Darling-Hammond Deplores Failure of No Child Left Behind and Test-and-Punish | janresseger

Darling-Hammond Deplores Failure of No Child Left Behind and Test-and-Punish | janresseger:

Darling-Hammond Deplores Failure of No Child Left Behind and Test-and-Punish

Posted on December 27, 2013 by janresseger

This morning, December 26, Linda Darling-Hammond spoke with Steve Inskseep on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition.  You can listen or read the transcript here.

Darling-Hammond is the Stanford University professor who was considered seriously by President Barack Obama back in 2008 to be his Secretary of Education, although Obama eventually went with his Chicago buddy, Arne Duncan.

Here Darling-Hammond looks at the failure—evident after ten years—of President George Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act that set the bar for test score passage so high that, without the waivers now being offered by Arne Duncan’s Department of Education, all schools in the United States would be rated a failure in 2014, the deadline the 2002 law established as the time all children across the United States would be proficient.

According to Darling-Hammond, No Child Left Behind has neither improved school achievement nor closed a

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Making Sense of MOOCs

The Educated Reporter: Guest Post: Making Sense of MOOCs:

Guest Post: Making Sense of MOOCs

With the year winding down, higher education journalists and pundits are wondering whether 2013 will be remembered as a tipping point for MOOCs - massive open online courses. Earlier this month a new study from the University of Pennsylvania's Graduate School of Education found MOOCS had "relatively few active users," with "few persisting to course's end." At the same time, a federal advisory council is urging regulators to be patient during these relatively early days of development for the platform, and allowing some breathing room for the experiment to continue. In light of these developments, it seemed like a good time to revisit a session from EWA's National Seminar, held at Stanford University in May. Today's guest blogger is Gwendolyn Glenn of WYPR Public Radio in Baltimore. Stream any session from National Seminar in your browser, or subscribe via RSS or iTunes. For more on higher education, visit EWA's Story Starters online resource. 

The number of students enrolled in MOOCS, massive open online courses that are offered free, has increased dramatically over the past year. At EWA’s National Seminar, Daphne Koller, co-founder of Coursera, a leading MOOC provider, said enrollment in their classes jumped from 700,000 in February 2013 to more than 3.4 million students in May.

Only a third of MOOC takers are in the United States, according to Koller, with 

Some Governors and Common Core: “Hot Friends Cooling” | deutsch29

Some Governors and Common Core: “Hot Friends Cooling” | deutsch29:

Some Governors and Common Core: “Hot Friends Cooling”

December 26, 2013

Hoping to advance your own political career? Better be quiet about Common Core.

Amazing how a number of formerly outspoken, pro-CCSS governors have strategically opted for silence (or some other form of distance) regarding the now-highly-charged CCSS.

New York: Andrew Cuomo

It seems, for example, that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has become somewhat of “a hot friend cooling” on the issue:

North Country Public Radio reported last week that Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-NY) has appeared to remove himself from the controversial Common Core.

“In recent days, Cuomo seems to have cooled from his initial endorsement of the rapid transition to the adoption of the national education standards,” wrote Karen DeWitt.

Asked by a reporter about the Common Core standards, Cuomo removed himself from the discontent that has generated boisterous meetings with state education officials, parents, and teachers.

In Staten Island, Cuomo referred to the implementation of the new standards as “problematic,” and, in Lake Placid, acknowledged, “It’s been very controversial. It’s very controversial here in the state.”

Cuomo’s comments differed from those of just a month ago, when he focused more on how the change to a new system can be hard.

Arkansas: Mike Huckabee

Outspoken support for CCSS is no longer fashionable for those wishing to advance their own political careers– quite the litmus test for a governor’s true allegiance. 

Why School Reform Advocates Aren’t So Businesslike After All | TIME.com

Why School Reform Advocates Aren’t So Businesslike After All | TIME.com:

Why School Reform Advocates Aren’t So Businesslike After All

By Rick Wartzman @DruckerInstDec. 18, 20131 Comment

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In her book Curriculum Mapping, education consultant Kathy Glass invokes Peter Drucker—and his deep knowledge of the corporate world—to help explain why schoolteachers need quantifiable goals and standards.

“Drucker . . . states in his book The Practice of Management, ‘Setting objectives enables a business to get where it should be going rather than be the plaything of weather, winds and accidents,’” Glass writes. “In teaching,” she adds, “standards help to set objectives as they provide teachers with a target to shoot for and allow for measurement. One cannot manage or teach effectively what one does not measure.”

On some level, this is undoubtedly true, which is why I’ve previously advocated more accountability in K-12 education through the use of performance measures. But what if most schools, in a bid to be more businesslike, are measuring things in a very different way than Drucker would prescribe?

I’ve become convinced that this is precisely what’s happening—with harmful consequences for teachers and students alike—since I’ve started reading a remarkable blog called Gatsby in L.A.

Written by my close friend Ellie Herman, the blog chronicles her yearlong journey into a series of Los Angeles area classrooms, as she endeavors to discover what makes a great teacher. (The name is a nod to the fact that most students read The Great Gatsby in 11th grade English, where Herman is hanging out.)

Herman, who in a past life was a successful television writer and then spent five years teaching drama, creative writing and English at a charter high school in South L.A., intentionally seeks out exemplary educators in all sorts of settings—schools with very poor kids, rich kids and those in between. And in every case, the educators she

Read more: Why School Reform Advocates Aren’t So Businesslike After All | TIME.com http://business.time.com/2013/12/18/why-school-reform-advocates-arent-so-businesslike-after-all/#ixzz2odcuCllI

Growing Up Jewish in Texas: Christmas | Diane Ravitch

Growing Up Jewish in Texas: Christmas | Diane Ravitch:

Growing Up Jewish in Texas: Christmas

Posted: 12/25/2013 1:15 pm

I was born and raised in Houston, Texas.

I am third of eight children.

My parents were both Jewish, as am I.

Yet every year we celebrated Christmas.

Is this puzzling? It wasn't at all puzzling to me and my siblings.

Every Christmas, the family bought a Christmas tree, and we all joined in decorating it with lights, ornaments, and tinsel.

Every Christmas morning, we woke up like a noisy tribe about 5 a.m. and rushed to discover that we all had presents under the tree.

Why did our Jewish family celebrate Christmas?

To begin with, my parents had been born into observant Jewish families. My father was born in Savannah, Georgia, where he was the youngest of nine children and the only boy. He was spoiled rotten, left high school without graduating, and tried (but failed) to make it in vaudeville as a hoofer and comedian. My mother was born in Bessarabia and came to America at the end of World War I as a nine-year-old girl with her mother and little sister. They traveled on a ship (the "Savoie") loaded with returning American soldiers, then made their way to Houston to meet my grandfather, who was a tailor and had come to America before the war broke out.

What my parents wanted most was to be seen as "real Americans." My mother was especially zealous about wanting to speak perfect English (she arrived speaking only Yiddish). She was very proud that she earned a high school diploma from the Houston 

#4 on Your Hit Parade: War on Public Education, the Battle Against Teachers | Reclaim Reform

#4 on Your Hit Parade: War on Public Education, the Battle Against Teachers | Reclaim Reform:

#4 on Your Hit Parade: War on Public Education, the Battle Against Teachers

Posted on December 26, 2013by Ken Previti

AlterNet and ThinkProgress have looked back over the year and chosen nine societal abuses that are incredibly important yet generally ignored by major media. The #4 spot tells of the “Hit” against active and retired teachers along with many other public employees.

9 Incredibly Important Things That Happened In 2013 That Most People Aren’t Talking About

by Judd Legum
Here are the top issues of the year that failed to get the coverage they deserved.

4. Thousands of people who worked their entire lives had their pensions stolen.
In Illinois and Michigan, thousands of working Americans had their promised pensions stolen from them, despite guarantees in their states’ constitutions that protected their benefits. Those impacted include “retirees who worked their careers as sanitation engineers and teachers, firefighters and police officers, public defenders and city clerks” — many of whom will now be thrown into poverty. As these two Midwest states appear to be getting away with it, many other localities may follow suit.

The message from the Education Industrial Complex is simple: We will crush you now and at every age.
As massive numbers of superb qualified teachers leave teaching, the connection to the #5 Hit is suggestive for the middle-aged (40-55) and the elderly.

5. More people died in America from suicide than car accidents.While suicide is frequently associated with teenagers and the elderly, the growth has been 

12-26-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:

We need a fair income tax in Illinois.

  Ken Griffin, hedge fund manager and head of Citadel LLC, is Illinois’ richest person and is worth $4.4 billion. He pays the same state income tax rate as an associate at Walmart. Want to know why Illinois is broke? Maybe that’s why Representative Elaine Nekritz, Illinois’ leading pension bomber responded to me on Al Jazeera’s The Stream, by saying, “I have always made it my goal not to place bl

2 by Fred Klonsky / 29min hide  //  save

2013 pension quotes.

  “We will sell our shoes.” IRTA’s Gary Elmen. “The bill kicks ordinary working people — secretaries, clerks, teachers and the like — in the teeth. Much of the bill’s $160 billion in savings comes from reducing the cost-of-living increases to their pensions and pushing back their retirement age.” – Chicago Sun-Times “Today, we have won. The people of Illinois have won. This landmark legislation i

2 by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

 

12-25-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Ten minute drawing. The NekGrinch stole Christmas.4 by Fred Klonsky / 38min 12-24-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Happy holidays.by Fred

by mike simpson / 3h 

12-26-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

Walcott Public Schedule - To Hand Honorary Diploma to 100 year old

Come on Norm he's just trying to improve the graduation numbers.... Jane M from Change the StakesAnd so it comes to this -- but not the worst way to end it – Unless Walcott closes the nursing home on the way out or opens a charter nursing home next door so Rose Shimony's other birthday present could behaving a choice of nursing homes.MEDIA ADVISORYFor Planning Purposes OnlyDecember 26, 2013PUBLIC

by ed notes online / 1min 

Will de Blasio's DOE rescue Adult Education from Superintendent Rose-marie Mills?

Sent to Ed Notes anonymously:

by ed notes online / 1min 

Schools Matter on union leader duplicity - or how many sides of your mouth can you speak out of at the same time?

As a follow up to our Newark post the other day (Randi, Cami and Newark: Anyone for a Quisling Refe...) and after some flame wars with Randi and Leo on twitter today (which I hope to follow up on) here is a piece from Schools Matter worth checking out.On December 10 Randi Weingarten flew into Newark with her gold-plated bullhorn to protest the entirely predicted outcome to a teacher contract that

by ed notes online / 1min 

Farina Delay: Charter lobby, ed deformers and UFT and allies working behind the scenes?

Who might be opposing a Farina appointment? I know some people are left scratching their heads at what seems on the surface an unholy alliance. Can we talk?We know that de Blasio has been getting pressure from the Obama administration to appoint a pro-test person. As Naison says, given that she wants the job and de Blasio supposedly wants her, Farina should have been announced a week ago. That she

by ed notes online / 24min 

12-25-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: Fred Smith, Poet Luareate of the Real Reform MovementThe Night Before… Once More‘Tis the old year that’s closing rosy and gloomy,                   In with de Blasio and goodbye to Bloomy.                           With citywide hope cautiously mingled with doubt,             We’ll soon know down here whether to smile or to shout.    Some fresh air to breathe, perhaps, while out o

by mike simpson / 9h 

Nite Cap 12-26-13 #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

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Big bucks to be made in K-12 ed

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Big bucks to be made in K-12 ed: Big bucks to be made in K-12 edThere's big money to be made in K-12 education, especially in the technology area. So says the New Schools Venture Fund which bankrolls much of what passes for school reform these days. According to the NSVF blog,"Venture investment in K12 education technology was up 6% in 2013 totaling $452 mi

by mike simpson / 8min 

Five New Year’s Resolutions for Teachers | InterACT

Five New Year’s Resolutions for Teachers | InterACT: Five New Year’s Resolutions for TeachersDECEMBER 26, 2013by David B. CohenLooking ahead to the new year often involves taking stock of where we’re at and how we might improve – as people, and as teachers. Drawing my inspiration from the National Board’s Five Core Propositions, I offer the following suggestions for resolutions that I think would

by mike simpson / 1h 

What kind of Jihad is This? Gulen Charter Schools in America -Turkish probe marks AKP-Gulen power struggle

Turkish probe marks AKP-Gulen power struggle - Features - Al Jazeera English: About Gulen charter schoolsIn 1999, members of the Gulen Movement, a secretive and controversial cult-like religious group,opened their first charter school in the U.S. (in Ohio). Rapid expansion of the Gulen Movement's network has resulted in the largest charter school chain in the U.S.  (See my guest article in the Was

by mike simpson / 2h 

12-26-13 Jersey Jazzman

Jersey Jazzman: Give @digby56 & @EduShyster Some Holiday LoveThere are several bloggers I look to for inspiration. Diane Ravitch, of course, is the heart of the edu-bloggosphere. Bruce Baker forces us all to raise our games. Darcie remains a moral compass for me; Blue Jersey keeps me up to date on the state news. Bob Braun has the chops that only come from years of practicing journalism. And e

by mike simpson / 3h 

Ignorati Honor Roll 2013: Pundit Version | School Finance 101

Ignorati Honor Roll 2013: Pundit Version | School Finance 101: Ignorati Honor Roll 2013: Pundit VersionPosted on December 26, 20130       1 VotesAs 2013 comes to an end, it’s time to review some of the more ridiculous claims and arguments made by pundits and politicians over the course of the past year.A definition of “Ignorati” is important here:Elites who, despite their power, wealth, or influen

by mike simpson / 3h 

Hobsbaum’s ‘Cities and Insurrections’ - Online University of the Left

Hobsbaum’s ‘Cities and Insurrections’ - Online University of the Left: Hobsbaum’s ‘Cities and Insurrections’Posted by carl4davidsonEric J. Hobsbawm is a well-known UK-based Marxist academic historian. This article is an adaptation of a chapter that was originally published in his book Revolutionaries (London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1973).===========Cities and InsurrectionsBy Eric J. HobsbawmWh

by mike simpson / 3h 

FERPA does not protect student privacy, and never did | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

FERPA does not protect student privacy, and never did | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: Crazy Crawfish's BlogZesty Louisiana Education PoliticsFERPA does not protect student privacy, and never didPosted on December 26, 20130I’ve been debating for a few months on how to tackle this topic in a way that is both informative and engaging while providing firmly grounded sources that back up my analysis. I’ve fin

by mike simpson / 3h 

Fitch Rates Sacramento City Unified School District JPFA, CA's LRBs 'A'; Outlook to Negative

Fitch Rates Sacramento City Unified School District JPFA, CA's LRBs 'A'; Outlook to Negative: Fitch Rates Sacramento City Unified School District JPFA, CA's LRBs 'A'; Outlook to Negative12/26/2013 | 01:46pm US/EasternRecommend:0Fitch Ratings assigns an 'A' rating to the following Sacramento City Unified School District Joint Powers Financing Authority, California bonds:--$40.8 million lease revenu

by mike simpson / 3h 

The Educated Reporter: Measuring the Impact of More - and Better - Time For Learning

The Educated Reporter: Measuring the Impact of More - and Better - Time For Learning: THE EDUCATED REPORTERCOMMENTARY ON EDUCATION COVERAGE, WRITING AND A FEW OTHER THINGSTHURSDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2013Measuring the Impact of More - and Better - Time For LearningThis week we're catching up with sessions from EWA's National Seminar, held at Stanford University. Today's guest blogger is Debbie Cafazzo o

by mike simpson / 3h 

Poverty doesn’t matter! Really? | Seattle Education

Poverty doesn’t matter! Really? | Seattle Education: Poverty doesn’t matter! Really?“Homelessness and poverty up close is hard. It smells, actually in my room this year, it takes from the very fiber of a being, it is destructive to those that stand in uselessness looking as well as those suffering it. I’m dealing with a woman and her child suffering terribly now — she should never be alone in this

by mike simpson / 4h 

12-26-13 Wait What Kicking the can down the road….

Wait What?: Kicking the can down the road….Governor Malloy styleAs the end of 2013 approaches we are reminded that unlike Gepetto’s wooden puppet, many politicians have taken lying and misrepresenting the truth to unprecedented levels, without suffering the ignominious consequences that affected Pinocchio. If that wasn’t the case, Connecticut’s Governor Dannel Malloy would be having an extremely h

by mike simpson / 4h 

12-26-13 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: The Fordham Strong Arm of Letter Grades for State StandardsIn my previous post, The Importance of Common Core for Nationally-pervasive Ed Reform, I cite the 2009 Broad Foundation report in which a number of major reformer “participants” told America of the reforms it might expect to be in place in 2012– one of which is the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Among the list of “pa

by mike simpson / 4h 

I Will Be The Muhammad Ali Of Education Writing (My Top Ten Posts of 2013) - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson

I Will Be The Muhammad Ali Of Education Writing (My Top Ten Posts of 2013) - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: I Will Be The Muhammad Ali Of Education Writing (My Top Ten Posts of 2013)by JOSE VILSON on DECEMBER 26, 2013in JOSEGeorge Foreman vs. Muhammad AliDear reader,The reason I haven’t spoken about Kanye West all year is because, in some ways, I’ve occupied a similar space that he does in edu

by mike simpson / 4h 

The Fordham Strong Arm of Letter Grades for State Standards | deutsch29

The Fordham Strong Arm of Letter Grades for State Standards | deutsch29: The Fordham Strong Arm of Letter Grades for State StandardsDecember 26, 2013In my previous post, The Importance of Common Core for Nationally-pervasive Ed Reform, I cite the 2009 Broad Foundation report in which a number of major reformer “participants” told America the reforms it might expect to be in place in 2012– one of w

by mike simpson / 4h 

Government Shutdown Beats Ravitch, Common Core as Hottest Topics - Politics K-12 - Education Week

Government Shutdown Beats Ravitch, Common Core as Hottest Topics - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Government Shutdown Beats Ravitch, Common Core as Hottest TopicsBy Alyson Klein on December 26, 2013 1:01 PMWe're coming into the home stretch of 2013—a rollercoaster year on the federal budget front, and a pivotal point for the administration's Elementary and Secondary Education Act waivers and its

by mike simpson / 4h 

12-26-13 Jersey Jazzman: The Reformy Addiction to Closing Schools, Newark Style

Jersey Jazzman: The Reformy Addiction to Closing Schools, Newark Style: The Reformy Addiction to Closing Schools, Newark StyleOne of Barack Obama's signature education policies is to close "failing" schools. Mostly, I imagine, because actually fixing a "failing" school requires a lot of work and money - things the president, good "moderate" that he is, has never reall

by mike simpson / 5h 

How Education Expert Views Miss the Mark on Low Income Students

How Education Expert Views Miss the Mark on Low Income Students « NewsTaco: How Education Expert Views Miss the Mark on Low Income StudentsBy Ray Salazar, NewsTacoAs my students develop their argumentative writing, I push them to ask themselves “What are the implications of my argument?”  In other words, if our high-school community accepts their idea, what will the argument encourage the audience

by mike simpson / 5h 

2013 in Review Part Two: The Year the Common Core Began to Unravel - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

2013 in Review Part Two: The Year the Common Core Began to Unravel - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: 2013 in Review Part Two: The Year the Common Core Began to UnravelBy Anthony Cody on December 25, 2013 3:05 PMIt was supposed to be easy. The campaign was one of shock and awe, intended to overpower and silence anyone with the nerve to criticize. Most of us first heard of the Common Co

by mike simpson / 5h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trib's "magic moment" of 2013. Mine too.

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trib's "magic moment" of 2013. Mine too.: Trib's "magic moment" of 2013. Mine too.This from today's Chicago Tribune:Protesters of 'Persepolis'-gateMarch 15, Lane Tech College Prep High School, ChicagoMassive school closings, epic teacher layoffs. Chicago Public Schools officials had plenty to answer for in 2013. So much that their decision in the

by mike simpson / 6h 

Amid mass school closings, a slow death for some Chicago schools | MSNBC

Amid mass school closings, a slow death for some Chicago schools | MSNBC:  Walter Dyett High School, pictured here, is being phased out by the Chicago Public Schools. Since 2001, the district has closed, phased-out or turned around about 150 schools. The vast majority of the students affected by the school closures have been poor or African American.TRYMAINE LEE FOR MSNBCAmid mass school closings,

by mike simpson / 6h 

Common Core: We once wanted to beat the Soviets. Now, we are... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com

Common Core: We once wanted to beat the Soviets. Now, we are... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: Common Core: We once wanted to beat the Soviets. Now, we are following their lead in education. COMMENT(1) 0 5 3 8View Larger Marching in lockstep toward Common CorePrevious PostsCommon Core tests: Will Georgia's go-it-alone version be PARCC like or PARCC lite? December 23, 2013Is it possible no one at Gr

by mike simpson / 7h 

Sacramento News & Review - Bee uncritical, SCUSD loves lawyers - Bites - Opinions - December 26, 2013

Sacramento News & Review - Bee uncritical, SCUSD loves lawyers - Bites - Opinions - December 26, 2013: Bee uncritical, SCUSD loves lawyersBy Cosmo Garvin cosmog@newsreview.comThis article was published on 12.26.13.What’s the old cliché? A big lie is more easily believed than a small one. Something like that. It came immediately to mind when the mayor and company unveiled yet another stupendous

by mike simpson / 7h 

Morning Wink 12-26-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Teacher: Child Abuse in My ClassroomMark Naison, co-founder of the BATs, sent me this story by a teacher: The Child Abuse Imposed by Testing: By Bronx Teacher Chris Whitney I had a student leav

by mike simpson / 7h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Teacher: Child Abuse in My ClassroomMark Naison, co-founder of the BATs, sent me this story by a teacher: The Child Abuse Imposed by Testing: By Bronx Teacher Chris Whitney I had a student leave my classroom in an ambulance last year during the middle of a practice test. He was having an asthma attack brought on by panic. He kept s

by mike simpson / 7h 

12-26-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Quote Of The Day: “Teaching Isn’t Rocket Science. It’s Harder”In case you haven’t already seen the excellent article in Slate by Bryan Fuller titled Teaching Isn’t Rocket Science. It’s Harder, here’ an excerpt: It’s definitely worth checking out the entire piece….by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h hide  //  saveGuest Post From Nationa

by mike simpson / 7h 

12-26-13 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet: Islamic cleric linked to U.S. charter schools involved in Turkey’s political dramaA Muslim cleric who lives in seclusion in Pennsylvania and has been linked to a network of more than 135 public charter schools in the United States is believed to be deeply involved in the political drama that is unfolding in his home country of Turkey. The reclusive cleric is Fethullah Gulen, who

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-26-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: The Etymology of "Miracle": On the Politics of LiesMy doctoral work was a trifecta of marginalized scholarship since I attained an EdD (shunned second cousin to the PhD) by preparing a qualitative dissertation (closeted step-cousin of the sainted quantitative paradigm)—an educational biography (a mish-mash of a non-academic field, education, with a popular but lowly liter

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-26-13 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Common Core’s “Dishonest Debate” and Its “Convoluted and Frustrating Curricula”The efforts of republican governors and state policymakers to advance and implement Common Core is becoming more arduous by the day. Especially when they are receiving fire from their own side

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-26-13 teacherken at Daily Kos: Public Education Under Siege

Daily Kos: Public Education Under Siege: Public Education Under SiegeIn an important postrevolutionary essay on education, eighteenth-century journalist Samuel Harrison Smith wrote that the free play of intelligence was central to a democracy, and that individual intellectual growth was intimately connected to broad-scale intellectual development to the "general diffusion of knowledge" a

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-26-13 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): Education Reform: Our Field, Our Voices Simply Do Not Matter“I am an invisible man,” announces the unnamed narrator of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man, adding: I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me….When they approach me they see only my surrou

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-26-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Governor Cuomo Is Vulnerable Over CCSS, APPR and InBloomA very interesting item in Fred Dicker's NY Post column:Cuomo has privately told groups of “progressive’’ Assembly Democrats that despite his election-year plans to reduce some state taxes, he’s sure he can find funds to help soon-to-be-Mayor Bill de Blasio deliver on his pledge of universal pre-K throughout the city. C

by mike simpson / 8h 

Math topics that need to be put out of their misery. Part 3: Radian measure | Gary Rubinstein's Blog

Math topics that need to be put out of their misery. Part 3: Radian measure | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: Math topics that need to be put out of their misery. Part 3: Radian measureSo far I’ve written about two topics I feel contribute little to math education.  They don’t inspire students to want to learn more about math.  They are not topics that are ‘useful’ in real life or as a prerequisite to oth

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-25-13 THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG 2013 Best of the Blog — Whole Child Education

2013 Best of the Blog: 15–11 — Whole Child Education: 2013 Best of the Blog: 15–11In the past year, experts and practitioners in the field, whole child partners, and ASCD staff have shared their stories, ideas, and resources to help you ensure that each child, in each school, in each community is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged and prepared for success in higher educati

by mike simpson / 8h 

Year in Review: Public Education | The Texas Tribune

Year in Review: Public Education | The Texas Tribune: Year in Review: Public Educationby Morgan SmithDec. 26, 20131Comment Comment Republish Email Tweet RecommendEnlargeAs 2013 comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the most important Texas stories of the year gone by.Let’s say this outright: 2013 ranks as one of the most significant years for public education policy in Texas in the last

by mike simpson / 8h 

SKrashen: Arne Duncan responds to Krashen criticisms, sort of

SKrashen: Arne Duncan responds to Krashen criticisms, sort of (Jan 4, 2011) on The Situation Room (CNN): Arne Duncan responds to Krashen criticisms, sort of (Jan 4, 2011) on The Situation Room (CNN)Wolf Blitzer asks Arne Duncan about my criticisms of his Washington Post article. Duncan responds, sort of. My comments are included. Duncan Washington Post article at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-

by mike simpson / 8h 

empathyeducates – Recovery School District Will Be Country’s First All-Charter District

empathyeducates – Recovery School District Will Be Country’s First All-Charter District: Recovery School District Will Be Country’s First All-Charter DistrictRecovery School District Superintendent Patrick Dobard talks to students at James Weldon Johnson Elementary School in New Orleans in 2012. That school is now closed. Dobard announced Thursday that the system will close its final traditional s

by mike simpson / 8h 

'We Are Creating Walmarts of Higher Education' - Timothy Pratt - The Atlantic

'We Are Creating Walmarts of Higher Education' - Timothy Pratt - The Atlantic: 'We Are Creating Walmarts of Higher Education'As colleges feel pressure to graduate more students for less money, professors worry that the value of an education may be diminished. Universities in South Dakota, Nebraska, and other states have cut the number of credits students need to graduate. A proposal in Florida wou

by mike simpson / 8h 

Nation's educators watching new NYC mayor's moves on charter schools | Al Jazeera America

Nation's educators watching new NYC mayor's moves on charter schools | Al Jazeera America: Nation's educators watching new NYC mayor's moves on charter schoolsby Daniel A. Medina December 26, 2013 5:00AM ETBill de Blasio vowed to end 'two-class system,' making charter school supporters nervous about drastic changesTopics: Education Charter Schools New YorkSpencer Platt/Getty ImagesNEW YORK — In ea

by mike simpson / 8h 

The Educated Reporter: Gaming: The Future of School Assessments?

The Educated Reporter: Gaming: The Future of School Assessments?: Gaming: The Future of School Assessments?This week we're catching up with sessions from EWA's National Seminar, held at Stanford University. Today's guest blogger is Caitlin Fertal of (Willoughby, Ohio)News-Herald.  Stream any session from National Seminar in your browser, or subscribe via RSS or iTunes. For more on classroom techno

by mike simpson / 8h 

NYC Educator: Is Reformy John King's Decree Worse Than NY Times Thinks?

NYC Educator: Is Reformy John King's Decree Worse Than NY Times Thinks?: Is Reformy John King's Decree Worse Than NY Times Thinks?There's a piece in the NY Times all about the issues with the new evaluation system. They're the paper of record, so it must be accurate. I've no idea how large the school is, but I'm sure the Times reporter carefully considered its application to large schools, and und

by mike simpson / 8h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Belmont's Blues

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Belmont's Blues: Belmont's BluesRoybal Learning CenterThere's a pretty good piece in yesterday's L.A. Timesabout the trials and tribulations of the once-giant Belmont High School. I wrote extensively about Belmont more than a decade ago, opposing the board's decision to replace the 5,000 (mostly Mexican) student school with another humongous school-- the Belmont Lear

by mike simpson / 8h 

YESTERDAY

SKrashen: A Fundamental Principle: No Unnecessary Testing

SKrashen: A Fundamental Principle: No Unnecessary Testing (NUT): A Fundamental Principle: No Unnecessary Testing (NUT)A Fundamental Principle: No Unnecessary Testing (NUT) Stephen Krashen(An earlier version of this paper was published in The Colorado Communicator vol 32,1. Page 7, 2008)Summary: Do not invest billions on new standards and tests. Instead, work on improving the NAEP to get a picture

by mike simpson / 19h 

How We Define Racism, and Why |

How We Define Racism, and Why |: How We Define Racism, and WhyDecember 25, 2013 in StudentsA little while ago Suey Park was getting slammed on Twitter by folks who took issue with her definition of racism, and I decided to say a few words on the subject. My mentions immediately blew up, and folks started asking for a Storify, so here’s a home-grown, cut-and-pasted version. It’s lightly edited, and

by mike simpson / 19h 

5 Ideas To Bring Parents Into The Learning Process | Connected Principals

5 Ideas To Bring Parents Into The Learning Process | Connected Principals: 5 Ideas To Bring Parents Into The Learning Processby George Couros • December 26, 2013 • 0 Comments]cc licensed ( BY SA ) flickr photo shared by Spiro Bolos“The role of parents in the education of their children cannot be overestimated.” ~UnknownWhen you ask parents from any country in the world, what they ask their childre

by mike simpson / 22h 

Nite Cap 12-25-13 #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 CAPMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Christmas QuotablesMike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Christmas Quotables: Christmas QuotablesChristmas in WashingtonJonathan Merritt in The Atlantic: "If he were taking the red-eye flight from San Francisco to New

by mike simpson / 1d 

2nd Banana 12-21-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post2nd Banana 12-14-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 2nd Banana 12-7-13 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

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