Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Trump's bikers on security. A 'wall of meat' or load of B.S.? : Trump's bikers on security. A 'wall of meat' or load of B.S.? DT is counting on a right-wing biker battalion to pull security duty at his inauguration. He imagines a horde of thousands of "Bikers for Trump" are rolling into D.C. at this very moment, to save him from what he imagines as an assault from t
The DeVos Hearing, In Their Own Words : NPR Ed : NPR : The DeVos Hearing, In Their Own Words After Betsy DeVos' Senate confirmation hearing yesterday — all three hours and change — we know a little more about Donald Trump's pick to be the next education secretary. Appearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions, DeVos faced questions on a range of issues, from private
Betsy DeVos' Secretary of Education Hearing Was an Insult to Democracy : The Betsy DeVos Hearing Was an Insult to Democracy Who are the real grizzlies? WASHINGTON, D.C.—It was not a hearing. It was the mere burlesque of a hearing, rendered meaningless by a preposterously accelerated process that rendered all questioning perfunctory and that left all cheap evasions hanging in the air of the commit
WATCH LIVE: President Obama holds final press conference | PBS NewsHour : WATCH LIVE: President Obama holds final press conference Watch President Barack Obama’s final press conference at 2:15 p.m. EST Wednesday. President Barack Obama will conduct today the final press conference of his presidency, scheduled for 2:15 p.m. EST. He is expected to address questions about his decision to commute the
Betsy DeVos Must Not Be Confirmed | DCGEducator: Doing The Right Thing : Betsy DeVos Must Not Be Confirmed Bernard Keller Dave Greene Warren Buffet said, “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” This statement has powerful implications because it clearly speaks against the “only today matters” philosophy making the rounds in education today. Today, t
Brave New Films Video: Protect Public Education by Stopping Betsy DeVos From Becoming Next U.S. Secretary of Education | Alternet : Brave New Films Video: Protect Public Education by Stopping Betsy DeVos From Becoming Next U.S. Secretary of Education "You lured me in with the promise of a high-quality education and you lied." Trump’s nomination of Betsy DeVos for education secretary is a threat t
SPECIAL: The Morning After Betsy DeVos' Confirmation Hearing #BetsyDeVos #DeVosHearing #dumpdevos DeVos says she won’t force private school voucher plan on states | EdSource by mike simpson / 34min DeVos says she won’t force private school voucher plan on states | EdSource : DeVos says she won't force private school voucher plan on states At a contentious confirmation hearing that mostly broke al
You're Never to Young for Social Justice - SF Public School MomSF Public School Mom : You’re Never to Young for Social Justice You’re never to young for social justice. With the Presidential Inauguration Week coming up (aka. a week of protests) this is a great opportunity to model our values with our kids of standing up and speaking up for what’s right. I’ve put together these resources to share
DeVos says she won’t force private school voucher plan on states | EdSource : DeVos says she won't force private school voucher plan on states At a contentious confirmation hearing that mostly broke along party lines, Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to be secretary of education, said she wouldn’t try to force states to adopt private school voucher programs along the lines of t
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all : Is Trump's Pick for Education Secretary an Enemy of Public Schools? DeVos: Schools May Need Guns to Protect Against Grizzly Bears 2 by dianeravitch / 17min Betsy DeVos was questioned about whether she would maintain gun-free zones around schools. She said that should be left to states . She was questioned by Senator Chris Murphy
Calaveras News - Breaking News for Calaveras County & Beyond!- The Pine Tree .net : CTA & NEA Presidents To Join LA Educators Declaring That Schools Are Safe Havens For All Students In National Event Burlingame, CA...In a sign of rising resistance to federal threats to public schools, California educators will join with parents, students, labor and civic leaders and communities on Thursday in cal
Answer Sheet - The Washington Post : Answer Sheet Valerie Strauss covers Betsy DeVos’s confirmation hearing Six astonishing things Betsy DeVos said — and refused to say — at her confirmation hearing 4K by Valerie Strauss / 9h At her contentious confirmation hearing as Donald Trump’s nominee to be education secretary on Tuesday, Betsy DeVos was asked a question by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) about a
WATCH: Al Franken destroys Education appointee Betsy DeVos over her support for gay conversion therapy : WATCH: Al Franken destroys Education appointee Betsy DeVos over her support for gay conversion therapy Mi nnesota Sen. Al Franken (D) left no doubt which way he will be voting for President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to head the Department of Education, hammering appointee Betsy DeVos for her
School choice: Sen. Loveless advances 'factually incorrect' ideology - NonDoc : School choice: Sen. Loveless advances ‘factually incorrect’ ideology S tate Sen. Kyle Loveless ( R-OKC ) performed a great service to the voting public by revealing his thought processes on school choice and other issues in a recent commentary for The Oklahoman . Among other things, Loveless wrote that he believes in
CURMUDGUCATION: Meanwhile... : Meanwhile... It has been one of those days. Not bad, but about sixteen hours long, and so I have followed the DeVos hearing via occasional peeks at Twitter, and I'll catch up over the hours ahead in short burst so that my blood pressure does not shoot the nails off the ends of my fingers. But I will confess that as strongly as I believe we should tell our senators r
In Penetrating Analysis, Joanne Barkan Predicts Likely Direction of a DeVos Education Department | janresseger : In Penetrating Analysis, Joanne Barkan Predicts Likely Direction of a DeVos Education Department Joanne Barkan has published another of her remarkably lucid and well-written articles at Dissent , this time a profile of Betsy DeVos. Barkan explicitly predicts how DeVos, if she is confir
Betsy DeVos and the Prince of darkness. | Fred Klonsky : Betsy DeVos and the Prince of darkness. Okay. So the next Secretary of Education doesn’t know what the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is. She thinks schools should have guns in case of Grizzley bears. I have to admit that I found Al Franken’s gotcha on the debate over growth scores and competency a little confusing mysel
CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos Song and Dance : "DeVos Song and Dance" DeVos Song and Dance I am grateful that work kept me from experiencing the DeVos hearing in one long take, like a thousand fingernails being dragged down a twenty-mile chalkboard. So just as I experienced a disjointed hearing, I will share my disjointed thoughts. The Reviews Are In Wait! I'm now famous because why..? And who wants to s
When you ask the wrong questions, you can't possibly get the right answers. (By Ann P. Cronin) - Wait What? : When you ask the wrong questions, you can’t possibly get the right answers. (By Ann P. Cronin) The Mastery Examination Task Force, whose report about student assessment in our public schools is due to come out soon, has asked all the wrong questions. We, therefore, can’t have any confiden
Ignorance and Arrogance – the Defining Characteristics of the Betsy DeVos Hearing | gadflyonthewallblog : Ignorance and Arrogance – the Defining Characteristics of the Betsy DeVos Hearing Betsy DeVos wouldn’t commit to protecting students with special needs. She wouldn’t commit to keeping guns out of school campuses . She wouldn’t commit to holding charter and voucher schools to the same standard
Betsy DeVos Confirmation Hearing and Special Education : Betsy DeVos Confirmation Hearing and Special Education I was asked to write about the Betsy DeVos confirmation hearing and special education. So here is a quick rundown. I was pleasantly surprised at some of the questioning by Democrats. I know education reform is often bi-partisan, but the Dems hit some high notes tonight. I came away with
Six astonishing things Betsy DeVos said — and refused to say — at her confirmation hearing - The Washington Post : Six astonishing things Betsy DeVos said — and refused to say — at her confirmation hearing At her contentious confirmation hearing as Donald Trump’s nominee to be education secretary on Tuesday, Betsy DeVos was asked a question by Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) about an important educatio
Here Are Just Some of the Stunningly Bad Moments From Betsy DeVos' Confirmation Hearing | Mother Jones : Here Are Just Some of the Stunningly Bad Moments From Betsy DeVos' Confirmation Hearing "Do you not want to answer my question?" Betsy DeVos' confirmation hearing to become President-elect Donald Trump's education secretary was originally scheduled for last Wednesday but was ultimately postpon
Betsy DeVos’ Opening Statement at Her Nomination Hearing– and a Question Asked by Bernie Sanders | deutsch29 : Betsy DeVos’ Opening Statement at Her Nomination Hearing– and a Question Asked by Bernie Sanders Below is the text of US ed sec nominee Betsy DeVos’ opening remarks at her January 17, 2017, hearing before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. First, a few obs
Schooling in the Ownership Society: From Davos to DeVos : From Davos to DeVos As the world's super-wealthy and super-powerful gather this week in Davos for the World Economic Forum, the spotlight is once again on the widening chasm of wealth inequality. It's virtually impossible to talk meaningfully about education reform, privatization, charter schools, testing, deseg, etc... without taking the
Schools Matter: If you're in Los Angeles this month, three education items to consider : If you're in Los Angeles this month, three education items to consider These events and announcements are worthy of your consideration. Especially the event featuring Schools Matter 's very own Dr. Stephen Krashen. I would love to attend all of these, but… law school. Student Empowerment - Culture and Languag
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/17/17 Featured Post Betsy DeVos’ Planned Remarks – Smoke and Mirrors. | Daniel Katz, Ph.D. Grading Betsy DeVos’ confirmation day exam | Eclectablog Big Education Ape / by mike
Testimony at NYSED Forum on Student Privacy
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Below is the testimony Class Size Matters gave at the New York State
Education Department Student Forum on developing regulations implementing
New York’s s...
#GradingTheStates
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Grading the States is the first in-depth nonpartisan report card to measure
each state’s
commitment to democratically governed public schools.
The post #...
Education raises intelligence test scores
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A year of schooling leaves students with new knowledge, and it also equates
with a small but noticeable increase to students' IQ, according to a systematic...
How NEA is Working to Diversify Wall Street
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With women and minorities so underrepresented in the financial industry,
NEA is working with its pension consultant to open doors for non-white
money manag...
Memorial honors and uplifts educators
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Ruth Berg. John Carlson. Daniel Buesgens. Richard Lee Proffitt. Scott
Beigel. Aaron Feis. Chris Hixon. Jennifer Williamson. Glenda Ann Perkins.
Cynthia Tis...
Ten Things About UFT Paid Parental Leave
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I support this agreement, and I'll explain why. I'll also address comments
and questions I've been seeing and hearing.
*1. We should get something for no...
Trump Plans to Shut Down U.S. Dept. of Education
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GOP Wants to Shut Dept. Of Education
Trump Team mulls merger of Education, Labor Departments. Education Week: “The
Trump administration is considering a mer...
Raising Holy Hell
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In democratic societies, we educate children so that they will learn the
values, habits, and skills they will need to be good citizens; so that they
a...
How We Can Transform Our Communities Now
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“What qualifies you to run for office?” That’s a question I get a lot as I
meet voters in my campaign for Montgomery County Council’s at-large seat.
To me,...
BETTER WAYS TO SPENT $25 BILLION THAN ON A WALL
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So how does one deal with a problem like the present neverending stream of
undocumented aliens and their children flocking to and illegally crossing
our bo...
MORE Misjudges It's Priorities Yet Again
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It's June 20. The school year is about over. What's happening in the world
of the NYCDOE?
We got family leave. I will write more about this tomorrow. ATRs ...
National Education News
-
From Education Week:
*The Trump administration, which is in the midst of a top-to-bottom review
of the federal bureaucracy, is turning its eye on the U.S. ...
I Voted for Jill Stein. Was I Wrong?
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I voted for Jill Stein. There’s nothing I can do about that now. But if I
could go back in time and change it, I'm not sure I would.
A Moment of Deep Shame
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We are now being known around the world as a nation that sanctions cruelty
to the most vulnerable of children.
Perhaps the words on the Statue of Liberty s...
Common Core
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I have been away from school for quite a while and not at all familiar with
the common core regents so when I was asked to help a friend’s son prepare
I...
Charles M. Blow: Trump and the Baby Snatchers
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The title alone grabs your attention. But the op-ed itself is even more
pointed.
Consider: after providing some introductory material, Blow goes into t...
Sessions and Trump must be stopped!
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ProPublica has obtained audio from inside a U.S. Customs and Border
Protection facility, in which children can be heard wailing as an agent
jokes, “We have...
IT’S A MATTER OF CULTURE
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“Books are fun, Nicholas, he says, they’re like amusement parks for
readers. Yeah, well, maybe they would be fun if I got to pick the rides
sometimes, you ...
Only Losers Wrap Themselves in Losers
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How connected are you to the Confederacy? I ask this, particularly, of you
who wave the battle flag and adore statues and images of Robert E. Lee,
Jefferso...
For Dads Who Care and Protect Children
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There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which
it treats its children. ~Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa
Fathe...
Fostering a Love for Reading in Children
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A recent article in *Education Week Teacher* caught my attention. The
article *"Four Steps to Building a Magnificent Classroom Library"*, by
primary grade...
Do Core Democratic Values Belong in Schools?
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It is a point of pride, really, having these core democratic values as an
anchor in the Mitten State Social Studies standards. Here's a list of those
ident...
WHAT MUST HAPPEN
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Sessions must be removed as Attorney General of the United States. He
openly lied to Congress many times at his confirmation hearing. These lies
were tele...
This Week in Education Organizing - June 15, 2018
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*Everybody’s Got a Right to Live: Education, Income and Housing*
A number of AROS and Journey for Justice-affiliated local groups
participated in this we...
DCision18 Candidates Talk Education
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Ed Lazere and Anita Bonds, candidates for city council chair and an at
large seat, respectively, talked about their views of public education in
DC, includ...
Honoring Melody Herzfeld And Others
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Melody Herzfeld won a Tony Award that honors educators. Melody Herzfeld is
a drama teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglass High School. Melody Herzfeld’s
stud...
Mission Accomplished:77+ miles=$85,000+
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A picture is worth 1,000 words: So, Mission accomplished. But, wait,
here’s one more photo I want you to see: I biked an extra six miles because
I got car...
The Case of the Missing Scholar
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Success Academy began 11 years ago with a group of 83 kindergarteners and
73 first graders. This past December, Success Academy published a blog post
about...
Social Impact Bonds readings
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Wherever I go, I discover how few people have heard the term “social impact
bonds” and for those who have, they usually have received little more than
the ...
A New Teacher Preparation “Entity” in Wisconsin?
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Just a reminder. PI 34.006 Definitions. In this subchapter: “Institution”
means one or more accredited colleges or universities offering an educator
prep...
BINGO Math:”Education + Fun” Time for Everyone!
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My sorors and I celebrated Founder’s Day and when a bunch of educators get
together, there are always games! My soror created a BINGO game based on
the his...
A Memorial Day Homage
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Today and always, I honor all members of all the arms of the military who
gave their lives defending the rights, privileges and liberties we enjoy
daily. I...
There is No Dignity in Teaching
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I rarely reblog others, but this is a story that must be retold over and
over again. Administrators have forgotten that teachers (and the kids they
work wi...
Puerto Rico Solidarity Work
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In recent months Puerto Rico’s U.S. appointed Financial Oversight and
Management Board, and the 2016 PROMESA Law, has laid the groundwork to
close nearly...
#EducatingReformers - Pt. 1 Samuel
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Credit: AJ Garcia - UpSplashLast week I wrote about how I was going to tell
the stories of students who, far too often, become statistics on both sides
of...
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...
CEJ Victory for Culturally Responsive Education!
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Today the Mayor announced that the City is putting $23 million into the
Executive budget for culturally responsive education and anti-bias
trainings for te...
ELA Assessment: Dear Board of Regents,
-
Dear Members of the Board of Regents,
Thank you for your service as leaders in public education in New York
State. I am writing as a parent of two public ...
Scenes for the March For Life in New York
-
And so they came and came by the thousands, flooding Central Park West with
citizens of all ages, all races, all creeds, all who have had enough of
insane ...
#NationalSchoolWalkout – Grown Ups Need to Listen
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Student activists, responding to the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman
Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, organized a national walk out to
memoriali...
3rd Grade Reading: Who is Failing?
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Education Trust Midwest has just released its study on third grade reading
and, predictably, the results aren’t great. This study uniquely compares
Michiga...
Opting out of the Dinosaur (end of year test)
-
Today I sent in a second letter to refuse PARCC/CMAS for my son, Luke. The
first email I sent at the beginning of the year was not sufficient as they
requi...
Resurrection
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I realized it's Lent, but this blog, bless Jesus Christ, can't wait.
Ok, so with that said, I plan to discuss Class Action suits in existence,
as well as w...
Are Our Educators Prepared For Their Students?
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If there is one thing that I am sure of as an educator it is that rapid
change greatly affects both what and how we learn. If there is a second
thing that ...
Who Is Pulling The Muppet Strings?
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
Sesame Street is an iconic brand that embodies humor, acceptance, and
humanity. Who doesn’t love a muppet? So, on...
IDEA Is Still The Law Of The Land
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Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the US Department of
Education (USDOE) rescinded 72 Dear Colleague and other letters of
explanation to s...
Budget Cuts To Kids Are Not Necessary!
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We’ve been hearing a lot of news from OUSD about how cuts to schools and
kids are necessary. So we’ll need to keep saying the truth… they are not
necessar...
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...
Student of the Month Nightmare
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*This is something I wrote for a monthly gathering to honor some of the
best students at our school. I figure most teachers will relate:*
I was grading pap...
99 Years of Progress Erased – unless we fight back
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Public healthcare for all? Public education for all? What is being done to
our monetized children regarding their potential healthcare and their
existing e...
You Can Be an Astronaut, but You Can't Be Black
-
“What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s a question I always
imagined every kindergarten student hearing.
“I want to be a doctor!” declares Sally.
...
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...
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 ...
Don't Like Chris Christie? Blame the Democrats.
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Yesterday Diane Ravitch published a piece in The New Republic, titled Don't
Like Betsy DeVos? Blame the Democrats.
If you care about public education at al...
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
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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...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
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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...
Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/2/2017
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Education Bloggers Daily Highlights 3/1/2017 Education Bloggers Daily
Highlights Courtesy of Big Education Ape A special thank you to education
blogger Mik...
Capturing the Spark
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It’s been a long time since InterACT was an active education blog, though I
remain quite proud of what we did here. Those of us who wrote blog posts
here h...
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...
WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship
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Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson
Candidates for WTU Prez & GVP 2016By Candi Peterson, WTU Gen. Vice President
*Statements or expressions of opinions herein...
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...
All Aboard the Opt Out Bus
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The #OptOutBus is currently traveling the country giving away free books to
children! Follow their progress at their Facebook page and donate to their
FR...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
-
Originally posted on Creative by Nature:
“Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational
research and assessment tools. When gove...
