All Week @ THE CHALK FACE
Tomorrow begins a multi-part series from #DougCo Colorado. #talkchalk #CrazyinCO
Here’s the listing for tomorrow’s show at 6PM EST: SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! @the chalk face radio presents “Crazy in Colorado.” We begin a series of Sunday shows devoted to the Rocky Mountain state’s embrace of the failed reform movement and also talking to those marginalized voices that have and are fighting back and suffering tremendous casualties. Joins us at 6 […]
Social networking usage and @ the chalk face
Pew recently updated their facts and information on social media/networking usage. Twitter, as far as I’m concerned, is a cesspool. According to Pew, roughly 19% of all online adults are using it. May seem like a lot. Yeah, it is. Pretty powerful stuff. But it’s not even close to where we @ the Chalk Face, and […]
Is the Tea Party a new Know Nothing Party?
Is the Tea Party a new Know Nothing Party?.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face
My Independence Day Post Featuring Kate Smith and God Bless America
For my July Fourth post, I would like to feature what is now a well-known American anthem as performed by the iconic Kate Smith, God Bless America. Written by Irvin Berlin and made famous by Smith, the song premiered in 1938. As noted in Parade magazine in August 2013: …When Irving Berlin rediscovered his old song[originally written in 1918 yet unused] […]
Expect a regular series on saving a school
As some of you may know, I walked away from a position in higher education to return to the elementary classroom. With roughly 13 years of experience in education, and two advanced degrees, even rather late in the hiring cycle, I had my pick of teaching positions in Washington, DC. I immediately chose, without hesitation, […]
This #TFA village is hilariously, sadly NOT a joke
Holy hell, I could have sworn this was a joke. It isn’t. A mixed residential/commercial real estate venture in Philly called “Oxford Mills” just opened that caters to the “education community.” Read this article to believe it. Paul Kihn, deputy superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, told the guests, “Oxford will be a great […]
JUL 03
Some More *Clarity* on BESE’s “Special Counsel,” Contract Limitations, and PARCC
July 03, 2014, has been quite the day for uplifting information in the Roemer/White vs. Jindal battle over Louisiana public education. In this post, I elaborate on three topics: 1) Roemer’s, White’s, and the BESE majority’s attempts to “retain special counsel” in order to sue the governor; 2) further limits placed upon LDOE and BESE regarding contracts, […]
Value-Added Scores Finally Explained by NM Education Department
This summer, an ongoing action by New Mexico teachers is to send in Inspection of Public Records requests (IPRAs, for short), asking the Public Education Department (PED) to send evidence that backs up teacher evaluation reports received this year, and the means used to calculate the scores. We’ve waited. We’ve waited some more. Finally, some of those […]
Attack on “Balanced Literacy” Is Attack on Professional Teachers, Research
Attack on “Balanced Literacy” Is Attack on Professional Teachers, Research. via Attack on “Balanced Literacy” Is Attack on Professional Teachers, Research.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
Said it before and we’ll say it again: #edreform is cheap @rocketshiped
Rocketship Education sputters. I guess they didn’t build that play too well as they flew it. An editorial from the WI Journal Sentinel pretty much sums it up. Rocketship relies on inexperienced teachers, almost one-third of whom quit last year. It saves money by having students as young as kindergarten spend one-quarter of their day […]
Can we exchange seats for something else?
It has started to rub me the wrong way when media outlets refer to increasing school enrollment as “seats.” From the NY Daily News: The city will offer 53,000 pre-K seats in the fall, up from about 20,000 this year. Many of the new seats will be in public schools, but the majority will be […]
JUL 02
White, BESE “Special Counsel” Subject to Attorney General Approval
If I learned anything from the July 01, 2014 BESE meeting, it is that Louisiana State Superintendent John White has latched onto the word clarity. Not that he offers any. Just that he spewed the word numerous times in the meeting. What is “clear” is that White is situating a lawsuit against Governor Bobby Jindal. To do […]
My Children, and Their Teachers, are Guilty
The following is a guest post from New Mexico parent, Wendy Small. Let me start by telling you that my children are guilty. Guilty of being born to middle class–not wealthy–parents, guilty of having special needs, guilty of being the kind of poor test takers who falsely convict their teachers of being bad at their […]
Fred Klonsky is correct about the #NEARA14
Says the retired teacher on his website: Yesterday NEA Board of Director from Illinois, Jim Grimes, told us that the leadership would present two New Business Items (NBIs) to the delegates. One addresses the issue of the use and misuse of standardized testing. The other one will call on local and state affiliates […]
JUL 01
Roemer, White, and BESE Majority Positioning to Sue Jindal
On July 01, 2014, I attended the Louisiana State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) Special Board Meeting initiated by three members: Lottie Beebe, Carolyn Hill, and Jane Smith. These three members wanted a primary focus of the meeting to include discussion of a plan for Louisiana’s school districts for the 2014-15 school year given Louisiana […]
Welcome to the Oligarchy: The U.S. Needs a New Mythology
Welcome to the Oligarchy: The U.S. Needs a New Mythology. via Welcome to the Oligarchy: The U.S. Needs a New Mythology.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical
A Lovely Review of David Greene’s Néw Book
A Lovely Review of David Greene’s Néw Book.Filed under: SHAUN JOHNSON, PHD: Musings from the Chalk Face
JUN 30
Media Has No Idea What Special Education Is (Guest Post)
Guest Post by Jessica S. Martinez, in response to a recent editorial in the Albuquerque Journal. Once again, the Albuquerque Journal Editorial Board has placed its ignorance on display for all to see. Here is yet another example of those who know nothing about education sticking their noses where they do not belong. Allow me to […]
JUN 29
Louisiana “Annual Tests” Tied Up in the New Mexico Courts?
June 18, 2014, was an interesting day in Louisiana politics and education. (I realize these two are now one and the same, but humor me.) One event of June 18 was Governor Bobby Jindal’s decision to suspend Louisiana’s involvement in PARCC because Louisiana State Superintendent John White, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), and the […]
How is #teacherprep really different at Western Governor’s?
We keep hearing about these NCTQ teacher preparation rankings. There’s so much critique out there of NCTQ as a legitimate research organization, of their data and methods, I don’t even have to get into it. I’m hearing a lot about Western Governors University. I was only vaguely aware of the institution prior to the “rankings.” […]
JUN 28
From WaPo, on teacher demographics
A student laments in a blog for the Washington Post that his “school district hires too many white teachers.” My PhD dissertation was specifically on the lack of men in education, especially at the early childhood level. Overcoming the gender roles, sexism, and homophobia, among other things, that created the “feminization” of the teaching profession, […]
Van Roekel to NEA: With what will you replace the accountability system?
It’s not the first time Dennis Van Roekel (DVR) has asked this loaded question. Last year, DVR asked the NEA membership at large, during an interview, with what they would purport to replace the Common Core State Standards, if we did get rid of them. Now, he’s asking the same question, but regarding the current […]