A Big Education Ape Nite Cap
Robert Reich (Mitt Romney and the New Gilded Age): Mitt Romney and the New Gilded Age SATURDAY, JUNE 30, 2012 The election of 2012 raises two perplexing questions. The first is how the GOP could put up someone for president who so brazenly epitomizes the excesses of casino capitalism that have nearly destroyed the economy and overwhelmed our democracy. The second is why the Democrats have failed to point this out. The White House has criticized Mitt Romney for his years at the helm of Bain Capital, pointing to a deal that led to the bankruptcy of GS Technologies, a Bain investment... more »
Keystone State Education Coalition: *Keystone State Education Coalition* PA Charter Schools: $4 Billion Taxpayer Dollars With No Real Oversight *About the Keystone State Education Coalition:* Established in 2006, the Keystone State Education Coalition is a growing grass roots, non-partisan public education advocacy group of several hundred locally elected, volunteer school board members and administrators from school districts throughout Pennsylvania. Our mission is to evaluate, discuss and inform our boards, district constituents and legislators on legislative issues of common... more »
Privatizing Public Education, Higher Ed Policy, and Teachers - Alec Exposed: Privatizing Public Education, Higher Ed Policy, and Teachers Increasing Profits for School Companies, Undermining Teachers, and Promoting "Conservatives" on Campus [image: Privatizing Public Education, Higher Ed Policy, and Teachers] *This page reveals how ALEC bills would privatize public education, crush teacher's unions, and push American universities to the right.* Among other things, these bills make education a private commodity rather than a public good, and reverse America’s modern innovation of p... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Blog Business: Blog Business by Melissa Westbrook We had a comment from a reader who had several complaints about the blog, largely around creation of threads and the belief we don't cover enough individual school items/topics. Our reader acknowledges that we create threads based on demand but apparently that isn't enough (even though readers then take control of the thread and the direction of the discussion). We also have Open Threads twice a week but that isn't enough either. Charlie and I regularly get guest posts sent to us and about 90% ... more »
Pew Hispanic Center: The 10 Largest Hispanic Origin Groups - Hispanically Speaking News: Pew Hispanic Center: The 10 Largest Hispanic Origin Groups: Characteristics, Rankings, Top Counties [image: Pew Hispanic Center: The 10 Largest Hispanic Origin Groups: Characteristics, Rankings, Top Counties]Among the 50.7 million Hispanics in the United States, nearly two-thirds (65%), or 33 million, self-identify as being of Mexican origin, according to tabulations of the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center. No other Hispanic ... more »
Teachers Don't Suck !: And The Beat Goes On!: And The Beat Goes On! by Walt S. *This letter was sent to me by one of our readers.* *I think it pertains not only to Social Security but also to the New Jersey State Pension Fund. * *Essentially, all governors and their cohorts in the Assembly and Senate from Whittman on, have raided the Fund so as to give the illusion of lower taxes and thereby effectively bought votes with our money.* *Like it or not, your money was inessence contributed to the political campaigns of all these politicians so as to help ensure their reelection.* *And t... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Getting Teacher Evaluation Basics Right - Or Not: Getting Teacher Evaluation Basics Right - Or Not by Duke Oh, Laura... Here's four challenges that face New Jersey's public school system as it implements new procedures under a harsh spotlight. None of these challenges are insurmountable, but all will require careful oversight and strong leadership. [...] *Refine Teacher Evaluation Rubric:* Last year, *the DOE rolled out a pilot program of value-added teacher evaluations* under the heading of Excellent Educators for New Jersey. Participation was limited to 11 distr... more »
THE MINDFUL SCHOOL LEADER « Cooperative Catalyst: THE MINDFUL SCHOOL LEADER by Kirsten Olson ssoosay’s Simple iphone Lock Screen Mindfulness Reminder *(Hey Folks, A version of this post is currently running at Education Week, and is written by Kirsten Olson andValerie Brown.)* * * The work of skillful, mindful leadership in education has never been more challenging. Recently a visionary, Twitter-connected and forward-thinking superintendent wrote to one of us describing her sense that the pockets of innovation and exemplary teaching in her district, “aren’t even scalable to our ... more »
Jack Hassard: The National Science Teachers Association Takes on the NextGen Science Standards - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: [image: Living in Dialogue] Anthony Cody Anthony Cody spent 24 years working in Oakland schools, 18 of them as a science teacher at a high needs middle school. He is National Board certified, and now leads workshops with teachers focused on Project Based Learning. With education at a crossroads, he invites you to join him in a dialogue on education reform and teaching for change and deep learning. For additional information on Cody's work, vi... more »
The Answer Sheet - School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] Testing mandates flunk cost-benefit analysis Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 1 hour ago This *was written by Peter Smagorinsky, Distinguished Research Professor of English Education at The University of Georgia.* By Peter Smagorinsky According to Wikipedia, cost–benefit analysis “is a systematic process for calculating and comparing benefits and costs of a project, decision or government policy (hereafter, ‘project’). CBA has two purposes: Read full article... more »
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » We need to be willing to commit ritualized suicide…: We need to be willing to commit ritualized suicide… by alicemercer Now that I have your attention, I wanted to share something that I found more disturbing than the Promethean guys in orange spandex bodysuits. It was a quote that I heard not once, but on twiceat the ISTE conference: “We need to be willing to drink the koolaid” –presenter appearing on a video feed at ISTE You might have used this quote yourself in trying to extol others to join the bandwagon of ed tech (or some other inno... more »
School Tech Connect: In Case You Missed The Veteran: In Case You Missed The Veteran by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I hate to be Mr. LazyBlogger just posting videos, but here's a veteran who I guess got an answer from Mitt Romney. Popout I'm so with the veteran on this one. Bittersweet Jubilation by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Really? I once added my name to United Opt Out's mailing list--- does that make me a member? I don't know. Am I a party to the eradication threat now? Will I have to do the bittersweet jubilation dance when it's all over? I see Fred's already cove... more »
Big Education Ape - YouTube: - 1. [image: Thumbnail] StudentsFirst.org - Michelle Rhee Answers Your Questions: Teaching to the Test, Value-Addedstudentsfirst 992 views Jersey Jazzman: Rhee Gets Drill & Kill Wrong Jersey Jazzman: Rhee Gets Drill & Kill Wrong: Rhee Gets Drill & Kill Wrongby DukeI wrote earlier this week about the drubbing Michelle Rhee got on the BBC from the British teachers union leader, Mary Bousted.One of the difficulties in debating Rhee is that when she opens her mouth and the spin co... posted on June 2... more »
Want to Teach Kids to Code? Send 'Em to a 'Hack Jam' - Education - GOOD: Want to Teach Kids to Code? Send 'Em to a 'Hack Jam' by Liz Dwyer Popout We know that if we want kids to be more than consumers of technology, we have to give them the tools they need to build things themselves—and that means teaching them coding. But if most schools aren't actually teaching coding to kids, how are they supposed to learn it? Enter the Hack Jam, a fun way to make digital literacy and hacking accessible, social, and fun. What's it like to be at a Hack Jam? Last Saturday, three members of GOOD's p...more »
Jersey Jazzman: $100 MIllion Just Don't Buy What It Used To: $100 MIllion Just Don't Buy What It Used To by Duke Remember when Zuck's bucks were going to completely change everything in Newark? How's that going? When Anderson unveiled the plan last February, however, she was heckled at public meetings by residents who accused her of trying to rob them of their neighborhood schools. “Cami Anderson, I have not seen such trickery since the devil took over the Garden of Eden,” one of her detractors told her at a budget hearing [*ed note: Man, that's funny!*]. Naturally, the teachers’ ... more »
*Big Education Ape 2nd Banana * * * *Recap of Last Week's Best Post * Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Axelrod's old firm behind 'Infrastructure Trust', Citibank, and attacks on CTU coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Axelrod's old firm behind 'Infrastructure Trust', Citibank, and attacks on CTU: Axelrod's old firm behind 'Infrastructure Trust', Citibank, and attacks on CTU by Mike Klonsky Obama, Emanuel & AxelrodWell, mercy me! Look who's behind those ads blasting the CTU. Why, it's ASGK Public Strategies and AKPD, David Axelrod's old firms. ... more »
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers: Philadelphia Federation of Teachers June 30, 2012 Dear Legislator: On behalf of the 15,000 professional and paraprofessional members represented by our organization and employed by the Philadelphia Public Schools...dedicated, trained and experienced individuals into whose nurturing, development and care are entrusted daily throughout the academic year to nearly 205,00 children...I would like to clearly state our position on various legislative proposals and amendments coming up for a vote today. We oppose any charter schools and/or cyber ch... more »
Why Resolution on High-Stakes Tests Was Necessary in Florida: “No Evidence Legislative Pipeline Will Bring Relief” | Scathing Purple Musings: Why Resolution on High-Stakes Tests Was Necessary in Florida: “No Evidence Legislative Pipeline Will Bring Relief” by Bob Sikes The *Bradenton Times *has a comprehensive story this morning titled, “*High-Stakes Testing Resistance Spreads Across Florida.” *Highlighting Manatee county’s decision, the *Times* has this: In Florida, more than a dozen countywide school committees serving three-quarters of a million students endorsed the National ... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Do They REALLY Care About Parents?: Do They REALLY Care About Parents? by Duke Regular readers will recall that Chris Christie's favorite local superintendent these days is a young fellow by the name of Steve Engravalle, INTERIM Superintendent in Fort Lee. The fresh-faced Engravalle was happy to accept the accolades of the governor; in exchange, he trashed the teachers union on national TV. Engravalle has been further rewarded with a position on a state school aid task force, despite his relative lack of experience in these matters. Keep all that in mind as we c... more »
Education Research Report: Education Research Report: This Week's Education Research Report Teacher Satisfaction Linked to Supportive Work Environments Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 22 hours ago In recent years, much attention has been paid to developing meaningful teacher evaluation systems as a strategy to improve public education, and rightly so. But while states and districts implement better ways to identify their strongest educators, too many are giving short shrift to the culture and work environments in schools, particularly in high-poverty and low-... more »
Student Loan Deal Pales Against Other Education Cuts : NPR: Student Loan Deal Pales Against Other Education Cuts by CLAUDIO SANCHEZ [image: College students surrounded President Obama earlier this month when he called on Congress to stop student loan interest rates from doubling. Congress agreed on a deal to prevent the hike on Friday.] It came down to the wire, but finally, Republicans and Democrats have agreed on a deal that keeps the interest rate on government-backed student loans from doubling. It will save the average borrower about $1,000 a year, but the compromise is likel... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Are You Smarter Than A Chinese High School Senior?: Are You Smarter Than A Chinese High School Senior? by Anngie "In the U.S., where No Child Left Behind has made standardized testing a core article of faith in assessing student readiness, you have more and more parents worried about the lack of rigor in our curricula, and fearing the rise of China and other nations that excel in international math-science competitions." WSJ 6-26-2012 On the other side of the world what is China doing? Their high school seniors must take the Gaokao, a grueling three d... more »
WEEKLY ADDRESS: An All-Hands-On-Deck Approach to Fighting the Colorado Wildfires | The White House: WEEKLY ADDRESS: An All-Hands-On-Deck Approach to Fighting the Colorado Wildfires In this week’s address, President Obama spoke to the American people from Colorado, where he had just finished touring areas impacted by the devastating Waldo Canyon fire, meeting with first responders as well as families affected by the fires. The President thanked the brave firefighters and countless volunteers who are providing food, water, and shelter to those in need, and made clear that his admin... more »
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: Top Content this Week Rank1[image: How We Teach Trumps What We Teach.]How We Teach Trumps What We Teach. Added by Thomas Whitby on May 11, 2012 2[image: Toxic Grading Practices]Toxic Grading Practices Added by Thomas Whitby on June 15, 2012 3[image: BYOD in the 21st Century]BYOD in the 21st Century Added by Marc-André Lalande on June 6, 2012 4[image: Just joined the site]Just joined the site Added by Jodi Pflaumer on June 27, 2012 5[image: Finland's Education Success]Finland's Education Success Added by Thomas Whitby on April 26, 2012 6[image... more »
Walmart at 50: Still Greedy After All These Years | California Progress Report: Walmart at 50: Still Greedy After All These Years Posted on 30 June 2012 [image: Printer-friendly version]Printer-friendly version[image: Send by email]Send by email *By Bobbi Murray* The Frying Pan Walmart soon turns 50. What better time for a makeover, a little freshening up –a rebranding, perhaps? Maybe a new look to go along with a move from the ‘burbs to the Big City. The Big W is hoping a fresh face will help as it moves to crack an urban market worth as much as $100 billion. Walmart has overbuil... more »
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] Parent Involvement & Middle School Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 12 hours ago I’ve gotten a chance to read more carefully a report on parent involvement and middle school that I’ve previously posted about. You can read the study here, though I suspect you won’t learn anything new from it. It suggests that schools should focus on building relationships with parents through programs like home visits. Sounds ... more »
Two Must Read Commentary Pieces Education Reform in Connecticut. - Wait, What?: Two Must Read Commentary Pieces Education Reform in Connecticut. by jonpelto Sarah Darer Littman and Wendy Lecker have written two incredible news/commentary pieces that are essential reading for those who want to understand what Malloy, Pryor, Vallas and Adamowski are doing to Connecticut’s public education system…. I urge you to take the time to read them… *Once You Get Past the Tweets, School ‘Turnaround’ Shortcomings Abound* * http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/ctnj.php/archives/entry/once_you_get_past_the_... more »
Ron Wyden says school food in Oregon comes from 'almost anywhere but Oregon': PolitiFact Oregon | OregonLive.com: Ron Wyden says school food in Oregon comes from 'almost anywhere but Oregon': PolitiFact Oregon by Charles Pope, The Oregonian [image: Farmers market in Pioneer Courthouse Square]View full sizeArkasha Stevenson/The Oregonian/2010No, thank you California; we'll take our own strawberries for school lunches. Never mind, Minnesota and Michigan; we have excellent cheese in Oregon. When the Senate was debating the farm bill recently, Sen. Ron Wydenhighlighted the haphazard ... more »
Radical Scholarship: My NEW book on poverty released and on sale: *Ignoring Poverty in the U.S. The Corporate Takeover of Public Education* *By: P. L. Thomas, Furman University. * * * * Buy Online: http://infoagepub.com/products/Ignoring-Poverty-in-the-US * Paperback 978-1-61735-783-1 Web Price: $39.09 * Hardcover 978-1-61735-784-8 Web Price: $73.09 * eBookISBN: 978-1-61735-785-5 Ignoring Poverty in the U.S.: The Corporate Takeover of Public Education examines the divide between a commitment to public education and our cultural myths and more powerful commitment to consume... more »
Congress Votes To Stop Student Loan Interest Rates From Doubling « MomsRising Blog: Congress Votes To Stop Student Loan Interest Rates From Doubling by Aaron Smith You spoke up, and Congress listened. A strong bipartisan majority in Congress just passed a bill that prevents student loan interest rates from doubling for more than 7.4 million low- and middle-income students and their families on July 1. Without action, the increased interest rate for undergraduates receiving subsidized Stafford loans would have resulted in an extra $1,000 in debt for every year of school. Read mo... more »
Schools Matter: "ONLY" 59.1% Poor at School in Brooklyn: "ONLY" 59.1% Poor at School in Brooklyn by Judy Rabin From the *New York Times* June 27, 2012 At One Brooklyn School, a Lesson in the Danger of SuccessBy Louise Sloan If you believe the research, statistics and experts, it appears that my son’s elementary school, Public School 9 in Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights neighborhood, has been doing everything right. Middle-class, college-educated people are increasingly sending their children there because of its academic excellence, its emphasis on individualized instruction, its comm... more »
Testing. One. Two. Three. « Fred Klonsky: Testing. One. Two. Three. by Fred Klonsky If you’re going to argue stuff around here, you have to be a little honest about what you say. And the organizers of the Challenge to Dennis Van Roekel and the NEA, a group called United Opt Out National, have not met even that minimum requirement. On the eve of leaving for the National Education Association’s national meeting, I received their unsolicited call. As a thirty year member of the NEA and a life-time union member, I was not pleased with their threats. The NEA’s eventual eradication as a... more »
Not Another "Why I Left the Classroom" Story - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Not Another "Why I Left the Classroom" Story by Nancy Flanagan There's no shortage of blogs on why teachers are leaving the classroom. They're leaving because they're sick of the test-driven instruction and learning. They're leaving because everyone underestimates the complexity and the workload of classroom teaching. They're leaving because they've been on the job for 15 years and still don't make enough to pay the bills. They're fearful of speaking up against practices they know ar... more »
The Reformers’ “Fight Club” « Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Reformers’ “Fight Club” by dianerav Back when I was on the right side of the political fence, I was on the editorial board at *Education Next*. It is supported by the Hoover Institution and the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, both conservative think tanks with which I was affiliated. The journal, which is based at Harvard and edited mainly by Paul Peterson, was created to counter what was seen as the liberal bias of the mainstream education media. *Education Next* is a well-e... more »
How much does Federal Title I Funding Affect Fairness in State School Finance Systems? « School Finance 101: How much does Federal Title I Funding Affect Fairness in State School Finance Systems? by schoolfinance101 About this much! These funding *profiles* are based on the methodology used in our reports on school funding fairness. The reports can be found here: http://schoolfundingfairness.org/ and the technical appendix can be found here: http://schoolfundingfairness.org/ This graph is based on an updated model which includes data from 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 (these are lin... more »
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 6-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
