Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 5-28-13 AM Posts #edreform #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



NEW! Action Toolkit on school budget crisis | Parents United for Public Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 minutes ago
NEW! Action Toolkit on school budget crisis | Parents United for Public Education: NEW! Action Toolkit on school budget crisis by parentsunitedphila [image: Roxborough Collage]The 300+ person Roxborough Corridor Parent Summit in May was organized by parents working together with school leaders to kickoff parent actions around the District budget crisis. (Photos: Matthew Hall Photography) Sometimes this is what it means to be a Philadelphia public school parent. It’s not enough that we take care of our children and our families, our personal and professional lives, and volunteer and ... more »

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago
@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Our interviews with John Merrow & Karen Lewis BY CHALK FACE, PHD 3 COMMENTS UPDATED First, our interview with Mr. Merrow. The comprehensive PDF of Merrow’s writing on Rhee, to go along with the interview. Second, our most recent interview with CTU’s Karen Lewis. We keep getting you those stories in education that you don’t hear anywhere else. FILED UNDER: CHALK FACE: GENERAL NEWS & COMMENTARY TAGGED WITH:CHICAGO, DCPS , JOHN MERROW, KAREN LEWIS, MICHELLE RHEE, SCHOOL CLOSINGS, TEST CHEATING, WASHINGTON DC A lesson in reform from, of all places,... more »

Shanker Blog » The FCAT Writing, On The Wall

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago
Shanker Blog » The FCAT Writing, On The Wall: The FCAT Writing, On The Wall Posted by Matthew Di Carlo on May 28, 2013 The annual release of state testing data makes the news in every state, but Florida is one of those places where it is to some degree a national story.* Well, it’s getting to be that time of year again. Last week, the state released its writing exam (FCAT 2.0 Writing)results for 2013 (as well as the math and reading results for third graders only). State Education Commissioner Tony Bennett said the results showed “incredible improvement.” Similarly, the Florida De... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 minutes ago
Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center: Best of the Ed Blogs *Best of the Ed Blogs* features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make *Best of the Ed Blogs* your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics. San Jose Teachers’ Contract Offers Leadership Pathways Best of the Ed Blogs David B. Cohen May 28, 2013 In American Schools, What is Quality Work? Best of the Ed B... more »

Education in Your Backyard — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 minutes ago
Education in Your Backyard — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Walter McKenzie]Education in Your Backyard May 28, 2013 by Walter McKenzie [image: ASCD Annual Conference and Exhibit Show] As a director of Constituent Services at ASCD, I work with the best and the brightest educators leading our affiliates around the world. It is a sincere honor and privilege. And this time of year, as affiliate boards begin meeting, reflecting, and planning, I have the opportunity to work with them virtually and face-to-face and support them in their important work. Representing ASCD... more »

All Education Matters: The Guardian - Student debt crisis: 'it's like carrying a backpack filled with bricks'

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 51 minutes ago
All Education Matters: The Guardian - Student debt crisis: 'it's like carrying a backpack filled with bricks': The Guardian - Student debt crisis: 'it's like carrying a backpack filled with bricks' by Cryn Johannsen Here is a snippet from my latest piece, which was published by the Guardian today: Amy Diede homeschools her two children – Caleb, 9, and Ashley, 8 – and is married to a devoted husband and father, Christian. Even though Amy has a master's in psychology, and until recently was a professional herself, Christian is now the breadwinner for the family, working as a cardi... more »

Spring Cleaning | EduShyster

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 51 minutes ago
Spring Cleaning | EduShyster: Spring Cleaning by edushyster2012 *The civil rights issue of our time will require replacing old, non-excellent teachers with fresh new ones. *It is a true fact that young teachers are not only “fresher” but also more innovative and excellent. Now confirmed by a growing body of evidence (see scientific chart below), this scientific finding presents us with a quandary, not to mention a conundrum. How do we slough off all of the old, non-excellent teachers with their millstones of experience and pension obligations? And how much more unpleasant do we have... more »

What We Talk About When We Talk About Poverty - Bridging Differences - Education Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
What We Talk About When We Talk About Poverty - Bridging Differences - Education Week: What We Talk About When We Talk About Poverty by Deborah Meier [image: Big Education Ape] *Michael J. Petrilli continues his conversation with Deborah Meier today.* Dear Deborah, I want to return to the perennial question of poverty as it relates to educational outcomes. One of the main arguments against education reform is that it misdiagnoses the problem. We have big "achievement gaps" in terms of test scores, graduation rates, college-going, and much else, but that's primarily because of inequ... more »

Meanwhile, more on the “Shocking Numbers Of Kindergarten, First Grade Suspensions” at Achievement First Schools - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Meanwhile, more on the “Shocking Numbers Of Kindergarten, First Grade Suspensions” at Achievement First Schools - Wait, What?: Meanwhile, more on the “Shocking Numbers Of Kindergarten, First Grade Suspensions” at Achievement First Schools by jonpelto As Wait, What have readers learned over the last two years, Achievement First, Inc. the Charter School management company that runs more than two dozen schools in New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island is notorious for “out-migrating” or “dumping” any students that don’t fit their “exacting” standards. While Achievement First likes to... more »

Modern School: Administrators Union Protecting Bad Bosses or Just Business as Usual?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Modern School: Administrators Union Protecting Bad Bosses or Just Business as Usual?: Administrators Union Protecting Bad Bosses or Just Business as Usual? by Michael Dunn While the teachers unions have been quick to jump on the evaluation reform bandwagon in hopes of appearing “reasonable” and “professional,” the real movers and shakers behind the Eval Reform movement are primarily interested in making it easier to fire bad teachers. Their presumption (at least the one conveyed to the press) is that there are a lot of bad teachers out there—how else to explain the deplorable st... more »

"Dante" Ravitch's Abhorrent Attack on Ben Austin :: Frederick M. Hess

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
"Dante" Ravitch's Abhorrent Attack on Ben Austin :: Frederick M. Hess: "Dante" Ravitch's Abhorrent Attack on Ben Austin *by Frederick M. Hess • May 28, 2013 at 9:18 am Cross-posted from Education Week* * * [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] * * I've been friendly with Diane Ravitch for a long time. Encountering her historical work 20 years ago, I was struck by her hard-hitting, erudite analyses. She invited me to deliver my first featured talk (at Brookings, on my then-forthcoming *Spinning Wheels* book). When I was leaving UVA's Curry School of Education, she was ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Picnic in the park

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Picnic in the park: Picnic in the park by Mike Klonsky Sadly, I missed yesterday's school-closing protest picnic in Millennium Park. Despite the rain, it looked like great fun. I was still recovering from 70th birthday celebrations. Old rocking chair's got me. ABC News also picked it up. Chicago Grid has an interview this morning with CFL Pres. *Jorge Ramirez* who says that so-called *pension reform* is keeping him up at night. I hope so. Says Ramirez, *“There’s going to be critics of what’s been put out there…. There’s a great likelihood that there... more »

No on SB1, SB2404, the cost shift and yes to changing the landscape. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
No on SB1, SB2404, the cost shift and yes to changing the landscape. | Fred Klonsky: No on SB1, SB2404, the cost shift and yes to changing the landscape. by Fred Klonsky Popout. The regular session of the Illinois General Assembly ends Friday. Reuter’s reports: *The Illinois legislature, which over decades has built up a $100 billion unfunded pension liability, now is a study in gridlock. Speaker of the House Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton each are pushing competing versions of a fix and each refuses to take action on the other lawmaker’s bill.* *There is no cle... more »

Share My Lesson - Free K-12 Resources By Teachers, For Teachers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Share My Lesson - Free K-12 Resources By Teachers, For Teachers: Share my lessonAFTTES Featured Content [image: Memorial Day]Memorial Day Lesson plans and activities to mark Memorial Day. Oklahoma tornado support These resources will help you and your students understand and cope with natural disasters. Teaching Resources 262,851TOTAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE Featured Contributors - [image: ELA Team Avatar]Creative Writing Prompts PowerPoint ELA Team - [image: Math Team Avatar]Doubling and Halving Riddles Math Team Common Core [image: US Common Core map] Discover facts,... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » The most sensitive cargo…

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » The most sensitive cargo…: The most sensitive cargo… by alicemercer [image: 72] The minister at the church service I attended today share this poem by Naomi Shihab Nye, and it really resonated with me. Here’s a stanza, the poem in it’s entirety can be found at the link below: This man carries the world's most sensitive cargo but he's not marked. Nowhere does his jacket say FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE. - From “Shoulders” by Naomi Shihab Nye http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/23314#sthash.i0Eaf0sF.dpuf Let’s count the many ways that the s... more »

UPDATE: Can a teacher be disciplined/fired for teaching students their rights Daily Kos: you do not have right to vote in Presidential election

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Daily Kos: Even if you vote, you do not have right to vote in Presidential election: Even if you vote, you do not have right to vote in Presidential election by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *I wrote this as a comment to marktheshark's diary on the Ellison-Pocan proposed constitutional amendment on voting. I thought I would also put it up separately* Even if you have the right to vote you do not under the US Constitution have the right to vote for electors of the President and Vice-President. The state legislature gets to decide how those electors are awarded - remember the bil... more »

Sequester Cuts Gut Schools Serving Neediest Students - High School Notes (usnews.com)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Sequester Cuts Gut Schools Serving Neediest Students - High School Notes (usnews.com): Sequester Cuts Gut Schools Serving Neediest Students By KELSEY SHEEHY May 28, 2013 RSS Feed Print [image: FORT MEADE, MD - DECEMBER 16: Police officers from U.S. Army Fort George G. Meade walk outside the base gates. Schools near military bases and Indian reservations lost millions in federal funding when the sequester took effect on March 1.] Schools near military bases and Indian reservations lost millions in federal funding when the sequester took effect on March 1. Long lines and frustrated pa... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Can Teachers Really Be Creative and Innovative when Teaching to the Test? Do They Really Have that Much Magic?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Can Teachers Really Be Creative and Innovative when Teaching to the Test? Do They Really Have that Much Magic?: Can Teachers Really Be Creative and Innovative when Teaching to the Test? Do They Really Have that Much Magic? by stlgretchen The video of Ellie Rubenstein, a Highland Park School District (Lincoln Elementary School) teacher who resigned because of the increased time taken on standardized testing, has created new debate on the role of teachers. Rubenstein offers her statement on what it's like to teach today in the classroom. From theDaily... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-28-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Teaching in a World of Noise, Disruption, and Distraction by dianerav High school teacher Frank Breslin explains how the constant distractions of our society undermine students’ ability to concentrate or even pay attention to what happens in school. Breslin reminds me of Diana Senechal’s wonderful book “The Republic of Noise.” If you haven’t read it, you should. Breslin writes: “A factor over which teachers have no control and that plays an enormous role in makin... more »

Getting Our Youth Back to Work: Policy Lessons From Around the World | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Getting Our Youth Back to Work: Policy Lessons From Around the World | toteachornototeach: Getting Our Youth Back to Work: Policy Lessons From Around the World by aristotlethewise *Getting Our Youth Back to Work: Policy Lessons From Around the World* by Andreas Schleicher If there’s one lesson we’ve learned over the past few years, it’s that we cannot simply bail ourselves out of a crisis, we cannot solely stimulate ourselves out of a crisis and we cannot just print money our way out of a crisis. But we can become much better in equipping more people with better skills to collabora... more »

Indiana Legislature Playing Monday Morning Quarterback? | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Indiana Legislature Playing Monday Morning Quarterback? | Truth in American Education: Indiana Legislature Playing Monday Morning Quarterback? by Shane Vander Hart *The Times of Northwest Indiana* wrote an editorial yesterday opining that the Common Core State Standards not be set aside even though the implementation was paused. Indiana has reset the clock on joining the Common Core Standards initiative, with the Legislature overruling the State Board of Education and delaying implementation by at least one year while lawmakers play Monday morning quarterbacks this summer. The Co... more »

Ed school dean: Urban school reform is really about land development (not kids)

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Ed school dean: Urban school reform is really about land development (not kids): Ed school dean: Urban school reform is really about land development (not kids) By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 28, 2013 at 6:00 amE-mail the writer 0 Comments More [image: Dean Leslie Fenwick (howard.edu] Dean Leslie Fenwick (howard.edu Here is a provocative piece from Leslie T. Fenwick, dean of the Howard University School of Education and a professor of education policy, about what is really behind urban school reform. It’s not about fixing schools, she argues, but, rather, about urban land develop... more »

'Boy or Girl?' Gender identity become a new challenge for schools | OregonLive.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
'Boy or Girl?' Gender identity become a new challenge for schools | OregonLive.com: 'Boy or Girl?' Gender identity become a new challenge for schools The Associated Press By The Associated Press Follow on Twitter on May 28, 2013 at 12:05 AM, updated May 28, 2013 at 12:06 AM CHICAGO — From the time they are born, we put our boys in blue beanies and our girls in pink ones. It's a societal norm, an expectation even, that you just are what you are born — a boy or a girl. From early on, we divide toys and activities by very distinct gender lines, with superheroes and trucks and muck on ... more »

Perseverance at a Newark school following midyear teacher turnover | Hechinger Report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Perseverance at a Newark school following midyear teacher turnover | Hechinger Report: Perseverance at a Newark school following midyear teacher turnover by Sara Neufeld NEWARK — The first teacher to go was grieving over the death of a loved one. Those who followed gave reasons more directly tied to frustrations at the school: long hours taking a toll on family life, the minimal pay increase when the academic day was extended in January, feeling discounted in curricular decisions. One after another, they kept leaving. Between December and February, five teachers at Quitman Street Re... more »

CA’s RTTT early leaning program wins feds’ support for additional funds SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: CA’s RTTT early leaning program wins feds’ support for additional funds CA’s RTTT early leaning program wins feds’ support for additional funds *By Tom Chorneau* Tuesday, May 28, 2013 California’s effort to improve early learning programs, supported by a Race to the Top grant, has received a rare sign of support from the Obama administration after completing its first year – news of a pending supplemental grant expected to be about $22 million. The initiative, launched in 2011 with a firm caveat from Gov. Jerry Brown that no additional state m... more »

School leaders say Oakland’s community school movement will continue, even without Tony Smith | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
School leaders say Oakland’s community school movement will continue, even without Tony Smith | EdSource Today: School leaders say Oakland’s community school movement will continue, even without Tony Smith - by Michelle Maitre by Michelle Maitre [image: Students at Life Academy in Oakland participate in an after school "Futbolistas 4 Life" program. Credit: Roberto Daza. Stills courtesy of the documentary film Futbolistas 4 Life by Daza and Jun Stinson.] Students at Life Academy in Oakland participate in an after school “Futbolistas 4 Life” program. Credit: Roberto Daza. Photo courte... more »

Ed Notes Online: The assessment reform movement continues to gather steam

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: The assessment reform movement continues to gather steam: The assessment reform movement continues to gather steam by ed notes online Attack, attack, attack ed deform and the deformers. We are on the offensive. High stakes testing is the wedge of ed deform so every little bit to undermine and discredit HST wears away the cover. The list below show signs that media coverage is growing. From Monte Neill at Fair Test: This week's stories highlight high-stakes testing protests -- and victories -- in more than a dozen states with additional resistance activities plann... more »

De-Regulating Teacher Prep: Will Teacher Prep Academies Replace Schools of Ed? | A "Fuller" Look at Education Issues

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
De-Regulating Teacher Prep: Will Teacher Prep Academies Replace Schools of Ed? | A "Fuller" Look at Education Issues: De-Regulating Teacher Prep: Will Teacher Prep Academies Replace Schools of Ed? by Dr. Ed Fuller A new post from Edweek Teacher “Living in Dialogue” blog by Anthony Cody reports on another effort by Senator Bennett from the state of Colorado to pass the “Growing Excellent Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals,” otherwise known as the GREAT Act. See the EdWeek blog at: http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2013/05/will_teacher_prep_ac... more »

Moments Like This [Soul Of A Man] | The Jose Vilson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Moments Like This [Soul Of A Man] | The Jose Vilson: Moments Like This [Soul Of A Man] by Jose Vilson [image: Marvin Gaye] Marvin Gaye A blackened tooth from a decade-old basketball injury. An average of four hours of sleep a night. A tumultuous set of faculty meetings, in meetings, out meetings, and every other type of meeting in between. An early bus I missed, followed by a late train that took 15 minutes off my preparation time. A snide remark by colleagues. A set of bills ankle-deep tightening the noose ’round my neck. A few uncompleted projects. And a sense that perhaps I didn’t ... more »

Peg with Pen: One Step Closer....

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Peg with Pen: One Step Closer....: One Step Closer.... by Peggy Every time a child takes a high stakes test we are one step closer to the end of public education. Keep that in mind next year - especially if you are a student and/or have a child that doesn't mind the test - know that the action of taking the test in fact is assisting in the dismantling of public education and the end of the teaching profession. I don't spend my time helping people opt out because of some silly ole non-consequential test; I help people opt out because I know that submitting to the test - whether yo... more »

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: CCSS + iPad + Kindergarten = ? by Chris Cerrone Wondering if full day kindergarten children have nap time replaced by tablet time? Follow the author on twitter @stoptesting15 One Step Closer…… from @ the chalk face by peggyrobertson Every time a child takes a high stakes test we are one step closer to the end of public education. Keep that in mind next year – especially if you are a student and/or have a child that doesn’t mind the test – know that the action of taking the test in fact is assisting […] Reconsidering the Khan Academy by plthom... more »

Ed Notes Online: Quinn Drops Out of GPS Debate, Does Not Want Debate on Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Quinn Drops Out of GPS Debate, Does Not Want Debate on Education: Quinn Drops Out of GPS Debate, Does Not Want Debate on Education by ed notes online Quinn is sinking so fast she better not move those deck chairs. *New Yorkers for Great Public Schools to Host:* *First Actual Mayoral Debate on Education* *Update: Christine Quinn Drops Out; Her Campaign Says it Does Not Want to do a Debate on Education* *NYU Kimmel Center, 60 Washington Square South* *Tuesday, May 28 3:30 to 5:00 PM* *Mayoral Candidates will arrive at 3:45 PM;* *Debate will start at 4 PM and end at 5 ... more »

literally redefine | Cooperative Catalyst

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
literally redefine | Cooperative Catalyst: literally redefine by monika hardy [image: i's dotted] Currently, public education is defined/financed/played-out/victimized via 500+ policies per district. If all i’s are dotted and all t’s crossed, according to those policies, the government/powers that be – grant you funding. (That comes from public taxes.) [image: i's not dotted] If all i’s are not dotted and all t’s are not crossed, (a ginormous) part of potential funding/resources are spent on investigation of unmet policies. *So we have inspectors of inspectors and people making instr... more »

Will Teacher Prep Academies Replace Schools of Education? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Will Teacher Prep Academies Replace Schools of Education? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Will Teacher Prep Academies Replace Schools of Education? by Anthony Cody Senator Bennett from the state of Colorado has re-introduced the Growing Excellent Achievement Training Academies for Teachers and Principals (GREAT) Act, a bill to reshape teacher preparation, drastically lowering the standards for those doing this crucial work. The bill boasts support from the New Schools Venture Fund,Democrats for Education Reform, Stand For Children, Teach For America, TNTP, NCTQ and ... more »

In Memoriam: with Purpose for All | Reclaim Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
In Memoriam: with Purpose for All | Reclaim Reform: In Memoriam: with Purpose for All by kenpreviti [image: Memorial-Day 1]*Memorial Day is dedicated to those who have died in the service of our country. Americans give serious thought to why our honored dead sacrificed their lives.* (There is no room here for the ignorance or distortions that presently are hoisted upon this day. Memorial Day is not the Fourth of July, Veterans Day, Support Our Troops Day, War Movie Day, or the travesty of a Happy Memorial Day Sale of up to 50% off chosen items.) *WHY did they sacrifice their lives?*... more »

Bob Lyons speculates on the week ahead. And so do I. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Bob Lyons speculates on the week ahead. And so do I. | Fred Klonsky: Bob Lyons speculates on the week ahead. And so do I. by Fred Klonsky In the post below my friend Bob Lyons speculates on the week ahead in Springfield. Nobody knows more about the pension situation than Bob. He is a member of the TRS board of trustees and serves us well in that position. But I was struck by his thinking when it comes to the role of the Chicago Teachers Union. *Look for Cullerton on the other hand to attempt to convince the Chicago Teachers Union to accept the same deal as the state union coalition... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Katie Lapham’s Data Analysis: 26% of Her Time Not Teaching by dianerav In a guest post for Anthony Cody, Katie Lapham calculated that 26% of her school year is spent NOT teaching. Data inquiry, data analysis, professional development, etc. took time away from teaching. If you teach, what proportion of your time is spent not teaching? How much time is devoted to test prep, testing, and data analysis? *LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-27-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all* mike simpson ... more »

Illinois teacher in trouble for advising students about Fifth Amendment before drug-screening survey | The Raw Story

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Illinois teacher in trouble for advising students about Fifth Amendment before drug-screening survey | The Raw Story: Illinois teacher in trouble for advising students about Fifth Amendment before drug-screening survey [image: 'An angry mature teacher holding a wand and gesturing' via Shutterstock] A high school teacher in Batavia, Illinois could be disciplined for informing his students of their Fifth Amendment rights before administering a survey school officials was intended to gauge their emotional needs. The Batavia *Daily Herald* reported on May 25 that social studies instr... more »

To Give Students an Education, Give Them a Voice Student Voice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Student Voice: To Give Students an Education, Give Them a Voice by Editor Admin Repost from Cooperative Catalyst: The role of a teacher is evolving. As industries, technologies, and the needs in the world change, so does our approach to preparing the next generation for their lives ahead of them. In the past, teachers presented information in an organized and systematic manner in order to distribute valuable information to students. Schools were the only place that students could go to learn, because knowledge was completely centralized at the top with the elite professors and res... more »

DUE TO SCHOOL CLOSINGS: Get on the Bus–The Walking School Bus | Education on GOOD

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Get on the Bus–The Walking School Bus | Education on GOOD: Get on the Bus–The Walking School Bus [image: Parents walk their children to school] How bad is the drop-off traffic congestion in front of your kid’s school? If you’re like most parents in America, you’ll agree it’s pretty bad. Cars pulling up to the curb and pulling away, buses idling, parents running late, kids in a hurry to get to class. Kara Sergile, a consultant and mom of two elementary school-age girls in Glendale, CA, had enough of the morning drop-off craziness. In 2009, she decided to do something about it. Workin... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Latest "Chiefs For Change" Fail: Barresi in OK

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Latest "Chiefs For Change" Fail: Barresi in OK: Latest "Chiefs For Change" Fail: Barresi in OK by Duke *Heckuva job, Janet!* * * *Where did I find these people?* Let's check in on the latest of Jeb! Bush's "Chiefs For Change" failures. This time we're heading out west toOklahoma: “I had zero involvement in the process from start to finish personally.” These were the words of Janet Barresi when interviewed about the recent end-of-year “high stakes” tests administered to thousands of students throughout Oklahoma.*These comments would've been understandable and accepta... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » A tale of two cities…

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » A tale of two cities…: A tale of two cities… by alicemercer [image: swiss cheese scarf]All eyes are on Chicago, and the record school closures taking place in that city. But this is a drama being played out in cities across the country, including my own, as “right-sizing”, the Broad way, takes over. By now, many would have (or should have) heard that in Chicago, the projected savings have disappeared (or didn’t exist in the first place), and in the face of massive protests, the mayor has thrown $55M to a classic “Edifice complex “ (my husban... more »

Online college courses: Outsourcing education | The Economist

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Online college courses: Outsourcing education | The Economist: Outsourcing educationMay 27th 2013, 14:44 by W.W. | HOUSTON - - LECTURE halls can seat only so many students, but it's easy enough to broadcast lectures online to tens of thousands. Ventures such as EdX, a non-profit consortium involving a dozen universities, and Coursera, a for-profit business, are now focused on making courses taught by outstanding instructors available to millions of students. Some universities are using these so-called MOOCs, short for "massively open online courses", to supplement their s... more »

The Walking Wounded | Seattle Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The Walking Wounded | Seattle Education: The Walking Wounded by seattleducation2011 [image: body_of_war_] On this day when we are to remember all who have fought and died in the wars that the United States has participated in, let’s also remember the walking wounded, those who are still among us but are now just shadows of what they once were, vital, young men and women who know suffer in ways that we cannot imagine and yet receive little to no support from our government. When the war in Iraq first began, I started to hear stories about the families left behind who h... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Dr. Steve Perry: The Final Debunk

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Dr. Steve Perry: The Final Debunk: Dr. Steve Perry: The Final Debunk by Duke America's favorite teachers union basher, Dr. Steve Perry, has been making a lot of noise lately. The former CNN commentator and current magnet school principal is a reformy crowd favorite, mostly for his ability to bash teachers and their unions: Note: after the event, our local teachers union published a letter stating, “Dr. Steve Perry, a magnet school principal from Connecticut, and noted anti-union activist, spent the evening abrasively trashing teachers and our unions. *He went as f... more »

UPDATE: What Obama said back then about standardized tests

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
What Obama said back then about standardized tests: What Obama said back then about standardized tests by Valerie Strauss [image: Then Sen. Barack Obama at Mapleton Expeditionary School for the Arts in Thornton, Colo., on May 28, 2008, for a campaign stop. (AP | Chris Carlson)] Then-Sen. Barack Obama speaks at a May 2008 campaign stop at Mapleton Expeditionary School for the Arts in Thornton, Colo. (Photo by Chris Carlson/AP) “The tests our children take should support learning, not just accounting.” That’s what then-Sen. Barack Obamasaid back in May 2008 when he was running for pr... more »

Daily Kos: Memorial Day from the perspective of a non-combat veteran

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Daily Kos: Memorial Day from the perspective of a non-combat veteran: Memorial Day from the perspective of a non-combat veteran by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) In June of 1965, having decided to drop out of college, I walked into the recruiting booth in Times Square. By the time I walked out 45 minutes later I had signed papers to enlist in the Marine Corps, without telling my father. I was 19 years old. In those days there were only two legal actions that an adolescent could do without parental information - give blood, and enlist in the military. Remember, this is a time wh... more »

The origins of Memorial Day. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The origins of Memorial Day. | Fred Klonsky: The origins of Memorial Day. by Fred Klonsky PopoutSemi-officially Memorial Day starts the summer season. And honors those who have died in too many wars. I’m not a pacifist. Still, I know that there have been way too many stupid wars, including this country’s past 50 years of military adventures. But the idea of a Memorial Day dates back to 1866, in the aftermath of a war of liberation: The Civil War. A post on the website of the Congressional Black Caucus reminded me: *Standard history tells us that Memorial Day was officially proclaimed o... more »

What’s in Texas' $500 Million Testing Contract with Pearson? | KUT News

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
What’s in Texas' $500 Million Testing Contract with Pearson? | KUT News: What's in Texas' $500 Million Testing Contract with Pearson? Enlarge image Credit http://www.flickr.com/photos/40964293@N07/4728093020/ By any measure, Texas’ contract with standardized testing company Pearson is gigantic. The state’s latest agreement covers five years of testing (2010-2015), and costs nearly half a billion dollars. For about $90 million per year, the State of Texas receives a battery of tests, and the top-to-bottom services those tests require. By the time a current student in Texas public sch... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: The Stop Common Core Argument: There is no one "common" path or yellow brick road to educational excellence.

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: The Stop Common Core Argument: There is no one "common" path or yellow brick road to educational excellence.: The Stop Common Core Argument: There is no one "common" path or yellow brick road to educational excellence. by stlgretchen CCSS proponents would have you to believe the standards will create an educational utopia and nudge us to a better place. Let's look at the facts. They may lead to a wizard who promises a lot but in reality, it's just rhetoric. Follow the educational reform yellow brick road! We now have standards that will make our ki... more »

Modern School: Charges Dropped and Free Trip to Space Camp for Kayla Wilmot

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Modern School: Charges Dropped and Free Trip to Space Camp for Kayla Wilmot: Charges Dropped and Free Trip to Space Camp for Kayla Wilmot by Michael Dunn 16-year-old Kiera Wilmot was recently arrested and charged as an adult with two charges for a science experiment that went a tiny bit awry (see *Zero Tolerance for Science, or Common Sense*). Thanks to the public outcry, all charges have been dropped. However, it gets even better: former NASA engineer Homer Hickam is sending Kiera and her twin sister Kayla to space camp, according to Good Education. Hickam, who had served as Spac... more »

SKrashen: The end of the teaching profession?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
SKrashen: The end of the teaching profession?: The end of the teaching profession? "No matter how *cynical** *you get, it is impossible to keep up." - *Lily Tomlin*. Anthony Cody has posted an interesting (and chilling) vision of the future of education, predicting that by 2018 all teaching will be strictly controlled, with frequent testing, classes monitored and taped for regular inspection, and teacher evaluation based, among other things, on value-added analyses of student test scores, and videos evaluated by outsiders. http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in dialogue/2013/... more »

I don’t know anything about them, but they suck! Reformy thoughts on Ed Schools | School Finance 101

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
I don’t know anything about them, but they suck! Reformy thoughts on Ed Schools | School Finance 101: I don’t know anything about them, but they suck! Reformy thoughts on Ed Schools by schoolfinance101 It all started here, when Ben Riley of NSVF suggested that comments from Finnish Ed Guru Pasi Sahlberg (hero of the anti-reformers) regarding teacher preparation in Finland (and elsewhere) meant that the U.S. really needed to start shutting down teacher preparation programs. - *Benjamin Riley* ‏@*benjaminjriley* 1hDon’t look now, but I think Finnish edu-guru @*pasi_sahlberg*... more »












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