills her own caricature. You don't have to read very far to find the first lie. Rhee's piece begins: "I am a democrat because I believe in the party's principles..." OK, that's not e... more »

Common Core Bill Signed - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Common Core Bill Signed - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Issues Statement on AB 1246 Signing SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today issued the following statement upon Governor Jerry Brown's signing of Assembly Bill 1246, by Julia Brownley* *(D-Santa Monica), that authorizes the adoption of Common Core instructional materials for mathematics by 2014 and provides districts flexibility in the selection of instructional materials: "AB 1246 means we are one step closer to implementing Common Core standards in Cali... more »

Schools Matter: Twenty-Two Pages of Corporate Education Advertising, Or, The Atlantic Monthly's "Special Report"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Schools Matter: Twenty-Two Pages of Corporate Education Advertising, Or, The Atlantic Monthly's "Special Report": Twenty-Two Pages of Corporate Education Advertising, Or, The Atlantic Monthly's "Special Report" by Storm *This begins a series of readings of articles and images promoting the "Reform Agenda" in the October Atlantic Monthly. I will primarily be concerned with the conveyance of ideology. However, I have asked my Errant collaborator Doug Martin to offer investigative analysis of the interconnectedness among the authors and the groups highlighted in the issue for cult... more »

I SEE PROGRESS « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
I SEE PROGRESS « Teachers Fight Back: I SEE PROGRESS by alkleen Wow! More teachers strikes are popping up, more public workers are protesting, more unions in sports and entertainment areas are taking action. Even the Chicago Symphony musicians went on a brief strike. Workers everywhere are starting to fight back and demanding respect. It feels like the start of a new era for the working man. I didn’t see this coming, but I guess you can only push people so far before they start to fight back. I’m proud of all the Chicago suburban teachers who seem to be using the Chicago teacher... more »

Common Core Standards for Learning Supports: Looking for Feedback from All Concerned about Equity of Opportunity — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Common Core Standards for Learning Supports: Looking for Feedback from All Concerned about Equity of Opportunity — Whole Child Education: [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Common Core Standards for Learning Supports: Looking for Feedback from All Concerned about Equity of Opportunity September 27, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Post written by Howard Adelman, PhD, and Linda Taylor, PhD, codirectors of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) School Mental Health Project/Center for Mental Health in Schools. This post was originally featured on the James B. Hunt Jr. Insti... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: PTA SUES FOR-PROFIT RIVAL PTO TODAY

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: PTA SUES FOR-PROFIT RIVAL PTO TODAY: PTA SUES FOR-PROFIT RIVAL PTO TODAY BY MICHAEL TARM – ASSOCIATED PRESS FROM THE HUFFINGTON POST | HTTP://HUFF.TO/OS0J4B[image: Parent Teachers Association Sues]09/26/12 07:21 PM ET EDT [image: AP]CHICAGO — The nonprofit PTA sued a for-profit rival on Wednesday, accusing it of denigrating the established group in a bid to siphon off members – a dispute that highlights underlying tensions as parents consider changes in how they interact with their children's schools. The National Parent Teacher Associa... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-27-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] TFA and New Teacher Project Defend Irreplaceable New Referees! by dianerav Satire alert: Norman Scott, a retired teacher turned film-maker (producer of “The Inconvenient Truth Behind Waiting for Superman) has decided that the NFL referee fiasco presented a golden opportunity. The golden opportunity was a chance to rib the New Teacher Project, which is quick to demand the ouster of experienced teachers and to replace them with inexperienced teachers. A Clueless Review of Anti-Union, Anti-Public Education ... more »

The United States of ALEC: Bill Moyers on the Secretive Corporate-Legislative Body Writing Our Laws

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
The United States of ALEC: Bill Moyers on the Secretive Corporate-Legislative Body Writing Our Laws: The United States of ALEC: Bill Moyers on the Secretive Corporate-Legislative Body Writing Our Laws Democracy Now! premieres "The United States of ALEC," a special report by legendary journalist Bill Moyers on how the secretive American Legislative Exchange Council has helped corporate America propose and even draft legislation for states across the country. ALEC brings together major U.S. corporations and right-wing legislators to craft and vote on "model" bills behind closed d... more »

Daily Kos: on "parent triggers" in public schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Daily Kos: on "parent triggers" in public schools: on "parent triggers" in public schools by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) The heavy promotion of the new film "Won't Back Down" is an attempt to foist so-called "parent triggers" upon public schools - if a majority of parents vote a school can be taken out of the public system and turned into a charter, while continuing to receive the funds from public taxation. This is one of the key wet-dreams of the American Legislative Exchange Council, aka ALEC. The film has been funded by Walden Media, also involved in funding "Waiting for Su... more »

Evidence Vs. Research; The Case of the Common Core Standards | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Evidence Vs. Research; The Case of the Common Core Standards | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Evidence Vs. Research; The Case of the Common Core Standards by larrycuban I have admired Rodin’s statue of “The Thinker” for many years. Yet the statue is not a man of action. Too much thinking, too little action is a recipe for fecklessness. Yet too much action, too little thought are the ingredients for disaster. And that is where the Common Core standards enter the picture. Exactly how much evidence did policymakers have to justify the crafting and adoption of nat... more »

Do We Need to Burn Our Violins and Close Our Swimming Pools? — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Do We Need to Burn Our Violins and Close Our Swimming Pools? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Sean Slade]Do We Need to Burn Our Violins and Close Our Swimming Pools? September 26, 2012 by Sean Slade "To compete with China in education we will need to burn our violins and close our swimming pools." This was said last week in Melbourne, Australia, by author Yong Zhao at the 2012 Joint Australian Primary Principals Association and New Zealand Federation of Principals Trans-Tasman Conference. Zhao presented a keynote at the conference, as did ASCD Board of Direct... more »

Charter School Teachers Vs. Public School Teachers (Education Nation) [Why We Write] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Charter School Teachers Vs. Public School Teachers (Education Nation) [Why We Write] | The Jose Vilson: Charter School Teachers Vs. Public School Teachers (Education Nation) [Why We Write] by Jose Education Nation Teacher Town Hall 2012 She said she doesn’t like when teachers differentiate themselves between charter and public. I nodded cautiously. At the Education Nation Teacher Town Hall, while NBC anchor Brian Williams feigned nervousness in front of the hundreds of educators in front of us, teachers from all different groups convened at the Public Library, some from groups lik... more »

NYC Public School Parents: NJ parents occupy the NJ Dept of Education to fight the scourge of charter schools in their community!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: NJ parents occupy the NJ Dept of Education to fight the scourge of charter schools in their community!: NJ parents occupy the NJ Dept of Education to fight the scourge of charter schools in their community! by Leonie Haimson Parents protesting at the NJ Department of Education* credit: NJ Star Ledger * *A few days ago we featured the real-life "Won't Back Down" story of a Brooklyn parent and teacherwho together battled to prevent a billionaire-backed charter school from invading their successful public school building. Today we feature the story of Darcie... more »

The Innovative Educator: 3 ways to measure students, teachers, & schools without standardized tests

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The Innovative Educator: 3 ways to measure students, teachers, & schools without standardized tests: 3 ways to measure students, teachers, & schools without standardized tests by noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Nielsen) *A theme at this week’s Education Nation was the failure of standardized tests as a measurement of student achievement and teacher effectiveness. Those who know better know that standardized tests tell us more about a student’s language acquisition, parental involvement, poverty level, and developmental level than they do about teacher effectiveness or student ability. Bu... more »

RheeFirst! » Why is StudentsFirst so desperate to get people to see Won’t Back Down?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
RheeFirst! » Why is StudentsFirst so desperate to get people to see Won’t Back Down?: Why is StudentsFirst so desperate to get people to see Won’t Back Down? by admin StudentsFirst is desperately trying to get people to see *Won’t Back Down*, a new movie from the makers of*Waiting for Superman*. And it’s no wonder why– the movie is getting trashed by reviewers, and is currently neck-and-neck with *Dude, Where’s My Car*? on Rotten Tomatoes. (apologies to the makers of *Dude, Where’s My Car?*) StudentsFirst has given out over a thousand tickets to this film, not counting their scree... more »

Afternoon UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-26-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Political Analysis of a Propaganda Film by dianerav Liza Featherstone wrote a fascinating analysis of the anti-union film “Won’t Back Down.” To whet your appetite, read this: “Despite scapegoating teachers’ unions, ‘Won’t Back Down’ is not an anti-teacher movie. Most of the teacher characters—especially Nona, played by Viola Davis—are heroic. That’s because one of the film’s messages is that busting teachers’ unions is better for teachers. In one scene, a meeting to discuss the possible takeover, The A... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, September 26, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Transitional Kindergarten Online Resource - TKCalifornia* Education Headlines *Wednesday, September 26, 2012* Stockton USD examines 'what if's' of Prop. 30 failureCalifornia school districts have been struggling financially for years because of the state's financial woes, but Stockton Unified Superintendent Steve Lowder says the worst may be yet to come. Kennedy to be new Menifee superintendentSteve Kennedy was appointed superintendent of the Menifee Union School District on Tuesday. The current assistant superintendent of perso... more »

Does being connected help in being recognized? « My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Does being connected help in being recognized? « My Island View: Does being connected help in being recognized? by tomwhitby This is a difficult subject to write about without being labeled smug, arrogant, conceited, or all three, but that is a risk I take. The Bammy Awards took place recently. If you never heard of The Bammy Awards for educators, there is good reason. They were invented this year. From the Bammy Awards site we have this: “The Bammy Awards acknowledge that teachers can’t do it alone and don’t do it alone. The Awards aim to foster cross-discipline recognition of ... more »

ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION – THE SAME FOR EVERYONE – UNLESS YOU’RE A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION – THE SAME FOR EVERYONE – UNLESS YOU’RE A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE « Teachers Fight Back: ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION – THE SAME FOR EVERYONE – UNLESS YOU’RE A PUBLIC EMPLOYEE by alkleen In the November election the voters of Illinois will be asked to discriminate against public employees in the state of Illinois. State sponsored discrimination ! What next ? Yes, there will be a ballot question asking whether or not voters want to pass an amendment that would require a three-fifths vote in the General Assembly before any pension benefits could be increased in Illinois. ... more »

Daily Kos: Social Programs - a personal history

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Daily Kos: Social Programs - a personal history: TUE SEP 25, 2012 AT 05:02 PM PDT Social Programs - a personal history byteacherkenFollow 1 PERMALINK1 COMMENT My mother died when I was 17. Part of my college was paid for by Social Security Survivor Benefits. While I was an active-duty Marine in the 1960's, I had free government health care. I finished college on the GI Bill and with the help of government-insured loans. I have drawn unemployment insurance when my company moved out of state. I bought the house from which I write this with a VA-backed mortgage. I had government-ins... more »

Afternoon UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-25-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] President Obama Explains His Views to Education Nation by dianerav TRANSCRIPT: PRESIDENT OBAMA SITS DOWN WITH SAVANNAH GUTHRIE EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW FOR NBC NEWS’ “EDUCATION NATION” September 25, 2012 — As part of the NBC News 2012 “Education Nation” Summit this week, President Barack Obama sat down with NBC’s Savannah Guthrie to discuss his vision for the future of education in America. The exclusive interview aired Tuesday on “TODAY” and this afternoon on MSNBC. A full transcript is below. If The Power of ... more »

UFT: City’s special education reforms causing class size crunch | GothamSchools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
UFT: City’s special education reforms causing class size crunch | GothamSchools: UFT: City’s special education reforms causing class size crunch by Philissa Cramer UFT President Michael Mulgrew, flanked by NYC Museum School teachers and Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters, discussed this year's tally of oversized classes during a press conference this morning. One in four city schools have overcrowded classes, and the number of oversized special education classes more than doubled since last year, according to this year’s class size tally by the United Federation of Teachers. Unio... more »

NYC Public School Parents: 6100 classes that violate union contractual limits this fall

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: 6100 classes that violate union contractual limits this fall: 6100 classes that violate union contractual limits this fall by Leonie Haimson This morning, at a press conference, Michael Mulgrew president of the UFT announced that over 6,100 classes at 670 NYC public schools this fall violate contractual class size limits, compared to 660 schools last year. *This means that class sizes are above these (already too-high) levels: more than 25 students per class in Kindergarten; more than 32 students in grades 1-5; more than 33 students in non-Title one middl... more »

Kurtz: Common Core Could Launch New Tea Party Uprising | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Kurtz: Common Core Could Launch New Tea Party Uprising | Truth in American Education: Kurtz: Common Core Could Launch New Tea Party Uprising by Shane Vander Hart Stanley Kurtz recognized at *National Review* that school lunches is just the tip of the iceberg with federal overreach into education. He brings up the work our partner, Heather Crossin, is doing in Indiana and how Obama could spark a 2nd Tea Party Awakening. I just came back from a conference where I heard a mom from Indiana named Heather Crossin describe her battle against Obama’s Common Core. Her child happened to a... more »

Bullying Prevention Gains Momentum, But We Still Have A Long Way To Go | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Bullying Prevention Gains Momentum, But We Still Have A Long Way To Go | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Bullying Prevention Gains Momentum, But We Still Have A Long Way To Go by NEA Health Information Network *By RocĂ­o Inclán, Director of the Human and Civil Rights Department of the National Education Association* October is Bullying Prevention month, and this year we see signs of progress in the national effort to stop bullying in our schools. For example, the recently released 2011 National School Climate Survey from the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Netwo... more »

Jean-Claude Brizard, Chicago Schools CEO, Was Nearly Invisible During Teachers Strike

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jean-Claude Brizard, Chicago Schools CEO, Was Nearly Invisible During Teachers Strike: Jean-Claude Brizard, Chicago Schools CEO, Was Nearly Invisible During Teachers Strike by Joy Resmovits CHICAGO -- When teachers on strike took to the Chicago streets for nine days this month, news cameras followed the union president, the head of the school board and the mayor. The Chicago Teachers Union and city representatives would meet for hours, negotiating technical contract details. A throng of reporters was always waiting outside for the latest update. But the CEO of Chicago Public ... more »

Engaging the Whole Community to Support Positive Bus Behavior — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Engaging the Whole Community to Support Positive Bus Behavior — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Engaging the Whole Community to Support Positive Bus Behavior September 24, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: Jessica Bohn] *Post submitted by Jessica Bohn, principal at Gibsonville Elementary School in Gibsonville, N.C. She has worked at all levels K–16, including as a university assistant director, assistant principal, district curriculum specialist, and science teacher. Bohn is a member of the ASCD Emerging Leaders Class of 2012 an... more »

Schools Matter: Is there a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) crisis?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Schools Matter: Is there a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) crisis?: Is there a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) crisis? by skrashen It is not clear that there is a STEM shortage, Some analysts, in fact, have claimed that there is a surplus of STEM-trained professionals (Teitelbaum, 2007; Toppo and Vergano, 2009; Bracey, 2009.) A report of the World Economic Federation (Schwab, 2012) confirms that there is no crisis. The US ranks near the top of the world on all categories related to STEM education and availability of expertise: According to the World Economic... more »

NEWS FLASH: Arbitrator rules against Malloy Administration on significant retirement issue - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
NEWS FLASH: Arbitrator rules against Malloy Administration on significant retirement issue - Wait, What?: NEWS FLASH: Arbitrator rules against Malloy Administration on significant retirement issue by jonpelto [image: News Flash] Although it hasn’t been officially confirmed, word is spreading that the Malloy Administration has lost a massive arbitration ruling today. Last summer, the Connecticut State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) filed a grievance against the Malloy Administration with the Connecticut Board of Labor Relations. The complaint revolved around the Mall... more »

SAT Results for 2012 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
SAT Results for 2012 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): Latinos Now Account for Largest Share of SAT® Scores in California, State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Notes SACRAMENTO—SAT*®* results released today by The College Board show that for the first time, Latino students in California public* schools represented a larger percentage of SAT test-takers than any other ethnic group. Reflecting the state’s growing diversity, nearly 70 percent of California’s public school test-takers in the Class of 2012 were minority students, and of those, 36 percent—or 69,832 students—were Latino. Th... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, September 24, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Monday, September 24, 2012* Shrinking pool of future teachers worries stateThe number of people in California who are studying to become teachers has fallen by more than a third since the onset of the recession, and that's not good for the state's future, according to state education officials. Cayucos student shift would drain Coast UnionCayucos parents who want their kids to attend high school in San Luis Coastal School District instead of in Cambria may have their goal hampered by the financial consequence... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: In Common Core Math, the Answer isn't that Important. The Collaboration and Communication and Argument is Paramount.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: In Common Core Math, the Answer isn't that Important. The Collaboration and Communication and Argument is Paramount.: In Common Core Math, the Answer isn't that Important. The Collaboration and Communication and Argument is Paramount. by stlgretchen It's all about process. The student must explain the method in solving the problem. Now the student will talk about the problem with the other students. It's the standards requirement. SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortia) weekly update #65 includes information on Illustrative Mathematics Project,... more »

Diane in the Evening 9-23-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Karen Lewis and Randi Weingarten Write an Article about the Strike in the Wall Street Journal by dianerav This is a good article. Unspoken, or only hinted at, in this very conservative newspaper, is that strikes are effective. When employers treat workers shabbily, a strike is justified. When working conditions are intolerable, a strike is justified. When management engages in harmful practices–like closing schools and handing the kids over to private A Tale of Two Farmers by dianerav I received this from a parent in Indiana. She said it is being circulated ... more »

Daily Kos: Krugman's Monday column: "The Optimism Cure"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Daily Kos: Krugman's Monday column: "The Optimism Cure": Krugman's Monday column: "The Optimism Cure" by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) begins with these words: Mitt Romney is optimistic about optimism. In fact, it’s pretty much all he’s got. And that fact should make you very pessimistic about his chances of leading an economic recovery. Krugman, in this column, says that in what Romney said in the video with his donors in Boca Raton, makes it clear that his economic plan relies on "magic" - “My own view is,” he declared, “if we win on November 6, there will be a great deal of ... more »

Won’t Back Down LIES & Real Community Empowerment: Action for the Week of 9/23/2012 | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Won’t Back Down LIES & Real Community Empowerment: Action for the Week of 9/23/2012 | United Opt Out National: Won’t Back Down LIES & Real Community Empowerment: Action for the Week of 9/23/2012 by admin It’s time to make this go viral. Send it to all of your neighbors and friends. Post it on Facebook. The movie *Won’t Back Down* is a big slice of corporate propaganda created to encourage parents to use Parent Trigger, a law which promotes the privatization of public schools. *Parent Trigger has never worked successfully in a single school in this country.* *Parent Trigger will t... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Education Nation & Charter School Myths #EdNatTTH #EducationNation

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Education Nation & Charter School Myths: Education Nation & Charter School Myths by Duke The Education Nation conflagration is in full swing at MSNBC, and what a difference a year makes! Brian Williams looked a little stunned at times at the reactions of the teachers in the audience. I don't know if it's the Chicago strike, the election, or that we've simply had enough reformy nonsense, but it's clear teachers are not just going to sit quietly and take it anymore. Which means that those who are used to getting automatic applause for bashing teachers and unions ha... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education News: Education News by Melissa Westbrook On Saturday, September 22nd, at their Fall meeting in Yakima, *the Washington State Democratic Party unanimously passed a resolution OPPOSING Initiative 1240. * Out of nearly 500 delegates voting, not a single delegate from any county in our State voted to support 1240. The vote was 500 to ZERO to oppose Initiative 1240. From the NY Times, an important story about the use of *epi pens* at schools. B*ut school nurses in many districts face an agonizing choice if a child without a prescription... more »

10 great tweets from Education Nation - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post #EdNatTTH #ParentsEdNat

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
10 great tweets from Education Nation - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] 10 great tweets from Education Nation By Valerie Strauss Thanks for joining today’s conversation. Taking a break, then we’re back on @msnbc at 6PM w/ @alexwagner talking w/ parents #ParentsEdNat NCB launched its third Education Nation summit today in New York City. Here are 10 great tweets about a range of issues that appeared on Twitter during a town hall with teachers moderated by anchor Brian Williams. *Education Nation ‏@educationnation* MT @webster 1 in 5 students in the US... more »

Facts for Features — Back to School: 2011-2012 - Facts for Features & Special Editions - Newsroom - U.S. Census Bureau

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Facts for Features — Back to School: 2011-2012 - Facts for Features & Special Editions - Newsroom - U.S. Census Bureau: [image: Facts for Features] CB11-FF.15 June 27, 2011 Back to School: 2011-2012 By August, summertime will be winding down and vacations will be coming to an end, signaling that back-to-school time is near. It's a time that many children eagerly anticipate — catching up with old friends and making new ones, and settling into a new daily routine. Parents and children alike scan the newspapers and websites looking for sales to shop for a multitude of school supp... more »

EduShyster: Stuff White People Like: Education Reform | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
EduShyster: Stuff White People Like: Education Reform | Seattle Education: EduShyster: Stuff White People Like: Education Reform by seattleducation2011 Here’s an excerpt. *One lesson made abundantly clear by the recent Chicago teachers’ strike was that our nation suffers from a dearth of African-American hedge fund managers and venture capitalists. What can we do about this shameful scourge? I have no idea, but what I do know is that the strike revealed a fascinating split along race and class lines over what white hedge fund managers like to call priming the edu-pump for future pr... more »

Cartoons on Common Core Standards | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Cartoons on Common Core Standards | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Cartoons on Common Core Standards by larrycuban For this monthly* post of cartoons, I have selected images about the impending Common Core curriculum standards in math and English for K-12 students. While many countries have a national curriculum, the U.S. does not. Since the Common Core standards have been adopted by 46 states and the District of Columbia, the U.S. will soon have a national–not federally mandated–one. According to a recent analysis of the Common Core standards there are two ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: As Perth Amboy Turns

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: As Perth Amboy Turns: As Perth Amboy Turns by Duke Because nothing is better for schools and children than having the same superintendent fired, rehired, and then fired again. A five month battle to remove Superintendent Janine Caffrey has come to a close unless Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s education commissioner once again overturns the elected Board of Education (BOE) members that originally gave her the job. Caffrey has been placed on suspension and officially notified that her contract will not be renewed when her term expires. She is expected to be rep... more »

UPDATE: Diane in the Afternoon 9-22-12 What You Need to Know About NBC’s Education Nation « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
What You Need to Know About NBC’s Education Nation « Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Will Education Nation Choose a Teacher? by dianerav Please read Students Last, who noticed the absence of any real, actual teachers at the New York Times conference on “Schools of Tomorrow.” He says there is a rumor that NBC’s “Medication Nation” might invite a physician, to add to the panel of pharmaceutical giants. What You Need to Know About NBC’s Education Nation by dianerav This week, we will be subjected (or treated) to days of NBC’s celebration of... more »

Memories. Nine years ago we went on strike. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago
Memories. Nine years ago we went on strike. « Fred Klonsky: Memories. Nine years ago we went on strike. SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 This past week’s Chicago teacher strike brought back memories of November, 2003 when my own local, the Park Ridge Education Association, went on strike for the first time in 25 years. The issues were fair compensation and the cost burden of health insurance for teachers with families. We were on strike for a week. It was a difficult time for both families and teachers The resulting contract meant that the district has been able to attract terrific teachers. Sinc... more »

Anderson Cooper: This Teacher Has Something to Tell America… No to Parent Trigger !!! « Continuing Change

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 41 minutes ago
Anderson Cooper: This Teacher Has Something to Tell America… No to Parent Trigger !!! « Continuing Change: Anderson Cooper: This Teacher Has Something to Tell America… No to Parent Trigger !!! by gatorbonbc *Anderson Cooper wants teachers on his show. If you know me, you know I do not watch TV. I never even knew he had a show lol… but I applied anyway. I sent his show this statement:* *“I am a public school teacher and activist for public education. I joined with other parents and teachers around Florida last year to stop the parent trigger law. We have founded grassroots nonpro... more »

Grumpy Educators: Don't Cry for Me JC Penney.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Grumpy Educators: Don't Cry for Me JC Penney.: Don't Cry for Me JC Penney. Today I visited the local JC Penney store and happily purchased a pair of shoes on sale. What a deal! The salesperson was great, but prior to the end of the transaction asked if I wanted to donate 45 cents to Teach for America. I let her know that the question itself was upsetting to me. She gave me my receipt, told me about the online survey, and said I could voice my concern there. I did just that. Here's what I sent using the character limitations available. *Upon checkout, I was asked if I would like t... more »

UPDATE: Jersey Jazzman: It's All the Teachers' Fault

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: It's All the Teachers' Fault: A Suggestion For Randi Weingarten by Duke Here's some news about NBC's "Education Nation" via Diane Ravitch: Just in: An email that says, this is the panel for the parent engagement discussion at Education Nation. Maybe it is a joke. · Rep. George Miller · Randi Weingarten · Doreen Diaz, Desert Trails Parent Union (parent trigger takeover school in California) · Michelle Rhee · Joel Klein · Vanessa Bush Ford, Black Star Project/The National PTA No one should be surprised at this. Teachers are traditionally excluded from the majority of N... more »

Three fears about blended learning - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Three fears about blended learning - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Three fears about blended learning By Valerie Strauss The tech revolution has led many to see a future where students get their education through a blend of traditional learning in classrooms and instruction through computer or other tech device.. Here, John Merrow, veteran education reporter for PBS, NPR, and dozens of national publications, writes about this key concerns about blended learning. Merrow is president of Learning Matters, a non-profit media production company, and his latest book is *The I... more »