Dear Garfield and Seattle Teachers
Stay strong! As this boycott continues to grow (And I believe it will) advocating for “portfolio and authentic assessment” is absolutely essential. The reality is that any high stakes standardized test is ALWAYS going to be an invalid indicator of student learning.
Start using the language of learning over terms such as “achievement” and “growth.” These terms are embedded in high stakes standardized testing. The reform narrative exploits terms such as “achievement” and “growth” purposely to avoid talking about what really matters—learning. While some of you say that you are not necessarily in favor of abandoning high stakes standardized tests if you had “a better test.” The reality is that “better” standardized achievement tests don’t exist if you are focused on demonstrating “learning.” Therefore “portfolio and authentic” assessment under the direction of professional teachers are the only types of assessment that can truly demonstrate learning.
This is so key in the larger fight against the reform movement. The reform narrative is all about “achievement”
“Because It Is My Name!”
plthomasedd at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
John Proctor, in Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, nearly bends to signing a false confession, but then has a moment of clarity and proclaims: “Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies! Because I am not worth the dust on the feet of [...]
A Shout-Out to Education Activists
Katie Osgood at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
There are times when I feel overwhelmed by my good fortune to know so many powerful parent, teacher, student, and community activists across the country and the globe. We have come together through the fight against corporate education reform and the call for education justice, equity, and democratically-run schools. I feel lucky to have met so many amazing [...]
Education Vomitation
wendihmhee at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
Like so many Americans, I recently had the flu. While I was sick, I noticed that after I threw up, I felt much better. Now recovered, I’ve been reflecting on how the experience of vomiting relates to public education. In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with our education system that a little purging couldn’t [...]
The Education “Press Corpse”
Timothy D. Slekar at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
Well here it is. My debut post @the chalk face media extravaganza. As I said in my column description my main goal is to expose education “news” that really serves as propaganda. About a month and a half ago I had taken issue with an article published in EdWeek by Stephen Sawchuk. A few weeks [...]
Diminishing Returns
Chris Cerrone at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
Recently New York Governor Cuomo discussed how he plans to improve the schools of the Empire State by moving to longer school days and extended school years. Governor Cuomo claimed he would fully fund these objectives if local districts signed on. I would wonder where the money would come from with schools across the Empire State making significant [...]
see something, say something–organize!
Barbara Madeloni at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
These are scary and exciting times to be an activist. Scary because the privatizing dehumanizing forces of neo-liberalism are wrecking havoc everywhere; from the climate, to endless wars, to health care, to outrageous income inequality, and, as readers of this blog know, to dismantling public education. The magnitude of this assault, its machine-like ability to [...]
@dianeravitch thinks we’re cool. Cool. #edreform #p2
Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
More folks than you can believe are excited for the roll-out of the new At the Chalk Face. Diane Ravitch definitely having some words about it. You know, I must say, it goes down a lot better than the new Fish McBites. So, yeah, there you have it. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & [...]
School-to-Prison: A Real Education Crisis
Kris Nielsen at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
Q.E.D. has a pretty depressing look at the side-by-side comparison between education stats and incarceration stats in America. As we fight over who gets to close the achievement gap based on junk science, students in poverty look forward to a statistically bleak future. This is a true education crisis; the one that we’re accustomed to [...]
First, Do No Harm
Kris Nielsen at @ the chalk face - 9 minutes ago
Hi! It’s me! Yeah, that teacher who got way too much press just for quitting his job. What kind of world do we live in where a teacher leaves and is celebrated by his colleagues and several dozen parents for just up and leaving? Sheesh. Well, we live in a world where teachers don’t really [...]