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Friday, December 28, 2012

School Tech Connect: The Discovery of the Age

School Tech Connect: The Discovery of the Age:


The Discovery of the Age

You know what? I can't get this bizarre Common Core conversation video posted on TuttleSVC out of my head. Scroll down the post and watch it; it doesn't take long.  If you have half a brain, or if you've taught English for more than five minutes, you'll be mesmerized.

Basically it's a group of people who appear to have never dealt with a group of actual teenagers talking about something that doesn't exist in nature; that is to say, Tier I words and Tier II words. And then they talk aboutgiving kids access to words, which I think is bizarre; and then they talk about how it's going to be this big shift for teachers to start talking about the impact of word choice. Which is evidently something that nobody has ever done before, in spite of the fact that English teachers and social studies teachers have been doing this very thing forever, and that it's a thing covered in every state's pre-existing standards, albeit in different words.




I think the underlying assumption of the surreal conversation in the video is that teachers have never before 

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-28-2012 #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




Imtiaz Majeed – My Talk With Suli Breaks | Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 minutes ago
Imtiaz Majeed – My Talk With Suli Breaks | Student Voice: Imtiaz Majeed – My Talk With Suli Breaks by admin [image: 480058_10151160568362869_1697525446_n] I went in not sure what to expect. I came out feeling inspired. This is my talk with Suli Amoako, more commonly known on the Internet as, Suli Breaks. His video “Why I Hate School But Love Education” has recently gone viral with over 1.5 million views. Popout Despite receiving many negative responses both from the YouTube comments and from articles such as this one from Emmeline Zhao, I believe that Suli’s video was quite the in... more »

Representative Nekritz at Aurora forum. Join us. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Representative Nekritz at Aurora forum. Join us. « Fred Klonsky: Representative Nekritz at Aurora forum. Join us. by Fred Klonsky [image: dt.common.streams.StreamServer.cls] *State Representative Elaine Nekritz.* I am pleased to have been asked by Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice to sit on a panel at this event. Join us. AURORA – A public forum on the state pension reform dilemma is planned for Wednesday at East Aurora High School.Northern Illinois Jobs with Justice and State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, an Aurora Democrat, will host town hall meeting to discuss current pension reform... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Some thoughts on Common Core and Expectations of Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Some thoughts on Common Core and Expectations of Teachers: Some thoughts on Common Core and Expectations of Teachers by alicemercer I’m attending Common Core training/planning in my district. We’re being told that the district will not be purchasing curriculum, but would like teacher to develop it. There are pluses and minuses to this. One of the things I’m hearing constantly at these meetings, is that *finally* we’ll have standards that will prepare kids for college, as though our current/last set of standards were not aimed at preparin... more »

Jerry offers Representative Cunningham a ride to Springfield. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Jerry offers Representative Cunningham a ride to Springfield. « Fred Klonsky: Jerry offers Representative Cunningham a ride to Springfield. by Fred Klonsky [image: JL sheet music] *Jerry,* *Got the letter you dropped off at my office. Sorry I will not be in Springfield during your trip there next Thursday. However, because of the canceled session days, I do have free time on my schedule and could meet with you at my Chicago office some time next week.* *Obviously, we would be covering issues we have discussed many times before, both in person and on the phone, so maybe another get-... more »

Diane in the Evening 12-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Newtown Changed Everything by dianerav David Kirp is one of our most perceptive thinkers and writers about education. You will enjoy his new book about a wonderful public school in New Jersey. It is called “Improbable Scholars.” In this *MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog* coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Why the Double Standards? by dianerav Arthur Goldstein, who teaches ESL and English in a Queens, New York, high school, writes ... more »

School Tech Connect: Poverty Plus®

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Poverty Plus®: Poverty Plus® by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I will say this for Kelly Cassidy: she gets back to you. I'm not fully confident that TRS or really anyone else is going to be able to come up with several scenarios about what retirement looks like for career teachers in Illinois under the cash balance proposal---- but she did commit to trying to provide these for me. The only thing that I can determine so far is that people working in public education in the future--- at least in Illinois--- will be full participants in the race to the bottom t... more »

Top Ten Posts of 2012 « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Top Ten Posts of 2012 « InterACT: Top Ten Posts of 2012 by David B. Cohen *Happy New Year to everyone! In case you’re in that retrospective kind of mood, or just curious about what other InterACT readers find most interesting, here are the top six posts that were published on this blog in 2012.* The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves (March 9, 2012) – excerpt: *In the long run, I suppose I am optimistic. This too shall pass. I can’t believe, can’t let myself believe, that we as a nation or as a state will allow our public education system to implode. But how long w... more »

This Is What Teachers Learning to Shoot Guns Look Like - National - The Atlantic Wire

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
This Is What Teachers Learning to Shoot Guns Look Like - National - The Atlantic Wire: This Is What Teachers Learning to Shoot Guns Look Like by Alexander Abad-Santos In Utah, nearly 200 teachers came out to receive free firearm training. In Ohio, a pilot program to teach teachers how to use guns is at capacity. And in Arizona, the attorney general has outlined plan to arm school principals as the less "extreme" option. Even before new legislation is considered on the state or federal level in the wake of the Newtown school shooting, educators across the country are learning how ... more »

Simone Bernstein: Shaking Up America's Education System

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Simone Bernstein: Shaking Up America's Education System: Shaking Up America's Education System Posted: 12/28/2012 12:09 pm At 17 years old, Nikhil Goyal is shaking up America's education system. Goyal is a senior at Syosset High School, a public school in New York. While most high school students focus on athletics, academics and socializing, Goyal aims to transform the American education system. Goyal's book, "One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student's Assessment of School," describes the flaws within America's education system and provides solutions to fix the present challenges. ... more »

Race to the Top Leads Most-Popular-Stories List - Politics K-12 - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Race to the Top Leads Most-Popular-Stories List - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Race to the Top Leads Most-Popular-Stories List by Alyson Klein [image: Politics K-12] Happy New Year! Before you run out and buy that bottle of champagne, check out Politics K-12's most-read stories of 2012. 10) Six More States Get Waivers: Waive goodbye to 2012. NCLB waivers—what they looked like and who got them and when—were a recurring story. 9) Five Issues Facing Arne Duncan: Right after the election, Michele speculated about what still-Secretary Duncan will have to deal with in his second term. ... more »

Ms. Katie's Ramblings: Make No Mistake, Corporate Ed Reform is Hurting Kids

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Ms. Katie's Ramblings: Make No Mistake, Corporate Ed Reform is Hurting Kids: Make No Mistake, Corporate Ed Reform is Hurting Kids by KatieO Corporate Education Reform hurts children. This truth needs to be said a million times over. No longer can we allow reformers to hide behind the* rhetoric* of reform and ignore the* realities*. Words like "poverty is not destiny" "high expectations" "quality school options" and "choice" all mask the very real impact of these reforms. There are consequences to the disruption of school closings, to purposeful disinvestment in neighborhood s... more »

Tony Bennett Talks Out of Both Sides of His Mouth on Common Core | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Tony Bennett Talks Out of Both Sides of His Mouth on Common Core | Scathing Purple Musings: Tony Bennett Talks Out of Both Sides of His Mouth on Common Core by Bob Sikes Indiana education chief Tony Bennett was locked in a tight race to keep his job. Knowing that Common Core Standards was unpopular with many conservative voters, Bennett had this to say about the Obama administration at a Tea Party rally this past summer: “This administration has an insatiable appetite for federal overreach,” explained Indiana Schools Superintendent Tony Bennett at a Tea Party rally regarding th... more »

The Weekly Update: Teachers Speak Up | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
The Weekly Update: Teachers Speak Up | Seattle Education: The Weekly Update: Teachers Speak Up by seattleducation2011 The Weekly Update: Teachers Speak Up Posted on December 28, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment *The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed.* [image: balloons] This week has been a slower news week than usual for obvious reasons but the internet is burning up with announcements of new Facebook pages sprouting up started by an array of parents and teachers from around the country standing with their teachers and students and against the p... more »

Historic lawsuit by the CTU against the CPS claiming school closings and turnarounds are racist and discriminatory. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Historic lawsuit by the CTU against the CPS claiming school closings and turnarounds are racist and discriminatory. « Fred Klonsky: Historic lawsuit by the CTU against the CPS claiming school closings and turnarounds are racist and discriminatory. by Fred Klonsky The following is a summary of the claim and preliminary statement filed in the UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION by attorney Robin Potter on behalf of the Chicago Teachers Union and three teachers. SUMMARY OF CLAIM1. This is an action under Title VII of the Civil Rights ... more »

Daily Kos: CAUTION: Behind the Data and School Success

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Daily Kos: CAUTION: Behind the Data and School Success: CAUTION: Behind the Data and School Success byplthomasEdDFollow During her tenure as Secretary of Education (2005-2009), Margaret Spellings announced No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was proving to be a success based on a 7 point gain in NAEP reading scores from 1999-2005. The data evidence referenced by Spellings was factual as framed, but when Gerald Bracey and Stephen Krashen dug beneath that broad claim, Spellings' claim fell apart since the gain occurred entirely between 1999-2002, before any implementation of NCLB had occur... more »

John Legg’s Arm Chair Flippancy on High School Curriculum | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
John Legg’s Arm Chair Flippancy on High School Curriculum | Scathing Purple Musings: John Legg’s Arm Chair Flippancy on High School Curriculum by Bob Sikes Although his degree is in Social Work, Sen. John Legg (R-Port Richey) fancies himself to be an educator by virtue, I assume, for owning a charter school. Feeling frisky from his recent appointment as chairman of the Senate Education Policy Committee, Legg offered this piece of commentary: “If we don’t do something different, we might as well cancel the eleventh and twelfth grades,” he said. “It can’t just be a wasteland of hi... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Selling Out of Newark's Schools: Part I

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Selling Out of Newark's Schools: Part I: The Selling Out of Newark's Schools: Part I by Duke *Don't worry, Oprah - we would never ask you to come to Newark!* If you're really interested in transparency, what better time is there to release secret emails than Christmas Eve? The City of Newark released dozens of emails to The Star-Ledger late on Christmas Eve to comply with a Superior Court order. Among the behind-the-scenes details never disclosed, the emails showed the*Newark philanthropist Ray Chambers wanted to arrange a million-dollar donation, but a top a... more »

Illinois Democratic politicians. The real behavior disorder. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Illinois Democratic politicians. The real behavior disorder. « Fred Klonsky: Illinois Democratic politicians. The real behavior disorder. by Fred Klonsky [image: Rod Blagojevich] I am not one of those who tries to find a relationship between the horrible events at Sandy Hook and every social issue from guns to mental health. In fact, I have great concerns about the resulting fears of those with mental health issues or those with atypical behaviors like Aspergers Syndrome. However, the refusal of Democratic leaders to confront the state’s revenue crisis with a progressive graduated i... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, December 28, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Grants to provide new health center for Hiram Johnson, mobile clinic for San Juan Unified schools Education Headlines *Friday, December 28, 2012* Lake Elsinore Unified nets two more grantsThe Lake Elsinore Unified School District accepted two grants totaling more than $1.2 million at its December governing board meeting. Stanislaus County Office of Education puts $25K down on old auto repair shopThe Stanislaus County Office of Education has put in an exploratory bid for the shuttered Ray Starn Auto Body shop at 10th and E streets... more »

Jersey Jazzman: A Vested Interest In Selling Our Kids As Failures

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: A Vested Interest In Selling Our Kids As Failures: A Vested Interest In Selling Our Kids As Failures by Duke Some people just can't deal with the idea that our kids may not be failures: Yes, America has the strongest military and the biggest economy by far. We remain the most innovative people on Earth, measured by the number of new patents, and our strong position in cutting-edge industries, from computers and genetic engineering to popular movies and music. More than any nation, we peacefully blend a huge range of ethnicities and religions in a tolerant democrac... more »

Technology Embedded Pedagogy | Connected Principals

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Technology Embedded Pedagogy | Connected Principals: Technology Embedded Pedagogy by Johnny Bevacqua Popout This post was originally posted on Figuring It Out by J Bevacqua I get a little frustrated when I hear comments that continually relegate the use of technology in education as something supplemental to teaching learning. I suppose videos like the one above don’t help this situation – although the idea of “Learning empowered by technology” makes me feel better. Nonetheless, I wonder when we will stop seeing “technology” as an “add on” to sound teaching pedagogy. If we agree...more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Lawsuit That Might Change Everything

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Lawsuit That Might Change Everything: The Lawsuit That Might Change Everything by Duke I'm going to make a prediction: this lawsuit will change the entire conversation about education "reform": *CHICAGO -- *The oft-maligned Chicago Public Schools (CPS) policy of subjecting neighborhood schools to “turnaround” discriminates against African-American teachers and staff according to a federal lawsuit filed this week by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and three public school educators. More than half of the 347 tenured teachers who were terminated by CPS as a re... more »

Top Ed-Tech Trends of 2012: The Politics of Ed-Tech | Inside Higher Ed

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Top Ed-Tech Trends of 2012: The Politics of Ed-Tech | Inside Higher Ed: Top Ed-Tech Trends of 2012: The Politics of Ed-Tech December 28, 2012 - 10:07am By Audrey Watters *Part 10 of my Top Ed-Tech Trends of 2012 series* Education is political — inherently so and despite the protestations from some quarters when what happens in our schools, in our textbooks, in our brains “becomes politicized.” Education is political not simply because of the governmental role — federal, state, local — in school funding and policies. It is political because of the *polis* — the connections between ... more »

Miss Lahey’s Epistle to the Romans « The Core Knowledge Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Miss Lahey’s Epistle to the Romans « The Core Knowledge Blog: Miss Lahey’s Epistle to the Romansby Jessica Lahey *December 28th, 2012* Tags: language, Latin, Teaching, vocabulary Posted in Curriculum, Education Practice, Literacy, Teaching | No Comments » When Robert Pondiscio wrote “How to Get a Big Vocabulary,” I knew it was just a matter of time before I my defenses would weaken, and I would have to start spouting off about the beauty of language, Latin, etymology, and classical roots. I can’t help it. I get excited about these things. I teach Latin, English, and writing, and my... more »

Questions for Illinois’ so-called progressive Democrats who have chosen to run and hide on Janurary 3rd. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Questions for Illinois’ so-called progressive Democrats who have chosen to run and hide on Janurary 3rd. « Fred Klonsky: Questions for Illinois’ so-called progressive Democrats who have chosen to run and hide on Janurary 3rd. by Fred Klonsky Popout. The great heavyweight champion Joe Lewis is famous for saying, *“You can run, but you can’t hide.”* Thousands of Illinois public employees, teachers included, made plans to talk to state legislators when they were going to meet in lame duck session January 3rd. Emails were sent out. Phone calls were made. Buses were rented. Vacation pla... more »

Stotsky: Common Core Writing Standards Not Linked to Appropriate Reading Standards | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Stotsky: Common Core Writing Standards Not Linked to Appropriate Reading Standards | Truth in American Education: Stotsky: Common Core Writing Standards Not Linked to Appropriate Reading Standards by Shane Vander Hart Dr. Sandra Stotsky, professor of education reform at the University of Arkansas, wrote a piece for the *Indiana Policy Review* that critiques the Common Core ELA Standards and called Indiana to re-adopt the standards they had before that were superior to the Common Core. She also pointed out a problem with the Common Core’s writing standards that very few are talki... more »

Modern School: Knights of Labor Founded Today in Labor History

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Modern School: Knights of Labor Founded Today in Labor History: Knights of Labor Founded Today in Labor History by Michael Dunn The Knights of Labor (From the Knights of Labor website) The Knights of Labor (KOL), officially known as the "Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor," was founded on December 28, 1869, when both American capitalism and the labor movement were young and relatively disorganized. It began as a secret society, but quickly grew into the largest and most significant labor organization in the U.S. by the 1880s. The Knights are considered by many to be a pre... more »

All My “Best Of 2012″ Lists In One Place! | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
All My “Best Of 2012″ Lists In One Place! | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: All My “Best Of 2012″ Lists In One Place! by Larry Ferlazzo *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] I’ve posted many “Best of 2012″ year-end lists, and I thought readers might find it useful for me to put them all together. You might also be interested in: All My “Best Of 2011″ Lists In One Place I apparently didn’t do this kind of compilation in previous years, but you can find all 1,050 “The Best…” lists categori... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-28-12 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] Why the Double Standards? by dianerav Arthur Goldstein, who teaches ESL and English in a Queens, New York, high school, writes a consistently excellent blog (nyceducator.com). In this post, he raises an intriguing question: Why is that reformers can criticize teachers nonstop and say ridiculous things about them but get twisted into paroxysms of outrage if anyone dares to defend teachers or– Inside Story on Louisiana Spin and Failures by dianerav If you are a fan of mystery writing and novels, this will inter... more »

Common Core Standards: Sky is not falling, but ground is shifting | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Common Core Standards: Sky is not falling, but ground is shifting | Get Schooled: Common Core Standards: Sky is not falling, but ground is shifting by Maureen Downey Mel Riddile is the associate director for high school services at the National Association of Secondary School Principals. His work in turning around schools in Virginia earned him the 2006 MetLife/NASSP National High School Principal of the Year award. This is his first piece for the AJC Get Schooled blog By Mel Riddile To answer a couple of the education questions on the minds of Georgia citizens these days: Yes, ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Record Chi-Town murder rate, but not in the schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Record Chi-Town murder rate, but not in the schools: Record Chi-Town murder rate, but not in the schools by Mike Klonsky Last night in Austin communityThe fatal shooting of a 40-year-old man last night on the West Side pushed Chicago's 2012 homicide toll to the 500 mark. Gun deaths have risen sharply since Rahm took office. Is there a direct connection? I can't say. That's for him to explain. The Tribune blames it on the weather: *Largely contributing to the spike was the unusual number of homicides that occurred during the *

Schools Matter: A multiple choice quiz with only one question

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Schools Matter: A multiple choice quiz with only one question: A multiple choice quiz with only one question by skrashen Who said this? "... the revolution in business ... will, over time, take place in education, too. We will move away from a system that assumes every child of a particular age moves at the same pace in every subject, and develop a system directed to the particular talents and interests of every pupil." (a) John Dewey (b) Susan Ohanian (c) Tony Blair (d) Robert Reich The answer is (c), Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the UK, 1997-2007. According to Roland Meighan ... more »

NYC Educator: Have You No Shame?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
NYC Educator: Have You No Shame?: Have You No Shame? by NYC Educator "Reformers" are having a field day criticizing Diane Ravitch. Apparently, she had the audacity to not only call teachers from Newtown heroes, but also to mention they were unionized. Therefore, she has a political agenda. Therefore, she's saying that non-union teachers are not heroes. Therefore, she's pursuing her own agenda and exploiting this tragedy for her own selfish goals. And yet, I've been reading everything that crosses my desk about education, and here's what I've learned about teachers: 1. *They are l... more »

Schools Matter: Public Schools Falling Like Dominoes

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Schools Matter: Public Schools Falling Like Dominoes: Public Schools Falling Like Dominoes by Judy Rabin *A Black Agenda Radio commentary by Bruce A. Dixon* *The forces of education privatization scored a major victory this November in Georgia, thru passage of a cleverly written constitutional amendment backed by a multiimillion dollar deceptive ad campaign, and the active backing or complicit silence of much of the black political class.* Those of us who have been closely following education policy over the past decade, have always known and understood that a test and punish pedago... more »

Rozy WOW Press: The voice of a UTLA teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Rozy WOW Press: The voice of a UTLA teacher: Rozy WOW Press: The voice of a UTLA teacher by Danny Weil *PLEASE FORWARD* You can read more about injured LA Unified teacher, Rozy Press at http://www.dailycensored.com/wp-admin/post.php?pos[image: nclb] *EXCITING NEWS* *REV. EDWARD PINKNEY IS COMING TO LA* *He is setting up Speaking Engagements, Press Conferences, Visiting LAUSD, Protesting **the NAACP and etc. Also, helping me with my case that’s at the Ca. Supreme Court.* *I’m so excited. He has given me a “voice” to tell my 12 year old **story of the nightmare that LAUSD has put me *...more »

Schools Matter: The fiction vs. non-fiction debate: A distraction from a more important question

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Schools Matter: The fiction vs. non-fiction debate: A distraction from a more important question: The fiction vs. non-fiction debate: A distraction from a more important question by skrashen Sent to the Los Angeles Times, Dec. 27, 2012 The debate over fiction vs. non-fiction in the Common Core is diverting us from a more important question: should we have common core standards? The rational for the standards is the belief that our schools are “broken.” There is no evidence this is true: Middle class American students who attend well-funded schools score at the top of the world ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Really, Gallup Poll?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Really, Gallup Poll?: Really, Gallup Poll? by Mike Klonsky The latest Gallup Poll shows 54% of Americans supporting the NRA. But remember, these are the same guys who polled Romney winning the presidential election 51% to Obama's 46%. I think they must just poll the same people over and over again, ending up with the same result. Environmentalists I know were really looking forward to Obama's second term. This was supposed to be the four years, free from re-election pressures, that he and his EPA chief *Lisa Jackson* were going to sock it to 'em on ... more »

Statement and documents of Chicago Teachers Union on the suit charging CPS with racial discrimination. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Statement and documents of Chicago Teachers Union on the suit charging CPS with racial discrimination. « Fred Klonsky: Statement and documents of Chicago Teachers Union on the suit charging CPS with racial discrimination. by Fred Klonsky 1. The oft-maligned Chicago Public Schools (CPS) policy of subjecting neighborhood schools to “turnaround” discriminates against African-American teachers and staff according to a federal lawsuit filed this week by the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and three public school educators. More than half of the 347 tenured teachers who we... more »

Daily Kos: Let's talk about real national security

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Daily Kos: Let's talk about real national security: Let's talk about real national security by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Many politicians will say that the first responsibility of a President is to ensure the national security. I would note that the Preamble to the Constitution lists two other things BEFORE "provide for the common defense" - "establish justice" "insure domestic tranquility" But I will grant for sake of discussion that a government that cannot provide security for its people will not long have the support of that people. It is in part because of that we have p... more »

Diane in the Evening 12-27-12Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Chicago Teachers Union Sues District, Claims Racial Discrimination by dianerav *This should be of interest to readers. The Chicago Teachers Union has filed a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Public Schools, claiming that African American teachers have been disproportionately harmed by school closings. Over the past decade, their numbers have dropped dramatically in the school system.* *Chicago Teachers File Federal Lawsuit Charging CPS with Racial Discrimination* *CHICAGO – *The oft-maligned Chicago Public Schools (CPS) policy of subjecting neighborh... more »

Legislators who cut pensions destroy jobs and the economy in their own communities | Reclaim Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Legislators who cut pensions destroy jobs and the economy in their own communities | Reclaim Reform: Legislators who cut pensions destroy jobs and the economy in their own communities by kenpreviti [image: money country]This is a perfect example of what present pensions do for the economy; this should be shared by all. Short sighted legislators and tax payers would do well to think before they raid and cut pensions. Legislators preach the “improve small businesses and create jobs” mantra. Why would any legislator destroy the economy of the communities which elects them? The kind a... more »

Our Top 10 Blog Posts in 2012 — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Our Top 10 Blog Posts in 2012 — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Our Top 10 Blog Posts in 2012 December 27, 2012 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers In the past year, experts and practitioners in the field, whole child partners, and ASCD staff have shared their stories, ideas, and resources to help you ensure that each child, in each school, in each community is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged and prepared for success in higher education, employment, and civic life. These are the top 10 posts you read in 2012. *Project-Based Le... more »

Parent Revolution’s California Parent Trigger Efforts Proved “Bitter, Divisive and Protracated.” | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Parent Revolution’s California Parent Trigger Efforts Proved “Bitter, Divisive and Protracated.” | Scathing Purple Musings: Parent Revolution’s California Parent Trigger Efforts Proved “Bitter, Divisive and Protracated.” by Bob Sikes *Education Week *reporter Katie Ash highlights a just released report on Parent Trigger Laws by the Annenberg Institute which concludes “that policymakers can address the shortcomings of academically low-performing schools in more productive ways.” Writes Ash: Part of the problem, the policy brief asserts, is that parent trigger laws rely on parents... more »






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