Big Education Ape: Big Ed Ape - Morning Wink 10-13-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Big Ed Ape - Morning Wink 10-13-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-13-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 minutes ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: *LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-13-12 Diane Ravitch's blog* A State Board Member Joins the Honor Roll by dianerav Carolyn Hill ran for a seat on the Louisiana state education board as a reformer. But after she assumed office, she realized that “reform” was intended to privatize the public schools, not improve them. For having the wisdom and courage to see beyond the rhetoric; for speaking out and acting on behalf of children and educators, Carolyn Hill joins our honor roll as a hero of public education. Commentary: In Louisiana, trickery is disguised as school r... more »

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 minutes ago

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky *John Dillon discusses Executive Director Richard Ingram. Is Ingram a victim of Stockholm Syndrome?* We are one hour earlier here across the Lake. So my radio interview on WCPT (“Chicago’s Progressive Talk”) that was scheduled for 7AM was 8AM for me. Shower. Made some coffee I took care of Ulysses. Let him out for his morning piss. Fed him. I had to delay his morning walk until after the radio show. I was only on for less than ten minutes. The host asked a question about the Constitutional Amendment that will be... more »

Schools Matter: The Meducation Letters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 minutes ago

Schools Matter: The Meducation Letters: The Meducation Letters by skrashen Both letters published in the NY Times about “meducation” (Stephen Colbert’s term) missed the point: Here is a little of the original article, the two letters that were published, and the three that were not published: The article (introduction only): By ALAN SCHWARZ CANTON, Ga. — When Dr. Michael Anderson hears about his low-income patients struggling in elementary school, he usually gives them a taste of some powerful medicine: Adderall. The pills boost focus and impulse control in children with attenti... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Do You Understand the Math Your Children are Learning?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 25 minutes ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Do You Understand the Math Your Children are Learning?: Do You Understand the Math Your Children are Learning? by stlgretchen How can a student "think like a mathematician" if the student doesn't understand mathematical facts? Barry Garelick writes in The Atlantic about math reform and the need for a revolution in how it's taught in public education classrooms. From *It's Not Just Writing: Math Needs a Revolution, Too:* I first became aware of it (mathematics education) over 10 years ago when I saw what passed for math instruction in my daughter's sec... more »

Bullied Teen Commits Suicide, Leaves Behind Heartbreaking Video | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago

Bullied Teen Commits Suicide, Leaves Behind Heartbreaking Video | toteachornototeach: Bullied Teen Commits Suicide, Leaves Behind Heartbreaking Video by aristotlethewise *Bullied Teen Commits Suicide, Leaves Behind Heartbreaking Video* A Canadian teen who posted a video to YouTube detailing her heart-wrenching story of being mercilessly bullied took her own life Wednesday night. Amanda Todd’s body was discovered in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, where she lived. She would have turned 16 next month. Police are investigating the teen’s death. Todd uploaded the nearly nine-minute vi... more »

Best Practices Make Purrfect | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago

Best Practices Make Purrfect | EduShyster: Best Practices Make Purrfect by edushyster2012 Charter schools and kittens are both purrfect and have many best practices which they can be encouraged to share with the appropriate material incentives. The subject of today’s EduShyster lesson is best practices. Which means that if you are a traditional, “low-expectations” teacher, this subject will hold no interest for you. (I happen to have it on excellent authority that your 600 page iron clad union contracts expressly ban best practices from school grounds). I invite you to check back i... more »

Ed Notes Online: MORE/CTS/Parent Voices Members Featured in NY Times Article on Testing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago

Ed Notes Online: MORE/CTS/Parent Voices Members Featured in NY Times Article on Testing: MORE/CTS/Parent Voices Members Featured in NY Times Article on Testing by ed notes online *“I want my school to use tests to help instruction, to help find out if kids don’t know fractions,” she said. “I don’t want my child to feel like her score will decide if her teacher has a job or not. -- NY Times article* Excellent NYT article on growing opt-out movement here in NYC where two groups, Change the Stakes (an outgrowth of GEM's testing committee that has taken on a life of its own) and Paren... more »

Seminal Myths of Public School “Reform” | The G Bitch Spot

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 33 minutes ago

Seminal Myths of Public School “Reform” | The G Bitch Spot: Seminal Myths of Public School “Reform” by G Bitch Why education reform may be doomed. Salon, 10/13/12. Some of my teachers were superb, some not so, but with backgrounds like ours, Klein and I would probably have succeeded no matter what shortcomings our schools might have had. The major one, that neither race nor class nor disability “matter” if the teacher is “of high quality,” is anti-reality. Race matters. It only seems to “not matter” to those who ignore the privilege of whiteness, a privilege that may give you a ... more »

Can Superintendents Raise Test Scores? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 55 minutes ago

Can Superintendents Raise Test Scores? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Can Superintendents Raise Test Scores? by larrycuban *John Deasy, who was appointed superintendent of the 672,000-student Los Angeles district in January, will be evaluated … on improvement in the graduation rate, student proficiency and attendance. But he also has the opportunity to earn up to $30,000 in bonuses if the district sees an 8 or more percentage point increase in 3rd-grade scores on the state’s reading test, the percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced in 9th-gr... more »

It’s True: The FBI Urged Martin Luther King to Commit Suicide « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 58 minutes ago

It’s True: The FBI Urged Martin Luther King to Commit Suicide « Student Activism: It’s True: The FBI Urged Martin Luther King to Commit Suicide by Angus Johnston Earlier this morning, the UberFacts Twitter account posted the following tweet: A letter was discovered in which the FBI urged Martin Luther King to commit suicide. — UberFacts (@UberFacts) October 13, 2012 I learned about it a little while later because of a weird spike in my traffic — though the story is well documented and has appeared in a number of scholarly works it’s not particularly well known, and a post that I ... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 10-13-12

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit* CHICAGO SCHOOLS CHIEF STEPS DOWN AFTER 17 MONTHS THAT ENDED WITH TEACHER STRIKE smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 10 hours ago ALSO SEE: Another Broadie Fails+Falls: BRIZARD OUT IN CHICAGO |http://bit.ly/WYNePM By STEVEN YACCINO, New York Times |http://nyti.ms/RE8xms October 13, 2012 | CHICAGO:: Just three weeks after a teacher strike here that kept 350,000 children from their classrooms, the head of the city’s public schools system has chosen to step down, Mayor ... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 10-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * The Marshmallow Study revisited Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 1 day ago * Delaying gratification depends as much on nurture as on nature* For the past four decades, the "marshmallow test" has served as a classic experimental measure of children's self-control: will a preschooler eat one of the fluffy white confections now or hold out for two later? Now a new study demonstrates that being able to delay gratification is influenced as much by the environment as by innate ability. Children who ex... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 10-13-12 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] Sacramento Bee Calls On CA PTA To Contain Molly Munger Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 1 day ago The campaign to fund or, in Molly Munger’s case, de-fund public education in California continues. Here are some excerpts from today’s Sacramento Bee’s editorial: The California PTA and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson are the most prominent supporters of ... more »

4 Ways We Can Connect With Parents | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

4 Ways We Can Connect With Parents | Connected Principals: 4 Ways We Can Connect With Parents by George Couros cc licensed ( BY ) flickr photo shared by familymwr Recently I was asked about the idea of using specialized software to connect with parents so that they can login, see all of their child’s grades, marks, assignments, homework, and a ton of other information. Although I believe that these systems are designed to help make our systems transparent and ensure that we connect with kids, are they really effective for learning and improving our relationships with parents? If ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Homework: Training For Blind Obedience

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Homework: Training For Blind Obedience: Homework: Training For Blind Obedience by Duke *Auguste Renoir: total slacker.* Leave it to the French to put homework into proper perspective: French President Francois Hollande has been making good on a slew of campaign promises since taking office—like this, and this, and this—and now he's making headlines as he turns to education. The reason? He pledged this week to ban homework, reports France24. "Work should be done at school, rather than at home,” he said, adding that students who don't get much help from their paren... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-12-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: This Principal Is a Hero of Public Education by dianerav No one has been more active in opposing untested evaluation methods than high school principal Carol Burris. Burris was a key figure in organizing New York principals to oppose the state’s test-based evaluation system, which has never been validated or worked anywhere. Burris has written articles frequently. She is tireless. I visited her school, South Side High School in Rockville Center, Long Island. It is an excellent and beloved community school that serves all the children of the community. it has no... more »

Big Education Ape - SPECIAL TGIF Mid Day Banana Break 10-12-12 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago

*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* Please Help a Deserving Candidate by dianerav A reader asked the other day if there was anything he could do for me. The answer is yes. Please send a contribution to Karran Harper Royal of New Orleans, a parent leader who is running for school board. I met Karran in New York City a year ago, and she explained what a farce “choice” is in Nola. “There’s one choice they deny every parent,” she said, “and that’s the choice to send your child to a neighborhood public Edushyster Unmasks the Miracle Rephormers by dianerav You need to sit down b... more »

Maryland Question 7 Pits Casino Against Casino In Debate On Education Dollars

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Maryland Question 7 Pits Casino Against Casino In Debate On Education Dollars: Maryland Question 7 Pits Casino Against Casino In Debate On Education Dollars by Joy Resmovits NEW YORK -- In the latest chapter of the Maryland gambling fights, it's casino vs. casino. A group called "Get the Facts Vote No on 7" will air an advertisement on television this weekend that argues against Question 7, Gov. Martin O'Malley's (D) ballot initiative that would allow table games at Maryland casinos and enable the creation of a new casino in Prince George's County. The ad joins a deluge of othe... more »

Ghost in the Machine | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Ghost in the Machine | Truth in American Education: Ghost in the Machine by Jenni White And this, my friends, is how it’s done. This is how Progressives/Liberals have changed America right in front of our faces – right before our very eyes. Recently, EdWeek ran this article, “National Service Can ignite School Turnaround Efforts”. “Oh, this sounds great!” you think as you begin to read. After all, what in the world could possibly be bad about “turning around” schools? We all know they are in horrible shape! Yes, yes, sending workers from the community out into the community t... more »

Louisiana Educator: Letter to the President

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: Letter to the President: Letter to the President by Michael Deshotels *To my readers:* *The following is a letter I am sending on behalf of myself and many Louisiana teachers to president Obama as part of a campaign sponsored by Diane Ravitch from her blog and Anthony Cody of the blogLiving in Dialog. I am urging any educator who would like to write a letter to the President to do so by sending a copy to Anthony Cody at the email address ** anthony_cody@hotmail.com**. Please send it before the deadline of October 17 so it can be included in the package to be ... more »

How Many is Too Many? « PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

How Many is Too Many? « PWC Education Reform Blog: How Many is Too Many? by pwceducationreform How Many is Too Many?October 12, 2012 — pwceducationreform [image: Image courtesy of LIFE magazine & Joe Munro.] Image courtesy of LIFE magazine & Joe Munro. No, this picture is not a PWCS classroom, but for many parents and teachers, the image isn’t far off. Many parents and teachers were shocked this year by the number of students in their children’s classrooms. Apparently PWCS planning was also surprised as some schools started the year with insufficient desks and chairs, and many scho... more »

Malala: One Courageous Voice We All Need to Listen to - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Malala: One Courageous Voice We All Need to Listen to - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard: [image: Lily's Blackboard Rotating Header Image] Malala: One Courageous Voice We All Need to Listen to Oct 12th, 2012 by Lily. Malala Yousafzal is fourteen years old and lies unconscious in a hospital room with a bullet wound to her head. Taliban militants targeted this beautiful, delicate little girl for death. They stopped her school bus filled with giggling girls on their way to class in Pakistan. They boarded the bus and demanded her by name. Someone pointed her out, and a man shot ... more »

STOP THE GOP FROM HACKING OUR ELECTIONS/COVER LETTER TO ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL/CIVIL RIGHTS/VOTING - DELIVERED with PETITION full text

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

TwitLonger — When you talk too much for Twitter: STOP THE GOP FROM HACKING OUR ELECTIONS/COVER LETTER TO ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL/CIVIL RIGHTS/VOTING - DELIVERED with PETITION full text October 9, 2012 The Honorable Thomas E. Perez Assistant Attorney General The United States Justice Department Civil Rights Division 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20530 Dear Sir: This letter covers a Petition signed by U.S. Citizens from every State in the United.States. They are distraught about the status of elections in the United States. They are appalled at the prevalence of m... more »

Educational summit targeting homeless students to be held tomorrow | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Educational summit targeting homeless students to be held tomorrow | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Educational summit targeting homeless students to be held tomorrowby thenotebook on Oct 10 2012 Posted in Latest news - COMMENTS (0)PRINT - EMAIL[image: ""] Tags: - after-school programs - student rights *By Charlotte Pope* [image: Homeless Family] * * * * More than 5,000 students are reported homeless annually in Philadelphia, and in Pennsylvania, only 40 percent of kids experiencing homelessness graduate from high school, according to the People’s Emerge... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Foreign investment pouring in for charter schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Foreign investment pouring in for charter schools: Foreign investment pouring in for charter schools by Mike Klonsky Reuters reports that wealthy individuals from as far away as China, Nigeria, Russia and Australia are spending tens of millions of dollars to build classrooms, libraries, basketball courts and science labs for American charter schools. *In Buffalo, New York, foreign funds paid for the Health Sciences Charter School to renovate a 19th-century orphanage into modern classrooms and computer labs. In Florence, Arizona, overseas investm... more »

Schools Matter: Expressing a Patriotic Core

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Schools Matter: Expressing a Patriotic Core: Expressing a Patriotic Core by Storm The intention of this post is to examine the brief "persuasive," personal narrative (fiction) and promotional piece in*The Atlantic Monthly* titled "How Self-Expression Damaged My Students" by Robert Pondiscio. Of course, it's hardly worth doing as it carries nothing but assertion and anecdote, exactly the sort of thing one ought to be opposed to when discussing how to analyse writing as an informational conveyance with very rigid rules for construction. And as Pondiscio seems only able to compose ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN TODAY'S MAIL

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: IN TODAY'S MAIL: IN TODAY'S MAIL by Mike Klonsky Hello all. Please consider coming and bringing students to this event: I've been assisting the 19th Ward Parents in hosting a forum on standardized testing and how to opt-out, to be held at Saint Xavier University, 7-8:30 pm, Friday, November 2. Monty Neill will keynote, and his talk will be followed by a panel including Julie Woestehoff from PURE, Jackson Potter and more. The focus will be on parents' and children's legal rights vis-a-vis school testing. Thanks to CreATers who authored the research b... more »

Bill Gates, other billionaires funding charter effort in Washington state

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Bill Gates, other billionaires funding charter effort in Washington state: Bill Gates, other billionaires funding charter effort in Washington state Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 12, 2012 at 11:25 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Bill Gates (Jeffrey MacMillan/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST) To get an understanding of how America’s wealthiest people are using some of their fortunes to drive school reform, take a look at a list of the contributors to the pro-charter school initiative on the Wash... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: What We Learn Going 100% Digital

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: What We Learn Going 100% Digital: What We Learn Going 100% Digital by Anngie Hewlett Packard began creating computers over forty years ago. They entered the e-reader market almost six years ago and remain a consistent supplier of digital connectivity. Therefore they have great reason to be excited about Arne Duncan's latest comment about digital text books. “Over the next few years, textbooks should be obsolete,” said Duncan in an interview with the Associated Press. He has pledged to do away with printed the books in the coming years in favor of digi... more »

Rephormy Little Liars | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Rephormy Little Liars | EduShyster: Rephormy Little Liars by edushyster2012 *What Joel Klein’s “life story” tells about about Education Reform, Inc.* Low Expectations High Schools, which Joel Klein attended. A teacher rescued Klein from near certain mediocrity and launched him on his life-long crusade—against teachers. So Joel Klein’s father was not an illiterate turd farmer who once tore up the pages of young Joel’s only book and smoked them in his corn cob pipe—what’s the big deal??? When you are literally trying to close the achievement gap with your own bare hands, facts have a t... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Stephen Colbert on medicating kids rather than providing them with the resources -- and smaller classes -- that they need

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Stephen Colbert on medicating kids rather than providing them with the resources -- and smaller classes -- that they need: Stephen Colbert on medicating kids rather than providing them with the resources -- and smaller classes -- that they need by Leonie Haimson On Tuesday, there was a stunning article in the NY Times by Alan Schwarz, showing how many doctors are prescribing amphetamines to children, not because they have ADHD, but to try to counteract the inadequate conditions in their schools: “I don’t have a whole lot of choice,” said Dr. Anderson, a... more »

President of the Board of Regents resigns - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

President of the Board of Regents resigns - Wait, What?: President of the Board of Regents resigns by jonpelto *OUT!*“After taking some time to think about what is in the best interest of our state and this new organization, our colleges and universities, the faculty, staff, presidents and, of course, our students, I have decided to submit my resignation to Board Chairman Lewis J. Robinson this morning,” Robert Kennedy, Outgoing President of the Board [...] Last bipartisan legislative call for a resignation – was about John Rowland. by jonpelto The latest development in the “Regent... more »

RheeFirst! » Campaign for America’s Future: Rhee is Education’s Ann Coulter

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

RheeFirst! » Campaign for America’s Future: Rhee is Education’s Ann Coulter: Campaign for America’s Future: Rhee is Education’s Ann Coulter by admin Written by Jeff Bryant for the Campaign for America’s Future. Read the entire post here. *“Although Rhee heads an organization called Students First, most of what she actually does is to advocate for specific types of legislation, i.e. lobby. In Chicago, Washington DC, New York City, and numerous state capitals, Students First has focused its considerable resources—including many hundreds of thousands in donations to candidates for... more »

Debate on Success of New Orleans Recovery District « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Debate on Success of New Orleans Recovery District « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Debate on Success of New Orleans Recovery District by millerlf *New Orleans Education Reform: Pass or Fail?* By Jill Anderson 04/24/2012 ASKWITHFORUMS Do the numbers on New Orleans schools lie? It depends on who you ask. At a heated Askwith Forum, “New Orleans Education Reform: Pass or Fail?” participants went head-to-head debating issues like academic achievement, special education, teacher firings and unions, and governance. *Time* columnist and EduWonk blogger Andy Rotherham moderated... more »

FCMAT UPDATE » Cali Education Headlines Friday, October 12, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *California PTA Please Tell Molly Munger to* *Shut the H*ll UP* Education Headlines *Friday, October 12, 2012* Lincoln Unified OKs drug testingLincoln Unified's school board approved a mandatory random drug-testing policy for its athletes and cheerleaders late Wednesday. District could face severe budget cutsThe Murrieta Valley Unified School District is facing a deficit of at least $11 million for next year, and that could rise to $21 million based on the results of the November election, said Stacy Coleman, assistant superinte... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-12-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] HOW TO JOIN THE CAMPAIGN FOR OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS by dianerav As a result of many comments on this blog, and in response to a great yearning to raise our voices, many teachers, parents, students, administrators and concerned citizens plan to join together in a mass letter-writing campaign to the President. We want all letters submitted here to this blog or to Anthony Cody no later than October 17. You may write to the White House directly, and the mail address is in the instructions link. But if you do, yo... more »

Is Teacher Quality a Bigger Influence Than Poverty? New Joel Klein Biography Sheds Some Light | Re:education in Baltimore

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Is Teacher Quality a Bigger Influence Than Poverty? New Joel Klein Biography Sheds Some Light | Re:education in Baltimore: Is Teacher Quality a Bigger Influence Than Poverty? New Joel Klein Biography Sheds Some Light by Edit Barry New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan visit with students at Explore Charter School in Brooklyn, N.Y. By U.S. Department of Education [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons Joel Klein may be the mastermind behind the meme that teacher quality, not a student’s socioe... more »