A KIPP Teacher On What Is Missing
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 feeling the state breathing down their necks these days) and my lesson plans have to account for every minute, and students must produce an \”exit ticket\” every day evaluating what they\’ve learned. Obviously, in high school English, this doesn\’t allow for the fact that you often realize what you\’ve learned a bit further
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 feeling the state breathing down their necks these days) and my lesson plans have to account for every minute, and students must produce an \”exit ticket\” every day evaluating what they\’ve learned. Obviously, in high school English, this doesn\’t allow for the fact that you often realize what you\’ve learned a bit further
Conservative Pundit: Rahm Got Rolled
Rick Hess of the American Enterprise Institute bluntly declares that Mayor Emanuel was defeated by CTU. Hess clearly prefers the Scott Walker style of crush-the-unions and take no prisoners.
His scorecard is interesting.
It is a good counterweight to those who say that CTU did not win enough concessions.
Remember this was a negotiation, not a battle to the death. The great thing about the strike was that it happened. Teachers got a spine and a voice. That’s the news
His scorecard is interesting.
It is a good counterweight to those who say that CTU did not win enough concessions.
Remember this was a negotiation, not a battle to the death. The great thing about the strike was that it happened. Teachers got a spine and a voice. That’s the news
Did President Obama Embrace the GOP Agenda?
The conservative think tank American Enterprise Institute has published a paper commending President Obama for standing up to teachers’ unions.
The paper compares President Obama’s support for school choice and evaluation of teachers by test scores as a “Nixon-to-China” paradigm shift.
In other words, the paper suggests, Obama’s education policy has done a full pivot, aligning it with the traditional GOP agenda.
Can anyone explain this?
The paper compares President Obama’s support for school choice and evaluation of teachers by test scores as a “Nixon-to-China” paradigm shift.
In other words, the paper suggests, Obama’s education policy has done a full pivot, aligning it with the traditional GOP agenda.
Can anyone explain this?
Edushyster Takes Down the New York Times
Edushyster writes brilliant satirical pieces about those wacky reformers.
In this essay, Edushyster asks whether why so many New York Times columnists have swallowed (or inhaled) the elixir of reformy ideas.
In this essay, Edushyster asks whether why so many New York Times columnists have swallowed (or inhaled) the elixir of reformy ideas.
A Hero of Public Education in Nashville
Amy Frogge, public school parent, ran for school board in Nashville.
She ran against a heavily funded candidate, who raised and spent $113,000, more than was ever spent for a school board race in Nashville. Frogge’s opponent was endorsed by “Mayor Karl Dean along with a host of special interest groups, ranging from the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce to the local teachers’ union to the education advocacy group Stand for Children. She enjoyed the support of a number of affluent charter school enthusiasts who funneled her $7,100 through a PAC called Great Public Schools. She even aired a series of television ads, virtually unheard of to land a seat on the school board.”
As the Nashville newspaper said, “It was a clear takedown of power brokers.”
Frogge was outspent 5-1.
But she was
She ran against a heavily funded candidate, who raised and spent $113,000, more than was ever spent for a school board race in Nashville. Frogge’s opponent was endorsed by “Mayor Karl Dean along with a host of special interest groups, ranging from the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce to the local teachers’ union to the education advocacy group Stand for Children. She enjoyed the support of a number of affluent charter school enthusiasts who funneled her $7,100 through a PAC called Great Public Schools. She even aired a series of television ads, virtually unheard of to land a seat on the school board.”
As the Nashville newspaper said, “It was a clear takedown of power brokers.”
Frogge was outspent 5-1.
But she was
Nashville Charter Outrage Grows
Commissioner Kevin Huffman ordered the Nasville school board to approve the Great Hearts charter school.
Four times the board turned it down, so Huffman is cutting $3.4 million from the district’s budget.
Even more ominous, he and Republican governor Haslam threaten to push legislation to create a state panel to authorize charters over the opposition of local boards.
This is the ALEC model legislation, in which the demand for privatization trumps local control.
Interesting that Tennessee Democrats spotted Huffman’s membership in the far-right “Chiefs for Change,” run by
Four times the board turned it down, so Huffman is cutting $3.4 million from the district’s budget.
Even more ominous, he and Republican governor Haslam threaten to push legislation to create a state panel to authorize charters over the opposition of local boards.
This is the ALEC model legislation, in which the demand for privatization trumps local control.
Interesting that Tennessee Democrats spotted Huffman’s membership in the far-right “Chiefs for Change,” run by
What Is Lean Production?
This teacher worked in a New York City public school that won high marks because of its use of teams.
It was an exemplar of “lean production.”
It did all the right things.
Teachers were constantly conferring.
Only problem: the kids weren’t learning.
Read this article and learn about lean production.
With the expanded use of business thinking in education, it’s coming your way.
It was an exemplar of “lean production.”
It did all the right things.
Teachers were constantly conferring.
Only problem: the kids weren’t learning.
Read this article and learn about lean production.
With the expanded use of business thinking in education, it’s coming your way.
One of the Best Articles About the Strike
by
This article was written by Dean Baker, a macroeconomist. It appeared in Al Jazeera. Baker is in no way influenced by the big-name pundits who disdain teachers.
This article was written by Dean Baker, a macroeconomist. It appeared in Al Jazeera. Baker is in no way influenced by the big-name pundits who disdain teachers.
To give you a flavor of the wisdom here, this is how it starts:
“We don’t know the final terms of the settlement yet, but it appears that the Chicago public school teachers managed to score a major victory over Rahm Emanuel, Chicago’s business-oriented mayor. Testing will not comprise as large a share in teachers’ evaluations as Emanuel had wanted; there will be a serious appeals process for teachers whom the school district wants to fire, and laid off teachers will have priority in applying for new positions.
“If these seem like narrow self-interested gains for the teachers and their union, think again. Teaching in inner
“We don’t know the final terms of the settlement yet, but it appears that the Chicago public school teachers managed to score a major victory over Rahm Emanuel, Chicago’s business-oriented mayor. Testing will not comprise as large a share in teachers’ evaluations as Emanuel had wanted; there will be a serious appeals process for teachers whom the school district wants to fire, and laid off teachers will have priority in applying for new positions.
“If these seem like narrow self-interested gains for the teachers and their union, think again. Teaching in inner
What Is The Mind Trust?
When I first read that The Mind Trust had proposed a sweeping reorganization of the Indianapolis public schools, I assumed it was another reform scheme to dismantle and privatize public education.
But I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, so I held my tongue. I decided to wait and see.
Today I received an invitation from The Mind Trust to hear one of the nation’s leading voucher advocates and all doubt was dispelled.
When I saw that the event was co-sponsored by the anti-teacher, anti-public school group “Stand for Children,”
Pennsylvania Cyber Charter In Deep Trouble
The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School is the largest in the state.
More than 11,000 students bringing in more than $10,000 each. Do the math. More than $110 million rolling in annually for a corporation that provides a computer and materials but no custodians or crossing guards or librarians or social workers or…you get the picture. What a business, and all those millions subtracted from public school budgets across the state.
A few months ago, the FBI
More than 11,000 students bringing in more than $10,000 each. Do the math. More than $110 million rolling in annually for a corporation that provides a computer and materials but no custodians or crossing guards or librarians or social workers or…you get the picture. What a business, and all those millions subtracted from public school budgets across the state.
A few months ago, the FBI
A Leader of CTU Thanks Us
Adam Heenan, a delegate for his school in the Chicago Teachers Union, thanks the readers of this blog for their many messages of support and solidarity. I urge you to read the link he provides to his blog:
Thank you all so much for the weeks of support messages sent our way via social and traditional media. It truly made the difference on my picket line, and was a topic of inspiration each of the seven days. I will be posting more at http://www.classroomsooth.wordpress.com when I get a chance to breathe, but now, I am reveling in
Thank you all so much for the weeks of support messages sent our way via social and traditional media. It truly made the difference on my picket line, and was a topic of inspiration each of the seven days. I will be posting more at http://www.classroomsooth.wordpress.com when I get a chance to breathe, but now, I am reveling in
When (Almost) Everyone Agrees to Bad Ideas
Valerie Strauss wrote a terrific piece about teacher evaluation in the Washington Post that whacked Rahm Emanuel and the New York Times sharply across their knuckles.
Mayor Emanuel wanted to impose the highest possible weight on test scores to evaluate teachers. The New York Times thinks it is a wonderful idea.
Strauss wrote:
“The Times can say that using standardized test scores to evaluate teachers is a sensible policy and Obama
Strauss wrote:
“The Times can say that using standardized test scores to evaluate teachers is a sensible policy and Obama
Rev. Jesse Jackson Gets It Right
Who is hurting the kids? Reverend Jesse Jackson knows.
A lot of pious preaching came from reformers who opposed the Chicago teachers’ strike. They said, “You are hurting the children by keeping them out of school.”
We never hear them say that the Mayor and the school board are hurting the children by denying them small
A lot of pious preaching came from reformers who opposed the Chicago teachers’ strike. They said, “You are hurting the children by keeping them out of school.”
We never hear them say that the Mayor and the school board are hurting the children by denying them small