All Week @ THE CHALK FACE
inBloom, BloomBoard, and the Undeniable, Corporate Reform “Need” for Student Data
On April 21, 2014, the Gates-funded data warehouse inBloom publicized that it was shutting down. The New York Times called it a “setback for the nearly $8 billion prekindergarten through 12th-grade education technology software market.” InBloom CEO Iwan Streichenberger calls it “a real missed opportunity for teachers and school districts seeking to improve student learning.” I’m sorry, but making
Back live next week. For now, enjoy a studio version with public school parent Michelle
Enjoy your brunches. Then, listen to mom Michelle discuss her multi-year test refusal for her children.
Rhetorical and/or philosophical question
Let’s say that your school, a low income area of an affluent major city, enrolls some of the most, shall we say, challenging upper elementary students you/I have ever seen. Day after day after day, they fight instruction and they fight among themselves. Their education is interrupted in what starts each day as minutes, then […]
Behind the Scenes on the Chicago Teachers Union Anti-Common Core Resolution
On May 7, 2014, the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) passed a resolution against the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). That evening, I wrote this post and included my own experience and conversations on Lewis’ position on CCSS. In the post, I figuratively note that this is now a battle between Lewis and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) […]
The First Official Review of My Book
The first posted review of my newly-released book, A Chronicle of Echoes, comes from retired Chicago teacher and fellow blogger Ken Previti. My book became available on Amazon.com on Sunday, April 27, 2014. I believe Ken bought it immediately. I know that he read it voraciously. Below is part of Ken’s review of A Chronicle of Echoes, including this […]
MAY 08
Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”
Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”. via Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”. Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
John Kuhn’s Eloquent Embrace of Public Education
Texas superintendent, John Kuhn, spoke to the Network for Public Education (NPE) about how “The public school system reveals the American heart.” He reminded us that “There isn’t a square inch of America that doesn’t fall inside some school district or another. There isn’t a pupil who can’t walk into their local school and demand […]
MAY 07
Weingarten Wants Common Core; Lewis Says We’re Done
In spring 1991, I completed my student teaching at Ascension High School in Gonzales, Louisiana. I taught Lord of the Flies, a creepy novel about the dangers of groupthink. So often when I think of the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Unity Caucus mindset of unquestioned (and unquestionable) allegiance to a single position on an issue impacting teachers […]
PISA Brainwashing: Measure, Rank, Repeat
PISA Brainwashing: Measure, Rank, Repeat. via PISA Brainwashing: Measure, Rank, Repeat.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
MAY 06
Duncan Flunks the “State led” Test with His Indiana NCLB Waiver Warning
Corporate reformers love tests. It seems that now, the test is on them. Is the federal government usurping state authority over public education? Consider the protestations that the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are not a federal mandate, as noted on the corestandards.org website: Fact: The Common Core is a state‐led effort that is not part of […]
If This Is Teacher Appreciation, I’m Glad It Is Only a Week
If This Is Teacher Appreciation, I’m Glad It Is Only a Week. via If This Is Teacher Appreciation, I’m Glad It Is Only a Week.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
MAY 05
Two More Excerpts from My Book, A Chronicle of Echoes
On April 27, 2014, I announced my book, A Chronicle of Echoes: Who’s Who in the Implosion of American Public Education. Here is the book description: “Corporate reform” is not reform at all. Instead, it is the systematic destruction of the foundational American institution of public education. The primary motivation behind this destruction is greed. Public education in […]
Diane Ravitch’s Grand Synthesis Explains the Collapse of Test-Driven School Reform
This spring, once again, Diane Ravitch nailed the spirit of our education age. Addressing the Network for Public Education (NPE) conference, Ravitch came with an uplifting message. Corporate reform has failed. A new era of school improvement is dawning. Many of its leaders come from today’s youth. They are the new “Greatest Generation.” Today’s young […]
Consumed by the Digital Divide
Consumed by the Digital Divide. via Consumed by the Digital Divide.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
“TAKING BACK OUR SCHOOLS” May 17th
Come and bring your families, your friends, and your colleagues to NYC on May 17th to show the world how we are from corporate “reformers”.http://saveourschoolsmarch.org/event/nyc-metro-spring-action/Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face
Guest Post: Joining Forces for Education report back from the CSUN Parents’ Forum
By Ellen Lubic, Director, Joining Forces for Education Recently, the CSUN Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership and the Los Angeles Education Partnership, presented a public meeting titled Seeking an Authentic Voice: The Role of Parents and Communities in School Change in L.A. The professor in charge, Dr. Susan Auerbach, had sent me a personal invitation […]
MAY 04
The 2008 Common Core Sales Job: Part Two
In 2008, the National Governors Association (NGA), the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and Achieve, Inc., released a report, Benchmarking for Success: Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-class Education. The report promotes a now all-too-familiar spectrum of so-called “reforms,” including establishing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), CCSS-aligned curriculum and assessment
“It’s poverty stupid!”
What follows below is nothing original. It’s simply another reminder. I know this is an unpopular thing to say in certain education circles but someone has to say it: Common Core State Standards and the Smarter Balanced Assessments will do little to nothing to help eliminate the achievement gap! Why? Because the achievement gap is really […]
Celebrities, Thank You, But…
Celebrities, Thank You, But…. via Celebrities, Thank You, But….Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
MAY 03
Oh the games teachers are forced to play for evaluation
Just a little insight on teacher evaluation. Many of the new teacher evaluation schemes are just that, schemes, scams, and games. I have to learn to play this. I have to learn to mislead, dissemble, and lie. That’s a skill that takes time. I’ve never been good at it. Never. Modern teacher evaluations are largely […]
The Amazon.com Ranking of My Book: Thank you!
I want to thank all who have purchased my newly-released book, A Chronicle of Echoes: Who’s Who in the Implosion of American Public Education. On April 27, 2014, my book became available on on Amazon.com. That was a Sunday night. As soon as I found out, I posted this announcement. The next day, I found out through a […]
Join us this Sunday at 6PM with NJ journo Bob Braun of @BobBraunsLedger
Join us this Sunday at 6PM with NJ journo Bob Braun of @BobBraunsLedger Listen to At the Chalk Face this Sunday at 6PM EST. Join the conversation with Bob Braun, and Tim and Shaun of course, by calling (805) 727-7111.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face Tagged: at the chalk face, bob braun, […]
Edweek blogger heads to guess where? College Board.
Education Weak and corporate reform journalist mouthpiece Michele McNeil is leaving Politics K-12: Starting in mid-May, I’ll be the director of assessment and accountability policy at the College Board Seriously. A non-educator as director of assessment policy? Who’s in charge of hiring, anyway? Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face Tagged: […]