Thursday, February 14, 2013

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 2-14-13 #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




Big Education Ape - SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 2-14-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 minutes ago
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* Most of the 129 schools on The Mayor’s list to close are on the south and west side. by Fred Klonsky From the CTU Black Caucus: [image: 823553_450245221712114_1759762809_o] Indiana Bill Will Mandate Assessment and Public Input of Common Core by Shane Vander Hart *The Indianapolis Star* spun yesterday’s vote on SB 193 in the Indiana Senate Education and Career Development committee as a sign that the state will likely keep the Common Core State Standards. I disagree. This coming Tuesday the full Indiana Senate will vote on the bill. This ... more »

Big Data and Little Kids: "Assessment" in Obama's Pre-K Plan - Dana Goldstein

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Big Data and Little Kids: "Assessment" in Obama's Pre-K Plan - Dana Goldstein: Big Data and Little Kids: "Assessment" in Obama's Pre-K Plan by Dana Goldstein Via Twitter, I'm seeing a lot of anxiety about the part of President Obama's new universal preschool proposal that calls for "comprehensive data and assessment systems" to track student progress and program quality. I know what you're thinking: *Standardized tests for four-year olds? *And I agree, it is absurd to imagine toddlers filling in Scantron bubbles. But that isn't at all what the administration has ever meant when i... more »

UPDATE: Obama in Decatur on pre-k: ‘Give all of our kids that chance.’ | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Obama in Decatur on pre-k: ‘Give all of our kids that chance.’ | Get Schooled: Obama in Decatur on pre-k: ‘Give all of our kids that chance.’ 2:40 pm February 14, 2013, by Maureen Downey Here is the text of the Obama speech. The President deviated now and then but this is essentially what he said today in Decatur: Hello, everybody! Well, it is great to be in Georgia! Great to be in Decatur! I can’t imagine a more romantic way to spend Valentine’s Day — (laughter) — than with all of you, with all the press here. Actually, Michelle says hello. She made me promise to get back i... more »

Sacramento Press / 'Our families walk their students to school'

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Sacramento Press / 'Our families walk their students to school': 'Our families walk their students to school'by Karen Wilkinson, published on *February 13, 2013* at *4:40 PM* The crowd listens as a school official speaks. While Washington Elementary School is the smallest school in the district, you wouldn't know it by the amount of impassioned community members that spoke up Wednesday night to oppose a plan to shut its doors. Hundreds of parents, teachers, students and education supporters criticized the Sacramento City Unified School District's plan, calling it unfair and a dir... more »

How Can Teachers Overcome Depression and Strife? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
How Can Teachers Overcome Depression and Strife? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: How Can Teachers Overcome Depression and Strife? by Anthony Cody A message sent via Twitter tells the tale. "My fellow teacher residents and I are going through deep strife and depression right now and I'm holding a healing session tomorrow evening. Any meditative or healing resources you can share? Anything will do!" The pressures we are subjecting teachers to are taking a toll. When our leaders hold schools responsible for overcoming poverty, teachers sometimes feel as if their work i... more »

Diane in the Evening 2-14-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: L.A. School Board Candidate Speaks Out by dianerav Robert Skeels is a pro-public school candidate in Los Angeles. He has raised $15,000. He will not get anything from Eli Broad or Michael Bloomberg. He comments: The LA Times asked me for a quote on Bloomberg’s $1 Million CSR donation. Here’s my response: “As a community candidate who has raised over $15,000 through myriad small contributions from local parents, community members, and classroom teachers, I find it dismaying that a single out-of-state billionaire has a greater voice in our school board elect... more »

Schools Matter: Why Does Corporate Ed "Reform" and Arne Duncan Love the GA Model for Early Childhood?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Schools Matter: Why Does Corporate Ed "Reform" and Arne Duncan Love the GA Model for Early Childhood?: Why Does Corporate Ed "Reform" and Arne Duncan Love the GA Model for Early Childhood? by Jim Horn Today the President is in Georgia trying to sell the corporate plan that he has bought for early childhood education in America. Everyone at ED is hot for the Georgia Model. Why? Could it have anything to do with the fact that Georgia does not require a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education, or even a Bachelors Degree? Could it be related to Georgia's market friendly mo... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Obama will deliver another speech tomorrow in Chicago. But why?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Obama will deliver another speech tomorrow in Chicago. But why?: Obama will deliver another speech tomorrow in Chicago. But why? by Mike Klonsky I know there's a lot of people glad that the Obama is coming to Chicago to focus on the gun violence epidemic plaguing the city since Rahm took office. But I think Obama's people may be making a mistake by sending him here on Friday. He's scheduled to speak at Hyde Park High School, no doubt surrounded by the mayor and his gaggle of Democratic Party pols -- maybe the most corrupt and most hated group of inglo... more »

Edwin Portugal – California, The Next Leader in Education - Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Student Voice: Edwin Portugal – California, The Next Leader in Education by admin The education reform community (almost) unanimously agrees that Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) has failed students. This law has put a large emphasis on standardized testing and “accountability” while ignoring the individual needs of students, educators, and the schools themselves. When Obama came into office, education reformers were optimistic that his administration would reverse some of the adverse effects of NCLB. Obama’s “Race to the Top”, however, turned out to be a re-hash of the same f... more »

Press Release | National Association for the Education of Young Children | NAEYC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Press Release | National Association for the Education of Young Children | NAEYC: Early Childhood Education Focus in State of the Union Applauded by NAEYC House and Senate Reintroduction of NAEYC Recommendations Expected Shortly Early Childhood Education Focus in State of the Union Applauded by NAEYC House and Senate Reintroduction of NAEYC Recommendations Expected Shortly *WASHINGTON*—The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation’s leading voice on high-quality early childhood education for children from birth through age 8, issued the following... more »

Happy Valentine’s Day to the Superheroes of Scarleteen «

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Happy Valentine’s Day to the Superheroes of Scarleteen «: Happy Valentine’s Day to the Superheroes of Scarleteen by Angus Johnston [image: Scarleteen, sex ed for the real world] I’ve known about Scarleteen for a few years now, and I’m still bowled over by them. Scarleteen is a sexuality education and advice organization for young people, and it’s absolutely incredible. It’s a website with a huge library of great information. It’s a set of online forums where young folks can go to ask hard questions and get thoughtful answers. It’s a Twitter feed and Facebook page with tens of thousa... more »

Louisiana Educator: Attack on Public Education Continues

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Attack on Public Education Continues: Attack on Public Education Continues by Michael Deshotels As most educators are now aware, the attack on public education in Louisiana is expected to intensify greatly this year. This is happening despite the fact that public schools across the state have made great progress in raising state test scores and improving the graduation rate. Apparently the reformers were not satisfied with your efforts. Jindal, White and now Roemer want nothing less than complete privatization of our K-12 school system.See these amazing revelat... more »

FCMAT »Cali Education Headlines Thursday, February 14, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: [image: Mayor Bloomberg Your Money Sucks! (Learn More click picture)][image: MAYOR BLOOMBERG YOUR MONEY Cant Buy My Vote! (LEARN MORE CLICK PICTURE)] Education Headlines *Thursday, February 14, 2013* Education roundup: District superintendent Hearron retiringKip Hearron is retiring as superintendent of the Panama-Buena Vista Union School District. State bill would shrink school superintendents' severance payA California legislator wants to shrink considerably the severance pay for California school superintendents. Monterey teac...more »

UPDATE: Obama’s education vision + Our movement is against closing any public school + How can you mend a broken heart? « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
How can you mend a broken heart? « Fred Klonsky: Obama’s education vision. by Fred Klonsky [image: 1220905044-large] *Community organizer, Barack Obama.* *“… to redesign America’s high schools so they better equip graduates for the demands of a high-tech economy. And we’ll reward schools that develop new partnerships with colleges and employers, and create classes that focus on science, technology, engineering and math, the skills today’s employers are looking for to fill the jobs that are there right now and will be there in the future.” – *President Obama, State of the Union I ... more »

Fact Sheet President Obama’s Plan for Early Education for all Americans | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Fact Sheet President Obama’s Plan for Early Education for all Americans | The White House: Fact Sheet President Obama’s Plan for Early Education for all Americans “In states that make it a priority to educate our youngest children…studies show students grow up more likely to read and do math at grade level, graduate high school, hold a job, form more stable families of their own. We know this works. So let’s do what works and make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind.” ... more »

Connecticut’s House Republicans step forward to protect open, fair and accountable government - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Connecticut’s House Republicans step forward to protect open, fair and accountable government - Wait, What?: Connecticut’s House Republicans step forward to protect open, fair and accountable government If you found that hard to read, imagine how hard it was to write… But it is true. Last week, the leader of the House Republicans blasted Governor Malloy’s plan to undermine Connecticut’s watchdog agencies. Representative Cafero observed that Governor Malloy’s budget proposal is, “…an attempt to undermine the public’s right to know what is going on within government.” Cafero adde... more »

Student 'zombies' march on R.I. Department of Education in protest / Video | Breaking News | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Student 'zombies' march on R.I. Department of Education in protest / Video | Breaking News | providencejournal.com | The Providence Journal: Student 'zombies' march on R.I. Department of Education in protest / Video Comments 22 February 13, 2013 5:27 pm By Linda Borg PROVIDENCE JOURNAL VIDEO / ANDREW DICKERMAN A group of Providence high school students, some with zombie makeup, protest against the rigid use of NECAP tests that determines eligibility for graduation. PROVIDENCE -- Spattered with blood, their eyes blackened, their T-shirts torn, a line of teenaged zombies zigzagged t... more »

Stand for Children’s Litzow is at it again. This time he wants to grade schools…so they can be closed and turned into charter schools « Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Stand for Children’s Litzow is at it again. This time he wants to grade schools…so they can be closed and turned into charter schools « Seattle Education: Stand for Children’s Litzow is at it again. This time he wants to grade schools…so they can be closed and turned into charter schools by seattleducation2011 Stand for Children’s Litzow is at it again. This time he wants to grade schools…so they can be closed and turned into charter schools From the WSSDA Legislative Update - *SSB 5328 would create a pilot program school A-F grading system for the 2013-14 school year, with... more »

Shanker Blog » Revisiting The "Best Evidence" Theory Of Charter School Performance

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Shanker Blog » Revisiting The "Best Evidence" Theory Of Charter School Performance: Revisiting The “Best Evidence” Theory Of Charter School Performance by Matthew Di Carlo Which, *on the whole*, show modest or no differences in test-based effectiveness between charters and comparable regular public schools. Among the more persistent arguments one hears in the debate over charter schools is that the “best evidence” shows charters are more effective. I have discussed this issue before (as have others), but it seems to come upfrom time to time, even in mainstream media coverage. The ... more »

#commoncore for adults: A new and untapped market? – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
#commoncore for adults: A new and untapped market? – @ the chalk face: #commoncore for adults: A new and untapped market? by Timothy D. Slekar According to the National Center for Education Statistics adult illiteracy in America is *kind of a problem.* Look at this graphic! [image: Illiterate-America-800 copy] Hey Common Core purveyors! Here’s an untapped market. What are you waiting for? These people need your help! Just use your vast resources and lobby Congress! All you need is a Common Core mandate to experiment on

Report questions impact of Brown’s finance formula on career tech | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Report questions impact of Brown’s finance formula on career tech | EdSource Today: Report questions impact of Brown’s finance formula on career tech ** February 14th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By Susan Frey Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on print More Sharing Services In proposing to give school districts almost all of their money with no strings attached, Gov. Jerry Brown is confident that local school boards and superintendents are best able to make the right decisions so that all students can graduate ready for college and work. A report released today byPolic... more »

On Extremism, Inconsistency, and Uncertainty - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
On Extremism, Inconsistency, and Uncertainty - Bridging Differences - Education Week: On Extremism, Inconsistency, and Uncertainty by Deborah Meier *This is Alfie Kohn's final post with Deborah Meier on Bridging Differences. A new blogger joins Deborah next week.* Dear Debbie, I'm tempted to continue talking about competition with you, trying to hash out whether it (like conflict) is really inevitable, and asking what message we send to kids when we permit or even endorse activities that pit them against one another. But I was intrigued by your more general comments about consist... more »

The Quick and the Ed » President Obama’s “Fix-It-First” Program: Why We Need Modern Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
The Quick and the Ed » President Obama’s “Fix-It-First” Program: Why We Need Modern Schools: President Obama’s “Fix-It-First” Program: Why We Need Modern Schools by Peter Cookson Jr. In his State of the Union Address on Tuesday night President Obama laid out a wide array of programs and initiatives including many in education. Most of them laudable and important, but I must confess one really got my attention. Roughly mid-way through his speech he proposed a *Fix-it-First* program, “to put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs.” To get this done he is prop... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Data Mining: A "Kindler, Gentler Survelliance"?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Data Mining: A "Kindler, Gentler Survelliance"?: Data Mining: A "Kindler, Gentler Survelliance"? by stlgretchen Your human capital is important to Silicon Valley Data issues and invasion of privacy concerns crop up constantly these days. We hear reports of Anonymous hacking into government websites, credit card information compromised and people are upset their Facebook information gets posted in places unknown to the Facebook user. Quartz (qz.com) asked this question: * **Analysis: Is big data to Barack Obama what big oil was to George W. Bush?* an... more »

The Badger Herald · School vouchers foolishly privatize public education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The Badger Herald · School vouchers foolishly privatize public education: School vouchers foolishly privatize public education In recent weeks, Gov. Scott Walker has been pushing for renewed efforts to expand Wisconsin’s school voucher program, without exactly specifying what this program would entail. Walker’s renewed effort to expand the program coincides with the efforts of three former Republican state representatives who are now lobbying for an expanded school voucher program. Wisconsin’s school voucher program is misguided and is ultimately not a good policy for the state. The W... more »

ROSEN: Say no to charter schools | Yale Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
ROSEN: Say no to charter schools | Yale Daily News: ROSEN: Say no to charter schools Looking Left BY DIANA ROSEN STAFF COLUMNIST Wednesday, February 13, 2013 - SHARE - TWEET - DISCUSS The News reported three weeks ago on plans to open new charter schools in New Haven (“State may get new charter schools,” Jan. 23). Over the past several years, charters have been expanding in the Elm City, as well as across the country. My hometown of Chicago has already opened 59 charter schools and has plans to open many more over the next few years. But these paradoxically publicly funde... more »

All Education Matters: Spare Change News: The Student Lending Crisis

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
All Education Matters: Spare Change News: The Student Lending Crisis: Spare Change News: The Student Lending Crisis by Cryn Johannsen I am a regular contributor at Spare Change News. Here's a snippet fro my latest piece about the student lending crisis: On September 17th, 2011, people took to the streets in lower Manhattan as Occupiers to denounce the financial and banking institutions that, as they saw it, caused suffering, economic disaster, and unnecessary harm during and after the financial crisis of 2008. Many of the protesters, Occupiers, asserted — and with solid arguments... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-14-13 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] Indiana Will Not Drop Out of Common Core by dianerav Despite protests from parents and teachers, the Indiana Legislature agreed to continue rolling out the Common Core standards, which have already been rolled out for kindergarten and first grade, and will soon be released for second grades (these are the grades in which early childhood experts say the Common Core standards are developmentally inappropriate). The state board of education, which is staunchly Republican, is firmly and unanimously committed t... more »

Daily Kos: Charles Blow: "The Real Obama"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Daily Kos: Charles Blow: "The Real Obama": Charles Blow: "The Real Obama" by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Is this the real Barack Obama? I hope so. I like this one. So begins Charles M. Blow in The Real Obama, his *New York Times* column today. He immediately follows with this paragraph: The president used Tuesday’s State of the Union address to detail a vision of America’s future, and his second term, in which the country is not in perpetual war, government plays an expansive role, Congressional obstruction is named and shamed and he is bold and unapologetically progressive. ... more »

Eugene V. Debs: Statement September 18, 1918 – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Eugene V. Debs: Statement September 18, 1918 – @ the chalk face: Eugene V. Debs: Statement September 18, 1918 by plthomasedd Prompted by Deborah Meier’s “Considering How to Use Competition and Conflict” at Bridging Differences(*Education Week*) and Barbara Madeloni’s brilliant “The emotional violence of the accountability regime: part two” here *@ the chalk face*, as well as my own blog posting, “Lessons from the Zombie Apocalypse,” I am reposting “Statement September 18, 1918″ from Eugene V. Debs, who should serve in this country as a beacon for speaking and *acting* truth to pow... more »

Union wins right to represent Valley charter school - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Union wins right to represent Valley charter school - latimes.com: Union wins right to represent Valley charter school The Los Angeles teachers union announced Wednesday night that it has won the right to negotiate a contract for teachers and counselors at a West San Fernando Valley charter school. The charter, Ivy Academia, operates out of three locations and serves students in kindergarten through 12th grade. The school has produced consistently high test scores and is known for its focus on encouraging entrepreneurial skills among its students. For the union, United Teachers L... more »

UPDATE: Chicago Public School Closure List Out; More SOTU Preschool Details: Ed Today + Obama Early Education Plan To Be Detailed In Georgia Speech

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Obama Early Education Plan To Be Detailed In Georgia Speech: Chicago Public School Closure List Out; More SOTU Preschool Details: Ed Today by Joy Resmovits *Chicago School Drama?* Two notable things happened in Chicago Public Schools land on Wednesday. First, 39 or 50 aldermen (code for city councilmen) signed a resolution that calls for a moratorium on charter schoolsnext year. (Sort of similar, ish, to the closure and colocation moratorium several New York City mayoral candidates signed onto.) More controversially, CPS released a list of 129 schools that could be eligible for c... more »

Pass / Fail : LA Unified school board race could break fundraising records | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Pass / Fail : LA Unified school board race could break fundraising records | 89.3 KPCC: LA Unified school board race could break fundraising records by Adolfo Guzman-Lopez [image: MAYOR BLOOMBERG YOUR MONEY Cant Buy My Vote! (LEARN MORE CLICK PICTURE)] *Incumbent LAUSD Board President Monica Garcia at her East LA campaign office. Credit: Maya Sugarman/KPCC* New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's unprecedented $1 million donation Tuesday to influence Los Angeles school board elections ups the ante in a school board race that is on its way to breaking fundraising records. The 2013 schoo...more »

UPDATE: On Public Integrity and Our Ethics Complaint + Dear Philadelphia: “We are above the law” | Parents United for Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Dear Philadelphia: “We are above the law” | Parents United for Public Education: Dear Philadelphia: “We are above the law” by parentsunitedphila [image: Image] If there’s any question about what’s at stake regarding the lobbying complaint filed last month by Parents United, the Philadelphia Home & School Council, and the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP, read about this move by the William Penn Foundation. Last week, the Foundation announced the suspension of funding to all city agencies, stating that they could not move ahead until the city ethics complaint was resolved. (Read *Ci... more »

Mr. President, My Students Deserve Better | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mr. President, My Students Deserve Better | toteachornototeach: Mr. President, My Students Deserve Better by aristotlethewise Mr. President, My Students Deserve Better by Randy TurnerIt certainly was depressing last night to discover that the only reason I am standing in front of a classroom of eighth grade students day after day, year after year, is so at some point they can be delivered job ready to some employer. Whatever happened to the loftier goals of teaching young people the thinking skills needed to succeed in life, the ability to function not only as members of a faceless ... more »

Obama visits Decatur pre-k today: A teacher suggests what else he should see | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Obama visits Decatur pre-k today: A teacher suggests what else he should see | Get Schooled: Obama visits Decatur pre-k today: A teacher suggests what else he should see by Maureen Downey [image: President Obama visits a Decatur pre-k today. (AJC photo)]President Obama visits a Decatur pre-k today. (AJC photo) Here is a piece by Robyn Tedder, who taught kindergarten as a Teach For America corps member in Metro Atlanta. She now works on TFA staff to support pre-k and kindergarten and teachers throughout the region. By Robyn Tedder On Tuesday, President Obama called the nation’s atte... more »

School Tech Connect: These Kids Are The 25%, Apparently

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
School Tech Connect: These Kids Are The 25%, Apparently: These Kids Are The 25%, Apparently by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) 129 schools on the hit list in Chicago. You must remember that the de facto superintendent here, the mayor, laid his hand on the table months ago, in a meeting with Karen Lewis: He did say to me that 25 percent of the students in this city are never going to be anything, never going to amount to anything and he was never going to throw money at them." He denied the comment at the time, but I believe her. In the suburbs, no such cynical person would eve... more »

Let’s measure love (just like we measure teachers)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Let’s measure love (just like we measure teachers): Let’s measure love (just like we measure teachers) Posted by Valerie Strauss on February 14, 2013 at 2:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: Lovemeter]If you put together the current obsession with measurement in modern school reform (Bill Gates titled his 2013 annual foundation letter “Measuring Progress”) with the fact that today is Valentine’s Day, you get the following satirical piece by Steve Strieker, a veteran social studies tea... more »

It’s BaaaaAAAAACK! Contradictions, Clowns, Conflicts and All…Parent Trigger Returns | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
It’s BaaaaAAAAACK! Contradictions, Clowns, Conflicts and All…Parent Trigger Returns | Scathing Purple Musings: It’s BaaaaAAAAACK! Contradictions, Clowns, Conflicts and All…Parent Trigger Returns by Bob Sikes I’ve been wondering when we’d see this Vaudeville act again and whether or not it was going to be about stroking Jeb Bush’s ego. (He vowed that it would be back after last year’s defeat in the senate). What better way is there to open this year’s show than to highlight a new twist of irony. SB 862′s sponsor is Sen. Kelli Stargel (R-Lakleland). Who new that Stargel would eve... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 2-13-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* MONICA GARCIA + L.A. FUND FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION REMOVE OFFENSIVE, ILLEGITIMATE, UNETHICAL & SELF–SERVING BILLBOARDS by smf see: LA GORDA DREAMS BIG: Monica’s Big Big Billboard The utla Arts Education Committee e-mails: The mere threat of our protests was enough. The offensive, illegitimate, unethical billboards have been taken down. They've whitewashed their wrongdoing by covering them up. But, hey, we still have photos. When faced with public denunciation of two protests originally planned later [image: MonicaBillboard] Education T... more »

NYC Educator: Stupid Meetings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
NYC Educator: Stupid Meetings: Stupid Meetings by NYC Educator I'm the UFT chapter leader at my school. It's kind of a crazy job. I get called to go here, do this, or discuss that on a regular basis. But I'm also an ESL teacher, and I almost always teach beginners. One day, the kids asked me why I had to leave a class early. I told them I was the chapter leader. They didn't really understand that. The more I explained, the less they seemed to get it. The next year, a new group of kids asked me the same question. I decided to explain to them in a way they might understand and accep... more »

The emotional violence of the accountability regime: part two – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
The emotional violence of the accountability regime: part two – @ the chalk face: [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] The emotional violence of the accountability regime: part two by Barbara Madeloni *You may say to yourself, my god, what have I done?-* * * Talking Heads In the lead up to NCATE at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, I was given the job of helping to figure out how the various assessments could be fitted to the structures of the web-based data management system we had purchased. As well, when it came time to teach students, teachers and faculty how to use the sys... more »

The Origin and Purpose of Black History Month - Higher Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
The Origin and Purpose of Black History Month - Higher Education: The Origin and Purpose of Black History Month by cmaadmin Stacy Swimp [image: Stacy Swimp]*History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day. It is also a compass that people use to find themselves on the map of human geography. History tells a people where they have been and what they have been, where they are and what they are. Most important, history tells a people where they still must go, what they still must be. The relationship of history to the people is the same as the relat... more »

You might be a reformer if … | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
You might be a reformer if … | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: You might be a reformer if … by Gary Rubinstein [image: Mayor Bloomberg Your Money Sucks! (Learn More click picture)] It has been a while since I caught up on some TFA ‘Pass The Chalk’ blog entries. I read two interesting ones, one just published, and one published a few months ago that I must have missed. In “Who are the ‘So-Called Reformers’” staffer Heather Harding writes about how it is too bad that people opposed to the corporate reform strategies sometimes refer to people like Joel Klein, Michelle Rhee, and others as ‘R... more »

Mother Crusader: The Paterson Collegiate Charter School Application; New Markets Tax Credits, Part III

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Mother Crusader: The Paterson Collegiate Charter School Application; New Markets Tax Credits, Part III: The Paterson Collegiate Charter School Application; New Markets Tax Credits, Part III by darciecima This is Part III of a four part series about the Paterson Collegiate Charter School Application. Part I was about the current state of the New Jersey Department of Education charter application process, and Part II was about Stephen F. Wilson, the lead founder of the charter and also conveniently the founder and president of Ascend Learning, the proposed Charter Management Organ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Pundits: Listen To Teachers!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Pundits: Listen To Teachers!: Pundits: Listen To Teachers! by Duke [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] *Diane Ravitch is one of my heroes. So when she asked me to write a guest post for her blog, I was thrilled and honored. This piece was originally published here, but I wanted to have a copy at my blog as well.* As an American public school teacher, one of my greatest frustrations is how little our debate about education has been informed by the people who actually do the teaching. It's not that I think teachers are the only ones who should have a... more »

Anti-Common Core Bill Almost Ready to Go in Michigan House | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Anti-Common Core Bill Almost Ready to Go in Michigan House | Truth in American Education: Anti-Common Core Bill Almost Ready to Go in Michigan House by Shane Vander Hart [image: MichiganStateCapitol] To our Michigan Readers… Deborah DeBacker, one of our partners in Michigan, said that there is an anti-Common Core bill on the desk of State Representative Tom McMillin (R-Rochester Hills). He’s looking for co-sponsors and it will be on his desk only tomorrow. You can find your State Representative’s contact info here. Call them, email them and call them again if you need to. The po... more »

CPS chief releases list of 129 schools that could close — most on South and - Chicago Sun-Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
CPS chief releases list of 129 schools that could close — most on South and - Chicago Sun-Times: CPS chief releases list of 129 schools that could close — most on South and West sides By Lauren FitzPatrick Education Reporter lfitzpatrick@suntimes.com February 13, 2013 5:32PM 0 1 Share 65 1 [image: Mayor Rahm Emanuel Chicago public schools C.E.O. BarbarByrd-Bennett. FILE PHOTO.. | Al Podgorski~Chicago Sun-Times] Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago public schools C.E.O., Barbara Byrd-Bennett. FILE PHOTO.. | Al Podgorski~Chicago Sun-Times RELATED DOCUMENTS List of 129 CPS schools that rema... more »

Obama Preschool Plan Faces Major Questions Over Cost, Viability

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Obama Preschool Plan Faces Major Questions Over Cost, Viability: Obama Preschool Plan Faces Major Questions Over Cost, Viability from Joy Resmovits by Joy Resmovits Just one day after President Barack Obama unveiled hisbig promise to America's smallest children, both advocates and allies are raising major questions about its prognosis. Obama proposed a major expansion of preschool for all children, but it's unclear if he can deliver on it -- especially in a climate of ever-tightening budgets. Such an ambitious plan would have to clear a Republican-controlled House of Representat... more »

the unthinkable: dreams and nightmares « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
the unthinkable: dreams and nightmares « Deborah Meier on Education: the unthinkable: dreams and nightmares by debmeier We perhaps need utopian and “revolutionary” thinking just to keep ourselves from falling into despair. Reading history helps me too–things could be a lot worse, I remind myself. Yes “our dreams” are better than “their nightmares”–even if less realistic. At times I fall back on hoping for a knight on a white/black/brown et al horse, who sweeps in and rights the ship/school/nation/planet and then gives the reins back to us when the crisis is over. I had an experien... more »

CHECK THIS! Who’s this @alderman_moreno guy? He called himself a “hipster?” Really? – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Who’s this @alderman_moreno guy? He called himself a “hipster?” Really? – @ the chalk face: Who’s this @alderman_moreno guy? He called himself a “hipster?” Really? by Chalk Face, PhD I saw pop up on my Facebook feed a video of some Chicago Alderman getting booed off the stage at a local meeting. Good deal. PopoutYou know, I think I remember a quote from the movie Hunt for Red October. Not worth looking up, but it was something to the effect of, oh hell, wait a minute. All right, here it is:

UPDATE: Common Core Claims Aren't Factual and Questions Remain Unanswered + Missouri Education Watchdog: Bill Gates, Education Reform and Philanthrocapitalism. .

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Bill Gates, Education Reform and Philanthrocapitalism. .: Common Core Claims Aren't Factual and Questions Remain Unanswered by stlgretchen Diane Ravitch makes some valid points and raises serious questions about Common Core standards and why the business community is so keen on seeing them implemented. The claims are bolded; the questions are highlighted. From 15153: Yesterday, 72 business corporations published a full-page advertisement in the New York Bill Gates, Education Reform and Philanthrocapitalism. . by stlgretchen Joy Pullman of t... more »

OMG Who Knew? #ASKArne :Federal Officials Weigh Action in Florida Tutoring Scandal - Politics K-12 - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Federal Officials Weigh Action in Florida Tutoring Scandal - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Federal Officials Weigh Action in Florida Tutoring Scandal By Michele McNeil on February 13, 2013 6:05 PM The *Tampa Bay Times* has an important story about the "crooks" and "cheaters"that are pervasive in the tutoring industry that emerged in Florida under the No Child Left Behind Act. The story uncovers criminals who were making money off of federal Title I funds that are used for supplemental education services, or SES, which is one of the interventions required when schools consisten... more »



at