@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:
Weigand ES Community protest the trigger happy Parent Revolution astroturf reactionaries
rdsathene * Robert D. Skeels at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 hours ago
First published on solidaridad on June 1, 2013 “This further substantiates our claim that by not openly demanding wealth redistribution, reparations, or justice for exploited workers, white social justice non-profits function as brokers for the wealthy.” — Tiffany Lethabo King and Ewuare Osyande (The Revolution Will Not Be Funded, 82) Great footage by LArepresents of […]
Noam Chomsky, Howard Gardner, and Bruno della Chiesa on 45th anniversary of “Pedagogy of the Oppressed”
rdsathene * Robert D. Skeels at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 6 hours ago
“I stayed with Marx in the worldliness, looking for Christ in the transcendentality.” — Paolo Freire On May Day 2013, Harvard’s Askwith Forum commemorated the 45th anniversary of the publication of Paolo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed with a discussion about the book’s impact and relevance to education today. Chuck Leddy tweeted about his write […]
Two Questions for Commissioner Deborah Gist
Jim Horn at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 9 hours ago
Commissioner Gist of Rhode Island has taken to the op-ed pages to defend standardized testing, going so far as to declare that Too often, standardized tests become a convenient stand-in for the ills of our education system. People frequently blame assessments for less-than-inspired teaching. Really? Is that your experience, Ms. Gist? If you ask the […]
Parents Opt Out . . . of Student Eye Scanning
Jim Horn at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 16 hours ago
In the state that spawned Chiefs for Change (and Folding Cash), the education industrial complex just got hooked up with the homeland security and surveillance complex in Polk County. Just as everyone was starting to believe that the Polk County Schools were working on an austerity basis with a twelve million dollar budget shortfall as […]
Governor Chris Christie and Ed Commissioner Cerf Leaving NJ’s Children Behind
freetoteach at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 16 hours ago
Funding for New Jersey’s public schools is falling behind and leaving lots of children left behind. After more than a decade of NCLB which was supposed to close the achievement gap, yeah right, Chris Christie and President Obama’s love fest this past week in boosting the tv ratings on the Jersey Shore, is little comfort […]
Return Philadelphia Schools to Local Control Rally Wed June 5th
freetoteach at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 17 hours ago
Pennsylvania Education Crisis Highlights - May 31st, 2013 Philadelphia City Council Education Committee hearing on the return of the Philadelphia School District to local control Monday, June 3rd 10:00 a.m. People wanting to speak may sign up right before the meeting. Stand Together for real food and safe schools for our kids Rally: Wednesday, June 5th 4:00 p.m. […]
Denver Blacklisting Teachers Without Cause
freetoteach at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 20 hours ago
Sign petition here All across the country, from coast to coast, even here in New Jersey, where we have had the best public school systems in the country, experienced teachers are being fired. Under the guise of a bad evaluation, teachers in Denver are the latest victims and are being targeted despite years of teaching […]
Over a Half-Million Viewers Share Rubenstein’s Resignation Speech
Jim Horn at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago
Captured in 10 minutes here are so many of the truths known by teachers everywhere during these Dark Days. When teachers begin to speak this way while still employed, rather than as they walk out, only then will we see progress in rolling back the influence of the oligarchs to create a new breed of […]
Los Angeles public education events for the first weekend of June 2013
rdsathene * Robert D. Skeels at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago
First published on solidaridad on May 30, 2013 Logan Street Elementary School Celebrates 125th Birthday Posted by Cheryl Ortega, May 23, 2013 at 10:46 am on Echo Park-Silver Lake Patch Saturday, June 1, 2013, 10:00 AM 1711 W. Montana Street Los Angeles, CA 90026 See previous entry for more photos In 1888 children came to Logan […]
@rweingarten has some explaining to do re: #AFT #commoncore survey
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago
At the Chalk Face was joined by intrepid researcher and educator Mercedes Schneider for an interview in January of this year as she demolished the state of LA’s flawed school evaluation data. You can listen to that here. My, how time flies. Today, she really dug into the March 2013 survey of teacher attitudes towards the […]
solidaridad: Parent Trigger: Stop the Lies! Hear the Truth Rally in the Valley 2013-June-04
rdsathene * Robert D. Skeels at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago
solidaridad: Parent Trigger: Stop the Lies! Hear the Truth Rally in the Valley 2013-June-04. Filed under: ROBERT D. SKEELS: Schools Matter Tagged: Adelento, alec, Ben Austin, Billionaire Boys Club, Gloria Romero, Heartland Institute, lausd, neoliberalism, parent trigger, Pat DeTemple, privatization, rdsathene
I get these things from @educationsector
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago
I get some emails about new reports from this tank of thinkers. Back in the day, man, I loved me some Sara Mead. But now, oy, some trifling neoliberal nonsense. Example from a recent message touting a new report on keeping “top talent,” or some other consultant terminology. Here’s an abstract: Attracting and Retaining Talented […]
Good to see a Mr. @john_merrow coming to his senses
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago
As this open letter to the architects of the common core indicates. Hmm. Could it have something to do with a recent interview perhaps? Hmm. Listen and see if you can hear any clues. I’m inclined to say, “YES!” Follow the arrow to the top. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: common […]
From “Surplussed” to “Excessed:” Dumped Memphis Teachers Go to Court
Jim Horn at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago
With the blessing of Bill Gates and State Commissioner, Kevin (formerly Mister Michelle Rhee) Huffman, principals across Memphis and Shelby County are illegally dumping hundreds of tenured teachers in favor of TFA, TeachPlus, and TeachMemphis corporate missionaries, who are hired to instill in Memphis’ impoverished children the corporate psychology that can be summed up as “you can […]
Enough of the “I am a white person and I refuse to acknowledge the opportunity gaps created by poverty” narrative.
Timothy D. Slekar at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 day ago
Today in EdWeek, teacher (not really. instead she is a Teach Plus teaching fellow) Casie Jones attempts to use the poverty is no excuse crap to pat her own back and talk about how she makes a “substantial difference.” There is no doubt that a caring individual will help any child regardless of socio-economic situation. Love […]
Alexander Russo’s vicious attack on Weigand Elementary School Teachers
rdsathene at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 2 days ago
Photo courtesy of LS4C1. Alexander Russo’s vicious attack on LAUSD’s Weigand Elementary School teachers should be noted by everyone. In a piece where he gleefully sides with AEI’s Hess’ smear on the distinguished Professor Ravitch, he also decides to take aim at the hardworking women and men teaching at the school recently shot up by […]
The readiness to do social experiments on the education of children
Activism in paradise - Voices from down under at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 2 days ago
Reposted from Scoop NZ. by Gordon Campbell The school closures in Christchurch really are a perfect storm – the most stressed community in New Zealand is being led by the most accident prone Minister in the Key government, into a social experiment on its youngest and most vulnerable, in the least available time. Nothing could […]
CCSS Garbage
Chris Cerrone at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 2 days ago
*Revised 5/30: As a result of some comments here and on Facebook, I need to be a little more specific on why I wanted to share these homework pages. I was packing up, getting ready to go to my second grader’s youth baseball game, when I saw him head outside with a yardstick. I asked […]
First Lady As Out of Touch As Her Husband
Jim Horn at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 2 days ago
Michelle Obama wasted her opportunity to speak at the predominantly black Bowie State commencement in Maryland this year. Rather than a strong transformative message, she chose to revive some of the same bromides and to perpetuate some of the same old myths that neolibs and neocons have been spouting ever since Reagan derailed the education […]
Chiefs for Change or Puppets for Propaganda?
Timothy D. Slekar at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 2 days ago
The “Chiefs for Change” led by Hanna Skandera have put their collective foot down. There will be no stopping, pausing, or breathing when it comes to implementing and shoving high stakes test down the throats of Common Core adoption states. According to Skandera, “Accountability delayed isn’t real accountability.” Why do we care what Hanna Skandera thinks? […]
Innovation Like 1954!: The Technology Khan Continues
plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 2 days ago
Sal Khan is the twenty-first century version of a template that stretches back to the nineteenth century: Championing the so-called cutting-edge technology as the savior for all educational problems. To see how ridiculous these claims are, and always have been, view the video below and insert any technology advocate you want, but I recommend Khan: […]
Addendum to Schools Abducted: Despoliation of Community
Kuhio Kane at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 3 days ago
I wrote the above article while navigating a vessel in a heavy wind. I made an egregious error. I AM not for the closing of public schools, especially those in large, urban areas. NOR would I encourage “urban blight.” What I intended to say was: If it comes to this, then let them take out […]
Schools Abducted: Despoliation of Community
Kuhio Kane at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 3 days ago
Clearly, there are more and more parents educating themselves regarding testing in schools and how they can pull their kids out of testing. Not all parents can put their children under a homeschooling overseen by credentialed personnel. While we strive to keep our public schools public and free of the new reform movement that brings […]
Oh, before I forget to mention it…
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 3 days ago
I found all these great reports that basically prove without a doubt the major contentions of the education reform movement. I’m serious. Here they are, linked below based on each issue. Socioeconomic status does not predict educational outcomes. Competition for per-pupil expenditures improves student and parent satisfaction. Psychic Sylvia Brown predicts: “The Common Core will […]
Another taste of test abstention data
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 3 days ago
As we continue to sift through the data from the survey, I wanted to offer the reader another taste. Here’s the list of tests refused this year. Now, I’ve learned two things from this. One, a great variety of assessments. And two, are you kidding me? How many products do we need and how much […]
A lesson in reform from, of all places, The Princess Bride
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 3 days ago
Yesterday evening, I was thinking. Not too hard. But I was reminded of this classic scene from The Princess Bride. It’s a longer excerpt, but a good one. Read it, I’ll meet you at the bottom. “Pour the wine,” said the man in black. Vizzini filled the two goblets with deep-red liquid. The man in […]
Teachers College Convocation Turns into Protest Against Corporate Enablers,Tisch and Fuhrman
Jim Horn at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 3 days ago
I am just back from a weekend off and delighted to see a forwarded email on the Teachers College Convocation/Student Protest May 21. As you can see, the protest was quiet but very powerful, as these photos indicate (click to enlarge). This is the proudest I have been in a long time to be associated […]
CCSS + iPad + Kindergarten = ?
Chris Cerrone at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 days ago
= tablet time instead of : play time discovery time creative time nap time sharing time outside time … Follow the author on twitter @stoptesting15 Filed under: CHRIS CERRONE: The "Parentucator"
One Step Closer……
peggyrobertson at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 days ago
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
plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 days ago
Ever wonder how you can become an educator, education expert, or education reformer? Well, since 60 Minutes has bought into the most recent con-de-jure, the Khan Academy, let’s consider how people become educators. How about Secretary of Education Arne Duncan? Peter Smagorinsky puts it best: “Let’s trace his path to the presidential Cabinet. One of […]
solidaridad: Crenshaw Student Forum – Community Standing up to Deasy’s Racist Reconstitution
rdsathene at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 days ago
solidaridad: Crenshaw Student Forum – Community Standing up to Deasy’s Racist Reconstitution. Anyone in the Los Angeles area interested in preserving public education is encouraged to attend and support this event. Filed under: ROBERT D. SKEELS: Schools Matter Tagged: Crenshaw HS, John Deasy, lausd, neoliberalism, privatization, Reconstitution, resistance, Struggle
In case you were wondering, apartheid totally apt, #cpsclosings
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 days ago
I’m researching something else. But I encountered the following article from the Baltimore Sun in 1986. During apartheid, they closed 30 Black schools at once and it was a BIG deal. In Chicago, IL, United States, in 2013, they’re closing 50. Wow. Also found this curious passage in an earlier article, perhaps from the 50s or […]
Introducing Old School Sean
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 4 days ago
We like to (and by we I mean I/me) repurpose various Internet memes for education. You can Google Search “Old Economy Steve.” That’s a new one for me. So, I thought I would introduce you all to “Old School Sean.” Enjoy. And, please, make your own. Here are some samples. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General […]
Get Off the Pot
antiqueteacher60 at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 5 days ago
Something has been nagging in my brain for a while now. It was a comment left on one of my posts about being tired that said “Shit or get off the pot.” When the comment was posted, my mouse hovered over the “unapprove” button, but then I thought to myself that the comment, while I […]
All Lives Have Equal Value. Right, Bill and Melinda?
Kris Nielsen at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 5 days ago
A letter from Susan DuFresne: Dear Bill and Melinda Gates, Yes, I include Melinda in this letter, because as I understand it, Melinda is very involved in the Gates Foundation’s ideas and policies on public education. Your influence has won you the Notorious PhD’s aka Mark Naison’s poll: Most Influential Corporate Reformer title. As a […]
The bird is the word!
Timothy D. Slekar at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 5 days ago
In this episode of @the chalkface Radio, Shaun and I talk to CTU president Karen Lewis. Enjoy: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chalkface/2013/05/26/at-the-chalk-face-progressive-edreform-talk However, we started the show by talking about actions WE can take to fight edreform. Karen said something simple but powerful. She suggested that instead of showing our disgust for the reformers and their vision of public schools […]
Jason Stanford rightly states “Time to Stop Waiting for Superman”
rdsathene at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 5 days ago
“According to Whitmire, Rhee and Fenty should have paid heed to the “fears” of African Americans, but not because there were any actual race issues during Rhee’s tenure. Racism in DC is all done now–all that racism and “experimentation” is history and happened 1960s and 1970s. According to Whitmire, black people in DC perceived racism under Rhee, […]
Corporate Commerical Selling Standards?
Chris Cerrone at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 5 days ago
Every day that passes we get more proof that the Common Core is really a corporate money grab. From Barnes and Noble: Thank you to Kristen G from the NYS Opt Out group! Filed under: CHRIS CERRONE: The "Parentucator"
A preliminary taste: #optout #refusal map based on survey data
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 6 days ago
Click below to view the map. This includes only the first 250 respondents because the tool requires payment for more data points. Good job Long Island, good job. View UOO DATA MAP in a full screen map Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: map, optout, test refusal, uoo
@rweingarten fantastic at one key thing: triangulation #AFT
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 6 days ago
It’s something I could never do: talk out of multiple sides of my mouth. I try not to have it many ways, but one, the way I know and feel is right. Granted, we all do things that run counter or contrary to that of our employers. We seek a balance. Many of us do […]
Very glad to see @chrislhayes inviting Karen Lewis onto his show #inners
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 6 days ago
Here’s a link to the video. Now, catch her again on At the Chalk Face, this Sunday, at 6PM EST, for the rest of the story. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: at the chalk face, chicago, chris hayes, ctu, inners, rahm emanuel, school closings
No More KINGS!
antiqueteacher60 at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
Over the last few weeks, my first graders have watched this Schoolhouse Rock video at least a dozen times. They would excitedly request a viewing nearly every day. Why did they like it so much? Honestly, they LOVED the part where the colonist sticks his tongue out at the King! Of course they did-they are […]
Pledge Your Support to the Common Core!
Kris Nielsen at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
New York Education Commissioner, John King, has partnered with Education Reform Now! to start getting private businesses on board with the Common Core State Standards. Nobody in education really buys any of this garbage, so King has decided to start getting businesses to sign on and wrap a huge media campaign around it. Hey, Exxon-Mobil […]
How Many More Teachers Have to Quit Before Things Change?
freetoteach at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
Another teacher leaving the profession she loves because she says it no longer exists under the current high stakes testing regime. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary, JUDY RABIN: Schools Matter Tagged: education reform, high stakes testing, insanity, Teachers Quit
i2: Innovative Innovators! (UPDATES)
plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
ANNOUNCEMENT AND UPDATES i2: Innovative Innovators* FAQs What is i2? i2 is a venture designed to recruit and train educators without any experience or expertise in innovation, entrepreneurship, or cagebusting to serve as consultants for innovators, entrepreneurs, and cagebusters. Who will i2 serve? Innovators stuck in an innovation rut. Entrepreneurs (and Edupreneurs) trapped inside the […]
The new gym class in PA, 112 questions? Really?
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
A bubble test for gym. Stay classy. But I have to mention the following. I am actually a former ACE-certified personal trainer. I know this stuff. And these are pretty terrible questions about weight training. Leg press is a compound exercise that also works out the hamstrings. Weight training rarely uses the push-pull concept anymore. […]
Toddler Testing
Timothy D. Slekar at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
Ed. Dept. Launches Competition for Kindergarten Entry Assessments “Kindergarten-entry assessments are designed to measure a child’s “essential domains of school readiness,” which include language and literacy development, cognition and general early knowledge, readiness to learn, physical well-being, and social and emotional development.” @the chalkface is developing the “NON essential domains of school readiness” kindergarten entry […]
A Day of Professional Development…or Professional Discouragement?
antiqueteacher60 at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
Yesterday, I attended a day of Professional Development offered by our local BOCES Center. The title “Math and Technology Integration” sounded fairly benign, and I agreed to attend when asked by my Principal if I would be interested. The day long “training” also included some prizes – an iPad and an iPevo document camera for […]
The Obama Plan to Allow Casino Capitalists to Set Student Loan Interest Rates
Jim Horn at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
With the one year extension on student loan rates set to expire July 1, the President is following his standard negotiating strategy of carving out a position just to the left of proto-fascists’ mouthpiece, John Boehner: the President has come out in favor of allowing the manipulators of Wall Street to determine interest rates for […]
Just Say No: “Big egos don’t produce success”
plthomasedd at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
I thought I was about to read yet another news story about Michelle Rhee and DC schools when I saw this headline: Big egos don’t produce success, study finds Instead, I found an article about research addressing students who feel entitled. Yet, I cannot help thinking that the headline from Australian Geographic is a potential […]
Federal Civil Rights Complaint Filed Against Bloomberg’s DOE
Jim Horn at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
Could this be the first significant step in the beginning of the end of school resegregation in America? From the Education Law Center: Federal Civil Rights Complaint Brought by Parents and Community Groups Parents and community groups filed a complaint with the federal Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights, on May 20, 2013. They charge the New […]
Schoolcuts: Amazing resources on Chicago schools crisis
Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
I was directed towards the following site for information on the Chicago school disruptions. It has absolutely everything you need to know. But one of the things I was wondering, which prompted the suggestion for Schoolcuts, was the kinds of re-routing kids would have to experience. I asked for an exemplary route and was given William […]
“There is a Problem Here” – Journalist John Merrow
freetoteach at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 1 week ago
“There is a problem here” (Houston, We have a problem) John Merrow on what his wife’s response to the what is going on in this test driven, punish the teachers education deform. Thank you Shaun and Tim for bringing us some real journalism and journalist John Merrow on Rhee, DC and High Stakes Testing Testinghttp://www.blogtalkradio.com/chalkface/2013/05/23/special-episode-of-at-the-chalk-face-w-john-merrow […]