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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Morning Wink 11-26-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

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LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Jason Stanford: What Texas Moms Can Teach Arne DuncanJason Stanford explains why it won’t be easy for Secretary of Education Arne Duncan to “walk back” his insulting remarks about “white suburban moms.” When defenders of the testing industry in Texas tried the same tactic, they succeeded in strengthening the backlash against high-stakes testing. It was not just “white suburban moms” who objected to the overemphasis on testing, but moms and dads of aby dianeravitch / 0min Anthony Cody: Common Core and RoboGradingAnthony Cody won
December 9 – National Day of Action for Great Public Schools | NEA Today
December 9 – National Day of Action for Great Public Schools | NEA Today: DAY OF ACTION FOR GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLSMONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2013WHAT IS THE DAY OF ACTION?On December 9th, educators, parents, community organizations and students are joining forces around the country to ensure quality public schools that are community led and student centered.Want to get involved?For more information, visit the Our Schools website.December 9 – National Day of Action for Great Public SchoolsOn December 9th, educators will join parents, students and community leaders across the country to hold local action
11-26-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: “What Are The Unique Challenges Facing Male Teachers?”What Are The Unique Challenges Facing Male Teachers? is the new “question-of-the-week” at my Education Week Teacher column. Feel free to leave your responses in the comments there or here….by Larry Ferlazzo / 12min 11-25-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFLLarry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Updated Resources On Immigration ReformHere are new additions to The Best Resources About The New P

TODAY

11-26-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Jim Broadway: A test of the rule of law.What are the details? What bill will be amended to become the new pension law? None of that information is available. We only know Madigan plans a one-day session of the House on December 3, and the Senate may be in December 3-4. It would seem, then, that the Ho
11-26-13 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: The Opt-Outers: Focus on Change the Stakes in NY MagDespite some inaccuracies, overall a positive article featuring Change the Stakes parents and Jane Hirschman from Time Out From Testing. Here are some comments from the CTS listserve, some focused on one serious factual error in the piece.Article shows opposition NOT driven solely by white suburban moms... Leonie Haimson It was a
11-26-13 teacherken at Daily Kos
teacherken at Daily Kos: the moral test of a governmentAs Congress considers more cuts to services for the poor, be these unemployment payments, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Payments, Medicaid reimbursement rates - what ever they may be, and to the rest of the social safety net, including Medicare and Social Security ..... I would like to remind them of one of the most important moral stateme
11-26-13 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Misreading “Grit”: On Treating Children Better than Salmon or Sea TurtlesMisreading \”Grit\”: On Treating Children Better than Salmon or Sea Turtles. via Misreading “Grit”: On Treating Children Better than Salmon or Sea Turtles.by plthomasedd / 58min 11-25-13 @ The Chalk Face@ THE CHALK FACE: Book Review: John Owens’ Confessions of a Bad TeacherI teach. I blog. I speak publicly.
11-26-13 Wait What?
Wait What?: Paul Vallas: $1,200 a day from the taxpayers of Illinois while collecting $900 a day from the taxpayers of Bridgeport and Connecticut.Hey, it’s not like we didn’t warn them… Governor Pat Quinn became Illinois’ chief elected official with a very narrow victory.  Arguably he won, in no small part, thanks too strong support from Illinois teachers. When Quinn picked Paul Vallas to be his r
11-26-13 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: And now… Common Core tutorsIt was inevitable. First we got the Common Core State Standards, adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia and intended to raise the academic achievement of students everywhere. To assess whether that was happening, we got high-stakes standardized tests aligned with the Core, because, in today’s school reform world, standardized tests are the […
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): Misreading “Grit”: On Treating Children Better than Salmon or Sea TurtlesRob McEntarffer (@rmcenta) Tweeted a question to me about my blog post, The Poverty Trap: Slack, Not Grit, Creates Achievement, asking: “can Grit research (Duckworth, etc) be used as a humanizing/em
11-26-13 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Cuomo's Job Performance RatingsAfter a Siena poll showed Andrew Cuomo with a 44%-56% job performance rating last week, a new Quinnipiac poll released today shows a different story:New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who saw his job approval rating drop in Quinnipiac University polls in the first six months of the year, opens his reelection bid with a 62 - 25 percent approval r
11-26-13 Truth in American Education
Truth in American Education: New York Principles Send An Open Letter to ParentsAn open letter signed by 545 Principals across New York State was addressed to the parents of elementary, middle, and high school students in New York.  They address several points:NYS testing has increased dramatically.The tests were too long.Ambiguous questions appeared throughout the exams.Children have reacted visce
Let Senator Williams Know We Want Charter School Accountability, Stop Bill 1085. Join us at his office, | WeArePCAPS
Let Senator Williams Know We Want Charter School Accountability, Stop Bill 1085. Join us at his office, | WeArePCAPS: Let Senator Williams Know We Want Charter School Accountability, Stop Bill 1085. Join us at his office,
Top legislators join critics of proposed regs for new funding formula | EdSource Today
Top legislators join critics of proposed regs for new funding formula | EdSource Today: Top legislators join critics of proposed regs for new funding formulaNovember 25th, 2013 | Add a Comment | By John FensterwaldIn a letter on Monday, leaders of the state Senate and Assembly criticized proposed regulations on state funding for the state’s neediest students as inconsistent with the intent of the
ESEA Waivers And The Perpetuation Of Poor Educational Measurement
Shanker Blog » ESEA Waivers And The Perpetuation Of Poor Educational Measurement: ESEA Waivers And The Perpetuation Of Poor Educational MeasurementPosted by Matthew Di Carlo on November 26, 2013Some of the best research out there is a product not of sophisticated statistical methods or complex research designs, but rather of painstaking manual data collection. A good example is a recent paper by M
Open Congress : Major Bill Actions Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress
Education - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: Bill Introduced: S. 1704: Affordable College Textbook ActA bill to expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students.4h skip  //  saveBill Introduced: H.R. 3538: Affordable College Textbook ActTo expand the use of open textbooks in order to achieve savings for students.7h Bill Introduced: H.R. 3461: Strong Start for America's Childr
NYC Educator: Oh, the Horror
NYC Educator: Oh, the Horror: Oh, the HorrorCharter school operators, who enroll about 6% of the city's students, are recoiling in shock from Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio's decision to represent the other 94% of city schoolchildren in his transition team. Don't they read Gotham Schools? If they did, they'd know that charters should be covered at least half the time, if not all the time.What is with
Parents Make Better Teachers (Sara Mosle) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Parents Make Better Teachers (Sara Mosle) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Parents Make Better Teachers (Sara Mosle)Sara Mosle teaches writing at Philip’s Academy Charter School in Newark, N.J., and has written about education for Slate, the New York Times, and The Atlantic among other publications. This appeared in Slate, August 30, 2013.In a recent [New York Times] article,
DeBlasio Appoints One of the Best Parent Advocates to Transition Team | janresseger
DeBlasio Appoints One of the Best Parent Advocates to Transition Team | janresseger: DeBlasio Appoints One of the Best Parent Advocates to Transition TeamPosted on November 26, 2013 by janressegerThe New York Daily News reports that New York City Mayor-Elect Bill DeBlasio has appointed Ms. Zakiyah Ansari to his 60 member transition team.  Ms. Ansari will be weighing in on matters as important as t
'It Feels Like Education Malpractice' - Hope Reese - The Atlantic
'It Feels Like Education Malpractice' - Hope Reese - The Atlantic: 'It Feels Like Education Malpractice'What one woman learned from 10 years of teaching in a New York City public school Laurel Sturt was a 46-year-old fashion designer in New York City whose career trajectory took an unlikely shift one day on the subway. A self-proclaimed social activist, Sturt noticed an ad for a Teaching Fellows p
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Making learning authentic
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Making learning authentic: Making learning authenticWith attacks mounting on colleges of education, including from Sec. of Ed Arne Duncan, I'm happy to read the occasional story about good young teachers who learned their skills in good teacher training programs. Yesterday's piece in DNAinfo gives us a snapshot of 5th-grade teacher Heather Reed at Chicago's Pritzker

YESTERDAY

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 11-25-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
Nite Cap UPDATEUPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATECORPORATE ED REFORMEF English Proficiency Index not the way to measure a nation's English language proficiencyIndex not a valid guide to English skills Published November 16, South China Morning PostI refer to the article by William Wang ("Hongkongers need to learn English from an early age", November 11). He makes the recommendation highlighted
Ed Roundup for Week Ending 11-22-13 - Year 2013
Ed Roundup for Week Ending 11-22-13 - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): Education Roundup for Week Ending November 22, 2013SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today issued this week's Education Roundup of education-related announcements of public interest.STEM Symposium ConcludesThe CDE's California Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Symposium came to a su
Fast for Families
Fast for Families:  What we hope to accomplishThis year, we have come the closest ever to achieving real immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship. In June, the U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive, bipartisan immigration bill (S.744). Now, the House of Representatives has chance to complete the dream for 11 million aspiring Americans by addressing the moral crisis that is our broken immigrat
Nite Cap 11-25-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #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 mark as readThe Network For Public Education | Grass Roots Report: Videos and account of hearings on the dangers of inBloom and private data-sharing in Albany and Chicago2min National Day of Action December 9th | WeArePCAPSNational Day of Action
The Network For Public Education | Grass Roots Report: Videos and account of hearings on the dangers of inBloom and private data-sharing in Albany and Chicago
The Network For Public Education | Grass Roots Report: Videos and account of hearings on the dangers of inBloom and private data-sharing in Albany and Chicago: Grass Roots Report: Videos and account of hearings on the dangers of inBloom and private data-sharing in Albany and Chicagoadmin November 25, 2013 Grassroots ReportsNPE Board member, Leonie Haimson, the Executive Director of Class Size Matt
National Day of Action December 9th | WeArePCAPS
National Day of Action December 9th | WeArePCAPS: National Day of Action December 9th
National Governors Association Pushes for Third-Grade Reading Proficiency |
National Governors Association Pushes for Third-Grade Reading Proficiency |: National Governors Association Pushes for Third-Grade Reading ProficiencyNovember 25, 2013 by Alyssa HaywoodePhoto: Alessandra Hartkopf for Strategies for Children“The time is now to redesign this country’s approach to language and literacy instruction, and governors who choose to can lead the charge,” according to the Na
Book Review: John Owens’ Confessions a Bad Teacher | deutsch29
Book Review: John Owens’ Confessions a Bad Teacher | deutsch29: Book Review: John Owens’ Confessions a Bad TeacherNovember 25, 2013I teach. I blog. I speak publicly. I advocate. I advise. I counsel.Not much time left for reading for pleasure.However, from the very opening paragraphs of John Owens’ firsthand account of the contemporary, reform-beaten American classroom, Confessions of a Bad Teach
11-25-13 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Book Review: John Owens’ Confessions of a Bad TeacherI teach. I blog. I speak publicly. I advocate. I advise. I counsel. Not much time left for reading for pleasure. However, from the very opening paragraphs of John Owens’ firsthand account of the contemporary, reform-beaten American classroom, Confessions of a Bad Teacher, I was hooked: After we read the section of Homer’s The O
WTF: Consultant Sunny Chico urges parental involvement (for $89,995) - The Washington Post
Q&A: Consultant Sunny Chico urges parental involvement - The Washington Post: Q&A: Consultant Sunny Chico urges parental involvement Earlier this year, a D.C. government agency paid a Chicago consulting firm $89,995 to participate in a one-day parent-engagement conference. The agency used D.C. tax dollars to pay the fee — which included a half-hour keynote speech, three 45-minute parent wo
I Am A Scientist - STEM Education and Life Science Careers
I Am A Scientist - STEM Education and Life Science CareersTo inspire youth about the benefits of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and promote career opportunities in the life science industry, Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson, the California Department of Education, The California Endowment, California Biotechnology Foundation and Lybba developed this film.
Keep fighting for public education – or face the consequences that other countries are facing NOW. | Reclaim Reform
Keep fighting for public education – or face the consequences that other countries are facing NOW. | Reclaim Reform: Keep fighting for public education – or face the consequences that other countries are facing NOW.Posted on November 25, 2013by Ken PrevitiKeep fighting for public education – or face the consequences that other countries are facing NOW.This is NOT about active and retired teacher p
NYC Public School Parents: Parents Demand More Accountability in the Appointment of Members of the Board of Regents
NYC Public School Parents: Parents Demand More Accountability in the Appointment of Members of the Board of Regents: Parents Demand More Accountability in the Appointment of Members of the Board of RegentsFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 25, 2013More information contact: Eric Mihelbergel (716) 553-1123; nys.allies@gmail.comLisa Rudley (917) 414-9190; nys.allies@gmail.comNYS Allies for Public Educa
Common Core’s Role in Building Global Competencies | NEA Today
Common Core’s Role in Building Global Competencies | NEA Today: Common Core’s Role in Building Global CompetenciesNovember 25, 2013 by egraham  Filed under Common Core State Standards, Featured News, Top StoriesLeave a CommentBy Edward GrahamAs schools and districts across the country begin to implement the Common Core State Standards,experts say that a focus on global learning must be a key compo
ENGAGE! A Need for a Common Definition | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
ENGAGE! A Need for a Common Definition | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: ENGAGE! A Need for a Common DefinitionBy National PTA on November 25, 2013By Sherri Wilson, Senior Manager of Family and Community Engagement, National PTAThis week, one of our state PTA leaders contacted the National PTA office to ask for a simple definition of family engagement. This reminded me of one
The Federal Student Aid Program Is Breaking Its Promise to the Poor - Theodore R. Johnson - The Atlantic
The Federal Student Aid Program Is Breaking Its Promise to the Poor - Theodore R. Johnson - The Atlantic: The Federal Student Aid Program Is Breaking Its Promise to the PoorStudents from households with more than $100,000 in income received more federal aid in recent years than those from households with less than $20,000 in income.THEODORE R. JOHNSONNOV 25 2013, 1:39 PM ET One hundred dollars.Thi
The Movement Against Testing in Schools -- New York Magazine
The Movement Against Testing in Schools -- New York Magazine: The Opt-OutersWhat happens if enough New York parents say they don’t want their kids to take tests?Add CommentBy Robert Kolker Published Nov 24, 2013 ShareThisFamilies and teachers protesting high-stakes testing in front of the offices of the Department of Education in April.  (Photo: Greg Dunkel)More than a year before 7-year-old Oscar
Two States Delay Fully Implementing PARCC | Truth in American Education
Two States Delay Fully Implementing PARCC | Truth in American Education: Two States Delay Fully Implementing PARCCFiled in Common Core Assessments by Shane Vander Hart on November 25, 2013 • 0 Comments9Two states last week made moves to address Common Core concerns, specifically the implementation of the PARCC assessment.Louisiana Superintendent of Education John White announced a 10-year plan whi
3 Ways Districts Can Pay For Special Education Students: Report
3 Ways Districts Can Pay For Special Education Students: Report: 3 Ways Districts Can Pay For Special Education Students: ReportPosted: 11/25/2013 12:59 pm EST  |  Updated: 11/25/2013 1:21 pm ESTWith the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act floating in legislative limbo, a conservative think tank is providing states and school districts with alternative ways to pay for special education.Acc
Native American, American Indian or Indian?
Native American, American Indian or Indian? « MomsRising Blog: "And I told them not to dig for uranium, for if they did, the children would die. They didn't listen, they didn't listen, they didn't listen to me.And I told them if the children die, there would be no keepers of the land. They didn't listen.And I told them if they destroy the sky, machines would come and soon destroy the land. Th
In the News: Vallas' firm urged closings, teacher layoffs | catalyst-chicago.org
In the News: Vallas' firm urged closings, teacher layoffs | catalyst-chicago.org: In the News: Vallas' firm urged closings, teacher layoffsBy: Cassandra West / November 25, 2013Tags: Paul VallasLast summer, in a little-publicized $311,000 consulting deal with the Illinois State Board of Education, former Chicago schools CEO Paul Vallas who is now Gov. Pat Quinn’s newly named running mate offered a
‘Did You Grow Up Around Black People?’ | EduShyster
‘Did You Grow Up Around Black People?’ | EduShyster: ‘Did You Grow Up Around Black People?’ My year working for “America’s Most Trusted Educator”By Ebony Murphy-RootFolks in the national media are just beginning to take note of Dr. Steve Perry’s colorfully threatening metaphors and heated ‘no excuses’ rhetoric, but during my year as a teacher at Capital Prep, the school Perry runs in Hartford, CT,
Best Walmart Video
Best Walmart Video:JOHNSONBest Walmart VideoNOVEMBER 25, 2013Show this one at Thanksgiving!!See What’s Walmart’s Business Secret? at the AFL-CIO blog.The six Walton heirs own about 50% of the company and have a combined wealth of $142 billion. This means they have more wealth than 42% of all Americans combined.Connect the dots: This stock is worth so much partly because taxpayers subsidize Walmart
Cali Education Headlines Monday, November 25, 2013
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: California switches testing plans, but may still risk losing $3.5 billion in federal fundsEducation HeadlinesMonday, November 25, 2013FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.San Luis Coastal district may spend $1
Talent Transfer Initiative: A new education experiment finds that merit pay can work.
Talent Transfer Initiative: A new education experiment finds that merit pay can work.: What Happens When Great Teachers Get $20,000 to Work in Low-Income Schools?17614541Results.By Dana GoldsteinTeacher merit pay. It’s one of those perennially popular policy ideas that, historically, hasn’t worked very well.A few years ago, New York City offered teachers in select schools $3,000 if the entire scho
11-25-13 THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG - Be #ASCDThankful Tonight — Whole Child Education
Be #ASCDThankful Tonight — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGBe #ASCDThankful TonightNovember 25, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child BloggersWhat are you thankful for this school year? Join @wholechildadv and @ASCD Monday, November 25, at 8 p.m., eastern time, for a Twitter chat with fellow educators entirely devoted to gratitude and giving thanks. 11-21-13 THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG - Getting Local Comm
11-25-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education News RoundupLocally (and thanks to reader Carolyn), news from Real Change newspaper about getting food to needy students for the weekends.  While the kids of John Hay Elementary School play outside, LaRock carries bags of food into classrooms and surreptitiously slips them into the backpacks of 15 kids at the 500-student school on Queen Anne Hill. Each ba
Sometimes more is really less
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Sometimes more is really less: Sometimes more is really lessSample Items | Smarter Balanced Assessment ConsortiumThe item above comes from a sample item on the SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium) website, and it’s supposed to assess the writing  of an argument (what used to be called persuasive writing). Click on the image to get a larger view to
Is Robo-Grading Driving the Design of Common Core Tests? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Is Robo-Grading Driving the Design of Common Core Tests? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Is Robo-Grading Driving the Design of Common Core Tests?By Anthony Cody on November 25, 2013 9:44 AMAs we read of the 17 states across the country where a strong backlash has grown against Common Core, my own state of California is conspicuous by its absence. California has yet to see a strong r
Morning Wink 11-25-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS mark as readToday: Education Moments Twitter Chat Student VoiceStudent Voice: Today: Education Moments Twitter Chat  This Monday at 8:30pmEST, the #StuVoice Twitter chat will be about our favorite education moments. We all have moments in our schooling that have shaped us, for better or for worse. This week’s chat aims to reflect and share these deep mome