Dealing with our national trauma.
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The Trauma is real.
The suffering is real.
We need to take care of ourselves - and support one another.
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/sunday-th...
Free Speech, As Long As You Don’t Offend The King
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Free speech is technically allowed, but the right is trying to turn public
backlash and political leverage into a weaponized form of censorship —
demandi...
AI Code Red: Why We Must Evolve Education
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When I read the Poets & Quants article “We Expected More: Stanford GSB
Students Call for Higher Teaching Standards,” I felt a familiar mix of
agreement and...
ICYMI: Applefest 25 Edition (10/5)
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Every year, on the first full weekend of October, my small town turns
itself over to Applefest, a small town festival hung on the hook that
Johnny Applesee...
Growth in Student Achievement at San Diego Unified
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State Superintendent Tony Thurmond celebrates multi-year growth in student
achievement at San Diego Unified; highlights opportunities to scale success
stat...
Don’t Blame Trump. It’s on Reagan (and us)
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I will start with the fun stuff, some grist for dinner and cocktail party
conversations about the cost of going to college these days. Then I will
try to ...
If Adults Could Learn to Trust Children
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As an enthusiastic, new parent, I once made myself vomit from rolling down
a grassy hill one too many times. It had likely been a couple decades since
m...
Poem: semantic fever dream (tarot cards)
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[Header Photo by Viva Luna Studios on Unsplash] “The pain, or the memory of
pain, that here was literally sucked away by something nameless until only
a vo...
School Reformers’ Pledge of Good Conduct
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School reformers now (and in the past) are (and have been) divided among
themselves. So often, they seek similar goals–students who are literate,
can think...
Just Sent-Out Free Monthly Email Newsletter
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I’ve just mailed out the September issue of my very simple free monthly
email newsletter. It has over 3,000 subscribers, and you can subscribe
here. Of c...
Billionaire-Financed Education Propaganda
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By Thomas Ultican 9/29/2025 September 9th, propaganda rag, ‘The 74’,
published a classic example of anti-public education flummery, “COVID
Worsened Long De...
September’s Parent Engagement Resources
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Today’s teens struggle with big feelings — and their parents struggle to
have hard conversations with them. A psychologist explains how to help your
kids c...
It's official. I'm taking Crazy Pills.
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Ten years after Ohio had to return $63 million of a $71 million federal
charter school grant to the first Trump Administration, Ohio gets another
$105 mill...
James Kirylo: America’s Peculiar Love Affair
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James D. Kirylo has been a friend of mine for many years and has been a
guest contributor to my blog in the past. Among other books, Kirylo is the
author ...
The Moral Famine: A Poem By Jesse Hagopian
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People are starving in Palestine. "The Moral Famine" confronts Israel’s
starvation siege on Gaza and the world’s complicity in denying it.
Why Teaching Math for Test Results Is Not Enough
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Over the last year, New York City has had a fascinating discussion about
teaching math. In particular, NYC Department of Education has started to
impleme...
Why Teaching Math for Test Results Is Not Enough
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Over the last year, New York City has had a fascinating discussion about
teaching math. In particular, NYC Department of Education has started to
impleme...
Here I go again, making an ask
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We are a majority minority school where we emphasize positive aspects, but
also recognize that we need to address the whole child. Too many of our
young ...
Aguanta, todo va a estar bien
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Los próximos meses nos pondrán a prueba como nunca antes. Como personas que
creemos en la democracia, lo que significa que creemos unos en otros, nos
verem...
Blogoversary #19 — Time to Move on
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Times have changed. I had a nice long run here, but let’s face it, it ended
a while ago. So I’ve moved. I’m not writing much any more, but when I do it
wil...
Is there really a decline in pleasure reading?
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The mainstream media has been full of the bad news: new study shows that
reading for pleasure has declined! Fewer people are reading for fun: From
2003 to ...
Last call for ARC readers: Addicted to Glove
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"Major League" meets "Ted Lasso" with a hint of "Three Men and a Baby" in
this age gap, surprise pregnancy romcom set in the Pacific Northwest.
Il Papa è Morto
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Francis brought a distinct pastoral outlook to his papacy. A simple man, he
lived in a small apartment in the guesthouse. He sought to make the church
acce...
Trump plays Putin’s Playbook
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Recently Aleksander Dugin was interviewed on CNN, last week, and he stated
that he believes Trump is closer ideologically to President Putin than to
Washin...
Mike Shulman the ARISE UFT Judenrat
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I was surprised to learn that Mike Shulman has aligned himself with ARISE.
I previously supported him, advocating that the Castle Doctrine could have
bee...
How Do We Fight Trump?
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Dear Friends, I don’t know when and why it hit me. But I suddenly realized
how serious Trump is about changing the country into something that
horrifies. I...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
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BLOGGER’S NOTE: If you are new to this blog, and interested in the topic of
immigration, I recommend you go right to the massive new post: “How
Immigrat...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
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I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
-
Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
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It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
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NYSED and Commish Elia continue to say that the NYS Assessments are of
reasonable length, I completely disagree.
Here is what NYSED states are average expe...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
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It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
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In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
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An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
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The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
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In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
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I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
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I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
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*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
CURMUDGUCATION: Reflect now. Now!! NOW!!! : Reflect now. Now!! NOW!!! One of the fully screwed-up features of modern standardized assessments is the time frame. A standardized test is the only place where students are told, "Starting from scratch, read this, reflect on it, answer questions about it, and do it all in the next fifteen minutes." We accept the accelerated time line as a normal featur
School Bus Driver Bus Rallies Her Community Around a Sock Drive for Needy Students : School Bus Driver Bus Rallies Community Around a Sock Drive for Needy Students Martha Alvarez (right) oversees donations generated by the Warm Toes Sock Drive. One morning last February, Martha Alvarez pulled out of the bus barn of Traverse City Area Public Schools in Northern Michigan as she’s done for almost tw
Neoliberalism: To Know It Is To Recognize It - The Crucial Voice of the PeopleThe Crucial Voice of the People : Neoliberalism: To Know It Is To Recognize It The term “neoliberalism” is not in my old college dictionary. And most people I’ve asked don’t know what it is. For that reason, the public is not been able to recognize the ideology behind many of our public policies… We have become victims
Massachusetts Teachers Association Calls for SEC Investigation of Possible “Pay to Play” Scheme | Diane Ravitch's blog : Massachusetts Teachers Association Calls for SEC Investigation of Possible “Pay to Play” Scheme Contact: Steve Crawford, Crawford Strategies, 857-753-4132, steve@crawfordstrategies.com Teachers Call for SEC Investigation into Possible Pay-to-Play Scheme BOSTON – Deeply trouble
Talk to the Hand - When Schools Dismiss Family Partnership - SF Public School MomSF Public School Mom : Talk to the Hand – When Schools Dismiss Family Partnership At last Tuesday’s Board of Education Meeting , the African American Parent Advisory Council was asked to share an update of our work. I felt lucky to be able to present alongside some of the AMAZING parent leaders in our district! (In c
Texas pastor: ‘A classroom is a holy place of learning — not a marketplace of financial gain’ - The Washington Post : Texas pastor: ‘A classroom is a holy place of learning — not a marketplace of financial gain’ Charles Foster Johnson is the executive director of Pastors for Texas Children , an independent ministry and outreach group that comprises nearly 2,000 pastors and church leaders from acr
The Power of declaring #BlackLivesMatterAtSchool | I AM AN EDUCATOR : The Power of declaring #BlackLivesMatterAtSchool The hallways of Seattle schools were packed as always on Wednesday, October 19, but the difference was that thousands of teachers, students and staff were wearing similar t-shirts affirming Black lives. The Black Lives Matter at School day originated among teachers committed to s
L.A. Teachers' Union Challenges Charter School Lobby | Huffington Post : L.A. Teachers’ Union Challenges Charter School Lobby In a full-page advertisement in the Sunday October 23, 2016 edition of the Los Angeles Times , the union representing Los Angeles teachers, challenged the California Charter Schools Association (CCSA) to a “public debate on key educational issues relating to equity, access
School Takeovers Outside Georgia Have Shown Mixed Results | WABE 90.1 FM : School Takeovers Outside Georgia Have Shown Mixed Results NNA BEECH / WABE Listen Listening... 4:30 Hear the broadcast version of this story. Georgia voters will decide this fall whether to give the state the authority to take over schools it labels “chronically failing.” The plan would create a separate, state-run distric
tomhayden.com - The Democracy Journal - On the Passing of Tom Hayden : ON THE PASSING OF TOM HAYDEN Tom Hayden speaking on Dec. 3, 2015, at a rally by environmentalists at Pershing Square in Los Angeles. On Sunday, October 23rd, 2016, Tom Hayden, former California politician and lifelong activist, passed away in Santa Monica, California surrounded by family. Hayden, beloved husband, father, and b
BRIDGEGATE TRIAL–Judge mysteriously, abruptly postpones closing arguments | : BRIDGEGATE TRIAL–Judge mysteriously, abruptly postpones closing arguments Federal Judge Susan D. Wigenton A simmering, closed-door legal argument over the judge’s charge in the Bridgegate trial this morning led to an abrupt and mysterious cancellation of the session that was supposed to see defense attorneys present the
Judge tosses suit challenging Minn. teacher tenure laws - StarTribune.com : Judge rejects challenge to Minnesota teacher tenure laws Lawsuit filed by education reform groups was third of its kind in the nation. In April, four families from across the state of Minnesota, joined by Partnership for Educational Justice and Students for Education Reform Minnesota, announced a lawsuit challenging the c
Who Controls Our Schools? How Billionaire-Sponsored Privatization Is Destroying Democracy and Enriching the Charter School Industry | Alternet : Who Controls Our Schools? How Billionaire-Sponsored Privatization Is Destroying Democracy and Enriching the Charter School Industry A report/ebook on the corporate takeover of K-12 schools. (Editor's note: AlterNet has covered the school privatization st
Lessons from NOLA: Ailing Mississippi district should be wary of charter schools - The Hechinger Report : Lessons from NOLA: Ailing Mississippi district should be wary of charter schools "Don’t allow a financial storm to be your Hurricane Katrina, the disaster that led to dismantling the public school system in New Orleans." CKSON, Miss. — From the outside, Forest Hill High School is a picture of
We will not demean and stigmatize transgender students - Lily's Blackboard : We will not demean and stigmatize transgender students The NEA and the North Carolina Association of Educators believe all students deserve the opportunity for a rich and fulfilling education, an opportunity that should begin with walking into a welcoming, safe and accepting space. That’s why we’ve vehemently opposed H.B
CURMUDGUCATION: The Death of Testing Fantasies : The Death of Testing Fantasies It is one of the least surprising research findings ever, confirmed now by at least two studies-- students would do better on the Big Standardized Test if they actually cared about the results. One of the great fantasies of the testocrats is their belief that the Big Standardized Tests provide useful data. That fantas
Schools Matter: Surveillance Capitalism and Your Children : Surveillance Capitalism and Your Children There are thousands of rapacious and predatory gatherers of data out there waiting to collect and sell your information and your children's information, whether it is behavioral, economic, intellectual, social, geographic, nutritional, and even emotional in nature. Follow this link (hat tip to Al
Republicans Have a Yuge Logic Problem | the becoming radical : Republicans Have a Yuge Logic Problem The new (and disgusting) face of the Republican Party, Donald Trump, has anchored his campaign on a foundational slogan he “inherited” from Ronald Reagan (like the millions he squandered from his father): Make America Great Again. Setting aside that Trump is either a liar (well, is a liar) or is i
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Bernie has the right line. Keep the heat on Clinton. : Bernie has the right line. Keep the heat on Clinton. “I will be vigorously in opposition, and I will make that very clear.” -- Sen. Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders just gave his millennial supporters (and the rest of us) the best reason not to stay home on election day. He wants us to be part of the movement that
California’s Tangled, Corrupt Charter School Sector | janresseger : California’s Tangled, Corrupt Charter School Sector Charter schools—created to embody the idea of innovation without the constraint of bureaucratic regulations—have been spreading across our cities for twenty years, and it has now become as clear as can be that, if we have to have privatized charter schools, we can’t do without t
Finland succeeds with no homework and fewer lessons - BBC News : Finland succeeds with no homework and fewer lessons "How come Finland has shorter days and no homework for students and yet is achieving more?" Why are we asking this? Because that's the subject that you've chosen - in an experiment where the readership picks the question. The question gets to the heart of a lot of parental angst ab
1 in 4 U.S. teachers are chronically absent, missing more than 10 days of school - The Washington Post : 1 in 4 U.S. teachers are chronically absent, missing more than 10 days of school More than 1 in 4 of the nation’s full-time teachers are considered chronically absent from school, according to federal data, missing the equivalent of more than two weeks of classes each academic year in what som
University opens without any teachers - BBC News : University opens without any teachers Value of teaching But he thinks 42 has gone too far by removing teachers altogether. His research suggests peer learning is most effective when students are under the supervision of an expert teacher. "The deep reason for a teacher is to guide students to grapple with exactly the complex, ambiguous, and tough
Do California parents want bilingual education? - CSMonitor.com : Do California parents want bilingual education? California's Proposition 58 would make it easier to teach English learners in bilingual programs. Parents now see these programs as a way to retain cultural ties and boost children's success later in life. Yes on Proposition 58 - (LEARN) | Support Prop 58 - http://supportprop58.com/su
Little changes | The Economist : George W. Bush and Barack Obama made school reform a priority. The next president will look elsewhere FOR a president, making education policy can be like running a school with thousands of unruly pupils. He can goad states and coax school districts, offering gold stars to those who shape up. But if a class is defiant he can do little. Just 12.7% of the $600bn spe
Close schools because of poor test scores? Michiganders say no : Close schools because of poor test scores? Michiganders say no Michigan residents who participated in a poll earlier this month overwhelmingly oppose closing schools based solely on test scores, believe there are other ways to fix low-performing schools, and say parents should have input in the school closing process. The results of
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 10/26/16 Featured Post What We Don’t Learn About the Black Panther Party—but Should | I AM AN EDUCATOR CURMUDGUCATION: More Bogus Research from Rocketship by mike simpson /