The New Teacher Is Surviving. Guess Why?
Readers may recall that I posted a desperate plea from a struggling new teacher. He posted a comment months ago, but I kept pushing it back to make way for pressing news. So I posted it a day ago and just heard from the new teacher. Here is the report:
I might be posting this for the second time…but I can’t figure out how this works. Oh well. Hello! This is the new teacher, a few months later. I had no idea that my post was reposted! Reading the responses has made me feel
I might be posting this for the second time…but I can’t figure out how this works. Oh well. Hello! This is the new teacher, a few months later. I had no idea that my post was reposted! Reading the responses has made me feel
Divest Now from Testing Companies!
This just in from a reader:
Diane,
I wrote to you about this before, but this time I have the relevant contact info:
http://equalpayforequalwork.blogspot.com/2013/02/tell-teachers-retirement-fund-to-divest.html
As the teachers rebellion against standardized testing grows, it’s time to flex our real muscle: tell the teachers’ retirement system to take our money OUT of standardized testing companies.
The retirement fund just recently set a precedent by divesting from gun companies, but corporate backed
Diane,
I wrote to you about this before, but this time I have the relevant contact info:
http://equalpayforequalwork.blogspot.com/2013/02/tell-teachers-retirement-fund-to-divest.html
As the teachers rebellion against standardized testing grows, it’s time to flex our real muscle: tell the teachers’ retirement system to take our money OUT of standardized testing companies.
The retirement fund just recently set a precedent by divesting from gun companies, but corporate backed
Pity Our Pitiful, Worried Billionaires
Remember reading about how the billionaires have tossed nearly $3 million in campaign funds to elect their slate in the Los Angeles school board race?
Monica Garcia, their favorite incumbent, will be able to fend off the terrifying challenge from Robert Skeels, who has intimidated her with a bankroll of $17,000. By now, he may have raised $18,000. That’s the kind of funding that frightens the 1%.
Kate Anderson, their other favorite, is not well versed in education issues according to the LA Times, but it is
Monica Garcia, their favorite incumbent, will be able to fend off the terrifying challenge from Robert Skeels, who has intimidated her with a bankroll of $17,000. By now, he may have raised $18,000. That’s the kind of funding that frightens the 1%.
Kate Anderson, their other favorite, is not well versed in education issues according to the LA Times, but it is
The Untold Story of NYC’s Charter Success Story
Last week, the New York City media and the Department of Education exulted in a new CREDO study showing that charter schools outperform public schools in New York City.
But, as usual, no one bothered to look behind the curtain.
Bruce Baker shows in this post that NYC charter schools enroll significantly fewer students who are English language learners and others who might pull down their scores. This creates “peer effects” that benefit those who are admitted, while overloading the public schools with the neediest students.
But charter schools are different from public schools in other significant ways, and Baker has the data:
But, as usual, no one bothered to look behind the curtain.
Bruce Baker shows in this post that NYC charter schools enroll significantly fewer students who are English language learners and others who might pull down their scores. This creates “peer effects” that benefit those who are admitted, while overloading the public schools with the neediest students.
But charter schools are different from public schools in other significant ways, and Baker has the data:
How to Evaluate Dentists
This spoof was reprinted in the blog of the Horace Mann League:
Improving Dentistry (An Metaphor on Teacher Evaluations)
My dentist is great! He sends me reminders so I don’t forget checkups. He uses the latest techniques based on research. He never hurts me, and I have all my teeth, so when I ran into him the other day, I was eager to see if he’d heard about the new state program for measuring the effectiveness of dentists. I knew he’d think it was great.
“Did you hear about the new state program to measure the effectiveness of dentists with their young patients?” I said.
“No,” he said. He didn’t seem too thrilled. “How will they do that?”
Satire: Teacher Reprimanded for Assigning a Book
What is happening in education today is so hard to believe, so completely outrageous, that it is hard to write satire.
Twenty years ago, suppose you read a story about school officials closing down public schools and handing them over to private entrepreneurs. You would think that was really funny, right?
Suppose you read a story about for-profit schools getting public money. Ridiculous, right?
Suppose you read something predicting that Wall Street hedge fund managers had a plan to reform public
Twenty years ago, suppose you read a story about school officials closing down public schools and handing them over to private entrepreneurs. You would think that was really funny, right?
Suppose you read a story about for-profit schools getting public money. Ridiculous, right?
Suppose you read something predicting that Wall Street hedge fund managers had a plan to reform public
Great Account of “Save Texas Schools” Rally
Read it here! And here.
Read how Superintendent John Kuhn said, “There are 5 million kids in Texas waiting for this legislature to keep our forefather’s promises, and to those who want to take away that promise, I’m with the moms and the trustees and local business people who will say what brave Texans have said before, come and take it. Just try to kill that promise of our Constitution.”
Read how State Senator Kirk Watson said, “The verdict is in, and it says the Texas school system is
Read how Superintendent John Kuhn said, “There are 5 million kids in Texas waiting for this legislature to keep our forefather’s promises, and to those who want to take away that promise, I’m with the moms and the trustees and local business people who will say what brave Texans have said before, come and take it. Just try to kill that promise of our Constitution.”
Read how State Senator Kirk Watson said, “The verdict is in, and it says the Texas school system is
Photos from Save Texas Schools Rally
Diane and Bill Betzen of LULAC, who took these photos
Diane receives a T-shirt from students of Houston Independent School District, where she went to school, K-12
Dr. Frederick Haynes exhorts the crowd, “Education, not incarceration!”
Who Is a “Reformer”?
Gary Rubinstein wrestles with the issue of language and rhetoric of reform.
Long ago, a reformer was someone who wanted to improve the public schools.
Now, a “reformer” advocates closing them and replacing them with privately managed schools.
Once upon a time, a reformer was someone who wanted to raise standards for new teachers.
Now, a “reformer” wants to hire teachers wh
Long ago, a reformer was someone who wanted to improve the public schools.
Now, a “reformer” advocates closing them and replacing them with privately managed schools.
Once upon a time, a reformer was someone who wanted to raise standards for new teachers.
Now, a “reformer” wants to hire teachers wh
Diane in the Evening 2-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
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Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: *Diane Ravitch - Walkin' the Talk* What If the Diagnosis Is Based on Junk Science? by dianerav The letter-grading system that is spreading across many states originated in Florida during Jeb Bush’s tenure as governor. His goal was to show how poorly public schools were doing and to blame schools if students had low test scores, thus diverting attention from the social and economic causes of poor performance in school. Red states love letter grades, as does Mayor Bloomberg in New York City, who has advanced priv... more »