Philly Youth Do Zombie Flash Dance to Protest Closings
Members of the Philadelphia Student Union performed a Zombie flash dance in front of school district headquarters to protest school closings. The district leadership insists it needs to save money by closing
Matt Damon and Nancy Carlsson-Paige to Garfield Teachers!
This is a personal message from actor Matt Damon and early childhood educator Nancy Carlsson-Paige, addressed to the teachers of Garfield High:
We are writing to support all of the teachers at Garfield High School. We admire your strong and unified stand against the district mandated standardized test. Teachers, students, and parents do not have to accept practices that are harmful to them and to the whole meaning and purpose of education. We know it takes courage to risk your jobs in order to stand for what you know is right. But your example holds the promise of
We are writing to support all of the teachers at Garfield High School. We admire your strong and unified stand against the district mandated standardized test. Teachers, students, and parents do not have to accept practices that are harmful to them and to the whole meaning and purpose of education. We know it takes courage to risk your jobs in order to stand for what you know is right. But your example holds the promise of
Why Students Need Financial Literacy
This post was written by Ohio teacher Brian Page @FinEdChat
The curriculum ladder
As teachers, we are all feeling the squeeze of tough economic times. States have cut education funding for a number of reasons. We are taking the cuts personally because we live a profession that strikes at the core of our
The curriculum ladder
As teachers, we are all feeling the squeeze of tough economic times. States have cut education funding for a number of reasons. We are taking the cuts personally because we live a profession that strikes at the core of our
DC Cheating Scandal: The Plot Thickens
John Merrow is still trying to get to the bottom of the DC cheating scandal.
During his investigation, he discovered that Michelle Rhee hired a data coach who lives in California to advise her at $85 an hour or $1500 a day when he visited DC. This data expert reported to Rhee’s assessment director.
Merrow heard from confidential sources that the data expert had written a four-page memo expressing his concerns about possible cheating. Merrow spent months trying to track down the memo. He knows that it exists
During his investigation, he discovered that Michelle Rhee hired a data coach who lives in California to advise her at $85 an hour or $1500 a day when he visited DC. This data expert reported to Rhee’s assessment director.
Merrow heard from confidential sources that the data expert had written a four-page memo expressing his concerns about possible cheating. Merrow spent months trying to track down the memo. He knows that it exists
Charters for Mississippi?
Here is the latest from Mississippi, which is considering charter legislation.
Running through the comments of advocates for charters is the claim that charters will improve achievement for the lowest performing students.
They need to know three things:
1. There is no evidence that charter schools know how to improve student achievement.
2. If the governor and the legislature truly believe that deregulation improves achievement, why not deregulate all
Running through the comments of advocates for charters is the claim that charters will improve achievement for the lowest performing students.
They need to know three things:
1. There is no evidence that charter schools know how to improve student achievement.
2. If the governor and the legislature truly believe that deregulation improves achievement, why not deregulate all
St. Louis Post-Dispatch Blasts Rhee Report Card
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch tore apart Rhee’s shoddy report card, recognizing tat it is nothing more than an effort to foist her personal political preferences on the nation’s schools.
Unfortunately the newspaper admires some of her bad ideas–like evaluating teachers by test scores–and is unaware that her IMPACT program in DC hasn’t made a difference. And it accepts her mistaken notion that teachers are the problem, not poverty, not inequitable resource, not overcrowded classes, not bad policies like
Unfortunately the newspaper admires some of her bad ideas–like evaluating teachers by test scores–and is unaware that her IMPACT program in DC hasn’t made a difference. And it accepts her mistaken notion that teachers are the problem, not poverty, not inequitable resource, not overcrowded classes, not bad policies like
Rhee: “Dozens and Dozens” of Schools Made Gains…Or Did They?
In the Frontline documentary, John Merrow confronted Michelle Rhee with statistics from certain schools showing dramatic increases in test scores followed by equally dramatic declines. And they had this exchange:
JOHN MERROW: What’s your reaction to those numbers? That the gains are phony.
MICHELLE RHEE
Yeah. I mean, I—again, I—I feel like when you look at a situation like that does it call things into question? Absolutely. And should those things be investigated? A hundred percent. No—there’s no doubt about it. // But I can point to, you know, dozens and dozens of schools where, you know, they saw very steady gains over the course of the—the years that we were there, or even saw some dramatic gains that were maintained. So I think,
JOHN MERROW: What’s your reaction to those numbers? That the gains are phony.
MICHELLE RHEE
Yeah. I mean, I—again, I—I feel like when you look at a situation like that does it call things into question? Absolutely. And should those things be investigated? A hundred percent. No—there’s no doubt about it. // But I can point to, you know, dozens and dozens of schools where, you know, they saw very steady gains over the course of the—the years that we were there, or even saw some dramatic gains that were maintained. So I think,
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Read Gary Rubinstein’s Open Letters to “Reformers” by dianerav Many people have written to ask for a link to Gary Rubinstein’s “open letters to ‘reform’ leaders.” Those who read them say they are brilliant, and indeed they are. As you may know, Gary was one of the first alums of TFA. He became a career teacher. He teaches mathematics at Stuyvesant High School in New York City. He blogs regularly and whatever he writes is worth reading. He is one of the best informed and reasonable critics of corporate-style... more »