Sunday, November 10, 2013

A DeKalb educator: 'I fear for the future of our schools if... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

A DeKalb educator: 'I fear for the future of our schools if... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com:

A DeKalb educator: 'I fear for the future of our schools if this charter is adopted.' 

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DeKalb parents, teachers vote on charter cluster proposal
HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Matthew Lewis (foreground left), a DeKalb parent and member of the organizing committee, helps voter Karla Jennings get a ballot Tuesday to vote on a charter cluster proposal at Druid Hills High School. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM

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By Maureen Downey
Here is another teacher letter to the DeKalb school board, this one urging the board not to approve the Druid Hills charter cluster.  This letter was written by Susan McWethy, teacher librarian at Druid Hills Middle School. 
You can read another point of view from a teacher here. If you read both these letters, you will have a good sense of the issues and the implications of Monday's school board vote.
 Dear Mr. Thurmond and Members of the Board,
As an educator and parent of former Druid Hills Cluster students, I have serious concerns about the Druid Hills Charter Cluster proposal. 

I am in a position to talk informally with many teachers.  It is very apparent that they do not have the information they need to fully understand this charter and its ramifications, both for their students and for their teaching careers -- not to mention the county as a whole.  The plan was hastily unveiled to teachers last April, and the 200-plus arcane waivers were revealed only three weeks before the start of school.  Anyone knows that the busiest times for teachers are at the end and before the start of the school year, when their priorities are their students.

The reactions I've received from teachers when the subject arises are usually one of three: 
1) They are relying on the "good faith" of the charter community who are at least trying 
 
Get Schooled: A DeKalb Teacher of the Year urges a 'yes' vote on charter cluster Monday
The DeKalb school board is scheduled to vote Monday on the petition to put Druid Hills High School and six feeder schools under the management of a nonprofit organization. The cluster would operate under its own administrators and board of directors. If approved by the board Monday and the state ...
11 57min 
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LAUSD GIVES ME A CHANCE TO BE A HERO FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES - CARE TO HELP? - Perdaily.com

LAUSD GIVES ME A CHANCE TO BE A HERO FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES - CARE TO HELP? - Perdaily.com:

LAUSD GIVES ME A CHANCE TO BE A HERO FOR STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND FAMILIES - CARE TO HELP?


Hero Snowden.jpg
(Mensaje se repite en Español)

The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) offered me close to a quarter of a million dollars and vesting in my lifetime health benefits, if I would agree to settle and not go to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) to vindicate myself against charges fabricated against me. I reported that my school, Central High School Continuation, was graduating students and giving diplomas to students with low elementary school English language and math skills. After stalling the process for 3 years, most financially strapped teachers would have jumped at this offer, but I could not.

What I could not rationalize away was that I was being given the option to just walk away pretty much financially intact, if I would just forget about the fact that 59 years after Brown vs. Board of Education, LAUSD remains segregated (closed to 90% Latino and Black) and toxic to students and teachers. But more importantly, I see a real armageddon for our society in the not too distant future, if something is not done to finally address the travesty that LAUSD and districts like it around the United States represent to predominantly poor and minority students of color. Nobody is offering these students any money after screwing them out of their right to an education and the ability to reach their potential and dreams, so how could I 
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Is Loki after YOUR PENSION? You Need The Pension Avenger

Big Education Ape: 11-10-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky:


Is Loki after YOUR PENSION? 




You Need The Pension Avenger


11-10-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: A pension bill by December 5th. Corrections and updates.A few days ago I posted about the prospect of The Gang of Ten having a COLA busting bill ready for a special General Assembly session on December 5th. I said I was skeptical. But I have since been corrected on several factual points. I thought th
2 by mike simpson / 4h 



Are They Messin' with YOUR PENSION? Call the Pension Avengers
Are They Messin' with YOUR PENSION? Call the Pension Avengers VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky"Running for our pensions" 11-9-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.The in box. Medicare Advantage retiree meeting in
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11-9-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.The in box. Medicare Advantage retiree meeting in Buffalo Grove.Fred, Senator Julie Morrison called late this afternoon to announce that a timely meeting for the purpose of presenting information about the State of Illinois Medicare Advant
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Nite Cap 11-10-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2


James Baldwin said it best: 

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


A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP


TODAY

Bored! Eight Ideas About Bored Students and Boring Teachers - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
Bored! Eight Ideas About Bored Students and Boring Teachers - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Bored! Eight Ideas About Bored Students and Boring TeachersBy Nancy Flanagan on November 10, 2013 6:24 PMSomeone just sent me Twenty Things You Should Never Say to a Teacher. Pretty funny. But none of these comes close to the statement that burns me up the most: My child is bored!Sever
by mike simpson / 0min 
Tomorrow: Twitter Chat with the Iowa Student Learning Institute Student Voice
Student Voice: Tomorrow: Twitter Chat with the Iowa Student Learning Institute  While national organization and coordination is critical, student voice is by nature a grassroots movement. Many of the most most tangible results come from advocacy at a local level from the bottom-up. Co-hosts of Monday night’s #StuVoice chat Ian Coon and Jack Hostager organized the Iowa Student Learning Institute,
by mike simpson / 0min 
VETERANS’ DAY 2013: Shameful Congressional Hypocrisy | Reclaim Reform
VETERANS’ DAY 2013: Shameful Congressional Hypocrisy | Reclaim Reform: VETERANS’ DAY 2013: Shameful Congressional HypocrisyPosted on November 10, 2013by Ken PrevitiVETERANS’ DAY 2013: Shameful Congressional HypocrisyPlease share these memes. Shame members of Congress for this hypocrisy.
by mike simpson / 7min 
You can’t ask them to think about text that gives them nothing to think about…
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » You can’t ask them to think about text that gives them nothing to think about…: You can’t ask them to think about text that gives them nothing to think about… Lately I’ve devoted a lot of blog space to what I’ll refer to as “stupid Common Core tricks” that usually result from being overly attentive to the standards, and not giving enough attention to contex
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NAEP Nonsense: Don't Believe the Hype | Diane Ravitch
NAEP Nonsense: Don't Believe the Hype | Diane Ravitch: NAEP Nonsense: Don't Believe the HypePosted: 11/10/2013 3:34 pmThe latest NAEP reports on reading and math have been heralded as evidence for the success of the "reforms" that involve test prep, testing, punishing teachers if scores don't go up, rewarding them if they do, closing schools, and other versions of the carrot and stick me
2 by mike simpson / 2h 
Judge dismisses Glenda Ritz lawsuit against State Board of Education members | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com
Judge dismisses Glenda Ritz lawsuit against State Board of Education members | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com: Judge dismisses Glenda Ritz lawsuit against State Board of Education membersA judge Friday dismissed state schools chief Glenda Ritz’s lawsuit against fellow members of the State Board of Education, saying she didn’t have authority to file the legal action.But Ritz said she’s not ready
by mike simpson / 2h 
Sen. Kathleen Vinehout: Is state ready for corporate reformers of education? : Ct
Sen. Kathleen Vinehout: Is state ready for corporate reformers of education? : Ct: Sen. Kathleen Vinehout: Is state ready for corporate reformers of education? “I just don’t understand vouchers, choice, and charter schools,” the man told me. “Could you explain?”Public education is undergoing a radical change. What was predominately a local school governed by a locally elected school board is pois
by mike simpson / 3h 
11-10-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Rules of Engagement at MannFrom the great and thorough coverage at Central District News.by Melissa Westbrook / 27min 11-9-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum WeekSeattle Schools Community Forum:Seattle Schools Community ForumMann Building UpdateThe Latest:Based on information I got today at the BEX Oversight Committee meeting, I knew that it was likely that an atte
by mike simpson / 4h 
11-10-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: A pension bill by December 5th. Corrections and updates.A few days ago I posted about the prospect of The Gang of Ten having a COLA busting bill ready for a special General Assembly session on December 5th. I said I was skeptical. But I have since been corrected on several factual points. I thought th
2 by mike simpson / 4h 
Fireside Chat @UT-Austin: Hot Topics in Education Reform | Cloaking Inequity
Fireside Chat @UT-Austin: Hot Topics in Education Reform | Cloaking Inequity: Fireside Chat @UT-Austin: Hot Topics in Education ReformSee Lily and I on MHP here and here.Please Facebook Like, Tweet, etc below and/or reblog to share this discussion with others.Want to know about Cloaking Inequity’s freshly pressed conversations about educational policy? Click the “Follow blog by email” button in th
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FBI Capitol sting shines light on Latino caucus - UPDATE on Scandal involving Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee and Calderon - The Sacramento Bee
FBI Capitol sting shines light on Latino caucus - Capitol and California - The Sacramento Bee: FBI Capitol sting shines light on Latino caucusBy Laurel Rosenhalllrosenhall@sacbee.comPublished: Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013 - 12:00 amRhee-lated $tory: Michelle Rhee answers Ravitch in New Bookal$o $ee Rhee-lated $tory: Excerpts from "Rhee The Art of the Deal" a new $tory about Corporate Education
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A Light at the End of the Tunnel | A fine WordPress.com site
A Light at the End of the Tunnel | A fine WordPress.com site: Charter Schools and SegregationI was recently asked what I envisioned the future of education to be under Governor Christie. Let me say that Governor Christie is not the only politician in our country that has this plan for pushing through the current trend of education reform policies.  One of the statements I made included the fact th
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Noted author 'shocked' by Cuomo's comments - Times Union
Noted author 'shocked' by Cuomo's comments - Times Union: Noted author 'shocked' by Cuomo's commentsFriends' views differ on governor's prescription for failing schoolsBy Rick KarlinPublished 9:59 pm, Thursday, November 7, 2013AlbanyJonathan Kozol, one of the nation's most acclaimed writers on the subject of poverty, said that while he considers Andrew Cuomo a friend he was "utterly shocked&q
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Morning Wink 11-10-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS11-10-13 Jersey JazzmanJersey Jazzman: Mythbusting Chris Cerf at @NJEA: PovertyChris Cerf, New Jersey's very reformy Commissioner of Education, spoke on Friday at the NJEA convention. And the commish made it clear that he is gravely, deeply worried that he is being misunderstood: The idea that anybody thinks that poverty doesn't matter is inconceivable. Of
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11-10-13 Wait What?
Wait What?: Curiouser and curiouser! – It was said down in the rabbit hole…The Connecticut Post has the latest chapter in the Vallas in Wonderland installment with a news article entitled, “Vallas may be going but Moales is not.” Bridgeport Board of Education members received their packet for Tuesday’s upcoming meeting.  Inside was a three page letter from Board Chairman Kenneth Moales, Jr. Highli
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11-10-13 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Flushing HS Update #4Flushing HS teacher Seung Ok's battle over DOE hypocritical grading policies appears to be bearing fruit. Seung is an old pal from the early GEM days -- one of the most energetic, principled people I've met over all my years of organizing. He was a teacher at Maxwell HS in Brooklyn when he helped form GEM in its earliest stages in 2009 while fighting off the a
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Understanding Common Core: A Breakdown of the Pros and Cons - Schools - Davis, CA Patch
Understanding Common Core: A Breakdown of the Pros and Cons - Schools - Davis, CA Patch: Understanding Common Core: A Breakdown of the Pros and ConsA big change is underway in the world of American education.Posted by Catherine Crawford , November 10, 2013 at 06:15 AMComment  RecommendCredit unknown. If you know the source of this image, please email Catherine.Crawford@patch.comOnce a day, Patch t
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11-10-13 Jersey Jazzman
Jersey Jazzman: Mythbusting Chris Cerf at @NJEA: PovertyChris Cerf, New Jersey's very reformy Commissioner of Education, spoke on Friday at the NJEA convention. And the commish made it clear that he is gravely, deeply worried that he is being misunderstood: The idea that anybody thinks that poverty doesn't matter is inconceivable. Of course it matters. Of course it is a huge predictor of academic
by mike simpson / 8h 
Poorly Maintained Old Buildings, Another Threat to Students and School Employees | WeArePCAPS
Poorly Maintained Old Buildings, Another Threat to Students and School Employees | WeArePCAPS: Poorly Maintained Old Buildings, Another Threat to Students and School EmployeesPosted on November 10, 2013by wearepcapsA report today in Philadelphia Inquirer documents what many of us have long known; Philadelphia aging school buildings are a clear and present danger to the health of children and those
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LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-10-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: New Mexico: Where Data Count More Than ChildrenThis is a comment by an educator in New Mexico:   My name is Tine Hayes. I have been teaching high school in Gallup NM for 14 years. I am dual certified in Fine Arts and Social Studies, and I am level three and National Board certified. This year more than ever in the past I am dishear
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11-10-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Updated Resources On Typhoon HaiyanHere are new additions to The Best Resources For Learning About Typhoon Haiyan: Philippine super typhoon kills at least 10,000, official says is from Reuters. Death toll likely to exceed 1,000 after typhoon slams Philippines is from CNN. Philippine Death Toll Feared In Thousands is from Th
by mike simpson / 9h 
11-10-13 teacherken at Daily Kos
teacherken at Daily Kos: An explanation of dispute on Fairfax County provisionals in AG raceFairfax County Virginia has had a practice that allowed those casting provisional ballots on election day to sign documentation allowing party or candidate organizations to allow them to represent the voter when the provisional was being considered.  The state election board decided that this was in violati
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11-10-13 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: The Poverty Trap: Slack, Not Grit, Creates AchievementThe Poverty Trap: Slack, Not Grit, Creates Achievement. via The Poverty Trap: Slack, Not Grit, Creates Achievement.1 by plthomasedd / 11min Beware the hagiography in #edreformAs of late, it has been observed by me the profligate use of the first person when referencing reform crusades on either side of the debate. Beware of ex
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11-10-13 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: Tolstoy endures — but here’s why the liberal arts might notAre the liberal arts really dying in higher education, and if so, how fast?  Writing about it in this post is Liz Willen,  editor at The Hechinger Report, an independently funded unit of Teachers College at Columbia University. She is also director of The Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media at  Teachers College
by mike simpson / 9h 
11-10-13 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Grinding Rogues HonestThis is not about our public school system.  But, as I see it, this is what I want to find in our public school system.When I was in high school I got a speech once from the basketball coach intended to teach me a life lesson.  I imagine I was goofing around rather than applying myself with absolute discipline and determination to the task at hand of jumping i
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11-10-13 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): The Poverty Trap: Slack, Not Grit, Creates AchievmentPoverty is a trap children are born into: No child has ever chosen to be poor. Children have never caused the poverty that defines their lives, and their education. Yet, the adults with political, corporate, and educat
by mike simpson / 9h 
11-10-13 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: In Which I Use The Danielson Rubric To Evaluate Buster KeatonEveryone knows that just as a teacher cannot be a great teacher without a great lesson plan, a director cannot be a great director without a great script.Those teachers who say they use bare bones notes to teach their classes, no matter how great those classes appear to be or how much the students in those classes
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We’ve Got a Communication Problem | Ideas and Thoughts
We’ve Got a Communication Problem | Ideas and Thoughts: We’ve Got a Communication ProblemThis week a story emerged out of British Columbia about a school that was banning students in Kindergarten from touching each other. Like many, I tweeted itB.C. school bans kindergarteners from touching each other | CTV British Columbia News http://t.co/iIsIeMIAQD— Dean Shareski (@shareski) November 6, 2013The
by mike simpson / 9h 

YESTERDAY

All Things Education: TFA comes to RVA
All Things Education: TFA comes to RVA: TFA comes to RVAWith a vote of 5-2 (with two members absent) the Richmond School Board has decided to contract with Teach for America to hire up to 30 teachers. I've already written in great detail about how the Teach for America model is problematic here and then here and about why TFA is not right for the K-12 public school students of Virginia here, so I
by mike simpson / 19h 
Are They Messin' with YOUR PENSION? Call the Pension Avengers
Are They Messin' with YOUR PENSION? Call the Pension Avengers VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky"Running for our pensions" 11-9-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.The in box. Medicare Advantage retiree meeting in
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Educational Bedrock: The Teacher-Student Relationship | deutsch29
Educational Bedrock: The Teacher-Student Relationship | deutsch29: Educational Bedrock: The Teacher-Student RelationshipNovember 9, 2013In 2003, the (then) Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) supported teachers in creating a set of standards and corresponding curriculum for a new program designed to both promote the teaching profession and provide high school students with a solid idea of wha
by mike simpson / 19h 
Nite Cap 11-9-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP NYC Public School Parents: Tuesday's elections disastrous for inBloom: Seven states out, two to goNYC Public School Parents: Tuesday's elections disastrous for inBloom: Seven states out, two to go: Tuesday's elections disastrous for inBloom: Sev
1 by mike simpson / 22h 




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