Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 11-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 11-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

James Baldwin said it best:

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP

Jersey Jazzman: A Courageous Teacher Needs Your Help

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 minutes ago

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 »

Illinois Democrats are digging a deep hole. Didn’t they learn anything from the Republican debacle? « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 minutes ago

Illinois Democrats are digging a deep hole. Didn’t they learn anything from the Republican debacle? « Fred Klonsky: Illinois Democrats are digging a deep hole. Didn’t they learn anything from the Republican debacle? by Fred Klonsky \ *Nekritz went back to eating her salad.* On November 6th things looked pretty sweet for Democrats. In Illinois too. After all, there were several high-profile congressional races that the Democrats won. A couple were really unexpected – like in the 10th CD where Republican Robert Dold had a huge money advantage, but lost to centrist Democrat Brad Schnei... more »

Acting In Solidarity On Black Friday | OccupyWallSt.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 minutes ago

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 »

Missouri Education Watchdog: ALEC Bails on Opposing Common Core

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: ALEC Bails on Opposing Common Core: ALEC Bails on Opposing Common Core by Anngie Ed Week reported that ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) has voted not to adopt the resolution opposing the Common Core State Standards. The latest news is that on Nov. 19, after several discussions over the past year and at least onepostponed vote, ALEC's legislative board of directors has voted not to adopt the resolution opposing the Common Core, the group announced in an email. ALEC stated that it will remain "neutral" on the common cor e, "but will cont... more »

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » RYH forum Nov. 29th – Assessing the Assessments

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: 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 new superintendent in our district where I was the deputy superintendent. His FIRST act was to send out a memo to all staff. His directive was that absolutely everybody had to start all letters and all memoranda and all emails with this statement: “Today is November 21, 2012, and it is a wonderful day!” Many of us spent the rest of t... more »

Schools Matter: Let's Be Thankful for Karen Lewis: Hear a Real Union Leader's Vision for Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Schools Matter: Let's Be Thankful for Karen Lewis: Hear a Real Union Leader's Vision for Education: Let's Be Thankful for Karen Lewis: Hear a Real Union Leader's Vision for Education by Jim Horn You won't get this kind of honesty and genuine care from the mealy-mouthed sellouts who run AFT and NEA. Karen Lewis speaking at the Chicago Club on November 20:

Secretary Of Education Forced To Take Up Stripping To Put Nation Through School | The Onion - America's Finest News Source

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Secretary Of Education Forced To Take Up Stripping To Put Nation Through School | The Onion - America's Finest News Source: Secretary Of Education Forced To Take Up Stripping To Put Nation Through School NOVEMBER 20, 2012 | ISSUE 48•47 | MORE NEWS Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, performing onstage as Velvet. ARTICLE TOOLS - - - - Share on Tumblr - - - - RELATED ARTICLES - Tens Of Thousands Dead In Ongoing Africa - Memphis Airport Panda Express Takes Over As Nation's Most Depressing Place TAMPA, FL—Saying it was his only... more »

As teachers group releases survey critical of extended day, DISD trustees contemplate a change | Education Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

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 »

On the Uses and Meaning of Data « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

On the Uses and Meaning of Data « InterACT: On the Uses and Meaning of Data by David B. Cohen *Get ready – we know the data is coming!* Common Core Assessments are going to change everything, right? But for teachers and schools on the receiving end of greater volumes of information, what does all that data really mean? Not surprisingly, it depends on whom you ask. [image: Kate McKenna]CalTURN’s Kate McKenna addresses conference attendees (photo by the author). Last week, I attended a labor-management collaboration conference in Santa Monica, California, organized byWestEd and the... more »

Arizona Charter School Officials Are Enriching Themselves With Public Funds | The New Republic

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Arizona Charter School Officials Are Enriching Themselves With Public Funds | The New Republic: How Charter Schools Fleece Taxpayers - Timothy Noah - November 20, 2012 | 2:10 pm - 4 comments - Share on redditShare on tumblrShare on stumbleupon|More Sharing ServicesMore - [image: Print]Print - SHARE inShare3 MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR The Two Americas Small Business Sells John Boehner Out Fred Barnes: Fine, We’re The Party Of Whitey Christopher Furlong/Getty Images In government, if I help myself to taxpayer dollars, we call that embezzlement and I go to jail. In the... more »

Pa. charter schools have no accountability - The Mercury

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Pa. charter schools have no accountability - The Mercury: Pa. charter schools have no accountability - - Posted: 11/21/12 12:01 am - - - - - - - Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on stumbleuponShare on google_plusone Share on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services - CONTRIBUTE - - Story Ideas - Send Corrections The Pennsylvania General Assembly has failed again in its attempt to provide financial and academic accountability to charter schools. The 11th hour attempt to pass charter schoo... more »

Schools Matter: Houston, You've Got a Problem: It's Called EVAAS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Schools Matter: Houston, You've Got a Problem: It's Called EVAAS: Houston, You've Got a Problem: It's Called EVAAS by Jim Horn Never really understood what value-added test scores mean, and how they affect teachers and kids? Ever wondered why the National Academy of Sciences sent a a 14-page letter to Arne Duncan warning him against high stakes use of value-added in RTTT. That's okay, you're not alone--many of us are puzzled. One thing is for sure, however--when teachers band together and get a couple of good lawyers to shine a penetrating light on this Oz-inspired scheme and the...more »

Teachers and Parents: Natural Allies in Defending Our Schools - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Teachers and Parents: Natural Allies in Defending Our Schools - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Teachers and Parents: Natural Allies in Defending Our Schools by Anthony Cody I have been thinking a bit more about the strategies at work in the battle over our schools that I describedyesterday. Michael Petrilli's op-ed makes division the key weapon that reformers will be using in the years to come. * Division 1: Middle class suburban schools vs. high poverty urban schools. * Mr. Petrilli wrote: Top-down, one-size-fits-all efforts such as formulaic teacher evaluations ten... more »

Five Levers to Improve Student Learning — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Five Levers to Improve Student Learning — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Five Levers to Improve Student Learning November 21, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers Educators constantly look for new tools and programs to stimulate and motivate learners, enhance student performance, or change the role of the teacher. Recent trends include flipped teaching, red-shirting (postponing kindergarten entrance so that a child is one year older than his peers), merit pay, year-round school, and a longer school day. Which strategies or innovations are l... more »

I Am A Citizen of A Country That Does Not Yet Exist | The IDEA Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

I Am A Citizen of A Country That Does Not Yet Exist | The IDEA Blog: I Am A Citizen of A Country That Does Not Yet Exist Posted by Kirsten Olson on Nov 21, 2012 - 07:10 AM The great Dr. Vincent Harding, whose words and moral presence has inspired me and my colleagues at IDEA for years, has never been more powerful here. Speaking at the Children’s Defense Fund Annual Convention in Cincinnati, OH in July 2012, at a town hall on national and racial healing, Dr. Harding proclaims a vision for activism--of world that is emmanent--that calls out to me at a nearly bodily level. He asks u... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's 'reform' agenda takes a beating

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

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

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

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 »

Subverting the System | I was thinking…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Subverting the System | I was thinking…: Subverting the System Posted on November 12, 2012 by heidi 32tweetsretweet When it comes to parents being included in educational discussions or decision making processes, I’ve repeatedly heard two themes emerge: 1) “We ASKED and no one responded!” Teachers/administrators send out emails, ask for feedback, send surveys, host parent ed or parent-teacher interview times – and few (if any) parents respond. So why do it? Why bother trying? The frustration during these conversations has been palpable. And this has come from educators that I ... more »

Early Math Teachers Celebrate ‘Critical Thinking, Not Correct Answers’ | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Early Math Teachers Celebrate ‘Critical Thinking, Not Correct Answers’ | ED.gov Blog: Early Math Teachers Celebrate ‘Critical Thinking, Not Correct Answers’ Posted on November 19, 2012 by Julie Ewart With math literacy a must for most jobs in our knowledge economy*, *Secretary Duncanhas called math teachers “our nation-builders of the future.” Yet, just 40 percent of 4th-graders and 35 percent of 8th-graders are proficient in math, according to the latestNational Assessment of Educational Progress. [image: Playing Games at Diego School] Student Richard Mitchell III and his dad, Richa... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, November 21, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Wednesday, November 21, 2012* Monterey Peninsula USD hires community relations firm to help its imageHow the public views MPUSD is something administrators say the district has battled for years and tried to counteract by organizing community meetings, workshops and other activities to little or no avail. Long Beach school board approves new contract with teachersThe Long Beach Unified School District and its teachers union have officially come to an agreement on a contract that compromises over health care ... more »

Teachers worry about more testing under new Louisiana evaluations | Hechinger Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Teachers worry about more testing under new Louisiana evaluations | Hechinger Report: Teachers worry about more testing under new Louisiana evaluations by Sarah Carr When Scott Harris looked at recommended French tests he could use to measure his students’ progress this school year — and, by extension, his own success or failure as a teacher — he felt stymied by the lack of suitable options. For instance, the state’s suggested tests for Harris’ French I students at Louisiana State University Laboratory School featured sample questions ranging from basic vocabulary to asking student... more »

The future of D.C. public schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

The future of D.C. public schools: The future of D.C. public schools Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 21, 2012 at 11:25 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson’s plan to close 20 traditional public schools in the nation’s capital is nothing if not an acknowledgement that the system over which she presides is inexorably dwindling and being transformed into a collection of independently run public charter schools. The numbers tell a big part of this story: He... more »

$100 Million to Address Perceptions of Inequity? « PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

$100 Million to Address Perceptions of Inequity? « PWC Education Reform Blog: $100 Million to Address Perceptions of Inequity?November 21, 2012 — pwceducationreform Last night the school board held an work session on the CIP to address school construction / renovation projects planned for the next 10 – 12 years. The meeting was called by Gil Trenum, the representative from Brentsville District. Mr Trenum, who more than earned his pay last night, stated that with increasingly tight budgets, any construction project not already begun was in jeopardy and that the school division ... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-21-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Wake Up! Crisis in Michigan by dianerav Marcie Lipsitt writes from Michigan that the public must wake up to what their governor and legislature are doing to destroy public education: Finally the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News are reporting on Governor Rick “Nerd” (a disgrace to Dr. Seuss) Snyder and the Republican-led legislature’s plan to destroy public education in Michigan and in record time and virtually no transparency. Most frightening is that Michiganders still don’t understand the immediate cri... more »

Education’s coconut cake problem - Opinion - The Boston Globe

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Education’s coconut cake problem - Opinion - The Boston Globe: Education’s coconut cake problem By Gareth Cook | GLOBE COLUMNIST DECEMBER 18, 2011 HARVARD PROFESSOR Roland Fryer has made a discovery with the potential to transform public education. To understand it, though, it helps to first hear a story about the conundrum of the coconut cake. Fryer’s grandmother makes an astounding coconut cake, a magical confection of sweetness and air he’s loved since he was a kid growing up in Florida. Fryer wanted to learn to make the cake himself, but every time he pressed for a re... more »

Creative Noncompliance « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Creative Noncompliance « Deborah Meier on Education: Creative Noncompliance by debmeier Every time we got a new chancellor of education in New York City we’d lament that he didn’t start out by acknowledging what’s gone before him (or her). I suppose it’s part of the “politics” of the situation. In order to look good, he paints as bad a picture as possible–one that allows him to go up with just a little PR. But there was one who invited a group of principals whose reputations rested on successful innovations. His name was Frank Macchiarola. I recall our amusement–as he called on us... more »

Education Commission Publishes Report Condemning Privatisation and Immigration Controls in UK UniversitiesCoalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: Education Commission Publishes Report Condemning Privatisation and Immigration Controls in UK Universities 21 November, 2012 London, UK – On the day of the first major NUS demonstration in nearly two years, the Education Commission published a report into the effects of increased tuition fees and privatisation in the higher education sector. Education Commission spokesperson Lou Shelley said: "Our research clearly shows that the rise in tuition fees and the Con-Dem's program of privatisation has sent out a clear si... more »

The Educated Reporter: Common Core State Standards: What's Ahead for English-Language Learners, Teachers and Tests?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Common Core State Standards: What's Ahead for English-Language Learners, Teachers and Tests?: Common Core State Standards: What's Ahead for English-Language Learners, Teachers and Tests? by Emily Richmond Earlier this fall in Los Angeles, EWA -- along with the University of California-Berkeley, the Understanding Language Initiative at Stanford University, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), and the California Community Foundation -- held a seminar on how the new Common Core State Standards will impact English-language learners. We focused on le... more »

How Charter Schools Fleece Taxpayers | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

How Charter Schools Fleece Taxpayers | toteachornototeach: How Charter Schools Fleece Taxpayers by aristotlethewise *How Charter Schools Fleece Taxpayers* by Timothy Noah In government, if I help myself to taxpayer dollars, we call that embezzlement and I go to jail. In the private sector, if I help myself to taxpayer dollars, we call that innovation and I get hailed as a visionary exponent of public-private partnership. That’s the lesson of a Nov. 17 investigation by Anne Ryman of the Arizona Republic into the state’s charter schools. In her examination of Arizona’s 50 largest no... more »

Winning paths to success in Pasadena, Santa Barbara | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Winning paths to success in Pasadena, Santa Barbara | EdSource Today: Winning paths to success in Pasadena, Santa Barbara ** November 20th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Kathryn Baron Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Pasadena and Santa Barbara City Colleges are recipients of the 2012 Chancellor’s Student Success Award for their programs to support first-year and underserved students in community college. “These are the types of initiatives our Student Success Task Force determined were extremely important in achieving equity and... more »

Daily Kos: some observations from a classroom

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Daily Kos: some observations from a classroom: some observations from a classroom by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) If you were to start on Independence Avenue from where it splits off from Pennsylvania Avenue NE at Third Street and head east, as you get to RFK Stadium you loop around the circle and then cross the Anacostia River on East Capitol Street. A few miles later on your left is an aging junior high school building that houses a non-profit charter Middle School and companion High School. I teach in the former. Knowing several of the staff, and having visited the school p... more »

Georgia: Putting all our eggs and hopes in charter school basket | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Georgia: Putting all our eggs and hopes in charter school basket | Get Schooled: Georgia: Putting all our eggs and hopes in charter school basket by Maureen Downey The battle in Georgia to win passage of a controversial charter school amendment turned out to be costly, divisive and polarizing. Many might also argue it was unnecessary, given that charter schools were never in jeopardy and more continue to open every year in Georgia. The state Board of Education already had the ability to approve them, and local school boards, despite the characterization that most were hostile towa... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: In Pearson we trust. Really? But our blood is never blue.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: In Pearson we trust. Really? But our blood is never blue.: In Pearson we trust. Really? But our blood is never blue. by Mike Klonsky Remember back in April, when a single insipid test question sparked the*pineapple rebellion* and shone a light, not only on current standardized testing practices, but on the whole testing industry and its leading profiteer, Pearson Publishing? With lives, careers and the very existence of schools hanging in the balance, we have become totally reliant on Pearson and the testing companies to measure and arbitrate truth an... more »

Could Connecticut's state deficit really jump from $60m to $365m in a month? That would be a No - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Could Connecticut's state deficit really jump from $60m to $365m in a month? That would be a No - Wait, What?: Could Connecticut’s state deficit really jump from $60m to $365m in a month? That would be a No by jonpelto According to Connecticut law, by the twentieth day of each month, the Governor’s Office of Policy and Management must provide the Office of the State Comptroller with a statement of “revenues and expenditures for the General Fund.” Using this information, and his own budget experts, the State Comptroller then produces the state’s official financial statement that i... more »

Mother Crusader: Have You Heard The One About The Kid From Camden, The Tea Partier And The Rabbi?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Mother Crusader: Have You Heard The One About The Kid From Camden, The Tea Partier And The Rabbi?: Have You Heard The One About The Kid From Camden, The Tea Partier And The Rabbi? by darciecima A Trenton Times guest opinion column was brought to my attention this morning by a sister Save Our Schools NJ Organizer, and from all of my research on issues related to Tikun Olam and Hatikvah I had some knowledge of the author of the piece. His byline says "Israel Teitelbaum serves as secretary of Alliance for Free Choice in Education" Check out the link. Thin on content, heavy on rh... more »

Data-driven to distraction in school reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Data-driven to distraction in school reform: Data-driven to distraction in school reform Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 21, 2012 at 4:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » “Data-driven reform” is one of the mantras of the school reform movement. Just howannoying has it become? Esther Quintero, research associate at the non-profit Albert Shanker Institute, located in Washington, D.C., tells us. A version of this post originally appeared on the institute’s blog.** By Esther Quintero In the ... more »

karen lewis lashes out against corporate leaders - chicagotribune.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

karen lewis lashes out against corporate leaders - chicagotribune.com: Teachers union chief slams 'top-down' reformSays deadline for school-closing announcements shouldn't be extended By Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah, Chicago Tribune reporter 10:19 p.m. CST, November 20, 2012 Showing the same combativeness that was on display during the recent strike, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said Tuesday that the wealthy backers of Mayor Rahm Emanuel's efforts to overhaul the city's troubled schools should donate money to support public education but otherwise butt out. "I think they... more »

Schools Matter: Rhee Announces Teachers Should Suffer During Holidays, Too

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Schools Matter: Rhee Announces Teachers Should Suffer During Holidays, Too: Rhee Announces Teachers Should Suffer During Holidays, Too by Jim Horn Exclusive: Michelle Rhee Takes Aim at Teachers During Holidays [image: Michelle Rhee] The former D.C. chancellor, leader of Michelle First, believes that if we’re going to use tenure to retain teachers, we must do it 'based on measures that matter' to Eli Broad and Bill Gates Read More >> When you get on the *Waiting for Superman* email list like I did, you get an uninterrupted supply of propaganda, with headlines, stories, and pics like... more »

NYC Educator: The Law Is the Law, Says UFT Leadership

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

NYC Educator: The Law Is the Law, Says UFT Leadership: The Law Is the Law, Says UFT Leadership by NYC Educator That's what I keep hearing. Don't you know about the law? Do you want us to break the law? We all have to respect the law and never, ever question it, no matter what, because it's the law. That's why, apparently, it was vital that we agree to give up February break immediately, with no consultation whatsoever with rank and file. It appears that the State Education Department has the power to waive the 180-day requirement, but can only do so when all vacation days are exha... more »

Modern School: Unions Collaborate With Obama to Squeeze American Workers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Modern School: Unions Collaborate With Obama to Squeeze American Workers: Unions Collaborate With Obama to Squeeze American Workers by Michael Dunn Image from Flickr, by DonkeyHotey With the country moving ever closer to the “fiscal cliff,” the Obama Administration is doing everything it can to strike a “grand bargain” that appeases the ruling elite. The grand bargain is a euphemism for an austerity package that will maintain low taxes for the wealthy and subsidies for their business by slashing social spending and services that help keep the rest of the country from sinking further... more »

MOOCs and Hype Again | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

MOOCs and Hype Again | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: MOOCs and Hype Again by larrycuban I have a confession to make. I dropped out of a Massive Open Online course (MOOC) on Artificial Intelligence at Stanford university in the Fall of 2011. There were over 160,000 other students in the class from all over the world. I listened to the two professors on my laptop give mini-lectures, watched fast hands scrawl quickly and cleverly over whiteboards to graphically display the concepts they were teaching. I found the information fascinating. I took a few quizzes. T... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Newark vs. Chicago

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Newark vs. Chicago: Newark vs. Chicago by Duke No, this is not a post about hockey. Earlier today, I posted the latest statement about the Newark teachers contract from a group of rebels within the union, the NEWCaucus. They are not happy: *After listening to and talking to fellow education workers, we have come to the conclusion that this contract was passed NOT because we believed that this contract is in the best interest of teachers and students, but because the membership did not have confidence that the NTU leadership has a plan, a will, or the ability to... more »

A Rigorous Thanksgiving « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

A Rigorous Thanksgiving « InterACT: [image: grade 3]A Rigorous Thanksgiving by David B. Cohen *This blog post is re-posted for your reading pleasure, after originally appearing a few years ago at the CTQ Teacher Leaders Network.* With Thanksgiving arriving, we begin to hear and read commentaries about all that we are thankful for. As a teacher, I am mindful of the role teachers have played in my own life. Of course, the climate and values in education have changed somewhat since the 1970s, and what I once may have believed about schools and teachers when I was a naïve child must be ... more »

Seeking Common Ground, for Schools & Walmarts - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Seeking Common Ground, for Schools & Walmarts - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Seeking Common Ground, for Schools & Walmarts by Deborah Meier *Editor's note: Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, Deborah Meier's post for this week is being published one day early. Happy Thanksgiving all!* Dear Pedro, Strategy has to follow from where adults and young people are—that's the big lesson I learned from being a classroom teacher, especially of 4- and 5-year-olds. Kindergarten, I'm reminded, would be like trying to keep 30 corks simultaneously under water at one time. (Mark Twain?)... more »

Quinn goes after collective bargaining again. Terminates AFSCME contract. Most anti-labor governor ever. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Quinn goes after collective bargaining again. Terminates AFSCME contract. Most anti-labor governor ever. « Fred Klonsky: Quinn goes after collective bargaining again. Terminates AFSCME contract. Most anti-labor governor ever. by Fred Klonsky Rich Miller’s Capitolfax broke the story this evening. But is just supports what I have been saying for months: Pat Quinn is the most anti-labor governor in the history of Illinois. While the Republican Scott Walkers of this world have their own ways of going after union collective bargaining Black Friday. Boycott Walmart. Support the workers.... more »

Schools Matter: Health hazard: Drs. Schack & Mehra: Teens not getting enough sleep because of school schedule & pressure

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Schools Matter: Health hazard: Drs. Schack & Mehra: Teens not getting enough sleep because of school schedule & pressure: Health hazard: Drs. Schack & Mehra: Teens not getting enough sleep because of school schedule & pressure by skrashen Mira Costa will look into zero-period, start time to address teen sleep issues The Beach Reporter, November 14, 20 http://tinyurl.com/b4f7bvu by Carley Dryden Local doctor Linda Schack, an adolescent medicine specialist, had grown concerned. High school students flooded her practice complaining of headaches, abdominal pain and fatigue. When she ...more »

School Tech Connect: Best Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Best Practice: Best Practice by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I saw these two remarks on the Twitter tonight, and I thought, "Good questions." Notice I didn't say, "and I thought to myself." That's one of my pet peeves, when people write that. Who else are you going to think to? Anyway, what indeed are these "best practices?" If the charters are supposed to "transmit" (I think that's the

St. Louis Fed Adds Free Educational Materials for Economics and Personal Finance

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

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 »

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CLASS « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

THE TWELVE DAYS OF CLASS « Teachers Fight Back: THE TWELVE DAYS OF CLASS by alkleen What next ? Now high school health centers are all the rage. More high schools are installing full-time health centers to make sure all the wonderful boys and girls have all their possible needs met. You know, needs like birth control pills, abortion advice and all manner of healthful tips. I can’t believe some community leaders and parents are worried about this new trend. What’s not to like ? Now that our students have every possible advantage in their school life, let’s review all the services ... more »

A distorted reality | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

A distorted reality | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: A distorted realityAn ex-principal says inflated test scores skewed decision-making and hurt students. The problem isn’t fixed.by Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news Partner ="" title="Facebook_like" href="http://thenotebook.org/december-2012/125350/distorted-reality#" style="text-decoration: initial; color: rgb(76, 153, 72); cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px;">Share on email COMMENTS (2)EMAILPRINT Photo: Kimberly Paynter for NewsWorks In 2010, math scores at Communications Technology High in Southwes... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Sandra Stotsky critiques the Common Core in NYC on Monday night

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

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 »

NYC Educator: Daily News Inspired by the Merit Pay Fairy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

NYC Educator: Daily News Inspired by the Merit Pay Fairy: Daily News Inspired by the Merit Pay Fairy by NYC Educator Since Newark teachers ratified a contract full of unspecified bonuses for evaluations that don't exist, the Daily News editorial board thinks we ought to do the same thing. You know, we should be paid like professional athletes. This is not a new argument. I've been hearing it for years. Except, of course, that no one, ever, has remotely suggested we be paid on any such scale. Blogger Jersey Jazzman has been consistently brilliant on this issue, and wrote a fairly d... more »