Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Nite Cap 1-7-14 #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




The CORE Waiver--the End of Local Control
Coalition member Lori Jabloski gives us some of the details of the CORE waiver that Sacramento City Unified is a part of with a consortium of districts who applied to the US Dept. of Ed for relief from the requirements of NoChildLeftBehind.  This is an unprecented set of policies that would end the local control of our school district. The waiver would  take SCUSD out of  the state of California a
by Kate_Lenox / 1min

Digedu riding the Common Core Express with Tullman's connections
Glenn Tullman and RahmWhen it comes to cashing in, there's nothing common about the Common Core.digedu is a three-year-old company that uses tablets to "help schools customize courses" to students who often are at different academic levels. digedu is now used by 5,000 students in more than 40 schools in 12 states. About half the users are in Chicago, where the largest customer is Lane Te
by Mike Klonsky / 28min 


Live coverage tonight: LAUSD board decides on vacancy
Will the LA Unified school board decide to appoint a replacement or call a special election to fill the board vacancy? Find out by tuning in here. LA School Report will carry live coverage of tonight’s school board meeting. Click here for a livestream feed of the proceedings, which are scheduled to begin at 6:15 p.m..  
6min 



Puerto Rico Teachers Set to Strike Over Pension Benefit Cuts
Puerto Rico public school teachers have called a 48-hour strike starting Jan. 14, when classes resume, to protest the overhaul of their pension system. The Broad Front in Defense of the Retirement System for Teachers, which gathers different unions and associations within the sector, on Tuesday approved the strike to force the government to back off the idea of revamping the pensions. The teacher
32min 



4 Ways To Learn From Other People’s Expertise
A few months ago I was planning to attend a principal’s meeting near my state capital. Since I was going alone, I asked a principal friend from a neighboring district if we could ride together. Little did I know how much I would be learning! We spent the ride there and back sharing insights and stories from our schools. It was such a great conversation, I opened my Ipad and starting taking notes.
by William Parker / 1h 


1-7-14 With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs
With A Brooklyn Accent: Not All Conservatives Hate Unions and Support School Privatization!Throw Away Your Stereoptypes-- A Reminder from NY Teacher Patty Dobrasz Munnikheysen that Not All Conservatives Are Advocates of School Privatization!There are MANY, MANY of us conservatives that are pro-union, anti-core, anti-high stakes tests. We only see varied politics as the cause of CC/high stakes test
by mike simpson / 38min 
Teachers For Social Justice: Forum on Charter Expansion - Tuesday Jan 14th at 6:30pm
Teachers For Social Justice: Forum on Charter Expansion - Tuesday Jan 14th at 6:30pm: Forum on Charter Expansion - Tuesday Jan 14th at 6:30pmJANUARY 7, 2014 LEAVE A COMMENTPublic Forum on Charter ExpansionCPS closed 50 district schools and cut district budgets by $100 million.Now they want to open up 31 charters in just two years!Is this right for the children and communities that CPS is supposed
by mike simpson / 44min 
SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 1-7-13 #RealEdTalk #edreform
Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana BreakDOE’s performance assessments fall shortTeachers in the English department at Brooklyn Technical High School say that the DOE’s implementation of a new English Language Arts test — part of a series of performance assessments in the new teacher evaluation system — is robbing them of valuable instructional time. Calling the exam “poorly written and grossly mis
by mike simpson / 1h 
Are Progressive Critics of Common Core "Getting Played" By Enemies of Public Education? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Are Progressive Critics of Common Core "Getting Played" By Enemies of Public Education? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: "Getting Played" By Enemies of Public Education?By Anthony Cody on January 7, 2014 3:33 PMToday, Politico offers an analysis of conservative's organized opposition to theCommon Core which points out that the end game for many of these Koch-funde
by mike simpson / 2h 
1-7-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Tuesday Open ThreadAn event perhaps of interest to you when we think about privacy and data - Town Hall is hosting Joshua Klein and his talk, Reputation and Your Online Footprint.  It's this Thursday the 9th at 7:30 pm.  Cost is $5.  Got old electronics?  Windermere in Ballard is having an electronics recylcing day on Saturday the 11th from 10 am to 2 pm.  A good t
by mike simpson / 3h 
1-7-14 THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG - ED Pulse Poll Results - Whole Child Education
The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education: ED Pulse Poll Results: What Is the Most Important Task That Could Be Accomplished by Teaching Using Essential Questions?ASCD continually seeks to provide solutions to the challenges that face educators of all levels. Recently, the ASCD SmartBrief ED Pulse poll asked readers about tasks that can be achieved by employing essential questions. In their rec
by mike simpson / 4h 
Ms. Katie's Ramblings: Chicago’s Arctic Freeze Brings Up the Question: What is the Purpose of Schools?
Ms. Katie's Ramblings: Chicago’s Arctic Freeze Brings Up the Question: What is the Purpose of Schools?: Chicago’s Arctic Freeze Brings Up the Question: What is the Purpose of Schools?An interesting discussion broke out over the recent announcement by the Chicago Public Schools to keep schools open despite a dangerous extreme cold snap hitting the city, a decision which they later reversed thanks i
by mike simpson / 5h 
A Pivotal Year For Education, What Now?
A Pivotal Year For Education, What Now?: A Pivotal Year For Education, What Now?All the reviews of last year’s top education news stories are out and the consensus view is 2013 was a “pivotal year” for the nation’s education policy, to quote Texas superintendent John Kuhn. The pivot from what to what has various interpretations, but 2013 was a year when “an education uprising” made many left-leani
by mike simpson / 5h 
Journalist & Parent: Common Core Math Leaves Me Stumped | Truth in American Education
Journalist & Parent: Common Core Math Leaves Me Stumped | Truth in American Education: Journalist & Parent: Common Core Math Leaves Me StumpedFiled in Common Core State Standards by Shane Vander Hart on January 7, 2014 • 0 Comments272Instead of stacking when multiplying students are taught to use methods such as the lattice method see above.Yesterday I read an op/ed by Jonathan Ellis, a po
by mike simpson / 5h 
The Proven Way to Fight Income Inequality: Education - Josh Kraushaar - The Atlantic
The Proven Way to Fight Income Inequality: Education - Josh Kraushaar - The Atlantic: The Proven Way to Fight Income Inequality: EducationProgressives talk a lot about how to encourage economic mobility, but they are leaving big gaps in their education platforms.For progressives, the buzzy phrase of the moment is income inequality. President Obama plans to make it the focus of his upcoming State o
by mike simpson / 6h 
Teach For America: A Return to the Evidence (The Sequel) | Cloaking Inequity
Teach For America: A Return to the Evidence (The Sequel) | Cloaking Inequity: Teach For America: A Return to the Evidence (The Sequel)The sequel to the 2010 Teach For America: A Review of the Evidence was released by the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) today. The new policy report is entitled Teach For America: A Return to the Evidence. I have included the citation, official NEPC press rel
by mike simpson / 6h 
1-7-14 The Answer Sheet
The Answer Sheet: A sobering way to start 2014In the current issue of The American Prospect, Richard Rothstein reviews Patrick Sharkey’s “Stuck in Place,” a 2013 book that helps explain the persistent failure of educational policy to spur the upward mobility of low-income African American youth. Here’s a piece on the findings in the book by Rothstein, research associate at the Economic Policy Inst
by mike simpson / 7h 
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Tuesday, January 7, 2014
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: EdWatch 2014: Top 12 education issues in the new yearEducation HeadlinesTuesday, January 7, 2014FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription policies.Anaheim High School violated AP exam rulesOfficials at the 3,200-student Ana
by mike simpson / 7h 
Morning Wink 1-7-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-7-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Will Fight Against Common Core Encourage Charters, Vouchers?As readers of the blog know, critics of the Common Core span the political and ideological spectrum. So do supporters. Many who conside
by mike simpson / 7h 
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-7-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Will Fight Against Common Core Encourage Charters, Vouchers?As readers of the blog know, critics of the Common Core span the political and ideological spectrum. So do supporters. Many who consider themselves liberals oppose the imposition of grade-by-grade standards that are inflexible and take away teachers’ ability to tailor inst
by mike simpson / 7h 
What I’ve Learned: Classrooms Need Technology But Nothing Beats a Great Teacher | NEA Today
What I’ve Learned: Classrooms Need Technology But Nothing Beats a Great Teacher | NEA Today: What I’ve Learned: Classrooms Need Technology But Nothing Beats a Great TeacherJanuary 7, 2014 by twalker  Filed under Featured News, Top StoriesLeave a CommentEducators may spend their careers preparing lessons, but often the most memorable are those they learn themselves.  With that in mind, NEA Today as
by mike simpson / 7h 
1-7-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Alan Singer, Mixed Feelings on Fariña, de Blasio.... as far as I can see, Carmen Fariña has closer ties to the top 2% income bracket than the other 98% of the population and has always been willing to play political games... It remains unclear to me what Fariña has to offer the working class and poor Black and Latino students who have been left behind in the Bloomberg years....Ala
by mike simpson / 7h 
1-7-14 Wait What?
Wait What?: Vallas resigns as Bridgeport School Superintendent… Again!It is all pretty simple.  The contract between Paul Vallas and the Bridgeport Board of Education states that if the Bridgeport Board of Education fires Vallas, they must pay him a full year’s salary of $234,000 plus benefits.  If on the other hand Vallas decides to leave his position all he need to is provide […]The post Vallas
by mike simpson / 8h 
Who's Who in the California Ed Reform Business | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education
Who's Who in the California Ed Reform Business | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: Who's Who in the California Ed Reform Businesspublished by Kate_Lenox on Mon, 01/06/2014 - 1:16pmFrom Washington D.C. to Sacramento school districts, California politicians are influencing education policy. California is such a blue state, that many a person espousing views once formerly held only b
by mike simpson / 8h 
His Teacher Decided He's Not Worth the Effort - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
His Teacher Decided He's Not Worth the Effort - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: His Teacher Decided He's Not Worth the EffortBy Nancy Flanagan on January 6, 2014 7:52 PMOn the day after Christmas, I received a heart-wounding message from a cherished teacher-buddy, catching up during the holidays by e-mail. She began by sharing a wonderful story: her 5th grader was asked to cant
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Quantitative Research of 2013 that Reflects Reality, Part IIThe inherent flaws of attaching stakes to value-added estimates of teacher effectiveness were obvious from the beginning. Even if a statistical model magically found a way to control for poverty, race, and other factors, there was no guarantee that systems would adopt the model that was most fair. Even if an algorithm was
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-14 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: The Republican Bill to Stop Common Core in FloridaThe Orlando Sentinel‘s  Leslie Postal reports that opponents of Common Core are beginning an advertising campaign in southwest Florida: Opponents of Common Core in Florida today launched radio ads they hope will spread th
by mike simpson / 8h 
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.: 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 scienc
by mike simpson / 8h 
teacherken at Daily Kos 1-7-14: : Putting students at risk for testing?
Daily Kos: Putting students at risk for testing?:  Putting students at risk for testing?The weather in the Washington DC Metro area is dangerous this morning - temperatures at best in the single digits, with the wind having wind chills below zero. If you check the list of school closings, in Virginia the vast majority of the school systems are closed, with several (notably Arlington and Alexandria
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-14 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: LA SCHOOL BOARD TO DEBATE FILLING LAMOTTE’S SEAT – Tonight at 6:15/Live on KLCS  Annie Gilbertson | | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/K1BGJP January 6th, 2014, 6:15am  ::  The board of the Los Angeles Unified School District on Tuesday will discuss how to fill the seat left vacant after the death of Marguerite LaMotte. They'll weigh two options: a
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Evidence Refutes TFA ExpansionTeach for America: A Return to the Evidence, by Julian Vasquez Heilig and Su Jin Jez, may be too optimistic in its subtitle (not sure we’ve ever lingered at all with the evidence in order to return to it), but that aside, this report offers yet another clear message that TFA is far more agenda- than evidence- […]1 by plthomasedd / 1h hide  //  saveSh
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): Behind the Advocacy: TFA Remains Mostly Spin, DistractionSchools Matter: Behind the Advocacy: TFA Remains Mostly Spin, Distraction1 by plthomasedd / 1h 1-6-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdDthe becoming radical | A Place for
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: De Blasio Vs. CuomoInevitable that Sheriff Andy would want to make sure Bill de Blasio knows he's the boss.Cuomo says he can get an extra $250 million for full-day pre-k funding without raising taxes - a kind of one year windfall in the budget.De Blasio says the funding needs to be sustainable and over a period of years - in short, taxes need to be raised on individuals maki
by mike simpson / 8h 
Report: LA Schools' wifi networks may not be ready for tests | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC
Report: LA Schools' wifi networks may not be ready for tests | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCC: Report: LA Schools' wifi networks may not be ready for testsAnnie Gilbertson | January 7th, 2014, 6:00amMaya Sugarman/KPCCAs the board of the Los Angeles Unified School District considers a request by Superintendent John Deasy to buy 67,500 more iPads so students can take new digital state tests in the spring,
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Infographics About The World’s Different CulturesHere are new additions to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Different Cultures: Are you middle class? Defining the middle class around the world is from The Christian Science Monitor. by Lemon.ly. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest inform
by mike simpson / 8h 
On Small School Networks & Democracy - Bridging Differences - Education Week
On Small School Networks & Democracy - Bridging Differences - Education Week: On Small School Networks & DemocracyBy Deborah Meier on January 7, 2014 9:44 AMDear Robert,Happy New Year!I've been trying to imagine a "system" that could work for the kind of liberty within the context of democracy that we both seek. What kind of compromise is possible that meets each of our minimum r
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-13 Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": “Listening To Parents With Our Heads And Hearts”Listening To Parents With Our Heads And Hearts is my latest Education Week Teacher post. This is the first post in a three-part series on parent engagement. Today, Katy Ridnouer, Janice Fialka, and Joe Mazza provide their guest responsesby Larry Ferlazzo / 1h The Best Articles
by mike simpson / 8h 
1-7-13 Education Research Report Report Examines Teach For America
Education Research Report: Report Examines Teach For AmericaTeach For America (TFA) is almost a quarter-century old. Since its launch, the program has experienced phenomenal growth, both in the numbers of participants and in the financial support it has received, and it has enjoyed extensive favorable publicity. Teach For America: A Return to the Evidence, a report authored by professors Julian Va
by mike simpson / 8h 
New performance rules for charter schools raise risks of... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com
New performance rules for charter schools raise risks of... | Get Schooled | www.ajc.com: New performance rules for charter schools raise risks of revocation Previous PostsForget the Finns. Listen to the Swedes: There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.January 6, 2014Barge to Gov. Deal: We aren't funding education at the same rates we did nearly 30 years agoJanuary 6, 2014Public school magnet lo
by mike simpson / 8h 
Should California Embrace Common Core? My Response to Bill Honig | deutsch29
Should California Embrace Common Core? My Response to Bill Honig | deutsch29: Should California Embrace Common Core? My Response to Bill HonigJanuary 7, 2014On January 7, 2014, California Instructional Quality Chair Bill Honig published a letter on Diane Ravitch’s blog in which he carefully details his reasons for supporting the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in California. (Copy of letter )In
by mike simpson / 8h 
Preschool, teacher training and student health funding needed to offset child poverty, report says | EdSource Today
Preschool, teacher training and student health funding needed to offset child poverty, report says | EdSource Today: Preschool, teacher training and student health funding needed to offset child poverty, report saysJanuary 6th, 2014 | Add a Comment | By Jane Meredith Adams2It’s far too soon to tell if the state’s new education law will improve outcomes for the neediest students, but more investmen
by mike simpson / 9h 
empathyeducates – Dumbing America Down
empathyeducates – Dumbing America Down: Dumbing America DownPhotograph; Graduating students at commencement ceremony at Ohio State University on May 5, 2013.The Right wants us to think higher education has no value.By Susan J. Douglas | Originally Published at In These Times. January 3, 2014Among the many visionary goals of our nation’s right wing—impoverish older people, starve the poor, deny cli
by mike simpson / 9h 
Well-being of California children lags, according to new study - Inside Bay Area
Well-being of California children lags, according to new study - Inside Bay Area: Well-being of California children lags, according to new studyBy Theresa Harrington Contra Costa TimesPOSTED:   01/07/2014 12:00:00 AM PST OAKLAND -- California has much room for improvement as it strives to provide for the education, health care and welfare of children, particularly in making sure each child has aff
by mike simpson / 9h 
NY Principal Raises Alarm about Infringement of Children’s Rights by inBloom | janresseger
NY Principal Raises Alarm about Infringement of Children’s Rights by inBloom | janresseger: NY Principal Raises Alarm about Infringement of Children’s Rights by inBloomPosted on January 7, 2014 by janressegerIf you are my age and clearly remember 1971, you’ll likely have watched the fascinating video posted on the NY Times website this morning—the story of the burglars who stole—and shared with th
by mike simpson / 9h 
Two Kids That Are So Much Smarter Than E4E's Little Evan Stone southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Two Kids That Are So Much Smarter Than E4E's Little Evan StoneI participated in the picketing of statewide news organizations today, showing my moxie along withmy educational brethren at News12 headquarters in Yonkers.A goodly amount of educators, parents, and most importantly---children---were out in the near Arctic conditions letting those employed by News12 how
by mike simpson / 9h 
Shanker Blog » Revisiting The Issue Of Charter Schools And Special Education Students
Shanker Blog » Revisiting The Issue Of Charter Schools And Special Education Students: Revisiting The Issue Of Charter Schools And Special Education StudentsPosted by Matthew Di Carlo on January 7, 2014One of the most common claims against charter schools is that they “push out” special education students. The basic idea is that charter operators, who are obsessed with being able to show strong te
by mike simpson / 9h 
Teaching within a low SES school is bittersweet. | Ward 8 DC Teacher
Teaching within a low SES school is bittersweet. | Ward 8 DC Teacher: Teaching within a low SES school is bittersweet.Leave a commentTeaching is a demanding profession. The average teacher, regardless of his or her assignment, overcomes many obstacles throughout the school year. With that said, teaching within an economically disadvantaged neighborhood school is physically, mentally and emotionall
by mike simpson / 9h 
Loyalty is not accomplished by fawning sycophants. | Reclaim Reform
Loyalty is not accomplished by fawning sycophants. | Reclaim Reform: Loyalty is not accomplished by fawning sycophants.Posted on January 6, 2014by Ken PrevitiSeveral bloggers who seek to improve what public education is all about are under attack by those who demand “loyalty” to a leader who is weakly going in the wrong direction.Specifically, Fred Klonsky and others have pointed out the errors of
by mike simpson / 9h 
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Byrd-Bennett: 'It may have seemed like last minute, but it wasn't'
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Byrd-Bennett: 'It may have seemed like last minute, but it wasn't': Byrd-Bennett: 'It may have seemed like last minute, but it wasn't'Yesterday's press conference.That kind of exotic travel can only enhance Emanuel’s cartoon-like reputation among his harshest critics as “Mayor 1 Percent.” Which is apparently why Emanuel got a bit defensive when asked why he chose not
by mike simpson / 9h 
Is Bill Gates a hypocrite? | The Raw Story
Is Bill Gates a hypocrite? | The Raw Story: Is Bill Gates a hypocrite?By Ian Birrell, The GuardianTuesday, January 7, 2014 6:08 ESTTopics: MicrosoftThe world’s richest man is seen as a secular saint. But he should question the example Microsoft is setting by avoiding taxHe made his name as a sharp-elbowed businessman who rode the technology revolution with such style. But these days he is far more
by mike simpson / 9h 

YESTERDAY

Portland Public Schools and its teachers union must work out eight issues | OregonLive.com
Portland Public Schools and its teachers union must work out eight issues | OregonLive.com: Beaverton School District offers college planning nights to parents and studentsThe first college night gathering is January 21 at 7 p.m. at Southridge Highby Wendy Owen | wowe... / 8min Portland Public Schools teachers contract: Parents in NE Portland hope for smaller class sizes, better teacher pay as cla
by mike simpson / 22h hide  //  save
Nite Cap 1-6-14 #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 CAPGrants to Create Advanced Learning Opportunities - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)Grants to Create Advanced Learning Opportunities - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Grantsto Create Advanced Learning
by mike simpson / 23h 




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