Merry Christmas to All!
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Wherever you are, I wish you a very Merry Christmas. I wish you happiness,
joy, and many reasons to smile in the year ahead. I don’t know about you,
but I ...
Some Christmas Tunery
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Here at the Institute (where the Board of Directors still firmly believe in
Santa Claus), we like our seasonal music, both as consumers and as
producers,...
Finding Light in Winter by Mary Pipher
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The mornings are dark, the late afternoons are dusky, and before we finish
making dinner, the daylight is gone. As we approach the darkest days of the
ye...
Last Minute Gift Ideas!
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We've been bombarded with "last minute" gift idea promotions since at least
mid-November, but now, finally, the last minute is truly upon us. As a
publi...
Cartoons about the Holiday Season
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Here are some cartoons that got me to smile about this time of year. I hope
they will do the same for you. Happy holidays to all of my readers. Enjoy!
HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!
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*HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!*
* The Big Hairy Education Ape Spreads Holiday Cheer! Ah, December! The time
of year when the air tur...
About the Social Security Fairness Act
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On December 21, 2024, the US Senate passed the Social Security Fairness
Act, otherwise known as HR 82, a bill that restores full Social Security
benefits t...
Apologies to Dan Alicea
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I want to truly apologize to Daniel Alicea. On November 30, Dan wrote a
blog post about how, despite millions of dollars being available, Mulgrew
refused...
The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” Awards
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At NPE, we know who is naughty and nice when it comes to supporting our
public schools and their students.
The post The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” A...
Big Lies of Education: Grade Retention
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The Big Lie of grade retention in the US is that it is often hidden within
larger reading legislation and policy, notably since the 2010s: Westall and
Cumm...
Juntos lo haremos
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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...
WTF, Democratic Caucus?
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Why is the failure of this current budget bill being blamed on Republicans
when almost every single Democrat voted against it? If only half of the
Dems had...
Peace through Beauty
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I am and always have been more musical than I have been verbal. I have
always found beauty in sound. Often it can be purely instrumental, such as
playing...
San Diego School Board Election Outcomes
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By Thomas Ultican 12/17/2024 Before the recent election, I wrote
recommendations for several school board seats in San Diego County. The San
Diego County R...
SPI Supports SB 48 to Keep ICE Off School Campuses
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State Superintendent Tony Thurmond sponsors Senate Bill 48 to keep
Immigration and Customs Enforcement off of school campuses, protecting
school attendance...
Schrödinger’s Cat
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Schrödinger’s cat is a famous thought experiment in which the renowned
scientist pondered how a cat in a closed box could be thought of as
simultaneously a...
In Memoriam: Nikki Giovanni
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The literary and cultural world has lost an irreplaceable voice with the
passing of Nikki Giovanni. As one of the most celebrated poets and
activists of ou...
Education Has Failed and What Can We Do Next?
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Education has failed to prepare children for the world today. Despite the
increased investment, impactful reforms, hardworking teachers and school
leaders,...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
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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...
November Parent Engagement Resources
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Greeting a family in their preferred language is a small gesture that
demonstrates respect and eagerness to connect with parents. Creating a
Welcoming Envi...
Try Substack?
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Seems like the popular new thing. Here’s my first try – it’s about
yesterday’s UFT Retired Teachers Chapter meeting – first ever not run by
Unity. (Spoiler...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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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
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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
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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 ...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
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Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in
the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old,
over o...
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...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
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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
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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...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
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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
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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.
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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
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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...
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
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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...
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
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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...
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
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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...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
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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...
What Silicon Valley and the Department of Defense Have Planned for Public Education: A video | Seattle Education : What Silicon Valley and the Department of Defense Have Planned for Public Education: A video Alison McDowell, editor of Wrench in the Gears, gave a presentation titled Future Ready Schools: How Silicon Valley and the Defense Department Plan to Remake Public Education on Saturday, Mar
Disco music, ESSA and your public school - Lily's Blackboard : Disco music, ESSA and your public school Don’t judge me for this, but disco has a special place in my heart. Not necessarily the “ Disco Duck ” variety. (I have taste, after all.) I’m talking about the legendary songs to which we would “ Freak Out ” under a glittering disco ball. Nile Rodgers was co-creator with Bernard Edwards of the
Should More Students Be Allowed to Skip a Grade? : Should More Students Be Allowed to Skip a Grade? When Heather Rains was in elementary school, she skipped ahead two years, from kindergarten to 2nd grade. The decision placed her in the same class as her older sister, which was a little awkward, and she had a hard time making new friends. Rains still played with her same-age friends at recess but
We change the world by showing up. I went to Seattle and got a video on Ed Reform 2.0 / Learning Ecosystems to share! – Wrench in the Gears : We change the world by showing up. I went to Seattle and got a video on Ed Reform 2.0 / Learning Ecosystems to share! This weekend I relished the opportunity to meet up with some wonderful activists with whom I have been collaborating online for many months
STOP the Hostile Take-Over. Re-Elect Steve Zimmer Tues., May 16th, to LAUSD School Board | The Huffington Post : STOP the Hostile Take-Over. Re-Elect Steve Zimmer Tues., May 16th, to LAUSD School Board On Tues, May 16th, Los Angeles voters –the caffeinated ones awake enough to know there is a monumental election underway— can resist a billionaire-backed hostile charter take over of the Los Angele
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Now It Will Get Real on McCleary Funding : Now It Will Get Real on McCleary Funding The Dems will be releasing their proposal for the budget, including McCleary funding, today at noon. It will be televised on TVW. Your Kids and Their Future by Melissa Westbrook / 42min I've read a couple of good articles over the last week that I wanted to share. There is a lot of
The problem with DeVos' education agenda - Baltimore Sun : The problem with DeVos' education agenda ewly confirmed Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos , a Michigan billionaire, has used her considerable wealth to promote charter school expansion in her home state for more than two decades. According to Politico, she and her husband have made over $2 million dollars in campaign contributions to sup
School choice supporters tout questionable data on charters | NC Policy Watch : School choice supporters tout questionable data on charters Charter schools in North Carolina are becomingly increasingly white and affluent. Those are two of the overriding conclusions derived from recent analysis of the state’s charter population by a variety of stakeholders. But a new set of numbers circulating amo
Mississippi Learning: Moving Beyond Betsy DeVos’ “School Choice” Trap – Capital & Main : Mississippi Learning: Moving Beyond Betsy DeVos’ “School Choice” Trap Like many Southern cities, Clinton, Mississippi, bears the scars of American slavery. A road cutting through the city’s center marks a key route used by slave traders in the decades before the Civil War. Signs across town tell the story of
Within integrated schools, de facto segregation persists - Baltimore Sun : Within integrated schools, de facto segregation persists They were classmates and best friends, and they both wanted to get into the 11th-grade Advanced Placement English class at Columbia's Hammond High School. Since meeting in summer school just before ninth grade, Mikey Peterson and Eli Sauerwalt had been through a lot
Malloy: State's Desegregation Efforts Depriving Children Of Quality Education - Hartford Courant : Malloy: State's Desegregation Efforts Depriving Children Of Quality Education Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said he has lost faith in Connecticut's nationally touted school-desegregation efforts and argued that Hartford students would be better served if the landmark Sheff v. O'Neill case returned to court
Liberals, Conservatives Agree: Big Mistake for White House to Push Private School Choice | Education News | US News : Liberals, Conservatives Agree: Big Mistake for White House to Push Private School Choice Having just sent a memo to the Democratic caucus Wednesday morning outlining a strategy to oppose the Trump administration’s plans to push private school choice, Sen. Patty Murray headed to th
California school districts increased spending on administrator pay faster than teacher pay | The Sacramento Bee : California school districts increased spending on administrator pay faster than teacher pay Every so often, “clackers,” as teachers at Hiram Johnson High call them, will visit Mary Rodríguez’s class to watch her teach and make recommendations. These administrators, she said, wear sho
Remember 'Open Schools'? Probably Not, And Here's Why : NPR Ed : NPR : 'Open Schools' Made Noise In The '70s; Now They're Just Noisy It's a perennial debate in American education: Do kids learn best when they're sitting in rows at their desks? Or moving around, exploring on their own? Back in the 1960s and '70s, that debate led to a brand new school design: Small classrooms were out. Wide-open sp
How to Expose Racists: Simply Mention Racism | radical eyes for equity : How to Expose Racists: Simply Mention Racism I was pleasantly surprised when Education Week published Why Are We Criminalizing Black Students? by Tyrone C. Howard. Regretfully, this blog is gorged with posts about EdWeek routinely failing the education discussion, but Howard’s commentary confronts well a hard topic in educat
Paul Vallas again? Really? | Fred Klonsky : Paul Vallas again? Really? I have always believed there are two main reasons we in Illinois suffer from having Bruce Rauner as governor. Pat Quinn decided he was placed on this earth to cut public employee pensions. He picked Paul Vallas as his running mate. Quinn lost by a mere 70,000 votes statewide. I pin that tiny margin on pensions and Vallas. Vall
How the Nation’s Two Oldest School Voucher Programs Are Working: Part I—Wisconsin | janresseger : How the Nation’s Two Oldest School Voucher Programs Are Working: Part I—Wisconsin School voucher programs in Milwaukee and Cleveland are now over twenty-five years old. Now both states have expanded statewide what began as stand-alone, big-city programs, and last week, local newspapers in Milwaukee a
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES 'Move fast and break things...' : WEEKEND QUOTABLES 'Move fast and break things...' Bannon: "Move fast and break things" Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) “We have got to have the guts to take on the insurance companies and the drug companies and move forward toward a Medicare-for-all, single-payer program, And I’ll be introducing legislation shortly to do th
Technology “Disrupting” Journalism and Teaching (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice : Technology “Disrupting” Journalism and Teaching (Part 1) Recently a few friends and I saw “All The President’s Men.” The 1976 film about the Watergate burglary in 1972, the subsequent cover up by the White House and eventual resignation of President Nixon in 1974 featured Dustin Hoffma
One to One Initiative Threatens Public Education | tultican : One to One Initiative Threatens Public Education One to one classroom agendas have a dark side that includes the destruction of public schools as we know them; where teachers and students interact. It’s a dystopian ideology that posits students earning education badges while working in isolation at a digital screen. This month, the ent
Chester Finn Laments Maryland’s Corporate Reform Resistance; Fails to Connect Common Core to Falling NAEP Scores | deutsch29 : Chester Finn Laments Maryland’s Corporate Reform Resistance; Fails to Connect Common Core to Falling NAEP Scores On March 22, 2017, former Fordham Institute President and current Maryland State Board of Education Vice President Chester Finn published an opinion piece for
NYC Public School Parents: It's not too late to opt out & more reasons to do so-- including to protect your child's privacy and deny them the data! : It's not too late to opt out & more reasons to do so-- including to protect your child's privacy and deny them the data! On Tuesday begin three days of state ELA exams for grades 3-8. Last year, about 265,000 NY students in these grades opted out --
Badass Teachers Association: The Case Against Crayons by Catherine Malley : The Case Against Crayons by Catherine Malley Crayons are illegal today; Classroom contraband, reeking of play. My box of new September crayons: Flawless, sharp tipped, begging to escape their yellow and green striped Crayola box. Each color was perfectly placed in the spectrum: red, maroon, scarlet, brick red and my favor
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 3/26/17 Featured Post STANDARDIZED TESTING BILL OF RIGHTS Seattle Schools Community Forum: What's Next for Seattle Schools? by mike simpson / 15min Seattle Schools