A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP
Diane Ravitch's blog: ‘Twas the Night Before Testing by dianerav Fred Smith worked for many years for the New York City Board of Education as a testing expert. Now he is a watchdog to guard against the misuse of tests. He writes opinion pieces and advises parent groups about the excesses of the testing industry. For non-New York City folk, Tisch is Merryl Tisch, the head of the New York State Board of Regents, which never sees the harm in adding more tests. The Tweed Courthouse is the building Reading a Christmas Carol for Our Own Times by dianerav Ken Previti has written ... more »
Kimble's Corner: A Christmas Message from Jack Kimble: A Christmas Message from Jack Kimble by Representative Kimble Merry Christmas! I hope this message finds you and your family well and enjoying the peace of this joyous season. If you are not Christian, I hope you are partaking of the joy of the season and worshiping as you see fit as well. For my Jewish friends celebrating the holiest of their holidays called Hannukah and my African-American friends ready to begin decorating their Kwanzaa Huts, I wish you peace. For my Christian friends, I hope you don't get too wrapped up ... more »
Schools Matter: Debunking Common Core Curriculum's so-called Four C's: Debunking Common Core Curriculum's so-called Four C's by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene *"When you go to doctors, they don’t take all your blood, they only take a sample." — Professor Stephen Krashen* [image: Common Core State Standards (CCSS) means profits for corporations and reduced critical thinking skills for working class people]Professor Diane Ravitch had a brief comment entitled The True Goals of Education? this morning where a reader suggested a sort of whole child approach based on virtues as opposed to t... more »
THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD : The Movie | Seattle Education: THE YES MEN FIX THE WORLD : The Movie by seattleducation2011 For your holiday viewing pleasure. About these ads The Man Who Saved Christmas by seattleducation2011 This was originally published in the Oregon Encyclopedia. Alfred Carlton Gilbert (1884-1961) A.C. Gilbert—the inventor of the Erector Set and other educational toys—was born on February 13, 1884, in Salem, Oregon. As a young boy, he was very athletic and … Continue reading →
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Chicago's school-closing consultants: Chicago's school-closing consultants by Mike Klonsky Consultant Avani Patel, left, talks with mayoral adviser Desiree Tate after a school utilization meeting. (Armando L. Sanchez, Chicago Tribune / December 9, 2012)Byrd-Bennett's rump panel on Chicago school closings may not be paying much attention to the growing revolt in the neighborhoods, but they are listening to a gaggle of high-priced consultants with connections to the mayor. The Tribune reports: *The commission's hearings are being organized by publ... more »
Modern School: Retailers Have Scrooge Moment--Open Shelves to Everyone: Retailers Have Scrooge Moment--Open Shelves to Everyone by Michael Dunn *A Christmas Miracle* * *Retailers were visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future last night. In response, they miraculously and unanimously decided to open their shelves to one an all. Police and firefighters, who received similar visits, voluntarily kept order using Nerfs, inflatable toys, Hula Hoops and Tickle Me Elmo dolls. (Image from Flickr, Mike Licht, Notions Capital.com)Unfortunately, the festivities were marred wh... more »
Miracle on St. Claude Avenue: All Souls Church and Community Center is a gift to 9th Ward children | NOLA.com: *Miracle on St. Claude Avenue: All Souls Church and Community Center is a gift to 9th Ward children* Seven years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Lower 9th Ward, the area's residents are still struggling to rebuild. A walk around the neighborhood -- bounded roughly by the Industrial Canal, St. Bernard Parish, Claiborne and St. Claude avenues -- reveals patches of homes, beautifully rebuilt with clean porches and manicured lawns. But never far away are thousands of blig... more »
School Tech Connect: Merry Christmas: Merry Christmas by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman)
Thinking About Schools: NRA, Guns, School Culture, and Kids: NRA, Guns, School Culture, and Kids *T**he NRA statement was uninformed, grossly insensitive to children and the innocence of growing up, and flat out arrogant.* (They missed a great opportunity to lead rather than alienate). A reporter called for my thoughts on the NRA statement about armed guards in schools. I appreciate the call whether comments are used or not. I like to present context on issues for the public even if my opinion on a particular topic is not requested. In education, it's easy to bump into a tr... more »
Smart people doing dumb things — education edition: Smart people doing dumb things — education edition Posted by Valerie Strauss on December 25, 2012 at 9:45 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Here’s a smart look at how smart people do really dumb things when it comes to school reform. It was written by Larry Cuban, a former superintendent of Arlington Public Schools for seven years, a former high school social studies teacher for 14 years and professor emeritus of education at Stanford Univer... more »
My Holiday Wishes for You « Diane Ravitch's blog: My Holiday Wishes for You by dianerav [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Dear Readers, I can’t bring myself to say “Merry Christmas,” because this Christmas season has been blighted by the tragedy in Newtown. We are still in mourning for the twenty babies who were lost there, the precious children who were so cruelly taken from their families. We are still in mourning for our brave colleagues, the educators who died defending the children, their children. Let us all this holiday season stop to honor their memory. L... more »
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE U.S. DEPT OF ED: CA schools will have to keep striving to meet unachievable goals and be punished for missing them: MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE U.S. DEPT OF ED: CA schools will have to keep striving to meet unachievable goals and be punished for missing them CALIFORNIA FAILS TO WIN WAIVERS FROM RESTRICTIVE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND EDUCATION LAW BY SHARON NOGUCHI, SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS | HTTP://BIT.LY/V01VAG 12/24/2012 05:46:01 PM PST :: Signaling that California again is marching to its own drum -- perhaps trailing ... more »
Injured UTLA Teacher Rozy Press Speaks Out About Workers Comp Corruption: Injured UTLA Teacher Rozy Press Speaks Out About Workers Comp Corruption by Danny Weil *As the political shills like Mayor Villaragosa privatize anything not nailed down, from parking meters to schools, teachers, once a professional class of workers are now suffering the Walmartization of their educational production.* ** *I worked as a consultant for the California State Compensation Insurance Fund for more than ten years. There is little doubt that an institution born out of the Progrerssive era in 1914... more »
Coal in California’s Stocking as NCLB Waiver Denied | toteachornototeach: Coal in California’s Stocking as NCLB Waiver Denied by aristotlethewise Coal in California’s Stocking as NCLB Waiver Denied [image: Evil_Santa] Christmas came early for the state of California — and unfortunately, the state found out that it’s at the top of the Department of Education’s ‘naughty’ list. 33 states and the District of Columbia have been granted waivers from the No Child Left Behind Act’s requirements, the most important of which is the demand that 100% of a state’s students be proficient in Englis... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Merry Christmas from Gov. 'Squeezy' and the Civic Committee: Merry Christmas from Gov. 'Squeezy' and the Civic Committee by Mike Klonsky Retiree, living on fixed income, Thea Halvorson, uneasily envisions the possibility of losing here home. (Sim-Times)Sun-Times headline: Retired state workers in cross-hairs of Illinois’ pension crisis Cross-hairs is right. Who would have imagined that a gaggle of "progressive" Democrats, along with a Democratic governor who has a Dem majority in both houses, would be stuffing rocks in the Christmas stockings of the... more »
Peace to one and all… At a time when we must all redouble our work for Peace... - Wait, What?: Peace to one and all… At a time when we must all redouble our work for Peace… by jonpelto Friends, In all times, but especially in these troubled times, we must never forget the essential words of Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), the great philosopher who helped lay the ground work for the Enlightenment; “Peace is not an absence of war; it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.” - Baruch Spinoza In this season of hope, whether you are celebrating the... more »
tomhayden.com - Home - Christmas Lessons From Hanoi: CHRISTMAS LESSONS FROM HANOI [image: Date]MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2012 AT 6:41PM | [image: Print Article]PRINT ARTICLE | [image: Email Article]EMAIL ARTICLE | [image: Comment]POST A COMMENT The wreckage of an American B-52 shot down in the middle of a residential neighborhood during the Christmas air raids of 1972, Huu Tiep Lake, Hanoi. Today’s peaceful Hanoi, alight with Christmas ornaments, was the scene of a decisive battle forty years ago this week, one which the Pentagon prefers to forget. I will be there this week to take part ...more »
*From My Family to Yours*
Prayer for a New Mother « Student Activism: Prayer for a New Mother by Angus Johnston The things she knew, let her forget again – The voices in the sky, the fear, the cold, The gaping shepherds, and the queer old men Piling their clumsy gifts of foreign gold. Let her have laughter with her little one; Teach her the needless, tuneless songs to sing; Grant her her right to whisper to her son The foolish names one dare not call a king. Keep from her dreams the rumble of a crowd, The smell of rough-cut wood, the trail of red, The thick and chilly whiteness of the shroud That wraps the... more »
Canada's 'Idle No More' Movement Spreads Like Wildfire | Common Dreams: Published on Monday, December 24, 2012 by Common Dreams Canada's 'Idle No More' Movement Spreads Like Wildfire Chief Theresa Spence on 14th day of hunger strike - Craig Brown, staff writer The *'Idle No More'* movement, a campaign of grassroots First Nations protests, has spread like wildfire over the past week in response to bills passed by the conservative Canadian government. First Nations protesters march towards Parliament Hill during a demonstration as part of the spreading 'Idle No More' movement in Ottawa,... more »
Ed Notes Online: Christmas & Chanukah/ Letter to Santa: Christmas & Chanukah/ Letter to Santa from Ed Notes Online by ed notes online An oldie, but appropriate to the season. Just in case anyone asks you what the difference is between Christmas and Chanukah, you will know what and how to answer. 1. Christmas is one day, same day every year, December 25. Jews also love December 25th. It's another paid day off work. We go to the movies and out for Chinese food and Israeli dancing. Chanukah is 8 days. It starts the evening of the 24th of Kislev, whenever that falls. No one is ever s... more »
Living a Self-Directed Life One Week at a Time | Lefty Parent: Living a Self-Directed Life One Week at a Time by Cooper Zale Human society is gradually transitioning from hierarchies of domination and control towards egalitarian circles of equals. At least that’s my take on things, and my “life’s work” including this writing that I do is all about bearing witness to and championing that transition. A critical aspect of moving away from other people (including ones employer) controlling your life, is to develop the ability to exercise that control yourself instead. So moving beyond ... more »
Happy holidays! The Corporatization Of San Jose High School and child labor: Happy holidays! The Corporatization Of San Jose High School and child labor by Danny Weil Joe Rodriguez, a reporter for the Mercury News recently reported that in San Jose, California: “The city is blessed with high schools that prepare low-income, underachieving students for college, but here comes one with a twist. Students at this school will attend classes four days a week, but on the fifth they’ll put on work clothes and hoof it over to a local business, corporation or agency and put in a day’s work ... more »
Ed Notes Online: Fred Smith Celebrates The Night Before…: Fred Smith Celebrates The Night Before… by ed notes online ‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the state Tisch was telling the Regents that she couldn’t wait. The new year was coming, surely bringing the best; Every school overflowing with test after test. The Common Core Standards would arrive any day, Educational nirvana was well on its way. And in the Tweed Courthouse joy was also in season. Tests, yet more tests on top of tests were
Pass / Fail : Organization wants to recognize preschool teachers' hard work | 89.3 KPCC: Organization wants to recognize preschool teachers' hard work by Deepa Fernandes [image: Economics of Child Care - 3] *Children's Center teacher Karina Diaz reads a book to preschoolers. Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC* With preschools around the Southland closed for the holidays, most little children are home running rings their parents. And no doubt those parents are appreciating the work their preschool teachers do every day. William Yu, an Economist with the Anderson Forecast, said they do it all... more »
Ted Chittenden Died… « Deborah Meier on Education: Ted Chittenden Died… by debmeier …a few days ago, from a heart attack, thus breaking a lot of hearts this holiday season. He was one of the earliest allies we had in our critique of standardized testing–especially useful since he also worked at ETS–although not on tests. To everyone who knew Ted–including the many many children in the schools he worked with over the years (like CPE) he was their imagined godfather–patient, humorous, appreciative, gentle and insightful. He listened so carefully to others, including 4 and 5 year ol... more »
Scrooges: 2012-13 | Reclaim Reform: Scrooges: 2012-13 by kenpreviti Scrooges 2012-13 “If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” In 1843, before Social Darwinism was formulated, the Malthusian predictions of overpopulation that would deny wealthy jolly Englishmen of their high standard of living promoted this Fox News-like inhumane view of others – any others than the selfish self. Scrooge produced nothing, yet he considered himself a job creator. One clerk. One underpaid, uninsured clerk who lived near penury with his f... more »
Education Roundup December 21, 2012 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): Education Roundup for the Week Ending December 21, 2012 SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today issued this week's Education Roundup of education-related announcements of public interest. California Career Tech Student is Harvard Bound One of the state's high-achieving career technical education students has earned early admission to Harvard University. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson is congratulating Belinda Zeng of Monta Vista High School (Fremont Union High S... more »
