Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-20-13 AM Posts #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

GOP official: Party should have taken up Common Core but... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 minutes ago

GOP official: Party should have taken up Common Core but... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: GOP official: Party should have taken up Common Core but message was sent: Wrong standards for Georgia By Maureen Downey Judy Craft is a Gwinnett County resident who served on the State Resolutions Committee at the state GOP convention in Athens this past weekend representing the 7th Congressional District. She wrote this piece in response to the failure of the GOP convention to take up a resolution opposing the Common Core State Standards. A standoff on the standards, which ... more »

What Karen Lewis’s Reelection Could Mean for the New York Mayor’s Race – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 minutes ago

What Karen Lewis’s Reelection Could Mean for the New York Mayor’s Race – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: What Karen Lewis’s Reelection Could Mean for the New York Mayor’s Race by Jim Horn Even with all of Rahm’s horses and all of the Chicago Tribune’s men in support of her opponent for the job Chicago Teachers’ Union President, Karen Lewis was reelected on May 17 with an 80% share of the vote among Chicago educators. This is from George Schmidt’s article at Substance News: In a press release issued late on the night of May 17, the Chicago Teachers Union stated: “National B...more »

Shanker Blog » On Teacher Evaluation: Slow Down And Get It Right

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 36 minutes ago

Shanker Blog » On Teacher Evaluation: Slow Down And Get It Right: On Teacher Evaluation: Slow Down And Get It Right by Morgan S. Polikoff and Matthew Di Carlo *The following is written by Morgan S. Polikoff and Matthew Di Carlo. Morgan is Assistant Professor in the Rossier School of Education at the University of Southern California.* One of the primary policy levers now being employed in states and districts nationwide is teacher evaluation reform. Well-designed evaluations, which should include measures that capture both teacher practice and student learning, have great potentia... more »

Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance School Summit Wednesday | Re:education in Baltimore

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 50 minutes ago

Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance School Summit Wednesday | Re:education in Baltimore: Downtown Baltimore Family Alliance School Summit Wednesday by Edit Barry Press Release Are you a parent with a school-aged child looking for ways to make a difference in his or her education? We urge you to join us for the DBFA and Greater Homewood Community Corporation’s Parents for Public Schools Summit, taking place Wednesday, May 22, at 8:30 a.m. at Breath of God Church in Highlandtown. This inaugural summit will focus on equipping parents with strategies to support their public schools. T...more »

BBB doesn’t want students at the Daley Center today, but Rahm wants kids to walk through the “Danger Zone.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 50 minutes ago

BBB doesn’t want students at the Daley Center today, but Rahm wants kids to walk through the “Danger Zone.” | Fred Klonsky: BBB doesn’t want students at the Daley Center today, but Rahm wants kids to walk through the “Danger Zone.” by Fred Klonsky [image: chi-school-closing-20130519] *Jitu Brown of KOCO leading marchers through the Danger Zone.* CPS CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett sent an email to CPS parents yesterday. “Parents should know and understand that this activity is not planned or endorsed by either their student’s school or CPS, and the District has no responsibility for any occ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky "Safe passage"? Yale kids will walk past this abandoned and boarded up building at 73rd & Princeton on way to their "receiving" school. | Jessica Koscielniak ~ Sun-TimesRev. Marshall Hatch, in front of Tilton *“That was a cartel, right on the side of the school. . . . This is where the folks know how to find them.” *-- Sun-Times Angelense Jones, a third-grade teacher at Overton Elementary *“You’re not taking them to a better school, to a better environment."* -- Marchers, led by teachers union, ... more »

Aspiring teachers learn from their avatars | Hechinger Report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Aspiring teachers learn from their avatars | Hechinger Report: Aspiring teachers learn from their avatars by Sarah Butrymowicz [image: Aspiring teachers learn from their avatars] Lisa Dieker went around the room asking her middle-school students what they did over the weekend. CJ went to see the movie “Here Comes the Boom” with her boyfriend. Ed played in a basketball game and Kevin posted new dance videos to YouTube. “Did you work on any art projects?” Dieker asked Maria, a girl bent over a textbook in the back row. “Yeah,” Maria answered. “And what were you working on?” Dieker sai... more »

Education Lessons From Around the World - High School Notes (usnews.com)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Education Lessons From Around the World - High School Notes (usnews.com): Education Lessons From Around the World By KELSEY SHEEHY May 20, 2013 RSS Feed Print [image: In this picture taken on January 11, 2011 students attend class at the Jing'an Education College Affiliated School in Shanghai.] The top schools in Shanghai collaborate with those that are struggling to help elevate low-performing schools. There are lessons the U.S. can learn from its peers around the world. That was the message delivered by a panel of experts at a discussion hosted by the Center for American Progress la... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee in the poor house? – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee in the poor house? – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee in the poor house? by Timothy D. Slekar I hate it when I do this. I hate when I write about Queen Rhee. She get’s more time than any reform charlatan deserves but she opened her mouth (for how much $) at the Center for Leadership Development and Research at Stanford’s graduate business school and then decided to write about her profound insights into how she manages to *keep up the struggle* while constantly being attacked by ruthless union thugs, n... more »

Parenting education the foundation for healthy families | Health & Fitness | The Register-Guard | Eugene, Oregon

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Parenting education the foundation for healthy families | Health & Fitness | The Register-Guard | Eugene, Oregon Parenting education the foundation for healthy families By Minalee Saks For The Register-Guard PUBLISHED: 12:00 A.M., MAY 20 Parenting education is one of the building blocks of a strong community. In observance of the positive impact of parenting education, Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a proclamation declaring the week of May 19-25 as Oregon Parenting Education Week. This is a good moment to look at the impact of learning to parent effectively: Much data shows that parenti... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-20-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The Bloomberg Empire Strikes Back by dianerav This year the city of New York will pick a new Mayor, after 12 years of Michael Bloomberg. There were only supposed to be 8 years of Bloomberg, as the voters of New York City had twice endorsed term limits of only 2 terms. But Bloomberg decided he wanted a third term, refused to call for a referendum, and got his faithful friend City Council President Christine Quinn to twist a few arms, promise that the members ... more »

At KIPP, at least for 07102, zip code is destiny | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

At KIPP, at least for 07102, zip code is destiny | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: At KIPP, at least for 07102, zip code is destiny by Gary Rubinstein One of the most annoying phrases uttered in ed reform is some version of ‘poverty is not destiny.’ Occasionally they mix it up a little with something like ‘zip code is not destiny.’ The implication is that there are some people out there who think that every person born into poverty or born in a particular city is doomed to become an uneducated adult. I don’t know anyone who believes that. What many people do believe, though, is that ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Stomping on Rahm's school closing plan

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Stomping on Rahm's school closing plan: Stomping on Rahm's school closing plan by Mike Klonsky ** *Was that our mayor last seen trapped in a glass-encased parking meter box and dangled from a crane over the goby-infested waters of Burnham Harbor with hordes of Chicago public school parents threatening to tip the crane? * -- Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown Poor Rahm. He can't even catch a break from his own pals at the Sun-Times. Check it out. Sunday's editorial headline reads: Editorial: The hollow promise of a better school. *Did Schools CEO Bar... more »

Principal: Why our new educator evaluation system is unethical

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Principal: Why our new educator evaluation system is unethical: Principal: Why our new educator evaluation system is unethical By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 20, 2013 at 6:00 amE-mail the writer 2 Comments More [image: regents]Here’s a new post from award-winning Principal Carol Burris of South Side High School in New York about the state’s controversial new educator evaluation system. Burris has for more than a year chronicled on this blog (she calls it Star Wars here, and other thingshere and here and here, for example) the implementation of the system, which ignores research ... more »

Top 10 reasons teachers should blog | The White Rhino: A Chicago Latino English Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Top 10 reasons teachers should blog | The White Rhino: A Chicago Latino English Teacher: Top 10 reasons teachers should blog By Ray Salazar, Friday at 8:28 pm [image: White Rhino Celebration]Two years ago today, around 2 a.m., my blog was born. During a time when I struggled to find my place again as a teacher on the Southwest side, when I felt unsuccessful, when I thought I abandoned my dream to be writer, I could not sleep. So on May 17, 2011, in the middle of the night, I started, again, to write. In August that year, this blog joined Chicago Now. Two years later, I’m at a di... more »

California oil tax push would direct new funds to schools - Taxes - The Sacramento Bee

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

California oil tax push would direct new funds to schools - Taxes - The Sacramento Bee: California oil tax push would direct new funds to schools By Jeremy B. White jwhite@sacbee.com Published: Monday, May. 20, 2013 - 12:00 am | Page 1A [image: 1W20OILTAX.JPG] Sen. Noreen Evans' bill would impose a tax on producing oil and gas in California. Read more here: http://www.sacbee.com/2013/05/20/5432778/california-oil-tax-push-would.html#mi_rss=Education#storylink=cpy Just months after California voters passed Proposition 30 to stave off education cuts, a push is under way to ensure that... more »

NYC Educator: Chancellor, Bloomberg-Style

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

NYC Educator: Chancellor, Bloomberg-Style: Chancellor, Bloomberg-Style by NYC Educator I'm surprised at how many people are shocked at NYC Schools Chancellor Walcott's sales presentation to principals last Saturday. It's encouraging, of course, that the principals gave him such a cool reception. After a decade of crap that never works, it's good to see that even administrators are not buying it. Bloggers I read regularly are shocked that he resorted to being outright political. Yet it's one of Walcott's primary duties to fight for and defend crap that doesn't work. As long as Rupe... more »

Rebellion, Revolution, or Just Pushback? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Rebellion, Revolution, or Just Pushback? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Rebellion, Revolution, or Just Pushback? by larrycuban Two recent articles suggesting an end to the current phase of test-driven accountability and market-based reforms got me thinking about how hard it is to sort out differences between what I hope will occur and what actually is happening. In one piece–”The Coming Revolution in Public Education”–John Tierney sees current incidents of resistance to current showpieces of school reform from educators, parents, and legislators as a revolu... more »

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Will Online Khan Academy 'Educate the World"?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Will Online Khan Academy 'Educate the World"?: Guest Post: Will Online Khan Academy 'Educate the World"? by Emily Richmond *EWA's 66th National Seminar, held at Stanford University, took place earlier this month. We asked some of the journalists attending to contribute posts from the sessions. The majority of the content will soon be available at EdMedia Commons. Over the next few weeks I'll be sharing a few of the posts, including the ones from our keynote sessions. Justin Pope, higher education reporter for the Associated Press, is today's gue... more »

Chicago. Day#2. Englewood. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Chicago. Day#2. Englewood. | Fred Klonsky: Chicago. Day#2. Englewood. by Fred Klonsky [image: 944512_624049747624993_1522007686_n] *Photo: Chicago Teachers Union.*

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: Just as K-12 online learning hits tipping point, evaluation program threatened Driven in part by the coming implementation of common core curriculum standards, California schools have never been more engaged in online learning programs – especially at the high school level – according to draft results of a new statewide survey. But in a move rife with paradox, Gov. Jerry Brown last week reaffirmed his plan to eliminate funding for a key statewide program dedicated to the intersection of both common core and online learning. His revised Ma... more »

Corporate Education Reform Industry spends nearly $4.7 million on Connecticut lobbying, little of it telling the truth. - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Corporate Education Reform Industry spends nearly $4.7 million on Connecticut lobbying, little of it telling the truth. - Wait, What?: Corporate Education Reform Industry spends nearly $4.7 million on Connecticut lobbying, little of it telling the truth. by jonpelto *Moore tells Maher: ‘The real problem with the IRS is that they let General Electric not pay any taxes’ | The Raw Story http://bit.ly/10G8Y6m* Pro-public education commentator Wendy Lecker has written another “must read” piece, this time pointing out the fact that corporate education reformers are either unwilling or... more »

NYC Public School Parents: My twitter interchange with Murdoch about Amplify's losses, and a NYC parent responds to Amplify's sales pitch

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: My twitter interchange with Murdoch about Amplify's losses, and a NYC parent responds to Amplify's sales pitch: My twitter interchange with Murdoch about Amplify's losses, and a NYC parent responds to Amplify's sales pitch by Leonie Haimson There is bad news from Amplify, the NewsCorp subsidiary owned by Rupert Murdoch and run by Joel Klein. NPR ran a good story about the company earlier in the year. It appears that Klein is running the business into the ground, just as he did our schools when he was Chancellor at the Department of Education. Accordi... more »

A Thin Line Beyond Silence and Voice | Cooperative Catalyst

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

A Thin Line Beyond Silence and Voice | Cooperative Catalyst: A Thin Line Beyond Silence and Voice by charles kouns A few days ago, David Loitz, Imagining Learning’s Seed Steward, posted a rough cut of a new film he is making about the Voices of the young people (and some of the adults) who have been involved in Listening Sessions. In watching it, in listening to those familiar faces and voices that I met just once during the 3 hours that we were together, I was moved to tears. Since then, I have been asking myself what those tears were about and then tonight, an answer came. My in... more »

Teachers, parents, activists march on to save Chicago schools on chopping block - Chicago Sun-Times

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Teachers, parents, activists march on to save Chicago schools on chopping block - Chicago Sun-Times: Teachers, parents, activists march on to save Chicago schools on chopping block BY MATT MCKINNEY SUN-TIMES MEDIA May 19, 2013 5:01PM 0 0 Share 7 1 [image: Walking against all Chicago Public School closings marchers walk down South UniStreet Dewey Elementary School Sunday May 19 2013. |] Walking against all Chicago Public School closings, marchers walk down South Union Street to Dewey Elementary School, Sunday May 19, 2013. | Jessica Koscielniak ~ Sun-Times Updated: May 19, 2013 7:21P... more »

Cinda Klickna’s Response: 30 Pieces of Silver CHALLENGE | Reclaim Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Cinda Klickna’s Response: 30 Pieces of Silver CHALLENGE | Reclaim Reform: Cinda Klickna’s Response: 30 Pieces of Silver CHALLENGE by kenpreviti I have been reading and rereading our IEA president’s email response to my last blog, “Betrayal. Deception, Investigation, Robocalls: SB2404.” The future of our Illinois pensions hinge on this. Perhaps George Orwell could decipher it for me, but he’s still dead. [image: 30piecesofsilver]Therefore, I personally offer a “30 Pieces of Silver CHALLENGE” to anyone in the world who can translate, decipher, or otherwise explicate Cinda’s words from... more »

Daily Kos: Sometimes the sign are unmistakable

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Daily Kos: Sometimes the sign are unmistakable: Sometimes the sign are unmistakable by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Let's see in the past few days two of my former students did very well at the Intel ISEF. One of my former students today sang at the Morehouse graduation where the President gave the commencement address, and he proudly shared on Facebook the program which listed him as a junior Phi Beta Kappan. Other of my students mark completion of high school or college or medical school on their Facebook pages and I find myself interacting with them. Another of my former studen... more »

Online Forum: The Parent Trigger from California to Florida | Seattle Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago

Online Forum: The Parent Trigger from California to Florida | Seattle Education: Online Forum: The Parent Trigger from California to Florida by seattleducation2011 [image: parent trigger] The Parent Trigger from California to Florida Sunday, May 26, 2013 from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM Pacific Time We will be hearing from Lori Yuan, a parent in Adelanto who fought the Parent Trigger at her school, and Parents Across America Founding Member Rita Solnet who, along with other organizations, defeated the Parent Trigger bill in the Florida State Senate on March 9, 2013. To reserve your ticket... more »

The Buck Starts Here | EduShyster

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

The Buck Starts Here | EduShyster: The Buck Starts Here by edushyster2012 *A Utah charter school is growing the next generation of capitalists* Like you I was forced to learn many things at school that I have absolutely no use for in the 21st century—like speling for example. And I literaly cannot count the number of times that I have not had to use math. That’s why I was so excited to learn about a boldly innovative new school in Utah which is teaching kids to be makers, not takers. Students as young as kindergarten are learning vital 21st century capitalist tools like sales and m... more »

The Triumph of Progressivism: Graduation 2013 and 1968

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

The Triumph of Progressivism: Graduation 2013 and 1968: The Triumph of Progressivism: Graduation 2013 and 1968Sunday, 19 May 2013 12:13By Robert Reich, Robert Reich's Blog | Op-Ed - 36 - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email Many of you soon-to-be college graduates are determined to make the world a better place. Some of you are choosing careers in public service or joining nonprofits or volunteering in your communities. But many of you are cynical about politics. You see the system as inherently corrupt. You doubt rea... more »

Damn pension bloggers. If they don’t ask no questions they won’t hear no lies. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

Damn pension bloggers. If they don’t ask no questions they won’t hear no lies. | Fred Klonsky: Damn pension bloggers. If they don’t ask no questions they won’t hear no lies. by Fred Klonsky [image: lmad-curtain]Read the entire post on John Dillon’s blog: Bloggers, curse them for their interloping, later find a last minute amendment by Cullerton and others (Steans?) to force a full payment on the healthcare option, and NO guarantee that healthcare from the state (TRIP) will be provided at all. The blasted bloggers also suggest that my payment for healthcare from the state may com... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Another controversial co-location proposal: hearing Monday on charter school taking space from Harlem adult learning center

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Another controversial co-location proposal: hearing Monday on charter school taking space from Harlem adult learning center: Another controversial co-location proposal: hearing Monday on charter school taking space from Harlem adult learning center by Leonie Haimson [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] *Most of the reports of damage from charter co-locations in NYC relates to how they take valuable space from existing K12 public schools. Here is an account of how the city's determination to allow a charter school to expand within p... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-19-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: How Can We Assure Equity in Education? by dianerav Uri Tresiman of the Dana Center at the University of Texas spoke to the annual NCTM conference about the true needs of American education. This is an important speech in which he shows how shallow current reforms are and how deeply poverty affects children’s performance in school. I intend to post this speech twice this week. It is that powerful. I may post it more than twice. It meant a lot to me because Dr. Treisman agreed with what I have been saying. We will... more »

Obama at Morehouse: Use your power for a purpose | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Obama at Morehouse: Use your power for a purpose | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Obama at Morehouse: Use your power for a purpose Here are some passages from President Barack Obama’s commencement address today at Morehouse College. *Link here *for the full speech, which is worth sharing with your students and your children: View Larger [image: President Obama at Morehouse] Speaking today at the Morehouse commencement, President Obama told graduates that a "unique sense of purpose" has always infused the historic campus. Previous Posts - New spin on the dog at... more »

Why I am Running for School Board – by Sue Peters | Parents Across America

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Why I am Running for School Board – by Sue Peters | Parents Across America: Why I am Running for School Board – by Sue Peters by DoraTaylor *By PAA Founding Member Sue Peters:* For the past nine years, I have been deeply involved in Seattle’s public schools, as a parent of two, a school volunteer, an education blogger, a member of district task forces and as a local and national public education advocate. I would like to help steer the largest school district in Washington State in a positive direction. I believe that I can serve the Seattle school community even better as a repre... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Letter to King & Regents about inBloom Inc. from CM Robert Jackson, Class Size Matters, Learning Disabilities Association, AQE and CEJ

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Letter to King & Regents about inBloom Inc. from CM Robert Jackson, Class Size Matters, Learning Disabilities Association, AQE and CEJ: Letter to King & Regents about inBloom Inc. from CM Robert Jackson, Class Size Matters, Learning Disabilities Association, AQE and CEJ by Leonie Haimson See the letter sent to Commissioner King and the Regents last week from Council Member Robert Jackson, chair of the NYC Council Education Committee, Class Size Matters, the Learning Disabilities Association of NY, Alliance for Quality Education, and Coalition for Educ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools This Week: Seattle Schools This Week by Melissa Westbrook *Wednesday, May 22nd* Exit Conference for Financial and Single Federal Audit, 4-4:30 p.m. in the JSCEE auditorium. This is just an official reporting of an audit that happens regularly. Oversight Work Session:Teaching&Learning (Part 2) from 4:30-6:30 pm. Will all be revealed? Stay tuned. Work Session: Race&Equity Professional Development, 6:15-7:45 pm. *Thursday, May 23rd* Executive Session: Superintendent evaluation *Friday, May 24th* What? No school so you get a 4-day... more »

solidaridad: Follow the money and you will see the LAUSD School Board's priorities...

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

solidaridad: Follow the money and you will see the LAUSD School Board's priorities...: Follow the money and you will see the LAUSD School Board's priorities... by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene This image and introduction are courtesy of my favorite Social Justice Educator. Nothing like a Superintendent and School Board that place profits before pupils! *Please share with others. Don't let Monica Garcia and friends fool people into thinking they are ending the school to prison pipeline when they don't spend money on the classroom and Health and Human Services. Nothing helps end crimi... more »

UPDATE: Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Sunday reads. | Fred Klonsky: The in box. From IRTA’s Gary Elman. by Fred Klonsky Sent: Sun, May 19, 2013 6:52 am Subject: Fwd: An IEA explanation of the “language amended into SB 2404″ I am forwarding this to you because you had asked various questions about the pension reform bill. As you know, IRTA remains steadfastly opposed to any diminishment of your pensions and benefits. We are prepared to fight those in court. Apparently IEA and IFT are not. They support the legislation. I wish they were as loyal to their members as they are to the We Are One coalition. IRTA would like to ... more »

IRS Targeting, the Atlanta Cheating Scandal and the Bush-Rhee High-Stakes Test Model | Scathing Purple Musings

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

IRS Targeting, the Atlanta Cheating Scandal and the Bush-Rhee High-Stakes Test Model | Scathing Purple Musings: IRS Targeting, the Atlanta Cheating Scandal and the Bush-Rhee High-Stakes Test Model by Bob Sikes Imagine for a minute that the opposite is true and that the United States abruptly switched from a flat tax to the federal tax code we have now? Frightening huh? Yet this is essentially what the nation’s two top education policy-makers in Jeb Bush and Michelle Rhee have imposed on our schools. In the name of “accountability,” the two have succeeded in making the results of ... more »

The in box. “It’s Klonsky and the pension bloggers’ fault.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

The in box. “It’s Klonsky and the pension bloggers’ fault.” | Fred Klonsky: The in box. “It’s Klonsky and the pension bloggers’ fault.” by Fred Klonsky The flurry of E-mail, accusations and “misrepresentations” concerning SB 2404 and TRIP (retired teacher insurance) since Friday Night — 5-17 — has been amazing. I was a supporter of SB2404 at Friday, May 17 at 5PM and I’m still a supporter of SB2404 on Sunday morning 5-19. There have been a number of charges, accusations, and “misrepresentations” subtly begun by the IRTA leadership and fanned, *spread and promoted by the “Pensio... more »

AFTERNOON UPDATE: Assessment Time? – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Assessment Time? – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Pearson history text mimics art history textbook in same controversy by Chalk Face, PhD [image: Image]Remember that story from September where an art school was charging $180 for an art history text with no artwork? Yeah, that one. It’s published by Pearson. From Brent Ashley: There is no discount on the $180 price for an ART textbook that has NO PICTURES. Devoid of pictures. Bereft of art. If I am going to have to pay $180 for an art history book that is of no resale value to next year’s students, it had damn well better be... more »

FDR's Economic Bill of Rights

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

FDR's Economic Bill of Rights “The Economic Bill of Rights” [edit] Excerpt from President Roosevelt's January 11, 1944 message to the Congress of the United States on the State of the Union:[2] “It is our duty now to begin to lay the plans and determine the strategy for the winning of a lasting peace and the establishment of an American standard of living higher than ever before known. We cannot be content, no matter how high that general standard of living may be, if some fraction of our people—whether it be one-third or one-fifth or one-tenth—is ill-fed, ill-clothed, ill-housed, ... more »

Are school vouchers losing steam?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Are school vouchers losing steam?: Are school vouchers losing steam? By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 18, 2013 at 5:00 amE-mail the writer 5 Comments More [image: vouchers]Vouchers have been at the center of the school choice movement for many reformers, but they may be in trouble. Here making that argument is Abby Rapoport of The American Prospect, where this appeared. By Abby Rapoport When news broke earlier this month that the Louisiana Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s voucher system, which uses public dollars to pay for low-income students to go to private schools, the fig... more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-19-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] *LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 5-18-13 * * * A Gift for You This Sunday by dianerav Last Sunday, I published a beautiful poem by Cavafy. In reply, Will Fitzhugh (founder of “The Concord Review,” which publishes history papers by high school students) sent this one to me. He probably did not know that this is one of my favorite poems, and it has special meaning for me. When I graduated from San Jacinto High School in Houston in 1956, ... more »

Waiting for Superman to Tell the Truth? (Don’t Hold Your Breath) – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Waiting for Superman to Tell the Truth? (Don’t Hold Your Breath) – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Waiting for Superman to Tell the Truth? (Don’t Hold Your Breath) by plthomasedd The least accountable among us are those at the top making grand statements (unverified, unchallenged) used to call for the accountable of everyone else. I invite you to read carefully Canada’s Legend-ary TED Talk Lie by Gary Rubinstein to understand how corrosive the “miracle” school narrative is when it is combined with the cult of personality (Canada as Superman, Rhee as the Tiger Mom, Duncan... more »

How to take a test: 1956 short film

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

How to take a test: 1956 short film: How to take a test: 1956 short film By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 19, 2013 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer 1 Comments More A blast from the past: a 1956 short film with tips on the right and wrong way to take a test. See what’s changed and what hasn’t. Obama (Michelle), Colbert, Clinton (Bill), Biden, etc: The best 2013 commencement speeches (so far) by Valerie Strauss Leave it to Stephen Colbert to find a way to make Thomas Jefferson funny. That’s what he did when he was speaking to graduates at the University of Virginia — but he wasn’t the on... more »

Ed Notes Online: Whining Walcott in Blatant Misuse of Position Subjects 2000 Administrators to Political Harrangue

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Ed Notes Online: Whining Walcott in Blatant Misuse of Position Subjects 2000 Administrators to Political Harrangue: Whining Walcott in Blatant Misuse of Position Subjects 2000 Administrators to Political Harrangue by ed notes online Mr. Walcott’s speech seemed intended to be a rallying cry before a friendly crowd, but the response was muted. While his calls for preserving the authority of principals and eradicating nepotism were met with applause, some principals seemed uninterested in his message... *NY Times on Walcott speech at May 18 principal conference * Many principal... more »

Compare and contrast. Cinda tries to explain. John Dillon responds and translates. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Compare and contrast. Cinda tries to explain. John Dillon responds and translates. | Fred Klonsky: Compare and contrast. Cinda tries to explain. John Dillon responds and translates. by Fred Klonsky From IEA President Cinda Klickna on SB2404: “There have been questions raised about language amended into SB 2404, the Cullerton-Coalition legislation. This amendment was not a surprise to the members of the labor coalition. The coalition remains committed to the passage of SB 2404. The amendment clarifies the law with regard to retiree access to health insurance through the State. *“... more »

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