Schools Matter: Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytes

Schools Matter: Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytes:

Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytes

by skrashen

Jeff McQuillan: "Books before bytes"
re (Michael Hiltzik)

Sent to the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 5, 2012
To the Editor:

Kudos to Michael Hiltzik for his column ("Hyping tech will not help students," February 5) criticizing federal officials for overselling the benefits of technology to K-12 schools. As co-producer of the most popular educational podcast in the world (ESLPod.com's English as a Second Language Podcast), I'm no enemy of new technology.

But our students need nutrition, health care, quality teachers and librarians, and (especially here in California)

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SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: The New York Post Blows

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SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: The New York Post Blows:The New York Post Blowsby noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)Not too long ago I came across this article in the New York Post. This is about Christine Rubino, who taught at PS 203 in Flatlands, for posting “repulsive” comments on Facebook.Several thoughts came to my mind. One, is it not ironic how the Post (and of course News Corp.) the harbinger of freedom is quick to mock someone for defending their constitutional rights of freedom ... more »

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5th Annual Media Reform Summit: Media for the 99% - Perdaily.com:5th Annual Media Reform Summit: Media for the 99%by Leonard IsenbergThe Occupy Movement has taken the country by storm, changing the dialogue everywhere from the presidential primaries to kitchen tables. People are talking about economic inequality and power concentrated in the hands of a few -- and they're looking for solutions. Social media and alternative media have aided the movement, providing a wake up call to the unfair advantage wealthy ... more »

TRIUMPH OF DUCT TAPE PEDAGOGY #edreform #edchat #p2

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Rhee security detailed hired. Duct-taped protesters deemed dangerousRheeFirst!:

Rhee security detailed hired. Duct-taped protesters deemed dangerous

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Diane Ravitch Letter - Independent Source PAC:SPECIAL ISPAC GUEST COLUMN:An Important Letter From Education Research Professor, Diane Ravitch, to New Mexico Legislators - Florida Model Does NOT Work.Dear State Legislators:Friends in New Mexico have told me that your governor wants to import the so-called "Florida model" of education to New Mexico.I urge you to oppose this effort.Florida is not a good model for the nation. It is not even good for Florida.The Florida model rests on two pillars: One is ... more »

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Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky:Sunday links.by Fred KlonskyThey’re still talking about Rahm’s paid protesters on Ken Davis’ Chicago Newsroom. This is a story that seems to have legs. It starts at 22:30 on the video.The cops break up one of the last Occupy encampments. This one in DC.In an address to the Hitler Youth, Hitler said, ”In our eyes, the German boy of the future must be slim and slender, as fast as a greyhound, tough as leather and hard ...more »

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Hyping classroom technology helps tech firms, not students - latimes.com:Who really benefits from putting high-tech gadgets in classrooms?How much genuine value is there in fancy educational electronics? Don't let companies or politicians fool you.Comments42Share0U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, left, and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski speak at a Digital Learning Day event sponsored in part by Google, Comcast, ATT and Intel. (Mark Wilson, Getty Images / February 5, 2012)By Michael HiltzikFebruary 4, 2012Something sounded familiar last week when I heard U.S. ... more »

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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm lures Hitler's favorite company to ChicagoBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-1 minute agoMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm lures Hitler's favorite company to Chicago:Rahm lures Hitler's favorite company to Chicagoby Mike KlonskyHere's what they brought with them I heard the mayor boasting the other day about how he had lured the German-based company, ThyssenKrupp to Chicago to set up it's regional headquarters. Rahm claims the move will add about 100 employees to it's payroll. Big ... more »

All Hands on Deck! | Connected Principals

All Hands on Deck! | Connected Principals:

All Hands on Deck!

by Larry Fliegelman

In the days of yore, the captain of a ship would have the Boatswain (or Bosun) use his pipe to make the “All Hands” call when he wanted the entire crew up on deck and ready for action. Everyone, no matter what their role, no matter when their last duty shift, no matter how busy on another project, were expected to stop what they were doing, assemble on deck and, presumably, focus on the crisis at hand.

Now you might think that I am going all naval again like last year’s post featuring the OODA Loop. I am not. Instead, I want to gloat. You see, I became principal at Wolcott Elementary School this year, and I noticed that the teachers here understand what it means when the principal (or other staff members) call “All Hands” on our

The Spectatorization of American Politics | Lefty Parent

The Spectatorization of American Politics | Lefty Parent:

The Spectatorization of American Politics

by Cooper Zale

Interesting juxtaposition between two pieces from this past week, “Americans’ Political Views Not So Far Apart” from LiveScience.com and “Yes, Washington is in fact more partisan now” from The Signal. The first looks at polling since 1970 that purports to show no growing ideological divide between people in the U.S. The second shows just the opposite, but among U.S. politicians. If you believe these two statistical snapshots, there is a growing ideological split among our elected representatives, that is not also reflected among the people they represent!

From the analysis of 40 years of polling results called out in the first piece “Americans’ Political Views Not So Far Apart”…

Political polarization among the public has barely budged at all over the past 40 years, according