Big Education Ape: Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-21-13 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 5-21-13 #thankateacher #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

All Out for Oakland Schools! Tomorrow, Wedn., 5:30 @ Board Meeting! | Classroom Struggle

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 minutes ago

All Out for Oakland Schools! Tomorrow, Wedn., 5:30 @ Board Meeting! | Classroom Struggle: All Out for Oakland Schools! Tomorrow, Wedn., 5:30 @ Board Meeting! by ClassroomStruggle Join Oakland parents, teachers, and students in Adult Ed and K-12 tomorrow to demand: Save and rebuild adult education! Grant teachers a fair contract! Reduce Special Ed Case Loads! Rally at 5:30 at the School Board (La Escuelita Elementary: 1050 2nd Avenue, btwn 10th & 12th St). Click the flyer below to download. [image: Save and rebuild adult education][image: Save and rebuild adult education2]

Kaboom! Parent Power! NYC Parents Stop The Department of Education From Announcing Election Results And Conducting Runoffs For Flawed Community and Citywide Education Council Elections | New York City Parents Union

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago

Kaboom! Parent Power! NYC Parents Stop The Department of Education From Announcing Election Results And Conducting Runoffs For Flawed Community and Citywide Education Council Elections | New York City Parents Union: Kaboom! Parent Power! NYC Parents Stop The Department of Education From Announcing Election Results And Conducting Runoffs For Flawed Community and Citywide Education Council Elections by admin *New York, NY* – On Tuesday, May 20, public school parents squared off against the New York City Department of Education (“NYCDOE”) in a court hearing before Judge Schlomo S. Ha... more »

PSAT for 5-21-13: Do what you do to stand up to the school closings Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 minutes ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 5-21-13: Do what you do to stand up to the school closings: PSAT for 5-21-13: Do what you do to stand up to the school closings by admin Everyone can do something. [image: psat_logo]Today PURE held a press conference with six child mental health experts who spoke out about the damage the proposed school closings may do to children, giving their professional backing to what parents, teachers, students and others have been saying over and over for the past few months. We faxed 11 powerful statementsfrom those six and o... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Great Moments In White People Cluelessness

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 16 minutes ago

Jersey Jazzman: Great Moments In White People Cluelessness: Great Moments In White People Cluelessness by Duke From Matt Kramer, Co-CEO of Teach For America: As white person, I thk role of white ppl in ed reform is a fair Q. But, I believe answer lies in allyship, not abdicating responsibility. So please don't get so upset, black parents, when Matt sends privileged, young, white, untrained, unqualified,uncommitted "teachers" into your children's schools, even as TFA racks up a billion dollars and shoves career teachers out on to the street. After all, he's willing to admit it's ... more »

This Is What Equal Opportunity Looks Like « The Core Knowledge Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 minutes ago

This Is What Equal Opportunity Looks Like « The Core Knowledge Blog: This Is What Equal Opportunity Looks Like by Lisa Hansel A few days ago, Marc Tucker of the National Center on Education and the Economy wrote about supporting the Common Core State Standards—and doing whatever it takes to implement them well—simply because they reflect real-world standards. Institutions of higher education and employers have high standards. For many children from disadvantaged homes, rigorous schooling offers the only hope for being well prepared. Tucker recalled: Years ago, I was running a focu... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Youth Health/Behavior Survey Results

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 minutes ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Youth Health/Behavior Survey Results: Youth Health/Behavior Survey Results by Melissa Westbrook From the district webpage (with links to all the info/surveys): *Results of recent state and federal surveys of health- and risk-related behavior among Seattle Public Schools middle and high school students provide a snapshot of everything from drug use and sexual behavior to how often they eat fruit and vegetables and watch television. The state-funded Healthy Youth Survey is taken every two years by students in grades 6, 8, 10, and 12 and focuses on a...more »

Implications of the New "Poor" — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 minutes ago

Implications of the New "Poor" — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Implications of the New “Poor” May 21, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *Posst written by Pam Capasso, Sara Gogel, Tracy Knight, and Janine Norris of Holly Glen Elementary School in Williamstown, N.J.* Holly Glen Elementary School serves approximately 580 students with one-third on free or reduced meals. Our school houses English language learners, autistic population, and students from low-income housing. In the past, Holly Glen comprised various socioeconomic levels rangi... more »

“This has seriously been the most indescribable past 48 hours of my life.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 minutes ago

“This has seriously been the most indescribable past 48 hours of my life.” | Fred Klonsky: “This has seriously been the most indescribable past 48 hours of my life.” by Fred Klonsky [image: me-2] I met Stephanie Rivera last summer in Washington, D.C. through our mutual friend, Adam Heenan. Stephanie came to Chicago from New Jersey this weekend to take part in the three days of protests against Rahm’s school closings, the largest mass closing of public schools in American history. Visit her blog for the rest of the story of her visit to Chicago. This has seriously been the most indes... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Charter Schools = Wingnut Welfare

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 44 minutes ago

Jersey Jazzman: Charter Schools = Wingnut Welfare: Charter Schools = Wingnut Welfare by Duke *Everybody gets a taste...* No one who reads this blog will be at all surprised by this: Last year, I wrote about fake Democrat Cody Bailey who had his ass handed to him by now-State Representative David Knezek. Bailey barely beat a candidate in the Democratic primary who didn’t even run a campaign and got his clock cleaned by Knezek. As I outlined in my expose, Bailey was anything but a Democrat and ran one of the sleaziest, most fact-challenged campaigns in my experience. Imagine my (n... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Learning from Prof. Joravsky about Rahm's latest TIF deal

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 44 minutes ago

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Learning from Prof. Joravsky about Rahm's latest TIF deal: Learning from Prof. Joravsky about Rahm's latest TIF deal by Mike Klonsky Rahm's Choose Chicago pals applaud the latest great TIF swidle.I continue to learn from Professor Joravsky about TIF, the Mayor's own taxpayer supported slush fund. Today,the prof schools us on what might be Rahm's greatest-of-all scams, the DePaul Arena TIF swindle, by which he takes millions in taxpayer dollars that should go to Chicago Public Schools and funnels them to his rich pals and corporations. In the late... more »

The Death of Private Schools is Greatly Exaggerated (& Misrepresented!) | School Finance 101

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

The Death of Private Schools is Greatly Exaggerated (& Misrepresented!) | School Finance 101: The Death of Private Schools is Greatly Exaggerated (& Misrepresented!) by schoolfinance101 [image: Slide1] As I’ve explained on previous posts, specific to New Jersey, claims of the dying private sector in education are grossly over exaggerated. These days, such claims are often over exaggerated with the purpose of framing some broad policy interest in supporting private schools. That is, some need for immediate public policy attention to the problem – some reason to consider how to bett... more »

Tornado survivor: Our teacher saved our lives

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Tornado survivor: Our teacher saved our lives: Tornado survivor: Our teacher saved our lives By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 21, 2013 at 2:00 pmE-mail the writer Here’s a video from “Today” about how a teacher saved some children when the massive tornado struck Moore, Okla., and the transcript: *Reporter:* You know, there have been some amazing stories of survival that are starting to emerge from the rubble and I have one of those, Brandi Klein, Damien Klein and Bobby Britain. Damien, you’re a fourth-grader at Plaza Tower Elementary School. Do you remember anything from yeste... more »

Press release from PURE press conference on school closings and child mental health Parents United for Responsible Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Press release from PURE press conference on school closings and child mental health: Press release from PURE press conference on school closings and child mental health by admin Erin Mason speaks at PURE press conference [image: Erin Mason speaks at PURE press conference] Press Release **** For Immediate Release May 21, 2013 Contact: Julie Woestehoff, Parents United for Responsible Education. 773-715-3989 Diane Horwitz, Chicagoland Researchers and Advocates for Transformative Education (CReATE). 847-332-2756 Ann Aviles de Brad... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Parents in Western NYS outraged about testing and confidential data sharing

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Parents in Western NYS outraged about testing and confidential data sharing: Parents in Western NYS outraged about testing and confidential data sharing by Leonie Haimson An excellent news story below from WIVB TV news in Western New York State that captures the parent outrage at the NY State Education Department concerning the increase in testing and student data sharing being imposed on our schools, leading to a growing opt out movement. I strongly recommend you watch the whole thing; the section on the state's plan to share confidential student data ... more »

John “002″ Cullerton: Part-Time President of the Senate | Reclaim Reform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

John “002″ Cullerton: Part-Time President of the Senate | Reclaim Reform: John “002″ Cullerton: Part-Time President of the Senate by kenpreviti John “002″ Cullerton is the Part-Time President of the Illinois Senate at $67,836. What does he do as his full-time job? [image: Cullerton quiz]“Cullerton serves part-time as an Illinois state senator. Fagel Haber merged with Thompson Cobern LLP in 2007, and Cullerton continues as a partner practicing in the areas of government relations, zoning, licensing, real estate tax assessment, and nonprofit law. Cullerton is a lobbyist registered wi... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-21-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Rightwing Superintendents Oppose Randi Moratorium by dianerav http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/common-core-clash-aft-president-fires-back-at-state-ed-officials/2013/05/21/a93321e8-c245-11e2-8c3b-0b5e9247e8ca_story.html Common Core clash: AFT president fires back at state ed officials By Lyndsey Layton, The Washington Post Tuesday, May 21, 3:45 PM The head of a major teachers union fired back Tuesday at state education officials who had dismissed her call for a moratorium on stakes associated with new... more »

Political Payback Sinks Missouri’s Common Core Pause Bill | Truth in American Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Political Payback Sinks Missouri’s Common Core Pause Bill | Truth in American Education: Political Payback Sinks Missouri’s Common Core Pause Bill by Shane Vander Hart State Sen. Tom Dempsey [image: State Senator Tom Dempsey]I learned over the weekend that SB 210 is dead in the Missouri Senate due to a threat of a filibuster. I was told that it had nothing to do with those pushing the bill, the Common Core State Standards or a love of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It was political payback. The sponsor of the bill, State Senator John Lamping (R-Clay... more »

Our New Education Landscape Needs New Solutions — Whole Child Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Our New Education Landscape Needs New Solutions — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Dianna Minor]Our New Education Landscape Needs New Solutions May 21, 2013 by Dianna Minor The landscape of American education has changed. Since 2011, more minority children are being born in U.S. households. As a result of this growing trend, we must look at the disparities within the education system which are having implications for schools across the country. Once thriving communities are seeing population shifts with students coming from inner-city, urban areas as well as stude... more »

NEA Mourns for Oklahoma in Wake of Tornado Tragedy | NEA Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

NEA Mourns for Oklahoma in Wake of Tornado Tragedy | NEA Today: NEA Mourns for Oklahoma in Wake of Tornado Tragedy by clong *By Edward Graham* A massive tornado ripped through Oklahoma yesterday afternoon, killing dozens of people and injuring hundreds more as it carved a 22-mile long path of destruction across parts of southern Oklahoma City and its surrounding suburbs. Teachers carry children away from Briarwood Elementary school after a tornado destroyed the school in south Oklahoma City, on May 20. In the city of Moore, the almost two-mile wide twister heavily damaged Briarwood ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The real Civil Rights Movement

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The real Civil Rights Movement: The real Civil Rights Movement by Mike Klonsky Heroics in OK Hardest thing to watch was the news coming out of OK this morning. Total devastation of two elementary schools with terrified children, some of whom died. What caught my attention were stories of teachers covering students with their own bodies. At least one gave up her own life doing so. Other acts of selfless humanism by regular people before and after the tornado, people who see and feel disaster for what it is -- not as "an opportunity." Not news to mos... more »

UPDATE: Springfield stand-off. + “Just laying my body on top of as many kids as I could.” | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

“Just laying my body on top of as many kids as I could.” What kind of person would actually vote to put children in a Danger Zone? | Fred Klonsky: Why I love teachers and am proud to call myself one. by Fred Klonsky Why I love teachers and am proud to call myself one: *“Briarwood, where the teachers put their bodies over the children and told them to hold their backpacks over their heads—mini-rooftops. At AgapeLand Learning Center, according to the Times, teachers “hustled some 15 children into two bathrooms, draping them with a protective covering.” The roof of was blown off, and... more »

School Closure Opponents Arrested at City Hall Demonstration Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: * School Closure Opponents Arrested at City Hall Demonstration* *Several demonstrators blocked elevators in loop protest* By Mary Ann Ahern and BJ Lutz| Monday, May 20, 2013 View more videos at:http://nbcchicago.com. The Chicago Board of Education is expected to vote Wednesday on the planned closure of more than 50 schools. Mary Ann Ahern reports. Roughly two dozen protesters were arrested Monday afternoon during a demonstration at City Hall aimed at preventing the planned closure of more than 50 Chicago schools. T... more »

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, May 21, 2013

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *California won't try again for No Child Left Behind waiver* Education Headlines *Tuesday, May 21, 2013* Frey: May budget revise offers funding reprieve to some Regional Occupational CentersSome California Regional Occupational Centers – the primary providers of career technical education for high school students in the state – have been given a reprieve from Gov. Jerry Brown’s original plan to eliminate any future dedicated funding for them. New form of discipline aims to keep students in schoolIn the Newport-Mesa Unified School... more »

UPDATE: Civil Rights Lawyers Sign Open Letter to Stop Chicago Schools Closure and Privatization Scheme – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Civil Rights Lawyers Sign Open Letter to Stop Chicago Schools Closure and Privatization Scheme – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Being Jeb...a pretend interview. by Chalk Face, PhD Reblogged from Blue Hat Movement: Hi, my name is Charlie and I want to present to you a scenario. For the sake of explaining a portion of what is happening to our public schools, I am going to perform a little magic and transport you to a world where I am Jeb Bush. But first, […] Sent by Jon Lubar, a few words on chronic absenteeism by Chalk Face, PhD I invited a guest speaker to come into one... more »

LA and the Recovery School District approach (SB1718): A P.T. Barnum Circus | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

LA and the Recovery School District approach (SB1718): A P.T. Barnum Circus | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: LA and the Recovery School District approach (SB1718): A P.T. Barnum Circus by crazycrawfish Reblogged from Cloaking Inequity: [image: Click to visit the original post] - [image: Click to visit the original post] - [image: Click to visit the original post] - [image: Click to visit the original post] I suspect P.T. Barnum would be proud of the showmanship eminating from Louisiana— an educational policy circus. The Recovery School District has been acclaimed as *“a game ch... more »

Why ability grouping in schools is a mistake

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Why ability grouping in schools is a mistake: Why ability grouping in schools is a mistake By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 21, 2013 at 10:00 amE-mail the writer [image: groupings-300x127]Many elementary schools to create ability-group classrooms in an attempt to better prepare kids to meet the Common Core State Standards. In the following post, Joanne Yatvin explains why this is a problem. She is a past president of the National Council of Teachers of English and now she supervises student teachers for Portland State University and writes books for teachers. By Joanne Yatvin Over... more »

Modern School: The Real STEM Crisis

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Modern School: The Real STEM Crisis: The Real STEM Crisis by Michael Dunn Contrary to the hysteria being whipped up by President Obama, Congressional leaders and the media, there is no shortage of competent Science, Technology, Engineer or math (STEM) graduates. There is, however, a crisis in funding of STEM research—a crisis that is causing record numbers of young scientists to lose funding and their jobs, while preventing many more from obtaining jobs in the first place. Declining research funding at the University of California system, for example, has prompted several UCLA ne... more »

Bad to Good and Good to Great - Bridging Differences - Education Week

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Bad to Good and Good to Great - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Bad to Good and Good to Great by Deborah Meier *Michael J. Petrilli writes to Deborah Meier once again today.* Dear Deborah, I want to say more about a topic that interests us both: How to create an accountability system that empowers excellent educators to create top-notch schools while ensuring a basic level of quality for everyone. It's a real dilemma, because what might work in a hothouse setting (especially lots of professional autonomy) has tended to disappoint when taken to scale. That's not easy for me t... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: A Clinical Psychologist's Concerns With Student Data Gathering

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: A Clinical Psychologist's Concerns With Student Data Gathering: A Clinical Psychologist's Concerns With Student Data Gathering by Anngie Last week during the House Education Committee hearing on SB210 Representative Margo McNeil asked witness Gretchen Logue what she was so worried about with the data gathering. Specifically she asked, "What is your worst case scenario with the data gathering?" Perhaps this article, written by a clinical psychologist, can offer a perspective on the dangers of gathering individual student data that Rep. McNeil could not... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-21-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Scandal Deepens in Louisiana: Will Anyone Investigate? by dianerav Tom Aswell, investigator journalist and blogger, is covering and uncovering evidence of fraud in the Louisiana Course Choice program. Hundreds of students were somehow registered for online courses without the knowledge of the students or their parents. How did this happen? This would mean a massive transfer of funds from Louisiana taxpayers to online Michigan’s Bad Ideas, In Step with Race to... more »

Louisiana Educator: The Unlimited Threat of Vouchers and Course Choice

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Louisiana Educator: The Unlimited Threat of Vouchers and Course Choice: The Unlimited Threat of Vouchers and Course Choice by Michael Deshotels From yesterday's disastrous Oklahoma tornadoes: *“We had to pull a car out of the hallway that was on top of a teacher. She had three little children under her. Good job teach!”* This is a direct quote from one of the rescue workers about a teacher and her students caught in a school hit by one of the devastating Oklahoma tornadoes yesterday. It brings tears of pride to my eyes every time I read it. Just another example of the spontaneous... more »

It’s time to fix school discipline practices and policies | EdSource Today

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

It’s time to fix school discipline practices and policies | EdSource Today: It’s time to fix school discipline practices and policies - by Sarah Omojola / commentary by Sarah Omojola / commentary *Fix School Discipline* All students can learn. That’s a simple but profound starting place for talking about changing school discipline policies. As a former teacher in New Orleans public schools, I am well aware of the difficulty of teaching students who have varying backgrounds, abilities and learning styles in an ever-changing school system, inundated with countless internal and exter... more »

UPDATE: VAM This: Is This a New Definition of an Effective Teacher Ed Notes Online: Noon Today: TEACHERS COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO PROTEST

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Noon Today: TEACHERS COLLEGE STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO PROTEST AWARD TO MERRYL TISCH, NYS BOARD OF REGENTS CHANCELLOR: VAM This: Is This a New Definition of an Effective Teacher - Throwing your body over kids during a tornado or in front of a bullet? by ed notes online One can never say what you would do in situations like these and I cannot say for sure what I would do. I had a few minor incidents over my years of teaching where I hope I did the right thing. I think most teachers generally act in the interests of the safety of the kids in extreme conditions. It is... more »

Computer use irrelevant to education outcomes, says US study | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Computer use irrelevant to education outcomes, says US study | toteachornototeach: Computer use irrelevant to education outcomes, says US study by aristotlethewise *Computer use irrelevant to * *education outcomes, says US study* By Richard Chirgwin The accepted wisdom that computers are an indispensable tool of modern education is under challenge in a study conducted for Germany’s Centre for Economic Studies IFO (CESifo). The study, published by the University of California Santa Cruz’s Robert Fairlie and Johnathan Robertson, detected no difference between computer-owning children... more »

Latino students missing school for vacation deserves more scrutiny | NewsTacoNewsTaco

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Latino students missing school for vacation deserves more scrutiny | NewsTacoNewsTaco: Latino students missing school for vacation deserves more scrutiny by Victor Landa [image: students] By Esther J. Cepeda, NBCLatino CHICAGO — It’s that time. If you’re a teacher in a school with a large concentration of Hispanic students, you’re doing end-of-year reviews and preparing for final exams — and you have kids trickling up to you to let you know they won’t be around for them. This also happens at the beginning of the school year and during the holidays as parents take their children out ... more »

Has anybody told Obama about the problems his education policies have caused?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Has anybody told Obama about the problems his education policies have caused?: Has anybody told Obama about the problems his education policies have caused? By Valerie Strauss, Published: May 21, 2013 at 6:00 amE-mail the writer 6 Comments More [image: race]White House officials say they didn’t tell President Obama about an impending IRS scandal, and nobody told him the Justice Department secretly subpoenaedreporters’ phone records, and exactly what he knew when about the Benghazi controversy is unclear. This, then, seems like a good time to ask: How much has the president been told... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Nobody Like Public School Destroyers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: Nobody Like Public School Destroyers: Nobody Like Public School Destroyers by Duke Maybe he thought they were going to lay palms at his feet? No one booed. But the graduates of Millersville University didn't exactly cheer Gov. Tom Corbett either Saturday. In introducing Corbett as the class of 2013's commencement speaker, Michael Warfel, chairman of the Council of Trustees, explained the difficult fiscal conditions the governor has faced, highlighting the state's looming pension crisis. He noted that Corbett has signed two budgets on time. Warfel didn't menti... more »

NYC Educator: Chancellor Walcott Addresses Bullying

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

NYC Educator: Chancellor Walcott Addresses Bullying: Chancellor Walcott Addresses Bullying by NYC Educator Hi. I'm New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, and I think it's about time we addressed bullying. Personally I've had it with bullying. That's why I'm making 80 thousand teachers give lessons on it. After all, I've made them come back for full school days on June 24th and 25th, after they've given grades and their students have finished all their tests. What better time to tell 34 kids you oppose bullying than right after you've forced them to come back to a hot clas... more »

Special Late Nite Cap EXTRA 5-20-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

*Nite Cap **EXTRA**EXTRA** EXTRA EXTRA **EXTRA* Marching in Chicago: Resisting Rahm Emanuel's Neoliberal SavageryMonday, 20 May 2013 10:16By Henry A. Giroux, Truthout | Op-Ed - 10 - font size [image: decrease font size] [image: increase font size] - Print - Email [image: Protesters march in the Loop March 27, 2013 during a rally to protest the proposed closing of 54 Chicago public schools.]Protesters march in the Loop March 27, 2013 during a rally to protest the proposed closing of 54 Chicago public schools. (Photo: WBEZ/Robin Amer) Across the globe, predatory cap... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 5-20-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

*Nite Cap UPDATE* *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* May budget delays adult ed transfer, long-term funding worries persist Education advocates are applauding Gov. Jerry Brown’s decision to fund a planning period for transitioning administration of California’s adult education program to a regional network of community colleges. But, concerns remain that without dedicated funding in the interim, the system could disintegrate under the proposed K-12 school finance restructuring. UC schools draw record application numbers; UCLA as exclusive as Tufts -- for sta... more »

Honesty In The Time Of Professionalism | The Jose Vilson

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Honesty In The Time Of Professionalism | The Jose Vilson: Honesty In The Time Of Professionalism by Jose Vilson [image: Arne Duncan] Arne Duncan In this economy, everyone’s scared to lose their jobs. Leaders often say they want feedback and honesty, but only if it fits their beliefs about the reality they’ve interpreted. For instance, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently tweeted this: https://twitter.com/arneduncan/status/335406017875677187 I laughed and replied: https://twitter.com/TheJLV/status/335407173771358208 Perhaps he does. Perhaps he believes that the schools his admin... more »

Last Stand for Children First: Serial Trespasser's Arrest Brings Union Election Results into Doubt

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Last Stand for Children First: Serial Trespasser's Arrest Brings Union Election Results into Doubt: Serial Trespasser's Arrest Brings Union Election Results into Doubt by Last Stand for Children Today, the Chicago Police Department was forced to arrest Chicago Teachers Union Financial Secretary Kristine Mayle after she refused to stop interfering with law abiding citizens who wished to use the elevators at Chicago City Hall. Her arrest brings shame not only to Kristine, but to the entire Chicago Teachers Union who recently elected this serial trespasser to another term running... more »

How Michelle Rhee Misled Education Reform | New Republic

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

How Michelle Rhee Misled Education Reform | New Republic: *How Michelle Rhee Misled Education Reform* *A memoir illustrates what's wrong with her brand of school reform* BY NICHOLAS LEMANN - Read Later - Listen - Font Size - Facebook - Twitter The other day I picked up a copy of *The Adventures of Augie March*. I hadn’t remembered that Saul Bellow, writing in the early 1950s, when he was not yet forty, about Chicago in the 1920s, had been in full sympathy with the urban poor, as he definitely was not later in his career. There is a hilarious bit in the early pages ... more »

The Washington Teacher: Cardozo Senior High Teachers Get the Axe!

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

The Washington Teacher: Cardozo Senior High Teachers Get the Axe!: Cardozo Senior High Teachers Get the Axe! by noreply@blogger.com (Candi Peterson) *By Candi Peterson* Today, Cardozo Senior High School staff were mandated to attend an end of school emergency meeting in the school auditorium. An important morning and afternoon announcement was made by the schools principal, Dr. Tanya Roane that required all staff to report to the meeting including the schools’ custodians. It felt as though we were being summoned to the guillotine by the principal’s urgent tone and requirement that... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Bloomberg Blows Up the Reformy Argument

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Jersey Jazzman: Bloomberg Blows Up the Reformy Argument: Bloomberg Blows Up the Reformy Argument by Duke *Instead of going to college, I should have been a cowboy!* When the mayor of Reformytown admits one of the fundamental arguments of the corporate reformers is wrong,that's news: Some advice from career counselor Mayor Bloomberg: If you are a so-so high school student, steer clear of college — and learn to clear clogged drains. Bloomberg said on his weekly radio show Friday that *going to trade school to become a plumber is a better economic bet for many teenagers than obtain... more »

SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 5-20-13 #soschat #edreform

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* Wayne Au: Coring Social Studies within Corporate Education Reform by rdsathene “Teachers could stop #CommonCore tomorrow—if they joined hands and said ‘Hell, No!’ The alternative is loss of profession—and soul.” — Susan Ohanian A local university professor I’m friends with through The Association of Raza Educators (ARE) wrote me yesterday with the following message: Hi Robert, I hope you are well… You might be familiar with […] Seattle Teachers, Students Win Historic Victory Over Standardized Testing After months of protest, teachers, s... more »

Diane in the Evening 5-20-13 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: Providence Students Challenge Commissioner Gist to Debate Issues by dianerav That amazing, pro-active, brilliant Providence Student Union has challenged Rhode Island Commissioner of Education Deborah Gist to a debate about high-stakes testing with them. Will Commissioner Gist agree to debate them? The students thinks it is wrong to use NECAP–the state assessment–as a requirement for graduation. The corporation that created the test agrees with the students that the test was not designed as an exit exam. Gist is ... more »

Will the Data Warehouse Become Every Student and Teacher's "Permanent Record"? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Will the Data Warehouse Become Every Student and Teacher's "Permanent Record"? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Will the Data Warehouse Become Every Student and Teacher's "Permanent Record"? by Anthony Cody When I was in junior high many years ago, I recall teachers warning students that if they did not shape up, their crimes would go into their "permanent record." At the time I really did not know what that meant. It conjured up images of some moment in the future when an earthly version of Saint Peter might unroll some lengthy scroll of misdeeds, for which we wou... more »

Campaign: Door-to-Door With Monica Ratliff - LA School Report

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Campaign: Door-to-Door With Monica Ratliff - LA School Report: Post navigationCampaign: Door-to-Door With Monica Ratliff Posted on May 20, 2013 by Hillel Aron **Going door-to-door in the Sunland section of the East Valley one evening this past weekend, District 6 School Board candidate *Monica Ratliff*‘s pitch to voters goes something like this: “Hi, my name is Monica Ratliff. I’m a teacher, and I’m running for the Board of Education. Do you have any questions or concerns about the school district?” Most voters are startled by this; it’s unusual for a politician to ask voters for ad... more »