Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-16-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-16-12 #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

Debate Non-Drinking Game « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago

Debate Non-Drinking Game « Student Activism: Debate Non-Drinking Game by Angus Johnston On Twitter a few minutes ago, I posted a list of ten topics I’d like to see discussed at tonight’s presidential debate, but don’t expect to. Since everything’s more fun when there’s something on the line, I’ve made the list into a contest — guess which ones will make it in, and whoever comes closest wins. Here’s the list: 1. Poverty. 2. Climate change. 3. Reproductive rights. 4. LGBTQ issues. 5. Student debt. 6. The drug war. 7. Voter

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Keep Your Eye on the Bouncing BEX Ball

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Keep Your Eye on the Bouncing BEX Ball: Keep Your Eye on the Bouncing BEX Ball by Melissa Westbrook Two more updates. This from the Board agenda as a change to the BEX list - an addition of *RBHS for seismic issues* and I note the new amount is at *$694.9M.* Also, below are notes from a parent who attended a meeting at Jane Addams last night. This is THEIR reading of what they heard. Anyone else attend who heard the same or different? *Here are a few details about the BEXIV bombshell delivered last night at a meeting at Jane Addams. District St... more »

Yoga and Mindfulness Educates the Whole Child — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Yoga and Mindfulness Educates the Whole Child — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Yoga and Mindfulness Educates the Whole Child October 16, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: Lara Veon - Mindful Practices] *Post submitted by Lara Veon, a team member at Mindful Practices. She is a body-centered psychotherapist, educator, writer, and yoga instructor who has been teaching and counseling in educational and community settings for more than ten years. Veon enjoys sharing the transformational impact of yoga and wellness with students in a... more »

US: PDE 'acted prematurely' in changing charter AYP calculation | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

US: PDE 'acted prematurely' in changing charter AYP calculation | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: US: PDE 'acted prematurely' in changing charter AYP calculation by Dale Mezzacappa US: PDE 'acted prematurely' in changing charter AYP calculationby Dale Mezzacappa on Oct 16 2012 Posted in Latest news - COMMENTS (4)PRINT - EMAIL[image: ""] Tags: - AYP - charter schools - standardized testing - testing Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis "acted prematurely" in changing how to calculate adequate yearly progress for charter schools, accor... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Who Stands For New Jersey's Students?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Who Stands For New Jersey's Students?: Who Stands For New Jersey's Students? by Duke [image: Good News About New Jersey's Public Schools] *Cross-posted from Blue Jersey.* Yesterday, we had an interesting juxtaposition of views on child advocacy here in the Garden State. On the one hand: Dear Secretary Duncan, We are writing to express our grave concerns about the negative impact of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waiver on New Jersey’s most vulnerable children. We understand that the waivers were an effort to return more control to the states to improve educationa... more »

Presidential Debate On Education: Will Obama Press Romney On Education Differences?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Presidential Debate On Education: Will Obama Press Romney On Education Differences?: Presidential Debate On Education: Will Obama Press Romney On Education Differences? by Joy Resmovits NEW YORK -- Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of Washington, D.C. public schools, is frustrated. During the first presidential debate two weeks ago, she said she was pleased to see education mentioned a few times. But it stopped there. "There were a couple comments about education over the course of the evening but both candidates stayed at a very high level in terms of their talking points,"... more »

Hechinger Report | Why Mitt Romney’s Massachusetts education plan backfired

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Hechinger Report | Why Mitt Romney’s Massachusetts education plan backfired: Why Mitt Romney’s Massachusetts education plan backfired by Sarah Butrymowicz Ask Mitt Romney to name his signature education initiative as governor of Massachusetts and he’ll likely answer that it was the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program. The scholarship, established in 2004, covers tuition at in-state public colleges and universities for students who score in the top 25 percent of their district on the state’s 10th-grade math and English standardized tests. Mitt Romney at a rally in Virginia Be... more »

Schools Matter: Coercing Silence

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Schools Matter: Coercing Silence: Coercing Silence by Storm I began blogging about "education," in an attempt to define and understand the word when applied to a social system as well as in an attempt to discover the ways we are "taught" how to behave outside of those curricular and pedagogical walls. I asked myself, and what audience I might have imagined having, "What is a school?" I'm not sure I have met a definition that I would want to stand by as a "good." Much of what follows seems compelled out of me after reading this column by Glenn Greenwald in *The Guardian*, "Free... more »

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) candidates in Washington State | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) candidates in Washington State | Seattle Education: Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) candidates in the Washington State by seattleducation2011 Be aware that there are candidates supported by Democrats for Education Reform (DFER) in Washington State. This organization funds efforts to privatize public schools. According to *DFER Watch*: Democrats for Education Reform is a political action committee supported largely by hedge fund managers favoring charter schools, merit-pay tied to test scores, high-stakes testing, school choice (including... more »

Drummond: Oakland schools hope to reduce suspensions of black boys - Inside Bay Area

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Drummond: Oakland schools hope to reduce suspensions of black boys - Inside Bay Area: Drummond: Oakland schools hope to reduce suspensions of black boys By Tammerlin Drummond Oakland Tribune Columnist Posted: 10/15/2012 04:40:35 PM PDT Updated: 10/16/2012 05:12:04 AM PDT Click photo to enlarge Anthony Smith, Superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District, speaks during an Oakland... Related - Sep 28: - Oakland schools enter agreement to reduce suspensions of black students How is this possible? One out of every three black boys in middle school in the Oakland public... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Stand for Children Tells Board to Sit Down and Shut Up

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Stand for Children Tells Board to Sit Down and Shut Up: Stand for Children Tells Board to Sit Down and Shut Up by Melissa Westbrook Amazing. Not only is Stand for Children NOT a "education group"; now they are against basic democracy. Here's what they said yesterday: *"Ask Seattle Public Schools to let the people lead on charter schools. Instead of waiting to see what the will of the voters is, the Seattle School board wants to preempt our right to decide. That's not what we want from our elected officials"* (And I note they didn't put this on t... more »

Documentary about math education to premiere in Oregon this weekend | OregonLive.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Documentary about math education to premiere in Oregon this weekend | OregonLive.com: Documentary about math education to premiere in Oregon this weekend[image: Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian]By Betsy Hammond, The Oregonian on October 16, 2012 at 10:01 AM [image: mathkids.jpg]In a scene from "The Biggest Story Problem," students at a New Mexico middle school confer about math. Incourtesy of ImagineEducation A provocative documentary about U.S. education will makes its public debut at the Eugene International Film Festival this weekend and excerpts will be presented at a national mi... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: In the wake of Chicago teachers strike...

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: In the wake of Chicago teachers strike...: In the wake of Chicago teachers strike... by Mike Klonsky North Shore teachers are out on strike this morning. Here, fifth grade Lincoln Elementary teacher Larry Patrick, center, rallys with other 112 district teachers outside the North Shore School District 112 Office. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)Poll watching madness. Isn't this just another way of turning politics into a spectator sport? Like watching the

NYC: Ground Zero for Edu-Hucksterism | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

NYC: Ground Zero for Edu-Hucksterism | EduShyster: NYC: Ground Zero for Edu-Hucksterism by edushyster2012 In a typical year, Deborah Kenny replaces half of the teachers at Harlem Village Academy Charter School with teachers who are fresher and more innovative. Why it seems like mere days ago that EduShyster was leading a tour through the phantasy land that is Education Reform, Inc. Along the way we encountered miracle teachers who dazzled us with their pheats of strength, and miracle students, whose smiling visages light up so many of our favorite #edreform websites. Well reader, ... more »

Another Illinois teacher strike. Get use to it. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Another Illinois teacher strike. Get use to it. « Fred Klonsky: Another Illinois teacher strike. Get use to it. by Fred Klonsky Four hundred teachers, members of the North Shore Education Association, are walking picket lines this morning outside of schools in Highland Park, Highwood and Fort Sheridan. Over 4,000 students will not be in classrooms. The issue is fair compensation. NSEA President Pamela Kramer expressed dismay that the School Board did not make an offer that would be ratified by her membership.“The (union) began the bargaining session in an optimistic frame of mind,... more »

A litany of troubles in special education | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

A litany of troubles in special education | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: A litany of troubles in special educationby Bill Hangley Jr. on Oct 16 2012 - COMMENTS (0)PRINT - EMAIL[image: ""] Tags: - William Hite - School Reform Commission It was an evening of troubling data, frustrated parents, and hopeful promises from District officials who know they have a long way to go. This month’s District strategy meeting focused on the challenges posed by special education, and judging from the evening’s proceedings, they are significant. The session included a ... more »

Education Research Report: How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Education Research Report: How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education: How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education A new report, *Democracy Left Behind: How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education,* by Kenneth Howe and David Meens of the University of Colorado Boulder examines the impact on democratic ideals of vanishing local control over education. Howe and Meens describe local control as “the power of communities, made up of individuals bound t... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, October 16, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: head]*http://www.educycle.com/* Education Headlines *Tuesday, October 16, 2012* Five candidates vie for three school board seatsPanama-Buena Vista Union School District board of trustee candidates are campaigning for votes in an election that for the first time will feature "by-trustee-area" seats as opposed to the previous system in which all candidates ran "at-large." Three seek two seats on Sausalito Marin City School District board as change loomsThree candidates are vying for two seats on the Sausalito Marin City Sch...more »

California STEM Summit 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

California STEM Summit 2012: *Twelve CALFORNIA WOMEN Honored as “LEADING WOMEN IN STEM” FOR ADVANCING SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATH (STEM) EDUCATION* * * *Business, Education, and Nonprofit Women Leaders Honored at California STEM Summit for Achievements in Bolstering STEM Education and Job Creation Across California* *San Diego, CA – October 16, 2012 – *Twelve women from across California will be honored today as “Leading Women in STEM” at an awards luncheon taking place at the 2012 California STEM Summit at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina in San Diego. The Le... more »

Public Schools: Fostering the Dreams of the First Generation | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Public Schools: Fostering the Dreams of the First Generation | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Public Schools: Fostering the Dreams of the First Generation by Tarsi Dunlop While a college education is acknowledged to be the pathway into the middle class, getting into the higher education system requires an understanding of the application process. For many first generation college students, especially those who are from low-income families, the process is daunting with an overwhelming amount of information and countless choices. My own experience, with signific... more »

Shanker Blog » College Attainment In The U.S. And Around The World

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Shanker Blog » College Attainment In The U.S. And Around The World: College Attainment In The U.S. And Around The World by Matthew Di Carlo A common talking point in circles in that college attainment in the U.S. used to be among the highest in the world, but is now ranked middling-to-low (the ranking cited is typically around 15th) among OECD nations. As is the case when people cite rankings on the PISA assessment, this is often meant to imply that the U.S. education system is failing and getting worse.* The latter arguments are of course oversimplifications, given that college at... more »

Daily Kos: Reflections on American power and policy in the world

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Daily Kos: Reflections on American power and policy in the world: Reflections on American power and policy in the world by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Shortly before the election we will be upon the 50th anniversary of the worst of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. For those of us who lived through it, it was a terrifying time. I can remember going to sleep on some nights not sure if I would awaken, for living within a 25 miles radius of Times Square, even were we not obliterated instantaneously by the multiple nuclear blasts to be expected in the case of nuclear exchange, we mig... more »

Mother Crusader: New Jersey Parent Letter To Obama For The Campaign For Our Public Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Mother Crusader: New Jersey Parent Letter To Obama For The Campaign For Our Public Schools: New Jersey Parent Letter To Obama For The Campaign For Our Public Schools by darciecima Deborah Cornavaca and I have written a joint letter for Diane Ravitch's Campaign for Our Public Schools. Deborah is another tireless parent advocate who has dedicated herself to defending public education in our state. Diane's campaign provided the perfect opportunity for Deborah and me to let the President know how his administration's policies are effecting public schools in New Jersey. We invit... more »

Modern School: Vaccine Doesn’t Cause Sex

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Modern School: Vaccine Doesn’t Cause Sex: Vaccine Doesn’t Cause Sex by Michael Dunn Human Papilloma Virus, NIH A new study indicates that the vaccine against the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) does not causes girls to become more promiscuous. The researchers looked at "markers" of sexual activity after vaccination including records on whether girls had sought birth control advice; tests for sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy; or had become pregnant. Hardly any of the girls who got the shots at age 11 or 12 had done any of these things over the next three... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: RFID Chipping: When Students are Determined to be Human Capital, then it's Necessary to Track them as Inventory.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: RFID Chipping: When Students are Determined to be Human Capital, then it's Necessary to Track them as Inventory.: RFID Chipping: When Students are Determined to be Human Capital, then it's Necessary to Track them as Inventory. by stlgretchen Human inventory needs to be tracked and monitored, just like eggs. One of the schools in my district is looking to implement fingerprint scans to hurry up the lunch line. Some parents express concern on this practice while others view it as an efficient method to solve a problem of impatient waiting children and ... more »

Louisiana Educator: The Children Can't Wait!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: The Children Can't Wait!: The Children Can't Wait! by Michael Deshotels The children can't wait. That was the refrain used over and over by the Jindal reformers to pass huge revamps of education law privatizing and chartering education and forcing the implementation of a new evaluation system for public school teachers before it was proven. Today the Baton Rouge Advocate carries two stories that demonstrate that Louisiana should have waited before these attacks on public education and teachers were launched. Maybe the public and the business community would hav... more »

Thanks to The Philadelphia School Partnership « City School Stories

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Thanks to The Philadelphia School Partnership « City School Stories: Thanks to The Philadelphia School Partnership by fmurphy *Notes from the Field* *Submitted by Frank Murphy: October 16, 2012* The Philadelphia School Partnership has gone live with a new website that ranks schools in the city of Philadelphia according to five categories: • *Academics* (based on standardized test results in Reading and Math: * PSSA *{public and charter schools}*Terra Nova* {parochial schools}) • *Safety* (based on fewest number of *self reported* serious incidents) • *Student Attendance* (*self reported... more »

The Politics of Reform in the Presidential Election - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

The Politics of Reform in the Presidential Election - Bridging Differences - Education Week: The Politics of Reform in the Presidential Election by Pedro Noguera Dear Deborah, I agree with you about the dangerous nature of the attacks on public education. I think the most troubling thing about these attacks is that they are coming from Democrats and Republicans alike. Given that we are in the middle of a critical presidential campaign I think it is important for us to place the attacks against unions, teachers, and public education generally within a political context so that we c... more »

UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-16-12 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 MODEL LETTER FOR OCTOBER 17 by dianerav The deadline to send emails to the President to support the Campaign for Our Public Schools is October 17. Here are instructions about where to send them. Send them either to this blog or to Anthony Cody at Anthony_Cody@hotmail.com. Below is a model letter for teachers. It can be revised to make it appropriate for parents or anyone else. Write your own letter, in your own words. Read This to Understand TFA’s Outsize Influence in DC by dianerav Alexander Russo has w... more »

Homosexuality will lead to race of super-ducks! | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Homosexuality will lead to race of super-ducks! | toteachornototeach: Homosexuality will lead to race of super-ducks! by aristotlethewise Homosexuality will lead to race of super-ducks, claims homeschooler in local newspaper The title of today’s post refers to the astonishing letter to the editor reproduced below, which I promise you is genuine (published in the October 3 edition of the Northern Outlook in Canterbury, New Zealand). I strongly encourage you to read the letter before continuing to read today’s article.

What did the New York Times say about the Chicago teachers? « JD2718

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

What did the New York Times say about the Chicago teachers? « JD2718: What did the New York Times say about the Chicago teachers? by jd2718 *Back a month ago, Chicago teachers stood up, struck, and backed their mayor down, at least a little.* *That’s important. And big. There are lots of important stories. And important details. Other people have written about them, and will write about them. One day, maybe I will, too. But today a small detail, really a footnote, is on my mind.* Chicago Teachers’ Follywrote the New York Times, in its own name. “Teachers’ strikes, because they hurt... more »

Register to Vote - October 22: Deadline to register to vote in California - California Secretary of State

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Register to Vote - Elections - California Secretary of State: [image: Secretary of State banner] Welcome to the California Online Voter Registration Website ------------------------------ español (Spanish) Important Technical Information Please read the information below before you apply to register to vote using the online application. Web Browser The California Secretary of State website is best viewed using Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) 7.0 or higher, Firefox 12.0 or higher, Opera 10 or higher, or the latest version of Safari. If you are using an older version of any of these ... more »

Educycle website helps Bay Area teachers buy, sell and give away surplus classroom supplies - ContraCostaTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Educycle website helps Bay Area teachers buy, sell and give away surplus classroom supplies - ContraCostaTimes.com: Educycle website helps Bay Area teachers buy, sell and give away surplus classroom supplies By Sharon Noguchi snoguchi@mercurynews.com Posted: 10/15/2012 06:37:12 PM PDT Updated: 10/15/2012 09:23:51 PM PDT *PHOTO GALLERY* > View more images in this slideshow | Mercury News Media Center For a profession that can be obsessive about reusing, recycling and rescuing random items for the classroom, Mary Loung's brainchild seems like such a natural fit, you'd wonder why ... more »

Romney Ed. Adviser Casts Doubt on Future of NCLB Waivers - Politics K-12 - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Romney Ed. Adviser Casts Doubt on Future of NCLB Waivers - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Romney Ed. Adviser Casts Doubt on Future of NCLB Waivers by Michele McNeil In the first substantive remarks from the Mitt Romney campaign on No Child Left Behind waivers, adviser Phil Handy indicated that the flexibility granted this year to 33 states and the District of Columbia would be in serious jeopardy if the former Massachusetts governor wins the presidency. In a substantive 90-minute debate at Teachers College, Columbia University that featured some pointed arguments and sparring, Han... more »

NYC Educator: Another Bloomberg Innovation

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

NYC Educator: Another Bloomberg Innovation: Another Bloomberg Innovation by NYC Educator Mayor Bloomberg has finally solved the problems of overcrowding and class size that have plagued his administration from the start. Critics have relentlessly attacked him as he failed to replace departing teachers, causing sharp rises in class sizes. Others bellyache about how, with all or most classes at maximum, students can even get the courses they need. Principals are perplexed. Where can they put classes when there isn't any space in the building, and with all the budget cuts, they can't af... more »

LAUSD'S EX-SUPERINTENDENT CORTINES: ICON OF WHAT NOT TO BE - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

LAUSD'S EX-SUPERINTENDENT CORTINES: ICON OF WHAT NOT TO BE - Perdaily.com: LAUSD'S EX-SUPERINTENDENT CORTINES: ICON OF WHAT NOT TO BE by Leonard Isenberg [image: Ramon Cortines4.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) In what can only be described as a highly publicized, bizarre, and rather suspicious decision, the Equality Forum that seeks to advance LGBT issues has chosen ex- Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent Ramon Cortines as an "icon" of the LGBT community. Dumbfounded by this ... more »

No on Initiative 1240 Fundraiser | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

No on Initiative 1240 Fundraiser | Seattle Education: No on Initiative 1240 Fundraiser by seattleducation2011 The one and only fundraiser the METROPOLITAN DEMOCRATIC CLUB of SEATTLE is having before Super Tuesday will be for People for Our Public Schools, the campaign to defeat the flawed charter school initiative I-1240. *Friday, October 19th, 5:30-7:30 p.m.* *At the home of Sue and James Tupper* *5736 NE 56th Street, Seattle, WA 98105* Join Host Committee* Members Matt Loschen, Lucinda Young, Rep. Marcie Maxwell, Catherine Ahl, Louis Watanabe and the NO ON 1240 campaign in suppo... more »

The Power of We: In The Memory of Malala Yousafzai [On Thinking Globally] #BAD12 | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

The Power of We: In The Memory of Malala Yousafzai [On Thinking Globally] #BAD12 | The Jose Vilson: The Power of We: In The Memory of Malala Yousafzai [On Thinking Globally] #BAD12 by Jose Malala Yousafzai Have you ever felt like the things you do in the classroom connect to some other, higher purpose? Sometimes. When I read about stories like Malala Yousafzai’s, it puts everything I do in the classroom in its proper perspective. For those of you who are unaware, Malala’s shown up in the news recently after Taliban rebels tried to assassinate her by shooting her in the head and ne... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Newsflash: Students May Be Responsible For Themselves!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Newsflash: Students May Be Responsible For Themselves!: Newsflash: Students May Be Responsible For Themselves! by Duke This is going to come as something of a shock to my reformy readers. After all, you all believe "great" teachers can overcome all obstacles to learning, including poverty, racism, and inadequate funding of schools. But it just may be that students themselves are responsible for their learning gains! While boredom is a perennial student complaint, emerging research shows it is more than students' not feeling entertained, but rather a "flavor of st... more »

Students Last: Boris and Natasha Charter A Course To America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Students Last: Boris and Natasha Charter A Course To America: Boris and Natasha Charter A Course To America by Students Last Reality Alert: Interested in how we came to write this? Read Charter School Financing Gets You A Green Card? The New U.S. Visa Rush

Pass / Fail : Education and the 2012 election: A strategist's analysis | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Pass / Fail : Education and the 2012 election: A strategist's analysis | 89.3 KPCC: Education and the 2012 election: A strategist's analysis by By Tami Abdollah *"The governor [has] got to get out there and say 'Look, this is the California that I envisioned, and in that California, schools play a critical role. It's about the future of our kids. It's about the future of the state and the country. And this is how [Prop.] 30 fits into that," said Darry Sragow, a longtime political strategist. Credit: Julie Small/KPCC* Over the weekend, I spoke with Darry Sragow, an attorney and longt... more »

School Tech Connect: Rogers Park Is Getting Organized

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Rogers Park Is Getting Organized: Rogers Park Is Getting Organized by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Blogging from the porch tonight. With darkness falling earlier, the dogs want to lie in wait for the raccoons at a pretty early hour. I don't have much news. it appears that Diane's in town tonight, giving Rahm hell for his terrible education policy. For my part I can only report that Rogers Park is ready for the message. I attended a local meeting on Sunday of a core group that's ready to stand up to the charter invasion up here. It's always encouraging to ... more »

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Boost STEM Learning - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Boost STEM Learning - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): Basketball Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Serve as California's After School STEM Ambassador SACRAMENTO—Basketball legend and *New York Times* best-selling author Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will help lead efforts to boost after school STEM learning opportunities for California's kids, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today at the California STEM Summit in San Diego. Education in STEM—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math—is widely considered to be one of the keys to Califo...more »

Fla. Public Schools Looking to Set Education Goals Based on Race - Hispanically Speaking News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Fla. Public Schools Looking to Set Education Goals Based on Race - Hispanically Speaking News: Florida Public Schools Looking to Set Proficiency Goals Based on Race [image: Florida Public Schools Looking to Set Proficiency Goals Based on Race]A Florida school plan which takes students’ race into account when setting proficiency goals is receiving a lot of criticism from both educators and civil rights groups. The plan, which looks to close the state’s immense achievement gap by the 2022-2023 school year, would take into account students’ race and socioeconomic status when setting g... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Munoz warns Byrd-Bennett on school closings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Munoz warns Byrd-Bennett on school closings: Munoz warns Byrd-Bennett on school closings by Mike Klonsky The Tribune reports Brizard had trouble connecting with aldermen almost since he took the job. His avowed support of charter schools made some residents skeptical of his motives, a situation *Ald. Ricardo Munoz *said Byrd-Bennett can avoid by seeking true collaboration on the politically sensitive question of which schools to close. *“As I’m sure (Byrd-Bennett) realizes, she has to have buy-in. With well over 30 members of the City Council signin... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Who's behind Washington state charter initiative? Who do you think?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Who's behind Washington state charter initiative? Who do you think?: Who's behind Washington state charter initiative? Who do you think? by Mike Klonsky Wal-Mart heiress Alice Walton gave $1.7M. (Mug Shot)Washington voters have rejected the opening of public charter schools three times — in 1996, 2000 and 2004 — but this time around, big money is pouring in on the side of privately-run charter schools. Valerie Strauss at the Answer Sheet posts: To get an understanding of how America’s wealthiest people are using some of their fortunes to drive s... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-15-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Testing Madness Is Sick by dianerav The Wall Street Journal reports that New York City has adopted a new test for its gifted and talented classes. It is said to be “harder” than the previous test. The Bloomberg administration uses a test as the sole means of getting into these highly coveted classes. Critics say it will reduce the proportion of black and Hispanic students in these classes even lower than it is now, but the test-maker disagrees. Parents who have invested thousands in test prep for the old test are worried. Now they must invest thousands in ... more »