Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, August 30, 2012

John Prine : Grandpa Was A Carpenter

John Prine Grandpa Was A Carpenter Lyrics

Songwriters: PRINE, JOHN
Grandpa wore his suit to dinner
Nearly every day
No particular reason
He just dressed that way
Brown necktie and a matching vest
And both his wingtip shoes
He built a closet on our back porch
And put a penny in a burned out fuse.

Chorus:
Grandpa was a carpenter
He built houses stores and banks
Chain smoked camel cigarettes
And hammered nails in planks
He was level on the level
And shaved even every door
And voted for eisenhower
'cause lincoln won the war.
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/j/john+prine/grandpa+was+a+carpenter_20074811.html ]
Well, he used to sing me "blood on the saddle"
And rock me on his knee
And let me listen to radio
Before we got t.v.
Well, he'd drive to church on sunday
And take me with him too!
Stained glass in every window
Hearing aids in every pew.

Repeat chorus:

Now my grandma was a teacher
Went to school in bowling green
Traded in a milking cow
For a singer sewing machine
She called her husband "mister"
And walked real tall and pride
And used to buy me comic books
After grandpa died.

Repeat chorus:
Grandpa Was A Carpenter lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.







Jeb Bush to Obama: stop blaming my brother for “your failed economic policies”

 
 

Before discussing education, Jeb Bush said President Obama needed to quit blaming his brother for ‘your failed economic policies.’

Jeb Bush to Obama: Stop blaming my brother

MEKLAS@MIAMIHERALD.COM

Former Florida governor Jeb Bush used his prime-time spotlight at the Republican National Convention Thursday to pass a symbolic torch to his party’s nominees, defend his brother, and urge the nation to rededicate its promise of an equal education for all.
But before he began his prepared remarks, he said he had to get something off his chest — the defense of his brother, former President George W. Bush.
“He is a man of integrity, courage and honor and during incredibly challenging times, he kept us safe,’’ he said to loud applause. “So Mr. President [Obama], Mr. President, it is about time to stop blaming your predecessor for your failed

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/30/2977590/jeb-bush-to-obama-stop-blaming.html#storylink=cpy


筷子的所有 Chopsticks for all « Deborah Meier on Education

Chopsticks for all « Deborah Meier on Education:


Chopsticks for all筷子的所有

From Mike Klonsky’s Small Talk log.It’s great. Spread it around.
Quotable Yong ZhaoPosted: 30 Aug 2012 03:39 PM PDT
Yong+Zhao.jpg
Chopsticks
To be globally competitive, we should all begin to use chopsticks because chopsticks produce better education outcomes as measured by the international gold standard of education the OECD’s PISA, which tests 15 year olds in math, reading, and sciences, and TIMSS, which assess 9-10 and 13-14 year olds math and science abilities. The top five performers in the 2009 PISA math (Shanghai, Taiwan, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan) all use chopsticks, so do the top five in TIMSS math in 2007 (Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and Hong Kong), in 2003, and 1999. And PISA and TIMSS scores are what drive nations’ economic growth and back their global competitiveness. — Dr.Yong Zhao

Jeb Bush’s ed speech at GOP convention — text - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Jeb Bush’s ed speech at GOP convention — text - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Answer Sheet



Jeb Bush’s ed speech at GOP convention — text

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush addressed the Republican Convention on Thursday night, giving a speech about education reform that is likely to fuel talk that he could be Mitt Romney’s education secretary should
Jeb Bush speaks at GOP convention with teacher Sean Duffy, left, and Frantz Placide, who attended Florida schools. (Scott Eells/BLOOMBERG)
Romney win the presidential election.
Here's the speech by Bush — who predictably attacks President Obama and teachers union — as well as remarks by a Florida teacher and student:
The Hon. Jeb Bush
Former Governor, Florida
Sean Duffy
Frantz Placide
(Remarks as Prepared for Delivery)
(BUSH)
Welcome to Florida! Bienvenido a Florida!
This election is about the future of this nation. We can shape that future 

Surviving math class by doodling — video

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 18 minutes ago
Here’s an amusing video that offers a detailed lesson in how to properly doodle to get through math class if you don’t have a smart phone on which to play Angry Birds. The narrator says ...You spent all week memorizing how to graph parabolas. News flash. No one cares about parabolas, which is why half the class is playing Angry Birds under their desk. But since you don’t have a smart phone yet, you have to resort to a more noble and oudated form of boredom relief. That is doodling. And you’ve invented a game of your own, a doodle game that connects the dots in ways your math cla... more »

The Answer Sheet - 18 minutes ago

Who might be Romney’s education secretary?

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 9 hours ago
So who might Mitt Romney pick as his education secretary should he win the November presidential election? Here’s a list of some of the probable candidates, based on the people that Romney chose to be on his Education Policy Advisory Group, or that his campaign has used as “surrogates” to speak on education, or that are beloved by Republicans as important education reformers. In the latter category would be people such as *Michelle Rhee *and former Florida governor *Jeb Bush *and even *Joel Klein*. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add t... more »

It’s not easy being Bill Nye the Science Guy

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 16 hours ago
It’s not easy being Bill Nye the Science Guy. When Nye told an audience in Waco, Texas in 2006 that the moon reflects light from the sun — which, of course, it does — he was booed, the Waco Tribune reported. Why? He offended some folks who believed he was criticizing Genesis 1:16, which says that “God made two great lights,” the sun and the moon. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon]

GOP platform’s contempt for public education

Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 1 day ago
It was obviously too difficult for the authors of the 2012 Republican Party platform to hide their contempt for public education, because it is evidentthroughout the section on schooling. What’s more, the education section is used to promote the party’s cultural values, going on at some length about support for abstinence education and its opposition to using federal funds in “mandatory or universal mental health, psychiatric, or socio-emotional screening program.” The message appears to be that schools should teach kids not to have sex but shouldn’t use federal funds to screen st... more »


Missouri Education Watchdog: RFID Chips in Students and Longitudinal Data Systems...Is this Tracking Really "For the Kids"?

Missouri Education Watchdog: RFID Chips in Students and Longitudinal Data Systems...Is this Tracking Really "For the Kids"?:


RFID Chips in Students and Longitudinal Data Systems...Is this Tracking Really "For the Kids"?

Your child's new school picture?


All is not well for a Texas school's plan to track students via RFID chips...the same chips used to track cattle.  From WND:

A rebellion is developing in Texas against a plan by a school district in San Antonio that would monitor the exact location and activities of all students at all times through RFID chips they are being ordered to 

Jersey Jazzman: "No Excuses": Race, Class, & Education

Jersey Jazzman: "No Excuses": Race, Class, & Education:


"No Excuses": Race, Class, & Education

Last night, Condoleezza Rice stood in front of the Republican National Convention and declared that education was the "civil rights issue of our day." Diane Ravitch points out that it never occurs to these people that povertyshould be the real civil rights issue, as poverty is the best predictor of school performance, health, longevity, happiness, and so on.

I'd add that we should also consider that "civil rights" might be the civil rights issue of our time, what with the massive, conservative-driven voter disenfranchisement that's going on in the country. That's closely linked to thedestruction of local control of schools in the cities; and it begs a question of those, like Rice, who insist that 

Solidarity forever. « Fred Klonsky

Solidarity forever. « Fred Klonsky:


Solidarity forever.

I hope every retired teacher who reads this blog, IEA, IFT or unaffiliated, will join me on the picket lines in support of the Chicago Teachers Union on Monday, September 10th. Solidarity forever!
Pete Seeger – H/T Jennifer.
Popout
Parents Stand With CTU (CLICK ON PICTURE) @CTULocal1 members march for "student needs, not corporate greed!

School Tech Connect: The Charter Emmys

School Tech Connect: The Charter Emmys:


The Charter Emmys

The charter Emmys are coming up. I'm concerned that the field of candidates for one of the awards might be quite small.


Next to the Broad Prize the Charter School Emmy is most 
coveted prize in all of Reformdumb

The charters have produced nothing in terms of innovation. What they've done is re-created a very rigid, old fashioned model, without the bothersome kids, at least in the big chains. The focus is on standing in a straight 


I Sense An Actual Problem

Saw this from a link on Fred's Twitter feed.

Blah blah blah, long story short, Illinois Type 75's are all going through this horrendous evaluation training that's going to transform the universe into a shiny ball of wondergoo. In the press, of course, these poor people are fairly muted with their criticism of it, but if you're old and decrepit and you know a lot of administrators around the state, you hear different.

These people aren't protected by any kind of due process, as you know, so they can't really be, you know, 

Schooling in the Ownership Society: The right-wing school privatization movement tries to change its image

Schooling in the Ownership Society: The right-wing school privatization movement tries to change its image:


The right-wing school privatization movement tries to change its image

In June 1995, the economist Milton Friedman wrote an article for the Washington Post promoting the use of public education funds for private schools as a way to transfer the nation’s public school systems to the private sector. "Vouchers," he wrote, "are not an end in themselves; they are a means to make a transition from a government to a market system." 
Rachel Tabachnick, a researcher and writer on issues pertaining to the Religious Right, has put together a 

School Tech Connect: Our New National Religion

School Tech Connect: Our New National Religion:


Our New National Religion

This fantasy is now accepted as fact:
Numerous studies over the past two decades conclude that student performance in school is tied more closely to teacher effectiveness than to any other factor. Good teachers produce good students, regardless of class size or length of school day or socio-economic background of the child. Moreover, students who must endure ineffective teachers may never catch up academically.
Then when you call them on it, they burble and framble back to a slightly more realistic position about teacher "effectiveness" being the most important in-school factor, whic


Anarchy in Louisville

Hi. Just thought I'd drop in here.

Look what's happening down in Louisville.  It's all so democratic--- it's as if it were happening in a foreign country!

How can this possibly be bad for public policy, to have people running for school board and being elected by voters based on the strength of their arguments? We need this in Chicago. Residents, running for the Board, within specific residential districts.

Rahm Emanuel thinks you're too dumb to handle this, Chicago. 

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-30-12 #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



Spellings Slams Waivers, Race to the Top - Politics K-12 - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 minutes ago
Spellings Slams Waivers, Race to the Top - Politics K-12 - Education Week: [image: Politics K-12] Spellings Slams Waivers, Race to the Top by Alyson Klein *Tampa, Fla.* More than a decade ago, Margaret Spellings was a driving force in getting the overwhelmingly bipartisan No Child Left Behind Act over the finish line. But in an interview, she told me she wants to see the civil rights and business coalition that came together to pass the law "power up as we did before. ... I think we have to revive it," she said. "We need to get the genie back in the bottle," she added on the last ... more »

Modern School: Global Education Strike

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 minutes ago
Modern School: Global Education Strike: Global Education Strike by Michael Dunn The International Student Movement is calling for global education strikes on October 18th and November 14-21 to protest education privatization schemes and the corporatization of public education. They want the teachers to join their movement and are asking teachers to check out their website and plan solidarity actions for these dates. Some of their demands are tangible and achievable—like increasing education budgets, decreasing student debt and slowing or halting the giveaway of public education r... more »

Breaking: Chicago strike date set: Monday, September 10th. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 minutes ago
Breaking: Chicago strike date set: Monday, September 10th. « Fred Klonsky: Breaking: Chicago strike date set: Monday, September 10th. by Fred Klonsky *On Wednesday, a standing-room-only House of Delegates, representing schools & citywide educators across the city set a potential start date of Monday, September 10, 2012, for a strike of more than 26,000 teachers, clinicians and paraprofessionals.* *The resolution reads:* *RESOLVED that the House of Delegates shall set a strike date of September 10, 2012.* *The strike is necessary to achieve a labor contract with acceptable wages, be...more »

Cutting back on those charitable donations. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Cutting back on those charitable donations. « Fred Klonsky: Cutting back on those charitable donations. by Fred Klonsky *This might make the Art Institute Lions roar.* I’ve been hearing this a lot lately. It came up again the other night when I spoke to a group of 80 retirees at the Wilmette Public Library. We’re not giving charitable donations to certain organizations anymore. With the threatened cuts in our pensions and with our promised state pension our main retirement source of income. Well. Something’s got to give. The gift some gave to the Art Institute. Or the Chicago Symphony.... more »

The Truth About Healthy Food (and Kids and Schools) - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
The Truth About Healthy Food (and Kids and Schools) - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard: [image: Lily's Blackboard Rotating Header Image] The Truth About Healthy Food (and Kids and Schools) Aug 30th, 2012 by Lily. First, let me just say, that I’m not advocating lying to children. I’m not proposing that moms and dads make up silly lies and tell tall tales just to get kids to eat healthier. *I am absolutely not saying that*. Lying to your children is wrong. And you get caught. I did. Because my (then) four year old, Jeremy, had a sweet tooth, and I got tired of fighting with him a... more »

5 Ways to Help Your Child Prevent Bullying this School Year | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
5 Ways to Help Your Child Prevent Bullying this School Year | ED.gov Blog: 5 Ways to Help Your Child Prevent Bullying this School Year Posted on August 30, 2012 by Deborah Temkin As children head back to the classroom, now is great time for parents and guardians to talk with your kids about bullying. Here are five tips to help you your child prevent bullying and to help them deal with bullying: [image: Back to School Logo]1) *Establish lines of communication and talk for at least 15 minutes a day.* Bullying can be difficult for parents to talk about, but it is important that chil... more »

How Testing and School Choice are Undermining Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
How Testing and School Choice are Undermining Education: How Testing and School Choice are Undermining Education Share this with a friend Follow us and never miss a story [image: article image] By Bill Shireman, Wed, August 29, 2012 San Francisco, where I live, has a rich array of public school choices – more than 100 different schools or programs that can satisfy almost any need. Late last year, my wife Aileen and I joined with thousands of parents to select from those options, and submitted a set of 32 priority choices for our twin five-year-olds. We just received our letter from ... more »

Why Progressives Distrust KIPP and TFA « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Why Progressives Distrust KIPP and TFA « Diane Ravitch's blog: Why Progressives Distrust KIPP and TFA by dianerav Michael Paul Goldenberg explains why progressives are suspicious of KIPP and TFA: *There are a couple of key issues that seem to arise (or sit just below the surface) in nearly every conversation about educational policy these days. No one who is critical of the school deform movement (in which I squarely place KIPP and TFA) thinks that because poverty is such a devastating factor that no one should try to create better schools with great teachers, and in other ways to... more »

Daily Kos: StudentsFirst faces protest for naming anti-immigrant bigot 'education reformer of the year'

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Daily Kos: StudentsFirst faces protest for naming anti-immigrant bigot 'education reformer of the year': StudentsFirst faces protest for naming anti-immigrant bigot 'education reformer of the year' byLaura ClawsonFollowforDaily Kos Labor 2 PERMALINK2 COMMENTS [image: A DREAMer speaks as immigrant group Make the Road protests StudentsFirst's celebration of an anti-immigrant legislator as education reformer of the year.] DREAMers protest StudentsFirst's anti-immigrant endorsement. While Michelle Rhee has been in Tampa, accompanied by former Florida governor and presidential son and... more »

Business and Schools: Cartoons* | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Business and Schools: Cartoons* | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Business and Schools: Cartoons* by larrycuban Most of the cartoons I have found about business involvement in K-12 schools scold corporations for seeking profits in schools and students. Some cartoonists see business-inspired reformers reshaping school practices and how teachers are paid. Such

The American paradox: Schools stink, but only from a distance - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The American paradox: Schools stink, but only from a distance - latimes.com: The American paradox: Schools stink, but only from a distance - [image: print] - Comments 0 - Email Share - - - [image: gallup school poll] Burbank teacher Rebecca Mieliwocki was the 2011 California Teacher of the Year. The latest Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll on education finds that Americans generally hold teachers in high esteem.(Los Angeles Times / August 29, 2012) By Karin Klein August 30, 2012, 8:00 a.m. According to the most recent Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup poll o... more »

High Performing Charter Schools: Beating The Odds, Or Beating The Test? | OurFuture.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
High Performing Charter Schools: Beating The Odds, Or Beating The Test? | OurFuture.org: High Performing Charter Schools: Beating The Odds, Or Beating The Test? by Jeff Bryant [*My guest blogger today is Rob Levine. Rob is a Minneapolis-based researcher whose writing focuses on the media, conservative philanthropy and education. His writing can be found at the Cucking Stool blog.*] “Odds-beating charter school.” Those words are like an impenetrable shield for those who operate such places. They are also the holy grail of the education reform movement, which is constantly s... more »

World Teachers Day To Defend Public Education & Fight Privatization | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
World Teachers Day To Defend Public Education & Fight Privatization | Dailycensored.com: World Teachers Day To Defend Public Education & Fight Privatization by Danny Weil *10/5 Action On World Teachers Day To Defend Public Education & Fight Privatization* *Picket And Rally Friday October 5, 2012 4:30 PM At WestEd located at 730 Harrison St. San Francisco* October 5, 2012 is recognized as the the*International Day For Teachers *and public teachers, all education workers and students are under a frontal attack through privatization in San Francisco, California and nationally. The exi... more »

Daily Kos: "No Excuses" and the Culture of Shame: Why Metrics Don't Matter

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Daily Kos: "No Excuses" and the Culture of Shame: Why Metrics Don't Matter: "No Excuses" and the Culture of Shame: Why Metrics Don't Matter by rss@dailykos.com (plthomasEdD) "Wouldn’t it be refreshing to hear someone say that 'eliminating poverty in America is the civil rights issue of our day'? Since poverty is the single most reliable predictor of poor performance in school, poor health, poor attendance, dropping out, and almost every negative indicator, wouldn’t it be wonderful to hear some of the politicians addressing the root cause of inequality?" Diane Ravitch The education... more »

Education and the Government Role | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Education and the Government Role | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Education and the Government Role by Cheryl S. Williams In the August 19, 2012, edition of my home town paper *The Washington Post*, the Opinion page featured a column by James C. Roumell, founder of Roumell Asset Management, LLC, titled “What I built with government help.” In his column, Roumell described growing up in a working class family in Detroit with a single mother who supported them with a unionized job with decent pay made possible by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Roumel... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Katie Hogan, Founding Teacher at Social Justice HS, speaks at Town Hall in Chicago

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Katie Hogan, Founding Teacher at Social Justice HS, speaks at Town Hall in Chicago: Katie Hogan, Founding Teacher at Social Justice HS, speaks at Town Hall in Chicago by Mike Klonsky Popout *"...I'm standing before you unafraid...people who have lost everything, such as ourselves, and have nothing to lose, are really dangerous..." *-- Katie Hogan

Daytime Diane 8-30-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: More from Maine Showdown by dianerav A reader sends this update from Maine: *Follow up: Superintendent Perzanoski apologized Tuesday for putting his comments in an official school letter, but he did not back away from his actual comments:* Will You Give Your Students to Pearson for an IPad? by dianerav Pearson has sent a solicitation to principals: If you allow us to use your students to field test items, we will give you an IPad or another electronic device of your choice. The principal who sent this to me put it somewhat more plainly: Should I turn my ki... more »

Guest Blog: Krystle Merchant on Teaching Women’s History « Feminist Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Guest Blog: Krystle Merchant on Teaching Women’s History « Feminist Teacher: Guest Blog: Krystle Merchant on Teaching Women’s History by feministteacher Krystle Merchant teaches a high school women’s history class at an all-girls school outside of Washington, D.C. (photo courtesy, Krystle Merchant) *The following guest blog by Krystle Merchant is the final post in a three-part series on teaching for social justice featuring the work of educators in primary, middle, and high school classrooms.* *Krystle Merchant is a teacher and proud feminist at an all-girls high school in the subu... more »

The in box. Voting no on Constitutional Amendment 49. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The in box. Voting no on Constitutional Amendment 49. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. Voting no on Constitutional Amendment 49. by Fred Klonsky A LETTER FROM THE RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO ARRIVED THIS MORNING WITH THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE: ON NOVEMBER 6 ILLINOIS CITIZENS WILL VOTE TO ACCEPT OR REJECT AN AMENDMENT TO THE ILLINOIS CONSTITUTION THAT WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT YOUR PENSION PLAN AND THOSE OF OTHER PUBLIC EMPLOYEE IN OUR STATE OF ILLINOIS. IT IS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT #49. THE RETIRED TEACHERS ASSOCIATION OF CHICAGO AND 16 OTHER EDUCATIONAL AND LABOR ORGANIZATIONS OPPOS... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Thursday, August 30, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *California tomato harvest* Education Headlines *Thursday, August 30, 2012* Police cite Simi bus driver for leaving young girl unattendedA Simi Valley Unified School District bus driver has been cited by police for leaving a 5-year-old special education student alone on a parked bus for more than three hours on the first day of school last week, police said Wednesday. Stockton USD hires new special-ed chiefStockton Unified's school board hired a new special-education chief Tuesday night to replace Kelly Dextraze, who is leaving t... more »

Jeb Bush on Common Core: “I don’t think it’s coercive” | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Jeb Bush on Common Core: “I don’t think it’s coercive” | Truth in American Education: Jeb Bush on Common Core: “I don’t think it’s coercive” by Shane Vander Hart EdWeek published an interview with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush at the Republican National Convention. Here are the lowlights. 1. He praises Race to the Top Bush cited Obama’s “efforts to challenge his own party on education reform.” And he said that [Race the the Top] helped “change behavior in places that people didn’t expect it would be changed.” He also gave the thumbs-up to Obama’s pick for an education secreta... more »

Condoleezza Rice on education last night: Crisis in K-12 education is threat to America | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Condoleezza Rice on education last night: Crisis in K-12 education is threat to America | Get Schooled: Condoleezza Rice on education last night: Crisis in K-12 education is threat to America by Maureen Downey [image: Condoleezza Rice called education a threat to "who we are." (Harry E. Walker/MCT)]Condoleezza Rice said the crisis in education was a "grave threat to who we are." (Harry E. Walker/MCT) A few of you asked that we discuss Condoleezza Rice’s education comments from her speech last night at the Republican National Convention. Overall, her comments on education were the st... more »

Student Loan Debt Rises as Most Other Debt Falls - US News and World Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Student Loan Debt Rises as Most Other Debt Falls - US News and World Report: Student Loan Debt Rises as Most Other Debt FallsTake steps now if you're worried about slipping into delinquency. By KATY HOPKINS August 30, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: A rising percentage of borrowers are late with payments.] A rising percentage of borrowers are late with payments. It's not just the heat that rose this summer: Both the total student loan debt and the percentage of borrowers who aren't making timely payments increased, too, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. In its "Quarterl... more »

Half a Million California Community College Students are Locked Out of Courses They Need « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Half a Million California Community College Students are Locked Out of Courses They Need « Student Activism: Half a Million California Community College Students are Locked Out of Courses They Need by Angus Johnston A study of California’s community college system released yesterday finds that despite shocking enrollment reductions, budget cuts are making it impossible for hundreds of thousands of students to get into the courses they need to maintain progress toward their degrees. Community college enrollment has been reduced by 17% in the past four years, but course offerings h... more »

Shanker Blog » How Can We Tell If Vouchers Work?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Shanker Blog » How Can We Tell If Vouchers Work?: How Can We Tell If Vouchers “Work”? by Matthew Di Carlo Brookings recently released an evaluation of New York City’s voucher program, called the School Choice Scholarship Foundation Program (SCSF), which was implemented in the late 1990s. Voucher offers were randomized, and the authors looked at the impact of being offered/accepting them on a very important medium-term outcome – college enrollment (they were also able to follow an unusually high proportion of the original voucher recipients to check this outcome). The short versio... more »

Parents Fighting Back! - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Parents Fighting Back! - Wait, What?: Parents Fighting Back! by jonpelto At last week’s Windham and New London Board of Education meetings, concerned parents and public school advocates handed out flyers educating citizens about the damage Steven Adamowski did when he served as Hartford’s superintendent of schools and warning Windham and New London residents, now that Adamowski has been put in charge of their school districts. Earlier this year, Stefan Pryor, Governor Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, appointed Steven Adamowski Special Master of Windham’s Schools and then exp... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-30-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Putting Children First in NYC? by dianerav A reader in New York City has been studying the New York City Department of Education website. She keeps coming up with intriguing findings. Here are some of them: *A recent post on Diane Ravitch’s blog and a recent article in the New York Times Magazine got me curious. I wondered: Do New York City’s education policy makers really put children first? Are they doing all they can to make sure every single student succeeds, no matter their social or economic enviro... more »

More amendments coming to AB 5, including sunset clause | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
More amendments coming to AB 5, including sunset clause | EdSource Today: More amendments coming to AB 5, including sunset clause ** August 30th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services With the list of opponents mounting, the author of a bill to rewrite the state’s 40-year-old teacher evaluation law rushed Wednesday to amend the bill for third time to try to get it through Senate committees and on to the floor of the Legislature by the end of the session tomorrow. [image: AB 5 author Feli... more »

It’s not easy being Bill Nye the Science Guy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
It’s not easy being Bill Nye the Science Guy - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: It’s not easy being Bill Nye the Science Guy By Valerie Strauss It’s not easy being Bill Nye the Science Guy. When Nye told an audience in Waco, Texas in 2006 that the moon reflects light from the sun — which, of course, it does — he was booed, the Waco Tribune reported. Why? He offended some folks who believed he was criticizing Genesis 1:16, which says that “God made two great lights,” the sun and the moon. Then last weekend he was falsely reported on Twitter to have died, perhaps because of ... more »

The NYC DOE Is A Joke and a Disservice to Students.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
http://www.southbronxschool.com: The NYC DOE Is A Joke and a Disservice to Students by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) Bear with me while I get to my opinion about today's revelation in the Daily News that the discipline code as been watered down. You'll see what I am getting at. When I was a junior in high school, in the middle of math class I asked Mr Costa if he had any naked photos of his wife. After he "harumphed" several times, I then blurted out if he wished to buy some. That got me a week's detention. It kind of made a point with me, but with Mr Costa being such a dick... more »

Public Education's Eight Ball: Student Poverty | One Teacher's Perspective

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Public Education's Eight Ball: Student Poverty | One Teacher's Perspective: Public Education's Eight Ball: Student Poverty by Imagine Wisconsin As noted in an earlier blog, one of my summer reads was P.L. Thomas’ book, *Ignoring Poverty in the U.S.*. It is one of the most important education books I have read. He has reframed my thinking. Contrary to what too many scapegoaters claim, I've never believed public education to be the cause of America's socioeconomic ills. However, I had fallen into the trap of repeating the mantra that quality public education is the cure-all for the ... more »

Students Last: Defender of the Status Quo: America's Newest Superhero

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Students Last: Defender of the Status Quo: America's Newest Superhero: Defender of the Status Quo: America's Newest Superhero by Students Last "Holy Incompetent Teachers!" Rhee will be generously supported by her many minions, including Joel Klein and Arne Duncan.*California* - Faster than dismissal on a Friday. More powerful than the smell of cafeteria pizza. Able to shut down a public school in a single bound. Look! Over in Sacramento! It's a self-promoter. It's an education deformer. It's the Defender of the Status Quo, Michelle Rhee. Strange visitor from a another

Schools Matter: Chicago Teachers Fight for Our Lives

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Schools Matter: Chicago Teachers Fight for Our Lives: Chicago Teachers Fight for Our Lives by Judy Rabin [image: Parents Stand With CTU (CLICK ON PICTURE)] As New Orleans is once again under water, as the Republican lie machine works overtime in Tampa, and real journalism or reporting is MIA in the corporate media owned airwaves, a social studies teacher is using email to spread the word about what's happening in Chicago and to teachers and public education all across the country. "Friends and Family across the United States- As most of you know Chicago Teachers Union has been... more »

An Urban Teacher's Education: Jennifer Silves Speaks About TFA to RSD Board

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
An Urban Teacher's Education: Jennifer Silves Speaks About TFA to RSD Board: Jennifer Silves Speaks About TFA to RSD Board by James Boutin *Last week, I described the public comment portion of the Renton School District's board meeting on August 22nd.* * **Below are the comments spoken at that meeting by UniServ Representative Jennifer Silves:* Board President Franceschina, Members of the Board, and Superintendent Heuschel, My name is Jennifer Silves. I am the current WEA UniServ Representative that currently works with the Renton Education Association. I am here today to share ... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: "I'm the evil billionaire Koch brother," he quipped. "You're not afraid of me?"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: "I'm the evil billionaire Koch brother," he quipped. "You're not afraid of me?": "I'm the evil billionaire Koch brother," he quipped. "You're not afraid of me?" by Mike Klonsky David Koch *"He wore a navy suit, red-and-blue checkered tie, and a couple of fancy-looking convention passes sure to open doors that we reporters couldn't dream of entering."* -- Mother Jones reporter

NYC Educator: Getting Ready to Face the Trailer Again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
NYC Educator: Getting Ready to Face the Trailer Again: Getting Ready to Face the Trailer Again by NYC Educator Well, September 4th is soon approaching, and it's around this time I start to get nostalgic for the old classroom. There's no place like it. Mitch Jayne from the Dillards once said all country music is about either being home and wanting to leave, or being away from home and wanting to go back. Teachers may feel the same way. Sure, we spend a lot of time looking forward to the break, just as the kids do. But then we miss all the hubbub of work. We are what we do, after all... more »

The in box. It’s “Call Brizzard Thursday.” « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
The in box. It’s “Call Brizzard Thursday.” « Fred Klonsky: The in box. It’s “Call Brizzard Thursday.” by Fred Klonsky *Call CPS today…and every Thursday until teachers win a fair contract!* *Call CPS CEO J.C. Brizard today and every Thursday at 773-553-1500 until the current contract dispute is resolved in a way that benefits our teachers and our kids. Tell him you support the teachers’ contract demands for:* *Smaller classes* *A better, not just longer, day* *More social services, counselors and nurses for our schools* *Job security and fair compensation for teachers* *Teachers’ nee... more »

Waitlist Purgatory: 472,000 California Community College Students Don't Have Classes - Education - GOOD

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Waitlist Purgatory: 472,000 California Community College Students Don't Have Classes - Education - GOOD: Waitlist Purgatory: 472,000 California Community College Students Don't Have Classes by Liz Dwyer [image: smcc] For a nation that has a goal of having 8 million more college graduates by 2020, we sure do make it tough for students to get an education. Community college students in California looking to gain some new job skills or get some general education credits out of the way before transferring to a four-year university are having to put their dreams on ice due to massive c... more »

Parents, activists discuss potential strike | catalyst-chicago.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Parents, activists discuss potential strike | catalyst-chicago.org: Parents, activists discuss potential strike - Share on windycitizenShare on facebookShare on email *By: *Nicole Koetting and Sarah Karp / August 29, 2012 *Tags: *Chicago Teachers Union [image: @CTULocal1 members march for "student needs, not corporate greed!] At a raucous town hall meeting Wednesday night, a diverse group of activists showed their support for the Chicago Teachers Union. Attendees of the event sponsored by the Chicago Teachers Solidarity Campaign filled the pews at the Chicago Temple, which... more »

On being on the edge of the possible, « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
On being on the edge of the possible, « Deborah Meier on Education: On being on the edge of the possible, by debmeier Fellow teachers past and present; and allies. I miss not being there in the schoolhouse next week. But I fear it’s not the kind of re-entry I nostalgically recall–as we all re-gathered together. It hurts when I realize how hard it is and will be to get “the” public seeing the world of schooling as so many of us do. For example, read the Phi Delta poll, even recognizing the softness of poll data on complex issues, it’s pretty discouraging. The country seems split on... more »

THE FINAL BATTLE OVER DISCRIMINATION « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
THE FINAL BATTLE OVER DISCRIMINATION « Teachers Fight Back: THE FINAL BATTLE OVER DISCRIMINATION by alkleen There remains one segment of our populace that continues to face discrimination and absolutely nothing has been done to prevent it. These people are treated like second class citizens. They stand very little chance of being accepted and welcomed in all segments of our society. I am referring to the “attractively challenged” people in our population. This discrimination also goes on in our schools, and I believe it is one of the reasons why bullying continues for this segment... more »

Back To School Badness | Mr. Teachbad

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Back To School Badness | Mr. Teachbad: "t" Back To School Badness by teachbad In this sea­son of new begin­nings, I was think­ing about the many dif­fer­ent cracked and crap-crusted lenses through which I have writ­ten about the start of a new school year. Lack­ing the energy to think of a new way, I have con­structed a chrono­log­i­cal com­pendium of my thoughts on the subject. From the irre­sistible and irra­tional panic of mid-July to the week-long fac­ulty circle-jerk of mid-August to famil­iar self-loathing and res­ig­na­tion of mid-September…we’ve got it all. Let us begin… *J... more »

Modern School: It’s the Money, Stupid, Not the Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Modern School: It’s the Money, Stupid, Not the Teachers: It’s the Money, Stupid, Not the Teachers by Michael Dunn The results are in from the latest public opinion poll on teachers. According to the 44th annualPhi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of public attitudes toward the public schools, 71% of respondents say they have trust and confidence in the nation's teachers. 43% of parents and 35% of Americans in general say money is the biggest issue, up from 17% in 2002. While it is heartening to know that two-thirds of respondents are willing to pay higher taxes to improve the schools, it al... more »

SAYS BULLYING LAUSD, " WHY NOT TARGET INNOCENT TEACHERS FOR REMOVAL? UTLA WONT STOP US" - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
SAYS BULLYING LAUSD, " WHY NOT TARGET INNOCENT TEACHERS FOR REMOVAL? UTLA WONT STOP US" - Perdaily.com: SAYS BULLYING LAUSD, " WHY NOT TARGET INNOCENT TEACHERS FOR REMOVAL? UTLA WONT STOP US" by Leonard Isenberg [image: targeted.jpg] *(**Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)* * Here's a story we hear more and more often from teachers and other **Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) employees, since the Miramonte sex abuse scandal, who have been caught completely off-guard, when LAUSD hits them with trum... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Duncan's darling Rhee shows up at GOP convention

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Duncan's darling Rhee shows up at GOP convention: Duncan's darling Rhee shows up at GOP convention by Mike Klonsky Duncan campaigned for Rhee and Fenty in 2010.Arne Duncan has long been one of Michelle Rhee's ardent fans. Violating all DOE protocols, Duncan went out on the stump for her and former D.C. mayor Fenty two years ago even at the risk of offending the district's African-American voters (they can't vote in the presidential election). So what did Obama and the Dems get in return for their unflagging support of Rhee? Her first stop after ... more »









Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-29-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-28-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-27-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-26-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-25-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-23-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-20-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-19-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #

          

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-11-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-4-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-2-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-1-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-31-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-30-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-29-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-28-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-27-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-26-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-25-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-23-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-20-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-19-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-18-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-17-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 7-16-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2