Virtual learning as the next con job – The Kahn Academy | Dailycensored.com

Virtual learning as the next con job – The Kahn Academy | Dailycensored.com

Virtual learning as the next con job – The Kahn Academy

Written by Danny WeilBusiness, EducationJul 26, 2011

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I first became aware of The Kahn Academy, its plans for ‘reforming education’ and its ebullient Executive Director, Sal Kahn when I was sent a video of Kahn speaking at a TED conference (you can see the twenty minute video at http://www.khanacademy.org/ along with other videos of Kahn speaking at similar engagements). For readers who are not aware of TED.com, they describe themselves as:

TED is a nonprofit devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading”. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. Since then its scope has

solidaridad: Stand up for Obama and Clay Middle Schools!

solidaridad: Stand up for Obama and Clay Middle Schools!

Stand up for Obama and Clay Middle Schools!

by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene

LAUSD continues is top-down reform efforts of pouncing on the will of the community and educators of local schools.


Take a stand for Educational Justice.

Stand up for Obama and Clay Middle Schools!

Join the South L.A. Coalition to Defend Public Schools press conference and rally!

We need supporters to attend the press conference on Wednesday, July 27 12pm at Obama Middle School, 1700 West 46th St. (by corner of Vernon & Western).

What: Press Conference and Rally
When: Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Time: 12pm (noon)

Who: All honest people who care about creating more socially just education system. Join the South LA Coalition to Defend Public Schools at this action.
Why: Its time we stand up against Charter Schools and the Top-down education "de-form" efforts. Demand community control of our schools!
Contact: John Parker at johnthompsonparker@gmail.com

Background:
LAUSD continues is top-down reform efforts of pouncing on the will of the community and educators of local schools. On June 29th the Principal of Obama Middle School, Veronique Wills, was removed with no consultation with the educators and/or community. Obama is a new campus that was put up for bid during the first round on LAUSD Public School Choice Plan. Through the hard work of teachers, community, and the Local Teachers Union, UTLA, the Obama team wrote a 5-year school-wide plan that was developed on very progressive education ideas and received approval from the reluctant pro-charter School Board majority.

Despite the approval of the school plan, the Local District Superintendent, George McKenna unilaterally and unjustly removed Principal Wills at the end of the first year of the school plan. Principal Wills has built relationships with the surrounding the community and brought in many community groups to work with the school and tried, despite roadblocks from LAUSD and Local Supt. George McKenna, to not only raise test scores, but also develop the "whole child."

At neighboring Clay Middle School, the LAUSD School Board Majority once again, pushing their top down school "de-form" and giveaway agenda, has given away Clay Middle School to Green Dot Charter School Management Company. LAUSD School Board Majority has once again defied the will of the community and educators with this unilateral move and has shown the influence outside charter school companies and other venture philanthropist have on the school board.

LAUSD has shown complete disrespect for the South Central LA community and Educators at both Clay and Obama Middle Schools.

The South LA Coalition to Defend Public Schools demands Clay remain a Public School and the Principal Wills stay at Obama Middle School.

Big Education Ape - PostRank Today's 10

Gotham Gazette - The Wonkster » Blog Archive » A New Chief for Parent InvolvementGotham Gazette - The Wonkster » Blog Archive » A New Chief for Parent Involvement A New Chief for Parent Involvement July 26th, 2011 Probably no aspect of the Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s education changes has received as much criticism as the Department ...

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Gotham Gazette - The Wonkster » Blog Archive » A New Chief for Parent Involvement

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A New Chief for Parent Involvement
July 26th, 2011

Probably no aspect of the Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s education changes has received as much criticism as the Department of Education’s attitude toward parents. While Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor Joel Klein wanted parents to help kids with their homework – and vote for the mayor – they saw real parent input as an inconvenience, possibly threatening their reforms.

Consulting with parents can create “gridlock,” Klein once said. “For every issue in which you think there is parent agreement … there are wide ranges of very different views.”

Bloomberg and Klein even went so far as to try to stop parents from baking cookies.

Upon becoming chancellor last spring, Dennis Walcott vowed to change that, while at the same time praising the department’s efforts during the time Klein was chancellor (and Walcott deputy mayor).

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Rhee, Henderson, Fenty make Tuesday primetime | Lisa Gartner | Capital Land | Washington Examiner

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By: Lisa Gartner | Examiner Staff Writer @Lisa_Examiner | 07/26/11 3:30 PM

Those of us familiar with "Scandalmakers," a fictional series made popular by television show "Arrested Development," will chuckle to find Michelle Rhee at the center of Tuesday night's "Bloomberg Risk Takers."

Luckily, no one will be played by a B-rated actor.

D.C. Schools Chancellor Kaya Henderson, former Mayor Adrian Fenty and Rhee's fiance, Kevin Johnson, among others, will appear on the show, billed as "a new series that looks at a new generation of entrepreneurs who have taken a gamble, faced down failure, and revolutionized the way the world does business."

Choice Rhee quote from Bloomberg's release: "I was the diametric opposite of what people both wanted and expected in the city's first schools chancellor."

The segment sounds pretty pro-Rhee (at a time when some educators are

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/capital-land/2011/07/rhee-henderson-fenty-make-tuesday-primetime#ixzz1TFRAXzXa

Schools Matter: The new tough FCAT writing test

Schools Matter: The new tough FCAT writing test

The new tough FCAT writing test

by skrashen

The new, tougher FCAT writing test based on incorrect assumptions

Sent to the Orlando Sentinel, July 26, 2011

The new tougher version of the FCAT writing exam ("FCAT writing test about to get tougher," July 26) is supposed to improve writing, because it will stimulate more instruction in spelling and grammar, as well as more writing. A massive amount of research says that this assumption is not correct.

We have known for decades that increased instruction in spelling and grammar, and requiring more writing do not improve writing quality or writing accuracy. Rather, the research consistently shows that extensive reading, especially self-selected reading for pleasure, has a powerful impact on writing proficiency. Writing itself is an

How Arne Duncan is Transforming New Orleans Public Schools | Seattle Education

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by seattleducation2011

Few of us can forget Arne Duncan’s now infamous quote that Hurricane Katrina “was the best thing to happen to the education system in New Orleans”.

After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, charter school enterprises came in along with Teach for America and “transformed” the education system of that city. For a description of what happened during that period and why, read Naomi Klein’s introduction to her book The Shock Doctrine.

For other views on whether Duncan and Co. have succeeded with their grand plan see the Institute on Race and Poverty: New Orleans School Experiment is Not Serving the Needs of All Students, Access Denied, KIPPsters vs. Hipsters, New Orleans Parents Complain That Charter Schools Are Leaving the Most Vulnerable Behind,Paul Vallas Gets An Earful from Karran Harper Royal, a founding member of Parents Across America, School

Can’t go to the SOS March? Here’s what you can do instead! « Parents Across America

Can’t go to the SOS March? Here’s what you can do instead! « Parents Across America

Can’t go to the SOS March? Here’s what you can do instead!

by pureparents

Thousands of people will be converging on Washington, DC this week to speak out in support of our schools at the Save Our Schools March and National Call to Action.

Parents Across America members will be out in full force all week!

On Thursday we’re presenting the first of three workshops on “The New Parent Involvement,” and we’ll be meeting with members of Congress. We have packets prepared for them with the PAA position papers on ESEA reauthorization and on the recentHouse bill to expand charter schools. We will also share some fact sheets including “Why Tying Teacher Salaries to Test Scores Doesn’t Work,” a comparison chart of the relative success of reducing class size versus using Race to the Top strategies (no surprise – class size reduction works better!), and a summary of recent independent polling information showing a drop of 11% in the American people’s support for the Obama administration’s education policies since 2009 – now 33% give him a “D” or an “F”.

On Friday, we’ll be listening to Diane Ravitch and presenting workshops on class size and how to work for a better ESEA.

On Saturday, of course, we’ll be marching to the White House with Matt Damon and several thousand other people.

IF YOU CAN’T BE THERE, HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO!

Strengthen our voices in DC by adding your own. Please call or fax your Senators andCongressmen this week – Thursday would be best!

• Tell them that they need to listen to their constituents on ESEA, not to rich education hobbyists who have spent billions marketing a false image of our public schools and promoting ideas that are expensive and don’t improve education.
• Tell them that you oppose HR 2218, the charter school expansion law.
• Share your own experience with high-stakes testing, school closure, charter school encroachment, or other problems that have come about due to NCLB/ESEA.

You can use PAA’s summary points on ESEA below. You can find more information about many of these topics under the links provided.

Summary of PAA’s ESEA Position Paper, with links to further information

Parents Across America opposes:

• Policies that use standardized test scores as the most important accountability measure for schools,teachers or students, and/or expand the use of standardized testing in our schools.
• Competition for federal funds; a quality education is not a race but a right.
• “Parent trigger” laws, vouchers, charter takeovers or other forms of school privatization that take resources from the schools attended by most students and put them into private hands, with less oversight.
• Limiting federally-mandated school improvement models to a narrow set of strategies, including charter schools and privatization, which are favored by corporate reformers but which have had little verified success.

A new ESEA/NCLB must include:

• Sufficient and equitable resources in all public schools, so that every child receives a high-quality education.
• Improving schools rather than closing them, by means of evidence-based solutions backed by parents and other stakeholders.
• Less standardized testing, more reliable accountability and assessment practices, and the right of parents to opt their children out of standardized tests..
• Programs that encourage the retention of professional, experienced teachers.
• A full range of parent involvement opportunities including a stronger parent voice in decision making at the school, district, state, and national levels.

We need everyone to speak out this week – Thank you for adding your voice!