Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

1-7-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

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





Ten minute drawing. Dibs.


Weingarten trashes value added measures. What do we do now?
Good news. Diane Ravitch’s blog yesterday reported that AFT President Randi Weingarten has changed her mind about value added measures in teacher evaluation. VAM uses test student test scores to measure teacher effectiveness. It is junk science. Weingarten’s reported new view may have a positive impact on future bargaining of AFT local contracts. I hope so. Many members of both the AFT and the NE
Man, that was awkward.
Watching the Mayor’s press conference was really awkward. First, let me point out that the Sun-Times photo of the Mayor and Barbara Byrd-Bennett is credited to Fran Spielman. The story is by Sun-Times reporter Art Golab. Fran is the city political reporter for the Sun-Times, but since the Sun-Times fired all their staff photographers, she has been reduced to taking iPhone pictures of BBB and the
Ken Previti. Loyalty, Chicago style.
Ken Previti’s blog: This reminds me of a situation I encountered during my 20 years as a supernumerary (an extra) at Lyric Opera of Chicago on one opening night backstage. Opening nights are attended by big-shots, politicians, donors, critics and even a few opera lovers with money for those extra-expensive Opening night tickets. On that night Carol Fox, the founder and director of the Lyric who wa

YESTERDAY

Todd Mertz’ pension news.
Friends and Colleagues I have not written since Dec. 5th.  Here are some noteworthy items since SB1 passed: Tribune Cartoon:  Portrays Teachers and State Employees as a Neutered Dog On December 4th, the day after the Senate and House passed SB1, which will steal between 30% and 50% of retirees and active teachers’ pensions, theChicago Tribune had the audacity to publish a truly tasteless cartoon. 
Todd Mertz. Pension news.
Friends and Colleagues I have not written since Dec. 5th. Here are some noteworthy items since SB1 passed: Tribune Cartoon: Portrays Teachers and State Employees as a Neutered Dog On December 4th, the day after the Senate and House passed SB1, which will steal between 30% and 50% of retirees and active teachers’ pensions, the Chicago Tribune had the audacity to publish a truly tasteless cartoon. W

1-6-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Welcome to Anchorage on the Lake.by Fred Klonsky / 2h 1-5-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacherFred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Sunday reads.Glen Brown. The sinners of the last round lie completely sealed in