Big Education Ape: Mar 9, 2013

Saturday, March 9, 2013

by Gary Rubinstein

With two more episodes in this first season of Oprah’s Blackboard wars, they do not have a lot of time left to complete a successful ‘turnaround.’ I can’t say how good this school was before the charter takeover, as I wasn’t there. I also can’t say how good the school system was in New Orleans before the TFA led chartering of most of the schools in the city. My sense is that the schools were pretty bad before, and now they’re also bad, but in a more corrupt way with ‘reformers’ getting rich from it.
In this episode we see a pretty stunning display of community resistance to what is going on at the school. Though the head of the charter company claims that most of the community embraces them, and there are just a few loud critics, I don’t know if I believe him.
In one scene a community activist is kicked out of the school while expressing her frustration. This story line is edited in a way that I think is supposed to make the frustrated community members seem like kooks. Instead, I

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core. A Rigorous or a Worksheet Education?

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core. A Rigorous or a Worksheet Education?:

Common Core. A Rigorous or a Worksheet Education?

by stlgretchen

In the legislative hearings for MO SB 210 and HB 616, Common Core proponents insisted the new standards and assessments were rigorous. Over the next several days, we will be providing examples of Pearson designed CCSS assessments for your review and you can get a hint of what is ahead for your child in Missouri.

The state of New York has implemented CCSS in many schools and you will be seeing actual examples of what we assume the Missouri CCSS proponents would classify as rigor in the classroom. Are these CCSS aligned examples indicative of the type of rigor that will result in authentic learning for students in Missouri?

From nystoptesting and Is Your Child Getting a "Worksheet" Education?:

******************************************

Does your child bring home exclusively worksheets? No creative or fun work in the take home folder? No challenging assignments? If so, your child could be receiving a "worksheet" education.

What is a "worksheet education"?
When a student only completes "fill in the blanks", multiple choice, and short answer

Introducing the Master Race of South Bronx Classical Charter School.southbronxschool.com

http://www.southbronxschool.com:

Introducing the Master Race of South Bronx Classical Charter School

by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)

Every charter school has a board of trustees, a bunch of do gooders if you will. South Bronx Classical Charter is no different. Therefore, we here at SBSB wish to introduce the trustees of SBCC to the District 7 and PS 154 community. See if you can notice a pattern.

First up is C. Stephen Baldwin; Chairman of the SBCCS Board of Trustees.

Steve is...currently a writer, has served as counsel with the United Nations, executive director of the Learning Disabilities Association of NYC, third grade teacher in the South Bronx, and arbitrator/mediator with the United Nations, Population Council, and Ford Foundation.

Steve seems really old and we are curious on how long he taught 3rd grade in the Bronx

Next is James Maher; Trustee. Steve's education background consists of;

Mr. Maher is a Vice President of Real Estate Acquisitions at BlackRock

From the NYCDOE: Talking to your child about the #commoncore and tests – @ the chalk face

From the NYCDOE: Talking to your child about the #commoncore and tests – @ the chalk face:

From the NYCDOE: Talking to your child about the #commoncore and tests

by Chalk Face, PhD

A conversation guide courtesy of the NYCDOE. How very helpful.
Are you kidding me?

Explain to your child that most of the jobs she will want when she grows up will require her to be a good reader and writer. She will need to be able to do math problems that come up in the real world and use evidence to make strong arguments that convince others.

I’m sure these sentiments will be very important to your eight year old:

That’s because they are designed to measure whether students are on track for college and a good job when they finishhigh school.

And don’t worry poor little ELL, we’ll get you there:

If your child is still learning English, let her know that her teachers understand the new tests may

@ the chalk face

@ the chalk face:

Give me your tired test prep assignments, your poor #CCSS homework examples…

BY CHRIS CERRONE 1 COMMENT

… your huddled students yearning to learn free from corporate education reform. Here At the Chalkface we have had several articles that have been widely read and shared recently:http://atthechalkface.com/2012/12/12/is-your-child-getting-a-worksheet-education/http://atthechalkface.com/2013/03/05/kindergarteners-get-ready-to-confront-the-new-economy/http://atthechalkface.com/2013/03/06/guess-the-grade-level-of-this-common-core-homework/ The theme of these pieces is test preparation and Common Core worksheets/homework assignments. These articles are examples of the harm corporate education reform [...]

School Closings: The dislocation of America’s unwanted.

Timothy D. Slekar at @ the chalk face - 6 minutes ago

Last night I attended the “People’s Board Meeting” in Chicago and heard powerful testimony from parents concerning school closings. Why do we move poor and minority kids out of neighborhood schools and then turn the buildings into Charter schools? This school closing thing just smells of racism/classism. Someone has to say it! “STOP hurting our [...]

Behold, it appears legit, the court docket for the AFT president

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 21 minutes ago

She actually was arrested at a protest event in Philadelphia on March 7th, for disorderly conduct. Although, I mean, the threshold is likely rather low for that charge. Nevertheless, Ms. Weingarten will need to be back in Philly later this month. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: arrest, philadelphia, philly, protest, weingarten

Put on your spy goggles, it’s #commoncore time!!

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 47 minutes ago

This is very exciting ladies and gentlemen. We’d like to introduce to you to a new installment of Common Core homework. This comes to us from the parent of a wee-little kindergartener. Behold, folks, this is what we’ve all been waiting for. If you thought little boys and girls were getting educated before, well, then [...]

Is #TFA a cult?

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 1 day ago

Anecdotal, but interesting, nonetheless: Just received confirmation from a former student that during training, TFA tells is Corps members not to interact with veteran teachers at the schools they are placed in and not to eat in the Faculty Cafeteria because those teachers are “jaded.” Wow. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: [...]

@thinkprogress makes the progressive case against higher tuition costs. Careful. #highered

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 1 day ago

Progressives frequently lament the increasing costs of higher education, as Think Progress does here. Young persons are saddled with debt and this is a very troubling situation. As a faculty member, I have a somewhat different perspective. I suppose it’s easy, from a student’s perspective, to criticize all aspects of a university for rising tuition [...]

Give me your tired test prep assignments, your poor #CCSS homework examples…

Chris Cerrone at @ the chalk face - 1 day ago

… your huddled students yearning to learn free from corporate education reform. Here At the Chalkface we have had several articles that have been widely read and shared recently: http://atthechalkface.com/2012/12/12/is-your-child-getting-a-worksheet-education/ http://atthechalkface.com/2013/03/05/kindergarteners-get-ready-to-confront-the-new-economy/ http://atthechalkface.com/2013/03/06/guess-the-grade-level-of-this-common-core-homework/ The theme of these pieces is test preparation and Common Core worksheets/homework assignments. These articles are examples of the harm corporate e...more »

The crowd at #SXSWedu and #edtech could ultimately learn from this.

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 2 days ago

A great article from the NYT on Sunday comes at a pretty good time, given the passing of SXSW in Austin, TX these last few days. I was, of course, not in Texas, but I followed conversations and happenings online related to education, or the hashtag #SXSWedu. You get the impression that a lot of [...]

Rank, RANK amateurism from #PARCC tools and #commoncore

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 2 days ago

I’ve commented on this previously. And one more here. I had forwarded to me an email message about PARCC releasing some kind of planning tools to get ready for the big assessments. I decided to examine the prototypes again to see if there was anything different. They’re the SAME things they released in November when I [...]

The Algebra of the Market: “Equality” Does Not Equal “Equity”

plthomasedd at @ the chalk face - 2 days ago

Let’s start with a graphic and Question 1: Do Student X and Student Y below have EQUAL opportunities to move the boulder? The answer is obvious, “Yes.” Now, let’s go one step further and consider this: In the free market (both the U.S. economy and the “free market” of ideas within schools), capital (economic, social, [...]

Guess the grade level of this Common Core homework.

Chris Cerrone at @ the chalk face - 2 days ago

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 [...]

Large Monopoly board planned for #occupy2.0 in DC, #optout

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 3 days ago

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. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: education [...]

Students walking out of #TCAP in Colorado, #stuvoice

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 3 days ago

Student power, need we say more. Students are doing what students can do, stepping aside during a state-mandated test that means nothing. If you’re in Colorado, consider supporting them. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: colorado, students, tcap, testing, walkout

Pittsburgh deputy superintendent said …. And #edweek followed up by…?

Timothy D. Slekar at @ the chalk face - 3 days ago

I know at some point I’m going to drive readers away with my constant picking at EdWeek. So let me just say this. When someone makes a claim about research that is either contextless or just outright wrong I believe that the journalist, should at a minimum, point out the complexities associated with such statements. [...]

Details on #sequestration and #edreform… blah, blah, blah

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 3 days ago

Both poles of the political spectrum have been trying to game the impacts of the sequester. I wanted to take a closer look at its effects in education, particularly in the state where I reside, Maryland. Fortunately for us plebes, documents are available detailing the impact of the sequester in each state. Here’s Maryland’s, for [...]

Kindergarteners: Get Ready to “Confront the New Economy”

Kris Nielsen at @ the chalk face - 3 days ago

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 [...]

Special episode of At the Chalk Face coming up at 5PM EST with Carol Burris

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 4 days ago

You can listen via this link. Live tweet or join us in the chat room. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: appr, at the chalk face, carol burris, new york, principals

Does #edweek add any value?

Timothy D. Slekar at @ the chalk face - 4 days ago

Someone has to say it! Stop calling experiments that use value added data “research” unless you are willing to state up front that “the findings you are about to see have absolutely NO VALUE in understanding the complicated work of teaching and learning.” Just today, EdWeek let us know that, New teachers become much more [...]

This blog is pretty smartly written, quid faciunt #highered

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 4 days ago

Came across this. Largely faculty issues in higher education. Smart stuff. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: Denver, faculty, higher education

May the odds be ever in your favor, #commoncore

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 4 days ago

So, now we are at least clear on one item. The President of a large educators’ union concurs that the Common Core Curriculum, imposed upon public schools in nearly all states, means to prepare young persons to simply “confront the new economy.” This occurs while the affluent amongst us, who will not experience anything like [...]

#Sequestration #edreform, the “cartoon”

Chalk Face, PhD at @ the chalk face - 4 days ago

Maybe it speaks for itself. Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: budget, Duncan, education reform, Obama, sequestration

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 3-9-13 #SOSCHAT #NPE #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

WHY I WILL OCCUPY THE DEPT. OF ED. IN DC United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 minutes ago

United Opt Out National: KRIS NIELSEN: WHY I WILL OCCUPY THE DEPT. OF ED. IN DC In the last month of 2007, I finished my first real semester of being a teacher. It was an accomplishment that I chalked up to being my most difficult and most rewarding. I couldn’t wait to start the next year, …MORE JESSIE RAMEY: WHY I AM GOING TO OCCUPY THE DEPT. OF ED. IN DC I am coming to Washington D.C. to Occupy the Department of Education this April because our public schools in Pennsylvania have lost $2 BILLION these past two years. Draconian state budget cuts of this magnitude are only possi... more »

CCSS Parent Opt Out Form | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 minutes ago

CCSS Parent Opt Out Form | Truth in American Education: CCSS Parent Opt Out Form Posted on March 9, 2013 by chascherrie Here is a CCSS Parent Opt Out form for those parents to use in expressing their desires to their child’s school. You can download this form to use and share.

Paul Vallas: You are no Michael Jordon, and even if you were, you aren’t above the law - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 minutes ago

Paul Vallas: You are no Michael Jordon, and even if you were, you aren’t above the law - Wait, What?: Paul Vallas: You are no Michael Jordon, and even if you were, you aren’t above the law by jonpelto Yesterday, Hugh Bailey, the Assistant Editorial Page Editor of the CT Post, published a commentary piece that perfectly summarizes the situation surrounding the Bridgeport Board of Education’s 5 to 4 decision to grant Paul Vallas what is almost certainly an illegal, three-year illegal to serve as their Superintendent of Schools contract. Bailey’s piece is entitled – The rules apply t... more »

Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: More Reading. More Writing. More Engaged Citizens of the World.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 minutes ago

Lisa Nielsen: The Innovative Educator: More Reading. More Writing. More Engaged Citizens of the World.: More Reading. More Writing. More Engaged Citizens of the World. by noreply@blogger.com (Lisa Nielsen) By Sarah Mulhern Gross. Cross posted on March 6, 2013 on The Reading Zone *Cum hoc non propter hoc.* In last week’s NY Daily News, Robert Pondiscio, a former public school teacher and now the executive director of CitizenshipFirst, lauds the "… abandoning the literacy curriculum used to teach a generation of our children to read”. In the shift to the Common Core, he says we are le... more »

Schools Matter: Support Colorado Student Walkout March 14

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 minutes ago

Schools Matter: Support Colorado Student Walkout March 14: Support Colorado Student Walkout March 14 by Jim Horn Support Colorado students standing up for their education: Popout KIPP, Inc. (Texas) Downgraded by Fitch: Will Test Score Derivatives Be Next? by Jim Horn Now KIPP CEOs aka "school leaders" aka "principals" have more to pore over on Monday mornings than reports of children talking at school or going to the bathroom illegally, or even reports that test scores were flat last week. Now they must worry about being too highly leveraged, narrow balance sheets, and escalating ... more »

New Mexico Senate Scraps Jeb Bush’s School Grade Formula | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 minutes ago

New Mexico Senate Scraps Jeb Bush’s School Grade Formula | Scathing Purple Musings: New Mexico Senate Scraps Jeb Bush’s School Grade Formula by Bob Sikes Jeb Bush’s Chiefs for Change continue to run into trouble with their implementation of his policies around the country. In New Mexico, embattled education boss Hanna Skandera is facing rejection. Meanwhile, the New Mexico senate voted to do away with the Bush school grade formula she implemented. From reporter Milan Simonich in the *Carlsbad Current-Argus*: SANTA FE – State Sen. Howie Morales says New Mexico’s system of grading ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Race and Class, Our District and...Fundraising?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 24 minutes ago

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Race and Class, Our District and...Fundraising?: Race and Class, Our District and...Fundraising? by Melissa Westbrook When the issue about the race/social justics class at Center School came up, there was little notice about who attends the school. Yet both the teacher, Jon Greenberg, and some Center students I talked with expressed frustration with the lack of diversity at the school AND that for some minority students who do enroll, they leave fairly quickly. What the students told me is that the minority students don't feel they fit in but m... more »

Promises are Meant to be Broken | PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 28 minutes ago

Promises are Meant to be Broken | PWC Education Reform Blog: Promises are Meant to be Broken by pwceducationreform There’s one things politicians like to do. They like to make promises they can’t keep. Politicians are also really bad at telling people the whole truth. Below are a few of the whoppers I’ve heard from about the pool from people who are far too smart to be saying such stupid things. *The pool won’t cost anything because it is a one time expense* You only build a school one time, just like you only build a house one time. But, just like building a house isn’t free, b... more »

This Morning’s Twitter Rant |

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

This Morning’s Twitter Rant |: This Morning’s Twitter Rant by Angus Johnston *This morning I went on a bit of a rant on Twitter. It was prompted by author Linda Hirshman’s Salon defense of Cheryl Sandberg, specifically by Hirshman’s disavowal of “intersectional race/class/gender/save the whales feminism,” and by reading this review of Hirshman’s 2012 history of the gay rights movement.* *Here’s that rant, stitched together from its original 140-character bites, but otherwise unchanged.* Intersectionality isn’t a checklist. It’s not about making sure you give a nod to all the stu... more »

Update From Putting Students First Coalition | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago

Update From Putting Students First Coalition | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: [image: Home] Update From Putting Students First Coalition by Kate_Lenox Yesterday, we learned that Karen Swett of Making Cents Work, who led Tuesday’s Community SCUSD Budget Forum at the Colonial Heights Library, had her long-standing access to the district’s on-line budget data cut-off last week. The above letter was sent to Karen by Interim Chief Business Officer, Richard Odegaard. Karen has worked for years in cooperation with the district to train parents, teachers and com... more »

Counter revolution emerges on education reform – Sentinel School Zone – Orlando Sentinel

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Counter revolution emerges on education reform – Sentinel School Zone – Orlando Sentinel: Counter revolution emerges on education reform Education reform, Seminole County schools — posted by daveweber on March, 8 2013 4:36 PM Discuss This: Comments(0) | Add to del.icio.us | Digg it * * *THE NETWORK FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION (CLICK PICTURE)* [image: The Network for Public Education (click picture)] *WE ARE MANY. THERE IS POWER IN OUR NUMBERS. TOGETHER, WE WILL SAVE OUR SCHOOLS. THE NETWORK FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION* * * ** ** * Ravitch organizing counter-revolution on education reform? Two deca... more »

Patricia Levesque’s Tortured Defense of Bush Foundation’s Work | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Patricia Levesque’s Tortured Defense of Bush Foundation’s Work | Scathing Purple Musings: Patricia Levesque’s Tortured Defense of Bush Foundation’s Work by Bob Sikes Foundation for Excellence in Education executive director Patricia Levesque took exception to a letter to the editor that appeared in the *South Florida Sun-Sentinel*. Here is her response. In the Feb. 14 Reader’s View, “Truth about FCAT legislation,” *Ali Bustamante spread false information about the Foundation for Excellence* in Education. Contrary to what he wrote, *the foundation’s focus is student achievement*... more »

Blue Jersey:: NJ Education Round-Up 3/9/13

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago

Blue Jersey:: NJ Education Round-Up 3/9/13: NJ Education Round-Up 3/9/13 by Jersey Jazzman Another jam-packed week of Garden State education policy and politics.*- A New Teacher Evaluation System; Code Name: Operation Hindenberg* Over at my blog, Jersey Jazzman, I've started looking at the new system for teacher evaluation proposed by Education Commissioner Cerf and the NJDOE. My conclusion? I'll have more to say this week in greater detail, but it really all comes down to these points: - The proposals will put even more emphasis on standardized testing, further narrowing the cu... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-9-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] What Kind of Education Do “Reformers” Want for Their Kids? by dianerav Krazy TA asks a relevant question: Do reformers put their own children in no-excuses schools? He writes: *The charterites/privatizers have toned it down a bit, but remember the electrifying mantra “we want to give poor kids the same education that rich kids get”? [chant in alternating patterns with "poverty is not destiny."]* *All right then. Go to the websites of the Waldorf School of the Pen... more »

February 25 & 26, 2013: The Annual California PTA Legislative Conference (Teacher Evaluations) | K-12 News Network

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

February 25 & 26, 2013: The Annual California PTA Legislative Conference (Teacher Evaluations) | K-12 News Network: February 25 & 26, 2013: The Annual California PTA Legislative Conference (Teacher Evaluations) by cynthia There are so many reasons why California is poised to regain her leadership among states in public education. Most of them stem from the fact that policy-wise, we haven’t completely knuckled under to the damaging policies put forth by the Obama administration. We’ve been evasive on bending to the conditions required for a Race to the Top waiver. We have a large ... more »

‘Operation Beautiful’: High School Students Participate In Makeup-Free Day | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

‘Operation Beautiful’: High School Students Participate In Makeup-Free Day | toteachornototeach: ‘Operation Beautiful’: High School Students Participate In Makeup-Free Day by aristotlethewise *‘Operation Beautiful’: High School * *Students Participate In Makeup-Free Day* How long does it take you to get ready in the morning? According to a student-made video by the teens at Plano Senior High School in Texas, girls from the school take anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours to get ready for school in the morning. However, when male students were interviewed, they said it only took them... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Independent Panel Members Call for Moratorium on School Closures

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

NYC Public School Parents: Independent Panel Members Call for Moratorium on School Closures: Independent Panel Members Call for Moratorium on School Closures by Patrick J. Sullivan *On Monday, March 11th, the Panel for Educational Policy will vote on Chancellor Dennis Walcott's extensive set of proposals to close public schools or cede space in public school buildings for privately-managed charter schools. The mayoral bloc of eight appointees to the Panel is expected to rubber stamp the proposals. These members are appointed to the Panel with the understanding they will suppo... more »

Daily Kos: what are our responsibilities to our talents?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Daily Kos: what are our responsibilities to our talents?: what are our responsibilities to our talents? by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) In the 8 summers I spent at what was then called National Music Camp in Interlochen, MI, known then as "the home of America's gifte youth" (and trust me, we could take the Mickey Mouse Club song and have fun with gifted youth)(, atone of he Sunday Morning non-denominational services, we would have a reading from Matthew of the Parable of the Talents. Yes, many of us understood that a talent was an ancient measure of money, but the clear inten... more »

Are Dunwoody parents interested in education or economics in proposal to flee DeKalb schools? (Or both?) | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Are Dunwoody parents interested in education or economics in proposal to flee DeKalb schools? (Or both?) | Get Schooled: Are Dunwoody parents interested in education or economics in proposal to flee DeKalb schools? (Or both?) by Maureen Downey [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Jeffrey Dorfman is a professor of applied economics at the University of Georgia. Here is an interesting piece he wrote on the economics of Dunwoody breaking away from DeKalb and forming its own school system. (Such a move would require a statewide referendum to change the state cons... more »

Long Not-Strange Trip | theteachingwhore

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Long Not-Strange Trip | theteachingwhore: Long Not-Strange Trip by theteachingwhore View out my window at work [image: View out my window at work]I found myself thinking about this blog a few times in the last week and decided to see if I could remember the password to get back in to it. Obviously, I did. Can I remember why I wrote it? Obviously, I can. I was in the middle of my third decade of teaching and thoroughly fed up with the educational system that continued to become every year more a place of schooling and obedience than of learning and growth. The last entry I wrote in ... more »

Schools Matter: Buying Indianapolis Public Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Schools Matter: Buying Indianapolis Public Schools: Buying Indianapolis Public Schools by Storm *Guest Post: *John Harris Loflin of the Education-Community Action Team of Indianapolis * **Who runs our IPS?* * * *“The crisis is not about education at all. It’s about power.”* **~ James Baldwin * **Overview:*Traditionally, local school board races are nonpartisan. Such elections are supposed to be about grassroots politics and connections made at doorways between candidates and voters. Campaign chests are small: some yard signs, political buttons, and lots of volunteers. As well, sch... more »

Gaetz Says No to Scott’s Teacher Pay Raises | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Gaetz Says No to Scott’s Teacher Pay Raises | Scathing Purple Musings: Gaetz Says No to Scott’s Teacher Pay Raises by Bob Sikes Not that anyone really felt that Scott’s political ploy had a chance, it was going to be interesting to see the end game of it’s dispatch. Senate president Don Gaetz took care of that yesterday. From the *Orlando Sentinel* : Senate President *Don Gaetz* served notice on Gov. *Rick Scott* Friday that his chamber is not looking favorably on Scott’s proposal to give every public-school teacher a $2,500 raise. Though the governor has said the raise is one of... more »

Interview with David Bollier: Viewing Education as a Commons - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago

Interview with David Bollier: Viewing Education as a Commons - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Interview with David Bollier: Viewing Education as a Commons by Anthony Cody Two weeks ago I posted an entry that pointed to the "investment" wealthy reformers were making in the Los Angeles school board race, and suggested this was evidence that there was, indeed, a "billionaire boys club" funding the advance of market-driven education reform. One commenter took me to task, asserting that education MUST be viewed as a market, and that any other framework is useless. I offe... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Opt Out Form for Parents

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Opt Out Form for Parents: Common Core Opt Out Form for Parents by stlgretchen - Would you like to fight back against the private trade organizations funded by federal dollars directing your child's education? - Would you like your child's teachers to have more autonomy and professional decision making ability in the classroom? - Would you like your state/school to be able to make decisions on standards and assessments for your child, instead of a 26 state consortia directing copyrighted standards and assessments? ... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee : Wrong again | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee : Wrong again | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee : Wrong again by millerlf Tuesday, Feb 26, 2013 By David Sirota *Her education “reform” movement sends the lovely message that communities should stay out of their schools* Most who are reading these words will probably agree that our country is facing a democracy crisis, thanks, in part, to the dominance of money in our political process. Many who read these words will also probably insist that our country is facing an education crisis (though many t... more »

MOOCs and the Mechanization of Education: Widening the Gap Between the Haves and Have-Nots (Greg Graham) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

MOOCs and the Mechanization of Education: Widening the Gap Between the Haves and Have-Nots (Greg Graham) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: MOOCs and the Mechanization of Education: Widening the Gap Between the Haves and Have-Nots (Greg Graham) by larrycuban *Greg Graham teaches writing at a midwestern university. This appeared November 8, 2012 on his blog* * *Sebastian Thrun left his tenured teaching job at Stanford University after 160,000 students signed up for his free online version of the course “Introduction to Artificial Intelligence.” The experience c... more »

Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky [image: 644124_10151395931747067_113663940_n] Shortly after I retired from teaching last June I sent in my dues money to IEA Retired. A month or so later I received my plastic membership card. Too late, I was told, for the state office in Springfield to switch my membership from active to retired so that I could run for delegate to the IEA state convention that will take place in April downtown. It will be the first RA I haven’t attended as a delegate in several decades. I plan to go for a couple hours Friday and Satu... more »

Adult education's fate in limbo in California - San Jose Mercury News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Adult education's fate in limbo in California - San Jose Mercury News: Adult education's fate in limbo in California By Katy Murphy Oakland Tribune Posted: 03/08/2013 08:38:59 PM PST Updated: 03/09/2013 07:07:48 AM PST *PHOTO GALLERY* > View more images in this slideshow | Mercury News Media Center Documents - *The Restructuring California's adult education report* - *Reaction to the report* Related Stories - Mar 8: - California adult schools: Then and now School districts throughout California are weighing the fate of adult education courses that serve dropouts, r... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 3-9-13

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* ADVOCACY GROUP FOUNDED BY DIANE RAVITCH TO MONITOR REFORM EFFORTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 8 hours ago By MOTOKO RICH, New York Times | http://nyti.ms/YSbjpL Published: March 8, 2013 :: Diane Ravitch, the historian and former assistant education secretary who has become an outspoken critic of those who favor high-stakes testing, tenure reforms and other controversial measures aimed at the public schools, has joined with other education advoca... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 3-9-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * School-based kitchen gardens are getting an A+ Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 1 day ago Grow it, try it, and you just might like it is a motto many schools are embracing to encourage children to eat more fruits and vegetables. Through community-based kitchen garden programs, particularly those with dedicated cooking components, schools are successfully introducing students to healthier foods. In a new study released in the March/April 2013 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavi... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 3-9-13 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* *LOOK FOR MY UPCOMING BOOK IN MARCH, 2013*<img alt="Ferlazzo200(1)" class="aligncenter" height="400" src="http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/files/2013/01/Ferlazzo2001-1ai23fn.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 5px auto; max-height: 150px; max-width: 150px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; vertical-align: baseline;"

Hold on…Now let me see if I understand what you are saying…. - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Hold on…Now let me see if I understand what you are saying…. - Wait, What?: Hold on…Now let me see if I understand what you are saying…. by jonpelto Pick up any newspaper and you are bound to see at least one story about the impact of budget cuts and another about how state governments are giving money away to private companies in an attempt to convince them to create or retain jobs. It is quite a commentary about our times. A lack of adequate funding means people who work for schools, hospitals and nonprofit providers of human services are or will be losing their jobs, while tax... more »

Is a half year of learning equivalent to one question on a multiple choice test? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago

Is a half year of learning equivalent to one question on a multiple choice test? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: Is a half year of learning equivalent to one question on a multiple choice test? by Gary Rubinstein I read an article yesterday about a new study which ‘proves’ how effective TFA teachers and TFA alumni teachers are. The study, which can be accessed here, claimed that middle school math TFA corps members get an extra half year of learning than non-TFA novice teachers, that middle school reading TFA alumni get an extra half year of learning than non-TFA experienced teachers... more »

The U.S. Education System Is Not Failing | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago

The U.S. Education System Is Not Failing | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: The U.S. Education System Is Not Failing by National Association of State Boards of Education *By Steve Berlin, Senior Communications Manager of the National Association of State Boards of Education(NASBE)* The American education system — inasmuch as it's actually a system — is *not * failing. For readers stunned by a phrase not often seen in print these days, I repeat: The U.S. education system is *not* failing. I know that's not a popular position these days, but it is the right one. The... more »

National Online Teacher of the Year - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago

National Online Teacher of the Year - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Congratulates California Teacher Chosen as National Online Teacher of the Year SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today congratulated Renee Citlau, an online teacher at Cypress High School and a lead online teacher for the Anaheim Union High School District, for being named the 2013 National Online Teacher of the Year by the Southern Regional Education Board and the International Association for K-12 Online Learning. "Renee clearly has the speci... more »

New Mexico Early Education Bill: NM Could Become First State With Pre-School Funding Constitutionally Guaranteed

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago

New Mexico Early Education Bill: NM Could Become First State With Pre-School Funding Constitutionally Guaranteed: New Mexico Early Education Bill: NM Could Become First State With Pre-School Funding Constitutionally Guaranteed by Joy Resmovits New Mexico is weighing a bill that could make it the country's first state to protect early education funding in its constitution. For the last three years, New Mexico Senate majority leader Michael Sanchez (D) has introduced a bill that would let the state vote on a constitutional amendment to fund preschool by an additional $100 million a... more »

SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 3-8-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Reports More Children Participate in School Breakfast Programs *Torlakson Urges Proper Nutrition to Aid in Student Achievement* **SACRAMENTO—While an average of 1.3 million California children each day participate in the state's School Breakfast Program, about 63,000 more last year than in 2011, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson marked National School Breakfast Week by urging families to make sure all children get the nourishing food they need to succeed in school. "Breakfast is th... more »

Jersey Jazzman: NJ Teacher Evaluation: Based On a Mistruth

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Jersey Jazzman: NJ Teacher Evaluation: Based On a Mistruth: NJ Teacher Evaluation: Based On a Mistruth by Duke The new proposals for changes in teacher evaluation in New Jersey - code name: *Operation Hindenberg* - have been made public by Education Commissioner Chris Cerf. And you know what's really amazing? The first sentence in Cerf's proposal - the *very first sentence *- is a mistruth, slickly packaged to give the NJDOE plausible deniability for misleading the public about the need for a revision in teacher evaluations. Here it is: In schools, teachers and leaders have the ... more »

High School Feminism Students Address School Sexual Harassment at UN Commission on Status of Women « Feminist Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

High School Feminism Students Address School Sexual Harassment at UN Commission on Status of Women « Feminist Teacher: High School Feminism Students Address School Sexual Harassment at UN Commission on Status of Women by feministteacher My high school feminism students, Josey Stuart and Noel Diggs, (front) and Emily Morenike Carpenter from Girls for Gender Equity spoke on a panel addressing the findings in the AAUW report, Crossing the Line: Sexual Harassment at School. (photo credit: Ileana Jiménez). * *This year’s 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women taking pl... more »

Diane in the Evening 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: Corporate Reform in Idaho by dianerav A reader in Boise sends the following comment about the trial of Khan Academy videos, funded by the Albertson Foundation: From the article linked in Diane’s post: “The statewide pilot received $1.5 million for training, technology, technical assistance and assessment from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation.” The Albertson Foundation has given over $500 million to Idaho schools over the years, but for the past few years its efforts have been devoted to promoting some... more »

UPDATE: Scenes from a day of protest (with images) · PSNotebook · Storify

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Scenes from a day of protest (with images) · PSNotebook · Storify: A disappointing morning after at Germantown High and Fulton Elementary by thenotebook *by Neema Roshania* It was a solemn Friday morning in Northwest Philadelphia as students, parents and teachers grappled to come to terms with the School Reform Commission's decision on Thursday night to shutter three neighborhood schools. Image: Image Caption: On Thursday, supporters of Germantown High School learned their high school would be closing. read more Listen: Hite and mayor's top education officer discuss closings vote... more »

Ravitch forms advocacy group to counter Rhee and other school reformers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

Ravitch forms advocacy group to counter Rhee and other school reformers: Ravitch forms advocacy group to counter Rhee and other school reformers Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 8, 2013 at 12:33 pm [image: ravitch] (DianeRavitch.com) Diane Ravitch, the education historian who has become the leader of a national movement opposing corporate-inspiredschool reform, has formed an advocacy group as a counter to Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst and like-minded organizations that are pushing standardized test-based and other changes in education policy. The Network for Public Education will c... more »

The Cla$$room of the Future | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago

The Cla$$room of the Future | EduShyster: The Cla$$room of the Future by edushyster2012 A Teach for the Universe corps member bringing excellence from another planet. Today we’re headed to a magical place where excellence is the order of the day, expectations are always set to 11 (one point higher than their highest setting) and the Harlem Shake is but a distant, embarrassing memory. Where is this dream destination, you ask? *In the future*. Make that the cla$$room of the future to be precise. But what will this super cool place look like and is there any limit to the number of stu... more »

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Saturday, March 9, 2013

James Baldwin said it best:

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."