Wednesday, December 19, 2012

by Rachel Levy

Sandy Hook students enjoy the rehearsal for our 4th grade winter concert - a talented group led by Maryrose Kristopik!pic.twitter.com/EEN0afV7

As my husband and I were reading about and processing the news from Newtown, Connecticut my husband pointed me to Dawn Hochsprung’s twitter feed. “People should read that,” he said. I kind of shrugged. I am quite an active user but after reading this 2011 New York Times article I have mixed feelings about social media and what happens with it when we die. Even though twitter feeds are (mostly) public, I feel as if I am vaguely invading someone’s privacy when I look at the feeds of the living, let alone the deceased. But still, I looked.

This was the tweet that really got to me:

Sandy Hook students enjoy the rehearsal for our 4th grade winter concert - a talented group led by

The in box. Glen Brown responds to my comments on the White Paper. « Fred Klonsky

The in box. Glen Brown responds to my comments on the White Paper. « Fred Klonsky:

The in box. Glen Brown responds to my comments on the White Paper.

by Fred Klonsky

A brief response:
An “Ironclad guarantee that the state will fulfill its funding responsibilities”: since Illinois Democrats want to shift the state’s payment for the pension systems to school districts and universities, besides reforming the “pension ramp,” I believe that a graduated income tax is the most important proposal to consider for raising revenue in Illinois.
“A Well-Designed Graduated Income Tax Rate Structure Could Reduce Taxes for 94 Percent of Illinois Taxpayers and Raise at Least $2.4 Billion more in Revenue than the Current Five Percent Flat Tax.
“If Illinois passed a constitutional amendment permitting the creation of a graduated income tax

Final Project 2.0 « Teaching Between the Lines

Final Project 2.0 « Teaching Between the Lines:

Final Project 2.0

by Laura

Our junior high semester ends with three days of finals: two classes per day, two hours for each class. I could easily create a semester final exam that would take my students two hours to complete, but I’m not sure that would be the best use of our time (nor am I convinced that junior high students should be taking two-hour finals). So each year I look for effective ways to fill that two-hour block of time, allowing students to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of ways, providing time for breaks and collaboration.
This year’s two-hour block of time? Best. Final. Ever.
When my students walked into the classroom, they found the desks arranged in groups of four, with a laptop on each desk. They located their seats by checking a list of teams that I had projected onto the whiteboard. Once they were settled, I distributed a page of directions, and they were off and running.
PopoutThe designated team leaders were given directions to create a new presentation in their Google Drive, and then

Getting Back to the Top | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

Getting Back to the Top | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:

Getting Back to the Top

by obriena

We often hear that the United States has dropped to 16^th in the world when it comes to the percentage of adults who earn college degrees – it is a talking point used consistently by both U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and President Obama. And the Administration is calling for us to regain the lead in this arena, for the good of the nation.
But is the situation really so simple? As with so many education claims, do we do ourselves a disservice when we accept these statements and goals at face value? In a recent report, Getting Back on Top: An International Comparison of College Attainment, Where the U.S. Stands, the National School Boards Association's Center for Public Education unpacked the data behind these talking points. And some of their findings were a bit surprising.
It turns out that the United States ranks second in the world – behind only Norway – when it comes to the percentage of adults age 25-64 with a bachelor's degree or better (32%). However, we rank 18^th in the world in the percentage of adults with a two-year degree (10%). Without differentiating between the two, we rank 5^th in the world among the percentage of adults with degrees, at
read more

Jersey Jazzman: Marooned In a Blizzard of Lies

Jersey Jazzman: Marooned In a Blizzard of Lies:

Marooned In a Blizzard of Lies

by Duke

Once, again, I sense a pattern:

Gary Rubinstein takes on the claims of Wendy Kopp [all emphases mine unless noted]:

So it was with great surprise that I read an interview with Wendy in The Huffington Post where she said “On average, our corps members stay in the classroom for eight years.” When I first read this, I assumed that she simply misspoke, like when she said in a speech at Harvard that only 3% of alumni are in the private sector, while that number, according to one of my TFA contacts (who is probably deflating the number his/herself) says that Wendy should have said it was 16% with 3% being specifically in business.
But reading over the reaction to this claim and also her responses on Twitter, she is standing by

Principals oppose efforts to allow them to carry guns in response to Newtown | Get Schooled

Principals oppose efforts to allow them to carry guns in response to Newtown | Get Schooled:

Principals oppose efforts to allow them to carry guns in response to Newtown

by Maureen Downey

A joint statement from the National Association of Secondary School Principals and the National Association of Elementary School Principals on allowing principals and teachers to carry guns in school:

In the aftermath of the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, we all feel a desperate need to honor the memories of the victims and take steps to prevent such horror from happening again. In that spirit, many well-meaning policymakers are proposing to allow teachers and principals to carry firearms in school. As the professional organization for our nation’s principals, we strongly oppose such policies.
A principal’s first responsibility is to foster a safe, orderly, warm, and inviting environment. To be

School Tech Connect: Aiding And Abetting The Crapification of America

School Tech Connect: Aiding And Abetting The Crapification of America:

Aiding And Abetting The Crapification of America

by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)

Just saw this on Twitter today; it's from March.

I'm really trying to live a local life here. I've pretty much stopped driving, I shop at the local fresh market instead of Jewel or Dominick's -- it costs more but the experience is infinitely better. I recently had to run into a Jewel for something out in Skokie, and it was just a grating, unpleasant environment, comparatively speaking--- and then they hustle you into these do-it-yourself checkout lanes that are a complete and utter pain in the ass, while you still pay the same price for doing all the work at a fraction of the speed a pro can do it at. I'd sooner have a boil implanted then spend time in a Jewel or Dominicks*.

Anyway, read the MoJo piece from up above. It's about the crap jobs at these online order-fulfillment warehouses. The crapification of America-- it starts at WalMart, grows exponentially as we order everything

S.3682: A bill to establish and operate a National Center for Campus Public Safety. - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

S.3682: A bill to establish and operate a National Center for Campus Public Safety. - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress:

S.3682 - A bill to establish and operate a National Center for Campus Public Safety.

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Past Seven Days:40
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12/12/12

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Mark Warner

D-VA

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NYC Public School Parents: Yes, Virginia, charter school co-locations do indeed cause more overcrowding

NYC Public School Parents: Yes, Virginia, charter school co-locations do indeed cause more overcrowding:

Yes, Virginia, charter school co-locations do indeed cause more overcrowding

by Leonie Haimson

Protesters against a charter co-location credit: Daily News

Today’s report from the NYC Charter Center claims that buildings where charter schools are co-located tend to be less overcrowded than average school buildings. Our analysis of the Education Impact Statements (EIS’s) of charter co-location proposals considered by thePanel for Educational Policy between December 2010 and March 2012finds that of the 79 charter school co-locations proposed by DOE, 22 of them, or nearly 30 percent, were projected to push the building to 100 percent utilization or more during the following year or soon thereafter.

Moreover, in 47 of these proposals, or nearly 60 percent, the EIS projected that the charter

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-19-12 #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

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 minutes ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends: Odds and Ends from Seattle Schools Community Forum by Melissa Westbrook *Olympic Hills Capacity Mtg on Monday night* Packed house, I was almost surprised they had it such a small school but it was cozy. Attendees - SPS staff, Directors Peaslee and Carr (but oddly, not Martin-Morris as one of the central issues was Eckstein that sits in his district) and FACMAC co-chairs and other members of the Committee. Rep. Gerry Pollet also was in attendance. The room was packed full. I liked the way this meeting went. There was just a brief ... more »

The We Are One White Paper. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 minutes ago

The We Are One White Paper. « Fred Klonsky: The We Are One White Paper. by Fred Klonsky Popout I’m reminded of an old joke. *A woman goes into a meat market and asks the butcher why his pork chops are 7 dollars a pound, when the guy across the street is selling his for 4 dollars a pound?* The butcher says, “Well, then, why don’t you go over there and buy his?” The lady customer says, “Well, he don’t have any. The butcher says, “Well, that’s nothing. When I don’t have ANY, I sell mine for only 3 dollars a

Ladner’s False Choice | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 24 minutes ago

Ladner’s False Choice | Truth in American Education: Ladner’s False Choice by Shane Vander Hart Matthew Ladner wrote a guest post at Jay P. Greene’s blog today that lays out a false choice either support the Common Core State Standards or support status quo where in some states their standards were a joke. He wrote about his experience in Arizona when he was asked to oppose Arizona’s adoption of the Common Core State Standards: I had deep misgivings regarding Common Core at the time, the most serious of which was the governance of the standards over time. At the time I was of the... more »

A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools from Philadelphia Public School Notebook by thenotebook *by Bill Hangley, Jr.* Photo: Harvey Finkle Philadelphia Federation of Teachers' secretary, Freda Sydnor-Joell, addresses the crowd outside the School District building on Dec. 13, the day the school closings plan was announced. * * The report released Tuesday by the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS) is ambitious to say the least: it repr... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem | EduShyster: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem by edushyster2012 Does heroism hold value in Michelle Rhee’s measure of a teacher’s worth? In the annals of tin-eared condolence statements, the one released by Michelle Rhee in the wake of the Newtown school shooting stands out. Her very word choices felt stilted and wrong, evoking a strange world in which children are “assets,” stunned and reeling teachers are “colleagues,” and family are the members of Rhee’s own “team.” But if the statement began on an off note, wors... more »

Reflecting on the Unthinkable « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Reflecting on the Unthinkable « InterACT: Reflecting on the Unthinkable by David B. Cohen [image: IMG_0913]The tragic deaths in Newtown, Connecticut, have been difficult for me to process or respond to. The first actual writing I’ve done on the topic actually came in comments on another blog, written by Michael Petrilli. I don’t often find myself agreeing with Petrilli or the Fordham Foundation in their analysis of education practices, policies, or reform. (And I never did hear back from the foundation’s president, Checker Finn, regarding the free lunch I put up in a wager based... more »

Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Thom Markham]Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher December 19, 2012 by Thom Markham When teachers and parents hear the term *Common Core standards* (CCS), a frequent tendency is to see the new standards as a simple upgrade. In fact, the CCS represent an entirely new operating system. This is good news for the whole child movement. CCS focuses on an inquiry approach to education. Inquiry can't be done through direct instruction alone; it requir... more »

A Race to the Top Winner. Really? | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

A Race to the Top Winner. Really? | Seattle Education: A Race to the Top Winner. Really? Posted on December 19, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment There are more questions than answers as it pertains to how the Race to the Top money will be spent by the districts in our state that “won” Race to the Top funding. The Puget Sound Educational Service District, which is made up 35 school districts, received $40M after spending 3 years working with the Community Center for Education Results to pull together the data that apparently the Department of Education wanted anyway. ... more »

Mother Crusader: The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Mother Crusader: The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On: The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On by darciecima My blog post refuting Commissioner Cerf's claim that CREDO was "not a part of the bandwagon", was picked up by both Diane Ravitch and Valerie Strauss. I have done a bit more digging, and have come up with what I feel is irrefutable evidence that not only is CREDO part of the bandwagon, their Director Macke Raymond, may in fact be one of the band leaders. The additional research started with this email, which was released to the Education Law Center under the Op... more »

Diane in the Afternoon 12-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: Beware the Common Core Standards! by dianerav Kris Neilsen, a middle school teacher, was an early enthusiast for the Common Core Standards. He read them, explained them to parents at his schools, and was commended for his leadership. But he had a change of heart as he reflected on them. He is now an outspoken critic. He thinks the corporate reform movement is imposing them to standardize children and to stamp out originality. I have urged people to read the standards and come to their own judgment. This is Kris’s judgment. By the way, this is the same Kri... more »

Common Core State Standards Public Hearings - Curriculum Frameworks (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Common Core State Standards Public Hearings - Curriculum Frameworks (CA Dept of Education): Announcement of Two Public Hearings Recommended Modifications to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics with California Additions and Model Courses for Higher Mathematics Thursday, January 3, 2013 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1101 Sacramento, CA 95814 For information, contact: 916-319-0881 Friday, January 4, 2013 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Orange County Department of Education 200 Kalmus Drive, Board Room Costa Mesa, CA 92626 For inform... more »

Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline | ED.gov Blog: Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline Posted on December 19, 2012 by Deb Delisle Last week I met José, who visited the U.S. Department of Education for a roundtable discussion on school discipline policies. He described experiences at his Chicago high school that left him with the uneasy feeling that he had to keep his “guard up” while trying to learn. José came to Washington for a congressional hearing on discipline,... more »

Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege. | Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege. | Student Voice: Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege. by admin Popout Always have to start with an amazing video. Plus Sir Ken Robinson is an amazing speaker! I wanted to share my perspective because I am a student at Oklahoma State University yet, attended Uncollege’s Hackademic. In my life, I found a balance between college and this movement known as unschooling. *Exactly what does unschooling mean to me:* I believe that it begins when you come to a realization that learning takes place further th... more »

UPDATE: The Right 4 Questions « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

The Right 4 Questions « Deborah Meier on Education: The Right 4 Questions by debmeier Thank you, Roger Tilles for posing these Four Questions, which should guide all policy. *1. What kind of algorithm measures the kind of devotion that we saw and I am sure we would see in crisis after crisis in all of our schools?**2. How do you establish a pre- and post-test for the kind of personal responsibility that these professionals demonstrated?* *3. How do we measure the trust that these children and their parents have placed in us as educators “in loco parentis”?* *4. What kind of virtua... more »

Tom King's Blog of De-Fog!: Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Tom King's Blog of De-Fog!: Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost!: Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost! by Tom King Want to know a secret? Something that will have more kids learning more? Something you can have your students do that takes only a few minutes a day. It's so simple you won't believe it. And if you pay it forward, it could change the K12 world for the better in an iFlash! It's called iLearner. Short for I'm the Learner. I'm the one in charge. I'm the only one who can make my learning happen. It's the answer to the question: Who's... more »

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, December 19, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Wednesday, December 19, 2012* Schools reexamine safety plansThe tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut is spurring Mother Lode educators to refresh their memory on safety plans, but it has also left them wondering if they can do more to protect students. New superintendent named for El Monte City School DistrictAs a former Columbia Elementary School student, Maribel Garcia fondly remembered her principal Jeff Seymour, a man who would later become superintendent of the El Monte City School... more »

Quick, If you see Diane Ravitch tell her someone let the Right Wing Attack Dogs out!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

*Right Wing Attack Dogs *

Modern School: Union Bosses, Which Side Are You On? . . . Capital, Of Course

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Modern School: Union Bosses, Which Side Are You On? . . . Capital, Of Course: Union Bosses, Which Side Are You On? . . . Capital, Of Course by Michael Dunn Oliver Burkhard, head of Germany’s IG Metall (IGM) trade union, will soon be taking over as head of personnel at the multination Thyssen Krupp. His annual income will rise to €2 million, or more than €160,000 a month, according to the World Socialist Website. Many have accused Burkhard of being a turncoat. However, his new job is really only a change in title. Union bosses maintain a unique and opaque position in the economy, ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Help Class Size Matters continue our work helping kids in 2013!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Help Class Size Matters continue our work helping kids in 2013!: Help Class Size Matters continue our work helping kids in 2013! by Leonie Haimson Last spring, I heard about a girl named Megan who had been prevented from graduating with the rest of her 8th grade class because DOE believed she’d failed the state exam. Over the summer, it turned out that she had passed the exam after all. I contacted a reporter, Yoav Gonen of the NY Post, who wrote about her story, as well as the experiences of *seven thousand other New York City children*who had been pr... more »

Secretary Duncan Hails Sandy Hook Elementary Educators – and Thanks the Nation’s Teachers, School Leaders, and School Staff | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Secretary Duncan Hails Sandy Hook Elementary Educators – and Thanks the Nation’s Teachers, School Leaders, and School Staff | ED.gov Blog: VIDEO: Secretary Duncan Hails Sandy Hook Elementary Educators by Cameron Brenchley We ask a lot of our nation’s teachers, Secretary Duncan said in a video message to the educators of Sandy Hook Elementary School. “But no one could possibly ask for this kind of sacrifice,” he said of the courage shown by educators during last week’s tragedy in Newtown, Conn. In his video message, Secretary Duncan expressed his deep gratitude to teachers, school le... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The view from Right Field

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The view from Right Field: The view from Right Field by Mike Klonsky *Rick Hess of the far-right American Enterprise Institute (AEI)* Rick Hess of the far-right American Enterprise Institute (AEI) claims to be "horrified by advocates and education pundits who seize upon Newtown as a "hook" to place an op-ed or push their favorite talking points and agenda items." He's not mentioning any names, but it's clear that he's talking about *Diane Ravitch* who posted a thoughtful and powerful tribute to the heroism of teachers (union members at that) on her ... more »

Edward Fiske: Can Public Education as We Know it Survive?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Edward Fiske: Can Public Education as We Know it Survive?: Can Public Education as We Know it Survive? Posted: 12/18/2012 6:40 pm Americans are now confronted with two radically different visions of public education. Which vision ultimately prevails will go a long way toward determining the quality of the education available to future generations of children. The first -- call it the "private" -- vision can be seen in the well-funded efforts in states and localities across the country to dismantle many of the fundamental structures of public education that have evolved since the... more »

The Unequal State of America: An interview with U.S. education chief Arne Duncan | Reuters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

The Unequal State of America: An interview with U.S. education chief Arne Duncan | Reuters: The Unequal State of America: An interview with U.S. education chief Arne Duncan By David Rohde and Kristina Cooke Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:03am EST (Reuters) - Arne Duncan, the U.S. secretary of secretary, spoke with Reuters about education's role in income inequality. The questions and answers have been edited for length. Q: In a commencement speech in December 2011, you said education is still the "great equalizer." Is that true? A: It must be the great equalizer. And in some places, educatio... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Pennsylvania Parent Reflects on Teacher Heroes by dianerav Blogger Yinzercation is a parent of little children in Pennsylvania. She was reluctant to send them to school, but she did with assurances that they would be okay. And she thought about the teachers and principal in Newtown. She read that there was a plan in Newtown to cut the budget of the schools, possibly eliminating the music teachers and the librarian. They too had sheltered the children. As Yinzercation points out, the story in Newtown is a... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Look what's In Byrd-Bennet's 'hidden drawer' -- The real school-closing plan

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Look what's In Byrd-Bennet's 'hidden drawer' -- The real school-closing plan: Look what's In Byrd-Bennet's 'hidden drawer' -- The real school-closing plan by Mike Klonsky Angelique Harris, a member of the Bronzeville Community Action Council, attends a hearing on school closings Monday at the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church in Chicago. Harris has a child enrolled at Wells Preparatory Elementary Academy. (Warren Skalski, Photo for the Tribune /December 17, 2012) *"Unless my staff has a hidden drawer somewhere where they've got numbers in there... more »

UPDATE: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. « Fred Klonsky: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. by Fred Klonsky [image: rahm_2011_boxer_shorts] “Unless my staff has a hidden drawer somewhere where they’ve got numbers in there, we don’t have a number,” schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said in November. Apparently somebody took them out of Rahm’s drawers and leaked them to the Chicago Tribune. Rahm is such a liar. The internal document, prepared at a time when school leaders faced a December deadli... more »

Arming Teachers, School Cops Could Cause More Harm Than Good | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Arming Teachers, School Cops Could Cause More Harm Than Good | toteachornototeach: Arming Teachers, School Cops Could Cause More Harm Than Good by aristotlethewise *Arming Teachers, School Cops Could Cause More Harm Than Good, Experts Say* [image: multiplefeat_hm_01] by Matt Sledge A nation shaken by Friday’s school shooting in Newtown, Conn., is wondering what to do to prevent future tragedies. Some gun rights advocates have suggested returning to a time-worn strategy in lieu of gun control: keeping up with the proliferation of arms outside the schoolhouse doors by arming those ins... more »

California teachers retirement fund threat triggers sale of gun company | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

California teachers retirement fund threat triggers sale of gun company | EdSource Today: California teachers retirement fund threat triggers sale of gun company ** December 19th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Louis Freedberg Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Less than a day after the California teachers pension fund threatened to withdraw its investment, a major private equity firm has announced that it will sell Freedom Group, a company it formed that includes the manufacturer of the rifle used by Adam Lanza to massacre 26 p...more »

Ed Notes Online: Karen Lewis Kicks TFA Veep the Creep David Rosenberg's Ass Down the Road

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Karen Lewis Kicks TFA Veep the Creep David Rosenberg's Ass Down the Road: Karen Lewis Kicks TFA Veep the Creep David Rosenberg's Ass Down the Road by ed notes online *To David Rosenberg, Shanda! Shame on you for such a paranoid rant. If you had nothing of which to be guilty, those words would have rolled off your back.... Karen Lewis* *a town like Sandy Hook would laugh at the very idea of a TFA 6 week wonder teaching their kids.* I kvell at the growing relationship between Karen Lewis and Diane Ravitch. Today Karen, who let me remind everyone, came straight out... more »

How My Son Really Started Walking | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

How My Son Really Started Walking | The Jose Vilson: How My Son Really Started Walking by Jose It’s obvious he does things his way. When he first came out of the womb, he yelled at the nurses in the hospital for making reference to Lady Gaga’s version of his name. When in the nursing station, he slept on his side whereas everyone else slept on their back. During my first few hours with him, he pooped, peed, and spit up on me, the holy daddy trifecta. He didn’t care much for my swaddles, no matter how tight I wrapped him. So it should come at no surprise that he didn’t want to fol... more »

Thinking of Newtown « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Thinking of Newtown « Deborah Meier on Education: Thinking of Newtown by debmeier Dear friends, If we extended the logic of the NRA one could say, “atomic weapons don’t kill, people do”. So why are most people, including almost all NRA supporters, so worried about Iran developing a bomb? Because countries (like people) can’t kill without the weapons to do so, and they can’t kill a lot of people in one stroke without weapons of mass destruction. That’s why we rightly fear the spread of such weapons. That should go for guns of mass destruction too. I find it incredulous that abou... more »

UPDATE: Friend, parent activist and fellow pro-public education blogger Wendy Lecker's letter to President Obama. - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Friend, parent activist and fellow pro-public education blogger Wendy Lecker's letter to President Obama. - Wait, What?: Hello? Anybody home? by jonpelto Governor Malloy issued a call for a Special Session of the Connecticut General Assembly to deal with the growing state deficit. That Session is taking place today. The State Senate and State House convened at 10:00 am and then recessed until 4:30 pm so that elected officials could attend funerals and memorial services resulting from the Newtown Elementary School Massacre. When they reconvene at 4:30 pm, a joint session of the Legi... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: ‘Guns have no place in schools’

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: ‘Guns have no place in schools’: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: ‘Guns have no place in schools’ Posted by Valerie Strauss on December 19, 2012 at 4:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Here is a memo that national education reformer Michelle Rhee wrote to the staff of her advocacy organization, StudentsFirst, in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. In the memo she refers to Senate Bill 59 in Michigan, which would ha... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Capacity Management Work Sesson Recs

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Capacity Management Work Sesson Recs: Seattle Schools Capacity Management Work Sesson Recs by Melissa Westbrook The presentation for this Board Work Session tomorrow has been posted. It's quite interesting. I note at last night's Capacity meeting for the NE, it was stated that FACMAC would have their recs tomorrow. It's odd because one page is labeled "Development of Recommended Options" and lists input from FACMAC but clearly FACMAC's recommendations are not part of this presentation because they aren't even out yet. Okay, wait... more »

Louisiana Educator: Act 1 Ruling Helpful in Restoring Teacher and School Board Rights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: Act 1 Ruling Helpful in Restoring Teacher and School Board Rights: Act 1 Ruling Helpful in Restoring Teacher and School Board Rights by Michael Deshotels Congratulations to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers for winning a partial victory against some of the anti-teacher legislation passed by the Jindal administration. The ruling by Judge Caldwell removes the provision of Act 1 that would have denied teacher seniority rights based upon a negative rating on the new Act 54 evaluation system. Another part of this court ruling also returns the right of school boa... more »

Kimble's Corner: President Lightning

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Kimble's Corner: President Lightning: President Lightning by Representative Kimble The success of Profiles in Courageousness has made many readers ask me what my next project will be. I am actually currently working on a screenplay for a movie that I am tentatively calling President Lighting. It takes place during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and it's a piece of historical fiction. Or is it? In 1935, the Nazis worried about being embarrassed at the Berlin Olympics the next year kidnap Jesse Owens. It looks like they will be unstoppable in track and field until a crippled Preside... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Bushmaster Charter School

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Bushmaster Charter School: Bushmaster Charter School by Duke Another awesome and reformy portrait in courage: Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed a bill this afternoon that would have allowed gun owners with extra training to carry their concealed weapons in schools, day care centers, churches and stadiums. In his veto letter sent to the Legislature shortly before 4 p.m.,*Snyder said the bill had a fatal loophole that didn’t allow for those institutions to opt out of the new legislation and prohibit weapons from their buildings* . “I believe that it is important that these p... more »

Keeping My Students Safe Isn’t Easy « Cooperative Catalyst

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Keeping My Students Safe Isn’t Easy « Cooperative Catalyst: Keeping My Students Safe Isn’t Easy by Deven Black [image: Gun Library] I want to keep my students safe, I really do, but it really is impossible. When it comes to student and staff safety, there are so many things wrong with the way my school is built and run that I don’t know where to begin. Our principal reminded the staff again this week that only the front door should be used for entrance and exit, so let’s start there. It is unlocked. Anyone can walk up the three steps, open the door, and be in the building. Anyone. Del... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Why Do Teachers Hate America?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Why Do Teachers Hate America?: Why Do Teachers Hate America? by Duke *Our American Education Conversation* *A Play in One Act* by Jersey Jazzman (*curtain opens*) TEACHER: "I'm tired of being blamed for so many of our society's problems! I'm tired of my union being called "thugs!" We teachers are doing a good job! Why does everyone think our unions and tenure are so bad? Those teachers who died in Newtown are heroes, and they belonged to unions, and the senior ones had tenure! They were career teachers who dedicated their lives to education; they *literally* gave t... more »

TEACHERS ORGANIZE TO CONFRONT LAUSD WITCH HUNT - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

TEACHERS ORGANIZE TO CONFRONT LAUSD WITCH HUNT - Perdaily.com: TEACHERS ORGANIZE TO CONFRONT LAUSD WITCH HUNT by Leonard Isenberg [image: Let's Get Together.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español)* *There is an awareness that the war against teachers at the top of the salary scale, about to vest in lifetime health benefits, or who just stand up for high academic standards for all is not going to stop unless teachers and those who support them do something about it.* * * *Since Miramonte, LAUSD has used this regrettable and avoidable event to defame teachers, while giving a pass to the ... more »

School Tech Connect: Reading Between The Gun Control Lines

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

School Tech Connect: Reading Between The Gun Control Lines: Reading Between The Gun Control Lines When I was a young pup, I used to go to the NEA Representative Assemblies and wonder at why on earth the delegates would be arguing over positions related to all of these "outside" issues--- it frustrated me as a young person. I used to think that education was this thing that you could isolate, and that there was no need to vote about statements regarding poverty, women's rights, gun control, criminal justice, or whatever. Whatever the issue was, it seemed to me, sooner or later the ... more »

Bigger, Better and Beyond the Book? | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Bigger, Better and Beyond the Book? | Truth in American Education: Bigger, Better and Beyond the Book? by Shane Vander Hart I was introduced to Dr. Rozlyn Linder’s blog today by a friend. She the K-12 District Literacy Specialist in Douglasville, GA and an avid advocate of the Common Core State Standards. Today she opined that those of us who are critics of the Common Core, in particular, the ELA standards are uninformed and we need to read the standards. She wrote: As a proponent of the critical analysis shift demanded by Common Core I regularly speak out about the divergence ... more »

Fight for the Soul of the Common Core Standards | The IDEA Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Fight for the Soul of the Common Core Standards | The IDEA Blog: Fight for the Soul of the Common Core Standards Posted by Dana Bennis on Dec 18, 2012 - 06:15 AM ** * * * * *This is a guest blog post by Susan Sandler, who works at the Sandler Foundation and leads funding related to education policy as well as other areas. Previously, Susan spent 17 years working for racial justice in education as an organizational leader, policy advocate, researcher, professional development provider, school therapist, teacher, and activist. Susan is a member of the boards of directors for the Cen... more »

January 15, 2013 Screening Committee Notice - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

January 15, 2013 Screening Committee Notice - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education): CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION1430 N Street, Suite 5111 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-319-0827 Fax: 916-319-0175 SBE Screening Committee Members Ilene Straus, Chair Carl Cohn, Member Bruce Holaday, Member Aida Molina, Member December 17, 2012 Meeting Notice: Screening Committee of the State Board of Education *Tuesday, January 15, 2013, commencing at 1:00 p.m.* State Board of Education Conference Room California State Board of Education Office 1430 “N” Street, Room 5111 Sacramento, C... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Asperger's Syndrome

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Asperger's Syndrome: Asperger's Syndrome by Melissa Westbrook The Newtown shooter was said to have Asperger's Syndrome which is on the spectrum of autism. These people are considered the high-functioning end of that spectrum (even as they face very real and distinct challenges.) One thing to make clear - Asperger's is NOT mental illness. It is a neurobiological condition. While some mental illness, like schziophrenia, does have a biological basis, Asperger's is not defined in that category. After saying that, based on my own personal experience... more »