Big Education Ape: Big Ed Ape - Morning Wink 10-2-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Big Ed Ape - Morning Wink 10-2-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK AM POSTS

Reformers Could Use a History Lesson – SchoolBook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago

Reformers Could Use a History Lesson – SchoolBook: Reformers Could Use a History Lesson by Sonia E. Murrow We are teacher educators who have one eye on schooling in the present and the other on the history of education. We can’t help noticing that while many contemporary reform proposals are presented as radically novel, in fact, they have historical precedents. For example, supporters of school vouchers rarely acknowledge that Southern legislatures initiated voucher programs to fund white students’ attendance at private schools that were exempt from the Brown v Board of Education ... more »

Oct 2 2012: Team Vallas continues to take Bridgeport teachers off teaching duties to apply textbook barcodes - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago

Oct 2 2012: Team Vallas continues to take Bridgeport teachers off teaching duties to apply textbook barcodes - Wait, What?: Oct 2 2012: Team Vallas continues to take Bridgeport teachers off teaching duties to apply textbook barcodes by jonpelto *File this one under, How do these school administrators keep their jobs?* Team Vallas watchers will recall that earlier this year, Bridgeport purchased more than $10 million in new textbooks. And over the last six weeks, Bridgeport teachers have spent literally hundreds of hours putting barcodes on those books so that they could finally be ... more »

Modern School: 40 Years of Declining Wages & Living Conditions

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

Modern School: 40 Years of Declining Wages & Living Conditions: 40 Years of Declining Wages & Living Conditions by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Increased productivity (i.e., goods and services produced per hour worked) is the theoretical basis for improved living standards under capitalism. This is because with increased productivity employees can work fewer hours to accomplish more and/or earn more money per hour worked since they are producing more. However, it is only in theory that their living standards improve since their compensation and working conditions (incl... more »

A Call to Reclaim the Banner of Reform - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago

A Call to Reclaim the Banner of Reform - Bridging Differences - Education Week: A Call to Reclaim the Banner of Reform by Pedro Noguera My Dear Deb, While I appreciate a good debate I can't let you put me in the position of being regarded as anti-teacher or anti anti-teacher union. I have too long a history of defending teachers and their unions in print, in speech, and in action. I have also written about the role of teachers in school reform, and I have nothing but praise for the Chicago Teachers Union. I know that like the United Federation of Teachers in New York, they are th... more »

Bullying Resources, Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Bullying Resources, Education : - [image: KCRA-KCRA.com] KCRA 3 to air one-hour bullying special Bullying, it’s not a one size fits all problem and there are no easy solutions. But it’s a problem that can no longer be ignored. [image: Yoursphere Logo] Cyberbullying: 5 Steps to combating, documenting While starting a new school year can be exciting and fun, it can also be tough for children of any age -- dealing with new teachers and new students, and continuing the friendships (and rivalries) that they formed during the previous year. But these days it... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Banda's Letter to APP Families

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Banda's Letter to APP Families: Banda's Letter to APP Families by Charlie Mas Superintendent Banda has sent a letter to APP @ Lincoln families that outlines the plans for north-end elementary APP. The letter also reveals a lot about the District's process. The letter reads, in part: Specifically regarding the APP program, I want to provide the following updates: - APP students will remain at Lincoln for the next five school years, including this year. - If BEX IV is approved, staff recommend moving the current north end APP element... more »

Diane Ravitch Talks School Reform, the Chicago Strike, and the "Testing Vampire"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch Talks School Reform, the Chicago Strike, and the "Testing Vampire": *Diane Ravitch Talks School Reform, the Chicago Strike, and the "Testing Vampire"* ABBY RAPOPORT OCTOBER 1, 2012 Diane Ravitch is famous for two things: championing the education reform movement, then leading the opposition to it. The movement, which broadly supports an agenda that emphasizes student assessment (a.k.a. testing) and school choice (a.k.a. charter schools), has come to dominate American education policy. For the most part, both Democrats and Republicans now push to make school syst... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-2-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Michelle Rhee’s Plan to Destroy Public Education by dianerav Michelle Rhee is is a one-person PAC. She is raising hundreds of millions of dollars from rightwing billionaires and foundations and corporations to subsidize her program. What is her program? Destroy teachers’ unions; eliminate tenure and seniority; privatize public education. Having failed to transform the public schools of the District of Columbia, she now wants to privatize public education everywhere. When I was in Chattanooga, Tennessee, I... more »

State senator on why he opposes amendment: Best charter schools are those approved by local boards, not state. | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

State senator on why he opposes amendment: Best charter schools are those approved by local boards, not state. | Get Schooled: State senator on why he opposes amendment: Best charter schools are those approved by local boards, not state. by Maureen Downey [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Yesterday, I posted *a pro charter amendments piece by two Georgia House members*. Now, here is a piece in opposition by a Senate member, state Sen. Steve Henson of DeKalb, the leader of the Senate Democratic Caucus. By Steve Henson As we approach the Nov. 6th general el... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Current TV on Parent Trigger and "Won't Back Down"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Current TV on Parent Trigger and "Won't Back Down": Current TV on Parent Trigger and "Won't Back Down" by Leonie Haimson Check out "Public MisEducation": the Young Turks with Cenk Uygur, from Current TV on the "Parent Trigger," the propaganda film "Won't Back Down" and its producer, right-wing privateer Philip Anschutz. Popout

Defending Teachers and Teaching | California Progress Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Defending Teachers and Teaching | California Progress Report: Defending Teachers and Teaching by callen *By Mark Naison* Every day, for the past year, I have posted something on Facebook, or on With A Brooklyn Accent, to uplift the morale of teachers I am in touch with, in every part of this nation, who feel demoralized by the relentless pressure they feel to solve problems not of their making. Sometimes I tell stories about great teachers; sometimes I make fun of teachers' enemies; sometimes I tell stories which reveal that that racism and poverty are so deeply rooted in our histo... more »

Why We Sing : blue cheddar

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Why We Sing : blue cheddar: Why We Sing by Worley Dervish As an ever-more-deeply-invested participant in the Solidarity Sing Along, I’ve been thinking lately about why we sing, why we’ve chosen this particular form of expression. Just what’s going on here? Why do we keep coming back? What exactly are we accomplishing? I don’t think of what we do as protest, because it’s so much more than that. Certainly there are plenty of things going on in our state worthy of protest. But our singing is also a communal affirmation of our hopes, our values, our longing for justice, truth, and de... more »

Guide For Principals To Screw Teachers southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

http://www.southbronxschool.com: Guide For Principals To Screw Teachers by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) A very interesting item came across the SBSB news desk over the weekend. Apologies if this information we have is already known. In 2010 NYC DOE very well paidconsultant and retired principal, Joseph Belesi presented some workshops on how principals can be rid of tenured teachers. Entitled, "Performance Management," Belesi and his cronies presented a treasure trove to principals. A step by step guide on how to get rid of "incompetent" teachers. The Crack Team is in posses... more »

NYC Educator: ATR Spotlight on Movies

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

NYC Educator: ATR Spotlight on Movies: ATR Spotlight on Movies by NYC Educator *By special guest film reviewer Suddenly ATR* In light of the recent Chicago Teacher Union strike and the film Won't Back Down, I recently re-watched a movie that showed many of the problems of the Chicago public school education system but didn't manage to demonize anyone. What movie was this? None other than the classic documentary "Hoop Dreams." Hoop Dreams was released in 1994 but it feels like it could have been shot today. I won't bore anyone with the details of the movie, since it is so well-kno... more »

CAN LAUSD DYSFUNCTION CONTINUE IF PROPOSITIONS 30 & 38 FAIL? - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

CAN LAUSD DYSFUNCTION CONTINUE IF PROPOSITIONS 30 & 38 FAIL? - Perdaily.com: CAN LAUSD DYSFUNCTION CONTINUE IF PROPOSITIONS 30 & 38 FAIL? by Leonard Isenberg [image: Pat Brown.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)* *Prop 30 & 38 are a Sophie's Choice: Either pass one or both of these flawed propositions to supposedly bail out a purposefully de-funded public education system made so by the richest in this state and the oil industry not *

Evergreen Park teachers hit the bricks over salary and evaluations. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Evergreen Park teachers hit the bricks over salary and evaluations. « Fred Klonsky: Evergreen Park teachers hit the bricks over salary and evaluations. by Fred Klonsky Union teachers in Evergreen Park, a south suburban working class school district, are walking the picket lines this morning. It is the third Chicago area teacher strike in the past month. Highland Park and Crystal Lake may be next. They follow Lake Forest. And of course, Chicago. The strike is over two issues. Salary and benefits are a usual sticking point in negotiations. Evergreen Park has Tony at the Red Line Ta... more »

On Junot Diaz, The Kennedy Center and Affirmative Action [Latino History Series] | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

On Junot Diaz, The Kennedy Center and Affirmative Action [Latino History Series] | The Jose Vilson: On Junot Diaz, The Kennedy Center and Affirmative Action [Latino History Series] by Jose Junot Diaz An awesome thing happened today when Junot Diaz, author of the meritorious and raw *The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao* and more recently *This Is How You Lose Her*, won the MacArthur Award / Grant. As a fellow Dominican, my initial thought was, “Watch how many new cousins, aunts, and former lovers he suddenly has after the news breaks out.” My second, and more important, thought w... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Test-based evals, 'merit" pay at issue in Evergreen Park strike

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Test-based evals, 'merit" pay at issue in Evergreen Park strike: Test-based evals, 'merit" pay at issue in Evergreen Park strike. by Mike Klonsky Passing cars honk in support of Evergreen Park teachersAs Chicago teachers prepare to vote today on their new contract, teachers and support staff in the predominantly white, working-class Chicago suburb of Evergreen Park went on strike this morning. Negotiations have been dragging on since April. Highland Park and Crystal Lake teachers could follow suit later this month if they are still without a decent co... more »

Big Education Ape Nite Cap UPDATE 10-1-12 #SOSCHAT #CTUSTRIKE

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

*Nite Cap UPDATE* *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Poor Boxoffice for Anti-Union Film by dianerav The film “Won’t Back Down,” which publicizes the idea that parents should seize control of their public school and turn it over to a charter operator, has been heavily promoted. The movie was shown at both national political conventions by Michelle Rhee; it had a glamorous opening in New York City and extensive publicity as part of NBC’s Education Nation, and full-page ads in major newspapers, as well as expensive ads on network television. But opening weekend for WBD was a disaster. Acc... more »

Last Stand for Children First: Won't Back Down: Time for Accountability Now

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Last Stand for Children First: Won't Back Down: Time for Accountability Now: Won't Back Down: Time for Accountability Now by Last Stand for Children The movie Won't Back Down makes a compelling case for accountability in our public schools. If schools aren't doing their job, why not turn the school over to a private company? It might be harsh, but schools exist for children after all. Don't we have a right to demand the best from our teachers? In Illinois, teachers who receive two unsatisfactory evaluations within a 7 year period can have their teaching certificate pulled. T... more »

President Obama to Establish César E. Chávez National Monument | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

President Obama to Establish César E. Chávez National Monument | The White House: President Obama to Establish César E. Chávez National Monument On October 8th, 2012, President Obama will travel to Keene, California to announce the establishment of the César E. Chávez National Monument. Years in the making, the monument – which will be designated under the Antiquities Act – will be established on the property known as Nuestra Señora Reina de la Paz (Our Lady Queen of Peace), or La Paz. The La Paz property is recognized worldwide for its historic link to civil rights icon César E... more »

Students Last: Charter School Miracle?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Students Last: Charter School Miracle?: Charter School Miracle? by Students Last Some in the charter school business are praying for a miracle*Newark New Jersey - *Cory Booker, mayor of Newark, New Jersey, filed a petition with the Catholic Church urging that charter schools be deemed "miracles." "Charter schools are a blessing from God. The work they do is truly extraordinary," said an enthusiastic Booker on the steps of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. The petition is an unusual one for the mayor. "Well, I've been kissing their asses for so long, this was just the next... more »

The Illinois Constitution guarantees our pension but not the funding. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

The Illinois Constitution guarantees our pension but not the funding. « Fred Klonsky: The Illinois Constitution guarantees our pension. But not the funding. by Fred Klonsky In a previous post I said that it was my understanding that while the Illinois Constitution guarantees state employee pensions and guarantees that they may not be *diminished or impaired,* it does not guarantee that the state provide the funding. This is the basis for Democratic State Representative Elaine Nekritz and Governor Pat Quinn to advocate shifting the pension obligation from the state to local units o... more »

Home | Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago

Home | Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg: [image: Senator Darrell Steinberg]OCTOBER 2012 E-NEWSLETTER Dear Neighbor: Summer is officially over, and the change in season brings with it positive changes for Californians. Most notably, I have brought about reform to California's accountability system for public schools with my SB 1458 signed by the Governor last week. This measure improves the Academic Performance Index (API) by relying less on standardized bubble test scores and more on other important factors such as graduation rates, and student readiness for higher ed... more »

Fund and Games: Inside Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's official schedule - Washington City Paper

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Fund and Games: Inside Michelle Rhee's official schedule - Washington City Paper: Fund and GamesInside Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's official schedule By Mike DeBonis • March 6, 2009 What does a chancellor do all day? Visit schools? Interview principals? Confer with top aides? “Chancel”? D.C. Public Schools chief*Michelle A. Rhee*certainly does all of those things. But in between workaday concerns, Rhee has become part of a vast network of education-oriented charities, think tanks, business interests, and “venture philanthropists.” Her talks with and wooing of this educati... more »

Fund for Teachers Grants Encourage Teachers to Pursue Learning Around the World and Inspire Students Back Home

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Fund for Teachers Grants Encourage Teachers to Pursue Learning Around the World and Inspire Students Back Home: Fund for Teachers Grants Encourage Teachers to Pursue Learning Around the World and Inspire Students Back HomeFund for Teachers’ 2013 grant cycle opens today, offering teachers the opportunity to design and experience their idea of professional development. Individuals receive up to $5,000, teaching teams $10,000, to hone skills and seek new knowledge that directly impacts student learning and personal/professional growth. - [image: Email a friend] [image: Fund for ... more »

"Tired of ALL the Bullsh*t" Barry Commoner Dies at 95 - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Barry Commoner Dies at 95 - NYTimes.com: Scientist, Candidate and Planet Earth’s Lifeguard Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times *Last Word: Barry Commoner:* Dr. Commoner, an early environmentalist, warned of the dangers of nuclear weapons testing. He was an early champion of recycling, organic food and reducing fossil fuel use. By DANIEL LEWIS Published: October 1, 2012 48 Comments - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - SINGLE PAGE - REPRINTS - Barry Commoner, a founder of modern ecology and one of its most provocative thinkers and ... more »

Schools Matter: Empty of Fact: Rachel Brown's Bellwether Propaganda

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Schools Matter: Empty of Fact: Rachel Brown's Bellwether Propaganda: Empty of Fact: Rachel Brown's Bellwether Propaganda by Storm I asked Doug Martin, my colleague at The Common Errant and a dogged investigator of politico-corporate-educational malfeasance, to help us interpret the misleading graphic presentation offered by Rachel Brown for *The Atlantic*'s Reform Pamphlet. Ms Brown seems to responsible for page 87; I don't think it's appropriate to say she wrote it as it is primarily a presentation of "content" I would compare to what Netflix offers as a selection screen for the ... more »

'Life isn't always fair', Mayor Bloomberg says of NAACP suit that claims blacks and Latinos are shut out of top city high schools - NY Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

'Life isn't always fair', Mayor Bloomberg says of NAACP suit that claims blacks and Latinos are shut out of top city high schools - NY Daily News: 'Life isn't always fair', Mayor Bloomberg says of NAACP suit that claims blacks and Latinos are shut out of top city high schoolsHe insists tough entry test is fair and that if some can afford tutors and some can't, well, too badComments (30)BY TINA MOORE / NEW YORK DAILY NEWSFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012, 12:22 AM Facebook 128 Twitter 19 StumbleUpon Tumblr Email Print [image: Mayor Mike Bloomberg (c.) announced plans to build the World's T... more »

"Won't Back Down" Might Make Debate - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

"Won't Back Down" Might Make Debate - LA School Report: “Won’t Back Down” Might Make Debate by Alexander Russo Reviews of the new release “Won’t Back Down” vary widely and tend to conform with pre-existing views on education reform issues. Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal Critics like The Nation’s Dana Goldstein describe it as a mean-spirited caricature of classroom teachers funded by a conservative millionaire who wants to destroy public schools — a 2012 version of ”Waiting For Superman.” Supporters describe it as a heartwarming depiction of parents and teachers getting together ... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-1-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: CTU Votes on Contract Tomorrow by dianerav Members of the Chicago Teachers Union will vote on October 2 whether to ratify the contact negotiated with the city. In the press release about the contract, CTU says these are the gains in the new contract for students and teachers: Should members vote to ratify the contract it will force the Board of Education to: · Hire over 600 additional teachers in Art, Music, Phys Ed and other subjects – helping to make the school day better not just longer. · Maintain limits on class size – pushing back Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s attem... more »

One answer to “Why are there 42 kids in my child’s class?” | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

One answer to “Why are there 42 kids in my child’s class?” | Get Schooled: One answer to “Why are there 42 kids in my child’s class?” by Maureen Downey The AJC had an interesting piece this weekend on the inexact science of predicting school enrollments. I cannot link as the story was limited to AJC subscribers and did not appear online. The gist of the story: Despite reviews of multiple records — census, birth records, housing, dropout and migration — and mathematical formulas, schools can get enrollments wrong. The predictions become even more difficult in a recession when paren... more »

Celebrating teachers who make a difference with Google | Official Google Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Celebrating teachers who make a difference with Google | Official Google Blog: Celebrating teachers who make a difference with Google October 1, 2012 For most of us, there’s at least one teacher whose name we will never forget—that favorite teacher who made a difference in our education, whether they were our first grade art teacher or a professor in college. For me, that teacher was Ms. Taylor, my 8th grade science teacher. Ms. Taylor didn't just foster my love of science—she understood that 8th grade can be a tough time for students as they try to navigate social cliques and p... more »

solidaridad: Schools Matter: Kopp's shameless self-promotion in the guise of a Kozol book review

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

solidaridad: Schools Matter: Kopp's shameless self-promotion in the guise of a Kozol book review: Schools Matter: Kopp's shameless self-promotion in the guise of a Kozol book review Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene at solidaridad - 1 hour ago *"Ms. Kopp's husband, Richard Barth, was an Edison executive before taking over as CEO of KIPP's national foundation, where he has sought to decertify its New York City unions." — Jesse James Alred* [image: Separate is never equal: TFA, KIPP, and corporate charter schools are the new Jim Crow.]One thing I'll concede to the corporate education refo... more »

Questionnaire for Occoquan District School Board Candidates « PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Questionnaire for Occoquan District School Board Candidates « PWC Education Reform Blog: Questionnaire for Occoquan District School Board Candidates by pwceducationreform Below is our questionnaire for candidates running to represent Occoquan District citizens on the Prince William County School Board. We have attempted to send the questionnaire to all candidates. If you are a candidate and have not received a questionnaire, please contact us at PWC_ED_REFORM @ Yahoo.com and we’ll send you a questionnaire. We will publish any responses we receive from candidates, as well as any u... more »

Five Biggest Lies About America's Public Schools, Debunked

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Five Biggest Lies About America's Public Schools, Debunked: Five Biggest Lies About America's Public Schools, DebunkedMonday, 01 October 2012 11:33By Kristin Rawls, AlterNet | News Analysis - - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email *[image: Students return to Walt Disney Magnet School after the Chicago teacher's union ended a weeklong walkout.]Students return to Walt Disney Magnet School after the Chicago teacher's union ended a weeklong walkout. (Photo: Nathan Weber / The New York Times)Here's the truth behind 5 of the mo... more »

Should We Teach the Five-Paragraph Essay? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Should We Teach the Five-Paragraph Essay? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: [image: Teacher in a Strange Land] Should We Teach the Five-Paragraph Essay? by Nancy Flanagan *Headline:* As Children's Freedom Has Declined, So Has Their Creativity.* Biggest decline? Creative elaboration--expanding on ideas in novel and creative ways. Have we done this to children, with "eminently gradable" assignments? Josh Boldt, who teaches writing at the University of Georgia in Athens, shares his thoughts:* College writing teachers hate the five-paragraph essay. According to *W... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: BEX IV

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: BEX IV: BEX IV by Melissa Westbrook I attended the BEX IV meeting at McClure last Thursday. More on that in a moment. Want to make your voice heard? *Write the BOARD. * Don't write the district, write the Board. They will make the final choice. Let me say that given the push from the Downtown Association, they have heard loud and clear from some of those folks. (And, they have probably heard from the City Council and the Mayor as well.) They need to hear from YOU. *Write them at schoolboard@seattleschools.org.* Now our friends at the Times ... more »

Live Stream: Parents Across America Founding Member to speak at the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association about charter schools in New Orleans | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Live Stream: Parents Across America Founding Member to speak at the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association about charter schools in New Orleans | Seattle Education: Live Stream: Parents Across America Founding Member to speak at the New Zealand Post Primary Teachers’ Association about charter schools in New Orleans Posted on October 1, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment As I posted last week, Michael Feinberg of KIPP is in New Zealand trying to sell charter schools to the good people of New Zealand but it doesn’t appear that too many people are buying his sales... more »

John Thompson's Book Review: "VAM in Education" -- Who has the Burden of Proof? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

John Thompson's Book Review: "VAM in Education" -- Who has the Burden of Proof? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: John Thompson's Book Review: "VAM in Education" -- Who has the Burden of Proof? by Anthony Cody *Guest post by John Thompson.* Douglas Harris' Value-Added Measures in Education is a masterpiece. Even in the places where I believe Harris is mistaken, he identifies the core issues involved in using value-added for evaluations. My big complaint is Harris' agnosticism about who carries the burden of proof. I always assumed, and I still believe, that it should ... more »

Michelle “Buy Yourself An Election” Rhee returns to undermine democracy in Connecticut - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Michelle “Buy Yourself An Election” Rhee returns to undermine democracy in Connecticut - Wait, What?: Michelle “Buy Yourself An Election” Rhee returns to undermine democracy in Connecticut by jonpelto Tomorrow, the voters of Windsor and the rest of the 5th Connecticut House District will be returning to the polls to vote in the run-off primary between Democrats Leo Canty, and Brandon McGee. In the first primary, the two democrats tied. Tomorrow’s re-vote will determine who will represent the Democratic Party in the November election. Under Connecticut’s public financing system, n... more »

New York Opt Out Update | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

New York Opt Out Update | United Opt Out National: New York Opt Out Update by admin This post was first shared at Children should not be a number. While much of the information is specific to New York, there are many insights here for all of us. Please read. *After my own experience and discussions with other parents from around New York who opted out last year, here are some suggestions to boycott all mandated high-stakes testing this year:* *Contact your child’s school as soon as possible to inform the administration that your child will not be taking the state exam or any st... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, October 1, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Arnold Schwarzenegger 'Total Recall' memoir Education Headlines *Monday, October 1, 2012* Lucia Mar instructors reach deal on training programMembers of the Lucia Mar Unified Teachers Association have overwhelmingly approved changes to a training and evaluation program that was put in place at seven schools in the South County district in 2011. Garvey school board members give superintendent raise, contract extensionThe Garvey School board by a 3-2 vote Thursday approved a salary increase and contract extension for Superintendent... more »

Evergreen Park and the pension cost shift. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Evergreen Park and the pension cost shift. « Fred Klonsky: Evergreen Park and the pension cost shift. by Fred Klonsky Can I absolutely prove that the proposals by some politicians, mostly Democrats, to shift the pension obligation from the state to local districts has provoked at least one strike and threatens to provoke others. No. But I’ve been at this game long enough to have a strong feeling about it. A reminder about the pension obligation. Things get a little screwy here. So pay attention. And if I mess up the explanation, I always have my friend Glen Brown to straighten me ou... more »

Goose vs. Gander: The double standard for teachers and superintendents - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Goose vs. Gander: The double standard for teachers and superintendents - Wait, What?: Goose vs. Gander: The double standard for teachers and superintendents by jonpelto Last week, Hartford’s Superintendent of Schools, Christina Kishimoto, sent a letter to the Hartford Board of Education (her employer) saying, “I will not engage in political debate with board members…My duty, my sole concern, is for the academic and career success of our Hartford school children and youth.” Meanwhile, rather than take calls from the media, she directed that all calls about the situation be referred... more »

U of Florida Students Divided Over Honoring Segregation-Era President « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

U of Florida Students Divided Over Honoring Segregation-Era President « Student Activism: U of Florida Students Divided Over Honoring Segregation-Era President by Angus Johnston When the student union at the University of Florida was built in 1967, students requested that it be named in honor of outgoing university president J. Wayne Reitz. Today, students are fighting over whether that name should stand. As UF president, Reitz participated in a purge of gay faculty and students that involved the firing and expulsion of dozens of people. During his administration, the university ... more »

WHY NOW ? « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

WHY NOW ? « Teachers Fight Back: WHY NOW ? by alkleen Thirty-five to forty years ago, before there was an “education crisis”, I was teaching in the inner city of Chicago. Teacher unions were never criticized, and teachers were respected and never bashed. Inner city students were dropping out, failing at a great rate, starting school unprepared, and attending the worst schools imaginable. Test scores were low and everyone understood why and no one ever blamed the teachers. All of the teachers in the inner city were screaming about more funding, better schools and longing for any h... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Follow Obama's/Duncan's North Star to Educational Disaster via Common Core

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Follow Obama's/Duncan's North Star to Educational Disaster via Common Core: Follow Obama's/Duncan's North Star to Educational Disaster via Common Core by stlgretchen From a reader via an on line educational group and reprinted with permission: When I received the picture (above), I did not think it appropriate to send to our education network group. I ended up deciding to send it anyway---it is appropriate. No matter where you stand politically, there are some interesting

Community College Spotlight | 19% of families owe on college loans

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Community College Spotlight | 19% of families owe on college loans: 19% of families owe on college loans by Joanne Jacobs Nineteen percent of households owed student loan debt in 2010, more than double the share two decades earlier, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of government data. Forty percent of households headed by someone younger than age 35 owe such debt, also a record high. The debt burden is heaviest for low-income families. The average debtor family owes $26,682 in unpaid college loans, up from $23,349 in 2007. The U.S. Education Department has released two-yea... more »

Shanker Blog » Our Not-So-College-Ready Annual Discussion Of SAT Results

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Shanker Blog » Our Not-So-College-Ready Annual Discussion Of SAT Results: Our Not-So-College-Ready Annual Discussion Of SAT Results by Matthew Di Carlo Every year, around this time, the College Board publicizes its SAT results, and hundreds of newspapers, blogs, and television stations run stories suggesting that trends in the aggregate scores are, by themselves, a meaningful indicator of U.S. school quality. They’re not. Everyone knows that the vast majority of the students who take the SAT in a given year didn’t take the test the previous year – i.e., the data are cross-sectiona... more »