Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Morning Wink 12-24-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS


LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-24-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: What This Fifth Grade Teacher Learned While Teaching in FinlandTim Walker moved to Finland with his family. They have moved permanently, as Tim’s wife is Finnish. Tim now teaches fifth grade in Helsinki. He experienced culture shock. Here is what he learned: children need time to refresh, teachers need time to refresh. Both groups
12-24-13 Wait What? surpasses the 1 million visitor mark!!!
Wait What?: Wait, What? surpasses the 1 million visitor markAs the Wait, What? blog approaches its 3rd anniversary, it has blown past the 1 million visitor mark! “Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.” – Leo Tolstoy Even more incredible, almost 15,000 comments have been posted to the site. “It […]The post Wait, What? surpasses the
12-24-13 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: ‘Jingle Bells’ — written for Thanksgiving?“Jingle Bells” is a classic song sung at Christmas time, but it didn’t start out that way. First published in 1857, it was written by James Lord Pierpont, to be sung on Thanksgiving — not Christmas. There is some question as to where it was written — Massachusetts and Georgia both are plausible. Medford, Mass., […]    3 by Valerie Strauss
12-24-13 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Jeb Bush’s Chiefs for Change and the Election of Florida’s Next GovernorFrom Andrew Ujifusa in Education Week: Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna has joined Chiefs for Change, the second state K-12 chief to do so this month, the group announced on Dec. 2
12-24-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: December’s Infographics & Interactives Galore — Part TwoThere are just so many good infographics and interactives out there that I’ve begun a new semi-regular feature called “Infographics & Interactives Galore.” You can see others at A Collection Of “The Best…” Lists On Infographics and by searching “infographics” o
12-24-13 Jersey Jazzman
Jersey Jazzman: I Can't Escape From Ledger Logic!Oh, Tom Moran and the Star-Ledger Editorial Board! I just can't quit you! [emphasis mine]Last year, the Freehold Regional High School District moved 17 special education students from an out-of-district workplace training program into a brand-new, in-house program.Keeping the students in Freehold saved the district boatloads of money — but it was al
12-24-13 Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": “How Important Are Parent-Teacher Conferences?”Last month, I posted about a special feature in the New York Times titled “Rethinking Parent-Teacher Conferences.” However, I just realized I had forgotten to share a follow-up New York Times Learning Network post where they asked students to respond to the question: “How Impor
12-24-13 teacherken at Daily Kos: Must-read by Barton Gellman on Edward Snowden
Daily Kos: Must-read by Barton Gellman on Edward Snowden: Must-read by Barton Gellman on Edward SnowdenbyteacherkenFollowthat went up some 8 hours ago at the Washington Post website - in fact I am surprised not to see something at the top of the Rec list.The piece is titled Edward Snowden, after months of NSA revelations, says his mission’s accomplished and it is the result of the Post reporter in
12-24-13 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: IMPACT scores in DCPS show errors. Is this not evidence enough for its immediate overhaul?This from the Washington Post.  But an interesting choice of words at the end there: In October, researchers from the University of Virginia and Stanford University who have examined IMPACT reported that its rewards and punishments were shaping the school system workforce, affecting retentio
12-24-13 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): Top Posts of 2013, and Thank YouThis year, 2013, is when I took the plunge and began blogging at my own site—despite trepidation about “who was I..” and “who would bother….” Because of the kindness of my fellow educators, bloggers, and Twitter-friends, I am very pleased
12-24-13 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Mulgrew's Sister Hit With Conflict Of Interest WarningFrom the NY Post:The sister of teachers-union President Michael Mulgrew was wrist-slapped Monday for operating a booming tutoring company that was awarded $40 million in work from the city while she was employed as a public-school teacher. The overlapping gigs got Kathleen Mulgrew-Daretany a warning letter from the city C
Get Up, Stand Up, Before The PowerPointers Do [The Takeover, Part 1] - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson
Get Up, Stand Up, Before The PowerPointers Do [The Takeover, Part 1] - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: Get Up, Stand Up, Before The PowerPointers Do [The Takeover, Part 1]by JOSE VILSON on DECEMBER 23, 2013in MR. VILSONBecause I don’t really take breaks, I’m writing a three-part series at my other space. Here’s an excerpt:Generally, you get the idea, but you’re left wondering, “How can we do th
The Educated Reporter: 'How I Did the Story': Award-Winning Higher Ed Reporters Share Their Skills
The Educated Reporter: 'How I Did the Story': Award-Winning Higher Ed Reporters Share Their Skills: 'How I Did the Story': Award-Winning Higher Ed Reporters Share Their SkillsHere's a little gift for the holidays: Advice from higher education reporters who won the top prizes in EWA's National Awards for Education Writing. They shared their perspectives with attendees at our 66th National Seminar,
A look back at the most-read education stories of 2013 - and a request to readers | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
A look back at the most-read education stories of 2013 - and a request to readers | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: A look back at the most-read education stories of 2013 - and a request to readersby thenotebook on Dec 24 2013The Notebook is on hiatus during the holidays. We'll be back in January, but in the meantime, take a look back at the most-read stories for each of the twelve months of
California ballot measure would base teacher layoffs on performance, not seniority | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
California ballot measure would base teacher layoffs on performance, not seniority | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: California ballot measure would base teacher layoffs on performance, not seniorityAdolfo Guzman-Lopez | December 24th, 2013, 6:00am It’s a waiting game now for activists who want to change teacher seniority rules through a statewide ballot measure. The proposed measure, called the "Hi
NYC Educator: It's Just A Little Early to Give Up on Bill de Blasio
NYC Educator: It's Just A Little Early to Give Up on Bill de Blasio: It's Just A Little Early to Give Up on Bill de BlasioI keep reading all over my social media haunts that de Blasio has sold us out, that he's going to appoint a reformy Chancellor, and that he's no different from Bloomberg. There's not a whole lot of basis for this yet, other than speculation on who he's spoken with.I know he jus
Top ten stories from Hechinger: Higher education headed for a shakeout | Hechinger Report
Top ten stories from Hechinger: Higher education headed for a shakeout | Hechinger Report: Top ten stories from Hechinger: Higher education headed for a shakeoutBy Hechinger ReportIf 2012 was the year of the MOOC, as the New York Times famously dubbed it, 2013 was the year of … well, not the MOOC.The number of universities jumping on the MOOC bandwagon continued to rise, along with the number of p
Bridging Differences: 2013's Top 10 Posts - Bridging Differences - Education Week
Bridging Differences: 2013's Top 10 Posts - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Bridging Differences: 2013's Top 10 PostsBy educationweekly on December 24, 2013 8:46 AMPoverty. Equity. And how teaching and standardized assessment intersect with both. These are themes that dominated Bridging Differences in 2013.Looking back at the blog this year revealed that the most-read posts in 2013 were wri
A Special Christmas Wish for What Children Need This Year: Quality Teachers | janresseger
A Special Christmas Wish for What Children Need This Year: Quality Teachers | janresseger: A Special Christmas Wish for What Children Need This Year: Quality TeachersPosted on December 23, 2013 by janressegerThe Rev. John Thomas, the former General Minister and President of the United Church of Christ, is now a professor and administrator Chicago Theological Seminary.  His wonderful blog post for
'I Cheated All Throughout High School' - Jessica Lahey - The Atlantic
'I Cheated All Throughout High School' - Jessica Lahey - The Atlantic: 'I Cheated All Throughout High School'A teacher gets inside the mind of a serial cheater—and is dismayed by what she learns.Sixty to 70 percent of high-school students report they have cheated. Ninety percent of students admit to having copied another student’s homework. Why is academic dishonesty so widespread? I wrote an arti
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: View from Florida: Chicago charter scandals look familiar
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: View from Florida: Chicago charter scandals look familiar: View from Florida: Chicago charter scandals look familiarTea Party Gov. Rick Scott visits Florida charter schoolChicago's scandal-ridden charter schools look eerily familiar to educators down here in Florida where public schools have long been free give-aways to Govs. Bush and Scott's corporate and political

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Minor Glitch Leads To Major Criticism Of Michelle Rhee's Signature Initiative
Minor Glitch Leads To Major Criticism Of Michelle Rhee's Signature Initiative: Minor Glitch Leads To Major Criticism Of Michelle Rhee's Signature InitiativePosted: 12/23/2013 8:17 pm ESTThe evaluations of 44 Washington public school teachers -- out of 4,000 -- were compromised by an outside contractor, an email from a D.C. official to the city's teachers union reveals.The union is slamming the sch
Buy David Greene's Book!! southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Buy David Greene's Book!!I just ordered it last week and it has yet to arrive but I know it will be a great book. Of course I am   by noted education advocate David Greene."Doing the Right Thing: A Teacher Speaks"talking about the new book,For those who do not know who David is, David can be found, here, here, here, and here. I first met David about 2 yea
Nite Cap 12-23-13 #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 CAPWill Los Angeles schools have enough Internet access for students to take state tests? | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCCWill Los Angeles schools have enough Internet access for students to take state tests? | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Will Los Angeles sch
Will Los Angeles schools have enough Internet access for students to take state tests? | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
Will Los Angeles schools have enough Internet access for students to take state tests? | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Will Los Angeles schools have enough Internet access for students to take state tests?Annie Gilbertson | December 23rd, 2013, 2:31pmMaya Sugarman/KPCCRuss Swanson, left, a virtual learning complex facilitator, works with second graders at Baldwin Hills Elementary to get their iPads onl
12-23-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Community ForumI'm From the West; How about You?Fun quiz that you and your family might enjoy (especially if you and your partner are from different places in the country) - from the NY Times, a dialect finder. What I found interesting is that I hesitated in a couple of places because words/phrases I used in my childhood, I don't always use now beca
To Our Troops and their Children: Merry Christmas? | Reclaim Reform
To Our Troops and their Children: Merry Christmas? | Reclaim Reform: To Our Troops and their Children: Merry Christmas?Posted on December 23, 2013by Ken PrevitiThe hypocrisy of the U.S. Congress towards our men and women who serve or served in our Armed Forces is appalling.As our members of Congress have a comfortable Christmas with their families and constituents, they smile for the cameras and p
Autistic activists out to change assumptions about disorder - latimes.com
Autistic activists out to change assumptions about disorder - latimes.com: Autistic activists out to change assumptions about disorderComments0EmailShare14CAPTIONS1/9By Thomas CurwenDecember 23, 2013, 1:49 p.m.Ido Kedar belongs to a rare confederacy.Diagnosed with autism when he was a child, Kedar — now 17 and a junior at Canoga Park High School — refuses to be defined by his disorder and joins a
12-23-13 Jersey Jazzman
Jersey Jazzman: Are Charter School Wait Lists Really That Big?Yesterday, I joined in with Bob Braun and shredded yet another ignorant and racially tone-deaf editorial from the Star-Ledger about Newark's schools. I'm really getting sick and tired of knocking down the S-L's ignorance; however, I want to address a point of policy I had skipped that the editorial makes:Charter schools will play a key
empathyeducates – Teachers of Conscience and the Common Core Scylla and Charybdis
empathyeducates – Teachers of Conscience and the Common Core Scylla and Charybdis: Teachers of Conscience and the Common Core Scylla and CharybdisBy Paul L. Thomas, Ed.D. | Originally Published at The Becoming Radical. December 22, 2013 In our popular discourse, we are prone to say we are caught between a rock and a hard place, a veiled allusion to Homer’s Scylla and Charybdis. For K-12 public sch
Student Privacy Rights Bill Filed in Washington State | Truth in American Education
Student Privacy Rights Bill Filed in Washington State | Truth in American Education: Student Privacy Rights Bill Filed in Washington StateFiled in Education at State Level, Privacy/SLDS by Shane Vander Hart on December 23, 2013 • 0 CommentsStop Common Core in Washington reportedthat there has been a bill pre-filed in Washington State that addresses student privacy rights – HB 2783 by State Represe
Farmers Insurance looks to thank and fund a million teachers with new grant program | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
Farmers Insurance looks to thank and fund a million teachers with new grant program | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Farmers Insurance looks to thank and fund a million teachers with new grant programMary Plummer | December 23rd, 2013, 12:35pmFarmers Insurance (via YouTube)Actor Jack Black reunites with his middle school teacher to show his appreciation as part of a new effort spearheaded by Farmers Ins
Simple Approaches to School Improvement | InterACT
Simple Approaches to School Improvement | InterACT: Simple Approaches to School ImprovementDECEMBER 23, 2013tags: David Kirp, Sanger, school improvement, Union-Tribuneby David B. CohenSchools in the city of Sanger, California, struggle with many of the educational challenges you’d anticipate in a rural, farming community, populated largely by migrant workers with low incomes and little English. Ye
Liability Limit for Willful Pupil Misconduct + ANNUAL ADJUSTMENT TO BID THRESHOLD FOR CONTRACTS - Correspondence
Liability Limit for Willful Pupil Misconduct - Correspondence (CA Dept of Education): Dear County and District Superintendents and Chief Business Officials, and Charter School Administrators:ANNUAL ADJUSTMENT TO LIABILITY LIMIT OF PARENT OR GUARDIANFOR WILLFUL PUPIL MISCONDUCTCalifornia Education Code (EC) Section 48904(a)(1)  provides that the parent or guardian of a minor is liable for all damag
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement":  The Best Resources — Specifically For Parents — On BullyingI have an extensive “Best” list at my other blog titled A Very, Very Beginning List Of The Best Resources On Bullying. In addition, I’ve published several posts in this blog about bullying resources specifically for parents, and thought bringing them together in on
A smorgasbord of a Mike Madigan/Gulen charter school scandal!
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » A smorgasbord of a Mike Madigan/Gulen charter school scandal!: A smorgasbord of a Mike Madigan/Gulen charter school scandal!It took today’s expose of the Gulen charter school network by the Sun-Times’ Dan Mihalopoulos (yes, the one I resent!)  to pull me away from my Christmas baking and cooking. There was just such a banquet of choice item
NYC Public School Parents: Please help us fight for small classes & student privacy in 2014!
NYC Public School Parents: Please help us fight for small classes & student privacy in 2014!: Please help us fight for small classes & student privacy in 2014!Class Size Matters is an organization with a large reach but a small budget.  We count on donations from individuals as our main source of funding.  To continue our efforts on behalf of children’s right to small , we need supporters
We’re more than the Common Core | Ward 8 DC Teacher
We’re more than the Common Core | Ward 8 DC Teacher: We’re more than the Common Coreby ANGEL CINTRON JR. • DECEMBER 23, 2013We wake up early, every morning, ready to teach,and we look forward to opening our classroom door.We quietly ponder which student we’ll reach,because we’re more than the Common Core.We spend countless hours planning lessons ahead,and we genuinely desire for our students to so
12-23-13 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: ARNE DUNCAN PRAISES LAUSD GAINS IN READING & MATH + smf’s 2¢U.S. Secretary of Education praises L.A. Unified for school-improvement efforts reflected in 2013 national test scores. By Howard Blume- latimes.com http://lat.ms/19aHWc3 L.A. Unified Supt. John Deasy at a school board meeting. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times / October 29, 2013) December 22
12-23-13 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Randi, Cami and Newark: Anyone for a Quisling Reference?These two have a long history together. The dynamic works like this: Randi gives Cami whatever she wants, then complains about Cami exercising the freedoms that Randi has given her. It's sort of like the dynamic Randi is alleged to have with everyone else, except the 'gives', and later the 'complaints', are more pronounced an
12-23-13 THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG 2013 Best of the Blog: 25-21
2013 Best of the Blog: 25–21 — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG2013 Best of the Blog: 25–21December 23, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child BloggersIn the past year, experts and practitioners in the field, whole child partners, and ASCD staff have shared their stories, ideas, and resources to help you ensure that each child, in each school, in each community is healthy, safe, engaged, su
Obama pushes program to turn public schools over to corporations - World Socialist Web Site
Obama pushes program to turn public schools over to corporations - World Socialist Web Site: Obama pushes program to turn public schools over to corporationsBy Steve Light and A. Woodson 23 December 2013President Barak Obama made a well-publicized helicopter landing in New York City’s borough of Brooklyn October 25 to visit Pathways in Technology Early College High School, known as P-TECH. It is a
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLESBill de BlasioN.Y. Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio"He [Bloomberg] did not address inequality. He looked away from it. He governed during the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression and he never addressed it. We will decidedly write a new chapter.'' -- USA TodayDonald Gaynes,  Local 597 member“I used to go down to the un
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Reporter pulls up a rock and finds a charter school rat's nest
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Reporter pulls up a rock and finds a charter school rat's nest: Reporter pulls up a rock and finds a charter school rat's nestSalim Ucan (second from left),Vice-president of Concept Schools speaks to at the Illinois Network of Charter School's conference in Chicago. | Michael R. Schmidt-For Sun-Times MediaAce Sun-Times investigative reporter Dan Mihalopoulos turns ov
12-23-13 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Making Teachers Better by Using Someone Else's Bogus Scores for EvaluationBeyond the idiocy of using unreliable, invalid, and unfair test score gains to evaluate teachers, there is the insanity of claiming the evaluations are about improving teachers by using scores that are someone else's.  Is there any other profession that allows such treatment of its members?  Where is Randi an
U.S. Department of Education Releases Estimated State and National Figures from 2009-10 Civil Rights Data Collection | ED.gov Blog
U.S. Department of Education Releases Estimated State and National Figures from 2009-10 Civil Rights Data Collection | ED.gov Blog: U.S. Department of Education Releases Estimated State and National Figures from 2009-10 Civil Rights Data CollectionPosted on December 23, 2013 by Guest BloggerThe Office for Civil Rights (OCR) collects data from public schools to help detect and prevent civil rights
When charter schools fail, close them - latimes.com
When charter schools fail, close them - latimes.com: When charter schools fail, close themNew Designs Charter School-Watts is among half a dozen seriously underperforming schools in the state. It should be shut down.By Jed WallaceDecember 23, 2013Charter schools make a basic promise to students, parents, school districts and the state: They operate with greater autonomy and flexibility than regula
Focus on ‘schools’ eligible for vouchers - robesonian.com
Focus on ‘schools’ eligible for vouchers - robesonian.com: Focus on ‘schools’ eligible for vouchers2 hours ago|110 Views|1 Comment|||The recent filing of a lawsuit against the state’s new private school voucher scheme by the NCAE and the N.C. Justice Center on behalf of 25 plaintiffs received a flurry of media attentionbn — and it should have.There’s a compelling case that diverting public money t
An Irresistible Invitation From Diane Ravitch | Vicki Cobb
An Irresistible Invitation From Diane Ravitch | Vicki Cobb: An Irresistible Invitation From Diane RavitchI was surprised and delighted by a recent shout-out about one of my Huff Post entries by Diane Ravitch, a brilliant and tireless crusader to save public education in the face of the Common Core State Standards. Diane claims in her post that she and I disagree about the CCSS. Make no mistake, I
Progress in the D.C. schools: Many authors and a surprising path - The Washington Post
Progress in the D.C. schools: Many authors and a surprising path - The Washington Post: Progress in the D.C. schools: Many authors and a surprising pathBy Richard Whitmire, Published: December 20Nationally, the District has long been regarded as an educational embarrassment, one of the top spenders on kindergarten to 12th grade with little to show for it. The story used to be familiar: Better-off
Morning Wink 12-23-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTell Congress to Invest in Early Learning |Tell Congress to Invest in Early Learning |: Tell Congress to Invest in Early LearningDecember 23, 2013 by Alyssa HaywoodePhoto: Alessandra Hartkopf for Strategies for ChildrenNote: Best wishes to all for a happy holiday season. Eye on Early Education will resume publication on January 6, 2014.*   *   *   *   *“Ye