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Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 12-4-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



Shanker Blog » Selective Schools In New Orleans

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 minutes ago
Shanker Blog » Selective Schools In New Orleans: Selective Schools In New Orleans by Matthew Di Carlo Charter schools in New Orleans, LA (NOLA) receive a great deal of attention, in no small part because they serve a larger proportion of public school students than do charters in any other major U.S. city. Less discussed, however, is the prevalence of NOLA’s “selective schools” (elsewhere, they are sometimes called “exam schools”). These schools maintain criteria for admission and/or retention, based on academic and other qualifications (often grades and/or standardized test scor... more »

Cooper Union Occupation, Day Two « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 minutes ago
Cooper Union Occupation, Day Two « Student Activism: Cooper Union Occupation, Day Two by Angus Johnston Cooper Union Foundation Building designed by Frederick A Peterson. Photographed by David Shankbone, July 2007. The student occupation of the eighth floor of the Cooper Union Foundation Building entered its second day this morning, as activists pressing for reaffirmation of the college’s tuition-free structure, governance reforms, and the resignation of the Cooper Union president remained barricaded in a space at the top of the college’s iconic signature structure. As discussed ... more »

Modern School: Michigan's Education Coup Attempt

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 27 minutes ago
Modern School: Michigan's Education Coup Attempt: Michigan's Education Coup Attempt by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor CartoonsOn November 6, Michigan voters repealed Public Act 4, allowing Detroit school board to reclaim control over 15 “failing” local schools from the short-lived Education Achievement Authority. Within days of the election, GOP lawmakers introduced a bill into the Michigan House to codify the EAA into state law, in an attempt to nullify the November election results. Advocates for the EAA argue that “real” education reform takes five to seven years to show suc... more »

Schools Matter: Where Comparisons Between the Movie "Lincoln" and Education Reform Go Haywire

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago
Schools Matter: Where Comparisons Between the Movie "Lincoln" and Education Reform Go Haywire: Where Comparisons Between the Movie "Lincoln" and Education Reform Go Haywire by Jim Horn I was at a meeting last evening where three panelists and a moderator had some things to say on the subject of "Is Education for Democracy At Risk?" It was sponsored by Citizens for Public Schools in Boston and held at the Brookline Public Library. With such a topic on the agenda, I was eager to see if there was any movement toward action in the "talk-and-compromise" groups that participated, wh... more »

Schools Matter: Where Comparisons Between the Movie "Lincoln" and Education Reform Go Haywire

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago
Schools Matter: Where Comparisons Between the Movie "Lincoln" and Education Reform Go Haywire: Where Comparisons Between the Movie "Lincoln" and Education Reform Go Haywire by Jim Horn I was at a meeting last evening where three panelists and a moderator had some things to say on the subject of "Is Education for Democracy At Risk?" It was sponsored by Citizens for Public Schools in Boston and held at the Brookline Public Library. With such a topic on the agenda, I was eager to see if there was any movement toward action in the "talk-and-compromise" groups that participated, wh... more »

The Educated Reporter: Common Core State Standards: Confusion Reigns Over What Students Should Read

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
The Educated Reporter: Common Core State Standards: Confusion Reigns Over What Students Should Read: Common Core State Standards: Confusion Reigns Over What Students Should Read by Emily Richmond The Washington Post's Lyndsey Layton has a thoughtful -- and fresh -- take on the implementation of theCommon Core State Standards, detailing how educators seem to be misinterpreting the new requirement that non-fiction texts eventually make up 70 percent of a student's classroom reading. This is a wrinkle I haven't yet seen reported, and it certainly raises a lot of questions. Here's a c... more »

Working Within Constraints to Transform Schools - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Working Within Constraints to Transform Schools - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Working Within Constraints to Transform Schools by Pedro Noguera Dear Deborah, Instead of responding to your interpretation of my assumptions, which were inaccurate (I don't think the two sides in the debate over school reform have similar ends in mind), let me spell out what I mean by the importance of providing schools with guidance on how to work through the constraints that they face. Public schools, especially those that serve a disproportionate percentage of low-income students of colo... more »

Charter schools are not a solution - Politics - The Detroit News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Charter schools are not a solution - Politics - The Detroit News: Charter schools are not a solution - BY DALE HANSEN - 1 COMMENTS [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Most people would agree that every child should have the opportunity at a high quality education. Unfortunately Republicans have become obsessed with making changes that don’t actually improve educational outcomes. The most recent examples of this obsession are a few bills (HB 6004, HB 5923, and SB 1358) being offered by Michigan Republicans. These bills would establish a statewide... more »

‘Frontline’ will examine Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s D.C. legacy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
‘Frontline’ will examine Michelle Rhee’s D.C. legacy: ‘Frontline’ will examine Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s D.C. legacy Posted by Mike DeBonis on December 3, 2012 at 3:23 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Rhee (Susan Biddle/The Washington Post) “Frontline,” the tremendously fabulous PBS news documentary program, will air an episode next month examining the legacy of former D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee. The episode, titled “The Education of Michelle Rhee” and set to air ... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-4-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Is There a Severe Shortage of Math and Science Teachers in Massachusetts? by dianerav EduShyster is at it again. She continues to ask questions that elude the Boston Globe and other media in Massachusetts. Like, why do certain charters in the nation’s highest performing state get visas to import all their teachers from other nations, such as Turkey? Are there really no teachers of math, science or even English in the state? What gives? Reader Calls Out NY Daily News for Charter Spin by dianerav One regula... more »

Grim Findings On Youth Unemployment, Education | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Grim Findings On Youth Unemployment, Education | toteachornototeach: Grim Findings On Youth Unemployment, Education by aristotlethewise *Kids Count Youth And Work Report: * *Number Of Young Adults Out Of * *School, Work Hits Half-Century High* [image: MK-BQ172_GENJOB_DV_20111106195444]Nearly 6.5 million U.S. teens and young adults are neither in school nor working, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The report warns of a future of chronic unemployment due to a continuing failure to educate and train America’s youth in needed skills. The most recent “Kids C... more »

Lessons from the Lakeview Sit-In « Classroom Struggle

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Lessons from the Lakeview Sit-In « Classroom Struggle: *Here we are almost 6 months on from the Lakeview Sit-In. The school has now been turned into offices and at least one-fifth of the former students of the 5 closed elementary schools have left the district. Many of the ones that have stayed are now being taught in portables. Clearly we did not achieve our major goals, even though now the Administration will think twice about closing more schools. This article tries to capture some of the positives and negatives of the school closure struggle in order to glean lessons for u... more »

Fast track to STEM teaching in state with federal grants | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Fast track to STEM teaching in state with federal grants | EdSource Today: Fast track to STEM teaching in state with federal grants ** December 4th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Kathryn Baron Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Five alternative teacher certification programs in California that won millions in federal grants are on track to train nearly 800 math and science teachers and place them in high-poverty, hard-to-staff schools. The California Teacher Corps, which represents more than 70 of the state’s alternative certifica... more »

5 Ways To Use 300 More Instructional Hours In A Year (THIS IS AMERICA!) | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
5 Ways To Use 300 More Instructional Hours In A Year (THIS IS AMERICA!) | The Jose Vilson: 5 Ways To Use 300 More Instructional Hours In A Year (THIS IS AMERICA!) by Jose [image: A Scene Left In The Cutting Room of the Film 300]A Scene Left In The Cutting Room of the Film 300 This morning, I woke up to the news that a pilot program starting in a few states, including Connecticut and New York, would add 300 more instructional hours to the school year starting in 2013. I don’t know about you, but I have yet to see a real study showing a positive correlation between classroom time (t... more »

School Tech Connect: I'm In

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
School Tech Connect: I'm In: I'm In by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I've been off the pension beat for a while, but there's no way I'm missing this *We Are One* event in Springfield. In a better world, we'd all be like Wisconsin, and tens of thousands of people would descend on the capitol. But we're Illinois. People will drive around the parking lot at Woodfield Mall all week before they do something to fight for their future. Still, one can hope. The clarion whisper of the state's teachers' unions might eventually get picked up on ham radio. Word could spread... *There's n... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's spinning wheel stuck

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Duncan's spinning wheel stuck: Duncan's spinning wheel stuck by Mike Klonsky Cunningham's gone. Hamilton's gone. Who's left at the DOE to hold *Arne Duncan's* hand? Daren Briscoe? Duncan buys in to the Bush modelSomebody needs to step in and help Arne move beyond his rat-a-tat-tat speed rapping and engage in some serious media discussion. After keynoting Jeb Bush's D.C. ed summit, along with a gaggle of other T-Party'ers, privatizers, "parent-trigger" pullers, and charter and voucher pushers like Mitch Daniels, *Condi Rice* and *Rupert Murdoch *fla... more »

7 apply to be Seattle district's first Creative Approach Schools | Local News | The Seattle Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
7 apply to be Seattle district's first Creative Approach Schools | Local News | The Seattle Times: 7 apply to be Seattle district's first Creative Approach Schools Throughout the campaign over this year's charter-school initiative, a number of Seattle's school leaders argued that Seattle didn't need charters to build and nurture innovative teaching. By giving a number of schools new flexibility next fall, they hope to prove it. By Linda Shaw Seattle Times education reporter Throughout the campaign over this year's charter-school initiative, a number of Seattle's education leaders ... more »

UPDATE: Common Core reading pros and cons - A warning ed policymakers should heed

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
A warning ed policymakers should heed: Common Core reading pros and cons by Valerie Strauss My colleague Lyndsey Layton wrote this Washington Post story about confusion at many schools about how to properly implement the Common Core State Standards in English. The trouble surrounds the standards' call for students to read more non-fiction; exactly how much and by when is at issue. Here's a related post about the pros and cons of Common Core standards for reading by a teacher, John T. Spencer, a sixth-grade ELL teacher in an urban, Title One School. He has written five books, incl... more »

300 HOURS « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
300 HOURS « Teachers Fight Back: 300 HOURS by alkleen I saw a news report about several states passing laws that would require 300 more hours of school for each student. That would figure out to be about an extra month of attendance days. Most teachers already are in school from mid August until mid June. If you throw in another 300 hours, that would make most schools virtually year round, at least for the teachers who need to add more prep time at the beginning and end of the school year. I hope the teachers in those situations are going to be adequately compensated and have ... more »

Tony Bennett’s Florida Bid Pits Bush Versus Scott | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Tony Bennett’s Florida Bid Pits Bush Versus Scott | Scathing Purple Musings: Tony Bennett’s Florida Bid Pits Bush Versus Scott by Bob Sikes Just off his defeat at the ballot box in a red state, Tony Bennett waited until the last second to throw his hat in the ring for Florida’s education commissioner post. Why it took so long is anyone’s guess and I won’t be speculating on that here. But Bennett’s entry into the picture will be a showdown between current governor Rick Scott and former governor Jeb Bush. Lets explore why. Rick Scott completely bought into the school reform model th... more »

Democurmudgeon: ALEC's Education Task Force vs Actual Teacher. Teacher Wins.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Democurmudgeon: ALEC's Education Task Force vs Actual Teacher. Teacher Wins.: ALEC's Education Task Force vs Actual Teacher. Teacher Wins. by Democurmudgeon Check out this inside look at ALEC, and the cowards working behind the scenes trying to destroy public education for profit. When they had to confront an actual teacher during policy talks, they had nothing. In fact, they were annoyed by the teachers lack of how their down-the-rabbit hole process works. Diane Ravitch has the story, she's an historian of education and Research Professor of Education at New York University: *Sab...more »

Jersey Jazzman: Triumph Of the Incompetent

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Triumph Of the Incompetent: Triumph Of the Incompetent by Duke New Jersey teacher Marie Corfield, who dared to stand up for teachers and parents, had over $100,000 "dropped on her head" this past fall when she ran for the state Assembly. The dropper was none other than B4K, a super-PAC powered by hedge fund money and run by a professional schmoozer of the rich, Derrell Bradford. Considering the money B4K spent to buy the defeat of Corfield, I think it's worth going back and giving a listen to what these guys are all about. To paraphrase Bradford: "The problem with ... more »

LAUSD TEACHER TELLS THE SAME STORY OF BEING TARGETED - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
LAUSD TEACHER TELLS THE SAME STORY OF BEING TARGETED - Perdaily.com: LAUSD TEACHER TELLS THE SAME STORY OF BEING TARGETED by Leonard Isenberg [image: The Secret Life of Words.jpg] (Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) As Superintendent John Deasy and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) receive no real opposition from United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) nor the city, state, or federal authorities, the war against teachers continues, not only unabated, but increasing in intensity. This past Sunday I ... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 12-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Great Reading by debmeier I’d like a moratorium on publishing any more good books—so I could catch up. Even if restricted to books on current educational dilemmas from my viewpoint, I can’t catch up. So over the next week I plan to share four books I’ve been eading about schools and reform, and one “booklet”. . There are at least a dozen others that I probably also should read—and will soon. In no particular order, I’ll start with: Mrs. Cook: Teacher of the Year, “Unsatisfactory” by dianerav I published a post with a photo of a te... more »

AFT Report on Teacher Preparation Recommends Bar-Like Exam And Demonstration of Teaching Competency

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
AFT - A Union of Professionals - AFT Report on Teacher Preparation Recommends Bar-Like Exam And Demonstration of Teaching Competency: AFT Report on Teacher Preparation Recommends Bar-Like Exam And Demonstration of Teaching Competency [image: AFT - American Federation of Teachers] *AFT's Weingarten: "It's time to do away with a common rite of passage into the teaching profession—whereby newly minted teachers are tossed the keys to their classrooms, expected to figure things out, and left to see if they and their students sink or swim. This is unfair to both students and their teac... more »

Diane in the Evening 12-3-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Mrs. Cook: Teacher of the Year, “Unsatisfactory” by dianerav I published a post with a photo of a teacher who was named Teacher of the Year by her colleagues but found “unsatisfactory” or “ineffective” by the value-added methods of her state. I knew her name–Mrs. Cook–but nothing more. How to Speak Out Against Race to the Top by dianerav Parents and teachers have organized a telephone campaign to register their objections to the Race to the Top program, which has led to more testing and more school closings and more disruptions for students and teachers.... more »

Looking back on racial violence at South Philly High | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Looking back on racial violence at South Philly High | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Looking back on racial violence at South Philly High by thenotebook *by Duong Nghe Ly* Today marks the three-year anniversary of the day that changed my life. On Dec. 3, 2009, I was at South Philadelphia High School when Asian immigrant students were targets of racially charged attacks that lasted from 8:30 a.m. in the morning to 4 p.m. after school. My friends and I received little to no help from the school, even though many of us had asked for protection or permission to leave early. At t... more »

Emory walkout tomorrow: Taking a stand for lost programs | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Emory walkout tomorrow: Taking a stand for lost programs | Get Schooled: Emory walkout tomorrow: Taking a stand for lost programs by Maureen Downey I am not sure how many Emory students will heed the call for a walkout tomorrow to protest university cuts to liberal arts programs. But I applaud students for taking a stand on the direction and focus of their university. *In September, Emory announced that it intends to phase* out the journalism program, department of visual arts, division of educational studies and department of physical education. The university will also suspend ad... more »

Pass / Fail : Billboards promote law that lets students leave low performing schools | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Pass / Fail : Billboards promote law that lets students leave low performing schools | 89.3 KPCC: Billboards promote law that lets students leave low performing schools by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez *Credit: Photo courtesy of Ed Reform Now* The Open Enrollment Act became California law two years ago with the goal to give kids a way out of the worst schools in the state. The law compels the state to develop a list of the 1,000 worst public schools based on each one's Academic Performance Index. Parents must fill out applications by December 31 if they wish to leave their current school and ... more »

Get on the bus, Gus! Springfield. January 3rd and 4th. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Get on the bus, Gus! Springfield. January 3rd and 4th. « Fred Klonsky: Get on the bus, Gus! Springfield. January 3rd and 4th. by Fred Klonsky [image: SpringfieldSchoolBus180x189]Word is slowly getting out regarding plans to stop the attack on public employee pensions by those in the state legislature who call them selves political leaders. I am told that each IEA Region will have buses available for active and retired teachers to go to Springfield January 3rd and 4th during the lame duck session. It is in the lame duck session, when many legislators will be voting but not returnin... more »

Jersey Jazzman: A New Generation of Mendacity

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: A New Generation of Mendacity: A New Generation of Mendacity by Duke *Hey, how'd you like to be the next president of your local? I can make that happen, you know...* I swear, folks, I could do this 24/7, and I would still never be able to keep up with all of the mendacity: I’m a teacher and a union member — and a member of the new majority. Not long after the Chicago teachers strike ended, I had dinner with lifelong Democrats. Instead of support for a revitalized union movement or sympathy for the plight of teachers, the conversation included such comments as: “T... more »

Corporate Welfare Boondoggle Alert: Moving UConn’s West Hartford Campus downtown - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Corporate Welfare Boondoggle Alert: Moving UConn’s West Hartford Campus downtown - Wait, What?: Corporate Welfare Boondoggle Alert: Moving UConn’s West Hartford Campus downtown by jonpelto On November 8, two days after this year’s election, UConn President Susan Herbst released a statement announcing that the University of Connecticut’s Greater Hartford Campus will be moving from its West Hartford location to downtown Hartford within the year. Beyond a claim that “this will be a win-win for UConn, our students and the City of Hartford,” UConn’s President failed to provide any de... more »

Teacher Evaluation and the Whole Child — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Teacher Evaluation and the Whole Child — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Thomas R. Hoerr]Teacher Evaluation and the Whole Child December 3, 2012 by Thomas R. Hoerr We measure what we value. This is true in how we spend our time, where we focus our efforts, and how we evaluate our teachers. Believing that educators must embrace the whole child—we must be sure that a child is healthy, safe, supported, engaged, and challenged—then how should that have an impact on our approach to teacher evaluation? Don't misunderstand me: academic skills are terribly important, and... more »

Mecklenburg ACTS | Working for equity and excellence in ALL Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Mecklenburg ACTS | Working for equity and excellence in ALL Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: [image: Mecklenburg ACTS] DNC Actions & Media Our Excellent StudentsFirst and DFER Adventures Sign the National Resolution on High-Stakes Testing Teacher Morale A group of courageous CMS teachers and staff stood before the Board of Education asking to help create a workplace culture “where passion and creative striving replace fear and stress, where enthusiastic teamwork replaces punitive blame, and where supportive compassion replaces hostility”. You may read their full comments here. We’...more »

Introducing the Edu$hyters of the week and they all hail from the great state of Michigan | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Introducing the Edu$hyters of the week and they all hail from the great state of Michigan | Seattle Education: Introducing the Edu$hyters of the week and they all hail from the great state of Michigan Posted on December 3, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment *The Edu $hyster ring in Michigan* [image: rick snyder1] Utica Community Schools, as the second largest district in Michigan, has always been a leader in education. Students have always had a high rate of success. In comparison to districts across the nation, Utica has always been financially healthy. Utica has bee... more »

IS LAUSD A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY? - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
IS LAUSD A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY? - Perdaily.com: IS LAUSD A CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY? by Leonard Isenberg [image: District Attorney.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español)* * * *If you or somebody you know has been targeted for removal or incarceration without due process of law by the Los Angeles Unifed School District (LAUSD), you might take the time and report your situation to the Public Integrity Unit of the Los Angeles District Attorneys Office. The jury is still out on whether the fix is in at the city, county, state, and federal government levels, but on the outside chance that integ... more »

Tony at the Red Line Tap « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Tony at the Red Line Tap « Fred Klonsky: Tony at the Red Line Tap by Fred Klonsky [image: TonyattheRedLine] “Got any of that IPA from Greenbush in Three Oaks Michigan,” I asked Marty. “Just got a couple of cases in,” she said. “Well, perfect,” I said pulling up a stool. “Hey,” I said to Tony. “It’s been a while.” “For you,” said Tony. “I haven’t moved from this spot in years.” “Some of us spend time Spain Rodgriquez. RIP. by Fred Klonsky [image: spain] Click on image to enlarge. NY Times Obit.

Ed Notes Online: E4E Roundup: Giddey-up Doggie

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: E4E Roundup: Giddey-up Doggie: E4E Roundup: Giddey-up Doggie by ed notes online *DFER and Gates and Whitney better ask for their money back as E4E could barely muster much of a group at their first rally. The best line from Evan Stone: we lost a few to lesson planning.* Well how much fun did the crew we helped organize for the E4E rally have yesterday? Given we did this ad hoc in 24 hours our turnout which included such luminaries as Fiorillo, Bloggers Raging Horse and South Bronx School, members of MORE and Change the Stakes, I think we had more real teachers t... more »

Daily Kos: UPDATE x11 Michigan Public School System being destroyed. RIGHT NOW.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Daily Kos: UPDATE x11 Michigan Public School System being destroyed. RIGHT NOW.: UPDATE x11 Michigan Public School System being destroyed. RIGHT NOW. byBrainwrapFollow *NOTE: I'm reposting this diary for two reasons: 1) to make the title URL more appropriate for republication on other websites (this was a request of a commentator in the first diary), and 2) because I've added a whole bunch of additional information, including a detailed phone script and sample email to help guide Michigan residents when contacting their representatives/senators on these bills.* *Hyperbole? Hair ... more »

The in box. The IEA and Papa John’s crappy pizza. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
The in box. The IEA and Papa John’s crappy pizza. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. The IEA and Papa John’s crappy pizza. by Fred Klonsky When IEA member Neil Parthun wrote to IEA Director of Communications about their promotion of Papa John’s Pizza, which is owned by anti-union money bags John Schnatter, he received the following reply. *“Thank you for your email.* *We are well aware of the political comments of the owner of Papa John’s. Obviously, his comments not only conflict greatly with IEA’s view of the world, they are well outside the political mainstream.* *The promotions fo... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Help us shape the next Mayor's education agenda on Dec.11!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Help us shape the next Mayor's education agenda on Dec.11!: Help us shape the next Mayor's education agenda on Dec.11! by Leonie Haimson *On December 11th we want to hear from parents, teachers and concerned citizens about what **you** **think the policies of the next mayor should be.* *Shaping the Next Administration’s Education Agenda* Tuesday, December 11, 2012 at 5:30 pmNYU Pless Hall, 82 Washington Sq. East,3rd Floor Lounge Co-Sponsored by Class Size Matters, A+ Coalition, NYC Kids PAC and Change the Stakes Space is limited, please sign up now by ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sun-Times editorial board is muddled and confused

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Sun-Times editorial board is muddled and confused: Sun-Times editorial board is muddled and confused by Mike Klonsky The Sun-Times editorial board is lost. On days like this they don't whether to crap or play hockey. Today's editorial, "Build on successes of charter schools", tries to dismiss the CTU's excellent report on charter schools but ends up validating most of it. On the one hand, they wish it would go away: *It is easy to dismiss the Chicago Teachers Union’s latest assault against charter schools in Chicago... It is hard to take the CTU’s a... more »

Teacher Sabrina gives ALEC a reality check | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Teacher Sabrina gives ALEC a reality check | Seattle Education: Teacher Sabrina gives ALEC a reality check Posted on December 3, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment From Teacher Sabrina: On November 30, 2012, I had the rare and deeply disturbing experience of witnessing part of the American Legislative Exchange Council’s Education Task Force meeting: a closed-door policy-shaping session open only to the state legislators who help to pass them, the corporate lobbyists who pay big money to shape and sponsor them– and scrappy activists like me, who are no longer willing to ce...more »

Online Classes Mean No Dorm, Gym or Debt - Bloomberg

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Online Classes Mean No Dorm, Gym or Debt - Bloomberg: Online Classes Mean No Dorm, Gym or Debt By Jeb Bush & Randy Best Dec 2, 2012 3:30 PM PT - Facebook Share - Tweet - LinkedIn - Google +1 - 82 COMMENTS - - Print - QUEUE Q Numerous articles and commentaries from inside and outside of academia are raising the alarm that American public higher education faces an unprecedented financial crisis. For years, state legislatures have been disinvesting in public colleges and universities, leaving campus administrators to struggle with how to make do with les... more »

@TeacherSabrina: Teacher crashes, rebukes secret ALEC meeting on education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Teamster Nation: Teacher crashes, rebukes secret ALEC meeting on education: Teacher crashes, rebukes secret ALEC meeting on education by Teamster Power Popout Public school teacher Sabrina Stevens opened a can of whoop-ass told off corporate lobbyists and lawmakers meeting secretly on Friday to discuss bills to eradicate public education. Turning public schools over to corporations is just one of the many ways ALEC (the corporate dating service for state lawmakers) tries to lower our standard of living. Other favorites include union busting, strengthening monopolies and weakening ... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, December 3, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Monday, December 3, 2012* Rio Mesa, Hueneme schools go online to fight bullyingSchools have always had their share of bullies. But in recent years, the problem has gained nationwide attention because modern-day bullies are taking their harassment online. Now students and teachers trying to combat bullying are going online, too. High school counselors find little time to counselBarbara Greenwood walked through the doors at Edison High School early Thursday morning and her daylong sprint began. Horizon Charter... more »

Union president Weingarten likens teachers' work to heroism of first responders / Photos | Breaking News | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Union president Weingarten likens teachers' work to heroism of first responders / Photos | Breaking News | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journal: Union president Weingarten likens teachers' work to heroism of first responders / Photos Comments 207 | Recommend 0 November 30, 2012 3:37 pm By Linda Borg [image: randi-weingarten.JPG] PROVIDENCE JOURNAL PHOTOS / BOB BREIDENBACH PROVIDENCE, R. I. -- Randy Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, told 200 teachers gathered in Providence Friday that the work done by teachers is as heroic as as the efforts of f... more »

The in box. Our pensions assumptions are fine. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The in box. Our pensions assumptions are fine. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Our pensions assumptions are fine. by Fred Klonsky From Glen Brown’s blog. Our Pension Assumptions Are Fine by Dick Ingram, Executive Director of the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System *To the Wall Street Journal:* Your Nov. 23 editorial “Illinois the ‘Unfixable’” doesn’t provide your readers with an accurate view of investments made by the Illinois Teachers’ Retirement System. You note that the TRS investment return in fiscal year 2012, 0.76%, failed to reach our assumed return rate of 8% in that year. ... more »

Daily Kos: The Ignored Lessons of Education Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Daily Kos: The Ignored Lessons of Education Reform: The Ignored Lessons of Education Reform byplthomasEdDFollow Michael Petrilli’s charge that the recent elections confirm “[t]eachers unions remain the Goliath to the school reformers’ David” is neither a brave claim to make in a paper serving a right-to-work area of the U.S., nor an accurate portrayal of the lessons of the elections or the balance of power in education reform. [1] Let’s begin with a question that challenges Petrilli’s initial claim: If teachers unions are the primary or one of the primary forces at the root of the... more »

Schools Matter: Jeb Bush and Randy Best Team to Promote College Caste System

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Schools Matter: Jeb Bush and Randy Best Team to Promote College Caste System: Jeb Bush and Randy Best Team to Promote College Caste System by Jim Horn Randy Best and the Bush Family have a long and profitable history to celebrate during this Holiday Season. Best has been a longtime supporter of the Bush political dynasty in Texas, and the Bushes have been generous in sharing insider knowledge with Randy on education initiatives that Best then exploited to get fabulously wealthy. In turn, Best became a Bush Pioneer (the $100,000 Club), connections became even more solidified, an... more »

Modern School: Another UTLA Sell-Out on VAM

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Modern School: Another UTLA Sell-Out on VAM: Another UTLA Sell-Out on VAM by Michael Dunn Most people would argue that teachers should be evaluated based on how well they teach and help their students to grow academically. The problem is that there is no accurate or consistent method of measuring the teacher impact on student academic growth. High stakes state and NCLB tests are particularly ill-suited for this. Nevertheless, a growing number of school districts across the nation are either imposing Value-Added Measures (VAM) of teacher “effectiveness” on their teaching staffs, o... more »

UPDATE: Cooper Union Day of Action Today « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Cooper Union Day of Action Today « Student Activism: Cooper Union Students Launch Occupation for Free Tuition by Angus Johnston As I mentioned this morning, today is a day of action at Cooper Union, one of New York City’s oldest and most esteemed colleges. Cooper Union has been tuition-free for 110 years, but this fall the administration started charging for Masters programs, and students fear undergrads are likely next. Today’s announced activities included a teach-in, demonstrations, and an evening colloquium, but late this morning activists launched another tactic — barricading ... more »







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