A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP
From John Stoffel on #marchmadness and #commoncore – @ the chalk face: From John Stoffel on #marchmadness and #commoncore by Chalk Face, PhD It’s time for March Madness in Indiana. Sadly, I refer not to our state’s passion for basketball, but to our lawmakers’ debilitation of public schools through high stakes testing which students began this month. The concept of winning a basketball game is relatively simple: score more points than your opponent. However, any basketball fan knows scoring is more complicated than just shooting the ball through the hoop. Winning coaches focus on... more »
Baker, Jacobs square off over Prince George’s County schools takeover plan - The Washington Post: Baker, Jacobs square off over Prince George's County schools takeover plan Mark Gail/The Washington Post - Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker. By Miranda S. Spivack and and Ovetta Wiggins, Saturday, March 23, 4:55 PM The chairman of the Prince George’s school board on Saturday lashed out at County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, calling his plan to take over operations of the county’spublic schools a “last minute power grab.” In her sharpest public comments to date, Verjeana... more »
It’s about time legislators stopped listening to propaganda and started paying attention to research” (Sarah Darer Littman) - Wait, What?: It’s about time legislators stopped listening to propaganda and started paying attention to research” (Sarah Darer Littman) by jonpelto The sentence comes from columnist and fellow education advocate Sarah Darer Littman latest commentary piece in this weekend’s CTNewsjunkie. The topic: Education Reform in Connecticut Compared to what is actually taking place in Hartford and state capitols around the country, she might have begun her piece with ... more »
#aft and #nea are wrong on Common Core and VAMs. – @ the chalk face: #aft and #nea are wrong on Common Core and VAMs. by Timothy D. Slekar I support teachers’ unions. However, the AFT’s and NEA’s national leaders need to be to openly criticized. At the leadership level they are unable to counter the “adults first” narrative and they are complicit in the corporate takeover of our public schools. 1. First, teachers’ unions have been absolutely horrendous (accept in Chicago) in demonstrating how collective bargaining benefits children. 2. Second, the teachers unions have sol... more »
ASCD Conference Day 3: Will the “Common Core Work For You”? | InterACT: ASCD Conference Day 3: Will the “Common Core Work For You”? by David B. Cohen [image: Sandra Alberti presenting at the ASCD Conference, Chicago, 3/18/13 (photo by the author)]Sandra Alberti presenting at the ASCD Conference, Chicago, 3/18/13 (photo by the author)Home from Chicago for nearly a week now, no longer exhausted but still nursing a cold, I still want to serve up a final “quick view” from the ASCD Conference in Chicago. On the final day of the conference, I wandered through the exhibit hall a bit, and l... more »
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Information about the Gulen Movement: Information about the Gulen Movement by The Perimeter Primate My new paper posted on Scribd contains excerpts about the Gulen Movement from a wide variety of sources such as - Congressional Research Service Report prepared for Members and Committees of Congress - RAND National Defense Research Institute report - Stratfor Global Intelligence Special Report - CBS 60 Minutes - The New York Times - The New Yorker - The New Republic - Jane’s Islamic Affairs Analyst - Global Politician - Reuters ... more »
Let’s Get This Right – @ the chalk face: Let’s Get This Right by Activism in paradise - Voices from down under [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] *Pat Buoncristiani* has a remarkable bi-cultural background. For instance, she has been the principal of a school in Victoria, Australia and in Virginia, USA. for several years each. She says *“ Perhaps it is only when you look at an environment from the outside that you see it for what it really is. It was only when I went to the USA that I appreciated what we had in Victoria. The sad thing is that over the past few years I have watched ... more »
'Initiative for the Schools L.A. Students Deserve' | United Teachers Los Angeles: 'Initiative for the Schools L.A. Students Deserve' Dear UTLA Member, A petition was submitted in January to the UTLA President titled *Initiative for the Schools LA Students Deserve*. The text of the initiative is available below, and will be published in the upcoming issue of *United Teacher.* Signatures were delivered to UTLA on February 20, 2013. The UTLA membership department has completed verification of membership status on the signatures received relative to the above cited initiative. We have... more »
A personal invite from me to meet Karen Lewis and support CORE. | Fred Klonsky: Please join us for an evening in support of a fighting teachers union in Chicago. by Fred Klonsky Please join us in Logan Square, for Cocktails and Conversation with Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis about the fight against the threatened closures of our public schools. Open bar and good eats. Limited tickets: Donate & RSVP now at http://coreteachers.com/411. Logan Square is a recognized community of next generation activists. We understand that unlike classroom teachers, politicians might ... more »
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Frank Letter from the Principal of Venice High School by dianerav The Venice High School in Los Angeles has been offered a choice by the district administration: accept a pilot school or a charter school to share your space. The community was not asked for its input nor offered the choice to say no to a pilot school and a charter school. The first pilot school was going to be created by non-educator Steve Barr, but the LA board decided to backtrack so they approved the plan to co-locate in the VHS building ... more »
Weekly Update: The good news the ed reformers don’t want you to hear, following the money of corporate reform, testing, the Common Core Standards and how it all relates | Seattle Education: Weekly Update: The good news the ed reformers don’t want you to hear, following the money of corporate reform, testing, the Common Core Standards and how it all relates by seattleducation2011 So much news, so little time. First, the good news from edushyster: *The Great Deception* *How to convince the public to abandon the wishy-washy notion of education for all in three easy steps.* [image: F] ... more »
Blue Jersey:: Education Round Up, 3/23/13: Education Round Up, 3/23/13 by Jersey Jazzman *Sun Comes Up, Water Remains Wet, NJEA Endorses Buono*The biggest political story around education this week was also the least surprising: NJEA, the state's largest teachers union, endorsed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono. What's far more interesting is that Chris Christie actually showed up for his appointment with NJEA's screening committee. The hard truth for Christie is that this election, despite his current popularity, is hardly going to be a cakewalk in a Blue Jersey... more »
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY* *LOOK FOR MY BOOK IN MARCH, 2013*[image: Ferlazzo200(1)] "Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation" will be a sequel to"Helping Students Motivate Themselves" “English Language Learners and Parental Involvement” Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 1 day ago English Language Learners and Parental Involvement is a new report from The National Education Policy Center. It’s a short and sweet report the contains a number of good recommendations... more »
Video Saturday! with Ravitch and Sirota: “I use the term ‘reform’ ironically” – @ the chalk face: A new anti-testing PSA? by Chalk Face, PhD [image: A new anti-testing PSA?] Interesting. Video Saturday! with Ravitch and Sirota: “I use the term ‘reform’ ironically” by plthomasedd Diane Ravitch, speaking at UNC-Carlotte, outlines, confronts, and dismantles corporate education reform, noting: “We don’t need opposition. We need collaboration….I use the term ‘reform’ ironically”: PopoutDavid Sirota links the hoax of education reform with corporate interests: Popout
Saturday coffee. | Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky [image: tribune-school-closings] It’s not like yesterday was a particularly exhausting day. But getting out of bed this morning was tough. I turned to focus my blurry vision on the bedside table. 7:12. If Ulysses doesn’t get fed by 6:30 he starts to whine. Not bark. Whine. I’ve lost my last pair of gloves and Target isn’t selling them anymore. No matter. The morning sun is brilliant Songs I can play on my ukulele. by Fred Klonsky Bob Dylan sings Hank Williams’ “Lost Highway.” Popout
Stop the Minnsanity! | EduShyster: Stop the Minnsanity! by edushyster2012 *The next stop on TFA’s “listening tour” should be CEO Matt Kramer’s hometown: Minneapolis* A “family tree” of the Minneapolis education reform movement drawn on a bar napkin. If there is a single city in the US that perfectly exemplifies the insanity of the corporate education “reform” movement it has to be Minneapolis. The particular brand of reform here—let’s call it Minnsanity— combines cronyism and contempt for democracy in a neat, corporate-funded package topped with a pretty bow of race-tinged hyperbol... more »
Meanwhile, Georgia Republicans Pull Parent Trigger Bill “Amid Concerns From It’s Own Party” | Scathing Purple Musings: Reminding Floridians Why They Cannot Trust Will Weatherford on Education Policy by Bob Sikes A clear disagreement exists about raising the pay of Florida teachers. Governor Rick Scott wants across the board raise in base pay. Legislative leaders Sen. Don Gaetz (R-Niceville) and Rep. Will Weatherford (R-Wesley Chapel) want the same funding to go toward a merit pay scheme. *StateImpact* reporter Gina Jordan writes: House Speaker Will Weatherford met with reporter... more »
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] News from the Network for Public Education by dianerav Here is the most recent newsletter of the Network for Public Education. It contains a clear statement of principles: what we are for and what we oppose. Please read and forward to your friends. If you belong to a group that is fighting for public schools, send them a copy of the newsletter and ask them to join us as an ally in the struggle to beat back corporate reform, privatization, mass school closings, an... more »
The in box. Defending the profit model. K-12 Inc. | Fred Klonsky: Every Chicago public school is my school. by Fred Klonsky [image: 544467_10151582208096000_1107337206_n] The in box. Defending the profit model. K-12 Inc. by Fred Klonsky John Laesch When the K12 Inc. executive stammered, Dean Fisher, a Yorkville School Board member repeated his question, “defend your profit model.” The questions came after the K12 Inc. corporate executive had made a 20-minute presentation to the board and administrators of Yorkville District 115. *The real world questions kept coming like a serie... more »
Connecticut concerns about Renzulli Academy segregation makes Washington Post - Wait, What?: Connecticut concerns about Renzulli Academy segregation makes Washington Post by jonpelto The Washington Post’s education reporter, Valerie Strauss, reprinted the recent column written by Wendy Lecker on her blog, The Answer Sheet. Strauss writes, “Are schools for “gifted” students promoting segregation? Here’s an argument that they are, from Wendy Lecker, a columnist for Hearst Connecticut Media Group and senior attorney for the Campaign for Fiscal Equity project at the Education Law Cen... more »
Let Kids Know That Failure Is a Normal Part of Life | toteachornototeach: Let Kids Know That Failure Is a Normal Part of Life by aristotlethewise *Let Kids Know That Failure Is a Normal Part of Life* by Livia McCoy As parents, we want to protect our children from failure. What we don’t realize is that failure is an important part of life. If children do not experience failure, they may not learn to struggle through to success. Think about when you watched your child learn to walk. If every time they fell down you rescued them, they may have taken much longer to learn to walk on thei... more »
Daily Kos: Charles Blow: The G.O.P.’s Bachmann Problem: Charles Blow: The G.O.P.’s Bachmann Problem by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) is A *New York Times* op ed that is more than worth your time to read. Blow notes a lot of the internecine rhetorical bashing of Republicans by Republicans - for example, McCain calling the likes of Ted Cruz and Justin Amash "wacko birds" and Anne Coulter taking after Chris Christie in the frame of the smaller CPAC conference this year, “Even CPAC had to cut back on its speakers this year, by about 300 pounds.” He also covers he Palin - Rove conflict ... more »
I Miss Teaching — A Late-Night Musing – @ the chalk face: Reclaiming the conversation on education by Chalk Face, PhD Reclaiming the conversation on education Represent, May 4th, Barnard College. I Miss Teaching — A Late-Night Musing by Kris Nielsen [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] I saw a tweet from a 24-year veteran teacher today, which brought the final hammer down on my up-and-down kind of day. This was a day where the bad news seemed to outweigh the good. Chicago is being chewed up and chipped away at again. Philadelphia and other cities are traumatized by what the leade... more »
Blind, severely disabled boy forced to take standardized test: Blind, severely disabled boy forced to take standardized test Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 23, 2013 at 8:00 am 7 Comments More [image: fcat]There are many distressing stories about high-stakes standardized tests, but this may be the most hideous I have heard. This involves the issue of who must take state standardized tests, and whether parents have a right to opt out their children from the testing. In Florida, opting out is extremely hard to do. This post was written by veteran educator Marion Brady, who in 2011 ... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: Another Teacher Questions Common Core Spin: Another Teacher Questions Common Core Spin by stlgretchen An experienced teacher cuts through the phrases bantered around by the CCSS proponents and asks questions on the viability of the initiative to deliver the educational promises it proclaims. From smartblogs.com and Mark Barnes in* Can education reform and the common core coexist?:* My stance on legitimate education reform is clear: testing, standardization and accountability inhibit learning and should be abolished, and teachers should be inspired ... more »
Fighting Testing Madness in North Carolina | Parents Across America: Fighting Testing Madness in North Carolina by pagrundy PAA affiliate MecklenburgACTS.org has launched a North Carolina-wide petition drive aimed at the high-stakes standardized tests that are doing so much damage to our children’s education. The petition builds on our successful campaign against testing madness in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools two years ago. It calls on state legislators and school officials to reduce the number of exams required by the state and to remove all high-stakes consequences such as A-... more »
*4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:* *4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT* GOOD NEWS FOR ADULT EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 10 hours ago from the AALA Update | http://bit.ly/166dFHV 21 March 2013 :: Members of the State Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance rejected Governor Brown’s plan to move administrative and financial responsibility for adult education from K-12 districts to the community colleges on Wednesday, March 20, 2013. This vote, by a Democrat-controlled committee, indicates that the INSTEAD... more »
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: 1[image: 20 Quick Actions You Can Do Today To Set Your Classroom Up For Massive Success]20 Quick Actions You Can Do Today To Set Your Classroom Up For Massive Success Added by Tess Pajaron on March 19, 2013 2[image: Beginning a Personal Learning Network]Beginning a Personal Learning Network Posted by sarah gardner on March 12, 2013 3[image: 50 Educational Podcasts You Should Check Out]50 Educational Podcasts You Should Check Out Added by Tess Pajaron on January 21, 2013 4[image: Moving forwa...more »
Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * The Impact of Chicago's Small High School Initiative Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 20 hours ago This project examines the effects of the introduction of new small high schools on student performance in the Chicago Public School (CPS) district. Specifically, the authors investigate whether students attending small high schools have better graduation/enrollment rates and achievement than similar students who attend regular CPS high schools. The authors show that students who choose to attend a ... more »
http://www.southbronxschool.com: The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School Part VIII: This Shit Can't Be Made Up! by noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher) It is getting goofier by the day at The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School. No one, not even the good Lord himself can make this shit up. Now remember before the tale is told, The Happy Good Time Emotion Response Place and School uses the most awesome as well and most excellent PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports)system. The key to this system is the *card.* A student starts at neutral (... more »
Thoughts on a disaster…: Thoughts on a disaster… by Server Thoughts on a disaster…*Bob George – Save Our Schools National Director* Have you ever witnessed a disaster? Where you troubled, shaken to your core, reminded of the need to live every day as if it is your last? Would you do anything you could to have found a way to keep what you encountered from happening or happening again? My guess is your answer to all of the above is yes! We are in the midst of a gathering super-storm more powerful than Katrina or Sandy. More lives will be lost; more children harmed irreparably, and more... more »
Torlakson, Kirst write letter supporting nine-district NCLB waiver | EdSource Today: Torlakson, Kirst write letter supporting nine-district NCLB waiver - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald * A waiver would give the districts flexibility to use more than $100 million of federal Title I money for low-income children and to propose creative ways to improve their lowest performing schools. It would also free them from other NCLB penalties, such as notifying parents that their schools are failures. The nine unified districts are Los Angeles, Fresno, Long Beach, San Francisco, Cl... more »
S.475: Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: Bill Introduced: S.475 Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act A bill to reauthorize the Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004, to provide assistance to Best Buddies to support the expansion and development of mentoring programs, and for other purposes. S.475 - Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act A bill to reauthorize the Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004, to provide assistance to Best Buddies to support the expansion and development of mentoring programs, and for other purposes. view all titles (2) -... more »
Ed Notes Online: Fighting School Closings, Chicago Style: Fighting School Closings, Chicago Style by ed notes online Do you know what Unity Caucus people are going to say? "You see, if only the CTU had not been so militant and struck. This is retaliation. We know how to deal. We know we have to be good boys and girls and they will let us live a little longer. Karen Lewis would say they want to kill us sooner or later. Our only chance is to fight them on all fronts sooner and with all guns blazing. In reality, if CORE had not won the election, the Chicago Teachers Union would be a ... more »
UFT on School Governance: The first of two ‘Debates’ | JD2718: UFT on School Governance: Two ‘Debates’ by jd2718 Last Monday, at the UFT Exec Board, I rose to speak against the recommendations on school governance. They were approved by that body, seventy or so to 3. I posted about the meeting (click here for account), and promised to write up my notes (immediately below). On Wednesday the recommendations, now approved by the Exec Board, were introduced to the Delegate Assembly. There any chance of debate was obscured by a tertiary question: did the MORE reps on the committee vo... more »
Georgia kids can’t touch their toes. Can schools fix that? | Get Schooled: ' Georgia kids can’t touch their toes. Can schools fix that? by Maureen Downey [image: Schools are being asked to get students moving more. (Vino Wong/AJC)]Schools are being asked to get students moving more. (Vino Wong/AJC) Before I began writing about education, I never thought much about all that we ask of schools, from teaching kids calculus to civics to character to cardiovascular health. As an editorial writer, I would attend meetings where one group after another would tout some critical new skill that ... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: US Department of Education Offers Encouraging Quote from Communist Leader Mao Zedong...: US Department of Education Offers Encouraging Quote from Communist Leader Mao Zedong... by stlgretchen ...then deletes it. From BuzzFeed.com and* Department Of Education Website Quotes Mao Zedong:* *The “Kids' Zone” of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) website, part of the Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences, quotes communist leader Mao Zedong.* The NCES is the“primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data relat... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Boys and Girls (Part One): Boys and Girls (Part One) by Melissa Westbrook A number of news stories have crossed my path this month about boys and girls. This thread is about issues that happen to kids outside of school. One heads up I wanted to give parents of girls is the movie, Spring Breakers. Now, you don't have to get too worried because it's rated R so I would hope most of your students could not just go to see it. Spring Breakers is about a group of college girls who want a spring break, have no money, rob a restaurant and they're off and... more »
School Tech Connect: Some Questions About The Concept Charter: Some Questions About The Concept Charter by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Confusion in my head there is. Plus I've started blogging in Yoda's voice so I've got my hands full here. Here's my question: how does that state charter commission operate? Was there a commission hearing on the new Concept charters, or just a public meeting where they accepted a foregone conclusion? I hate having a full time job; I can never investigate things! Let's review the timeline, shall we? *March 14, 2013: * At 2:34 PM, the princip... more »
Jersey Jazzman: School Closings: The New Apartheid: School Closings: The New Apartheid by Duke Once again, it's time to play "Spot the Pattern!" *Can you find the pattern that emerges from these reformy stories from around the country?* [all emphases mine] Chicago: In what would be the largest public school closing in US history, Chicago officials are proposing to shutter 61 schools, 9 percent of the 681 schools citywide. [...] *A factor deeply embedded in the debate over the closings is race: The majority of students in CPS are either black or Hispanic, and the Sun-Times r... more »
Schools Matter: Watch Karen Lewis Call It What It Is: Watch Karen Lewis Call It What It Is by Jim Horn On PBS, nonetheless. If you want to see the fire that will burn down the corporate whore house that is now in charge of our children's education in urban America, watch Karen Lewis on PBS tonight. I am assuming it will be posted later on the PBS site unless Bill Gates intercedes on behalf of the oligarchs that he leads. Protect Karen Lewis: she is only one I have seen who has the courage, the intelligence, caring, and the fire to galvanize an education for democracy movement.... more »
“Take the Test” Action in Providence Sparks Dialogue | The IDEA Blog: “Take the Test” Action in Providence Sparks Dialogue by Dana Bennis in *Blog* * * Last weekend, the Providence Student Union (PSU) held a "Take the Test" action, where several dozen community leaders, policy-makers, scientists, and professors took an abbreviated form of the Math NECAP exam, the passing of which is required to earn a high school diploma in Rhode Island. From the PSU press release announcing the event (thanks to Diane Ravitch for posted it in full): “We expect this event to prove that people are mo... more »
All Things Education: Terriblus Tyrantus: Terriblus Tyrantus by Rachel Levy *Blogger's note:* *This is the third in a series of posts that I wrote in February of 2012 as part of a writing fellowship application. See the introduction to this series here. All of the school closing announcements of late--in DC, Philadelphia, Chicago, and of course, New York reminded me of this post.* Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York sees himself as the “Education Mayor.” But lately New Yorkers seem to wish he weren’t. While a recent poll (more coverage here) shows they approve of some of his edu... more »
Daily Kos: Review: "American Winter" (HBO): Review: "American Winter" (HBO) by rss@dailykos.com (plthomasEdD) Toward the end of HBO's documentary *American Winter*, Brandon is finally offered a job after viewers have watched him and his wife Pam struggle against Brandon losing his job, resulting in their being unable to pay their rent and having to live with Pam's mother. When Brandon is told he has the job, his new boss notes Brandon is overqualified, but Brandon eagerly explains that he is thankful for the work and committed to do whatever he can to be a good worker—despite the ... more »
Student Voice: Introducing Student Voice Live! Keynote Speaker: Jaxson Khan. by admin Named one of Canada’s Top 20 Under 20 young leaders and a global One Young World Ambassador, Jaxson is a second year student at Western University double-majoring in Global Development at Huron University College and Business Administration through the Richard Ivey School of Business. Jaxson is an established social activist, and has spoken before audiences of over 5000 youth on positive change-making. In high school, he founded the Student Wellness Committee, running multiple awareness campaigns... more »
