BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANA
RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST
RECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POST
Common Core Math Standards Making the Simple Complicated | Truth in American Education
Common Core Math Standards Making the Simple Complicated | Truth in American Education: Common Core Math Standards Making the Simple Complicated by Shane Vander Hart [image: math]Barry Garelick wrote at The Atlantic about the Common Core Math Standards. Basically he says that kids are required not to just learn how to make a calculations, but also how to explain why they are doing so. The standards actually elevate this above learning how to solve math problems. Garelick points out a couple of emails he has received as anecdotal evidence that the implementation of the standards ... more »
The in box. The most angry union meeting I have ever seen. « Fred Klonsky
The in box. The most angry union meeting I have ever seen. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. The most angry union meeting I have ever seen. by Fred Klonsky *Hello Fred!* *Been real busy with Union stuff.* *I think the Governor just stepped in the pile that was left by the neighbors dog. Tuesday evening I attended what can only be described as “The most angry Union meeting I have ever seen” The Correctional employees including security and non-security workers are tired, fed up, angry, and ready for out right war. If PQ does not immediately get his act together the workers across the Stat... more »
Fourth-graders who flunk reading have faces marked | General Headlines | Comcast
Fourth-graders who flunk reading have faces marked | General Headlines | Comcast: Fourth-graders who flunk reading have faces marked *Must Read?*Yes* **52* Email StoryPrint 1 day ago DECLO, Idaho — A fourth-grade teacher in southern Idaho is being criticized after having her students use permanent markers to draw on the faces of classmates who failed to meet reading goals. Some parents and administrators say the punishments given to nine students in Summer Larsen's class were inappropriate and left the children feeling shamed. Cindy Hurst said recently her 10-year-old son cam... more »
A story of educational courage
A story of educational courage: A story of educational courage Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 22, 2012 at 2:00 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » This is an excerpt from a book titled “Educational Courage: Resisting the Ambush of Public Education,” which profiles people working in support of public education against a tide of school reform that has turned out to be more destructive than helpful. The book of essays by different authors is the brainchild of Nancy Schniedewind & Mara Sapon-... more »
“I Dare You to Measure the ‘Value’ I Add” | Edwize
“I Dare You to Measure the ‘Value’ I Add” | Edwize:
“I DARE YOU TO MEASURE THE ‘VALUE’ I ADD”
An ESL teacher in a NYC elementary school makes a case against value-added assessments.
Tell me how you determine the value I add to my class.
Tell me about the algorithms you applied when you took data from 16 students over a course of nearly five years of teaching and somehow used it to judge me as “below average” and “average”.
Tell me how you can examine my skills and talents and attribute worth to them without knowing me, my class, or my curriculum requirements.
Missouri Education Watchdog: Want to Add Your Anti-Common Core Comment on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Site?
Missouri Education Watchdog: Want to Add Your Anti-Common Core Comment on The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Site?:
WANT TO ADD YOUR ANTI-COMMON CORE COMMENT ON THE BILL AND MELINDA GATES FOUNDATION SITE?
Watch: The disenfranchisment of Native Americans continues today | The Raw Story
Watch: The disenfranchisment of Native Americans continues today | The Raw Story: Watch: The disenfranchisment of Native Americans continues today By Megan Carpentier Thursday, November 22, 2012 1:00 EST [image: Print] Share on facebookShare on redditShare on diggShare on twitterShare on farkShare on stumbleupon6 [image: Popé, the leader of the Pueblo Revolt] Topics: Native Americans Though the story of the first American Thanksgiving in which the Pilgrims host a great banquet to thank Native Americans who helped them survive the first winter, there is a darker history to the enc... more »
ALEC Votes Down Anti-Common-Core Resolution - State EdWatch - Education Week
ALEC Votes Down Anti-Common-Core Resolution - State EdWatch - Education Week: ALEC Votes Down Anti-Common-Core Resolution by Andrew Ujifusa The way the American Legislative Exchange Council, the controversial conservative think tank in Washington, has handled the Common Core State Standards has generated an interesting conflict in the education community. Some who have dealings with ALEC believe the common standards could mean progress for K-12 schools, but others involved in the group believe the standards represent the camel's nose in the tent and a prelude to greater federal ... more »
Charter school corruption and Other CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS
Charter school corruption: Charter school corruption Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 23, 2012 at 1:27 pm [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Here’s how The Arizona Republic started a story detailing its investigation into charter school corruption in the state: *Board members and administrators from more than a dozen state-funded charter schools are profiting from their affiliations by doing business with schools they oversee.* *The ... more »
117 ALEC Members Voted Out of Office in 2012
117 ALEC Members Voted Out of Office in 2012: 117 ALEC Members Voted Out of Office in 2012Friday, 23 November 2012 11:17 By Rebekah Wilce, PRWatch | News Analysis - 1 - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email In primary and general elections in 2012 and recall elections in 2011 and 2012, a total of 117 members and alumni of the American Legislative Exchange Council(ALEC) were voted out of office, according to research and analysis by the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD), ColorOfChange, and others. Arizona Down 14 ALEC ... more »
Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center
Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center: Best of the Ed Blogs *Best of the Ed Blogs* features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make *Best of the Ed Blogs* your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics. Expose of Charter Corruption in The New Republic Best of the Ed Blogs Diane Ravitch November 21, 2012 In Pearson We Trust. Really? But Our Blood is Never Blue Best o... more »
Schools Matter: Memphis Plans Big Cuts to Pay for Corporate Reform Schools
Schools Matter: Memphis Plans Big Cuts to Pay for Corporate Reform Schools: Memphis Plans Big Cuts to Pay for Corporate Reform Schools by Jim Horn Someone reading the Memphis Commercial-Appeal on the corporate plan for privatizing Memphis Schools would hardly know there is a 212 million dollar problem in the plan, itself. Stories about Memphis being among the top ten American cities to be overrun by the corporate reform school scammers make it to Page 1, while stories about the impending shuttering of public schools to pay for the $212 million deficit between over the next five ... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Grading or Degrading?
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Grading or Degrading?: Grading or Degrading? by Mike Klonsky *Michael Brick*, writing in yesterday's N.Y. Times, ("When Grading is Degrading") offers a devastating appraisal of current reform policies which are based increasingly on fostering competition and on grading schools and teachers. Brick takes a look at the situation in Texas, which he calls "nobody’s model for educational excellence", where the state has long used complex algorithms to assign grades of Exemplary, Recognized, Acceptable or Unacceptable to its schools. *So far, such competiti... more »
Obama's 2nd term to test his education program - CBS News
Obama's 2nd term to test his education program - CBS News: *Obama's 2nd term to test his education program* * * President Obama has already begun to sketch the outlines of an ambitious second-term agenda, touting his mandate on tax rates and making comprehensive immigration reform a top legislative priority. But when it comes to education reform, looming battles over politics and funding threaten to leave students and educators nationwide in the lurch - and could derail the president's legacy on an issue he's long touted as paramount to his vision for governing. The Department of E... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-23-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Wonderful Article About Destructive Reforms by dianerav The New York Times has a terrific article today by Michael Brick about the destructive policies that are called “reforms.” This is the first time in my memory that an article in the newspaper of record–albeit an opinion piece–has acknowledged that both political parties share the same demented and punitive approach and that their ideas are hurting, not helping. Please read it. It gives me hope that our message is breaking through the elaborate public... more »
Daily Kos: Krugman: Grand Old Planet
Daily Kos: Krugman: Grand Old Planet: Krugman: Grand Old Planet by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Yes, that is G-O-P. And Krugman starts with - and focuses on - a key figure in that political party, Senator Marco Rubio, whose recent remarks sidestepping a definitive statement on the age of the earth offended some, but was dismissed by others as merely positioning himself for 2016 and pandering a bit to the religious right voters who are dominant in such primaries. But we shouldn’t let go that easily. Reading Mr. Rubio’s interview is like driving through a deeply eroded canyon;... more »
U.S., Mexico Sign Education Agreement | HispanicallySpeakingNews.com
U.S., Mexico Sign Education Agreement | HispanicallySpeakingNews.com: U.S., Mexico Sign Education Agreement November 22, 2012 | by HS News Staff [image: U.S., Mexico Sign Education Agreement] Photo: U.S.-Mexico relations Click Here to Enlarge Photo The United States and Mexico signed an agreement to promote student exchanges and increase educational opportunities for young people from both countries, the Mexican Education Secretariat said. The agreement, which covers educational cooperation over the next two years, was signed Tuesday by Mexican Education Secretary Jose Angel Cordova. ... more »
Part 4: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out : The Consequences | Parents Across America
Part 4: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out : The Consequences | Parents Across America: Part 4: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out : The Consequences by DoraTaylor *The Consequences* As long as policy and funding are determined by test results, we will be dealing with the consequences. There is the narrowing of focus to math and reading and less focus on history, social studies, the arts, foreign languages, writing, physical education, or developing research and critical thinking skills. The emphasis on test scores precludes looking more carefully at the cause of low test scores w... more »
The in box. The most angry union meeting I have ever seen. « Fred Klonsky
The in box. The most angry union meeting I have ever seen. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. The most angry union meeting I have ever seen. by Fred Klonsky *Hello Fred!* *Been real busy with Union stuff.* *I think the Governor just stepped in the pile that was left by the neighbors dog. Tuesday evening I attended what can only be described as “The most angry Union meeting I have ever seen” The Correctional employees including security and non-security workers are tired, fed up, angry, and ready for out right war. If PQ does not immediately get his act together the workers across the Stat... more »
UFT Sues the DOE to Obtain Full Access to Joel Klein Emails - ParentAdvocates.org
Parent Advocates - ParentAdvocates.org: UFT Sues the DOE to Obtain Full Access to Joel Klein Emails The UFT sued the Department of Education on Nov. 15 over its failure to comply with Freedom of Information requests for copies of emails that link former Chancellor Joel Klein and senior DOE staffers with City Hall political figures and charter school proponents. The union charged that the copies of the emails that were provided after a wait of nearly two years were so heavily redacted and blacked out that the DOE’s “unlawful conduct” has violated the state law that makes governme... more »
OCCUPY EDUCATION - adventuresinlearning: A Student’s Definition of...
OCCUPY EDUCATION - adventuresinlearning: A Student’s Definition of...: [image: adventuresinlearning: A Student’s Definition of a Successful Student written during an Imagining Learning listening session in Charleston, SC. Imagining Learning is looking for more students and communities to help organize listening sessions around the country. Email us at david@imagininglearning.us for more information.] adventuresinlearning: A Student’s Definition of a Successful Student written during an Imagining Learning listening session in Charleston, SC. Imagining Learning is looking for more stu... more »
Education finally gets serious about the undead apocalypse with this Zombie Scholarship
Education finally gets serious about the undead apocalypse with this Zombie Scholarship: [image: Education finally gets serious about the undead apocalypse with this Zombie Scholarship] Education finally gets serious about the undead apocalypse with this Zombie Scholarship *Rob Bricken* At least *one* organization is worried about the *real* problems facing our nation's future.ScholarshipExperts.com is offering a $1000 "Zombie Scholarship" for people who want to help the living stay living once the dead walk the earth. The details: Applicants must: • Be thirteen (13) years of ag... more »
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-22-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] I Give Thanks to You by dianerav On this day, I pause to thank you, the readers of this blog. I thank you because you care about children and the future of education. I thank you because you understand that the way we educate our children today shapes the society we will live in for decades to come. I thank you because you teach me, you encourage me, you give me strength. I thank those of you who are parents, doing what is best for your child or children. I thank those of you who are educators, who have dedicat... more »
Final grades, exit interviews - Bites - Opinions - November 22, 2012 - Sacramento News & Review
Final grades, exit interviews - Bites - Opinions - November 22, 2012 - Sacramento News & Review: Final grades, exit interviews Local Reep fails Mother Earth, K.J.'s opposition says goodbye, school-board member bails By Cosmo Garvin cosmog@newsreview.com This article was published on 11.22.12. *Related stories:* Losing it K.J.'s rent problem, Blue Diamond roughs up union.SN&R, 11.27.08. [image: spacer] *The Sierra Club’s annual legislative report card is always* good for a couple of head-scratchers. For example, Republican*Assemblywoman Beth Gaines * was our only local rep to vot... more »
The in box. Letter to the Southtown Star. What is missing from the pension reform dialogue? « Fred Klonsky
The in box. Letter to the Southtown Star. What is missing from the pension reform dialogue? « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Letter to the Southtown Star. What is missing from the pension reform dialogue? by Fred Klonsky *My letter to the SouthtownStar:* *How tied to Illinois’ Speaker of the House, Michael Madigan, are local south-suburban Democratic legislators? Residents throughout Southland are about to find out. In the coming days, Illinois Legislators will be headed to Springfield to yet again attempt to fix the State’s spiraling budget deficit. Central to the Legislature’s focus... more »
Common Core Math Standards Making the Simple Complicated | Truth in American Education
Common Core Math Standards Making the Simple Complicated | Truth in American Education: Common Core Math Standards Making the Simple Complicated by Shane Vander Hart [image: math]Barry Garelick wrote at The Atlantic about the Common Core Math Standards. Basically he says that kids are required not to just learn how to make a calculations, but also how to explain why they are doing so. The standards actually elevate this above learning how to solve math problems. Garelick points out a couple of emails he has received as anecdotal evidence that the implementation of the standards ... more »
Jersey Jazzman: A Courageous Teacher Needs Your Help
Jersey Jazzman: A Courageous Teacher Needs Your Help: A Courageous Teacher Needs Your Help by Duke This is Marie Corfield. Marie is an art teacher, a mother, and a fighter for teachers and parents here in New Jersey. Marie became a minor national celebrity when she stood up to a bullying Chris Christie at one of his phony town hall meetings and told him to stop attacking New Jersey's great public school teachers. She was drafted to run for a seat in the NJ State Assembly; that meant putting the rest of her life on hold while waging a tough campaign. There are powerful people in t... more »
Acting In Solidarity On Black Friday | OccupyWallSt.org
Acting In Solidarity On Black Friday | OccupyWallSt.org: Acting In Solidarity On Black Friday by OccupyWallSt [image: Walkout on Walmart!] *via Sarah Jaffe:* To make a mess that another person will have to deal with—the dropped socks, the toothpaste sprayed on the bathroom mirror, the dirty dishes left from a late-night snack—is to exert domination in one of its more silent and intimate forms. -Barbara Ehrenreich, in “Made to Order,” an essay from the anthology Global Woman: Nannies, Maids and Sex Workers in the New Economy, co-edited with Arlie Russell Hochschild [This quote is] ... more »
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » RYH forum Nov. 29th – Assessing the Assessments
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » RYH forum Nov. 29th – Assessing the Assessments: RYH forum Nov. 29th – Assessing the Assessments by admin [image: Home] *A forum for community members to discuss the* *CULTURE OF TESTING in our schools* What are all these tests? How do we best measure achievement? ACCESS… Dibels … REACH… NWEA–Map. CCQ… ISAT… Explore… PLAN… mCLass… Compass *When:* Thursday, November 29, 2012 *Where: *Holstein Park, 2nd floor Auditorium (elevator available) 2200 N. Oakley, Chicago *Time: *7pm – 9 pm Forum panelists include: *teachers *who cur... more »
Diane in the Evening 11-21-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: When Gary Rubinstein Visited KIPP by dianerav Gary Rubinstein was among the nation’s earliest Teach for Merica teachers. Unlike most TFA, however, he became a career teacher. He now teaches at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. This is a veryinteresting report on a visit he paid to a KIPP school. Be sure to read te comments. When Happy Talk Is Mandated by dianerav A reader in Texas responds to a post about the Dallas superintendent, who has sent out directions to schools to express themselves only in positive terms: This blog reminds me: we got a ne... more »
As teachers group releases survey critical of extended day, DISD trustees contemplate a change | Education Blog
As teachers group releases survey critical of extended day, DISD trustees contemplate a change | Education Blog: As teachers group releases survey critical of extended day, DISD trustees contemplate a change By Tawnell Hobbs thobbs@dallasnews.com 1:08 pm on November 21, 2012 | Permalink Dallas ISD trustees will consider next week removing atime-limit rule from policy that added 45-minutes to the workday for educators, who have decried how the time is being used. The proposal is expected to pass. But passage of the measure at the Nov. 29 board meeting doesn’t mean that extend... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's 'reform' agenda takes a beating
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's 'reform' agenda takes a beating: Rahm's 'reform' agenda takes a beating by Mike Klonsky At City Club luncheon: i don't know what Gov. Quinn is saying, but Karen Lewis doesn't seem too impressed .Rahm's school reform agenda of school closings and charter schools, was taken to the woodshed yesterday. First and foremost by CTU Prez Karen Lewis in her address to the City Club. *At one point, half the room gave Ms. Lewis a standing ovation. Among those who stayed seated: Beth Swanson, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's education point person during the contentiou... more »
Review & Outlook: The Evil Empire Strikes Back - WSJ.com
Review & Outlook: The Evil Empire Strikes Back - WSJ.com: The Evil Empire Strikes BackEven when reform passes, teachers unions engage in massive resistance. *Those Nasty Evil Teachers Trying to Protect Students, But I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too!* Education reformers had good news at the ballot box this month as voters in Washington and Georgia approved measures to create new charter schools. But as the reform movement gathers momentum, teachers unions are giving no quarter in their massive resistance against states trying to shake up failing public education. ... more »
St. Louis Fed Adds Free Educational Materials for Economics and Personal Finance
Personal Finance Education Resources | Economic Education Resources: *St. Louis Fed Adds Free Educational Materials for Economics and Personal Finance * Economics and Personal Finance Education Resources - - - - - [image: Online Learning Courses Econ Ed] We have award-winning, FREE classroom resources for K-16 educators to use to teach about money and banking, economics, personal finance and the Federal Reserve. We also have FREE resources for consumers and others who want to learn about economics, personal finance and the Federal Reserve. Feature ST. LOUIS ―... more »
NYC Public School Parents: Sandra Stotsky critiques the Common Core in NYC on Monday night
NYC Public School Parents: Sandra Stotsky critiques the Common Core in NYC on Monday night: Sandra Stotsky critiques the Common Core in NYC on Monday night by Leonie Haimson *Professor Sandra Stotsky, an eminent critic of the Common Core standards being implemented in 46 states including New York, will be speaking in NYC on Monday night, November 26, from 5-7 PM at Azure, 333 E. 91 St., along with Shael Suransky of DOE, who is a strong defender of the standards. It should be an interesting evening. For more information seeGothamSchools .* *Stotsky is the main author of the Massa... more »
A Common Core legal mess in — where else? — Florida
A Common Core legal mess in — where else? — Florida: A Common Core legal mess in — where else? — Florida Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 20, 2012 at 1:30 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » This isn’t the way it was supposed to work, but…. there’s a legal battle in the state of Florida over part of the implementation of the Common Core State Standards. Education Week chronicles in this article why Tallahassee-based Infinity Software Development filed a lawsuit against the Florida Departmen... more »
Diane in the Evening 11-20-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: America’s Favorite Parlour Game? by dianerav What is America’s favorite parlour game? If you are talking about the average American, I don’t know though I would guess that parlour games have been replaced by watching TV. However, if you are talking about the wonks in conservative think tanks, a rare breed to be sure, I will share their secret: they are obsessed with trying to understand how their idol, Tony Bennett, got beat at the polls. He had everything going for him: the nation’s leading advocate of privatization. Chair of Jeb Bush’s Chiefs fo MORNI... more »
UPDATE: Students Clash at UC Davis Gaza Protest « Student Activism
Students Clash at UC Davis Gaza Protest « Student Activism: Gaza Demonstrations at More Than a Dozen US Campuses by Angus Johnston Students have held demonstrations in connection with the Israeli assault on Gaza at more than a dozen campuses — some in support of the Palestinians, some in support of Israel. What follows is a list of the demonstrations I’ve been able to learn of through the media. Presumably many more have occurred that haven’t received press coverage. *Monday* - Cornell - Florida State - Purdue - University of California Davis - University of Massachus... more »
MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-20-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Credit-Rating Agency: Charter Schools Are Risky Investment by dianerav Well, we are into big-time business talk about education. For-profit colleges are losing market share. K12 Inc.’s stock price drops after Wells Fargo downgraded its rating in response to the poor performance of K12′s Colorado Virtual Academy, where the graduation rate is 22 percent. Now a rating agency finds that despite the passage of an ALEC-style amendment in Georgia, allowing a Democracy for Sale? by dianerav Somebody is dumping a lo... more »
School Exclusion Policies Stigmatize Arrested Teens and Contribute to Educational Failure, - Jonathan Kantrowitz - Connecticut News
School Exclusion Policies Stigmatize Arrested Teens and Contribute to Educational Failure, - Jonathan Kantrowitz - Connecticut News: School Exclusion Policies Stigmatize Arrested Teens and Contribute to Educational Failure, November 19, 2012 at 5:04 pm by Jonathan Kantrowitz [image: Comment] Comments | [image: Email] E-mail | [image: Print] Print [image: Jonathan Kantrowitz]“Zero- tolerance” policies that rely heavily on suspensions and expulsions hinder teens who have been arrested from completing high school or pursuing a college degree, according to a new study from The Universit... more »
If you want better schools, rural or otherwise, improve motivation and discipline of students | Get Schooled
If you want better schools, rural or otherwise, improve motivation and discipline of students | Get Schooled: If you want better schools, rural or otherwise, improve motivation and discipline of students by Maureen Downey *My blog entry on rural schools,* prompted by an *AJC Sunday story on rural education in Georgia*, spurred a lot of comments, including this email from retired educator and school head Dennis Brown of Villa Rica. (I have shared other *responses by Brown on teacher quality*.) Here is his latest: There is always a need for more great teachers in the classroom. But... more »
Diane in the Evening 11-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: Help This Small Community By Signing Its Petition by dianerav The town of Scottsburg, Indiana, has fewer than 10,000 residents. There is a proposal before the City Council to open a charter school. This will split the town. Some public school parents have started a petition to ask the City Council and the Mayor not to open a charter Why Local School Boards Are Targeted for Destruction by dianerav A local school board in Florida rejected the application of a for-profit charter operator. The board said they had had a bad experience with the last charter scho... more »
Critical Scholars Project @ Critical Theories in the 21st Century: "The Dictatorship of the Marketplace," and Academia
Critical Scholars Project @ Critical Theories in the 21st Century: "The Dictatorship of the Marketplace," and Academia: "The Dictatorship of the Marketplace," and Academia by P. L. Thomas The second annual Critical Theories in the 21st Century conference did not unfold like the scripted plot arc traditional literature instruction teaches students about Shakespearean plays. If it had, the day would have peaked during the lunchtime performance of Hip Hop Psychology, and from there, the ideas would have worked themselves out into a nice and tidy denouement. Instead, the day ended ... more »
U.S. Department of Education Releases Early Snapshot of School Improvement Grants Data | U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education Releases Early Snapshot of School Improvement Grants Data | U.S. Department of Education: U.S. Department of Education Releases Early Snapshot of School Improvement Grants Data NOVEMBER 19, 2012 *Contact: * Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov The U.S. Department of Education today released an early snapshot of student performance data at schools that have received federal School Improvement Grants (SIG) program funds, a key component of the Department’s blueprint for helping states and districts turn around the nation’s lowest-performing sch... more »
INSPIRE 2013: The First NISCE Conference on Student-Centered Education — National Institute for Student-Centered Education
INSPIRE 2013: The First NISCE Conference on Student-Centered Education — National Institute for Student-Centered Education: [image: National Institute for Student-Centered Education] INSPIRE 2013: The First NISCE Conference on Student-Centered Education SAVE THE DATEINSPIRE 2013 *The First NISCE Conference on Student-Centered Education* Friday, April 5, 2013 • Boston, MA Hilton Boston (Logan Airport) Student-centered education is both broad and deep in theory and in practice. From the many challenges of teaching students as individuals, to the neurological milestones of human develo... more »
Why some conservatives oppose vouchers
Why some conservatives oppose vouchers: Why some conservatives oppose vouchers Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 19, 2012 at 11:59 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: Andrew J. Coulson] I had an interesting e-mail conversation with Andrew Coulson, director of the Cato Institute’s Center for Educational Freedom. The Cato Institute is a Washington D.C.-based public policy research organization dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets and peac... more »
Part 4: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out:The Consequences | Seattle Education
Part 4: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out:The Consequences | Seattle Education: Part 4: High Stakes Testing and Opting Out:The Consequences Posted on November 19, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment *The Consequences* As long as policy and funding are determined by test results, we will be dealing with the consequences. There is the narrowing of focus to math and reading and less focus on history, social studies, the arts, foreign languages, writing, physical education, or developing research and critical thinking skills. The emphasis on test scores precludes looking more ... more »
School Board in 'Parent Trigger' Fight Could Face Shakeup - Charters & Choice - Education Week
School Board in 'Parent Trigger' Fight Could Face Shakeup - Charters & Choice - Education Week: School Board in 'Parent Trigger' Fight Could Face Shakeup By Sean Cavanagh on November 16, 2012 12:26 PM | No comments A potentially important postscript to the 2012 election is taking shape in Adelanto, Calif., home to a fierce battle over attempts to overhaul a struggling school through a "parent trigger" policy. The Adelanto district's school board president, Carlos Mendoza, who had strongly opposed a group of parents' effort to use California's trigger law to convert Desert Trails E... more »
UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, November 19, 2012
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Monday, November 19, 2012* Hope Charter School petition deniedDuring its regular meeting on Tuesday, the Yreka Union School District (YUSD) Board of Trustees voted unanimously to deny a petition for the establishment of Hope Charter School in Yreka. Stockton USD plans to get jump on upcoming English, math standardsThe state-mandated implementation of virtually national academic standards will begin in less than two years, and Stockton Unified took a step this week toward preparing for that moment. Race to the... more »
A must read - Voters have spoken: No corporate school reform by Wendy Lecker - Wait, What?
A must read - Voters have spoken: No corporate school reform by Wendy Lecker - Wait, What?: A must read – Voters have spoken: No corporate school reform by Wendy Lecker by jonpelto Wendy Lecker, Education Advocate and columnist for the Hearst Connecticut Media Group, has a must read column in yesterday’s Stamford Advocate and CT Post… “In this age of instantaneous global communication, it is incredible that a simple message sent by voters in Bridgeport has not reached leaders in Hartford, just 50 miles away. On Nov. 6, a rare event in modern politics occurred: democracy prevaile... more »
Articles: Education 'Change Agent' Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: The Left Connection
Articles: Education 'Change Agent' Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: The Left Connection: Education 'Change Agent' Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: The Left Connection*By* *M. Catharine Evans and Ann Kane* * * Who would have thought the ubiquitous education superstar Michelle Rhee would be sitting next to Andy Stern on the board of the Broad Foundation? Yes, that's right. The Republican governors' siren and CEO of StudentsFirst works alongside the former SEIU leader, who's visited the White House more than anyone else in the past four years and who said "workers of the wor... more »
Schools Matter: Memphis Plans Big Cuts to Pay for Corporate Reform Schools
Schools Matter: Memphis Plans Big Cuts to Pay for Corporate Reform Schools: Memphis Plans Big Cuts to Pay for Corporate Reform Schools by Jim Horn Someone reading the Memphis Commercial-Appeal on the corporate plan for privatizing Memphis Schools would hardly know there is a 212 million dollar problem in the plan, itself. Stories about Memphis being among the top ten American cities to be overrun by the corporate reform school scammers make it to Page 1, while stories about the impending shuttering of public schools to pay for the $212 million deficit between over the next five ... more »
MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Thank You, G.F. Brandenburg by dianerav One of the bloggers I admire most is G.F. Brandenburg. Compared to me, he is a veteran blogger. He has been chronicling the foibles of “reform” since 2009. His blog revealed that Michelle Rhee’s claims of having been a miracle teacher were bogus. He has followed her career since she left D.C.; do a search on his site and you will discover an interesting number of blogs about inflated claims in D.C. I don’t know Brandenburg but I do know he is a retired math teacher, w... more »
What's Wrong with Teacher Evaluation and How to Fix It: One Size Fits All — Whole Child Education
What's Wrong with Teacher Evaluation and How to Fix It: One Size Fits All — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: James H. Stronge]What’s Wrong with Teacher Evaluation and How to Fix It: One Size Fits All November 19, 2012 by James H. Stronge Teachers matter. They have an extraordinary, positive, and lasting impact on their students. 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. So, how do we know which teachers are effectiv... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky Duncan remains *"We came out of the gates flying" in the first term, he said, and he plans to "replicate that as much as we can." -- *Edweek Michelle Rhee on Duncan *"The signaling by Secretary Duncan that he will continue for another term is an enormous win for children."* -- Huffington Bobby Jindal says something stupid *Republicans "need to stop saying stupid things... We're not the party of big—big businesses, big banks, big Wall Street, big bailouts."* -- The Hill School districts brace for ... more »
The Educated Reporter: Should Schools Set Sliding Scales For Student Achievement?
The Educated Reporter: Should Schools Set Sliding Scales For Student Achievement?: Should Schools Set Sliding Scales For Student Achievement? by Emily Richmond It would be tough to find a slope that’s potentially more slippery than this one: public schools setting different achievement expectations for students based on their race and ethnicity. But that’s exactly what’s happening in dozens of states that have received waivers from the U.S. Department of Education, allowing them to replace the more onerous provisions of No Child Left Behind with more flexible accountability meas... more »
Creating The Conditions: Instructional Leadership | Connected Principals
Creating The Conditions: Instructional Leadership | Connected Principals: Creating The Conditions: Instructional Leadership by Chris Wejr cc licensed ( BY NC SA ) flickr photo by anna_t: http://flickr.com/photos/anna/204267895/ *Cross-posted at “The Wejr Board Blog”. This is the 3rd part in the “Creating the Conditions” series; Part 1 was on Student Discipline, Part 2 was on Love of Reading.* I recently had the honour to present in the Leadership 2.0 MOOC series (in which I am learning alongside others) on “Providing Instructional Leadership” (To view the archive of the presentation... more »
School Tech Connect: Rogers Park Is Awake
School Tech Connect: Rogers Park Is Awake: Rogers Park Is Awake by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) The great Jesse Sharkey dropped by Sullivan High School last week to meet community activists gathered in Sullivan's auditorium and describe the current threat facing neighborhood schools. The people of the city, and soon the legislature too, are about to be bombarded with messages about half-empty schools, as if that phenomenon were not part of a planned strategy to privatize the schools. They won't mention the other half of the equation, which is that the "half empty" schools ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Just Wondering
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Just Wondering: Just Wondering by Melissa Westbrook It is always my intention to learn so I read whatever is handy. So I was in a business office this past week and there was the Puget Sound Business Journal (which I don't regularly read). So I'm reading this article about how the EMP wants a break on its rent. (Apparently Paul Allen might not subsidize it forever.) EMP agreed with the City that there would be rent increases every five years from the time it opened in 2000. But now EMP is saying they are a non-profit (albeit fronted by one o... more »
Is Mulgrew About To Sell Us Out?.southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Is Mulgrew About To Sell Us Out? by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) I got an email, as I am sure others have, from El presidente de por vida de UFT Mike Mulgrew thanking all for the Sandy clean up effort and stuff like that. Nice. However, towards the end of his email he reminded us that we still have to make up days that the students were out of school. OK, we know. The rumor floating around is that the days will be made up during the February vacation. What really got The Crack Team's knickers in a tizzy was these lines; *We will have to mak... more »
LAME DUCKS ARE QUACKING « Teachers Fight Back
LAME DUCKS ARE QUACKING « Teachers Fight Back: LAME DUCKS ARE QUACKING by alkleen Retired teachers and public employees in Illinois are being warned that the current “lame duck” session of the Illinois General Assembly is poised to undertake the “pension reform” issue. I’ve never seen so many warnings and also explanations of why most meaningful legislation occurs during lame duck sessions. The “lame ducks” of course are the legislators who have lost elections and or are leaving at the end of the year for some other reason. These are the people who supposedly are ready to conside... more »
Dear Deborah, - Bridging Differences - Education Week
- Bridging Differences - Education Week: by Pedro Noguera Dear Deborah, While we're still focused on pushing the Administration to promote a different plan, let's make sure that a commitment to equity is a central part of whatever we do. It is remarkable that despite all the rhetoric about education being the civil rights issue of the 21st century, our leaders make no mention of the need for equity, or conversely, the need to address the profound inequity, that characterizes so much of American education today. Many people do not realize that ESEA (Elementary and Secondary Educat... more »
Are we winning yet? A 365 million deficit this year, $1.1 billion shortfall next year… - Wait, What?
Are we winning yet? A 365 million deficit this year, $1.1 billion shortfall next year… - Wait, What?: Are we winning yet? A 365 million deficit this year, $1.1 billion shortfall next year… by jonpelto Last year, Governor Malloy raised income taxes only on those making less than $1 million. He left the wealthy completely untouched when it came having to pay higher income rates. Last week he reiterated his commitment to no new taxes. So when it comes to equity, where do we really stand? In Connecticut, since the mid-1990s (adjusted for inflation); Income for the wealthiest 20 pe... more »
Should Elementary Schools Be Modeled After Law Firms? | toteachornototeach
Should Elementary Schools Be Modeled After Law Firms? | toteachornototeach: Should Elementary Schools Be Modeled After Law Firms? by aristotlethewise *Should Elementary Schools Be Modeled After Law Firms? * This past weekend, The Daily Beast held its Innovators Summit in New Orleans, which gathered 300 leading thinkers to discuss big ideas for changing the world. One of the most interesting innovations, according to senior reporter Jacob Bernstein, came from a former lawyer named Rafiq Kalam Id-Din, who has a radical idea for stemming the flood of more than 1 million kids who drop o... more »
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: A Teacher Accused!:When He Said/She Said Turns Ugly!
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: A Teacher Accused!:When He Said/She Said Turns Ugly!: A Teacher Accused!:When He Said/She Said Turns Ugly! by Lisa M I learned about it by accident. I approached my principal about another child and she asked me not to get upset. I wondered why a simple response to a question about a situation with a student, could possibly upset me. And that's when she told me what a student had accused me of. I really think I was in shock, because I nodded, said, "What?", listened to what she was saying, and returned to the workshop I was attending. As the day... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: College Graduates Find Jobs!
Missouri Education Watchdog: College Graduates Find Jobs!: College Graduates Find Jobs! by stlgretchen A representative list of jobs college graduates are landing in New Orleans. Wonder if these jobs require college degrees in New Jersey? What types of jobs are college graduates finding these days in New Orleans? Peter Schiff interviews recent graduates about their jobs and college debt. Is a college degree worth the cost? Those pedicab drivers on Bourbon Street sure have a great education. A great job? Not so much. Popout From the Schiff Report: President Obama promotes ... more »
NEA - Crazy Things People Say To Teachers -- And How To Respond
NEA - Crazy Things People Say To Teachers -- And How To Respond: Crazy Things People Say To Teachers -- And How To Respond TIRED OF PEOPLE ASSUMING YOUR JOB IS EASY AND YOUR SUMMERS ARE FREE? YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE IT. *By Cindy Long. Adapted from content by **We Are Teachers* Ah, the holidays. ’Tis the season to gather round the hearth, feast on turkey and pie, and enjoy the company and conversation of loved ones we see but a few times a year. And thank goodness for that! You love them dearly, but it's exhausting fielding all those annoying questions about the teaching profession ... more »
EdX to Offer Exams at the End of Their MOOCs - Technorati Technology
EdX to Offer Exams at the End of Their MOOCs - Technorati Technology: EdX to Offer Exams at the End of Their MOOCs *Author:* Adi Gaskell *Published:* November 18, 2012 at 7:15 am [image: learning at work]I'm a massive fan of the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) that are taking the world by storm. Around a million people have already signed up for free courses from leading universities via the likes of Coursera or edX. Something that was considered a drawback of the MOOCs however was that whilst they made it easy to acquire knowledge, they didn't come with any certification to pr... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Merit Pay: Thoroughly Tested, Thoroughly Failed
Jersey Jazzman: Merit Pay: Thoroughly Tested, Thoroughly Failed: Merit Pay: Thoroughly Tested, Thoroughly Failed by Duke To some people, like the *Star-Ledger's* Tom Moran, facts are stupid things: A few thoughts on the comments: No one can be sure that this will work, because*merit pay has only been tried in a few places,* and in different ways. It is pioneering stuff, so by its nature, there is not a long track record. But it sure makes intuitive sense, and is in place in almost every other profession, including journalism. So why not try it with teaching? [emphasis mine] In f... more »
newteacher: On the Rise of Pearson (oh, and following the money)
newteacher: On the Rise of Pearson (oh, and following the money): On the Rise of Pearson (oh, and following the money) *A long post that is worth a read here on the rise and influence of Pearson and corporate influence in education reform. Take pause, friends. Take pause but feel free to share and post comments here. Thoughts?* * * * * *The Pearson Monopoly *Jennifer Job, *UNC Chapel Hill* If you haven’t heard of Pearson, perhaps you have heard of one of the publishers they own, like Adobe, Scott Foresman, Penguin, Longman, Wharton, Harcourt, Puffin, Prentice Hall, or Allyn & Baco... more »
All Things Education: A project-based loving billionaire with no education expertise is still a billionaire with no education expertise.
All Things Education: A project-based loving billionaire with no education expertise is still a billionaire with no education expertise.: A project-based loving billionaire with no education expertise is still a billionaire with no education expertise. from All Things Education by Rachel Levy Another billionaire is out to reform education. George Lucas has sold Lucasfilm to Disney for $4 billion in cash and stock and plans to spend most of his fortune on education. Lucas is already involved in education with an educational foundation that includes the website *Edutopia*. Lucas's ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Week of Nov. 19-23
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Week of Nov. 19-23: Seattle Schools Week of Nov. 19-23 by Melissa Westbrook A short week due to the Thanksgiving holiday. * No school for elementary and K-8 students for Parent-Teacher conferences *(really? three whole days). Enrollment Services close at noon on Wednesday and *one-hour early dismissal on Wednesday for all students. * Community meeting with Director Patu on Saturday the 24th from 10 am to noon at Caffe Vita, 5028 Wilson Avenue S. I missed this but the district received in October- via the UW Office of Minority A... more »
D.C. vouchers: What you need to know
D.C. vouchers: What you need to know: D.C. vouchers: What you need to know Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 18, 2012 at 1:52 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Here are some things you should know about the D.C. school voucher program that House Majority leader John Boehner took on as a personal mission to save. According to this important investigation by my colleagues Lyndsey Layton and Emma Brown: * Hundreds of D.C. student who receive money from the congressionally created program a... more »
Teachers laugh: Visit each fun page of what we and our fellow teachers laugh about each day
Home Page: Teachers laugh: Visit each fun page of what we and our fellow teachers laugh about each day as we yak, vent, gab, rant, jaw, schmooze, philosophize and share. Updated daily with a little help from you, my humorous friends. * Today's Focus Funny:* ** Current Issues:* Virtual education or corporate scam? Even the New York Times knows the truth. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/03/opinion/virtually-educated.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss *Back to humor:*Please share your ideas with us for any page or category. Everyone needs a good laugh. Share this site with your friends and... more »
Response: Celebrating our Students' Good Writing - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo - Education Week Teacher
Response: Celebrating our Students' Good Writing - Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo - Education Week Teacher: Response: Celebrating our Students' Good Writing By Larry Ferlazzo on November 18, 2012 1:01 PM ** *(Note: This is the first post in a multi-part series on teaching writing)* Katie Ciresi asked: *What advice can you give to help teachers be more effective in helping students become better writers?* This series is a companion to last year's five posts on Helping Our Students Become Better Readers. I'm "kicking off" with guest responses from three educators: Mary Tedrow, Doug... more »
A Wedding and Some Free Advice | Mr. Teachbad
A Wedding and Some Free Advice | Mr. Teachbad: A Wedding and Some Free Advice We went to a wedding yesterday. It was two friends I used to teach with. They met at the school where we worked and found love in a hopeless place. My wife and I don’t go to many weddings anymore. There was a long period where we went to four or five weddings every year. That gradually tapered off and faded into the current era of second weddings and bar mitzvas. This was that rare first wedding of two good friends. Nothin’ better than that. Unless, of course, it doesn’t work out. Then it ca... more »
'Lost art' of cursive writing concerns parents - NorthJersey.com
'Lost art' of cursive writing concerns parents - NorthJersey.com: 'Lost art' of cursive writing concerns parents SUNDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2012, 9:29 AM BY TATIANA SCHLOSSBERG STAFF WRITER THE RECORD PAGES: 1 2 3 > DISPLAY ON ONE PAGE | PRINT | E-MAIL Even though the Declaration of Independence is written in cursive — and signatures, typically scrawled in script, are still required as legal identification — many schoolchildren throughout the country are no longer being taught how to write the flowing characters people have used for centuries. [image: Fifty students signed up for the Cursi... more »
Bill Gates. La educación rescatará a EEUU de la crisis - Univision Vida y Familia
Bill Gates. La educación rescatará a EEUU de la crisis - Univision Vida y Familia: Bill Gates. La educación rescatará a EEUU de la crisis WASHINGTON - El presidente y cofundador de Microsoft, Bill Gates, pronosticó un crecimiento de la inversión pública y privada en educación en los próximos años y lo defendió como fórmula para que Estados Unidos fortalezca su recuperación económica. El magnate aseguró que la educación constituye "una de las maneras de caminar hacia la mejora" y "una de las piezas que llevará de nuevo a Estados Unidos al crecimiento con un buen control". Para G...more »
What's next for Indiana's public schools? | Palladium-Item | pal-item.com
[image: Glenda Ritz] What's next for Indiana's public schools? | Palladium-Item | pal-item.com: What's next for Indiana's public schools?With changes in superintendent, governor, come questions Just where does Indiana public schools reform stand in light of the state GOP’s only upset of the Nov. 8 election? Tony Bennett, who attracted national attention for taking a public schools’ voucher and charter system arguably faster and farther than any Hoosier predecessor or national colleague, saw his single term in office halted in favor of Glenda Ritz. The relatively unknown Indianap... more »
MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-18-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] About That Bipartisan Consensus to Privatize Public Education by dianerav If ever evidence was needed about the bizarre mind meld between the Obama administration and the far-right of the Republican party, here it is. Secretary Arne Duncan is giving the keynote to Jeb Bush’s Excellence in Education summit in Washington, D.C. on November 28. Another keynote will be delivered to the same gathering of the leaders of the privatization movement by John Podesta of the Center for American Progress, who headed the... more »
Bill Gates. La educación rescatará a EEUU de la crisis - Univision Vida y Familia
Bill Gates. La educación rescatará a EEUU de la crisis - Univision Vida y Familia: Bill Gates. La educación rescatará a EEUU de la crisis WASHINGTON - El presidente y cofundador de Microsoft, Bill Gates, pronosticó un crecimiento de la inversión pública y privada en educación en los próximos años y lo defendió como fórmula para que Estados Unidos fortalezca su recuperación económica. El magnate aseguró que la educación constituye "una de las maneras de caminar hacia la mejora" y "una de las piezas que llevará de nuevo a Estados Unidos al crecimiento con un buen control". Para G...more »
What's next for Indiana's public schools? | Palladium-Item | pal-item.com
[image: Glenda Ritz] What's next for Indiana's public schools? | Palladium-Item | pal-item.com: What's next for Indiana's public schools?With changes in superintendent, governor, come questions Just where does Indiana public schools reform stand in light of the state GOP’s only upset of the Nov. 8 election? Tony Bennett, who attracted national attention for taking a public schools’ voucher and charter system arguably faster and farther than any Hoosier predecessor or national colleague, saw his single term in office halted in favor of Glenda Ritz. The relatively unknown Indianap... more »
MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-18-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] About That Bipartisan Consensus to Privatize Public Education by dianerav If ever evidence was needed about the bizarre mind meld between the Obama administration and the far-right of the Republican party, here it is. Secretary Arne Duncan is giving the keynote to Jeb Bush’s Excellence in Education summit in Washington, D.C. on November 28. Another keynote will be delivered to the same gathering of the leaders of the privatization movement by John Podesta of the Center for American Progress, who headed the... more »
NYC Educator: The Amish Are Wimps
NYC Educator: The Amish Are Wimps: The Amish Are Wimps by NYC Educator For years, I've been hearing about those hearty souls, up with the sun, and asleep with the moon, using only a candle now and then to make their way in the evening. And no they don't have electricity, so they aren't frittering away their time with Facebook and Twitter, and certainly they aren't indulging in anything so inane as a blog. So we'll grant them that. But in my house, we don't have any stinking electricity either. Now here's where the Amish lose me. In their homes, they have to have walls, and floors ... more »
Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble Demands Snack Cake Bailout
Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble Demands Snack Cake Bailout: Congressman Kimble Demands Snack Cake Bailout by Representative Kimble Like any red-blooded patriotic American, I was horrified to hear that Hostess was going out of business. Surely, a company that hasn't demanded concessions from its workers in over 7 years deserves a break. I put this tragedy surely on the head of President Obama and his administration. The American Snack Cake Industry must survive. Our nation is too big for it to fail. Courageous steps must be taken in order to ensure that future generations... more »
I know nothing…but I’m learning « Cooperative Catalyst
I know nothing…but I’m learning « Cooperative Catalyst: I know nothing…but I’m learning by Paul Freedman I had a wonderful meandering conversation recently with Co-op Cat, Scott Nine. We shred ideas and thoughts on a wide range of topics. But one has really stuck with me: “maybe we should be less focused on knowing and more focused on learning.” Our educational system and our culture as a whole has seriously privileged knowledge. To know things, to have knowledge of facts and to possess skills these are *the* goals, aren’t they? That is why we teach at, and lecture to, and tes... more »
My Election Dashboard | Lefty Parent
My Election Dashboard | Lefty Parent: My Election Dashboard by Cooper Zale My “ministry” is all about celebrating and championing human development at an individual and societal level. A key thread in that development (at both the individual and societal level) is our society’s transition from hierarchies of control towards circles of equals. So in that regard, what light (if any) does the recent election shed on our path forward? I’m a lover of lists, and here is my list of the areas of this transition that continue to be of most interest to me… *1. The engagement between youth and... more »
An Urban Teacher's Education: Resources from NCTE
An Urban Teacher's Education: Resources from NCTE: Resources from NCTE by James Boutin This week I have the pleasure of attending the NCTE national convention in Las Vegas. I've gathered a few resources so far I thought might be worth sharing. I'll write more about the conference later, but for now, here are some links: http://www.nwp.org/ http://kellygallagher.org/ www.informationisbeautiful.net http://www.heinemann.com/authors/902.aspx http://pennykittle.net/ https://depts.washington.edu/pswpuw/
Jersey Jazzman: Does the Newark Teacher Contract Really "Involve Teachers"?
Jersey Jazzman: Does the Newark Teacher Contract Really "Involve Teachers"?: Does the Newark Teacher Contract Really "Involve Teachers"? by Duke Back to NJ Governor Chris Christie and AFT President Randi Weingarten's love-fest on *Morning Joe* yesterday. Both are selling this deal as great for teachers, because NTU's members will be "involved" in their evaluations: Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Christie: "*It's no longer just seniority or degrees received. But now it's how you perform in the classroom. And that evaluation is not just ... more »
Diane in the Evening 11-17-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: EduShyster Finds the Biggest Turkey Idea of School Reform by dianerav EduShyster has done it again. Imagine a conference on the freshest, boldest education idea of ever. Who would you want to hear from? Of LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-17-12 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] If Baseball Were Like Race to the Top by dianerav I recently posted a hilarious item that asked what would happen if basketball leagues were run in accordance with the rules of N... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Chris Christie: Massive, Divisive Hypocrite
Jersey Jazzman: Chris Christie: Massive, Divisive Hypocrite: Chris Christie: Massive, Divisive Hypocrite by Duke This week, Newark's teachers ratified a controversial contract that includes merit pay. As usual, Governor Chris Christie decided to take his victory lap on MSNBC's *Morning Joe*, where he is regularly showered with praise and insulated form any criticism whatsoever. Christie is nationally known as one of the biggest teachers union bashers in the country, which made the segment even more strange, as he was joined in praising the Newark deal by American Federation of Teac... more »
Questions remain after I-1240, charter schools, passes - North Kitsap Herald
Questions remain after I-1240, charter schools, passes - North Kitsap Herald: Questions remain after I-1240, charter schools, passes By KIPP ROBERTSON [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] North Kitsap Herald Education/Sports Reporter NOVEMBER 16, 2012 · UPDATED 2:52 PM - - - inShare - - 0COMMENTS - EMAIL STORY - PRINT STORY - EMAIL AUTHOR - LETTER/EDITOR OLYMPIA — The initiative to allow charter schools in Washington has been approved by state voters. But questions about how it will affect public schools remain, even for t... more »
Enrollment Projections and School Construction « PWC Education Reform Blog
Enrollment Projections and School Construction « PWC Education Reform Blog: Enrollment Projections and School Construction by pwceducationreform Nothing gets parents hot an bothered more than overcrowded schools, boundary changes, and new school construction. When coupled with accusations of preferential treatment in one end of the county and allegations of paybacks, discussions about school overcrowding, transfers, and construction are bound to engender controversy. On November 20th the school division will host a work session on enrollment projections and school construction. ... more »
#ncte12: when they came for us, they came with standards « Cooperative Catalyst
#ncte12: when they came for us, they came with standards « Cooperative Catalyst: #ncte12: when they came for us, they came with standards by Chad Sansing [image: Maker Faire Bay Area 2011: Learning With The Exlporatorium]Maker Faire Bay Area 2011: Learning With The Exlporatorium There’s really no better way to silence us teachers (apart from the crippling, self-imposed professional norm of not admitting to our students and parents that have an opinion on anything) than to give us thousands of standards. When a teacher is busy delivering content and designing lessons to appease pol... more »
On the Stability (or not) of Being Irreplaceable « School Finance 101
On the Stability (or not) of Being Irreplaceable « School Finance 101: On the Stability (or not) of Being Irreplaceable by schoolfinance101 This is just a quick note with a few pictures in response to the TNTP “Irreplaceables” report that came out a few weeks back – a report that is utterly ridiculous at many levels (especially this graph!)… but due to the storm I just didn’t get a chance address it. But let’s just entertain for the moment the premise that teachers who achieve a value-added rating in the top 20% in a given year are… just plain freakin’ awesome…. and that distric... more »
Jeb and Arne, together again
Jeb and Arne, together again: Jeb and Arne, together again by Valerie Strauss Several months ago Jeb Bush publicly praised President Obama for selecting Arne Duncan as education secretary. "I think Arne Duncan has done a good job," the former Florida governor said in this CBS interview.Perhaps to return the favor, Duncan is now scheduled to deliver a keynote address at Bush's fifth annual Excellence in Action Summit later this month in Washington. There's no real surprise in the Jeb and Arne show. Duncan has spoken at earlier Bush summits. Obama himself stood on a stage with Bu... more »
The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed - Parents Across America
Parents Across America: The Weekly Update: Milken is ready to milk us in WA State, Louisiana wants to test the toddlers, some awesome school teachers and much, much more by DoraTaylor *The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed.* Bill Gates and the Waltons have had their way with Washington State. With ads running continuously on TV channels for the last three weeks up to November 6th, Bill Gates and the Waltons finally got their way with us….unless there is a legal challenge regarding the state’sconstitutional demand for oversight by OSPI. Stay tuned. The passag... more »
Unpacking Fox's lies about Hostess
Teamster Nation: Unpacking Fox's lies about Hostess: Unpacking Fox's lies about Hostess Billionaire Rupert Murdoch's Fox News predictably came out with a bunch of crap about the tragic Hostess liquidation. Martha MacCallum, on "Today's Plutocrat Propaganda" "America's Newsroom," said Hostess is "blaming a worker's strike for crippling their ability to make and deliver their products." Then Bill Hemmer blamed the job losses on "a labor dispute." He suggested the union put "18,000 jobs on the line." MacCallum said the employees were "paying dues to the union and then the union won't... more »
Black Girl in Maine | Musings of a black woman living in the nation's whitest state
Black Girl in Maine | Musings of a black woman living in the nation's whitest state: The GOP and their Personal Responsibility Problem It’s become increasingly clear since last week’s U.S. Presidential election (though it was pretty clear even before that) that there are a fair number of people who are in crisis. People who are now going off the rails. Wives running over their husbands, people committing suicide, relationships in tatters, and so on—so much of it related to post-election angst. It sure doesn’t help that the fella who had the not-so-good fortune of losing seems to b... more »
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Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-20-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-13-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-6-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-29-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-22-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post