Tuesday, March 26, 2013

The Educated Reporter: Balancing the Equation for Boys and Girls in Math

The Educated Reporter: Balancing the Equation for Boys and Girls in Math:


Balancing the Equation for Boys and Girls in Math

by Emily Richmond


When I was in the fifth grade, Fridays always meant math drills. Our teacher stood over us with a stopwatch in one hand and a gym whistle in the other. At the first piercing blast, we would rush to solve as many of the equations as we could before time was up. Our names and rankings (a rainbow scale starting at purple and progressing up to red) were posted prominently on the wall, and the top achievers won prizes.

It didn’t take me long to fear the whistle. After most of my classmates – particularly the boys, as I recall -- had advanced up to yellow and even orange, I lingered in the lowly blues. I’m not sure how much of this experience factored into my later struggles with math, but it probably didn’t help.

Now a new study, published in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, suggests that relatively 
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Barricades erected before mass protest against Chicago school closings

Barricades erected before mass protest against Chicago school closings:



Barricades erected before mass protest against Chicago school closings

Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 26, 2013 at 11:53 pm


closed-300x2331Here’s how you know that Chicago authorities are expecting a rowdy turnout at a mass rally called for Wednesday afternoon to protest the announced closings of more than 50 schools this year: Security staff have already erected barricades around the Board of Education in downtown Chicago, and authorities sent a memo to school principals telling them to report on protesters and their actions.
Thousands of people are expected to protest  last week’s announcement that 54 under-enrolled schools will be closed before this fall to help close a $1 billion deficit in the country’s third largest district. It is the largest mass district closing of schools ever in the United States, and it is fiercely opposed by many teachers, parents and education activists. The vast majority of students affected are African American and Hispanic, and all but one of the schools scheduled to be closed are elementary schools. Small groups of parents and students have already staged protests in the last week.
The memo, released by the Chicago Teachers Union, told principals how to handle the protest. The union reported that it said:
Be approachable and supportive to feelings of unrest, anxiety or dissatisfaction. Observe and report all information regarding possible protestors, locations, dates and times… Is the media present? Which news outlet(s)?
In fact, the union this month, in anticipation of the closings announcement, co-sponsored training in protest techniques, including disruptions, occupations and arrests, according to a union press release. The trainings were led by political activist and scholar Lisa Fithian, w





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Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 3-26-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2


Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE


CORPORATE ED REFORM


The Suppression of Dissent In Chicago

by Duke
Earlier today, I wrote a post comparing how our credulous press ate up the Bush administration's lies in the run-up to the Iraq war with how easily they swallow the spin of the corporate "reform" movement these days.

Well, it looks like more of the old hits from 2003 keep coming back:
Apparently officials at the Board of Education (BOE) are getting the message: The parents, educators and clergy of more than 30,000 Chicago Public School (CPS) students do not want their schools closed. Today, BOE security began erecting metal barricades around the building as thousands of people plan to rally this Wednesday in protest of CPS’ plan to shutter 50 schools and disrupt 50 others. 

Association with Gates Foundation Subtracts Value from Weingarten

by Anthony Cody



This week AFT President Randi Weingarten co-signed a short treatment of the controversial issue of teacher evaluation with the Gates Foundation's Vicki Phillips.
This recalls the op-ed on teacher preparation of more than a year ago by NEA president Dennis Van Roekel and then CEO of Teach For America, Wendy Kopp.
In both cases, we have union presidents signing their names to documents alongside people who represent the antithesis of teachers' interests.
The Gates Foundation has absolutely zero credibility on the subject of teacher evaluation due to the pervasive 

Teacher Tweets the Truth on Common Core

by stlgretchen


I've deleted the names of the teachers on twitter but this is an otherwise unedited exchange between two teachers.  Remind me again why Common Core standards are so great?

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



Thought for today: CA schools are not ready for Common Core. From infrastructure to instruction, we're being setup for failure. 



Tell me more - why/how are CA schools 

Anthony Cody and I Weigh In on the Weingarten-Gates Article

by dianerav
In this post, Anthony Cody takes issue with Randi Weingarten’s decision to write an essay with Vicki Phillips of the Gates Foundation about teacher evaluation. Here is the essay.
The fundamental problem with the Gates Foundation is that they have directed the entire national conversation to blaming teachers–instead of poverty and segregation– for low test scores. They have put hundreds of millions of dollars into evaluating teachers, finding good teachers (and rewarding them), finding “bad” teachers (and firing them).
For the past four years, since Gates dropped his small high school obsession, the foundation has been 


Retaining Constitutionally Guaranteed Liberty and State Sovereignty

by chascherrie

Click the download arrow above or click here to download the map.

JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO
Teacher seeks to set first-graders not only on the path to college, but also toward her alma mater, UC Berkeley, and, among her first-generation American students, to light the fire of interest in math and science, specifically space technology. To help do that, she’s has invited retired NASA astronaut José Hernandez to speak

level – equity

by monika hardy
after reading – defense of childhood – and such..  perhaps we’re closer than we think..timeline level peace
Hans‘ thinking:
Popout
[most of the following from ch 6 of Chris Mercogliano's In Defense of Childhood - the importance of solitude]
1400′s – renaissance
Postman’s reasoning proceeds thus: childhood is a social construct, not a biological given. Childood as a distinct life phase generally didn’t exist in Western culture prior to the Renaissance because, as Postman sees it, everyone shared the same information environment, and, since information was transmitted orally, young people had the same access to information that adults had. Because familites lived in very small spaces, everyone also shared the same inimate social environment, so young people were exposed to all aspects of adult experience from the very beginning. 
1450 – gutenburg press
But this state of affairs changed radically with the 15th century invention of the printing press. The 

In response to Chicago Spring, CPS throws up the barricades

by Mike Klonsky
Chicago students hit the streets yesterday. 
Sunday it was the postal workers marching downtown to protest the end of Saturday delivery. Yesterday it was the students demanding an end to school closings. But the big one is tomorrow's citywide march which I'm predicting is just the beginning of a Chicago Spring.

Who knows where they are going to hide Rahm this time around? He probably can't go back to Utah so soon. It looks like he and BBB will just have to huddle together in their offices and sweat it out as thousands of angry parents, teachers, clergy, students and community residents march against school closings.

It's a good thing for the mayor that the barricade builders haven't been pink-slipped yet. CTUnet reports that BOE 


Spanish Cartoon Character Pocoyo to be Featured in U.S. Literacy Programs

Spain’s Zinkia, creator of the popular kiddie cartoon character Pocoyo, has been picked by The Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network to take part in an educational project aimed at Latino kids in the United States. Pocoyo will be the leading character in a series of apps for tablets and mobile phones that seek to instill early literacy, language skills and a grasp of mathematics in children ages 3-5 whose first language is Spanish. Among the sources of support for the program are the U.S. Department of Education’s Ready to Learn program and outstanding experts like Robert Rodriguez, education adviser to President Barack Obama. The app collection is expected to consist of 23 episodes, of which the first two will be available by late 2013.

TEACHER BASHING AT ITS FINEST

by alkleen
The World’s Greatest Teacher-bashing Newspaper, otherwise known as the Chicago Tribune, has managed to turn a positive teacher report into a lengthy editorial that repeats many of the same criticisms that the newspaper has had for years.
This is the front page tease for the editorial that is found on the editorial page. “If you’re lucky, you had a teacher who inspired you. That’s what all parents want for their children. And, in Chicago, many parents believe that kind of educator is engaging their kids. An overwhelming number of Chicago public school parents  – 9 of 10- say they are satisfied with their child’s teacher, according to a Joyce Foundation – Chicago Tribune poll on education 





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Big Education Ape Nite Cap 3-26-13 #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




Malloy’s Nominee for Connecticut’s State Board of Education Makes National Blog - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 minutes ago
Malloy’s Nominee for Connecticut’s State Board of Education Makes National Blog - Wait, What?: Malloy’s Nominee for Connecticut’s State Board of Education Makes National Blog by jonpelto [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Diane Ravitch, the leading voice of the pro-public education movement in the United States, re-posted yesterday’s Wait, What? blog on one of the controversies surrounding Governor Malloy’s nominee to the Connecticut State Board of Education. Ravitch wrote; “Jonathan Pelto reminds us of the national publicity about a homeless woman who was arrest... more »

Versión en español de Common Core / Spanish Version Common Core Standards Available - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 minutes ago
Spanish Version Common Core Standards Available - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Announces Spanish Version of Common Core Standards Now Available SACRAMENTO—As California moves toward full implementation of the Common Core State Standards, a separate effort underway to translate the English-language arts standards into Spanish has now been completed, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today. "Common Core en Español" [image: External link opens in new window or tab.] is a joint effort between the San Diego County Office of Ed... more »

SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break EXTRA 3-26-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* * * EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA *CORPORATE ED REFORM* And in Bridgeport, the winner is Finch’s Campaign Treasurer, Kenneth Moales, Jr. by jonpelto As expected, the five members of the Bridgeport Board of Education voted last night to elect Kenneth Moales Jr. the new chairman of the board. Moales is the well-connected insider who not only served as Mayor Bill Finch’s campaign treasurer but was appointed to the illegal Board of Education by the Malloy Administration and then [...]*(Read more...)* Department of Education Statement on Request for F... more »

California Superintendents, Elected Officials Launch Californians for President Obama’s Early Learning Plan

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Homepage: *California Superintendents, Elected Officials Launch** Californians for President Obama’s Early Learning Plan* [image: President makes major early ed commitment] *Pre-K Students Sign, Seal Open Letter to Obama from CA School Superintendents* *Sacramento, CA – March 26, 2013 –* Sacramento City Unified School District Superintendent Jonathan Raymond and Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla will join teachers, parents and child advocates to launch “Californians for President Obama’s Early Learning Plan” *at 10am* *on Tuesday, April 2 *at a pre-kindergarten classroom at H.W. Harknes... more »

School vouchers: Still a bad idea despite Indiana court ruling

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
School vouchers: Still a bad idea despite Indiana court ruling: School vouchers: Still a bad idea despite Indiana court ruling Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 26, 2013 at 3:19 pm 0 Comments More [image: vouchers]So the Indiana Supreme Court has ruled that the state’s school voucher program is constitutional. It isn’t the first time a supreme court has made a questionable call but, apart from the legal argument, the decision doesn’t mean that vouchers are a good educational or civic idea. They aren’t. Indiana is one of a growing number of states with school voucher programs. These ... more »

SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 3-26-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* *CORPORATE ED REFORM* California "Reformers" Seek Judicial Over-Reach Based on No Evidence by John Thompson Dave Welch, Chief Strategic Officer of Infinera. and the famed attorney Theodore B. Olson believe that five education laws "are destroying California's public education system, demoralizing the teaching profession, and robbing California children of their future." They believe they know how to rid the state of "stagnant, disinterested and uninspiring teachers." So, they have filed *Vergara v California* which would strip California... more »

Diane in the Evening 3-26-13 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: Chicago Principals Told to Spy on Protestors Tomorrow by dianerav In Chicago, the corporate reformers who claim to be leading “the civil rights movement of our time” are closing down schools in black communities. How this enhances the civil rights of the children is a mystery known only to the elites. This is a news bulletin from the Chicago Teachers Union about tomorrow’s protest demonstration: NEWS RELEASE March 26, 2013 StephanieGadlin@ctulocal1.com Secret Memo: CPS warns principals about possible civil disobe... more »

UPDATE: Prop 8: What did they say? Read the full tran­script Hollingsworth v. Perry Supreme Court of the United States

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Supreme Court of the United States: Prop 8: What did they say? Filter by speaker The Su­preme Court justices heard ar­gu­ments on Cali­for­nia’s Pro­pos­i­tion 8, which bans gay mar­riage, and the De­fense of Mar­riage Act, which denies fed­er­al spous­al be­ne­fits to same-sex couples. Read the full tran­script and use the fil­ters be­low to nar­row to spe­cif­ic speak­ers. Oral Argument - Audio Hollingsworth v. Perry Docket Number:12-144 Date Argued:03/26/13 Play Audio: Media Formats: [image: mp3] MP3DownloadPlay[image: Windows Media] Windows MediaDownload Play[image: RealAu... more »

4LAKids - TO OCCUPY… OR BE OCCUPIED…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: TO OCCUPY… OR BE OCCUPIED…: TO OCCUPY… OR BE OCCUPIED… BY SMF FOR 4LAKIDSNEWS: When the following email with the title above popped up in my browser I thought it was going to be about Prop 39 charter co-locations in California *– maybe about Dr. Deasy’s threat to place a charter co-lo at Venice High School if the School site Council/School Based Management Committee won’t agree to his Pilot School Plan – even though it has already been rejected by the Board of Ed based on community input!* *see: **By the numbers: HOW TO TELL IF YOUR S...more »

School reformers increasingly use threats to drive agenda

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
School reformers increasingly use threats to drive agenda: School reformers increasingly use threats to drive agenda Posted by Valerie Strauss on March 26, 2013 at 1:00 pm 1 Comments More [image: fist]Education reformers haven’t been able to persuade everybody to their point of view, so increasingly, they use threats. Here’s a piece about why that approach won’t work. It was written by Eric Shieh is a founding teacher of the Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School, “A School for a Sustainable City,” in New York City, where he teaches music and leads curriculum development. This a... more »

You can’t say La Raza and Education Trust didn’t warn Texas legislators about weakening rigor and accountability | Education Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
You can’t say La Raza and Education Trust didn’t warn Texas legislators about weakening rigor and accountability | Education Blog: You can’t say La Raza and Education Trust didn’t warn Texas legislators about weakening rigor and accountability by Bill McKenzie / Editorial Columnist It may seem like only business leaders express their frustration with lawmakers who want to retreat on academic rigor. But the truth is many minority and civil rights groups are equally committed to keeping states and Washington from adopting policies that lessen the chances of graduates being ready fo... more »

PSAT for 3-26-13: Get out your comfortable shoes Parents United for Responsible Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » PSAT for 3-26-13: Get out your comfortable shoes: PSAT for 3-26-13: Get out your comfortable shoes by admin [image: psat_logo] Tomorrow is the big one, the citywide action against school closures. Our friends at the new Network for Public Education wrote this list of actions to take, which really sums it up: - If you are in the Chicago area, attend the march and rally in downtown Chicago at 4 pm on Wednesday, Mar. 27 at Daley Plaza, Clark and Washington Streets. Details here. - *Mayor Rahm Emanuel needs to hear... more »

Common Core Model Resolution for County Political Party Platforms | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Common Core Model Resolution for County Political Party Platforms | Truth in American Education: Common Core Model Resolution for County Political Party Platforms by Shane Vander Hart We encourage activists to also make opposition to the Common Core part of your county political party platform. To that end we would like to provide a model resolution that you can use as a template. The template can be used for any political party as we believe opposition to the Common Core can and should be a bipartisan position. *RESOLUTION OPPOSING COMMON CORE STATE STANDARDS* ** *WHEREAS, *in ...more »

Harvard is Looking to Scrub the Last Remnants of Paid Teaching Labor Out of the MOOC Model |

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Harvard is Looking to Scrub the Last Remnants of Paid Teaching Labor Out of the MOOC Model |: Speaking Engagement in Southern California This Thursday by Angus Johnston Here’s something cool: I’ve just learned that a talk I’ll be giving this week in the Los Angeles area is going to be open to the public. On Thursday afternoon I’m going to be giving the annual Stephen and Sandra Glass Humanities Lecture at Pitzer College in Claremont, California. My talk will be a discussion of “Campus Activism in America’s Past and Present.” The lecture will be at 4:15 at the George Benson Auditori... more »

Behind the racist school closings agenda | SocialistWorker.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Behind the racist school closings agenda | SocialistWorker.org: Behind the racist school closings agenda Lee Sustar looks at what's driving the school closings in Chicago and beyond as activists prepare to protest at City Hall on March 27. March 26, 2013 [image: Students and parents at Lafayette Elementary School march against their school's threatened closure (Bill Healy)]Students and parents at Lafayette Elementary School march against their school's threatened closure (Bill Healy) CHICAGO PUBLIC Schools (CPS) has set a dubious new record for school closings in announcing plans to... more »

Best of the Ed Blogs | National Education Policy Center

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 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. “The Corner Office” for Schools: Teamwork, Fun, and Getting Stuff Done Best of the Ed Blogs David B. Cohen March 26, 2013 Now We Know Why Obama Doesn't Understand V... more »

Rephorm on the Rocks | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Rephorm on the Rocks | EduShyster: Rephorm on the Rocks by edushyster2012 *How the rich cornered the market on great ideas to $ave our failing public schools* When we last checked in with our rich friends, they were flush with cash and aflurry with many excellent ideas for saving our failed and failing public schools. Now, with the stock market ascendant and corporate profits at an all time high, these generous benefactors are themselves rising to new heights of generosity and excellence. Today’s outstanding idea is brought to us (and to our failing schools) by the rich of New York... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, March 26, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: California voters split on Jerry Brown school plans Education Headlines *Tuesday, March 26, 2013* Former Santa Ana principal, parents, seek new charter schoolA former Santa Ana charter school principal is seeking approval to open a new K-8 school in the city. The Santa Ana Unified School District board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Odyssey Charter Academy's petition on Tuesday. It will vote on the proposal by May. Somis School could move because of gas pipelines on campusThe Somis Union School District may move its ele... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Major Newspapers: Wrong On Iraq; Wrong On Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Major Newspapers: Wrong On Iraq; Wrong On Education: Major Newspapers: Wrong On Iraq; Wrong On Education by Duke [image: Corporate Media = Corporate Lies] The tenth anniversary of the start of the Iraq War came this week, with some, such as David Corn, taking the opportunity to reflect on the failure of the press. At the time, it was clear to any that cared to listen that the evidence in support of the invasion was weak at best and downright deceptive at worst. And yet most of the major newspapers wrote editorials in support of George W. Bush's war that credulous... more »

Shuttered: How America is Selling Out its Schools | Dissident Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Shuttered: How America is Selling Out its Schools | Dissident Voice: Shuttered: How America is Selling Out its Schools by Peter Rugh Boos and hisses fill the auditorium of Brooklyn Technical High as the governing board for New York City’s public schools, the Panel on Education Policy, takes the stage. It’s March 11 and the PEP is meeting to consider a proposal from Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott to close nearly two dozen schools. Parent after parent, teacher after teacher, student after student takes the microphone and pleads for their school to remain open. Similar scenarios ar... more »

Florida School Board Association Reaffirms Opposition to Parent Trigger | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Florida School Board Association Reaffirms Opposition to Parent Trigger | Scathing Purple Musings: Florida School Board Association Reaffirms Opposition to Parent Trigger by Bob Sikes Last summer, the Florida School Board Association (FSBA) took the unprecedented step of signing onto a Resolution on High Stakes Testing. More than anything other development, the action established as one which is clearly opposing the Jeb Bush dominated legislative agenda. The FSBA released their platform at the end of last year and on Friday, the FSBA reemphasized their opposition to Parent Trigge... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Editorial: 'Stop the giveaway to charter schools'

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Editorial: 'Stop the giveaway to charter schools': Editorial: 'Stop the giveaway to charter schools' by Mike Klonsky [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] I'm reposting this editorial from today's Tampa Bay Times in full because it's spot on. Once again legislators are looking for ways to undermine Florida's public school system by giving more taxpayer dollars and freebies to charter schools, including those run by for-profit management companies. At a time when school district budgets remain squeezed for cash, two House bi... more »

Why we can’t threaten our way to better schools | Hechinger Report

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Why we can’t threaten our way to better schools | Hechinger Report: Why we can’t threaten our way to better schools by Eric Shieh [image: Why we can’t threaten our way to better schools] Last month, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo pushed back, for the third time, his deadline for New York City to devise a new teacher evaluation system. On the surface, it seemed a benevolent move that recognized the enormity of this undertaking—one in which many school districts across the nation are similarly taking part. The truth of the matter, however, is that Cuomo—along with U.S. Secretary of Educat... more »

The Evolution of School Health — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The Evolution of School Health — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Sean Slade]The Evolution of School Health March 25, 2013 by Sean Slade The first tenet of a whole child approach to education is *healthy*. Each student, in each school and in each community, should enter school healthy and learn about and practice a healthy lifestyle. We know that if students aren't healthy, they can't learn; therefore, health is the most basic of the tenets of education. For the past decade, ASCD has been working on strengthening the links between health and education. These two e... more »

Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Student Voice: Jake Frackson – The Art of the Lecture by Editor Admin Through the manipulation of a material, an artist can make ordinary material into something extraordinary. This material can be physical or otherwise. Examples of the latter include literature, music, poetry, and, I would argue, lectures. The lecture is an art form. It requires a skilled individual along with the right circumstances. Just like a great artist, a professor cannot create a truly great and effective lecture if the conditions are not exact. A major element of this is the ideas; without the content th... more »

Tom Izzo, the World's Greatest French Teacher and Cutting Costs in Education - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Tom Izzo, the World's Greatest French Teacher and Cutting Costs in Education - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Tom Izzo, the World's Greatest French Teacher and Cutting Costs in Education by Nancy Flanagan Regular readers of *Teacher in a Strange Land* know that I loathe sports/education analogies. Equating theCommon Core to "having the same goalposts," for example, or the desirability of "box scores" for teachers--it's all Grade A ball-park baloney. Hot-ticket sports are entertainment and education is something else entirely. Both fine in their own right, but ... more »

NYC Educator: AFT Puts a Smiley Face on Junk Science

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
NYC Educator: AFT Puts a Smiley Face on Junk Science: AFT Puts a Smiley Face on Junk Science by NYC Educator It's quite disappointing to contemplate the inevitable institution of an evaluation system that will judge teachers based on student test scores. For one thing, there's absolutely no research to suggest this is a reflection on teacher quality. For another, the system has never actually worked anywhere. There are examples of teachers regarded as excellentlosing jobs as a result. There are great teachers whodon't get tenure because of junk science, and who likely as not will ... more »

How Effective is Head Start? |

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
How Effective is Head Start? |: How Effective is Head Start? by Irene Sege [image: Photo: Micaela Bedell for Strategies for Children] Photo: Micaela Bedell for Strategies for Children Head Start has been in the news lately, both because of the effects of sequestration on the program and because of discussion about its effectiveness in light of proposals to expand early education. W. Steven Barnett, director of the National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers University, sheds light on the research in arecent column on the Washington Post’s Answer Sheet blog. Barnett c... more »

I still cannot get an answer to this question… #commoncore #teachervoice – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
I still cannot get an answer to this question… #commoncore #teachervoice – @ the chalk face: @educationweek gives us, via Walt Gardner, a “reality check” by Chalk Face, PhD I’ve seen this post on “protecting” children from failure tweeted a few times. I get it, but for some reason, these kinds of arguments feel icky to me. I can’t quite put my finger on it. The tone of some of them, or the assumptions buried within the arguments, seem to me like they are paternalistic or tailored for students from privileged backgrounds. I always thought it takes a lot of sand for authors like Paul... more »

Modern School: The New Network for Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Modern School: The New Network for Public Education: The New Network for Public Education by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons A new anti-reform education reform movement is taking shape: The Network for Public Education. Led by Diane Ravitch, Anthony Cody, Leonie Haimson and other lefty ed reformers, the NPE is calling for an end to privatization schemes; increased funding; assessments that are used to inform instruction, not to penalize schools, students and teachers, among other reforms; community control; teacher autonomy; and a host of other reforms.. As far as ref... more »

Shanker Blog » How Many Schools Don't Have Nurses?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Shanker Blog » How Many Schools Don't Have Nurses?: How Many Schools Don’t Have Nurses? by Matthew Di Carlo In 2006, the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) commissioned the largest and, to my knowledge, most recent national survey on the availability of nursing services in U.S. public schools. It was administered to a sample of over 1,000 schools in all 50 states and D.C. The primary purpose was to gather basic information on the health staff in these schools, as well as a few core characteristics, such as school size and student demographics. I must confess that I was a... more »

Bruce Lesley: Renewing Our Vision for America's Children

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Bruce Lesley: Renewing Our Vision for America's Children: Renewing Our Vision for America's Children[image: Bruce Lesley]President, First Focus BruceL[at]firstfocus.net Mr. Lesley has more than 20 years of public policy experience at all levels of government and a demonstrated commitment to making children’s lives better. Lesley directs all aspects of policy development and internal operations at First Focus. The promise of this nation is that our young people will be provided an equal opportunity to fulfill their full potential. Unfortunately, over 16 million or more than 1 in 5 ... more »

The School Library Situation. | Sarah Kennedy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The School Library Situation. | Sarah Kennedy: The School Library Situation. Today’s topic is something I’ve had a bee in my bonnet about for a very long time. This is something that I have been concerned about even before I decided to pursue a career in librarianship because it’s an issue that has affected me in my journey through the Irish education system. I want to talk about the lack of libraries in schools and, with it, the lack of digital literacy training. The School Library Association has pointed out that the situation in Ireland is “highly unsatisfactory.” As it stands... more »

Westside Parents, Teachers Facing ‘Deasy’s Revenge’ CityWatch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
CityWatch: Westside Parents, Teachers Facing ‘Deasy’s Revenge’ EDUCATION POLITICS* *- It seems that while Superintendent John Deasy gets famously mad, when crossed he gets pretty darned even as well. Evidently there was an enormous rift in the political structure of the LAUSD board at their meeting of last Tuesday, 3/19/13. Signaled by the de-throning of long-time board chair Mónica García, Steve Zimmer’s surprising reelection early this month has realigned power behind-the-scenes. Reflective of this is the citing of a pilot school in his community with absolutely zero respect for... more »

Boston Review — Diane Ravitch Responds to Rob Reich

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Boston Review — Diane Ravitch Responds to Rob Reich: Response: Funding Conventional Wisdom*Diane Ravitch* *This article is part of What Are Foundations For?, a forum on philanthropic institutions and their role in democracy.* Diane Ravitch For many decades foundations played the role that Rob Reich describes. Twenty years ago I would have agreed about their unique capacity to take chances with new ideas, tolerate the risk of failure while promoting innovation, and create pilot projects that spur the government to take action. In the area of education, where I work, they served as in... more »

Tavis Smiley: Education Under Arrest: Taking America Out of Its Comfort Zone

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Tavis Smiley: Education Under Arrest: Taking America Out of Its Comfort Zone: Education Under Arrest: Taking America Out of Its Comfort Zone We had to shut the cameras down for a moment. The testimony of the two New Orleans sisters, Kenyatta, 15, and Kennisha, 17, was too surreal, too emotional and too raw. Kenyatta was involved in a fight at school that she didn't start. Because of "zero tolerance" policies adopted at their high school and many others in America, Kenyatta was handcuffed, arrested and expelled. Kennisha, who tried to break up the fight, was also expelled. Both gir... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm finds his strongest support coming from the right

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm finds his strongest support coming from the right: Rahm finds his strongest support coming from the right by Mike Klonsky The Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools group marches to Mayor Rahm Emanuel's office at City Hall on Monday to present a letter from Chicago Public Schools students asking him not to close their schools. | Al Podgorski~Sun-TimesOnce again, the mayor is finding his strongest support coming from right-wing, anti-tax, anti-union conservatives. The far-right National Review dotes on Rahm and his school closings and bla... more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-26-13 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] Just Look at Malloy Nominee for State Board of Education by dianerav Jonathan Pelto reminds us of the national publicity about a homeless woman who was arrested and fined for the crime of enrolling her child in the Norwalk public schools when she was not a resident of that city in Connecticut. Now Governor Dannell Malloy has nominated a woman to the state board of education even though she was in the same dispute with the Windsor schools a decade ago. But it is ... more »

UPDATE: A tale of two unions + The in box. Only five Democrats in the Illinois House believe in the Constitution. | Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The in box. Only five Democrats in the Illinois House believe in the Constitution. | Fred Klonsky: A tale of two unions. by Fred Klonsky [image: Al & Tammy 2] *Al Ramirez and Tammy Vinson submit CORE nominating petitions.* Yesterday representatives of the Caucus of Rank and File Educators submitted 5,000 signatures that placed the names of current CTU President Karen Lewis and her CORE colleagues on the ballot for re-election in about a month. Her opposition, currently invisible in the fight against school closings, represents the group that was ousted by CORE in the last election... more »

Why the United States Is Destroying Its Education System… by Chris Hedges | Teacher Reality

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Why the United States Is Destroying Its Education System… by Chris Hedges | Teacher Reality: Why the United States Is Destroying Its Education System… by Chris Hedges by TeacherReality This is an amazing piece by Chris Hedges that puts all of this destructive education reform into perspective… Original post on Truthdig.com… http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/why_the_united_states_is_destroying_her_education_system_20110410/ Why the United States Is Destroying Its Education System By Chris Hedges A nation that destroys its systems of education, degrades its public information, guts ... more »

Daily Kos: Cuccinelli compared slavery to abortion in 2008

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Daily Kos: Cuccinelli compared slavery to abortion in 2008: Cuccinelli compared slavery to abortion in 2008 by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *The Washington Examiner* is a conservative DC area paper, owned by right-wing billionaire Philip Anschutz, that this coming June will stop its daily print run and be replaced by a weekly magazine. That makes this story all the more delicious. The context of the story is that Democrats in Virginia have been pushing out a video taken by a tracker at a small small gathering of religious conservatives in Williamsburg, VA, in which the Virgini... more »

Can't We Pay Our Best Teachers More? - Bridging Differences - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Can't We Pay Our Best Teachers More? - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Can't We Pay Our Best Teachers More? by Deborah Meier *Eric Hanushek files his final blog post with Deborah Meier today.* Dear Deborah, Since we have already entered into a number of sensitive areas, we might as well go all the way and discuss salaries. I am always struck by two competing arguments—frequently made by the same people—that teachers are not motivated by money and that a major problem with American schools is that the salaries are too low to attract top people in teaching. On the surface, t... more »

Louisiana Educator: OWN Reality Show Reveals Charter Secrets

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: OWN Reality Show Reveals Charter Secrets: OWN Reality Show Reveals Charter Secrets by Michael Deshotels The Oprah Winfrey Network reality show, *Blackboard Wars*, filmed at John McDonogh Hi School in New Orleans this school year reveals some rather shocking details about how charter schools operate in Louisiana. State Board president, Chas Roemer has often bragged that charter operators have the freedom to operate their schools without the usual bothersome red tape required of traditional schools. But we were always told that charters must comply with basic ac... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Costs $22 Million in One Alabama District

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Common Core Costs $22 Million in One Alabama District: Common Core Costs $22 Million in One Alabama District by stlgretchen Pearson is really cleaning up in the Huntsville, Alabama school district. From The Report Card and*Pearson $22 Million Contract With Huntsville AL Schools Exposed:* Editor: The Report Card has published a series of articles pro and con about on the Common Core K-12 Standard now required in 46 states. Diane Ravtich, and Sandra Stotsky well known educational reformers have come out against the Common Core saying. Dr. Stotsky has ... more »

Budget cuts create unprecedented stress on community colleges | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Budget cuts create unprecedented stress on community colleges | EdSource Today: Budget cuts create unprecedented stress on community colleges - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald A decline of 24 percent in per-student funding over five years has led to a record decline in access to community colleges and has jeopardized the services to those students who are enrolled, an extensive study by the Public Policy Institute of California concluded. [image: Between 2006-07 and 2011-12, total revenue per student (in FTES or full-time equivalent, since most students attend part-time) f... more »

Could Big Pharma be slapped down by SCOTUS? Daily Kos

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Daily Kos: An important clip from All in the Family: Could Big Pharma be slapped down by SCOTUS? by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Yesterday the Court heard arguments in Federal Trade Commission v. Watson Pharmaceuticals. The question before the Court is whether it is legal for the patent holder of a bran-name drug to pay competition to delay introduction of a generic equivalent. As you can read here, Supreme Court justices suggested that they will open drugmakers to suits over “pay for delay” agreements, hinting at a ruling that would rewrite the rules governing the release of ge... more »

Chinua Achebe and Finding The Language For My Experience | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Chinua Achebe and Finding The Language For My Experience | The Jose Vilson: Chinua Achebe and Finding The Language For My Experience by Jose Vilson [image: Chinua Achebe] Chinua Achebe When Chinua Achebe passed away, my thoughts immediately took me to the fifth grade book fair. There, I found the cover of a book I found interesting. Knowing nothing about the actual book, reading level, or histories behind it, I decided to buy it for what was probably five bucks from my school’s library. Shortly after the book sale, we had African dance classes for the semester. The volunteer dance ... more »

EARLIER SCHOOL AGE ? NOT IN ILLINOIS | Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
EARLIER SCHOOL AGE ? NOT IN ILLINOIS | Teachers Fight Back: EARLIER SCHOOL AGE ? NOT IN ILLINOIS by alkleen Most states have a starting compulsory attendance age for students that is either at the age of 5 or 6. The compulsory age to start school in Illinois has always been 7 years old. Many people have been urging legislators to lower the compulsory age here in Illinois. After weeks of studying the proposal, it looks like the idea is going nowhere. Illinois doesn’t have the money to spend on what it would take to enforce the lower compulsory age. We will just have to be one of t... more »

Look what Susan Ohanian started about the #commoncore. – @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Look what Susan Ohanian started about the #commoncore. – @ the chalk face: Look what Susan Ohanian started about the #commoncore. by Timothy D. Slekar Most days I try to post meaningful quotes concerning education on my Facebook page. Today I posted: The issue is trusting teachers, trusting kids, and trusting them to find the books they need. The Common Core trusts nothing but computerized programs that train teachers and kids to do what they’re told. Susan Ohanian [image: url] This what followed: *Rick*. The Common Core reduces teachers to low level techies. *Steve.* Why are some... more »

Poll finds the less you make, the more you like Brown’s school finance reform | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Poll finds the less you make, the more you like Brown’s school finance reform | EdSource Today: Poll finds the less you make, the more you like Brown’s school finance reform - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald More Californian voters favor than oppose Gov. Jerry Brown’s sweeping plan to reform school finance, and most are against the idea of lowering the threshold for approving local school parcel taxes from two-thirds to a 55 percent majority, according to a new statewide poll. [image: Polls show mixed support for Gov. Jerry Brown's Local Control Funding Formula.] Gov. Jer... more »

Data:to use or not to use…. | Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Data:to use or not to use…. | Deborah Meier on Education: Data:to use or not to use…. by debmeier Did you know that: only Russia , the Ukraine and Lebanon have as much inequality of income and wealth as the USA? If you even want to give democracy a chance, this should suggest how hard the road will be to recover even a modicum of greater equality! Between CEOs and minimum wage workers the difference is 5,000 per hour vs $7.25 per hour, and every day it’s getting worse. Why do I find myself going through these exercises over ad over–to keep me angry? And maybe it’s just that I fin... more »

Action Alert: Chicago School Closings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Action Alert: Chicago School Closings: Volume 1, Issue: #2.5March 25, 2013*In This Special Alert*Chicago School Closings*Greetings!* This is a special action alert. Please read below about the developing situation in Chicago. It is time to support the students, parents and teachers there. *Chicago School Closings Demand a Response* Dear Friends and Allies, Chicago has announced plans to close 53 schools. Philadelphia will close 23. New York City has 22 on the hit list. Atlanta is planning to close 13. Sacramento will close seven. Last year Oakland closed five. These are not the ... more »

California Office to Reform Education District Waiver Request - Letters (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
California Office to Reform Education District Wai - Letters (CA Dept of Education): March 22, 2013 Deborah S. Delisle, Assistant Secretary Office of Elementary and Secondary Education U.S. Department of Education 400 Maryland Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20202 Dear Assistant Secretary Delisle: We received your letter dated February 28, 2013, seeking comment from the California State Board of Education (SBE) on the request for a district-level waiver of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) submitted by nine California districts, organized as a consortium called the Calif... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Same-Sex Marriage and Public Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Same-Sex Marriage and Public Education: Budget Updates for SPS and Washington State by Melissa Westbrook In case you didn't hear, last Wednesday the economic forecast was released for Washington State. It showed flat growth which was actually good news as it means the Legislature doesn't have to find more cuts (in theory). Here's what was stated by Duggan Harman who is the Assistant Superintendent of Business & Finance (aka the budget guy) for SPS at last week's Board meeting. He stated the following: - SPS has an $18M shortfall. Staff has fo... more »

Student Voice: How a Community School Became an Oasis in South Central Los Angeles — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Student Voice: How a Community School Became an Oasis in South Central Los Angeles — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]Student Voice: How a Community School Became an Oasis in South Central Los Angeles March 25, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers *By Martin J. Blank and Ryan Fox, Coalition for Community Schools* [image: Kevin Valiencia] Walking through the halls of John C. Fremont High School in South Central Los Angeles with senior Kevin Valiencia, one finds an unexpected inner city public school in one of the most maligned neighborhoods in... more 







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