BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA
RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST
RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST
What Do Students Think Are The Best Ways To Assess Their Learning? | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…
What Do Students Think Are The Best Ways To Assess Their Learning? | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: What Do Students Think Are The Best Ways To Assess Their Learning? by Larry Ferlazzo Today is the last day of our first quarter, and I had my IB Theory of Knowledge students work in groups of three to prepare presentations on this topic: *How do each of the Ways Of Knowing — Perception, Language, Reason, and Emotion — help and hinder our search for knowledge. Give examples of each.* I suspect that the assignment won’t make much sense if you’re not familiar with the course, b... more »
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 11-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* The Shocking Things Schools Are — And Aren’t — Teaching by aristotlethewise *School Curriculums Face Controversial Changes Via Recent Bills, Legislation *** The Shocking Things Schools Are — And Aren’t — Teaching Over the past couple years, several states attempted — and in some instances, succeeded — in passing legislation that brought controversial changes to school curriculums. For instance, under Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposed sweeping new school voucher program, tens of millions of Louisiana taxpayer dollars will be use... more »
David Frum: Republicans Have Been Fleeced, Exploited, and Lied To by Rig...
[image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] Conservative columnist David Frum had some choice words on Morning Joe for the industry that has swelled to basically steal money from republican voters. Republicans have been fleeced, exploited and lied to by a conservative entertainment complex...there are too many to name. Because the followers, the donors and the activists are so mistaken about the nature of the problems the country faces...just a simple question, and I went to Tea Party rallies and asked this question, have taxes gone up or down in recent years? They can't answer ... more »
Oh Great A Pop News Quiz (on a holiday): Catching up on what happened before the hurricane | GothamSchools
News quiz: Catching up on what happened before the hurricane | GothamSchools: News quiz: Catching up on what happened before the hurricane by Rachel Cromidas Much like the rest of New York City, for the last two weeks, we’ve been focused almost exclusively on Hurricane Sandy‘s effects on the city’s schools. Now, while Sandy’s aftermath will continue to be an education story for a long time, we’re also getting back to work on other stories that we’ve been following. It feels like it was far more than three weeks ago that we were publishing stories about college-readiness rates, a ci... more »
Miss the #KidsNotCuts Twitter Party? Here's the Recap | K-12 News Network
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Miss the #KidsNotCuts Twitter Party? Here's the Recap | K-12 News Network: Miss the #KidsNotCuts Twitter Party? Here’s the Recap by cynthia In case you missed the #kidsnotcuts Twitter party with our expert Lily Eskelsen (@NEAToday) as the featured guest, I’ve collected some of the tweet highlights. Good morning, all! Let’s get #kidsnotcuts Twitter Party started! Thanks for joining us Lily. Use @neatoday 2 any Qs u have re fed school $ — K-12 News Network (@K12NN) November 15, 2012 A brief excerpt from Ms. Eskelsen’s bio: President Obama recently appointed Lily to the White House... more »
Marzano on Evaluation That Helps Teachers Improve — Whole Child Education
Marzano on Evaluation That Helps Teachers Improve — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Marzano on Evaluation That Helps Teachers Improve November 16, 2012 by Klea Scharberg What is shared and different, about evaluation systems that rate, and evaluation systems that raise, the skills of teachers? In this video, *Educational Leadership* Editor-in-Chief Marge Scherer talks with Bob Marzano on what's driving renewed interest in teacher evaluation and how evaluation systems differ if their primary purpose is rating teachers, versus improving teaching. Lear... more »
UPDATE: TRS responds to the Civic Committee and Ty Fahner: “Fundamentally untrue.” « Fred Klonsky
TRS responds to the Civic Committee and Ty Fahner: “Fundamentally untrue.” « Fred Klonsky: Behind the jokes about no more Twinkies is a story about 18,000 lost jobs, a Bain Capital-like buy out and union busting. by Fred Klonsky From Main Street blog: *Hostess Brands is one of the most recognizable food companies in America, having manufactured Wonder Bread and Twinkies for decades. But now the company has announced they are liquidating, and company is unfairly blaming their workers, many of them members of BCTGM and the Teamsters.* *The fact is that the responsibility lies with ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Segmentation Explained
Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Segmentation Explained: School Segmentation Explained by Charlie Mas Seattle Public Schools has this School Segmentation thing. It's a bit unclear how this segmentation is done, so I'll direct your attention to the appropriate document and try to offer some of the missing transparency. Here is how each school's Level is determined: You'll notice that if the Absolute score is over 60, then the growth score is not a factor in determining the school's level. There are a number of schools with growth scores below 50 in Levels 3, 4, and ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Educational and Racial Equity
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Educational and Racial Equity: Educational and Racial Equity by Charlie Mas When the Board adopted policy 0030, Ensuring Educational and Racial Equity, there was a bit of a stir because, at one point, the word "Racial" had been removed from the policy title. I guess some folks were concerned that if there was no reference to race in the title of the policy, there would be no focus on race in the implementation of the policy. The content of the policy was not in question, just the title. The policy language does not put special emphasis on race. It... more »
MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-16-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] What Schools Should Do in Crisis Times by dianerav After the hurricane, Mayor Bloomberg was eager to reopen the city’s public schools as soon as possible for the 1.1 million children enrolled. He worried that they were “losing time” and had to get back to their studies, back to normal. The facts that many of the schools suffered damage, that many were turned into shelters, and that many children were in shock because of their experiences were irrelevant. It was back to the routine. In this brilliant post, ... more »
Ed Notes Online: UFT RTTT Agreement A Terrible Mistake
Ed Notes Online: UFT RTTT Agreement A Terrible Mistake: UFT RTTT Agreement A Terrible Mistake by ed notes online For Immediate Release Thursday, November 15, 2012 Contact: Julie Cavanagh -917-836-6465 UFT RTTT Agreement A Terrible Mistake The UFT has agreed to sign onto NYC's RTTT application, adding as many as 100 schools to the city’s three-year-old "Innovation Zone" and expanding online learning and instruction among other technology-based techniques. This agreement is a terrible mistake, selling out teachers and kids. This agreement was made despite the fact that there i... more »
Homework: Doesn’t improve grades but boosts test scores | Get Schooled
Homework: Doesn’t improve grades but boosts test scores | Get Schooled: Homework: Doesn’t improve grades but boosts test scores by Maureen Downey *Better Test Takers, Reform is Working* Since my twins often have an hour or more of homework each night, I found this study out of Indiana University interesting. This piece comes from IU. A study led by an Indiana University School of Education faculty member finds little correlation between time spent on homework and better course grades for math and science students, but a positive relationship between homework time and performanc... more »
The Educated Reporter: Word on the Beat No. 1: Sequestration
The Educated Reporter: Word on the Beat No. 1: Sequestration: Word on the Beat No. 1: Sequestration by Emily Richmond One of the best things about getting to write *The Educated Reporter* blog is that it helps me keep up to date on the latest issues and concerns for public education. At the same time, I’m continually amazed at how quickly the jargon and buzzwords seem to multiply on the education beat. Starting today, I’m going to do my part to help add some clarity to the conversation. On a regular basis, I’ll tackle an Education Buzzword You Need To Know. (I say this with the f... more »
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 11-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Eli Broad Bad-Mouths NJ's Students & Teachers by Duke Eli Broad is a California billionaire who has decided to spend a considerable amount of his fortune wresting control of New Jersey's urban public schools from the citizens they serve. NJDOE insiders have detailed how state-level personnel, funded by Broad, have put together plans to cede local control over urban schools to the state through Regional Achievement Centers. Broad paid for the original plan to convert many of Newark's public schools into charters, against the will of the... more »
Nate Silver Got Nothin’ On Me [Future of Teaching] | The Jose Vilson
Nate Silver Got Nothin’ On Me [Future of Teaching] | The Jose Vilson: Nate Silver Got Nothin’ On Me [Future of Teaching] by Jose An excerpt from my latest post at Future of Teaching: As a data specialist, I often find myself thinking of how hard we work to find abstractions of things we can’t quantify. We try to equate learning into achievement, because points matter so much more than the amorphous shifting of ideas into and through our minds. We put things in spreadsheets, click a bunch of buttons, and make predictions based on pieces that don’t always fit together. Read the re... more »
NYC Educator: Three Weeks
NYC Educator: Three Weeks: Three Weeks by NYC Educator That's how long it will be before my little family can go home. We need a new boiler, water heater, washer/ dryer, refrigerator, dishwasher and stove. Problem is, we also need new floors and walls, and apparently we need to dry out and clean up the mess that is our crawl space. For one thing, right now, when we turn the electricity on, it seems to catch fire. They tell me that it's a real disadvantage to have your house catch fire on a regular basis. Also, it appears before they can put in new walls and floors they have to rem... more »
Learning from an Experiment in Year-Round Schooling: The Importance of Context in School Reform | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
Learning from an Experiment in Year-Round Schooling: The Importance of Context in School Reform | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Learning from an Experiment in Year-Round Schooling: The Importance of Context in School Reform by obriena We’ve all heard about summer learning loss. Students lose between one and two months' worth of academic knowledge each summer. Low-income students are particularly sensitive to this phenomenon – some research suggests that more than half of the achievement gap seen in reading between these students and their wealthier peers can... more »
What's Wrong with Teacher Evaluation and How to Fix It: Osmosis — Whole Child Education
What's Wrong with Teacher Evaluation and How to Fix It: Osmosis — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: James H. Stronge]What’s Wrong with Teacher Evaluation and How to Fix It: Osmosis November 15, 2012 by James H. Stronge Unfortunately, and despite what appears to be a concerted effort across the last several decades, the assumption that a picture of educator skill and practice can be gained through observation, alone, simply doesn't work. In the final analysis, this simplistic approach to teacher evaluation most certainly results in neither teacher improvement nor i... more »
USDA Announces First-Ever Round of Farm to School Grants – NSAC
For Immediate Release: USDA Announces First-Ever Round of Farm to School Grants – NSAC: *USDA Announces First-Ever Round of Farm to School Grants* * * * * *Washington, DC November 14, 2012* – Today USDA announced the recipients of the first-ever round of Farm to School Grants. The awards span 68 projects in 37 States and the District of Columbia and total $4.5 million in funding. “By increasing purchases of local farm products, schools provide lucrative market opportunities for farmers and ranchers, expand access to fresh foods for schoolchildren, and stimulate community economic d... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, November 15, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Chair Wins Big In California! * Education Headlines *Thursday, November 15, 2012* Lodi Unified parents, students propose PE waiver programLodi Unified is the only large school district in San Joaquin County that does not allow student athletes to waive a second year, or 10 credits, of PE if they have extensive participation in athletics. San Dieguito bond measure within a hair of passingThe latest round of ballots counted by the Registrar of Voters show a bond proposition in the San Dieguito Union High School District close to p... more »
Fair and Effective Teacher Evaluation — Whole Child Education
Fair and Effective Teacher Evaluation — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Podcast][image: Whole Child Podcast]Fair and Effective Teacher Evaluation November 15, 2012 by Whole Child Podcast Download Podcast Now [Right-Click to Save] Teacher quality is the most important in-school factor influencing student learning and achievement. Research shows that students with high-performing teachers can progress three times as fast as students with low-performing teachers and each student deserves access to highly effective teachers in every subject. In turn, all teachers des... more »
School Tech Connect: Illinois Has A Huge Problem...
School Tech Connect: Illinois Has A Huge Problem...: " Civic Committee " Illinois Has A Huge Problem... by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) ...which is that the truth is drowned out almost all the time. I think I should just redirect my feed over to Glen's place, where there has been such lucid writing of late regarding Illinois' fiscal situation. Bob Lyons' piece is a must-read. He says a lot more than what I've clipped below, but it's is important to keep these things in mind because you never hear the Civic Committee people admit to these facts, except when they blurt them out ... more »
Fiscal Cliff: Are We Really Going to Do Surgery With An Ax? Really? | Lily's Blackboard
Fiscal Cliff: Are We Really Going to Do Surgery With An Ax? Really? | Lily's Blackboard: Are We Really Going to Do Surgery With An Ax? Really? by Lily We’re all in trouble when I start a sentence with, “… and reasonable people in Congress will find a way get this done…” and the room explodes with laughter. Because *we’re in this mess for lack of a sufficient number of reasonable people*. When this soap opera began, there was a standoff between Democrats and Republicans in Congress over how to balance the budget, and with the clock ticking, if they didn’t get agreement it would ... more »
MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-15-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Children in Mississippi Are Helping Children in Long Island by dianerav This makes my day. Michael Vanveckhoven, a reader of this blog sent me a photo of children in Meridian, Mississippi, collecting warm hats and gloves for children in Rockville Center on Long Island in New York. Michael read here a note from high school principal Carol Burris about students whose homes were severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy. The south shore of Long Island took the full force of the hurricane and How Did David Beat Gol... more »
Ohio’s latest education bill eliminates teacher expertise & bipartisanship
Ohio’s latest education bill eliminates teacher expertise & bipartisanship: *Ohio’s latest education bill eliminates teacher expertise & bipartisanship* *screw bipartisanship* *by Greg on November 14, 2012 · 1 Comment* The Ohio House Education Committee reconvened last evening with the introduction of the latest version (sub bill) of an education reform bill from Governor Kasich’s office, House Bill 555. The bill was introduced by Committee Chair, Gerald Stebelton who, as sponsor and chair, had to step down to the podium and turn his seat over to Mike Dovilla. Sub House Bill 555 ... more »
NYC Educator: Where Is This Man?
NYC Educator: Where Is This Man?: Where Is This Man? by NYC Educator Popout This is the President I voted for in 2008, speaking for the power of people to organize. This is the President I've missed for four long years, as he failed to find those comfortable shoes and materialize in Wisconsin, as he failed to support, let alone pass, the Employee Free Choice Act, as he failed to stop the ruinous Bush tax cuts. Now he has another term, and teachers are saying it's time to dump Arne Duncan, who lacks the sensitivity of a number two pencil, who publicly declared that Katrina was th... more »
Millions in CA Prop 30 Tax Revenues Will Be Diverted from Higher Ed to Wall Street, Thanks to UC Board of Regents | The Dissenter
Millions in CA Prop 30 Tax Revenues Will Be Diverted from Higher Ed to Wall Street, Thanks to UC Board of Regents | The Dissenter: Millions in Prop 30 Tax Revenues Will Be Diverted from Higher Ed to Wall Street, Thanks to UC Board of Regents by Leighton Woodhouse [image: UC regents protest]UC regents have cut programs & hiked tuition for years Millions of dollars in new tax revenue earmarked for the University of California system as part of the state’s recently passed Proposition 30 will instead be routed to major financial firms, because of bad bets made by a Wall Street-influenc... more »
Educación Sexual Integral : vivirlaeducacion
Educación Sexual Integral : vivirlaeducacion: Educación Sexual Integral by Maju Hoy más que nunca se observa en varios países, como una cuestión importante y urgente, incorporar en todos los *ámbitos educativos*, formales y no formales, la temática sobre la sexualidad. Muchos educadores, y en especial muchos padres, probablemente se encuentren anonadados, y hasta atemorizados, con la simple idea de tener que hablar de sexo con sus niños pequeños, y se rehúsan a que estos temas sean abordados en el ámbito escolar. En pos de disminuir las ansiedades, los miedos, y en especial, los ta... more »
A Winning Advantage: Cash Contributions for: YES ON 1240 WA COALITION FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS
contributions: [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] *Cash Contributions for: YES ON 1240 WA COALITION FOR PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS * Contact Information C1PC ReportTotal Raised:$10,928,862.03Total Spent:$10,801,109.53(Cash Contributions(Inkind Contributions(Anonymous(Loans (Miscellaneous(Small Contributions$10,768,540.00$148,169.52$1.00$0.00 $9,279.10$0.00NOTE: Click on a column header to sort by that column, or click on the [image: filter icon] icon to filter your results[image: PDF] [image: PDF] [image: EXCEL] [image: HTML] [image: RSS] [im... more »
MILLIONAIRE BUSINESS OWNERS – WHY THE HOSTILITY TOWARDS TEACHERS ? « Teachers Fight Back
MILLIONAIRE BUSINESS OWNERS – WHY THE HOSTILITY TOWARDS TEACHERS ? « Teachers Fight Back: MILLIONAIRE BUSINESS OWNERS – WHY THE HOSTILITY TOWARDS TEACHERS ? by alkleen I encourage everyone to expose the Illinois Policy Institute and other such groups for what they really are. These groups run by millionaires and billionaires are out to privatize public schools so they and all their business friends will no longer have to pay taxes to support education. They also want to destroy public teacher unions whose unity have allowed teacher salaries and benefits to grow and thereby c
Physical Education Programs Stalled By State Loopholes: 2012 Shape Of The Nation Report
Physical Education Programs Stalled By State Loopholes: 2012 Shape Of The Nation Report: Physical Education Programs Stalled By State Loopholes: 2012 Shape Of The Nation Report **Posted: 11/14/2012 12:14 pm EST Updated: 11/14/2012 12:14 pm EST [image: Physical Education Loopholes] A report by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education and the American Heart Association has found that while nearly 75 percent of states require physical education in elementary through high school, over half of states permit students to substitute other activities for their required p... more »
SI&A Cabinet Report – Autism growth headlines annual demographic report on special ed
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: *Autism growth headlines annual demographic report on special ed* *By Tom Chorneau* Wednesday, November 14, 2012 Perhaps it’s no surprise that the fastest-growing segment of California’s special education population is students with autism. But what is eye-opening is that group’s rate of growth over the past decade – a whopping 512 percent. Indeed, a new overview report on students with disabilities served by California public schools notes that autism represented just 2.2 percent of the special education population in 2000-01 with a total o... more »
Georgia Cyber Academy: Is virtual charter ignoring real problems with special ed services? | Get Schooled
Georgia Cyber Academy: Is virtual charter ignoring real problems with special ed services? | Get Schooled: Georgia Cyber Academy: Is virtual charter ignoring real problems with special ed services? by Maureen Downey The last time we discussed Georgia Cyber Academy was in response to parent comments about their significant roles as academic coaches under the online school’s instructional model. Now, it is the state board of education discussing the state’s first online school, suggesting it will pull its charter if it does improve services for students with special needs. Georgia ... more »
UPDATE: CT Taxpayers invest in “Hot App” company, will the Wait, What? Blog be next? - Wait, What?
CT Taxpayers invest in “Hot App” company, will the Wait, What? Blog be next? - Wait, What?: CT Taxpayers invest in “Hot App” company, will the Wait, What? Blog be next? by jonpelto An 18-month old company, incorporated in Delaware, with an office in Westport, but its chief financial officer and chief operations officers in California, landed $750,000 in Connecticut taxpayer funding this week, thanks to Connecticut Innovations, a quasi-state agency that works to support the Connecticut economy by investing public funds in private companies. deets, inc., who has had no sales to da... more »
Free Webinar: Critical Strategies for Empowering 21st Century Teachers with Coaching and Capacity Building — Whole Child Education
Free Webinar: Critical Strategies for Empowering 21st Century Teachers with Coaching and Capacity Building — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Klea Scharberg]Free Webinar: Critical Strategies for Empowering 21st Century Teachers with Coaching and Capacity Building November 14, 2012 by Klea Scharberg [image: Andrew Miller] Join ASCD Faculty member Andrew Miller for an exciting, free webinar to learn critical strategies for empowering teachers with coaching and capacity building. *Wednesday, November 14, 2012, 3:00 p.m. eastern time* *Register now!* Real change in our... more »
Beaverton parents ask school board to 'please tax me' after seeing the effects of teacher layoffs | OregonLive.com
Beaverton parents ask school board to 'please tax me' after seeing the effects of teacher layoffs | OregonLive.com: Beaverton parents ask school board to 'please tax me' after seeing the effects of teacher layoffs by Wendy Owen, The Oregonian Beaverton parent Kevin O'Donnell held up his property tax statement and asked the Beaverton School Board to tax him. O'Donnell said things are looking up now compared tolast November when Beaverton voters said no to a local option levy that would have raised about $14 million for this school year, in which the district laid off nearly 100 ... more »
Modern School: Dysfunctional Do-Gooders
Modern School: Dysfunctional Do-Gooders: Dysfunctional Do-Gooders by Michael Dunn *“The nonprofit sector, which roots for the underdog, supports tax breaks to the wealthy because charitable deductions help us.”* --Jan Masaoka, CEO of the California Association of Nonprofits (quoted in the Bay Citizen) *Corruption or Rational Response to an Irrational Premise* Non-profit organizations are often the strongest advocates for the neediest Americans, yet they also tend to be strong advocates for tax breaks for the nation’s millionaires. From their perspective, this is not a corruption, ... more »
Swedish School De-emphasizes Gender Lines - NYTimes.com
Swedish School De-emphasizes Gender Lines - NYTimes.com: Stockholm Journal: Swedish School De-emphasizes Gender Lines from NYT > Education by By JOHN TAGLIABUE The Nicolaigarden school in Stockholm tries to free girls and boys from traditional gender roles, starting with replacing “him” or “her” with “friend.” [image: New York Times] STOCKHOLM — At an ocher-color preschool along a lane in Stockholm’s Old Town, the teachers avoid the pronouns “him” and “her,” instead calling their 115 toddlers simply “friends.” Masculine and feminine references are taboo, often replaced by the pro... more »
Castle Crier ONLINE REPORTING FROM CASTLEMONT HIGH IN OAKLAND
Castle Crier: CASTLE CRIERONLINE REPORTING FROM CASTLEMONT HIGH IN OAKLANDABOUT CONTACT LINKS SPONSOR SUBMIT
Another Oakland student news blog: Castle Crier! - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools
Another Oakland student news blog: Castle Crier! - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools: Another Oakland student news blog: Castle Crier! Tuesday, November 13th, 2012 at 5:05 pm in 1 Comment *High school newspapers, ready to be distributed (not at Castlemont) from elizasizzle’s site at flickr.com/creativecommons.* Student journalism in Oakland has popped up at yet another high school. At Castlemont High, students have launched an online site with a wonderfully old-school newspaper name, the Castle Crier. AP English language students are the publication’s first ... more »
It’s Looking More Likely That CA Schools May Get Long-Term Monies They Need, But Not For Another Two Years… | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…
It’s Looking More Likely That CA Schools May Get Long-Term Monies They Need, But Not For Another Two Years… | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: It’s Looking More Likely That CA Schools May Get Long-Term Monies They Need, But Not For Another Two Years… by Larry Ferlazzo Proposition 30 passed in California last week, and that provides schools the funds required not to cut-back any further. But, as I’ve previously posted, the biggest electoral news in our state is that it appears that the Democrats are gaining a two-thirds supermajority in the state legislature. That surprise c... more »
The truth simply isn’t important… As Malloy’s budget chief concedes emergency deficit reduction plan is “likely” - Wait, What?
The truth simply isn’t important… As Malloy’s budget chief concedes emergency deficit reduction plan is “likely” - Wait, What?: The truth simply isn’t important… As Malloy’s budget chief concedes emergency deficit reduction plan is “likely” by jonpelto According to today’s CTMirror article, written by Keith M. Phaneuf and Jacqueline Rabe Thomas. “One day after Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called it ‘premature’ to talk about state budget deficits, his budget chief told reporters that state finances were far enough in the red to “likely” trigger a mandatory deficit-reduction plan.” No Gove... more »
School Tech Connect: Many Things Are Disturbing
School Tech Connect: Many Things Are Disturbing: Many Things Are Disturbing by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) What I find disturbing is that this woman is the unelected, self-appointed queen of Illinois education policy. Steans called it “disturbing” that in 10 years, the percent of Illinois students hitting proficiency benchmarks on a national fourth-grade reading test has only moved from 31 percent to 33 percent. On the same national test, only a third of students were proficient in eighth-grade — the same amount as two years ago. This ten year timeframe is pretty much th... more »
Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter
Engaging Parents In School… » This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter: This Week’s #PTchat On Twitter by Larry Ferlazzo Guest post by Gwen Pescatore This week’s Parent-Teacher Chat (#ptchat) on Twitter – Creating a Positive Learning Environment at Home & at School Maxine Shaw, Head of Hazelwood School in Surrey, England said in an article for the autumn issue of Attain Magazine, “The very best schools will set children on a journey.” She continues on to say, “…each child sees themselves as an octopus, in a string bag, on a zip wire. As the child travels along the zip wire they will be able... more »
Nominations Open – The 2012 Edublog Awards are here! | The Edublog Awards
Nominations Open – The 2012 Edublog Awards are here! | The Edublog Awards: *Nominations Open – The 2012 Edublog Awards are here!* November 13, 2012 by Ronnie Burt | 0 comments 3 [image: logo-small] It is that time of year again! The 2012 Edublog Awards are a go! The Edublog Awards is a community based initiative started in 2004 in response to community concerns relating to how schools, districts and educational institutions were *blocking access* of learner and teacher blog sites for educational purposes. The purpose of the Edublog awards is *promote and demonstrate the educationa... more »
Diane in the Evening 11-13-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Sirota Exposes the Big Lie Technique by dianerav David Sirota, an author and talk-show host, here analyzes the election results and says they exposed the Big Lie of the corporate reform movement. The public is not hankering to privatize their public schools. The corporate leaders and rightwing establishment dropped millions of dollars to push their agenda of LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-13-12 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] Testing Toddlers in Lou... more »
Team Vallas increases spending on Bridgeport’s 64 principals and assistant principals by 22.4% - Wait, What?
Team Vallas increases spending on Bridgeport’s 64 principals and assistant principals by 22.4% - Wait, What?: Team Vallas increases spending on Bridgeport’s 64 principals and assistant principals by 22.4% by jonpelto According to a new budget document that has been added to the Bridgeport School System’s website, Paul Vallas, and his “Education Reform” efficiency team, have increased spending on Bridgeport’s 64 school principals, assistant principals and management supervisors by $1,696,054 million over the amount spent on these senior school administrators last year. During the 2... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: FERPA Explained to Parents. A Crystal Ball Moment?
Missouri Education Watchdog: FERPA Explained to Parents. A Crystal Ball Moment?: FERPA Explained to Parents. A Crystal Ball Moment? by stlgretchen **Will my child be successful in school? Look to the data....or maybe not? The Federal Government believes data is king and wants to track school children from birth through their lives for workforce development. It's shrouded as education reform, but it is really for the establishment of state longitudinal data systems to connect with various federal agencies and approved private firms to collect data on your child to establish a ma... more »
Morning Update: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-13-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Burris Dismantles Teacher-Bashing Myths by dianerav Carol Burris demolishes myths about teacher evaluation that were contained in a recent opinion piece in Phi Delta Kappan. Frankly, it is pretty shocking to see that the editor of this journal for educators believes that standardized testing should have any role in evaluating teachers. We are already seeing a renewed emphasis on teaching to the test and more narrowing of the curriculum as teachers’ careers hinge on student scores. It’s also shocking to see ... more »
Election Affirms Education "Reform" A Beltway, Rich Person Fetish | OurFuture.org
Election Affirms Education "Reform" A Beltway, Rich Person Fetish | OurFuture.org: Election Affirms Education "Reform" A Beltway, Rich Person Fetish [image: Jeff Bryant's picture] By Jeff Bryant November 12, 2012 - 10:23pm ET In President Obama's stunningly convincing reelection, only part of his education policies got reaffirmed -- the part he talked about most of the time during the campaign. Meanwhile, the president's policies known to align with what is commonly called "education reform" -- which closely adheres to *Beltway conventional wisdom* and the *druthers of rich folk... more »
CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS narrowly win approval in Washington | Local News | The Seattle Times
Charter schools narrowly win approval in Washington | Local News | The Seattle Times: *CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS narrowly win approval in Washington* * * [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] * * * * The Associated Press on Monday declared that the statewide CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS measure has passed. By Linda Shaw Seattle Times education reporter MOST POPULAR COMMENTS HIDE / SHOW COMMENTS Will the wealthy techies who spent millions to bankroll this initiative now provide the... (November 12, 2012, by decano) MORE The charter school backers are so upset with public ... more »
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 11-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* The Shocking Things Schools Are — And Aren’t — Teaching by aristotlethewise *School Curriculums Face Controversial Changes Via Recent Bills, Legislation *** The Shocking Things Schools Are — And Aren’t — Teaching Over the past couple years, several states attempted — and in some instances, succeeded — in passing legislation that brought controversial changes to school curriculums. For instance, under Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s proposed sweeping new school voucher program, tens of millions of Louisiana taxpayer dollars will be use... more »
School Psychology Awareness Week: Know Your Own Strengths — Whole Child Education
School Psychology Awareness Week: Know Your Own Strengths — Whole Child Education: [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]School Psychology Awareness Week: Know Your Own Strengths November 12, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers [image: School Psychology Awareness Week - NASP] This week whole child partner National Association of School Psychologists is hostingSchool Psychology Awareness Week. Designed around the theme "Know Your Own Strengths. Discover them. Share them. Celebrate them.," this year's program looks to help students and schools find and celebrate their strengths in the scho...more »
Jersey Jazzman: K12 Inc Comes Clean: "Reform" Is All About the $
Jersey Jazzman: K12 Inc Comes Clean: "Reform" Is All About the $: K12 Inc Comes Clean: "Reform" Is All About the $ by Duke Ken Libby points us to the transcript of a K12 Inc. conference call to investors. K12 is a charter school management company that specializes in "virtual" or "blended" learning, replacing brick-and-mortal schools with on-line instruction. NEPC released a report this past summer that shows K12's students fall further behind students in traditional schools. K12's school in Tennessee is under fire for poor performance, and critics in Florida say the schools the... more »
Diane in the Evening 11-12-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: A Bad Joke, Not Funny by dianerav A reader passed along this speculation about a possible replacement for Duncan. LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-12-12 Diane Ravitch's blog coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Superintendent’s Advice to President Obama by dianerav Jere Hochman runs an exemplary school district in Bedford, New York. Before the election, he wrote an eloquent letter (which I posted though I may not have used his name) on why everyone should support President ... more »
Schools Matter: Obama Pushes Apartheid Charter Movement in Georgia Over the Top
Schools Matter: Obama Pushes Apartheid Charter Movement in Georgia Over the Top: Obama Pushes Apartheid Charter Movement in Georgia Over the Top by Jim Horn My first year of teaching was in Georgia in 1971, one year after the end of segregation in Washington County, where I would teach Title I English at TJ Elder Jr. High School. The personnel director (before people became human resources) wore a white suit and white patent leather loafers, and he grinned widely as he told me that he was glad to welcome another young white family to Sandersville. The head of the little Englis... more »
School Tech Connect: A Day With A Book
School Tech Connect: A Day With A Book: A Day With A Book by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) What a great, luxurious Veterans' Day. I treated myself to a CPL copy of *Caleb's Crossing*, by Geraldine Brooks. It's weird how that when I'm thirsty for reading, I actually check out a book and read it, rather than endure exercises in reading comprehension, context clues, or even that great Holy Grail of education, critical thinking. People who howl the loudest about the lack of critical thinking in others are very often on the darndest bandwagons. *Caleb's Crossing *isn't my typical fa... more »
Tony at the Red Line Tap. « Fred Klonsky
Tony at the Red Line Tap. « Fred Klonsky: Tony at the Red Line Tap. by Fred Klonsky “Marty. Got any of the *Antares* from Argentina left?” “I saved a couple of bottles just for you, Freddy.” “You’re a sweet-heart.” “Damn, Klonsky. I haven’t seen you for weeks,” said Tony. “I thought you had fallen off a* fiscal cliff.”* “Right. What the hell is with that? Three things that I’m pretty sure didn’t get talked about during the past two years on the campaign trail or in a debate. Poor people. Education reform. And fiscal cliffs. And now all of a sudden it is a world ending crisis.” Tony... more »
Firestorm Erupts Over Virginia's Education Goals : NPR
Firestorm Erupts Over Virginia's Education Goals : NPR: Firestorm Erupts Over Virginia's Education Goals by CLAUDIO SANCHEZ As part of Virginia's waiver to opt out of mandates set out in the No Child Left Behind law, the state has created a controversial new set of education goals that are higher for white and Asian kids than for blacks, Latinos and students with disabilities. Virginia Democratic state Sen. Donald McEachin first read about the state's new performance goals for schoolchildren in a newspaper editorial. "And I was shocked to find that the state board of education [w... more »
Obama’s next steps | Outside the Cave
Obama’s next steps | Outside the Cave: Obama’s next steps by Stephen Lazar I was planning on writing a piece about things I hope will change in a second Obama administration, but Sam Chaltain and Jose Vilson pretty much nailed everything I wanted to say. Jose first: We thought you would bring fair trials to the prisoners in Guantanamo Bay and close it in your first year. The gates remain open. We thought you would bring about actual peace in the Middle East. You might have killed Osama bin Laden, but you are equally responsible for the drones dropping on innocent civilians there... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Race and Education
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Race and Education: Race and Education by Melissa Westbrook We are just coming off a presidential election where, to some degree, race mattered. Governor Romney lost because the GOP seems to be tone-deaf to the fact that what they allowed various GOP officials, including Romney, to say about Hispanics and women really DID matter. The GOP can continue this at their own risk but the numbers are against them (and so is history and common decency). The NY Times had two articles about students and race and its impacts that I thought worthy of posting... more »
Relief Is Not Enough: Nov 14–20th Climate Solidarity Actions | OccupyWallSt.org
Relief Is Not Enough: Nov 14–20th Climate Solidarity Actions | OccupyWallSt.org: Relief Is Not Enough: Nov 14–20th Climate Solidarity Actions by OccupyWallSt [image: tar sands blockade] In the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, New Yorkers are showing the best of humanity, self-organizing to provide mutual aid in spite of the establishment's continued failure to turn the lights back on. Free kitchens were distributing hot meals within hours. Thousands of pounds of food, clothing, and other donations have been distributed across Red Hook, Staten Island, the Rockaways, and Coney Island. ... more »
Students Last: Over the Educational Cliff
Students Last: Over the Educational Cliff: Over the Educational Cliff by Students Last *Washington D.C.* - U.S. Senator LaLa Verdad of New York released this statement today: "Louise, no matter what happens, I'm glad I came with you."Lately my office has been receiving communication from constituents about the state of education. Some of you have expressed annoyance over the frequency and length of the tests your child has had to take. Some of you were surprised to find out that the teacher you and your child love has been deemed "ineffective" as determined by value-added measures... more »
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Gloria Romero gets it wrong: HALF THE CALIFORNIA ELECTORATE DIDN’T VOTE
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Gloria Romero gets it wrong: HALF THE CALIFORNIA ELECTORATE DIDN’T VOTE: Gloria Romero gets it wrong: HALF THE CALIFORNIA ELECTORATE DIDN’T VOTE *if we are to believe Romero’s fuzzy math:* *A quarter of eligible voters gave Democrats supermajorities in both houses of the Legislature. * *B**ut we shouldn’t …see following!* BY GLORIA ROMERO / OP-ED FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER | HTTP://BIT.LY/UK0XNHPublished: Nov. 9, 2012 Updated: Nov. 12, 2012 6:48 a.m. :: Pundits called it the most important election of our lifetime. Yet, half of...more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sun-Times has a 'democracy problem" of its own
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sun-Times has a 'democracy problem" of its own: Sun-Times has a 'democracy problem" of its own by Mike Klonsky The landslide victory for Chicago's elected school board referendum has the Sun-Times editorial board in a tizzy.Today's editorial begins by answering its own question: *"Does the Chicago Board of Education have a democracy problem? Without a doubt."* My guess is that most of the 65,763 yes voters (as compared to the 10,174 no voters) would have offered a slightly stronger response -- like " OH HELL YES!" I mean -- *problem with democra... more »
Oh Great A Pop News Quiz (on a holiday): Catching up on what happened before the hurricane | GothamSchools
News quiz: Catching up on what happened before the hurricane | GothamSchools: News quiz: Catching up on what happened before the hurricane by Rachel Cromidas Much like the rest of New York City, for the last two weeks, we’ve been focused almost exclusively on Hurricane Sandy‘s effects on the city’s schools. Now, while Sandy’s aftermath will continue to be an education story for a long time, we’re also getting back to work on other stories that we’ve been following. It feels like it was far more than three weeks ago that we were publishing stories about college-readiness rates, a ci... more »
This Week In Education: Campaign 2012: CA Democratic Party Attacks Pro-Reform Democrat
This Week In Education: Campaign 2012: CA Democratic Party Attacks Pro-Reform Democrat: *Attention Bootlicker ALERT!* * * Campaign 2012: CA Democratic Party Attacks Pro-Reform Democrat Last week I told you about the substantive differences between pro-reform Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom and pro-teacher Betsy Butler (Showdown In Santa Monica). Over the weekend, I found out that it wasn't just the teachers unions fighting to protect Butler, the incumbent. The California Democratic Party joined in paying for negative flyers against Bloom. Yep, the California Democrats, who... more »
Chicago Teachers Union leaders to tell their story in Philadelphia | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Chicago Teachers Union leaders to tell their story in Philadelphia | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Chicago Teachers Union leaders to tell their story in Philadelphia by Ron Whitehorne *The ideas expressed in this guest post are solely the opinions of the author. The *Notebook* invites readers to submit guest posts on current topics in Philadelphia education. Submissions should be sent to notebook@thenotebook.org.* ------------------------------ *by Ron Whitehorn* The recently concluded Chicago teachers strike has had an impact far beyond the Windy City. There are lessons to be... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends: Odds and Ends by Melissa Westbrook There's a sinkhole problem in West Seattle directly on the route that buses to Pathfinder take. This story from our friends at the West Seattle Blog. Thought-provoking story this morning on NPR about how Eastern and Western parents view their children and their ability to learn. (I have often thought that persistence, resilience, and encouragement are more important than what intellectual capacities you are born with.) Interesting article from the Huffington Post about who serves special needs c... more »
Pass / Fail : USC program trains counselors to help students in military families | 89.3 KPCC
Pass / Fail : USC program trains counselors to help students in military families | 89.3 KPCC: USC program trains counselors to help students in military families by By Adolfo Guzman-Lopez [image: Military Families] *Duane Brown, his wife Marria and Rita Beal talk about their days in the Beal kitchen. Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC* By one count, close to 100,000 California public school kids have at least one parent serving in the military. Advocates say educators have done a poor job supporting these kids at school through the stressful times before, during, and after military deployme... more »
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: 23 CANDIDATES FILE PAPERS TO RUN FOR 3 L.A. SCHOOL BOARD SEATS + List of Candidates
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: 23 CANDIDATES FILE PAPERS TO RUN FOR 3 L.A. SCHOOL BOARD SEATS + List of Candidates: 23 CANDIDATES FILE PAPERS TO RUN FOR 3 L.A. SCHOOL BOARD SEATS + List of Candidates The March election could change the course of a new teacher evaluation system, the union's dealings with charters and, possibly, the future of Supt. John Deasy. Voters will also pick community college board members. BY HOWARD BLUME, LOS ANGELES TIMES | HTTP://LAT.MS/SFN0P5November 11, 2012 :: The race for three Los Angeles school board seats — and an expected showdow... more »
What the Selection of Florida’s Next Schools Commissioner Will Tell Us | Scathing Purple Musings
What the Selection of Florida’s Next Schools Commissioner Will Tell Us | Scathing Purple Musings: What the Selection of Florida’s Next Schools Commissioner Will Tell Us by Bob Sikes *Answer: What Money Can Buy* Gerard Robinson’s mysterious departure remains a blemish on Rick Scott’s record and an embarrassment for Jeb Bush. The ongoing collapse of Bush’s massive accountability system is happening on Scott’s watch. Robinson was clearly never right for the job and his selection can be attributed to the philosophical flaws of both men. Scott’s education naiveté was clear from the st... more »
Record Numbers of High School and College Graduates in 2012 | NewsTaco
Record Numbers of High School and College Graduates in 2012 | NewsTaco: Record Numbers of High School and College Graduates in 2012 by NewsTaco By Hope Gillette, Voxxi The decline in educational attainment feared by many experts seems to be myth. According to a new report from the Pew Research Center, record numbers of young adults are graduating high school and then completing a college education. For the first time ever, the 2012 school year saw one-third of the nation’s 25- to 29-year-olds graduate with at least a bachelor’s degree. On average, 90 percent of individuals between 2... more »
TWITTER STORM! #StopRTTT #MoreTeachingLessBubbling
*TWITTER STORM! #StopRTTT #MoreTeachingLessBubbling* * * * #StopRTTT #MoreTeachingLessBubbling* TWITTER STORM! Today, Veteran's Day, we are pleading with folks at the White House to Stop Race to the Top (#StopRTTT). Please join us! I have provided a whole mess of potential tweets below: @ArneDuncan Here is a study detailing the financial & educational costs of RTTT | http://tiny.cc/k7ynnw #StopRTTT #MoreTeachingLessBubbling @BarackObama Bubble testing is a skill & our kids are learning fast but how will that get them a job? #StopRTTT #MoreTeachingLessBubbling @DavidPlouffe Hig... more »
Schooling in the Ownership Society: K12 Inc. stock sinking like a stone
Schooling in the Ownership Society: K12 Inc. stock sinking like a stone: K12 Inc. stock sinking like a stone by Mike Klonsky The king of the privatized virtual learning world, K12Inc. has investors checking to see if they're still wearing their shorts. The problem continues to be extravagant costs stemming from huge salaries paid to top execs, plus K12 students scoring behind kids in brick-and-mortar schools. Market Watch reports: K12 Inc.'s fiscal first-quarter profit slipp
Learning About Our Childhood from Our Children | Maria Shriver | The Open Field Network
Learning About Our Childhood from Our Children | Maria Shriver | The Open Field Network: Learning About Our Childhood from Our Children By Steve Truitt Several weeks ago I noticed a marked shift in my behavior and reactions. To bottom line it: I was losing it a lot with my children. As all parents know, children will test your resolve on a daily, sometimes hourly, sometimes minutely (is that a word?) basis. As the child of severely toxic parents, it was imperative in my run-up to parenthood that I learn to do my best to not lose my cool with my kids. That’s not to say I don’t belie... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-12-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Why Charter Lobby Pushed San Diego Bond Issue by dianerav San Diego had a bond issue on the ballot. It passed handily. It appeared to be a great victory for public schools. But unknown to many, there was a sweet deal tucked into the bond issue. The district will get $2.8 billion in loans, but $350 million is set aside for charters. Decisions about how to allocate the money will be made by a committee, this article says, dominated by representatives of the charter industry. Here is another name to add to the ... more »
Diane Ravitch vs. the Education-Reform Movement : The New Yorker
Diane Ravitch vs. the Education-Reform Movement : The New Yorker: ANNALS OF EDUCATIONPUBLIC DEFENDERDiane Ravitch takes on a movement.BY DAVID DENBYNOVEMBER 19, 2012 ABSTRACT: ANNALS OF EDUCATION about Diane Ravitch, who has emerged as one of the leading opponents of the education-reform movement. Now seventy-four, Ravitch has been a forceful voice in education debates for more than four decades. A research professor at New York University since 1995, she has taught at Columbia University’s Teachers’ College, served as an Assistant Secretary of Education, and edited educatio... more »
Diane in the Evening 11-11-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Teachers’ Facebook and Phone Campaign for Obama by dianerav Two teachers have started a campaign to take their message to the White House: stop the Race to the Top! The message of their campaign: Give all students the same education your girls are getting! Abandon Race to the Top and stop privatizing public schools. Join them! EduShyster Credits Stephanie Rivera for SFER Expose by dianerav Earlier, I published a post about Students for Education Reform, linking to a post by EduShyster. SFER is a junior version of Democrats for Education Reform, the group form... more »
A Novel and Worthy Cause « Teaching Between the Lines
A Novel and Worthy Cause « Teaching Between the Lines: A Novel and Worthy Cause by Laura You are frustrated with the testing emphasis in education, and you really resent politicians and non-educators trying to tell teachers what to do in their classrooms. You are especially upset over the shift away from creative, artistic pursuits in the classroom as drill-and-kill math and reading replace the arts. So what can you do to make a difference? Don’t despair, my friend! The Office of Letters and Light is a non-profit organization that believes in “*ambitious acts of the imagination... more »
Update for Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools | United Opt Out National
Update for Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools | United Opt Out National: Update for Occupy DOE 2.0: The Battle for Public Schools by admin This week please share this brief update on Occupy DOE 2.0, The Battle for Public Schools, April 4-7, 2013. We return to DC this year and will occupy the Dept. of Ed. for four days. Our schedule is filling quickly. Here is a sneak peek of what we currently have confirmed, followed by information on hotels, free sleeping arrangements and a few additional details . Please click on each name to learn more – we will have a full schedul... more »
NYC Public School Parents: PEP's Mayoral Bloc Rejects Call for Delay in Charter School Co-locations
NYC Public School Parents: PEP's Mayoral Bloc Rejects Call for Delay in Charter School Co-locations: PEP's Mayoral Bloc Rejects Call for Delay in Charter School Co-locations by Patrick J. Sullivan Thursday's Panel for Educational Policy meeting at Frank Sinatra HS started forty minutes late as Vice Chair Freida Foster waited for enough mayoral bloc appointees to ensure the mayor's super-majority was in place to approve resolutions. *Deferral of Co-Location Votes or "The People's Business"* Brooklyn representative Kelvin Diamond introduced a resolution to defer co-location votes fr... more »
School Tech Connect: Do Elections Have Consequences?
School Tech Connect: Do Elections Have Consequences?: Do Elections Have Consequences? by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) We'll just see... One of the things I've learned in the past year is to not be shy about inviting policymakers to meetings. Just sent an email to my state representative.
Malloy’s decision to coddle the rich = State Budget Deficit - Wait, What?
Malloy’s decision to coddle the rich = State Budget Deficit - Wait, What?: Malloy’s decision to coddle the rich = State Budget Deficit by jonpelto When Governor Malloy proposed his $1.5 billion tax increase last year, anyone making over $1 million dollars was spared any increase in the state income tax rate. Concerned that the super-rich in Fairfield County might leave Connecticut – despite the fact that the income tax rate is higher in New York and New Jersey – and much higher in New York City – Malloy’s tax package only increased the income tax rate on people making LESS THAN $1... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Should Student Tweets Be Revealed?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Should Student Tweets Be Revealed?: Should Student Tweets Be Revealed? by Melissa Westbrook Here's a dilemma (or maybe not). Over at the Jezebel blog, they found that there were a number of teens who, after the reelection of President Obama, sent out very hateful and racist tweets. Jezebel looked these teens up and where they went to school, checked their school's code of conduct, and then contacted their respective administrations. In many cases, either the school code of conduct and/or student athletic code of conduct was violate. Jezebel say... more »
Fresh Awesome in the Teachbad Store!! | Mr. Teachbad
Fresh Awesome in the Teachbad Store!! | Mr. Teachbad: Fresh Awesome in the Teachbad Store!! by teachbad Fresh Awesome in the Teachbad Store!! As mid-autumn teacher depression and anxiety finds its sweet spot, and in time for thoughtful holiday gift-giving, Mr. Teachbad is delighted to offer two BRAND NEW products to our growing line of *Strictly Home-Use Teacher Gifts*. Check ‘em out. I especially like the *Pretty Good Teacher* mug.
Last Stand for Children First: Michelle Rhee's Policies Proven a Rousing Success
Last Stand for Children First: Michelle Rhee's Policies Proven a Rousing Success: Michelle Rhee's Policies Proven a Rousing Success by Last Stand for Children I was overjoyed yesterday to see the Washington Post trumpeting a new report by the New Teacher Project trumpeting Michelle Rhee's success as Chancellor of the Washington D.C. schools. We've always known Ms. Rhee was a force of nature since she first appeared on our radar when she founded the New Teacher Project back in 1997. As Chancellor, Mr. Rhee was something of a lightening rod for controversy, but even the Washington... more »
Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble Meets the Nation to Talk about GOP Future
Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble Meets the Nation to Talk about GOP Future: Congressman Kimble Meets the Nation to Talk about GOP Future by Representative Kimble Greg Roberts: The echoes of Tuesday night's crushing defeat for Mitt Romney and the rest of Republican candidates still echo through the beltway. The fiscal cliff awaits, but it seems what everybody is talking about is how the Republicans rebound with demographics seemingly working against them for years to come. Our guest, Jack Kimble from California was a rare Republican winner on Tuesday night, winning his home di... more »
Math Can Be Truly Painful, Brain Study Shows | toteachornototeach
Math Can Be Truly Painful, Brain Study Shows | toteachornototeach: Math Can Be Truly Painful, Brain Study Shows by aristotlethewise *Math Can Be Truly Painful, Brain Study Shows* *For math-phobes, anticipation of math work activates pain centers in brain. * by Jeremy Berlin Does the thought of 1+1= ouch? If you hate math, it might—literally. According to a new study, the mere prospect of a math problem causes pain centers to light up in number-phobic brains. Researchers at the University of Chicago measured the neural activity of 28 adults—14 who’d been identified with high math anxi... more »
All Education Matters: Rolling Jubilee: You Are Not A Loan
All Education Matters: Rolling Jubilee: You Are Not A Loan: Rolling Jubilee: You Are Not A Loan by Cryn Johannsen Occupy Wall Street has launched an ingenious campaign, something that is truly beyond capitalism. Just as they have stepped in to help victims of Sandy (OPERATION Occupy Sandy), the collective group of dreamers, activists, and community lovers have decided a new angle to the solving the debt crisis - *a bailout for the people and by the people.* The People's Bailout, cleverly called a Rolling Jubilee, begins on November 15th!
Short Notes: In a Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga Sorta Vibe | The Jose Vilson
Short Notes: In a Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga Sorta Vibe | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: In a Kendrick Lamar and Lady Gaga Sorta Vibe by Jose Kendrick Lamar A few notes: - Lady Gaga posted a version of Kendrick Lamar’s “Don’t Kill My Vibe” which originally featured … her. Awesome. [Twitter / @LadyGaga] - According to Slate, NASA is also very happy with Obama’s re-election. To space and beyond. [Slate] - I’m not a fan of war, nor am I happy we have troops in places we don’t need to. This Wilfred Owen poem is a good reminder for us. [via Twitter / Alec Couros]
School Tech Connect: Put This On Your Calendar
School Tech Connect: Put This On Your Calendar: Put This On Your Calendar by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I'll be at this event with some of the members of the new group up here, Rogers Park Neighbors for Public Schools. Come join us if you're up here, or even if you're close by. You folks down in Edgewater are going to have to organize locally as well, as far as I can tell.
Support for Elected School Board Growing in Chicago « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!
Support for Elected School Board Growing in Chicago « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Support for Elected School Board Growing in Chicago by millerlf *Aldermen push for city-wide referendum on elected school board* BY FRAN SPIELMAN AND ROSALIND ROSSI Staff Reporters November 8, 2012 Chicago Sun Times Independent Chicago aldermen vowed Thursday to push for a citywide referendum on an elected school board opposed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, emboldened by 86 percent support from voters in parts of 35 wards. Despite a parliamentary maneuver by a mayoral ally that blocked refere... more »
Tavis Smiley & Dr. Cornel West on Poverty: “The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto” | Seattle Education
Tavis Smiley & Dr. Cornel West on Poverty: “The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto” | Seattle Education: Tavis Smiley & Dr. Cornel West on Poverty: “The Rich and the Rest of Us: A Poverty Manifesto” by seattleducation2011 From Democracy Now: *As the most expensive presidential election in U.S. history comes to an end, broadcaster Tavis Smiley and professor, activist Dr. Cornel West discuss President Obama’s re-election and their hopes for a national political agenda in and outside of the White House during Obama’s second term. At a time when one in six Americans is poor,... more »
Time on testing: 738 minutes in 3 weeks
Time on testing: 738 minutes in 3 weeks: Time on testing: 738 minutes in 3 weeks Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 11, 2012 at 11:30 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » How much time do teachers and students spend on standardized tests? That’s one of the big questions in public education today, which Adam Heenan, a Chicago school teacher and member of the Chicago Teachers Union addresses here. By Adam Heenan A few days ago, a colleague walked into our social studies department with a bubbled... more »
Shanker Blog » Describing, Explaining And Affecting Teacher Retention In D.C.
Shanker Blog » Describing, Explaining And Affecting Teacher Retention In D.C.: Describing, Explaining And Affecting Teacher Retention In D.C. by Matthew Di Carlo The New Teacher Project (TNTP) has released a new report on teacher retention in D.C. Public Schools (DCPS). It is a spinoff of their “The Irreplaceables” report, which was released a few months ago, and which is discussed in this post. The four (unnamed) districts from that report are also used in this one, and their results are compared with those from DCPS. I want to look quickly at this new supplemental analysis, not ... more »
Schools Matter: The Hard Bigotry of Low Expectations in Florida
Schools Matter: The Hard Bigotry of Low Expectations in Florida: The Hard Bigotry of Low Expectations in Florida by Judy Rabin With the ink barely dry on the outcome of the Presidential election in Florida, the FL school Board is now looking for new and innovative ways to keep the FCAT, virtual schools and private money machine rolling. This way Jeb Bush's buddies. K-12 and other for-profit education outfits who make their money off the backs of the poorest and most vulnerable children and their teachers can keep their wheels greased till 2018 under this proposal. The soft bigot... more »
The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky
The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky: The Sunday Mail. by Fred Klonsky *Veteran of the Abraham Lincoln Brigade (my dad) Robert Klonsky. Phot0: Life Photographer Peter Stackpole 1938.* *General Petraeus*. Maybe it wasn’t just about his zipper. *The day I retired, my school district cut off my email access at 2:30.* Mittens didn’t wait* that long* to cut off his people. *Bill O’ Reilly says we just want stuff.* He’s right. Medicare. Social Security. Health Care. Collective bargaining. An end to deportations. Access to safe abortions. Stuff. Lots of stuff. *Will Democratic Party super-majo... more »
George Lucas: Education the key to robust future - Marin Independent Journal
George Lucas: Education the key to robust future - Marin Independent Journal: George Lucas: Education the key to robust future By Nels Johnson George Lucas intends to use his wealth to benefit education. Lucas, who sold Lucasfilm to Disney last month for $2 billion in cash and $2 billion in Disney stock, indicated he will use most of his wealth to educate children in a written statement elaborating on earlier word that educational endeavors will be the big beneficiary of his philanthropy. "As long as I have the resources at my disposal, I will seek to raise the bar for future gener... more »
Why Florida’s High School End of Course Exam Regime May Cause a New Surge in Drop Outs | Scathing Purple Musings
Why Florida’s High School End of Course Exam Regime May Cause a New Surge in Drop Outs | Scathing Purple Musings: Why Florida’s High School End of Course Exam Regime May Cause a New Surge in Drop Outs by Bob Sikes Looking to curry favor with skeptical voters, Rick Scott’s been going around telling everybody that there won’t be any new tests for a while. He’s right, but the decision was in place before he became governor. In Florida high schools, the transition away from FCAT to course specific end-of-course exams was made during Charlie Crist’s governorship. Kids entering high s... more »
Cyber-charter schools: Are they making the grade? - News
Cyber-charter schools: Are they making the grade? - News: Cyber-charter schools: Are they making the grade? Spending school days online, not in classroom Con Academy Browse Con Academy library of over 3,100 educational videos... By MARY BETH SCHWEIGERT and CHIP SMEDLEY Staff Angela Altrichter home-schooled all three of her sons through eighth grade. But as her boys got older, Altrichter realized she didn't want to teach high school. She looked for a program with a low student-to-teacher ratio and eventually chose 21st Century Cyber Charter School in Exton. Altrichter's youn... more »
Should this school be saved? The fight over Chicago's Dyett High | Reuters
Should this school be saved? The fight over Chicago's Dyett High | Reuters: Should this school be saved? The fight over Chicago's Dyett High (Reuters) - By just about any definition, Walter H. Dyett High School has failed. Just 10 percent can pass the state math exam; barely one in six is proficient in reading. The technology lab is so ancient, some of the computers still take 3-inch floppy disks. More teens drop out than graduate. Yet when the Chicago Board of Education announced plans to shut the place down, it sparked a community uprising. Students, parents and teachers have sta... more »
#mozfest: Open schools for open societies « Cooperative Catalyst
#mozfest: Open schools for open societies « Cooperative Catalyst: #mozfest: Open schools for open societies by Chad Sansing #mozfest began a conversation about schooling that I hope continues over the course of the next year. I hope that in our care and commitment to raising a generation of webmakers who write the world, we increase kids’ access to writable experiences inside school, as well as outside school. While it’s mostly true that to a teacher every problem looks like a school, it’s worth noting that 81.5 million children are enrolled in schools in the United States alone. ... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-11-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Teacher Bashers Lost by dianerav This is a very good analysis of the election results that should gladden the hearts of teachers. John Wilson points out that in one state after another, those who disparaged and demeaned teachers lost. They blame their loss on the unions, but the unions have limited numbers. And most of the rightwing candidates (maybe all) had far greater resources from Wall Street than the teacher-back candidates. Don’t Forget the Hurricane Victims by dianerav Robert Pondiscio writes m... more »
Daily Kos: Today we honor veterans of military service - but that is not enough
Daily Kos: Today we honor veterans of military service - but that is not enough: Today we honor veterans of military service - but that is not enough by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) and it is appropriate because there is something about those who give up some of their freedoms and potentially put themselves at risk of life and limb on behalf of the ideal of this nation. Some may have served involuntarily in the days when we still had conscription. Others, like me, volunteered, even if we might have objected strongly to the military conflict of our era as I did to Vietnam. I volu... more »
NYC Educator: Role Reversal
NYC Educator: Role Reversal: Role Reversal by NYC Educator
Chicago Voters Overwhelmingly Support an Elected School BoardSave Our Schools
Chicago Voters Overwhelmingly Support an Elected School BoardSave Our Schools: Chicago Voters Overwhelmingly Support an Elected School Board by Server Chicago Voters Overwhelmingly Support an Elected School BoardYesterday, voters in 327 precincts throughout 35 wards of the city had the opportunity to vote on the referendum question regarding whether Chicago should have an elected school board, as opposed to the current mayoral appointed school board. Voters overwhelmingly voted yes to an elected school board, with 86.6% voting yes. The final tally amounted to 65,763 people voting ... more »
Going Down The Quality Review Tubes at PS 154x.southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Going Down The Quality Review Tubes at PS 154x by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) In 1974, or maybe 1973, Senator Howard Baker then the ranking minority member of the then Senate Watergate Committee asked this famous question during the Watergate hearings; *"What did the President know and when did he know it?"* Well we here at SBSB are asking the same question of Yolanda Torres, Superintendent of District 7 in regard toPS 154 being put on the closure list, *"What did Yolanda Torres know and when did she know it?"* What has Yolanda Torres know... more »
David Frum: Republicans Have Been Fleeced, Exploited, and Lied To by Rig...
[image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] Conservative columnist David Frum had some choice words on Morning Joe for the industry that has swelled to basically steal money from republican voters. Republicans have been fleeced, exploited and lied to by a conservative entertainment complex...there are too many to name. Because the followers, the donors and the activists are so mistaken about the nature of the problems the country faces...just a simple question, and I went to Tea Party rallies and asked this question, have taxes gone up or down in recent years? They can't answer ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Yes on 1240 Declares Victory
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Yes on 1240 Declares Victory: Yes on 1240 Declares Victory by Melissa Westbrook *Update at 4:40 pm: * I still think the trend is not enough to say No to 1240 but it will end up being as close as it can be. At this time the Yes has dropped to 50.78% and No is at 49.22%, a difference of 1.56% and less than 42K. From their press release: *After comprehensively reviewing ballot returns to date, The YES on 1240 Coalition announced today that Initiative 1240, the Washington Public Charter Schools Initiative, will be approved by a majority of Washingto... more »
High Teacher-Absentee Rates Hurt Schools | toteachornototeach
High Teacher-Absentee Rates Hurt Schools | toteachornototeach: High Teacher-Absentee Rates Hurt Schools by aristotlethewise *High Teacher-Absentee Rates Hurt Schools* By Francesca Duffy Thirty-six percent of teachers nationwide missed more than 10 days of school during the 2009-10 year, according to an analysis of federal data by the Washington-based Center for American Progress. Rhode Island had the highest percentage of teachers missing more than 10 days with 50.2, while Utah had the lowest with 20.2. The analysis, based on data collected by the U.S. Department of Education’s Offic... more »
Are EDU conferences meeting our needs? « My Island View
Are EDU conferences meeting our needs? « My Island View: Are EDU conferences meeting our needs? by tomwhitby Today I attended the 39th Annual Conference for the Association of Middle Level Education in Portland, Oregon. I actually presented for this group for a couple of times about 25 years ago when it was The National Middle Schools Association. That was back in the day when we had far fewer middle schools. The model most often employed back then was the Junior High School. Junior high schools were 7-9 mini high schools. Little kids, little problems (what were we thinking?). Th... more »
Schools Matter: Schools As Ecosystems Lessons from Sandy
Schools Matter: Schools As Ecosystems Lessons from Sandy: Schools As Ecosystems Lessons from Sandy by Judy Rabin Teachers, who are the first responders when it comes to children, are doing their job here in New York. Despite no help from the Department of Education and the aftermath of the most devastating storm since Katrina, teachers are now free to bring the joy, caring and love to learning essential for success in nurturing the "whole child". Education reform is happening where it matters, on the ground in real classrooms, with or without lights, electricity, heat or building... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Ronnie Greco of Jersey City: A Real Union Leader
Jersey Jazzman: Ronnie Greco of Jersey City: A Real Union Leader: Ronnie Greco of Jersey City: A Real Union Leader by Duke Teachers union leaders across America, pay heed to Ronnie Greco, President of the Jersey City Education Association. This is what a real fighter for students, parents, and teachers looks like: Dear colleagues, I need to bring you up to date on a recent development. Several weeks ago, the administration contacted the JCEA and asked us to review an application that the district was planning to submit for a grant under the Race to the Top program. As you may know... more »
Washington charter initiative STILL undecided — update
Washington charter initiative STILL undecided — update: Washington charter initiative STILL undecided — update Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 8, 2012 at 4:40 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » We STILL don’t know the outcome of Washington’s initiative to allow charter schools to open in the state. Pro charter forces spent more than $10 million to win approval from voters, who had rejected approving charter schools three times before. Bill Gates alone donated more than $3 million, Alice ... more »
Daily Kos: Saturday Morning reflection on reflection and living
Daily Kos: Saturday Morning reflection on reflection and living: Saturday Morning reflection on reflection and living by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) I have always been a reflective person. Starting in pre-adolescence I used to carry notebooks around and jot down observations, thoughts, perceptions. I would "think aloud' on paper. I would step back from what i was doing and try to understand it, and would apply the same technique to things around me as well. For almost a decade, blogging in various forms has taken the place of those notebooks, although a few months ago, as the... more »
Must Teachers Shut Down Our Compassion to Survive Education Reform? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Must Teachers Shut Down Our Compassion to Survive Education Reform? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Must Teachers Shut Down Our Compassion to Survive Education Reform? by Anthony Cody Yesterday I received a message from a reader. She wrote: I am convinced that educators in this country have lost their senses. At least, they seem to have lost their consciences. I sent your blog - What Hurricane Sandy is Teaching Us About Students Under Stress - to my fellow teachers this week. No one responded to the post via e-mail. I can understand that, since our school e-mails ... more »
Fiscal Accountability? Oh you meant Fiscal Accountability… - Wait, What?
Fiscal Accountability? Oh you meant Fiscal Accountability… - Wait, What?: Fiscal Accountability? Oh you meant Fiscal Accountability… by jonpelto Back around 2009, Governor Jodi Rell and her Office of Policy and Management had a tendency to misrepresent the state’s revenue and expenditure data in order to make it appear that the state budget was more balanced than it actually was. Some recall this was the time period when Rell allowed the Democratic Legislature’s budget to become state law without her signature, while claiming that she opposed the budget. Rell even went so far as... more »
$tudent$ for Education Reform | EduShyster
$tudent$ for Education Reform | EduShyster: $tudent$ for Education Reform by edushyster2012 Members of Connecticut chapters of Students for Education Reform. $FER spent more than $15,000 to bus 60 members to a rally in support of CT Governor Malloy’s education reform bill. Reader, today we revisit what has become perhaps my very phavorite rephorm group: Students for Education Reform. As you are no doubt aware, students are on the march from Chile, where they are demanding equal access to higher education, to Quebec, where striking students recently brought down the government for ... more »
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Return on our investment. by Fred Klonsky Illinois’ public employee unions spent a huge amount of member dollars in the last campaign. - *American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees: $645,787* - *Illinois Federation of Teachers: $1,098,219* - *Illinois Education Association: $1,080,700* - *Service Employees International Union: $919,598* What will we get in return? Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky Funny thing about elections. Except in the case of a rare tie, there are no do-overs. Sure. You can try to steal it like when... more »
Teachers Unions: Scourge of the Nation? « School Finance 101
Teachers Unions: Scourge of the Nation? « School Finance 101: Teachers Unions: Scourge of the Nation? by schoolfinance101 Let me start by stating that I, myself am somewhat agnostic when it comes to the questions around whether I believe teachers unions are generally good or bad for the overall quality of our education system and for educational equity. In my personal experiences as a young teacher in the early 1990s, I had my issues with my local teachers unions (in New York State in particular), resulting in some pretty heated battles with local and regional union officials [an... more »
The Illinois teacher strike wave continues. Geneva teachers may walk on a cold Tuesday morning. « Fred Klonsky
The Illinois teacher strike wave continues. Geneva teachers may walk on a cold Tuesday morning. « Fred Klonsky: The Illinois teacher strike wave continues. Geneva teachers may walk on a cold Tuesday morning. by Fred Klonsky PopoutThe wave of teacher strikes in Illinois appears to continue as negotiators for the Geneva Education Association and Geneva board members meet one last time tomorrow, Sunday. Picketing is planned for Tuesday, when the temperatures in the Chicago area will drop into the 30s. Sitting on a $30 million budget surplus, the board demanded a one year hard salary f...more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-10-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] What Grades Do You Give to a First Grader? by dianerav This rural teacher says his head is about to explode. The state says he has to give test after test after test to his first graders. Then he has to convert those scores into a letter grade. This doesn’t make any sense to him. The children are just beginning to make sense of letters and words. Rhee’s Organization Vindicates Rhee’s Reforms by dianerav Michelle Rhee founded The New Teacher Project. Rhee, of course, was then chancellor of the DC school sys... more »
