"NYSUT says SED decision adversely impacts students ."

"NYSUT says SED decision adversely impacts students ." December 27, 2011. NYSUT: A Union of Professionals. www.nysut.org:

NYSUT says SED decision adversely impacts students

NYSUT Media Relations - December 27, 2011

ALBANY, NY December 27, 2011 -- Commissioner King's decision to cut off funding to School Improvement Grant (SIG) districts will disrupt services to our neediest students and deprive their schools of millions in promised federal funding - in what appears to be an arbitrary exercise of brinksmanship. Instead of requesting a waiver for New York's SIG school districts to give them a reasonable extension of time to construct quality evaluations that support teacher development and growth in student learning, SED is using a blunt instrument - taking away funds that provide essential services for students in our neediest schools.

The US Department of Education recognizes the challenges in getting the evaluation system right and has offered states waivers to provide the necessary additional time to complete this complex work. At least 14 states have received these waivers.

SED's refusal to support local school districts with a waiver request is especially

Children Express A Powerful Wish for the Holidays: Allow All Families to Stay Together « MomsRising Blog

Children Express A Powerful Wish for the Holidays: Allow All Families to Stay Together « MomsRising Blog:

Children Express A Powerful Wish for the Holidays: Allow All Families to Stay Together

by Lisa Moore

“I think that no one should live in fear of being deported and separated from their families. I believe that the way we are in our families, taking care of each other, is how we should live in the world. My family is partly immigrants, but we have the privilege of having citizenship. I want to use my privilege so that deportations don’t ever happen to another immigrant family.”

• Gabriel, 11 years old, Portland, Oregon

Listening to 11-year-old Gabriel talking about why he’s concerned about the impact of immigration enforcement policies on families—even through his own family has U.S. citizenship—I knew we were on to something. As an organizer with the National Domestic Workers Alliance, over the past two months I’ve had the honor and privilege of being part of a team that has collected thousands of letters from young people around the country, all demanding one thing: an end to deportations so that all of our families and communities can stay together.

Our A Wish for the Holidays campaign has highlighted two important, yet often overlooked, truths. First of all,

How Narrative Feedback Can Crush the ABCs « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

How Narrative Feedback Can Crush the ABCs « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:

How Narrative Feedback Can Crush the ABCs

by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers

Post written by Mark Barnes, a veteran teacher and national presenter. His new book on what he calls a Results Only Learning Environment will be published by ASCD in 2013. Connect with Barnes by e-mail atmark@thepaperlessclassroom.com. This post was originally featured in ASCD Express.

The argument about the value of grades is one that continually vexes many teachers and administrators. Once educators agree that grades do more harm than good, the debate typically turns to a discussion about what is an appropriate replacement for them. “Study after study has found that students—from elementary school to graduate school, and across cultures—demonstrate less interest in learning as a result of being graded” (Kohn,

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty, Shmoverty: Part IV

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty, Shmoverty: Part IV:

Poverty, Shmoverty: Part IV

by Duke

This is a little wonky, but I think the payoff is worth it. Bear with me...


So I've been going on a bit about international comparisons of both student achievement and poverty (go here,here, and here to follow). The impetus for all this was Amanda Ripley's contention that low-poverty schools in the US do a lousy job compared to low-poverty schools around the world.

Twice, Ripley compares the 75th percentile in socio-economic status (What the PISA test calls ESCS) in the US to the 75th percentile in the rest of the world. I have said that:

Mother Crusader: Charter advocates LOVE to throw around the F word

Mother Crusader: Charter advocates LOVE to throw around the F word:

Charter advocates LOVE to throw around the F word

by darciecima

Jersey Jazzman's take on Cerf's interview with the Associated Press reminds me of a letter from the Cherry Hill Superintendent and School Board. They were responding to Pastor Amir Khan who wrote an editorial in which he reported that in Cherry Hill “the share of black children who failed the standardized eighth-grade language arts test was three times the corresponding share of white children.” Quite a dire situation, clearly a charter is warranted, STAT!

Except that Dr. Reusche has actual data to back up the fact that Cherry Hill schools are improving educational outcomes for ALL of their kids. The Inquirer only ran a bit of her response mixed in with the other letters to the

Still Watching Colorado « InterACT

Still Watching Colorado « InterACT:

Still Watching Colorado

by David B. Cohen

Recently, I wrote a blog post about a court ruling in the case of Lobato v. Colorado, in which Judge Shelia Rappaport found that the state’s funding of public education was totally inadequate and irrational, and failed to meet the state’s constitutional requirement to provide a public education for Colorado children.

Today, the Colorado State Board of Education voted 4-3 to appeal that ruling. One of the “no” votes came from Elaine Gantz Berman, who wrote about her perspective on the case for Education News Colorado. In her guest post on their blog, I think she shows a common sense reaction to the ruling. She writes,

I cannot come up with any reasonable rationale to defend the status quo of how we fund schools, and I believe the students of Colorado deserve a first class education system. Today, we do not have a first class education system in our state.

It’s my hope that this ruling will force the legislature and the governor to come up with a solution now – and not delay the important discussion. Since the solution must not harm other important

OCCUPY EDUCATION - Asking students: revolutionary? #ows

OCCUPY EDUCATION - Asking students: revolutionary?:

Asking students: revolutionary?

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 6 minutes ago

Asking students: revolutionary?

Whether I shall be the hero of my school life, or whether that...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 3 weeks ago

Whether I shall be the hero of my school life, or whether that station will be held by anyone else I cannot tell. All I can say is I am Devoted and Dedicated to my education. That is WHY I OCCUPY!

I Occupy Education because they say we don’t CARE. We...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 3 weeks ago

I Occupy Education because they say we don’t CARE. We proved them all wrong with Occupy High!

I Occupy Education because I...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 3 weeks ago

I Occupy Education because I think! Engaged Development Unique Creative Active Talent Interesting Occupy Nonviolence Love Education!

- Ive seen locked doors open due to my education - I want to...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 3 weeks ago

- Ive seen locked doors open due to my education - I want to see money equally distributed to ALL schools, no matter that location of the institution or the race of the student body. - innovatively injecting education into the minds of the youth will cripple “the cycle” - We live in a society where operating without one is extremely dangerous - I want my kids and all their friends to be contributing members of society - Ignorance is not bliss, more like poison. - If we all occupied education”their” efforts in oppressing us would be a lot more strenuous on their behalf. I OCC... more »

From a student at Occupy High… I occupy Education because...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 3 weeks ago

From a student at Occupy High… I occupy Education because I am the future, the pillars of society. We are the future, the pillars of society. The good and the great of humanity comes out of whether we have a good educational system. Occupy Edu Because I love to learn. I occupy edu because I need to be educated. And I got 99 reasons why! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-High/201388856602444

From a student at Occupy High… Don’t analyze me....

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 3 weeks ago

From a student at Occupy High… Don’t analyze me. Inspire me. I occupy my education! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Occupy-High/201388856602444

ninafranco90: As a future educator… I am determined to provide...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 5 weeks ago

ninafranco90: As a future educator… I am determined to provide a quality education for ALL students regardless of zip code, SES, language, race, AND legal status. I see students’ abilities before their disabilities. I refuse to fill students’ minds with the ideals of a corrupt Capitalistic society. I OCCUPY EDUCATION

I occupy education by teaching in a mindset, “The Secret...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 5 weeks ago

I occupy education by teaching in a mindset, “The Secret W6” (don’t ask, ‘cos if you need to you aren’t a member) where the demands of the “Curriculum” come second, third or last to the importance of discussing What Really Matters.

I occupy education so that all children will one day be healthy,...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 5 weeks ago

I occupy education so that all children will one day be healthy, well nourished, are part of a community, and that their gifts are celebrated! 1 in 4 hungry children in New Mexico

I occupied education by publishing a book with the testimonies...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 5 weeks ago

I occupied education by publishing a book with the testimonies of the actual protesters themselves. It’s time for a revolution and it starts right here in the hearts of the protesters. I, myself am an educator. Occupy the World: From the Heart of the Protesters. I spoke with various protesters in Chicago and New York. I have published them here. In honor of the protesters and the movement, it is available free.

I occupy education because I believe education should inspire,...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 5 weeks ago

I occupy education because I believe education should inspire, empower, challenge, and facilitate growth

Occupy Education Blogger March Day of Action N17 #occupyeduN17 « Cooperative Catalyst

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 5 weeks ago

Occupy Education Blogger March Day of Action N17 #occupyeduN17 « Cooperative Catalyst: Please join us by making your voice heard! Today’s blogger march in solidarity with the direct action around the world is meant to help amplify our voice and those of other teachers, parents and students. From Portland to Wall St to Munich to Madrid, students, parents and teachers are marching for a better world for our children and our community. Make your stories and visions public today. *Here are a few ways you can add your voice to the blogger march today and for the rest of the weekend:* ... more »

I am a big picture visionary person, and one who strives to...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 5 weeks ago

I am a big picture visionary person, and one who strives to make this world a better place.I see education as a place to foster learning about the world, and about relationships. The corporate influence in the educational environment via the testing companies, have made it increasingly difficult for teachers to be creative, and to allow for children to discover their passions and to work cooperatively together. The public school system is yet another environment that divides us. We must transform this system if we are to prepare the younger generations for the challenges we face... more »

Occupy Education: School should be a time and place for students...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 1 month ago

Occupy Education: School should be a time and place for students to discover and become themselves. At the same time, they should learn to become contributing members of something bigger than themselves: A classroom community, a group of friends, a family, a neighborhood, a polis. As educators, therefore we must aspire toward building classroom communities around this ideal: where each person is encouraged to grow and thrive in harmony with others. See my blog post: Part I — “Education is political”: The people and the * polis* .

Occupy Education Reclaiming Our Voice In Education!

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 1 month ago

Occupy Education Reclaiming Our Voice In Education!

I occupy education because: The big picture is being shattered...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 1 month ago

I occupy education because: - The big picture is being shattered into smaller and smaller pieces. - We need less competition and more cooperation—now more than ever. - The labels we assign to students (and other people) become our blinders. - Learning “disabilities” may actually be wonderful gifts. - We become less human the more we allow ourselves to be measured, tracked, and reduced to bits of data. - Teachers and students are not robots. - Imagination—not productivity—is the engine of human progress. - “Normal” is a myth. Diversity is the truth. ... more »

Occupy Education Radical Doula I am a grad student researching...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 1 month ago

Occupy Education Radical Doula I am a grad student researching midwifery and birth, and I’m in the process of receiving my doula certification via DONA. I occupy education by insisting whatever I learn about women’s reproductive health should be shared and common knowledge.

To educate for liberation is to tear down prison walls that had...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 1 month ago

To educate for liberation is to tear down prison walls that had colonized our imaginations and held our minds captive. I Occupy Education. New Orleans Liberation Academy is an emerging grassroots community-based, democratic school based in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward. The Lower 9th Ward community, the city of New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast is our classroom. The challenges our communities face and our collective vision for the future is our curriculum. To learn more and/or get involved with making education a practice of liberation in New Orleans, visit www.liberationacadem... more »

I Occupy Education by helping visual thinkers learn important...

OCCUPY EDUCATION - 1 month ago

I Occupy Education by helping visual thinkers learn important skills and express their own profound stories through Video Storytelling. Video Storytelling is a powerfully effective, research-validated teaching tool which engages the students, communicates in a visual language, and creates movies in which the student is the star. Parents or educators can film the students acting out a social or educational concept, with support as needed. Then we edit out the prompting. As the students see themselves in the movie doing & saying something new, independently & successfully, the ... more »

New Year, New Teacher-my classroom resolutions for 2012 « Cooperative Catalyst

New Year, New Teacher-my classroom resolutions for 2012 « Cooperative Catalyst:

New Year, New Teacher-my classroom resolutions for 2012

by Tinashe Blanchet

It has been a long time since I’ve posted on my own blog because lately, I have gone into survival mode–just getting grades done and hanging on to my sanity leading up to the holiday break. The fall semester was filled with triumphs and successes for my students and me, but I also must admit that in the end, I was pretty disappointed by what things had degenerated into. Even my students wondered (aloud) if I was having trouble in my personal life, as my jovial, chatty demeanor quickly deteriorated into a frazzled abruptness as the end of the semester approached. My personal life was fine, it was my job that was stealing my joy! By my last day, I found myself questioning whether I should just switch careers, since my patience had clearly run out. I even scheduled an interview for a consulting gig that would possibly include a company car in which I could drive far, far away from grades, obnoxious kids, demanding administrators and all of the things that made being a teacher so. damn. hard.

Today, after enjoying some much needed quality time with family and friends, I can now say what I’ve always known–I was born to be in the classroom. I love kids, especially the ones who get on your last nerve. I love

Continuing the Deliberately Misleading and Coordinated Smear on Florida’s Teachers for Opposing Blaine Amendment Repeal | Scathing Purple Musings

Continuing the Deliberately Misleading and Coordinated Smear on Florida’s Teachers for Opposing Blaine Amendment Repeal | Scathing Purple Musings:

Continuing the Deliberately Misleading and Coordinated Smear on Florida’s Teachers for Opposing Blaine Amendment Repeal

by Bob Sikes

James Madison Institute public policy director Robert Sanchez was a busy man two days before Christmas. His first order of business was in contributing to a Tallahassee Democrat piece which touted school choice as” the civil rights issue of this era.”

Sanchez has obviously staked out a position which choice trumps all. Its a difficult one at times to defend when confronted by realities. Choice or “too choose” is such an ill-defined thing. For choice at-all-cost advocates like Sanchez, it ultimately presumes that some combination of federal-state-local governments will be providing universal school choice. At some point equating choice with civil rights will become absurd to the casual observer.

Sanchez and I agree on one thing. Its time to shudder to federal department of education. Our reasons are just

Jersey Jazzman: Cerf: Facts Have A Racial Bias

Jersey Jazzman: Cerf: Facts Have A Racial Bias:

Cerf: Facts Have A Racial Bias

by Duke

There is no other way to read this latest pronouncement from ACTING NJ Education Commissioner Cerf:

AP: What's the state of public education in New Jersey? How do we compare to other states?

Cerf: We compare very well from an aggregate perspective if you take the NAEP, the National Assessment of Educational Progress. New Jersey typically ranks within the top two to four in each of the four major categories.

It's a reflection of a very evolved, very developed, very successful education system in the main. The dissonance in that is if you get beneath the numbers, beneath the aggregates,