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Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Chicago Teacher Explains the Infamous Viral PD Video She Shot - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Chicago Teacher Explains the Infamous Viral PD Video She Shot - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:



Chicago Teacher Explains the Infamous Viral PD Video She Shot

About two weeks ago I saw a video of a Chicago "professional development" session posted on Facebook. Shortly thereafter, it appeared here in Valerie Strauss' Answer Sheet blog, and has been viewed more than 126,000 times since then. Today, for the first time, I share the firsthand account of the teacher who recorded this session. Due to the tense environment in Chicago, she has asked to remain anonymous, but was connected to me by a trusted source who has worked for years in the Chicago schools.




Guest post by an anonymous Chicago teacher.
This now viral video shows a consultant modeling a lesson to be taught to 5th and 6th graders. The professional development is part of Chicago Public Schools' OS4 network. This network is a special project of CPS CEO Barbara Byrd Bennett that was funded for over $20 million even while 50 schools were being closed around the city.



Some have defended the video, saying that it may be out of context. I want to clarify that context. The presenter's script is meant to be repeated (and repeated) verbatim. She made it quite clear that fifth and sixth grade human beings are meant to say the exact words used in the video: "We will use accurately grade appropriate general academic and domain specific words and