Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-19-12 #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



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


@CTULocal1 members march for "student needs, not corporate greed!

Diane in the evening 9-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 minutes ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: *DIANE RAVITCH WEBSITE* *http://dianeravitch.com/about-diane/* What the CTU-CPS Contract Includes by dianerav Fred Klonsky summarized what the union won in the contract negotiations. This is the contract approved by 98% of the delegates. It will be submitted to the membership for final approval. Frankly, the biggest threat that lies ahead for the teachers is that Rahm Emanuel will continue closing schools and opening non-union charters. Given that he controls the school board, and given that he has a low opinion of public education, watch for continued priva... more »

Remainders: Ravitch declares teacher win regardless of contract | GothamSchools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 40 minutes ago
Remainders: Ravitch declares teacher win regardless of contract | GothamSchools: [image: save image] Remainders: Ravitch declares teacher win regardless of contractby Philissa Cramer, at 7:22 pm - Diane Ravitch: In Chicago, “regardless of the terms of the contract, the teachers won.” (DR’s Blog) - Throughout the strike, Rahm Emanuel gave the most access to the New York Times. (ChicagoMag) - A look back at 150 years of teachers union activity, from the NEA’s formation to Chicago. (Hechinger) - A 9-year-old rapper whose hit rails against sagging pants goes to ... more »

SCVP Training Schedule - Violence Prevention (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
SCVP Training Schedule - Violence Prevention (CA Dept of Education): SCVP Training ScheduleSchool Community Violence Prevention (SCVP) training schedule for bullying, crisis response, and safe school planning, which is funded through the SCVP program. ------------------------------ Contact a Safe Schools Training Regional Coordinator in your area for information on SCVP trainings. Bullying Prevention and Intervention Training sessions assist teachers, administrators, parents, students, certificated staff, risk management, and community members to increase their knowledge of the ... more »

Are Hartford Democrats turning their back on American Labor? - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Are Hartford Democrats turning their back on American Labor? - Wait, What?: Are Hartford Democrats turning their back on American Labor? by jonpelto As Wait, What? readers know, under the guise of the Governor Malloy’s “education reform” law, the City of Hartford has handed the Milner School (including all of its students and the school’s publicly funded budget) over to the Jumoke Academy. A quarter of Milner’s student population is not fluent in English and four in ten go home to households where English is not the primary language. On the other hand, Jumoke Academy, who is now in ... more »

Student Advisory: A Model for the 21st Century — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Student Advisory: A Model for the 21st Century — Whole Child Education: [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Student Advisory: A Model for the 21st Century September 19, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: William J Tolley] *Post written by William J. Tolley, instructional coach and head of history at the International School of Curitiba in Brazil. A graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University, he is a member of the current cohort in the Johns Hopkins/ISTE Supervision and Administration graduate certificate program. Connect with Tolley by e-mail at idealjetsam@gmail.com. Th... more »

Parents & Teachers Together for Our Kids CTU | Parents Sign Up

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
CTU | Parents Sign Up: *Parents & Teachers Together for Our Kids* [image: @CTULocal1 members march for "student needs, not corporate greed!] * * Thank you for your support in our fight for quality public education and a fair contract. Parents, students, teachers, PSRPs, and clinicians joined together to demand what our students need and deserve. Chicago Teachers Union members’ determination and your support during the strike forced the Board of Education to agree to: - Hire over 600 additional teachers in Art, Music, Phys Ed and other subjects - Maintain limits on class s... more »

A Look at the Deal that Ended the Chicago Teachers Strike | FDL News Desk

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
A Look at the Deal that Ended the Chicago Teachers Strike | FDL News Desk: A Look at the Deal that Ended the Chicago Teachers StrikeBy: David Dayen Wednesday September 19, 2012 10:58 am [image: Tweet]Tweet [image: digg] [image: stumbleupon] Dylan Matthews intends to wrap up the Chicago teachers strike with an assessment of what both sides got out of the contract “in one post.” Here’s a list, in one post, of some of the things he left out, culled mostly from what the CTU informed its members was in the contract. • Arts, music and physical education teachers: Over 600 additional t... more »

Hollywood Film Pushes Flawed Corporate Education Agenda | Common Dreams

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Hollywood Film Pushes Flawed Corporate Education Agenda | Common Dreams: Hollywood Film Pushes Flawed Corporate Education Agenda "Won't Back Down" pushes so-called "parent trigger" laws espoused by rightwing policy groups and privatization advocates by Mary Bottari and Sarah Jerving Well-funded advocates of privatizing the nation’s education system are employing a new strategy this fall to enlist support for the cause. The emotionally engaging Hollywood film “Won’t Back Down” -- set for release September 28 -- portrays so-called “Parent Trigger” laws as an effective mechanism for tr... more »

Parents Across America on HR2218, the “Empowering Parents Through Quality Charter Schools Act” | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Parents Across America on HR2218, the “Empowering Parents Through Quality Charter Schools Act” | Parents Across America: Parents Across America on HR2218, the “Empowering Parents Through Quality Charter Schools Act” by pureparents Why Public School Parents Oppose H.R. 2218 and Our Recommendations for Improving the Charter School Bill A Parents Across America Position Paper on the “Empowering Parents Through Quality Charter Schools Act” July 5, 2011 Parents Across America (PAA), a grassroots organization representing public school parents from across the United States, opposes the ... more »

Go Public: Film Project Gives 'Day in the Life' Perspective to Public Schools - Education - GOOD

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Go Public: Film Project Gives 'Day in the Life' Perspective to Public Schools - Education - GOOD: Go Public: Film Project Gives 'Day in the Life' Perspective to Public Schools [image: Liz Dwyer]LIZ DWYER Education Editor [image: pusd] Think you know what it's like to learn and work in a public school in the United States? Spend a little time watching Go Public, a film project that followed students, parents, volunteers, teachers, and school district staff in a suburban Los Angeles school district for one day last spring, and you'll see public education with fresh eyes. The projec... more »

HechingerEd Blog | The rise of teacher unions: A look at union impact over the years

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
HechingerEd Blog | The rise of teacher unions: A look at union impact over the years: The rise of teacher unions: A look at union impact over the years The Chicago teachers strike, which ended Tuesday after more than a week of protests and negotiations, has emphasized the power that teachers’ unions can have. Since the earliest days of unions, teachers have been fighting over some of the same issues in contention in Chicago: salaries, conditions at schools and tenure. A look at the history of unions and strikes shows how unions gained power, and their varying levels of success in ... more »

Van Roekel and Duncan Honor Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education | NEA Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Van Roekel and Duncan Honor Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education | NEA Today: Van Roekel and Duncan Honor Legacy of Brown v. Board of Education September 19, 2012 by twalker Filed under Featured News, Top Stories Leave a Comment * * *By Amy Buffenbarger* NEA President Dennis Van Roekel joined Secretary of Education Arne Duncan yesterday in Kansas for the*Education Drives America* bus tour. The first stop of the day was the Brown v. Board of Education historic site in Topeka to honor the U.S. Supreme Court case that ended legal segregation in the nation’s public schools. “We are al... more »

PRE-K DATA AVAILABLE IN FIRST-OF-ITS KIND DATABASE Includes Data on Publicly Funded Pre-K Programs at the School District Level

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Home: *PRE-K DATA AVAILABLE IN FIRST-OF-ITS KIND DATABASE Includes Data on Publicly Funded Pre-K Programs at the School District Level * * * * * * * * * * * Washington D.C. — The New America Foundation's *Federal Education Budget Project** *(FEBP) and *Early Education Initiative*jointly announce today an expansion of FEBP’s education funding database (*www.edbudgetproject.org*). The database now includes data on funding and enrollment for publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs. The new data include funding and enrollment for fiscal years 2007 through 2011 at the state and schoo... more »

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND HAPPINESS « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND HAPPINESS « Teachers Fight Back: DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND HAPPINESS by alkleen News item : Father – daughter dances and mother-son ballgames have been banned in a Rhode Island school district after a complaint from a single mom who said her daughter was prevented from attending a father-daughter dance in the Cranston Public Schools district. Apparently all my pleading for schools to establish a “Non Offending Hotline ” have been ignored, (see my previous posts on how to avoid offending anyone in a school). When will we ever learn ? What we need is a new governm... more »

Louisiana Educator: Fight Back Against Phony Destructive Reforms

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Fight Back Against Phony Destructive Reforms: Fight Back Against Phony Destructive Reforms by Michael Deshotels A couple of months ago I requested that educators, particularly those that had signed up for our “Defenders of Public Education” data base make it a point to meet with the legislators in their home districts to point out why Governor Jindal's reform legislation which was so hastily rammed through the legislature was already revealing its obvious flaws. Our concern was that many of the legislators who voted for this package may not have been fully aw... more »

The test whisperer Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » The test whisperer: The test whisperer by admin Can anyone really take this seriously? Guy is a rancher, develops a program to boost test scores based on how he relates to his horses. It has something to do with trust, but apparently a lot more to do with teaching to the lump of sugar. The Tribune reports that “school turnaround guru” Dennis Parker “insists that teachers cover all content in the state tests. Many do not, he said, because they follow textbooks that don’t include everything California students need to know.” U... more »

Democracy Now interviews Karen Lewis about the Chicago Teachers Union strike deal | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Democracy Now interviews Karen Lewis about the Chicago Teachers Union strike deal | Seattle Education: Democracy Now interviews Karen Lewis about the Chicago Teachers Union strike deal by seattleducation2011 Chicago Public School teachers are returning to the classroom today, nine days after launching their first strike in a quarter century. On Tuesday, 800 delegates of the Chicago Teachers Union voted overwhelmingly to suspend the strike to put an agreement with the city before the entire membership. The deal calls for a double-digit salary increase over the next three years, in... more »

Rahm, Edelman and Rauner got played for suckers. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Rahm, Edelman and Rauner got played for suckers. « Fred Klonsky: Rahm, Edelman and Rauner got played for suckers. by Fred Klonsky *Rahm’s big bucks pal, Bruce Rauner. Running for governor but played for a sucker.* CapitalFax’s Rich Miller writes in the Southtown: The Chicago Teachers Union, Edelman bragged last year, “will never be able to muster the 75 percent threshold necessary to strike.” He also claimed that the CTU took the deal without realizing the implications.One can’t help but wonder what Edelman was thinking last week as thousands of Chicago schoolteachers walked picke... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, September 19, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Mendocino Education Headlines *Wednesday, September 19, 2012* Monterey Peninsula USD to handle its own financial functionsDespite stern warnings from the county's top school official and a new county financial software system, Monterey Peninsula Unified School District's trustees will begin the process of separating most of their fiscal functions from the Monterey County Office of Education. Take-home netbooks open new worlds for Ballico studentsThe cutting edge of education technology booted up in Ballico School as excited six... more »

Rahm Gets Rolled: Chicago's Winners & Losers :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Rahm Gets Rolled: Chicago's Winners & Losers :: Frederick M. Hess: Rahm Gets Rolled: Chicago's Winners & Losers *by Frederick M. Hess • Sep 19, 2012 at 10:56 am Cross-posted from Education Week* * * * * The Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel reached a tentative agreement yesterday, and it wasn't a good day for Rahmbo or for would-be reformers. Today Democratic ed reformers will be cranking up their spin machines to explain why Rahm didn't really get rolled by the CTU. (And, let's be honest, Democrats account for about 90+ percent of both the education blob an... more »

» Health Contributions, Contract Length, Rehiring of Displaced Workers Among the Many CTU Victories in Chicago School Standoff

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
» Health Contributions, Contract Length, Rehiring of Displaced Workers Among the Many CTU Victories in Chicago School Standoff: Health Contributions, Contract Length, Rehiring of Displaced Workers Among the Many CTU Victories in Chicago School Standoff by Chaz Bolte The seven-and-change days long strike by the Chicago Teachers Union has ended with the CTU deciding to return to work after a majority of their 26,000 members supported a contract offer last night. The compromise agreement will be finalized in the upcoming weeks and will include a 7% increase in base salary over the ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Education Barreling Down The Wrong Path Towards Uselessness

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Education Barreling Down The Wrong Path Towards Uselessness: Education Barreling Down The Wrong Path Towards Uselessness by Anngie Every once in a while, someone's voice rises up and dares to speak the things that most ed reformers will never say. Today that voice belongs to Calvin Mackie author, speaker, former engineering professor and technology entrepreneur. He received a typical education from his New Orleans high school which resulted in his scoring low on the SAT. He ended up having to take special remedial classes to learn all the things his h... more »

Des Moines Education Association: It's Election Time!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Des Moines Education Association: It's Election Time!: It's Election Time! by Andrew Rasmussen September 27 is the first day that voters in Iowa can start voting by absentee ballot or at satellite voting stations. We hope every DMEA member votes in the upcoming election and encourage you to consider voting absentee. One of the benefits of casting an absentee ballot early is that your name will be taken off the calling lists of candidates and political parties! If you wish to vote by absentee ballot print off a copy of an absentee ballot request form (LINK), send it in, and in a few... more »

Andre Dunbar's Journey for Justice - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Andre Dunbar's Journey for Justice - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Andre Dunbar's Journey for Justice by Anthony Cody *Guest post by Andre Dunbar.* My name is Andre Dunbar. I am a senior at William L. Sayre High School in Philadelphia, and I am a student organizer with the Philadelphia Student Union. The Philadelphia Student Union is fighting back against school closures and the transformation plans we are seeing in Philadelphia and nationally. As students we don't want to see what other cities are seeing now--closures that that are hurting their communities. These c... more »

The Educated Reporter: Who Really Won in the Chicago Teachers' Strike?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
The Educated Reporter: Who Really Won in the Chicago Teachers' Strike?: Who Really Won in the Chicago Teachers' Strike? by Emily Richmond Students picket with striking Chicago school teachers outside Lane Tech College Prep High School Sept. 11, 2012, in Chicago. (Getty Images) Both the Chicago Teachers' Union and Mayor Rahm Emanuel are claiming some victories in the end of the strike that shut down the Windy City's schools for seven days. The teachers' strike -- the city's first in 25 years --ended late Tuesday after the union's delegates voted to return to work. According to the ... more »

Chicago strike ends, but debate continues over how we regard and treat teachers in America | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Chicago strike ends, but debate continues over how we regard and treat teachers in America | Get Schooled: Chicago strike ends, but debate continues over how we regard and treat teachers in America 9:56 am September 19, 2012, by Maureen Downey [image: A relieved Chicago sent its children back to school today as teachers agree to tentative contract. (AP Images)] A relieved Chicago sent its children back to school today as teachers agree to tentative contract. (AP Images) Today, 350,000 students return to school in Chicago where the striking teachers’ union has agreed to a tentative c... more »

Fox Won't Disclose News Corp. Testing Contracts At Heart Of The Chicago Teachers' Strike | Blog | Media Matters for America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Fox Won't Disclose News Corp. Testing Contracts At Heart Of The Chicago Teachers' Strike | Blog | Media Matters for America: Fox Won't Disclose News Corp. Testing Contracts At Heart Of The Chicago Teachers' StrikeBLOG ››› 56 MINUTES AGO ››› ROB SAVILLO 7 [image: Print] In 89 segments between September 10 and 16, Fox News reported on the Chicago Teachers Union's strike without disclosing its financial ties to the educational technology company administering the standardized tests with which the union takes issue. Fox News parent company News Corp. acquired a 90-percent stake in Wir... more »

Modern School: Research Shows: Evaluating Teachers Based on Student Tests is Bad for Students

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Modern School: Research Shows: Evaluating Teachers Based on Student Tests is Bad for Students:

Shanker Blog » Does It Matter How We Measure Schools' Test-Based Performance?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Shanker Blog » Does It Matter How We Measure Schools' Test-Based Performance?: Does It Matter How We Measure Schools’ Test-Based Performance? by Matthew Di Carlo In education policy debates, we like the “big picture.” We love to say things like “hold schools accountable” and “set high expectations.” Much less frequent are substantive discussions about the details of accountability systems, but it’s these details that make or break policy. The technical specs just aren’t that sexy. But even the best ideas with the sexiest catchphrases won’t improve things a bit unless they’re desig... more »

Hechinger Report | Blaming U.S. teachers for poor performance of students is not the answer

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Hechinger Report | Blaming U.S. teachers for poor performance of students is not the answer: Blaming U.S. teachers for poor performance of students is not the answer by Marc Tucker To some, the Chicago teachers’ strike that ended Tuesday proves what they’ve been saying all along: That the teachers and their unions, when you get right down to it, care more about protecting bad teachers, seniority and pay than they do about what is good for kids. So it’s no surprise that people who hold those views also think the most important reform we should pursue is to use standardized test resu... more »

Schools Matter: Journey for Education Justice Campaign

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Schools Matter: Journey for Education Justice Campaign: Journey for Education Justice Campaign by Jim Horn *ht to Stan Karp:* * * *“Journey for Justice” is a national campaign against school closings led by parents, youth and community activists. Supporters from more than a dozen states, including NJ, will head to Washington, DC this Thursday and Friday to highlight this issue and the need for alternative models of school improvement and transformation. Details and contact info below.* *Journey for Justice ** 2012* *The Ride for Education Justice** * *September 20-21 2012, Washingt... more »

Chicago school teachers give us all a lesson - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Chicago school teachers give us all a lesson - Opinion - Al Jazeera English: Chicago school teachers give us all a lesson Two-thirds of parents supported the Chicago school teachers' protest in spite of the inconvenience caused by the strike. Last Modified: 17 Sep 2012 10:13 inShare1 [image: Email Article] Email [image: Print Article] Print [image: Share article] Share [image: Send Feedback] Feedback [image: Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker] Firings based narrowly on test scores may cause "many dedicated and competent teachers to lose their jobs" [EPA] We don't know the final ter... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-19-12 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 KIPP Teacher On What Is Missing by dianerav A reader notes that all schools–whether charter or public–are driven in the wrong direction by the current obsession with test scores. High stakes testing distorts education and contorts it for data purposes. He/she comments: *I teach at a KIPP high school and have been thoroughly disillusioned and am looking to get out as soon as possible. We are absolutely driven by test scores (though I wouldn\’t say that\’s unique to KIPP; I think most schools are feelin... more »

Modern School: Chicago Teachers Strike Ends in Defeat for Teachers and Unions

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Modern School: Chicago Teachers Strike Ends in Defeat for Teachers and Unions: Chicago Teachers Strike Ends in Defeat for Teachers and Unions by Michael Dunn The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) voted today to end their strike. 98% of the 800 delegates voted in favor of ending the strike, according to the New York Times, though the union’s 26,000 members would still have to ratify the new contract, which could take several weeks. The new contract would give teachers a modest raise and prohibit merit pay, but it would also lengthen the work day by 90 minutes and require that 30% of te... more »

Ten minute drawing. Lewis for Mayor. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Ten minute drawing. Lewis for Mayor. « Fred Klonsky: Ten minute drawing. Lewis for Mayor. by Fred Klonsky Click on drawing to enlarge.

Is poverty destiny? Ideology vs. evidence in school reform - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Is poverty destiny? Ideology vs. evidence in school reform - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] Is poverty destiny? Ideology vs. evidence in school reform By Valerie Strauss At the center of the school reform debate is the role that poverty playsin student achievement, as explained well in the following post. It was written by Paul Thomas, an associate professor of education at Furman University in South Carolina. His newest book, “Ignoring Poverty in the U.S. — The Corporate Takeover of Public Education,” was recently published. A version of this post ... more »

Teachers Need To Find their Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Teachers Need To Find their Voice: Teachers Need To Find their Voice Participating in the excellent Twitter #edchat discussion at noon today I was reminded, no matter what the pundits say, how many intelligent, caring teachers there are. The discussion was lively and, as always, made me think. Today’s discussion centered on the question, “What is your opinion on the number one reason education reform is being blocked? As always, participants looked at the question from different perspectives, yet several threads emerged that troubled me. Teachers are afraid to be publically vocal w... more »

Chicago’s War on Education | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Chicago’s War on Education | Dailycensored.com: Chicago’s War on Education by stephenl Corrupt city officials and union bosses want teacher rights marginalized and kids denied education. It’s longstanding policy. War is waged on labor. Doing so harms parents and children. Public education’s future is up for grabs. A nearly four century American tradition is disappearing. It’s on the chopping block for elimination. It’s being commodified. It’s being handed to corporate predators. They’re concerned only about bottom line priorities. Teaching and learning don’t matter. On September 1... more »

Schools Matter: Access to books is not always enough: An example from Gate C-5

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Schools Matter: Access to books is not always enough: An example from Gate C-5: Access to books is not always enough: An example from Gate C-5 by skrashen Access to books is not always enough: An example from Gate C-5 Published as: Airport Amenities, Taipei Times, September 19, 2012 As a researcher who has investigated the role of self-selected leisure reading for the past three decades, I was, at first, very happy to see that there is a reading zone at the Taipei airport (at Gate C-5, Eva Airlines). Our research has concluded that leisure reading has a powerful effect on both fir... more »

NYC Educator: An Open Conversation, Even in Chicago, about Union Leadership?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
NYC Educator: An Open Conversation, Even in Chicago, about Union Leadership?: An Open Conversation, Even in Chicago, about Union Leadership? by Miss Eyre Listening to coverage of the now-concluded teachers' strike in Chicago on NPR on my way back to the 5 boroughs from the hinterlands yesterday, one thing really struck me in how the Chicago teachers discussed the CTU: the openness with which CTU members discussed Karen Lewis, President of the CTU. There is far from a universal opinion on how Lewis has handled the breakdown in contract negotiations and the strike, even though the C... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Rahm's billionaire Republican pal goes off on the CTU

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Rahm's billionaire Republican pal goes off on the CTU: Rahm's billionaire Republican pal goes off on the CTU by Mike Klonsky "The critical issue is to separate the union from the teachers. They're not the same thing." -- Bruce Rauner Yesterday it was Rupert Murdoch bag man, Joel Klein hating on the CTU. Today its Rahm's billionaire Republican pal Bruce Rauner who's in a rage over the teachers' strike victory. Rauner thinks that Rahm gave away the store in his negotiations with the union. According to the Tribune, *Rauner, a wealthy venture capit... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Strike Is Dead; Long Live the Strike!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Strike Is Dead; Long Live the Strike!: The Strike Is Dead; Long Live the Strike! by Duke There's one thing I've learned about Chicago during the teachers strike: the *Tribune* is a rag. So I'm linking to the*Sun-Times* for news about the suspension of the strike: The Chicago Teachers Union’s House of Delegates voted Tuesday to end its strike after seven days, meaning classes will be in session Wednesday for 350,000 Chicago Public Schools students. “Everybody is going back to school,” said Jay Rehak, a delegate from Whitney Young High School. Delegate Mike Bochn... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Back in school with heads held high

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Back in school with heads held high: Back in school with heads held high by Mike Klonsky Chicago Teachers Union delegates embrace after voting to end their strike. (Scott Olson, Getty Images / Who won? *They put on their red T-shirts and commanded the attention of the nation and the admiration of millions of teachers. Powerless no more, they showed that unity made them strong. Ninety-eight percent voted to authorize the strike, and 98% voted to end it... Regardless of the terms of the contract, the teachers won.* -- Diane Ravitch, Washington Post We ... more »

Schools Matter: Duncan Promotes Resegregationist Policies in Topeka

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Schools Matter: Duncan Promotes Resegregationist Policies in Topeka: Duncan Promotes Resegregationist Policies in Topeka by Jim Horn Breathtaking hubris and moral bankruptcyArne Duncan is on another bus tour to promote the corporate education schemes that pit Wall Street hedge funders and the corporate foundations against the children, teachers, and parents of America. Today Duncan made his most ironic stop yet, at Monroe School, Ground Zero for the fight against segregation in the early 1950s. Duncan's speech did not explain or even mention how his support for the unimpeded sprea... more »

CTU votes to suspend strike. A wheel inside a wheel. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
CTU votes to suspend strike. A wheel inside a wheel. « Fred Klonsky: CTU votes to suspend strike. A wheel inside a wheel. by Fred Klonsky *About 40 customers, religious activists and teachers gather before a quiet demonstration in support of a living wage for Peet’s employees.* This afternoon at about 5:15 the Chicago Teachers Union House of Delegates voted to suspend their strike and move on to have the rank-and-file members go over and then vote on the agreement. The members will vote on it at a later time. The House of Delegates voted to suspend the strike by an overwhelming 98%... more »

Some Educators Love The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Some Educators Love The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse | The Jose Vilson: Some Educators Love The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse by Jose Mickey Mouse Clubhouse As a new father, I’ve memorized the theme songs to every Disney Channel show from *Little Einsteins* to *Doc McStuffins*. Personally, I’m a fan of *Handy Manny* and *Octonauts*, but only because my son smiles so hard at “Creature report! Creature report!” Frankly, I can’t hate on any of the aforementioned shows because I watch them pseudo-religiously. Even *The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse* has its redeeming qualities. With characters that haven’... more »

Daily Kos: if you care about education and quality teaching

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Daily Kos: if you care about education and quality teaching: if you care about education and quality teaching by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) and want to be able to understand one of the key issues over which battles are being fought - including in the Chicago teachers' strike - you need to understand Value-Added Methodology, and why it is NOT a silver bullet. Fortunately for you, if you have 14 minutes, you can take advantage of the expertise of some professors oat Arizona State U (which has the nation's largest teacher preparation program - full disclosure, I have done some con... more »

Diane in the Evening 9-19-12 Chicago Teacher Strike Ends « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Can You Suggest Readings That Helped You? « Diane Ravitch's blog: Can You Suggest Readings That Helped You? by dianerav *http://dianeravitch.com/about-diane/* A reader asked for suggestions. I said I would ask for your ideas: My sister is an experienced teacher struggling to keep her chin up in an impoverished district serving children whose parents are non-English speaking or meth addicts. She and her staff want to form a book study group this year – looking for ways to enhance their professional practice and their children’s lives – wanting desperately to have positive and pro... more »

The Contemporary Condition: Transmission From The Front: The CTU Fight For the Future

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
The Contemporary Condition: Transmission From The Front: The CTU Fight For the Future: Transmission From The Front: The CTU Fight For the Future *Curt Maslanka* Chicago Teacher I will say this about myself. Many colleagues and I saw this strike coming several years ago. After Obama won the presidency in 2008, the anti-teacher rhetoric in the mainstream media skyrocketed. His campaign donors and the Gates and Walton Foundations knew he would give them the green light to scarf up as much of public education as they could in the biggest land grab since the Cherokee Strip. The... more »

Chicago Teachers' Strike Ends: comparison between teacher contracts from 2003, 2007, and the contract agreed upon today, below- Hispanically Speaking News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Chicago Teachers' Strike Ends: Classes to Resume Wednesday - Hispanically Speaking News: Chicago Teachers’ Strike Ends: Classes to Resume Wednesday The Chicago Teachers Union has reportedly called off their strike. Classes are to resume Wednesday after the Union’s roughly 800 delegates agreed to the latest contract proposal with the city. Chicago is home to the nation’s third largest school district. The teachers strike, which began last week, was the first in 25 years. Read more at the *Chicago Tribune*. See a comparison between teacher contracts from 2003, 2007, and the contract ag... more »

THE MESSAGES SENT BY THE CHICAGO STRIKE « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
THE MESSAGES SENT BY THE CHICAGO STRIKE « Teachers Fight Back: THE MESSAGES SENT BY THE CHICAGO STRIKE by alkleen I’m not sure what the Chicago teachers won and what they lost, but I do know what messages were sent loud and clear to the Chicago School Board, Mayor Emanuel, Superintendent Bizard, teachers across the country, and the forces that would destroy public school teachers and their unions. The Chicago teachers sent the following messages: 1. We are tired of being bullied and we’re not going to take it any longer. 2. We no longer trust administrators because of previous contr...more »

Teacher settles with school after being fired for pumping breast milk - The Denver Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Teacher settles with school after being fired for pumping breast milk - The Denver Post: Teacher settles with school after being fired for pumping breast milk POSTED: 09/18/2012 04:51:40 PM MDT UPDATED: 09/18/2012 05:24:38 PM MDT *By Megan Mitchell* *The Denver Post* A Jefferson County teacher who says she was fired for expressing breast milk at work won't ask for her job back, but a settlement in her claim against Rocky Mountain Academy of Evergreen sets precedent for other employers of working moms, the American Civil Liberties Union said Tuesday. "This case is really just o... more »

School Tech Connect: Cornell, Northwestern....

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Cornell, Northwestern....: Cornell, Northwestern.... by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) This guy's good at doubling down. You just keep repeating the message, and then it becomes true. She also questions where Urban Prep graduates go to college. I have her answer: Cornell University, Northwestern University, Georgetown University, Purdue University, Morehouse College, the University of Virginia and the University of Illinois are just a few of the colleges proud to enroll Urban Prep alumni. I have no doubt that kids from this charter have been accepted into th... more »

Chicago Teachers Union Votes to Suspend Strike | FDL News Desk

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Chicago Teachers Union Votes to Suspend Strike | FDL News Desk: Chicago Teachers Union Votes to Suspend Strike by David Dayen (photo: Kevin Gosztola) The Chicago Teachers Union has agreed to suspend its seven-day strike and return to work. Classes will resume for more than 350,000 students on Wednesday. This does not mean they have agreed to the contract submitted by the Chicago Public Schools, only that they will complete the strike action while reserving the right to walk out again if the final resolution doesn’t meet with their satisfaction. The decision was made by the 700-odd m... more »

Stupid Strike | District 299: The Inside Scoop on CPS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Stupid Strike | District 299: The Inside Scoop on CPS: Stupid Strike by Alexander Russo Stupid Strike by Alexander Russo The HOD has voted to end the strike, as you probably already know by now. Two extra days for ... a cooling off period, I guess. Lewis has spoken. Emanuel still to come. As with most contract negotiations, both sides got things important to them. At her press conference, Karen Lewis bragged about how CTU didn't have to "take" merit pay like in other cities. Indeed, reformers are disappointed in all the things Emanuel gave up or gave back. (They kept lanes!) I... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Why Chicago Strike Makes Reformies Nervous

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jersey Jazzman: Why Chicago Strike Makes Reformies Nervous: Why Chicago Strike Makes Reformies Nervous by Duke Uh-oh; the teachers in state-controlled Paterson are getting kinda... * uppity*. Watch Paterson Education Assoc. President Hopes to Avoid Walkout on PBS. See more from NJToday. Only working contract hours is called "work-to-rule." It is not pleasant; but in a state like New Jersey, where it is for all intents and purposes illegal to strike, it's one of the few options available. My guess is that the Paterson teachers and the union local are looking at the hit Chicago May... more »






Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-1-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-25-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-18-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post
Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-11-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-4-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post




Big Ed Ape Nite Cap Chicago Delegates Vote to Suspend Strike DAY #9 9-18-12 #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Ed Ape Nite Cap SPECIAL STRIKE EDITION DAY #8 9-17-12 #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Ed Ape Nite Cap SPECIAL STRIKE EDITION DAY #7 9-16-12 #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Ed Ape Nite Cap SPECIAL STRIKE EDITION DAY #6 9-15-12 #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

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Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-10-12 #faircontractnow #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-6-12 #DNC2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-5-12 #DNC2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-4-12 #DNC2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-2-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-1-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-31-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-30-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-29-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-28-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-27-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-26-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-25-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-23-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2