Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 6-23-13 AM Posts #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

Common Core State Standards: A threat to our values - The York Daily Record

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 38 minutes ago

Common Core State Standards: A threat to our values - The York Daily Record: Common Core State Standards: A threat to our values FRANCES FULTON Updated: 06/20/2013 05:06:47 PM EDT Proponents of Common Core State Standards adamantly assert that these standards are "state-led," "rigorous," and lead to "college and career readiness." They repeat the mantra but provide no meaningful evidence to support their assertions. There were no pilot studies before Common Core was rolled out. The marketing and propaganda are powerful, but the rhetoric doesn't match reality. And the lemming-lik... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-23-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 43 minutes ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] How Bloomberg Used His Fortune to Win Silence and Support by dianerav This is an extraordinary article, not only because of what it reveals, but because it appears in Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post, which has been a reliable cheerleader for our billionaire mayor. Investigative reporter Tom Robbins details how Mayor Michael Bloomberg used his billions to silence critics and to win the support of or intimidate almost every civic and cultural group. In other times ... more »

Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: 3 ways to use the old-school phone to enrich learning

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 47 minutes ago

Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: 3 ways to use the old-school phone to enrich learning: 3 ways to use the old-school phone to enrich learning by noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Nielsen) One of the oldest forms of mobile social networking is the old-school phone call. Innovative educators like Will Richardson and Marc Prensky have said, “Life is an open phone test.” Except at school. Why is it that in the real world we are valued for our ability to address and use connections to solve our problems, but in school we call that cheating? In its most primitive form, the cell phone is a g... more »

Perdido Street School: NYSED Commissioner John King Rigs ELA Regents Scores

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 55 minutes ago

Perdido Street School: NYSED Commissioner John King Rigs ELA Regents Scores: NYSED Commissioner John King Rigs ELA Regents Scores by reality-based educator Via Norm Scott at Ed Notes Online and Carol Burris, here's a letter in full from a teacher at South Side High School to NYSED Commissioner/rookie teacher John King calling him out for rigging the ELA Regents scoring chart so that passing rates will fall: English teacher: The “high stakes” testing agenda is shameful By carolcorbettburris, June 22, 2013 A South Side English teacher, Chris Webster, speaks out about the changes ... more »

NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 55 minutes ago

NPE News Briefs ← from The Network for Public Education: 1 2 3 4 5 6 … 226 Next » Major Rally in Harrisburg, Pa., on June 25 | Diane Ravitch’s blog JUN 18 2013 A new group called GPS (Great Public Schools) Pittsburgh plans a major rally at the state Capitol in Harrisburg to demand adequate funding for public education across the Keystone State. The state funds low-performing cyber charters and expands the number of privately managed schools that perform no better than public schools. Meanwhile the lights are ... read more → **Activism · Pennsylvania · Philadelphia · Politicians Pr... more »

The Decline and Fall of the English Major | toteachornototeach

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 55 minutes ago

The Decline and Fall of the English Major | toteachornototeach: The Decline and Fall of the English Major by aristotlethewise *The Decline and Fall of the English Major* By Verlyn Klinkenborg In the past few years, I’ve taught nonfiction writing to undergraduates and graduate students at Harvard, Yale, Bard, Pomona, Sarah Lawrence and Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism. Each semester I hope, and fear, that I will have nothing to teach my students because they already know how to write. And each semester I discover, again, that they don’t. They can assemble strings of jargon and... more »

Patriotism Defined | Bill Ayers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 59 minutes ago

Patriotism Defined | Bill Ayers: Patriotism Defined by billayers *Patriotism* includes the manufactured and sometimes imposed capacity to see similar sets of facts in dramatically different ways. Torture, rendition, imprisonment without trial, extrajudicial killings, assassinations, drone strikes and the bombing of civilians—all of this and more is condemned as evil or embraced as good by the governing class and nationalist/patriots depending on only one item: who does the deed. “American Exceptionalism” is the magic potion patriots drink in order to justify these specific atrocit... more »

Bridgeport Board of Education schedules emergency vote Monday to formally make Vallas permanent superintendent - Wait, What?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Bridgeport Board of Education schedules emergency vote Monday to formally make Vallas permanent superintendent - Wait, What?: Bridgeport Board of Education schedules emergency vote Monday to formally make Vallas permanent superintendent by jonpelto This coming Monday and Tuesday, a Connecticut superior court judge will be holding two days of testimony and arguments in the case of whether Paul Vallas is legally entitled to serve as Bridgeport’s Superintendent of Schools.Instead of waiting and respecting the process, Kenneth Moales, Jr. the Chairman of the Bridgeport Board of Educat... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Have You Been to a Mayoral Forum Yet?

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Have You Been to a Mayoral Forum Yet?: Have You Been to a Mayoral Forum Yet? by Melissa Westbrook Or are you waiting to see how it all shakes out after the primary on August 6th? On the one hand, the one person I did not want to be mayor - from a public education standpoint - was Tim Burgess. He made it much easier because he walked away. (But he made it clear he hoped for a new mayor in the fall.) I am continuing to talk with all the candidates and it makes for some interesting discussions. What I plan to do is offer tidbits of those conversat... more »

Education programs funding - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

Education programs funding - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: Bill Introduced: S.1156 Understanding the True Cost of College Act of 2013 Open Congress : Major Bill Actions in Education programs funding - 31 minutes ago A bill to amend the Higher Education Opportunity Act to add disclosure requirements to the institution financial aid offer form and to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make such form mandatory. Bill Introduced: H.R.2338 To Aid Gifted and High-Ability Learners by Empowering the Nation's Teachers Act Open Congress : Major Bill Actions in Education programs fundi... more »

We All Need To Relax | Connected Principals

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago

We All Need To Relax | Connected Principals: We All Need To Relax by Bill Carozza Ogunquit, Maine beach on a calm day. [image: beach]It has been a few rough weeks for me, some of the toughest I’ve faced in a while. There’s nothing on paper to explain this. My wife and kids are doing great. My oldest son is ready to move out to be closer to grad school where he is working on his doctorate. My daughter found a solid teaching job and my new high school graduate is heading to college in Boston. Ok…I have to figure out how to pay for his tuition – that’s stressful, but all in all, everyt... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: From the Seattle Council PTSA

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: From the Seattle Council PTSA: From the Seattle Council PTSA by Melissa Westbrook *Thank you* *to Lauren McGuire, her Board and all those who serve on PTA Boards. * It's a busy and sometimes tough job so thank you for your time and efforts. Lauren is a kind, calm and dedicated person (and is also a good sport). Her letter to members: Dear Seattle PTA and PTSA Members, Summer is here! I hope you all find time to spend with your kids and enjoy some recreational time. Before I sign off as Seattle Council PTSA President, I'd like to thank the c... more »

Ed Notes Online: Leonie: Mayoral Candidate Pledges on hot-button ed issues - Thompson Finishes Last

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago

Ed Notes Online: Leonie: Mayoral Candidate Pledges on hot-button ed issues - Thompson Finishes Last: Leonie: Mayoral Candidate Pledges on hot-button ed issues - Thompson Finishes Last by ed notes online Another right on post from Leonie Haimson: *UPDATED: Here are scanned copies of the signed pledges of each of the candidates, responding whether they would support each one of our demands. If the next mayor is one of these individuals, you can be sure we will hold them to their promises! Sal Albanese (D), Adolpho Carrion Jr (I), Bill de Blasio (D),Anthony Gronowicz (G), John L... more »

Diane in the Evening 6-22-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Will Kevin Huffman Cut His Own Pay? by dianerav When Kevin Huffman was sworn in as state commissioner in Tennessee, he was offered a salary of $200,000 a year, 11% more than his predecessor. Granted that he believes experience and degrees are worthless, wouldn’t an else yak sense of fairness compel him to cut his salary, having cut salaries of teachers across the state? After all, a teacher with a masters and a doctorate and 20 years experience will make less than $60,000. Who provides greater value? *LISTEN T... more »

6-22-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: Who’s Building the “Army of Teachers” by Kris Nielsen The National Center for Teacher Quality is a bogus organization, since it comes to us from a non-scientific point of view and tons of people who know next to nothing about teaching. When an agenda and a bunch of policy ideas are predetermined, and the studies comes later, you know something’s going on. But the […] End slacktivism in education by Chalk Face, PhD I modeled this image off of a very poignant UNICEF campaign, that “liking” Facebook pages and groups, while important init... more »

Koch Brothers Exposed

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago

*Koch Brothers Exposed* *Documentary detailing the crimes of the Koch brothers and the hijacking of US politics.*

Indiana suing firm over standardized-testing problems

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Indiana suing firm over standardized-testing problems: Indiana suing firm over standardized-testing problems By Valerie Strauss, Published: June 22, 2013 at 1:13 pmE-mail the writer 0 Comments More [image: (By Sarah Garland)] (By Sarah Garland) The state of Indiana is suing CTB/McGraw-Hill following problems last month when students were taking standardized tests online. Nearly 80,000 students were affected when their computers froze during the testing, the results of which are used to evaluate teachers and schools. Indiana was one of several states that reported numerous problems with... more »

New documentary sheds light on U.S. ‘juvenile lifers’ | The Raw Story

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

New documentary sheds light on U.S. ‘juvenile lifers’ | The Raw Story: New documentary sheds light on U.S. ‘juvenile lifers’ By Agence France-Presse Saturday, June 22, 2013 12:57 EDT [image: Juvenile lockup facility via AFP] Topics: Brian Draper ♦ Cassie Jo Stoddart ♦ Joshua Rofe Jacob Ind got the idea of killing his mother and stepfather, at the tender age of 15, from a friend who came over to his Colorado house one day and remarked how his mom was such a “bitch”. Torey Adamcik and Brian Draper, both 16 at the time, took inspiration from the Wes Craven horror movie “Scream” when t... more »

Perdido Street School: The ELA Regents Exam: Set Up By The Regents And The NYSED To Fail Both Students And Teachers

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Perdido Street School: The ELA Regents Exam: Set Up By The Regents And The NYSED To Fail Both Students And Teachers: The ELA Regents Exam: Set Up By The Regents And The NYSED To Fail Both Students And Teachers by reality-based educator There are two good pieces on the brutal scoring chart that the NYSED and Regents are using for the 2013 June ELA Regents exam. Gotham Schools covered the story yesterday: Bronx Center for Science and Math Assistant Principal Stephen Seltzer sent a letter to State Education Commissioner John King expressing frustration about the new conversion chart ... more »

PD planning | Connected Principals

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

PD planning | Connected Principals: PD planning by Amber Teamann [image: bb-staff-development]This was cross posted from Technically yours, Teamann. Had the privilege of meeting Brian Pete and Robin Fogarty at ASCD in FL a few years ago. Their session on training was probably one of the best I’d ever been too! If you haven’t ever heard of them, they have two books that I highly recommend. From Staffroom to Classroom, I & II. They give you a number of ways to conduct training with your staff that the teachers can then turn around and use in the classroom. It serves a dual purpose…gi... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Rhee-Energence of Rhee

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Jersey Jazzman: The Rhee-Energence of Rhee: The Rhee-Energence of Rhee by Duke Does it seem to you that Michelle Rhee has been keeping a low profile lately? After the abysmal failure of her book (in spite of a dream publicity tour), the stunning revaluations about her role in the Washington, D.C.cheating scandal, and StudentsFirsts's endorsement of an anti-gay crusader, Rhee hasn't made much of a peep these last few weeks. Well, it turns out she's like this brood of cicadas we've got here in Jersey: just give her a little time, and she's sure to pop up somewhere... The annual Chart... more »

Hogwarts University for Education Reform | EduShyster

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

Hogwarts University for Education Reform | EduShyster: Hogwarts University for Education Reform by edushyster2012 What if there was a way to combine the two fiercest urgencies of today: college preparation and reforming our failed and failing public schools? Reader: I’ve got some great news. Pack up the beer pong table and the Mötley Crüe poster—we’re headed to college. Welcome to50CAN University, the college for people who want to put other people on a path to college. *Meet the faculty* The most important part of any higher education experience is the drinking games and the casual ... more »

UPDATE Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky [image: extralarge] Reading the reports of a million demonstrators in streets of Brazillian cities this past week, it is hard not to think of my own city. Protesters chanted, *“When your son is ill, take him to the stadium.”* And, *“Any good teacher is worth more than Neymar,”* in reference to the Brazillian soccer star. And my favorite. *“The people, united, are a gigantic bunch of dudes.”* Money on sports stadiums instead of schools? Wait. Are we talking abou Rich white people get married. by Fred Klonsky [image: ch20... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 6-22-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Student: Why Is There Money for Teating But Not For Music? by dianerav I received the following email: Hi, Dr. Ravitch: I am a film teacher at a Buffalo Public School (www.cityhonors.org) and one of my students made a video on her own time about the draconian cuts that the Buffalo Public Schools is making with its instrumental music program. This is a direct effect of the per pupil funding that has been instituted in the BPS. I thought you might like to see it. ... more »

“those teachers are failures” | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

“those teachers are failures” | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: “those teachers are failures” by Gary Rubinstein It is nearly July which means that it is the time of year, again, where I offer my unsolicited, and generally unwanted, analysis of some of the blog entries by the newest cohort of TFA corps members. I generally take a lot of criticism for doing this, even from people who regularly read my blog. Mainly this is because people don’t understand my intentions or because they don’t believe that my intentions are what I say they are. So, for the record: I am not trying to pass jud... more »

Condensing high school to three years | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Condensing high school to three years | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Get Schooled: Condensing high school to three years View Larger [image: Grads] Should we give high school students easier routes to graduate in three years? Previous Posts - Common Core, common politics: Can someone throw a bucket of water on Cobb board? June 21, 2013 - New president for Fort Valley State University June 21, 2013 - Federal guidelines on school safety: Don't arm educators June 20, 2013 By Maureen Downey While few teens graduate high school in three years -- around 3 percent... more »

Privacy Advocates Take Heed! | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Privacy Advocates Take Heed! | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Privacy Advocates Take Heed! by crazycrawfish Recently I (as well as a dozen or so student and parent activists) testified at the June 18th Louisiana BESE meeting about our concerns related to the inBloom data sharing and selling project Superintendent John White secretly entered into on behalf of all Louisiana citizens. Our spot came up 4 hours late, and without an outcry from one of our tireless privacy advocates named Debbie Sachs would have been pushed back another 3 hours or postponed to another day (when most of us would ... more »

Daily Kos: A different kind of Saturday Morning reflection

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Daily Kos: A different kind of Saturday Morning reflection: A different kind of Saturday Morning reflection by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) it involves school, but not from the perspective of the teacher. As I write this, I sit in the lobby of the Courtyard Marriott in Rye, NY. This is one of the hotels for the event I am attending this weekend, the 50th Reunion of the class of 1963, Mamaroneck (NY) High School. There are others staying here, some are staying with families or friends (a number of our classmates still live in the area). Last night we had a dinner, with a DJ, and ... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 6-22-13

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* A thru G: LAUSD STUDYING NEW CURRICULUM PLANS + smf’s 2¢ smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 14 hours ago By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer, LA Daily News | Pasadena Star-News http://bit.ly/16mWxxx 06/20/2013 06:03:21 PM PDT Los Angeles Unified's incoming freshmen class will be the first that will have to pass a rigorous college-prep curriculum with a "C" in order to get a diploma, which has district officials scrambling to identify and replicate successful programs that can g... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 6-22-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Education Research Report *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * Effectiveness of Cognitive Tutor Algebra I at Scale Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 21 hours ago This article examines the effectiveness of a technology-based algebra curriculum in a wide variety of middle schools and high schools in seven states. Participating schools were matched into similar pairs and randomly assigned to either continue with the current algebra curriculum for two years or to adopt Cognitive Tutor Algebra I (CTAI), which uses a personalized, mastery-learning, blended-learning ... more »

All Week 6-22-13 @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: [image: gears] Good friend “Teacher Nicole” from WI explains common in #commoncore Chalk Face, PhD at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 20 hours ago Here’s her post on CCSS, as an actual educator for ELL/ESL students. We’ve interviewed her on At the Chalk Face, I need to dig those up. Look back here later. She’s great. Tagged: at the chalk face, common core, nicole, WI education activists gather, talk, strategize: reclaim the conversation Barbara Madeloni at @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER - 21 hours ago On May 4, 2013 a group of ed... more »

On the scene for the last day of Germantown High School's life (1914-2013) | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

On the scene for the last day of Germantown High School's life (1914-2013) | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: On the scene for the last day of Germantown High School's life (1914-2013) by thenotebook on Jun 21 2013 Posted in Latest news Photo: Bas Slabbers/NewsWorks Many teachers donned "GTown '13" T-shirts; it was a way to show pride in the staff, students, leadership and the community. *by Aaron Moselle and Brian Hickey for NewsWorks* Jenia Jolley stood on the shoulder of East High Street and snapped a second photo of Germantown High School. The first was taken earlier in the mor... more »

LAUSD: THE WAR ON ART OR THE ART OF WAR ON PUBLIC EDUCATION? - Perdaily.com

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

LAUSD: THE WAR ON ART OR THE ART OF WAR ON PUBLIC EDUCATION? - Perdaily.com: LAUSD: THE WAR ON ART OR THE ART OF WAR ON PUBLIC EDUCATION? by Leonard Isenberg [image: The Art of War.jpg] (Mensaje se repite en Español) * * *Recently, I received the following query as to why I thought with the passage of Proposition 30, art programs have not been restored. Let me know if you agree or disagree with my answer and analysis of this question. * * "Lenny, do you think that the Arts have a legal remedy, since they have been picked on to a far greater extent, and Arts programs are not being re... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Letters to the Sun-Times

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Letters to the Sun-Times: Letters to the Sun-Times by Mike Klonsky Steven L. Kispetik, Portage Park *CPS closings devastating for my son * *Thank you so very much, Chicago Public Schools, for erasing all the progress my son has made with his behavioral/emotional disorders while at Near North Special Education School, which will be closed next week. The anxiety of the closing has caused him to revert to several of his old destructive and disobedient ways.** **Prior to the announcement of the school closing, he was doing the best he has ever done, with ... more »

2nd Banana 6-22-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

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2nd Banana 4-27-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

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2nd Banana 4-13-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 4-6-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

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