CURMUDGUCATION: Six Reasons To Oppose Betsy DeVos : Six Reasons To Oppose Betsy DeVos Senate hearings on Herr Trump's cabinet picks are coming up soon, and you should be calling your Senator. There are many good reasons for opposing Betsy DeVos as a Secretary of Education. 1) No experience with pubic education. This is not like appointing someone to the post of Attorney General who is not a lawye
Dear friends, help free a friend, please and thank you! | Bill Ayers : Dear friends, help free a friend, please and thank you! As you probably know, Governor Andrew Cuomo granted clemency to our friend and comrade Judith Clark, who has served 35 years in New York State prison for her participation in the Brinks robbery in 1981 that resulted in the deaths of two police officers and a Brinks guard.
Will Governor Malloy propose boondoggle for charter schools under guise of new education funding formula? - Wait What? : Will Governor Malloy propose boondoggle for charter schools under guise of new education funding formula? Connecticut’s existing school funding formula is unfair, inappropriate and unconstitutional. It leaves Connecticut’s public schools without the resources they need and plac
Organizing for Our Students - Lily's Blackboard : Organizing for Our Students The National Board for Professional Standards in 1989 published What Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do and re-released this seminal work recently. It outlines the National Board’s Five Core Propositions for Teaching , concepts that accomplished teachers should know and be able to promote to spur student achievement
2017–18 SBP and SFSP Start-up and Expansion Grants - School Nutrition (CA Dept of Education) : 2017–18 SBP and SFSP Start-up and Expansion Grants Nutrition Services Division Management Bulletin Purpose : Beneficial Information Date : February 2017 Number : SNP-01-2017, SFSP 01-2017 To : Public School Districts, Direct Funded Charter Schools, and County Superintendent of Schools Attention : Food S
Seattle Schools Community Forum: This Week: Please Call Senators Murray and Cantwell about DeVos Appointment : This Week: Please Call Senators Murray and Cantwell about DeVos Appointment From the Network for Public Education: The confirmation hearings for Betsy DeVos will happen shortly. Please call your senators this week and let them know you oppose her appointment as Secretary of Education. If
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: 2017 will be a year of resistance : 2017 will be a year of resistance Alabama NAACP leaders arrested after sit-in at Session's office. After months of suffering in despair and taking badly-needed recovery time from Trump shock and awe, many left and progressive activists, including education activists, are awakening, finding their bearings and hitting the ground run
Senate schedules confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, Trump’s pick for education secretary - The Washington Post : Senate schedules confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, Trump’s pick for education secretary The Senate education committee has scheduled a confirmation hearing for Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to helm the education department, for Jan. 11. DeVos, who has spent mo
Inside Donald Trump's Extremist Education Agenda | Alternet : Inside Donald Trump's Extremist Education Agenda The Hillsdale College connection links Trump to the right-wing evangelical community of Betsy DeVos. Donald Trump’s election to the U.S. presidency left education policy experts at a complete loss to explain what this would mean for the nation’s schools. During his campaign, Trump gave f
Don’t Count on Grading, Ranking Educational Quality | radical eyes for equity : Don’t Count on Grading, Ranking Educational Quality Having been a long-time advocate for and practitioner of de-testing and de-grading the classroom , I also reject the relentless obsession of mainstream media to grade and rank educational quality among states as well as internationally (see Bracey and Kohn ). As Kohn
Education Research Report: Do vouchers reduce crime? : Do vouchers reduce crime? A new report from the University of Arkansas Department of Education Reform claims that Texas voucher legislation would reduce crime and thereby save the state a cumulative $194 million by the end of 2035. This claim is not warranted and has, in fact, already been discredited. The report’s calculations arise from ano
Argument preview: What level of educational benefit is “appropriate” for children with disabilities? - SCOTUSblog : Argument preview: What level of educational benefit is “appropriate” for children with disabilities? The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act gives federal funds to states that agree to offer a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) to children with disabilities. An impor
Portland students plan walkout in response to Trump's education secretary pick | KATU : Portland students plan walkout in response to Trump's education secretary pick PORTLAND, Ore. – Hundreds of Portland students said they’re interested in joining a walkout in protest President Trump’s appointment of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education . According to an event invitation on the Portland Student
Schools Matter: SESSIONS, Jefferson Beauregard III (Jeff), (1946 - ) : SESSIONS, Jefferson Beauregard III (Jeff), (1946 - ) In the coming days, Congress will decide if a states rights segregationist from Alabama will be the next Attorney General of the United States. Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions III has a long history of working to fortify the commitment to white supremacy in his state, and if Don
Quoting President Karen Lewis. | Fred Klonsky : Q uoting President Karen Lewis. I only know Michael Antonucci from the few times we havemet at NEA Representative Assemblies. And from reading him online. He’s a nice enough guy although he is blinded by his anti-union theology. Mike ended the year by posting what he thought were outrageous quotes by union leaders. I will admit that some were dumb t
Facing pressure to cut special education, Texas schools shut out English Language Learners - Houston Chronicle : Facing pressure to cut special education, Texas schools shut out English Language Learners Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Houston Chronicle Alexia Stamatis, 13, has been diagnosed with autism, epilepsy and hypotonia, a muscle disorder. But when her mother asked Houston Independent School Di
What will be Obama’s lasting education legacy? | PBS NewsHour : What will be Obama’s lasting education legacy? ALISON STEWART: We continue our look at the Obama years and his legacy. Tonight, we focus on a subject that often gets less attention, public education. Much of what happens in the classroom is decided at the state and local level. But the federal government can also be a big player in s
The Carolina Coup and the Fight for Public Education : The Carolina Coup and the Fight for Public Education The nation’s eyes are on my home state of North Carolina, where what many are calling a coup has shown the lengths to which Republicans will go to protect and expand their political power. The naked power grab by Republicans has shocked the nation. But few people really understand that a st
Education Law Prof Blog : The Texas Special: Purge Students with Disabilities Identifying students with a disability is not an exact science. Scholars have long-since documented both the over- and under-identification of certain demographic groups with certain disabilities. As Theresa Glennon argued in Race, Education and the Construction of a Disabled Class , educational disabilities can be a pr
Marie Corfield: Hey NJ! Whatcha Gonna Do About DeVos? : Hey NJ! Whatcha Gonna Do About DeVos? My religion is right for your kids! On January 11, the Senate will hold confirmation hearings on Betsy DeVos. Since Trump nominated her for Secretary of Education, a great deal has been written about how she has used her money, power and influence to destroy public education in Michigan, and advance her
Standardized science standoff: California, feds at odds again over a statewide test | 89.3 KPCC : Standardized science standoff: California, feds at odds again over a statewide test There's a standoff brewing between education officials in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., over what standardized science test California students should take this spring. It bears striking resemblance to a very simil
Robert Cotto Jr. - Disciplining Connecticut’s Schools: A critique of the Judge’s Decision on the CCJEF Education Funding Case - Wait What? : Robert Cotto Jr. – Disciplining Connecticut’s Schools: A critique of the Judge’s Decision on the CCJEF Education Funding Case Disciplining Connecticut’s Schools: A critique of the Judge’s Decision on the CCJEF Education Funding Case – by Robert Cotto Jr. – “
What the Washington Post’s Editorial Promoting School Privatization Neglects to Consider | janresseger : What the Washington Post’s Editorial Promoting School Privatization Neglects to Consider In an editorial earlier this week , Fred Hiatt the editorial page director of the Washington Post , endorses marketplace school choice along with Betsy DeVos, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Sec
Russ on Reading: Beyond Grades: How is My Child Doing? : Beyond Grades: How is My Child Doing? Part 3 in a series on grading and feedback In previous posts in this series on grading, I have argued first that grades fail to motivate genuine learning and second, that they provide only vague unhelpful feedback to students. But what about parents? Many teachers say that they must give grades because
Technology Trade-offs in a Physics Classroom (Alice Flarend) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : Technology Trade-offs in a Physics Classroom (Alice Flarend) “Alice Flarend is a National Board Certified Teacher and is the physics teacher at Bellwood-Antis High School in Pennsylvania. She holds a B.S and M.S in Nuclear Engineering from University of Illinois and University of M
Doubling Down - Living in Dialogue : Doubling Down Buffalo Board Member Carl Paladino stands behind his racist remarks about the Obamas. Read about it here . See the rest of the interview here .
Highly Intelligent Cheaters Share Their Stories | deutsch29 : Highly Intelligent Cheaters Share Their Stories In this era of high-stakes test idolization, it would be foolish for one to believe that cheating is not alive, well, and thriving. There are even forums to discuss (brag?) on the ways one has cheated. The site Quora has a number of cheating-related brag pages, including the one featured
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 1/3/17 Featured Post John Thompson: Can the School Reform Wars Be Scaled Down? | The Huffington Post Fake Trump Tweets – A Fun Way To Face The Coming Trumpocalypse |
That Teacher Absenteeism Report
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The Thomas B. Fordham Institute is a Washington DC based advocacy group
that works the reformy side of the street. They worked hard to sell the
Common Core...
Big Picture Learning Off Limits
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From Wrench in the Gears
September 20, 2017
The introduction to this piece including a discussion of ImBlaze can be
found here.
Big Picture Learningstu...
Calling Foul: Ravitch is Wrong About MacArthur
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This is a bit ironic. This morning, Diane Ravitch reblogged a post I’d
written about an exceptionally good piece on the influence of billionaires
in public...
TODAY: Submit comments to USDoE before midnight.
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The US Department of Education is asking for comments, “In accordance
with Executive Order 13777, “Enforcing the Regulatory Reform Agenda,” the
Departmen...
Cary Moon for Mayor
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This blog endorses Cary Moon for Mayor of Seattle.
Why Moon over her opponent, Jenny Durkan?
1. Moon is willing to put herself out there and talk about e...
USA: Warmongers not Christians
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This is simple, in two graphs: It is clear that in the USA, we have made
decisions about the extreme wealth of the nation. We have plenty of money,
but we ...
Oregon’s Smarter Balanced Assessment Scores Drop
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Oregon schools showed a drop in proficiency in math and ELA as last school
year's Smarter Balanced Assessment scores were released.
The post Oregon’s Sma...
A Train Track Back
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His mother left and he didn't like that. He stood at the hallway door
crying while I sat with him, although he soon made it clear that he would
rather...
NJ Third Grader Scores Perfect on PARCC
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New Jersey public school student, Alexica Perez, achieved a perfect score
on the seven-day-long PARCC test that she took in her third grade year at
Max Leu...
How You Can Help Small Businesses Thrive
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Banks are trying to score another victory over hardworking Americans by
refusing to lend to minorities, women, and rural residents who own and run
small bu...
Cartoons and Stories of Students and Lawyers
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For this month, I am combining those often repeated howlers that students
write on tests and say in class with a selection of actual back-and-forths
betwe...
Review of John Gennari's "Flavor and Soul"
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With the publication of "Flavor and Soul- Italian America at its African
American Edge,"John Gennari has written an eloquent book about Italian
Americans a...
Reformy Chalkbeat Peddles the Moskowitz Book
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A few years ago, I used to write for Chalkbeat, *nee *Gotham Schools. I
wrote a review of Diane Ravitch's book, *The Death and Life of the Great
American ...
The New “Jack”: Trading Justice for Grit
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(Taking a small break between chapters in The Interregnum Mile to bring you
something to consider) Is Restorative Justice being “jacked?” Restorative
Justi...
Please take our 5-minute class size survey!
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*Welcome back to a new school year! *
Please take our five-minute class size survey to let us know how large your
child’s class size is this year; teachers...
We the people, our Constitution
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I keep a pocket version of the U.S. Constitution handy, and this year I’ve
found myself thumbing through it on a regular basis. (I wonder why?) More…
On Deaf Ears: My Public Comment to the LAUSD Board
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On September 12, 2017, the LAUSD School Board was set to take a vote to
approve several charters for five-year renewals, including ICEF Innovation.
However...
Good-Bye Princess of Madiganistan
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It was not too long ago Lisa Madigan declared a financial emergency and
attacked the state’s public employees and retirees. Madigan and other
self-inter...
The Bottom Line: A Keller-Greene Joint
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Good teachers are both process and bottom line people. They think about how
to get students to walk away with …
Continue reading →
Newsletter and Action of the Week for 9/14/17
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Thumbnail of the 9/14/17 newsletter (full issue here) Action of the week:
Let’s disrupt DeVos’s “Rethinking Schools” scheme: 1. Send a letter to the
editor...
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...
FAIRTEST is not a footnote
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I am a fan of footnotes, including my own, and probably my favorite
footnote in Addicted to Reform: A 12-Step Program to Rescue Public
Education is #1 for ...
Questions as Invitations, Not Inquisitions
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When you are a writer, inspiration for your writing can come from all over,
suddenly, unpredictably, sometimes even against your will. Into my in box
this...
Teacher Bathroom Behavior Charges
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The following comes from the files of, *"You Can't Make This Shit Up!"*
Last month Chaz in a blog post wrote...
*Up until this previous school year the Off...
Arrogance-Advice to Start the Year
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The look to give those no nothing supervisors and Principals who try to
intimidate. Get the upper hand!
(Photo from Congo House at the Bronx Zoo)
Trump’s War on Science: NYT Editorial
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New York Times Editorial Board Sept. 9, 2017 The news was hard to digest
until one realized it was part of a much larger and increasingly disturbing
patter...
Trump’s War on Science: NYT Editorial
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New York Times Editorial Board Sept. 9, 2017 The news was hard to digest
until one realized it was part of a much larger and increasingly disturbing
patter...
Two Days Down, Forever To Go
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I burst out laughing. I never thought I’d say that within the first two
days of school. But I did. Not only did I laugh, ...
Read More
The post Two Days...
Surprise! If You Live Under a Rock.
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As the war against our public schools and the profession of teaching drags
on it amazes me that some people still act surprised when politicians
attempt ...
Do Perks for Teachers Compromise Their Integrity?
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Schools and teachers are the objects of commerce and policy, not
co-creators or idea-generators or genuine partners. We get "gifts" from
business, if we ar...
Bawer on Greenblatt: A Response
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Though I have not read anything he has written this century, Stephen
Greenblatt has had an outsized impact on my academic career. The New
Historicism he sp...
GLSEN Responds as DACA End Imperils LGBTQ Students
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For media inquiries or to arrange an interview with Eliza Byard, contact:
*Cathy Renna, 917-757-6123, **cathy@targetcue.com*
(New York, NY) September 6, 2...
What Really Makes a "No Excuses" Charter School?
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Once again, Matt Barnum points us to a study showing positive effects from
a "no excuses" charter school. The paper, by Matthew Davis and Blake Heller, take...
My newest books and other news
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Dear friends and colleagues, Catching up on two months since I last wrote!
My book with Emily Gasoi, These Schools Belong To You and Me, from Beacon
Press,...
Join tonight’s #oklaed chat: Stereotypes in Schools
-
This conversation is more important than pre-season professional football
or Game of Thrones. Remember, you can record TV. It's a thing. See you at 8
tonight!
CPS buys into the Covey Hustle
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Reposted from Fred Klonsky's Blog
A parent wants to know why an expensive corporate training program is being
implemented at his neighborhood CPS school.
...
This is our Sputnik moment.
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School’s all across the nation are either starting or about to start a new
academic year. It’s suppose to be an exciting time for students and
teacher. How...
The NAACP Tells It As It Is
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An English teacher friend of mine was a finalist for Connecticut Teacher of
the Year in the mid 90’s. As one of the culminating steps in the selection
pro...
Literacy East and West of the Anacostia
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We Act Radio broadcasts from east of the Anacostia River in Washington, DC.
A short distance to the east on Good Hope Road is the Anacostia branch of
the p...
The “Bad Kid” Label Sticks: Let’s Remove It!
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Sometimes, ok many times, she could be loud. She rolled her eyes and
twirled her neck. Often. Her behavior was everyone else’s fault, never
hers. But as th...
The "Bad Kid" Label Sticks: Let's Remove It!
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Sometimes, ok many times, she could be loud. She rolled her eyes and
twirled her neck. Often. Her behavior was everyone else's fault, never
hers. But as th...
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
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“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.
...
Who’s Afraid of Professional Teachers?
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New York’s charter school sector, apparently. Politico reports that the
charter sector has potentially won a much desired prize: permission to
“certify” th...
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...
THE COUP TO DESTROY THE AMERICAN DREAM
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Within the core of our freedoms, lie the avenues powerful individuals use
to take away the rights of citizens and the controls of government designed
and e...
Parent/Educator EDU
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I have long been a guest blogger for Edutopia, which has been both a
challenge and an honor. I have always found it challenging to be
provocative in promot...
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...
Support Room 134!
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*Friends, family, even public education supporters I don't know on social
media are always asking about how they can help given the constant madness
of the...
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...
We Opted Out, Now What?
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Your family made the decision to "refuse" or opt out of the state
assessments. By taking this action you are standing up for your child's
education. You ...
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...
Jewell Elementary & Aurora Public Schools Skirt Law
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Letter sent to Colorado State Board of Education, as well as media,
senators who sponsored bill, Aurora Education Association, Aurora
superintendent office...
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...
Bad Hair Day
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It’s winter time. It’s cold — okay, not for anyone outside California and
Florida, but still — I’m wearing hats in the morning. Lovely knitted hats
that I’...
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
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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
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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...
