DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: They Say That School is a Bad Mother...I'm Talkin About Garfield High!

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: They Say That School is a Bad Mother...I'm Talkin About Garfield High!:

They Say That School is a Bad Mother...I'm Talkin About Garfield High!

by Lisa M

WELL, WE CAN DIG IT!

I admire the teachers of Garfield High so much! What they have done, are still doing is amazing! Not only amazing, but very brave. In the scheme of things, everyone might not see what they are doing as heroic.

However, as an educator, in this economy, in this toxic environment, the fact that these teachers stood up, and against, standardized testing by saying, "No, we won't!" is heroic in my eyes!

I wish I could be as brave as they are. I realize we each have our own level of bravery,of courage. I proudly pasted my sticker on my bumper. And no, I don't turn my car around,so that is hidden from the view of those entering the building. :)

We have our anonymous heroes, like Mr.Mell, who created the bumper sticker. People 

NYC Educator: The Myth of the Powerful Teacher Union

NYC Educator: The Myth of the Powerful Teacher Union:

The Myth of the Powerful Teacher Union

by NYC Educator

There's a piece in Gotham Schools about the incredible power of the teachers' union.  It focuses on Lobby Day. Now I've been to Lobby Day, once. Basically the UFT picks people, gives them a message, and the rest of us are supposed to follow that person and nod our heads as he gives the union message, whatever it may be. In fact, I was trying to organize a demonstration at my school so I broke away, found our local pols, and got them to agree to appear. Haven't been back since. As good as the rubber chicken was, our local pols are available locally.

Union causes have included things as repugnant as mayoral control, and most recently the as-yet dormant evaluation system, based on Bill Gates' druthers, that will surely cause good teachers to lose their jobs. The 

The Cracks Are Beginning to Show in the Cult of Lucy Calkins.southbronxschool.com

http://www.southbronxschool.com:

The Cracks Are Beginning to Show in the Cult of Lucy Calkins

by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)

What a week it has been for Lucy Calkins and her cult of failure. Aside from being vilified on these pages twice inone week, yours truly had inquired, when confronted with "the students are not reading and writing" by a self important person high up the NYC DOE chain with the answer, "so why are we using a program like TC then?" Of course that question was met with silence.

But then lo and behold what is it that is gracing the pages of in the Op-Ed section of today's Daily News? Simply, a great piece by former NYC teacher at PS 277 in District 7, Robert Pondiscio ( I wonder if I know him from back in the day).

Robert brought up some really great points in his piece; in fact he educated me a great deal.  Without stepping on his toes, I would like to comment on some of the points he made.

....And the big news is that the Teachers College Reading and 

Mayor Nutter’s Door | Parents United for Public Education

Mayor Nutter’s Door | Parents United for Public Education:

Mayor Nutter’s Door

by rebeccapoyourow

Mayor Nutter didn’t come out the front door of his office in City Hall last night.  I’m sure mayors have good reason to have alternate exit routes available, and it may be that he uses that other door regularly, rather than just yesterday.  I’m not sure, since I’m not in the habit of sitting outside his office.  However, I do know for sure that he didn’t come out the front door last night.
If Mayor Nutter had come out the front door of his office last night, he would have encountered our group of public schools advocates, which included several parents, a retired teacher, a former principal, the head of the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP, and a 7^th grade student at a school targeted for closure.  We were sitting outside his office in order to underscore the message that thousands of Philadelphians have been trying to send to him and to the SRC over the last year:  that mass closings of Philadelphia’s public schools undermine our children’s educational prospects, compromise kids’ safety, contribute to the drop-out crisis, uproot communities, and destroy jobs and neighborhoods—all for little to no savings.
Earlier in the day, members of the NAACP, Black Clergy, Action United, and Parents United for Public 

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Example? A Humorous Assessment of David Coleman's SAT

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Example? A Humorous Assessment of David Coleman's SAT:

Common Core Example? A Humorous Assessment of David Coleman's SAT

by stlgretchen

Need a chuckle?  Read this piece from The Washington Post SAT to be updated and this tongue in cheek assessment fashioned in the language of Common Core:

Guess the grade level of this Common Core homework. – @ the chalk face

Guess the grade level of this Common Core homework. – @ the chalk face:

Guess the grade level of this Common Core homework.

by Chris Cerrone

Scroll down beyond my brief rant to find the answer.
Let me start off by saying that I believe in challenging my 7th grade students and want the same for my own children.  There is a significant difference between getting kids to strive beyond the basics and crossing the line to complete a task that is inappropriate for a certain age group.
At the Chalkface has explored the issue of the Common Core and its appropriateness a great deal recently. Kris Nielsen showed us a sample of student work  and I did a piece about my son’s second grade math homework.  I 

School Tech Connect: The Queen of Failure

School Tech Connect: The Queen of Failure:

The Queen of Failure

First the Koch brothers fail. Now Bloomberg and Rhee.

Every day people, who actually send their kids to public schools, are on to the fact that these people are doing a hell of a lot more harm than good.

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 3-6-13 #SOSCHAT #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

ICE 2013 | My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 minutes ago

ICE 2013 | My Island View: ICE 2013 by tomwhitby I am very fortunate to have a position that gets me invited to education conferences around the country, and occasionally out of it as well. I have written a number of posts describing the benefits, and the blemishes, of many of them over the last year. I am writing this post, as I am en route to Austin, Texas to participate in one of the big ones, the SXSWEdu Conference. Last week however, I attended a gem of a conference conducted by the Illinois ISTE affiliate, The Illinois Computing Educator’s Conference, referred to as ICE13.... more »

Debate over school closings asks the wrong questions | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 minutes ago

Debate over school closings asks the wrong questions | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Debate over school closings asks the wrong questions by thenotebook *Thursday's School Reform Commission vote on the recommended closure of nearly 30 schools will undoubtedly have a major impact on the future of the city's public school system. In advance of the vote, the **Notebook **asked prominent Philadelphians to offer their thoughts, using **new data and maps on school attendance patterns** in the city as a starting point.* ------------------------------ *by Mark Gleason and Mike Wan... more »

Reading a paced, scripted text is NOT teaching. | Reclaim Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 minutes ago

Reading a paced, scripted text is NOT teaching. | Reclaim Reform: Reading a paced, scripted text is NOT teaching. by kenpreviti *Common Core isn’t.* *Reading a paced, scripted text is not teaching.* [image: scripted text] *The Race to the Top is not a race and has no top.* No Child Left Behind left children behind if their arbitrary test scores did not meet a shifting arbitrary number. Homeless students are required to give their home addresses for school attendance. Federal public education funds are given in large amounts to schools that don’t need to improve and are denied to scho... more »

Ed Notes Online: Ed Deform LA Dreamin' Turns Into Nightmare

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago

Ed Notes Online: Ed Deform LA Dreamin' Turns Into Nightmare: Ed Deform LA Dreamin' Turns Into Nightmare by ed notes online While we were celebrating Steve Zimmer’s thrilling win over Kate Anderson in the Los Angeles school board race, the corporate reform crowd had to figure out how to spin this embarrassing defeat. Here it is, fresh from Twitter: Deasey kept his school board majority! Monica Garcia was re-elected! Big money saves Deasey! Inconvenient facts: The billionaires put together about $5 million to beat Steve Zimmer, who is a member of the school board in his first term..... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Times on a Rampage + Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State Charter Commission Members-Early Parsing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Washington State Charter Commission Members-Early Parsing: Seattle Times on a Rampage by Charlie Mas Man, the Seattle Times is pulling out all the stops in the days before retreating behind a paywall. There are several inflammatory articles and columns about education on the Times web site right now. You would think it was just before an election instead of just after one. Feds probing Seattle schools’ treatment of black students This story is about a U.S. Department of Education investigation into whether black students in Seattle schools are puni... more »

Diane in the Evening 3-6-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Nashville: Charter School Sticker Shock by dianerav The Metro Nashville school board was surprised to learn that new charter schools will absorb millions of dollars from the district’s budget, with more on the way. The state legislature is about to approve legislation to override the veto of local school boards, so Nashville is sure to get more charters than it wants or needs. TFA Wins Award for Hubris by dianerav Louisiana is in a budget crisis, and Governor Bobby Jindal has been closing hospitals that serve... more »

This Community Won't Back Down | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

This Community Won't Back Down | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: This Community Won't Back Down by Kate_Lenox [image: Home] The Bee editorial board is concerned that the SCUSD school board will be perceived as acting unfairly by failing to close Mark Twain or Tahoe Elementary, in addition to the schools already closed. Evidently none of the Bee editorial board watched the SCUSD board meeting streaming online. If they had, they would know that the SCUSD board has already been accused of unfairness in the closure of seven elementary schools. The hasty process u... more »

UPDATE: Students walking out + Details on #sequestration and #edreform… blah, blah, blah – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Details on #sequestration and #edreform… blah, blah, blah – @ the chalk face: [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] Large Monopoly board planned for #occupy2.0 in DC, #optout by Chalk Face, PhD [image: Large Monopoly board planned for #occupy2.0 in DC, #optout] This is just a blank diagram of the giant education reform Monopoly board I’m going to paint on canvas. I plan on rolling it out for people to play during the event. Working out all of the spaces, suggestions in the comments would be helpful. Students walking out of #TCAP in Colorado, #stuvoice by Chalk Face, PhD [image: Studen... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Expect Some Passion at Tonight's Board Meeting

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Expect Some Passion at Tonight's Board Meeting: Expect Some Passion at Tonight's Board Meeting by Melissa Westbrook Director Patu, President Smith-Blum and I were sharing a laugh last Saturday over the last Board meeting where Vice-President Patu stepped in to lead the meeting because Smith-Blum was out of town. The joke was (and I had noted it here) that looking at the agenda, it would be a short meeting. Apparently it was and it ended at about 6:45 p.m. The meeting may not run long tonight but the Speakers list is full (and overflowing) becau... more »

What it means for parents to support teachers | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

What it means for parents to support teachers | Parents Across America: What it means for parents to support teachers by pagrundy *Philadelphia parents are currently engaged in an active struggle against a particularly extreme form of school district “transformation,” which includes many school closings. Their actions have included a March 5 sit-in at the Philadelphia mayor’s office. Here are the thoughts of PAA founding member Helen Gym, originally posted on the website of the Philadelphia parents’ organization “Parents United for Public Education.” Helen notes that: “Last week’... more »

Big data and schools: Education nirvana or privacy nightmare? | Digital

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Big data and schools: Education nirvana or privacy nightmare? | Digital: Big data and schools: Education nirvana or privacy nightmare? by Anya Kamenetz [image: Big data and schools: Education nirvana or privacy nightmare?] InBloom, a nonprofit startup founded with funding from the Gates Foundation and Carnegie Corporation, is taking center stage and spreading around some significant funds as an official sponsor of the South by Southwest Education conference in Austin, Texas this week. They hosted the official opening night party on Tuesday, are sponsoring a "networking lounge" with ... more »

Ethics complaint targets philanthropy in public education; Newark schools a prime example - NorthJersey.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Ethics complaint targets philanthropy in public education; Newark schools a prime example - NorthJersey.com: Ethics complaint targets philanthropy in public education; Newark schools a prime example WEDNESDAY MARCH 6, 2013, 12:26 PM KATHY MATHESON ASSOCIATED PRESS PAGES: 1 2 3 > DISPLAY ON ONE PAGE | PRINT | E-MAIL [image: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg] Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg PHILADELPHIA (AP) — School activists are using unusual tactics to fight a contested proposal to overhaul the nearly bankrupt Philadelphia school district: They've gone to the city ethics board. Thei... more »

Lee Nave Jr. – Silence is Consent! A Call For People To Open Their Mouths More! Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Student Voice: Lee Nave Jr. – Silence is Consent! A Call For People To Open Their Mouths More! by admin Silence is consent.This is a popular term used in the speech and debate world when a person on the opposing team does not argue against one of your points (also known as arguments). The specific point usually has an impact that makes your case stronger than your opponents. When so many points are not argued against you have succeeded that point to the opposition. This pretty much means, you let them dictate to the judge that there point is correct and because you were “silent y... more »

Are the Poor Too Free? On the Perils of Paternalism - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago

Are the Poor Too Free? On the Perils of Paternalism - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Are the Poor Too Free? On the Perils of Paternalism by Anthony Cody Paul Thomas asks a provocative question this week. Are the poor too free? Are our schools providing students with tools and skills to foster their independence? Or teaching them to be compliant cogs in a machine whose levers of control they will never touch? Thomas describes the paternalism that has become central to modern education, as well as efforts to "reform" it even further. He quotes David Whitman, a true bel... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center: Best of the Ed Blogs *Best of the Ed Blogs* features a frequently updated selection of interesting and insightful blog posts on education policy. The views expressed by the bloggers on our blog roll are thoughtful, original, and entirely their own. We hope you make *Best of the Ed Blogs* your first stop for concise takes on today's most important education topics. Bill Moyers Interviews “Activist” Zack Kopplin About Science Teaching Best of the Ed Blogs Jack Hassard March 6, 2013 Why Sending Your Child to a Charter School Hur... more »

Feds revise rules on LEAs seeking medical records SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: *Feds revise rules on LEAs seeking medical records* *By Tom Chorneau* Wednesday, March 06, 2013 New federal regulations are set to take effect later this month easing requirements school districts and other public agencies must follow when accessing a child’s or parent’s public benefit or insurance information. Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, schools are allowed to access medical insurance information for the purpose of billing for services that might be required under a student’s Individual Education Plan. But existing ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: School closings could do educational harm to thousands of students

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: School closings could do educational harm to thousands of students: School closings could do educational harm to thousands of students by Mike Klonsky Stockton Elementary School on the North Side is one of 129 CPS grade schools still being considered for closing. (Jose M. Osorio, Chicago Tribune)Despite the claims by some Chicago education and political leaders that mass school closings will boost student learning outcomes, closing schools usually does little to raise so-called "student achievement" levels and in many cases actually cause great harm. ... more »

Illegal… as in not legal. The Bridgeport Board of Education’s 5 to 4 illegal vote - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Illegal… as in not legal. The Bridgeport Board of Education’s 5 to 4 illegal vote - Wait, What?: Illegal… as in not legal. The Bridgeport Board of Education’s 5 to 4 illegal vote by jonpelto (Co-written by Jonathan Pelto and Retired Connecticut Judge and public education advocate Carmen Lopez) *“Yes officer, I know I was driving 65 miles an hour in a 25 mile an hour school zone and yes I know it is “illegal” to drive that fast, but you don’t understand, that law doesn’t apply to me. I’ll be going now. Have a nice day.”* In July 2011, the loyal Democrats on the Bridgeport Board o... more »

PHILANTHROPY 2173: Charity, Pornography, and the Press

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

PHILANTHROPY 2173: Charity, Pornography, and the Press: Charity, Pornography, and the Press In 1964, Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart famously said of pornography, "I know it when I see it” (Jacobellis v. Ohio). What does that have to do with charity? As it turns out, we have the same definition of charity. We seem to know it when we see it. I spent the weekend in a scholarly workshop with political theorists, legal scholars, historians, and sociologists who specialize in charity, philanthropy, and civil society. Among many things I learned is that, in fact, charity is undef... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Depressing Suspension Investigation of SPS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Depressing Suspension Investigation of SPS: Depressing Suspension Investigation of SPS by Melissa Westbrook The Times has a sad story this morning about a federal investigation by the US Department of Education against SPS over discipline rates of African Americans. The Times does point out that this information is really nothing new. The district (and parents) have know about this for years and yet it is still the case. *African-American students are suspended from school more than three times as often as white students from elementary school... more »

This Week In Education: Update: Stalemate In LA -- For Now

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

This Week In Education: Update: Stalemate In LA -- For Now: Update: Stalemate In LA -- For Now by Alexander Russo [image: ScreenHunter_01 Mar. 06 10.07]How anticlimactic. In a showdown that's fast approaching 2007's $7 million campaign spending record, the teachers union and reform groups each succeeded in protecting one of their key supporters on the LAUSD School Board last night -- but failed to score any decisive victory against the other side. Board member Steve Zimmer -- one of the main targets of the Coalition for School Reform -- led from the start despite being outspent at ... more »

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali "CASH" Education Headlines Wednesday, March 6, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Union-backed candidate wins W. Sac school board race* Education Headlines *Wednesday, March 6, 2013* Kern HSD approves defibrillators for every campusThe Kern High School District voted Monday to put automated external defibrillators on each of its campuses. Bear Creek's top two leavingMore than two dozen Bear Creek High School staff members and students filled the Lodi Unified boardroom Tuesday evening, supporting Principal Shirley McNichols and Vice Principal Tim Swartz, who had been asked to resign from their jobs. Tokay Colo... more »

Amplify the Bottom Line (and Excellence) | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Amplify the Bottom Line (and Excellence) | EduShyster: Amplify the Bottom Line (and Excellence) by edushyster2012 Students who currently use outmoded devices like these MacBooks will experienced enhanced excellence once they are provided with Amplify tablets. If only there was a miracle product that could fix the many problems plaguing our failing union-stifled public schools, all in the blink of a cursor’s eye. Reader: today is our lucky day. Edu-visionary and Edushyster transphormer-in-chief Joel Klein has the very miracle gizmo that will at last allow our stifled public school st... more »

Chicago Teachers Union | CPS Claims that 40 students in a classroom is OK with a "high quality teacher"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Chicago Teachers Union | CPS Claims that 40 students in a classroom is OK with a "high quality teacher": CPS Claims that 40 students in a classroom is OK with a "high quality teacher" BY *BOB SECTER, NOREEN S. AHMED-ULLAH, AND ALEX RICHARDS - CHICAGO TRIBUNE* | 03/06/2013 Mayor Rahm Emanuel's push to close dozens of schools hinges on a vision of the "ideal" size for kindergarten through eighth-grade classes as 30 students, far larger than is the case now in the typical Chicago classroom. That round number — little mentioned despite months of public debate — provides the simplest... more »

Three ‘Reforms’ That Are Deprofessionalizing Teaching | NEA Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Three ‘Reforms’ That Are Deprofessionalizing Teaching | NEA Today: Three ‘Reforms’ That Are Deprofessionalizing Teaching by twalker *By Tim Walker* According to the *2102 PDK/Gallup survey*, the American public overwhelmingly holds the teaching profession in high regard. People believe the profession should impose entrance requirements that are just as selective, if not more so, than those required in fields such as business, pre-law, and engineering. In other words, treat teachers like true professionals – as they are in nations that have much higher rates of student achievement. ... more »

UPDATE: Madigan leads with his behind + The legislative pension landscape. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

The legislative pension landscape. | Fred Klonsky: Two more million visit contest entries. by Fred Klonsky [image: designall-dll] To celebrate one million site visits I am sponsoring a contest. Submit a tweet, haiku or limerick on a topic covered by this blog. The deadline is March 31 or the millionth visit. The winner get the orange t-shirt. The decision of the judges (that’s me) is final. Here are two of the latest entries: From Brklynjak: *WIth cartoons, wit and* *smarts Fred still fights the good fight.* *Ukuleles, too.* From Keith: *There are two Klonskys who blog* *They both help ... more »

Shanker Blog » Causality Rules Everything Around Me

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Shanker Blog » Causality Rules Everything Around Me: Causality Rules Everything Around Me by Matthew Di Carlo In a *Slate* article published last October, Daniel Engber bemoans the frequently shallow use of the classic warning that “correlation does not imply causation.” Mr. Engber argues that the correlation/causation distinction has become so overused in online comments sections and other public fora as to hinder real debate. He also posits that correlation does not mean causation, but “it sure as hell provides a hint,” and can “set us down the path toward thinking through the ... more »

Taking Responsibility: Who Signs Off on Learning? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Taking Responsibility: Who Signs Off on Learning? - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Taking Responsibility: Who Signs Off on Learning? by Nancy Flanagan In three decades of classroom teaching, I was a participant in hundreds of parent meetings convened because there were concerns about a student's academic performance. These meetings invariably ended by creating an action plan, with everyone present making promises about What Will Happen Next. More often than not, parents and teachers agreed to additional duties: Daily planner checks at home. Weekly written prog... more »

UPDATE: Daily Kos: at least on one occasion democracy beats plutocracy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Daily Kos: at least on one occasion democracy beats plutocracy: thoughts on being a care-giver by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) which is my primary occupation at this time, even as I may poke around online to look for possible sources of additional income in the future. My focus is my beloved spouse, Leaves on the Current. Everything in my own life now becomes secondary to meeting whatever she needs, or things she needs - I am no loner going to judge whether it is relevant or necessary, because the real demands of the situation are on her. This is a real change, for both of us. I... more »

Modern School: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Joins L.A. School Board Funding Free For All

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Modern School: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Joins L.A. School Board Funding Free For All: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Joins L.A. School Board Funding Free For All by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons Michelle Rhee’s organization, StudentsFirst, has contributed $250,000 to support the campaigns of incumbent Los Angeles school board president Monica Garcia, as well as those of Kate Anderson and Antonio Sanchez. The donation comes on the heels of a $1 million donation to the same candidates by New York Mayor Bloomberg, and several $100,000 donations by L.A. bil... more »

Long Island News - Diane Ravitch to Speak on “Accountability in Great American School System” | Long Island Exchange

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Long Island News - Diane Ravitch to Speak on “Accountability in Great American School System” | Long Island Exchange: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Diane Ravitch to Speak on “Accountability in Great American School System”[image: Long Island Press Releases & News] Long Island Press Releases — *Research professor of education at New York University the Thomas Dixon Lovely Ballroom in Ruth S. Harley University Center* *(Garden City, NY)* Adelphi University is proud to announce that Diane Ravitch will be speaking on “*Accountability in the Great American School S... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-6-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Parent Reflects on the LA Election by dianerav This parent was not opposed to charters. She didn’t pay much attention to battles over school issues, although her own children attend a public school in Los Angeles. But when she realized that millions of dollars were flowing into the school board race, many from out of state, she began to realize that something big was going on. She realized that the big money was interested in something other than its stated ... more »

UPDATE: Aim for balance behind shift to local control + State Board poised to lower standards for middle school math | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

State Board poised to lower standards for middle school math | EdSource Today: Brown’s former adviser: Aim for balance behind shift to local control - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald Sue Burr has seen and done a lot in 40-plus years of playing key roles in California education – advising legislators and governors, administering the finances of a large school district, running the state county superintendents’ organization and, for the past two years, serving as executive director of the State Board of Education. Burr retired at the end of last year, only to be nominated t... more »

Oregon Save Our Schools: How Did This Happen? The History of Oregon's Corporate-Driven Education Policy Model

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Oregon Save Our Schools: How Did This Happen? The History of Oregon's Corporate-Driven Education Policy Model: How Did This Happen? The History of Oregon's Corporate-Driven Education Policy Model by Oregon SOS [image: Oregon SOS] How Did This Happen? The History of Oregon's Corporate-Driven Education Policy Model In January, Tom Olson, of Oregon Save Our Schools, put his research together to explain and summarize how Oregon's corporate education reform model came into being. The education reform plan was created swiftly with hand-picked voices and strategists, and the public's c... more »

Philadelphia School Closings: The Struggle To Make High School Work Pits Sentiment vs. Data | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Philadelphia School Closings: The Struggle To Make High School Work Pits Sentiment vs. Data | toteachornototeach: Philadelphia School Closings: The Struggle To Make High School Work Pits Sentiment vs. Data by aristotlethewise *Philadelphia School Closings: The Struggle To* *Make High School Work Pits Sentiment vs. Data* [image: schoolclosing03]For almost an hour, Frank Thorne stood in line, waiting to denounce Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite. It was early January. Nearly a thousand angry people were packed into a school auditorium. Along one wall, looking unhappy, stood a ... more »

UPDATE: Sometimes words are simply insufficient Daily Kos: Maureen Dowd takes apart Dick Cheney

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Daily Kos: Maureen Dowd takes apart Dick Cheney: Sometimes words are simply insufficient by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) to express the horror and shame one can feel. That does not even come close to describe what i felt when a friend passed on a link, i opened it, and read From El Salvador to Iraq: Washington's man behind brutal police squads in *The Guardian*. The subtitle on the web page does not give you the full impact, but will point you at what to expect: In 2004, with the war in Iraq going from bad to worse, the US drafted in a veteran of Central America's dirty wars to ... more »

How closing schools hurts neighborhoods

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

How closing schools hurts neighborhoods: How closing schools hurts neighborhoods Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 6, 2013 at 6:00 am 0 Comments More [image: (thenotebook.org)] (thenotebook.org) On Thursday, the Philadelphia school district’s governing board, the School Reform Commission, will be voting on the most massive one-time downsizing of the system ever proposed. The district’s recently revised plan, which has encountered widespread community and teacher opposition, calls for closing 29 out of 239 district schools next fall – a step down from the original proposal to shutte... more »

Advanced Placement Courses Need More Than a Makeover (Jack Schneider) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Advanced Placement Courses Need More Than a Makeover (Jack Schneider) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Advanced Placement Courses Need More Than a Makeover (Jack Schneider) by larrycuban *Jack Schneider is an assistant professor of education at the College of the Holy Cross, in Worcester, Mass., and the author of Excellence for All: How a New Breed of Reformers Is Transforming America’s Public Schools (Vanderbilt University Press, 2011).* To the many in the world of education reform, the latest AP Report to the Nation—released recently by the College Board—is... more »

Per-student spending on public higher ed drops to 25-year low | Hechinger Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago

Per-student spending on public higher ed drops to 25-year low | Hechinger Report: Per-student spending on public higher ed drops to 25-year low by Jon Marcus [image: Per-student spending on public higher ed drops to 25-year low] The amount being spent per student by public colleges and universities has fallen to its lowest level in at least 25 years, a result of state budget cuts a new report warns are rapidly eroding the nation’s educational edge over its international competitors. The report, by the Boulder, Colorado-based State Higher Education Executive Officers, or SHEEO, shows... more »

Kindergarteners: Get Ready to “Confront the New Economy” – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

Kindergarteners: Get Ready to “Confront the New Economy” – @ the chalk face: Kindergarteners: Get Ready to “Confront the New Economy” by Kris Nielsen [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] Earlier today, I had a short Twitter conversation with Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. It went something like this: *Randi: not the implementation or roll out, but the [Common] core is key to helping kids confront new economy* *Me: It will help them face the new economy. Not in a good way. Read this: http://atthechalkface.com/2013/03/05/the-school-to-workforce-pipe... more »

NYC Educator: The Disappearing Bookcase

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

NYC Educator: The Disappearing Bookcase: The Disappearing Bookcase by NYC Educator Sandy hit us very hard. We had to pull out the floors and walls of our living room, dining room and kitchen. Just for the heck of it, we tore out a lot of the ceilings as well. A lot of our furniture went into the trash. Some survived. For example, I have an ancient oak bookcase that I inherited from my grandfather. Sadly, it's pretty small. For the bulk of my book collection I had two huge bookcases I'd bought at Costco years ago. They were sort of a hybrid--a chipboard back with what appeared to be... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: DNR School Vouchers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago

One Teacher's Perspective: DNR School Vouchers: DNR School Vouchers by Imagine Wisconsin *For the betterment of Wisconsin, Gov. Walker should adhere to the do not resuscitate (DNR) order and **let the state's voucher experiment die peacefully. Instead, t**his past week, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker began administering CPR to his flatlining school voucher plan.* * In an attempt to rescue the Koch Brothers-promoted plan, Gov. Walker has reversed his position and now supports voucher schools being subjected to the same accountability standards of Wisconsin’s public schools. The fals... more »

Duncan and Gates Plan Documercial About Teachers: "Gotcha!" - DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Duncan and Gates Plan Documercial About Teachers: "Gotcha!" - DailyCensored.com - Breaking Censored News, World, Independent, Liberal News: Duncan and Gates Plan Documercial About Teachers: “Gotcha!” by Susan Ohanian [image: apple1] Arne Duncan, U. S. Secretary of Education, and Bill Gates, who needs no introduction, have teamed up as co-producers of a new 32-part education documercial “Gotcha!” Hosted by Oprah, the program will kick off NBC’s EducationNation 2013. The opening show explains the new law requiring teachers to wear radio-frequency identification tags that can be read... more »

This Friday 3/8/13 Night MORE Happy Hour in the Bronx!!!!.southbronxschool.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

http://www.southbronxschool.com: This Friday 3/8/13 Night MORE Happy Hour in the Bronx!!!! by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) Come one, come all to the first MORE Happy Hour in the Beautiful Bronx this Friday night, March 8, 2013. Come with an open mind and hear what we have to say. There will be no hard sell, no commitments asked. But. I guarantee you after you hear the shit I have been through and my colleagues have you will go MORE. Tell the guys at The Clock Bar Frank Sinatra Jr sent you and get a free glass of wine. j/k *MORE Bronx Happy Hour* *Friday, March 8th 4 - 7pm* ... more »

Live-Tweeted Election Night Coverage - LA School Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago

Live-Tweeted Election Night Coverage - LA School Report: Live-Tweeted Election Night Coverage Alexander Russo at LA School Report - 2 minutes ago Watch live Twitter coverage from @laschoolreport here, in between blog updates. LAUSD School Board: Election Coverage Tonight LA School Report at LA School Report - 4 hours ago Visit LA School Report for live updates on the vote tally for the three School Board races, via the Office of the City Clerk of Los Angeles, starting at 8:30pm PST. We’re also live-tweeting election results @LASchoolReport. Deasy in Danger? It Might Depend on Vlado... more »

Schools Matter: MA Resistance to High Stakes Grows Among Professors

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Schools Matter: MA Resistance to High Stakes Grows Among Professors: MA Resistance to High Stakes Grows Among Professors by Jim Horn Please share this widely. JH __________________ [image: Opt Out of High Stakes Testing] Dear friends and colleagues, Thank you once again for supporting the Massachusetts Statement Against High-Stakes Testing. We wanted you to know that on February 19th, we sent out this press release to the MA Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, as well as to state and national media outlets, education reporters, and blogs. The media attention has been ... more »

A Suspension of Time and School | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

A Suspension of Time and School | The Jose Vilson: A Suspension of Time and School by Jose Vilson [image: Empty Chair] Empty Chair You weren’t supposed to come back. Even though you were on our school’s roster, rumor had it that your guardian put you in a different school, and you’d no longer half-bounce into my class, calling one of your friends a “nigga-what-the-fuck” for something they allegedly did to you. Before you came back, you only knew me as the second math teacher, the Black-possibly-Dominican guy who came in to help your math teacher at the time. You’d go off on one of ... more »

Special Episode of At the Chalk Face with Carol Burris 03/05 by Chalk Face | Blog Talk Radio

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

Special Episode of At the Chalk Face with Carol Burris 03/05 by Chalk Face | Blog Talk Radio: Special Episode of At the Chalk Face with Carol Burris [image: Chalk Face] Chalk Face Tue, March 5, 2013 02:00 pm Play in your default playerDownload this episodeOpen in new window - - - - Share On LinkedinLinkedIn - Share On Emailemail - - EMBED 3.5.13: Another very special episode of At the Chalk Face, your favorite progressive education talk radio show, this time with Carol Burris, of NY Principals and APPR fame.

Why Sending Your Child to a Charter School Hurts Other Children | Alternet

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Why Sending Your Child to a Charter School Hurts Other Children | Alternet: Why Sending Your Child to a Charter School Hurts Other Children Parents should fight for quality education for all, not just their own kids. Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com/iofoto *February 28, 2013* | On a blog post challenging the role of charter schools in education reform, a parent named Dienne left a comment about choosing to remove a child from “a test-prep, drill-to-kill, twelve times a year testing factory” public school, and then posed a powerful question: “I’d ask you what exactly am I supposed t... more »

UPDATE: Protesters sit in outside the mayor's office | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Protesters sit in outside the mayor's office | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Protesters imply SRC is bulldozing schools by thenotebook Inside City Hall right now, a small group of protesters are staging a sit-in, a criticism of the mayor's support for the District's mass school-closings plan. Outside City Hall, the rally to Occupy Nutter is also in full swing. Here's a great photo from the protest, tweeted by the PFT. read more Protesters sit in outside the mayor's officeby Paul Socolar on Mar 05 2013 Posted in Latest news A crowd of about 20 opponents of the School Dist... more »

Big Education Ape - SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 3-5-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* The History of the Term “Failing Schools” by dianerav Kevin Kosar, who earned his Ph.D. at NYU in a study of federal education policy, researched the use of the term “failing schools.” It was seldom used until 1990. Since then, as you can see when you open the link, it has become a commonplace term. This is clearly political, since test scores for every group are higher today than they were in 1990, graduation rates are higher, and dropout rates are lower. “Failing schools” is a term that enables privatizers to take over more public prop... more »

Arne Duncan: The newest rhetoric vs. the reality

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Arne Duncan: The newest rhetoric vs. the reality: Arne Duncan: The newest rhetoric vs. the reality Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 5, 2013 at 1:35 pm [image: Arne Duncan (Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post)] Arne Duncan (Bill O’Leary/The Washington Post) Education Secretary Arne Duncan appeared at a Washington Post-sponsored conference on families today, and he sounded (mostly) highly reasonable: Early childhood education is the absolute “best long-term investment” that the country can make for kids, families and the economy, he said. (Not, apparently, the billions of dollars he spen... more »

Diane in the Evening 3-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Teachers in Grand Rapids Say They Qualify for Food Stamps by dianerav Want to know why teachers are demoralized? Read this story from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Michigan has been a national leader in attacking public education, increasing charters, and diminishing teachers’ pay and benefits. Governor Rick Snyder must take pride in crushing his state’s public school teachers. Oh, did you know that more than 80% of the charters in Michigan are for-profit? Breaking News! Public School Supporters Sitting In Philly Mayo... more »

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 3-2-13 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 2-23-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

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Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 1-12-13 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 1-5-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

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