Big Education Ape: Dec 1, 2012

Saturday, December 1, 2012

by Lisa M

Adding and Subtracting Large Numbers
Hmmmm...How can I make adding and subtracting large numbers fun? What do I love almost as much as new technology? Shopping of course! And my students loved it as well!

A Document, Computer, and a Calculator
I told my students I was giving them $10,000 to spend on the students in our school. They could buy them anything they wanted. I gave them a blank shopping list, and let them go! I let them use a calculator because they are proficient in adding and subtracting large numbers. I only asked that they find the difference between $10,000, and their remaining money, without a calculator.

The Conversation
It was interesting to listen to my students as they worked. Many different concepts came into play. The first was about what they should purchase, and which websites to go to to get it. They also discussed how many of each

The Black and White of Education in Chicago's Public SchoolsSave Our Schools

The Black and White of Education in Chicago's Public SchoolsSave Our Schools:

The Black and White of Education in Chicago’s Public Schools

by Server

The Black and White of Education in Chicago’s Public Schools

In a new report being issued today, the Chicago Teachers Union in unambiguous terms makes a racial claim, contending that white businessmen and charter operators are gaining from what it calls “the chaos of (public) school closings” and “the dishonesty of underutilization.”
Executive Summary: The Black and White of Education in Chicago s Public Schools: Class, Charters & Chaos
A hard look at privatization schemes masquerading as education policy
In The Black and White of Education in Chicago’s Public Schools, the Chicago Teachers Union exposes the

Teachers Don't Suck !: The Past, The Present and The Future of Teaching

Teachers Don't Suck !: The Past, The Present and The Future of Teaching:

The Past, The Present and The Future of Teaching

by Walt S.

A teenager was brought into the Principal's office to be disciplined. The Principal spoke.

"Your teacher has told me you are ignorant and apathetic. What do you have to say for yourself?"

The teenager thought for a moment and then replied.

"I don't know what that means and I don't care!"

Do today's teachers exhibit the same mentality?

Are they ignorant of how much effort was required of the their predecessors so as to enable them to enjoy the benefits of today's teaching profession? (Benefits which are rapidly being eroded.)

Are they apathetic to the fight to maintain those benefits. Do they merely take them for granted?

I wonder!

Over the past two years I have posted close to a hundred items. They primarily dealt with my observations and experiences pertaining to education.

During my forty years of teaching, at both the secondary and college level, I witnessed tremendous improvement

Jersey Jazzman: Atrios Nails It: Teachers Are Sick Of Being Dumped On

Jersey Jazzman: Atrios Nails It: Teachers Are Sick Of Being Dumped On:

Atrios Nails It: Teachers Are Sick Of Being Dumped On

by Duke

Leave it to the Godfather of Snark to encapsulate what 3.3 million of us are thinking:

Elsewhere in the article someone discusses the family's commitment to public service. Argh. This isn't about Romney, just this conceit that being a member of Congress, or a governor, or the fucking president, is about "public service." There are public servants, like the teachers everybody dumps on these days, but people with high paying cushy jobs which virtually guarantee them a lifetime of future even cushier even more high paying jobs are hardly making some sort of sacrifice for good. [emphasis mine]

Dear lord, I feel this just about every damn day I open the paper or turn on the cable box or read some dumb-ass

this week's angriest posts Angry Asian Man @angryasianman Stay Angry. angryasianman.com

this week's angriest posts:

this week's angriest posts

Not necessarily the angriest, just the most viewed.

racist idiots watch red dawn, tweet about it

this dorm mate has hmong "problems"

ucla's vietnamese student union vandalized

bill o'reilly offers his expert opinion on "gangnam style"

one guy's quest for rejection, a crazy donut order, and an awesome krispy kreme employee

dollar store gets a big black friday surprise

"gangnam style" is the most viewed video of all time

man faces trial in racist attack

man loses finger in racist knife attack

live action remake of grave of the fireflies in the works

Check Out What We’ve Been Doing In Class…. | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

Check Out What We’ve Been Doing In Class…. | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:

Check Out What We’ve Been Doing In Class….

by Larry Ferlazzo

You might, or might not, want to check out our ESL class’ blog and what we’ve been doing recently.
One is a project on culture from our Geography class, which includes a fun Animoto slideshow.
Another has student videos where they converted their problem-solution essays into dialogues.
If you find those interesting/useful, you could explore our other class blogs, too:

Schools Matter: Money, Test Prep, Money,Exams,Money

Schools Matter: Money, Test Prep, Money,Exams,Money:

Money, Test Prep, Money,Exams,Money

by Judy Rabin

Guest Post:

Robert Rendo

Nationally Board Certified Teacher,

New York

Public education has long become a billion dollar industry, according to a report put out way back in 2007 by Thomas Meldon, professor in the Benerd School of Education at the University of the Pacific in California, and editor of Teacher Education Quarterly, and Bruce A. Jones, professor and director of the David C. Anchin Center at the University of South Florida.

In their fact finding, they state that companies that produce educational materials and supplies were (then) over the billion

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-1-12 #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

Diane in the Evening 12-1-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: The Odd and Shifting Logic of School Choice by dianerav In the just concluded trial about vouchers in Louisiana, a state education department official said that a student with a voucher is a public school student, no matter what school she attends. The judge could not follow the logic. He ruled that the state could not take funds away from public schools to pay for vouchers. Leonie Haimson of Class Size Matters in New York City noticed that charter advocates pull the same trick, with the same logic. They change their rationale to fit the need of the mom... more »

Hunger Strike for Education.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 44 minutes ago

http://www.southbronxschool.com: Hunger Strike for Education by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) How have we gotten to this point? How have we gotten to be on the precipice of the death of education in the United States of America? There is plenty of blame to go around. But, we need to look inward. There are two things that are hurting us as educators that need to be fixed before we can reverse the course education has taken. The culture of teaching and apathy. But there is a solution. I'm not going to get too much into the culture and the apathy. I really don't want to paint w... more »

NYC Public School Parents: The ever-expanding rationales and rhetoric of the privateers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

NYC Public School Parents: The ever-expanding rationales and rhetoric of the privateers: The ever-expanding rationales and rhetoric of the privateers by Leonie Haimson In NYC and elsewhere, the charter school lobby initially explained their rationale as providing more “options” to students at schools in low-performing districts. Then they began justifying them by saying they would create more “diversity” in mixed or gentrifying areas, and also argued that they create more options for middle class parents who are potentially shut out of their zoned schools because of overcrowdin... more »

What ‘Presence’ Are You Giving This Holiday? | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

What ‘Presence’ Are You Giving This Holiday? | Connected Principals: What ‘Presence’ Are You Giving This Holiday? by rmcallister cc licensed BY flickr photo shared by Robo Android Today was one of our monthly administrative meetings for all principals in the district. It started off with some training on the SLDS (Student Longitudinal Data System) that is in operation in the state. The training was designed as an overview of the functionality of SLDS. Due to the length of the training, we were promised lunch and time to chat with colleagues. I have to say, that was when the real me... more »

Has the Florida Department of Education Become a Propaganda Arm of the Education Reform Movement? | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Has the Florida Department of Education Become a Propaganda Arm of the Education Reform Movement? | Scathing Purple Musings: Has the Florida Department of Education Become a Propaganda Arm of the Education Reform Movement? by Bob Sikes It should come as no surprise to anyone that the hacks at the Florida Department of Education would quickly respond to a U.S. Department of Education report which found Florida graduation rates to be, well, abysmal. It took four days. Lets compare the two reports. On Monday, Gradebook’s Jeff Solocheck wrote this of the federal report: The new fe... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Youth Voices Against Violence Contest

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Youth Voices Against Violence Contest: Youth Voices Against Violence Contest by Melissa Westbrook From Puget Sound-Off: *CALL FOR AUDIO ENTRIES!*** *Calling all journalists, poets, rappers, writers, actors and activists!* Our audio contest is in full swing, but we still need to hear from YOU! So, we are extending our deadline and accepting submissions through the *end of the year*. Take advantage of holiday breaks and lend your voice to our campaign for youth violence prevention. *Silence is not the answer*. Puget SoundOff and Tabu are inviting ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: How Do Voucher Cheerleaders Keep Their Heads From Exploding?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: How Do Voucher Cheerleaders Keep Their Heads From Exploding?: How Do Voucher Cheerleaders Keep Their Heads From Exploding? by Duke Leonie Haimson Twitter-points us to this gem about the trial in Louisiana that eventually determined school vouchers were unconstitutional: The second day of the state district court trial to determine if Louisiana’s School Choice Act (Act 2) is constitutional began with the plaintiffs calling Beth Scioneaux to the witness stand, Scioneaux, who has worked for the Louisiana Department of Education for 19 years, is currently the deput... more »

Ed Schools – The Sequel: Rise of the Intellectually Dead « School Finance 101

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Ed Schools – The Sequel: Rise of the Intellectually Dead « School Finance 101: Ed Schools – The Sequel: Rise of the Intellectually Dead by schoolfinance101 *Warning: The following post contains the elitist musings of an ivory tower professor who has only professed at major research universities, who attended a selective liberal arts college & received his doctorate from an Ivy league institution (well… a branch of one… Teachers College at Columbia).* A while back, I wrote a post on “ed schools” the point of which was to show the shift in production of degrees that had occurred be... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis Update

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis Update: Reformy Maniac Ben Chavis Update by Duke School privatizers like Whitney Tilson absolutely love "reformers" like Ben Chavis (no, not *that* Ben Chavis, *this*Ben Chavis). They love the bluster and the bravado. They love the wild profanity and the vague homophobia ("*You should be wearing a dress!*"). They love the telegenic swag when guys like Chavis start spewing incoherent nonsense about how the biggest problem in American education is teachers unions. Well, Whitney, you told us "*I LIKE this guy!*"; what does that say about y... more »

How $tudent$ 4 Education Reform Jumped the Shark | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

How $tudent$ 4 Education Reform Jumped the Shark | EduShyster: How $tudent$ 4 Education Reform Jumped the Shark by edushyster2012 RALLY SWAG—SFER activists from Columbia and NYU wore hats summing up their demand that city’s teachers hurry up already and agree to be evaluated on the basis of their students’ test scores. *The crowd may not have been much, but as rallies go, this one was a big deal. Impassioned young people, bundled against the New York cold, risking everything for a cause they believe in, one that, if their voices are heard, could transform the lives of millions of p... more »

Rob Glass, Michigan Superintendent, Asks Parents To Oppose 'Ideologically-Driven' Education Bills

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Rob Glass, Michigan Superintendent, Asks Parents To Oppose 'Ideologically-Driven' Education Bills: Rob Glass, Michigan Superintendent, Asks Parents To Oppose 'Ideologically-Driven' Education Bills **Posted: 11/30/2012 4:37 pm EST Updated: 11/30/2012 5:38 pm EST The superintendent of a tony Metro Detroit suburb posted an alert on his official school website, warning parents about "a package of bills designed to corporatize and dismantle public education" that are now being considered by the state legislature during its current lame-duck session. Bloomfield Hills School Superinten... more »

Marie Corfield: Education Hero!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

*Jersey Jazzman: Marie Corfield is My Hero* *Jersey Jazzman: Marie Corfield is My Hero: *

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-1-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] More Detail on Louisiana Voucher Ruling by dianerav The decision to declare illegal the funding of the voucher program is very important. Vouchers were to be funded by taking money that was dedicated to public elementary and secondary schools. The decision was about the funding mechanism. If the politicians want a voucher program, they can’t take money out of the minimum foundation funding for public schools. Like, they could raise taxes to pay for kids to go to religious schools and learn about creationis... more »

Ed Notes Online: Rockaway Update: A Visit to The Wave, Occupy Sandy and Change the Stakes

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Rockaway Update: A Visit to The Wave, Occupy Sandy and Change the Stakes: Rockaway Update: A Visit to The Wave, Occupy Sandy and Change the Stakes by ed notes online I took a second day off from doing any work around the house on Friday. A sign that things are moving towards normal was a decision to attend the 5:30 meeting of Change the Stakes, one of my favorite groups of people which includes teachers, parents and principals (Carol Burris is an active participant on the listserve) and West Side HS principal Jean McTavish, a fierce opponent of high stakes testin... more »

The Innovative Educator: Why on earth would 2nd graders use Twitter? Read this to find out.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

The Innovative Educator: Why on earth would 2nd graders use Twitter? Read this to find out.: Why on earth would 2nd graders use Twitter? Read this to find out. by noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Nielsen) When the second grade students in Courtney Woods class were studying places tourists like to visit, they wondered how they could get more people to visit their small Canadian town of Bathurst. Their teacher knew this was a great idea and discussed with the class the importance of sustainable tourism. The class decided they wanted to help Bathurst become more of a tourist attraction and ... more »

4LAKids - NO MORE EXCUSES FOR CALIFORNIA

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: NO MORE EXCUSES FOR CALIFORNIA: NO MORE EXCUSES FOR CALIFORNIA THEMES IN THE NEWS A WEEKLY COMMENTARY WRITTEN BY UCLA IDEA ON THE IMPORTANT ISSUES IN EDUCATION AS COVERED BY THE NEWS MEDIA *WEEK OF NOV. 26-30, 2012| HTTP://BIT.LY/RPWI1P*11-30-2012 :: The U.S. Department of Education released data on Monday that for the first time used a common measure allowing for state-by-state comparisons. Not surprisingly, in yet another national measure, California ranks in the bottom half of states. But wait. We interrupt our grim-news reporting ... more »

Voucher Stumble | The G Bitch Spot

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Voucher Stumble | The G Bitch Spot: Voucher Stumble by G Bitch CenLamar: Jindal’s Scheme to Defund Public Schools In Order to Enrich Religious Schools Ruled Unconstitutional Less than 24 hours later, Kelley ruled that Jindal’s voucher program is unconstitutional. Period. I’ve read some commentary that suggests vouchers weren’t “unconstitutional,” only the way vouchers were funded. Sorry guys, same difference. This program was ruled unconstitutional, and no amount of rhetorical nitpicking works. I was completely wrong about Judge Tim Kelley. His opinion was cogent, on-point, and ... more »

Oregon Save Our Schools: Governor Kitzhaber: Think Finland not Oregon Business Plan

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Oregon Save Our Schools: Governor Kitzhaber: Think Finland not Oregon Business Plan: Governor Kitzhaber: Think Finland not Oregon Business Plan by Oregon SOS [image: Putting the Public Back in Our Public Schools!] Finland is number one in the world when it comes to public education. And all of Oregon's leaders, parents, teachers, and students should be asking why. Popout Oregonians seem to want more Finland, less No Child Left Behind, and less GERM. This is supported by hearing and reading the public testimony made in response to the state's Education Funding Team (who, by... more »

Los Angeles Unified, union cut deal on test scores and evaluations | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Los Angeles Unified, union cut deal on test scores and evaluations | EdSource Today: Los Angeles Unified, union cut deal on test scores and evaluations ** November 30th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By John Fensterwald Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Facing a court-ordered deadline, Los Angeles Unified and its teachers union have agreed on a framework for evaluating teachers that will include using student scores on local and state standardized tests – but only to a limited, as yet undetermined extent. The tentative agreement a... more »

Critical Thinking: How Long Does it Take? | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Critical Thinking: How Long Does it Take? | toteachornototeach: Critical Thinking: How Long Does it Take? by aristotlethewise *Critical Thinking: How Long Does it Take?* [image: critical-thinking] by Jonathan Haber One of the questions I wanted to answer while creating the Critical Voter curriculum (which used the 2012 presidential election to teach practical critical thinking skills) was how long it would take to cover all of the subjects needed to provide students with sufficient skills to be useful in the context of a complex event, such as a presidential race. Unlike other cultu... more »

NYC Educator: Meryl Tisch and John King Implementing Education Programs that Cannot Wait

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

NYC Educator: Meryl Tisch and John King Implementing Education Programs that Cannot Wait: Meryl Tisch and John King Implementing Education Programs that Cannot Wait by NYC Educator

Daily Kos: A Saturday morning reflection - once again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Daily Kos: A Saturday morning reflection - once again: A Saturday morning reflection - once again by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) It used to be my regular practice before I "retired" to head off to my local Starbucks on a Saturday morning, grab myself a vente half-calf ("no room") and sit down and offer my reflections, fueled by a combination of thinking about what had happened in my classroom the previous week as well as things that might be in the news. Now that I am again back in the classroom, I will see if it makes sense for me to continue the practice. Except this morning ... more »

What Mitch Daniels Whining About Tony Bennett’s Ouster Tells Us | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

What Mitch Daniels Whining About Tony Bennett’s Ouster Tells Us | Scathing Purple Musings: What Mitch Daniels Whining About Tony Bennett’s Ouster Tells Us by Bob Sikes So Indiana governor Mitch Daniels says that teachers cheated in the election which removed controversial education boss Tony Bennett from office. From Maureen Groppe and Scott Elliott of *Gannett News Service*: Republican frustration over the election defeat of Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett boiled over into the public this week with Gov. Mitch Daniels claiming at an education reform conference he... more »

Louisiana Educator: A Big Win For Public Education!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: A Big Win For Public Education!: A Big Win For Public Education! by Michael Deshotels Distric Judge Tim Kelly ruled Friday that it is a violation of the Louisiana Constitution for MFP funds to pay students to attend private schools. The ruling was handed down as a result of lawsuits by the LAE, LFT and the Louisiana School Boards Association. The ruling prohibits the funding of public to private school vouchers now in operation and the course choice program scheduled to start next school year. See the Baton Rouge Advocate story. This ruling will be appealed t... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 12-1-12

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* Public Education in the other LA: LOUISIANA VOUCHER PROGRAM RULED UNCONSTITUTIONAL smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 minutes ago By Stephanie Simon/Reuters / from Huffinton Post | http://huff.to/QVnFR8 11/30/2012 5:49 pm EST Updated: 11/30/2012 11:06 pm EST :: (Reuters) - A state judge on Friday shot down Louisiana's sweeping school voucher program, ruling that the state could not use funds set aside for public education to pay private-school tuition for thousands of l... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 12-1-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * Behavior problems, not depression, linked to lower grades for depressed youths Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 1 day ago Behavior problems, not depression, are linked to lower grades for depressed adolescents, according to a study in the December issue of the *Journal of Health and Social Behavior. * "Behavior problems including attention issues, delinquency, and substance use are associated with diminished achievement, but depression is not," said the study's lead author Jane D. McLeod, a soc... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 12-1-12 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] Holiday Resources Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 8 hours ago I’ve just more-or-less updated a massive list, The Best Places To Learn About Christmas, Hanukkah, & Kwanzaa. I’m sure it will be getting even bigger…. My Best Posts Over The Years — Volume Two Larry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 9 hours ago I’ve been writing this blog for six o... more »

BASED ON NEW REPORT 8 OF 4O WASHINGTON STATE'S NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE CANDIDATES FOR CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS SITE

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: *BASED ON NEW REPORT 8 OF 4O WASHINGTON STATE'S NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE CANDIDATES FOR CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS WEBSITE* National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) Group: 1 in 5 charter schools not doing well enough to stay open A group that oversees more than half of the nation's 5,600 charter schools said as many as one in five U.S. charter schools should be shut down because of poor academic performance. http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2019784379_charterschools29.html Robert Treat Academy The Perimeter Primate at CHARTER SCHOO... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 11-30-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* My Best Posts Over The Years — Volume Two by Larry Ferlazzo I’ve been writing this blog for six or seven years. I thought readers might find it useful for me to dig back in the “archives” and highlight my choices for some of the best posts that appeared during that time. The first list in this series, My Best Posts Over The Years — Volume One, focused on the year 2007 and included a fair amount of still-useful material (at least in my opinion). Here in Volume Two I’ll identify the best of 2008: I began an *eighty* (no, that’s not a typ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Marie Corfield is My Hero

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Marie Corfield is My Hero: Marie Corfield is My Hero by Duke God bless Marie Corfield. **LD16 ELECTION UPDATE** Now that the votes in the LD-16 Assembly race have been tallied, I have called Assemblywoman Simon to congratulate her on her victory. I want to thank my family for their unending support, and all of our supporters, volunteers and dedicated staff. We could not have come so close to winning without your efforts. No matter the challenges we faced, we stood strong together, and I am so grateful for all your help. Although the election has ended, I can assu... more »

LAUSD, teachers union make a deal on performance evaluations - LA Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

LAUSD, teachers union make a deal on performance evaluations - LA Daily News: LAUSD, teachers union make a deal on performance evaluations By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer Posted: 11/30/2012 03:01:35 PM PST Updated: 11/30/2012 03:22:21 PM PST Proposed LAUSD teacher evaluation contract Facing a Tuesday deadline to come up with a deal, Los Angeles Unified and its teachers union announced today that they'd hammered out a tentative agreement that incorporates student test scores in performance evaluations. Under the tentative deal, teachers' evaluations will factor in how well their... more »

Towards the 21 Hour Work Week | Lefty Parent

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Towards the 21 Hour Work Week | Lefty Parent: Towards the 21 Hour Work Week by Cooper Zale Sustainability… it will by all accounts be a key theme of 21st century human society. Sustainable agriculture, energy use, carbon footprint, and average family size are already on the table towards informing governmental policy and economic practice. But in order to dial down in these areas we are realizing the need for a sustainable level of economic activity, which includes a finite amount of commoditized work to be divided between an increasing number of people seeking that work. Put more ... more »

Why a Louisiana judge ruled school vouchers unconstitutional

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Why a Louisiana judge ruled school vouchers unconstitutional: Why a Louisiana judge ruled school vouchers unconstitutional Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 30, 2012 at 5:37 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » A Louisiana state judge sided today with opponents of Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal’s sweeping private school voucher program, ruling that it is unconstitutional because it improperly diverts public state and local money intended for public schools to private institutions. Exactly what... more »

Breaking the Budget Deficit Down - Department of Social Services (DSS) - $190.9 million - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Breaking the Budget Deficit Down - Department of Social Services (DSS) - $190.9 million - Wait, What?: Breaking the Budget Deficit Down – Department of Social Services (DSS) – $190.9 million by jonpelto When Governor Malloy proposed this year’s budget, the General Assembly passed it, and the Governor signed it into law, it was widely understood that the Malloy Administration had purposely underestimated the true costs of funding various programs, especially within the Department of Social Services. Almost immediately, State Comptroller Kevin Lembo, started warning the Malloy Adm... more »

Breaking News: La. school voucher plan ruled unconstitutional - SFGate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

La. school voucher plan ruled unconstitutional - SFGate: La. school voucher plan ruled unconstitutionalBy MELINDA DESLATTE, Associated Press BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal's voucher program that uses tax dollars to send students to private schools was ruled unconstitutional Friday by a state judge who said it's improperly funded through the public school financing formula. Judge Tim Kelley sided with arguments presented by teacher unions and school boards seeking to shut down the voucher program and other changes that would funnel more money away from traditional pub... more »

‘My kindergartener had 14 tests this year’

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

‘My kindergartener had 14 tests this year’: ‘My kindergartener had 14 tests this year’ Posted by Valerie Strauss on November 30, 2012 at 4:09 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Here are highlights (videos below) of a Chicago forum on standardized testing in public schools: Parent Julie Fain said: *“My kindergartener had 14 tests this year.” * *“My fourth grader, now … they’re testing in PE and art and music and library and Spanish and in every special in three grades. And that adds up to total ... more »

4LAKids - LETTER TO DR. JAIME AQUINO FROM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS + A CONCERN ABOUT FAIRNESS IN RESTORING CUTS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: LETTER TO DR. JAIME AQUINO FROM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS + A CONCERN ABOUT FAIRNESS IN RESTORING CUTS: LETTER TO DR. JAIME AQUINO FROM SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPALS + A CONCERN ABOUT FAIRNESS IN RESTORING CUTS FROM THE ASSOCIATED ADMINISTRATORS OF LOS ANGELES (AALA – “THE PRINCIPALS UNION”) UPDATE | WEEK OF DECEMBER 3, 2012*29 November 2012 :: AALA thanks Gary Garcia, President of the Senior High School Principals’ Organization, for sharing this letter.* Dear Dr. Aquino: Thank you for taking time out of your previously set schedul... more »

Schools Matter: Lessons from Katrina

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Schools Matter: Lessons from Katrina: Lessons from Katrina by Judy Rabin The Shock Doctrine Comes to New Jersey Schools Just waiting for Arne Duncan to say Hurricane Sandy was the "best thing that happened to the education system" in New Jersey. While the power is out, entire school districts have literally crumbled the poorest are again being left behind, many homeless now and in already underfunded public schools. Christie and Cerf have a plan to use theirr "power sparingly." They will come to save the day because too many schools are failing. No mention of the actual architec... more »

Jersey Jazzman: An Outrage in Camden

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Jersey Jazzman: An Outrage in Camden: An Admission of Failure by Duke This is nothing more than an admission of failure by our education overlords : Charter schools are about to get a reality check. As someone who has observed the breakneck pace of the growing charter school movement up close, Greg Richmond, who leads the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA), is taking a step back. "We didn't start this movement in order to create more failing schools, but that's what we have," Richmond told The Huffington Post. "Hundreds of them." On Wednesday morning, Richmond... more »

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Saturday, December 1, 2012

The Black and White of Education in Chicago’s Public Schools

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