Rest Well, Dr. Zolbrod
-
Word came this morning that Paul Zolbrod passed away yesterday. May his
memory be a blessing.
Dr. Zolbrod first taught me when I was a freshman at Alleghen...
Governor Mills vs. Trump
-
Donald Trump spent the day throwing a tantrum at the Governor of Maine
because she refused to kneel before his latest ridiculous executive order
banni...
Has Trump Started World War III ?
-
Apparently Mr. Trump does not know how World War II started.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/19/opinion/trump-putin-europe.html?
Neville Chamberlain
po...
You Kids Get Off My Damn Lawn
-
“Why do we have to make such terrible decisions for our whole lives when we
are too young to know what we are doing? The big mistakes are hung around
your ...
Teacher in a Strange Land: Who ARE These People?
-
Teacher in a Strange Land: Who ARE These People?
For most of my adult life (other than a brief but wonderful stint in the *People’s
Republic of Ann Arbor*...
Teachers I Respected and Admired–Carmen Wilkinson
-
In this series of posts, I draw from my 14 years teaching history in three
urban high schools between the mid-1950s and early 1970s and my experiences
as a...
Strange Science of Reading Law Suit
-
By Thomas Ultican 2/20/2025 December 4, 2024, two law firms from New York
and Chicago respectively filed a class action law suit against reading
curriculum...
AMERICA, BOUGHT AND SOLD
-
For the sake of argument, let’s assume that your family’s wealth is roughly
average, which means that you’re worth about $1 million, a big jump from
2019. ...
Possible Conflict of Interest for Paul Egan?
-
The ABC Caucus is running on transparency, which is refreshing. However, it
appears ABC is only being transparent when it suits itself. "Meet the new
bos...
Bad Words in Schools
-
Over the past few years, I have volunteered in four local schools, in
varied programs. And—as a retired veteran teacher—I understand why
students’ identiti...
Catfight
-
When there’s a change in power on a school board, the hope of the
electorate is that they have chosen serious people who will focus on issues
of importance...
We are NOT going to leave the US
-
what is below the fold was written as a comment on a piece by Mikey
Weinstein called “There are no words” but also after reading the piece by
Phil in Den...
January Parent Engagement Resources
-
Participation in School Activities by Spanish- and English-speaking Parents
of Enrolled Students: 1999–2019 Improve family communication with active
listen...
Who is the new CEO of Teach For America?
-
From 1990 until 2013, the CEO of TFA was the founder, Wendy Kopp. Under her
leadership the program grew from a small organization that struggled to
make pa...
The Orange Turd feeds the racists
-
The Orange Turd has been feeding red meat to the millions of angry racists
for the past 8 years. He has succeeded in hoodwinking these sad souls into
placi...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
-
When I was teaching,
I got tired of hearing how bad American educators were.
*My Promise *
WHEN I STARTED BLOGGING IN 2011, I said I planned to speak ...
Juntos lo haremos
-
En el año que viene, tendremos que tomar decisiones difíciles sobre quienes
queremos ser en cada comunidad y como nación. Ha sido un año muy intenso.
Desde...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
-
Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
-
Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
-
This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
-
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:
-
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...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
-
In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
Read more
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
-
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.
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
[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
-
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
-
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!
-
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
-
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
-
*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.
-
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...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
-
Dear Friends and Colleagues, Happy New Year and a special thanks to those
who respond to past blogs about choice, et al. I always mean to respond to
each c...
Reminiscences
-
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
-
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
-
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.
-
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
-
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?
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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?
-
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
-
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)
-
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
-
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
-
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. . . .
-
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?
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
*“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: Real Teacher Accountability : Real Teacher Accountability Reformsters repeatedly circle back around to the question of teacher accountability. If we give up evaluation system and test-based data and methods for turning professional development into a beautiful array of mini-competency-badges, they worry, how will we ever hold teachers accountable for doing a good job? How will tax
Donald Trump’s Cabinet: White Males Abound. | deutsch29 : Donald Trump’s Cabinet: White Males Abound. In 2017, America will have a white male president and a white male vice president. To date, President-elect Donald Trump has selected five members of his cabinet, all of whom are white males. What I have noticed about the list of individuals Trump is reportedly vetting for cabinet positions (see
Politics Are Always At Play In Our Classrooms | The Jose Vilson : Politics Are Always At Play In Our Classrooms On the Wednesday after Election Day 2016, I told myself to maintain my composure. For three weeks, I heard my mostly South and Central American students excoriate the President-Elect for his racist, sexist, xenophobic, Islamophobic comments over the last year. My students call out malic
Seeking common ground with charter critic Diane Ravitch - The Washington Post : Seeking common ground with charter critic Diane Ravitch I have been exchanging emails with Diane Ravitch , the clearest voice in the movement to reverse American emphasis on raising school achievement no matter what. She is a brilliant historian and essayist, even if she does not share my fondness for this century’s b
Making America Great Again! Step by Step | Bill Ayers : Making America Great Again! Step by Step Step 1: Donald Trump appointed Steve Bannon to be his chief strategist and Senior Counselor. Bannon was formerly the head of Beitbart News, the premier platform for the alt-right movement, a white nationalist, nativist, anti-“political correctness,” xenophobic, antisemitic, homophobic, antifeminist, I
The “Hamilton” statement: Rude? Hardly. Courageous? Definitely. | : The “Hamilton” statement: Rude? Hardly. Courageous? Definitely. This is the statement read by actor Brandon Victor Dixon to Mike Pence on behalf of the cast and creators of “Hamilton–a statement denounced by Donald Trump as rude and a harassment. Judge for yourself: “We have a guest in the audience this evening. Vice President-el
Jersey Jazzman: (Some) Reformsters Normalize Trump: Part II : (Some) Reformsters Normalize Trump: Part II You can count on Eva Moskowitz to never miss an opportunity to do one of two things: 1) Promote her brand . 2) Hobnob with the wealthy . So there was no way she was going to pass up this two-fer : Charter leader Eva Moskowitz hosted Ivanka Trump for a personal tour of a Harlem Success Academy
Pete Tucker: The Coverups of the Rhee-Henderson Era in DC | Diane Ravitch's blog : Pete Tucker: The Coverups of the Rhee-Henderson Era in DC Pete Tucker, an independent journal is in DC,criticizes The Washington Post for its failure to cover the scandals of the Rhee-Henderson era. http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_582f468ce4b08c963e343e70 Tucker writes in HuffingtonPost that the Washington Post h
“It is NOT your right to despair.” | Reclaim Reform : “It is NOT your right to despair.” The despair we are experiencing with a sociopath, billionaire as the unelected President of the United States who is declared President by the Electoral College is palpable. Naming sociopaths of his ilk to his Cabinet is also enough to throw us into despair. Bernie Sanders gives us all his sage advice, advice
Bill Gates and the Medal of Freedom: Obama Officially Recognizes the Right of the Rich to Impose Public Policy | Raginghorseblog : Bill Gates and the Medal of Freedom: Obama Officially Recognizes the Right of the Rich to Impose Public Policy As if to officially acknowledge the insidious and tacit transformation of the remnants of democracy to not so subtle oligarchy, the Obama administration has
How Hungry Kids Will Fare Under Trump | Civil Eats : How Hungry Kids Will Fare Under Trump President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress will likely walk back most of the progress made on school food and nutrition programs in recent years. In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s surprise victory on Tuesday, all the things I’d planned to write about this week—a review of a new cookbook,
What It's Like Teaching '1984' After Trump's Election - The Atlantic : Teaching 1984 in 2016 Every year, one high-school educator converts his classroom into a totalitarian state to teach George Orwell’s book. This year, the lesson feels different. My classroom becomes a totalitarian state every school year toward the end of October. In preparation for teaching 1984 to seniors, I announce the lau
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Yikes, There's Snow Edition (11/20) : CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI As always, share the originals for anything here that you like. And in the meantime, let it snow. TFA Wants My Money: Why I Said No Perhaps Kevin Huffman shouldn't have sent his fund-raising letter to one of the TFA alumni who published a book about the abusive scamming of TFA Pat and Fred Cody's American Story: Re
More lawsuits against public education coming from charter school industry - Wait What? : More lawsuits against public education coming from charter school industry In addition to spending tens of millions on campaign contributions and lobbying, the charter school industry is fond of bringing lawsuits in their never-ending effort to privatize public education in the United States. Now the corpora
Moskowitz and Rhee: A Teacher’s Viewpoint : Moskowitz and Rhee: A Teacher’s Viewpoint Many educators and parents have expressed concerns about Eva Moskowitz or Michelle Rhee becoming Secretary of Education. Moskowitz has declined the post, but Ivanka Trump visited her charter school, and some fear she is still being courted. They seem to value her input. From a teacher’s viewpoint, I wanted to do
Russ on Reading: What Is Research-Based Instruction? : What Is Research-Based Instruction? Did you ever wonder about the term "research-based"? We all want to make sure our instruction is research-based. But every commercial program for reading instruction on the market advertises itself as research-based and professional developers always preface their talks by saying their recommendations are r
Badass Teachers Association : Dear Tired Teacher November 18, 2016 Andi Schiappacasse Originally posted here https://firethejudge.com/2016/11/18/dear-tired-teacher/ Dear Tired Teacher, I want you to know I see you. I mean I really, REALLY SEE YOU. I see the look in your eyes in the morning when you greet me in the hallway. Your voice and tone are pleasant but your eyes? Oh, your eyes reveal how t
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/19/16 Featured Post Update: Trump camp calls off meeting with state school chiefs from across U.S. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson joins first lady Michelle Rhee during Donald