Saturday, November 5, 2011

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts #ows

Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 minutes ago

Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)?by Valerie StraussWisconsin’s Senate just passed a bill that would force public school teachers who are teaching sex education to promote the benefits of marriage and abstinence as the best way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. And bills have been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress that would encourage comprehensive sex ed ... more »

Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scores | Scathing Purple Musings

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 minutes ago

Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scores | Scathing Purple Musings:Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scoresby Bob SikesSo NOW its about the funding. From Leslie Postal in Sentinel School Zone:Former Gov. Jeb Bush sent out a press release this afternoon lamenting the state’s flat NAEP scores and calling for higher standards to boost performance that had “plateaued.”Bush, head of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, also said money would help.“ And investing in education is also important,” he said in ... more »

Guest Column: Evaluations ignore education factors Schools Matter

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 minutes ago

Schools Matter:Guest Column: Evaluations ignore education factorsJim Horn Saturday, November 5, 2011 Surely everyone can agree with Mike Edwards' core idea in "Grading teachers vital to education" (Oct. 29) that "every student needs to be well prepared for life and the work force" and that education is a critical factor in every citizen's quality of life. However, almost no one, especially researchers, would agree with Edwards' contention that teachers are the most important factor in a child's education. What the ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 minutes ago

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #owsSave Seattle Schools Community Blog: What's Next? School Lunches?Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-14 hours agoSave Seattle Schools Community Blog: What's Next? School Lunches?:What's Next? School Lunches?by Melissa WestbrookThe Seattle Times is reporting that Governor Gregoire is considering cutting K-12 bus transportation. But any squeamishness over student-transportation cuts isn't enough to keep that $220 million idea off her list of ways to potentially deal with budget shortfalls, the latest a ... more »

Defining a teacher’s worth

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 minutes ago

Defining a teacher’s worth:Defining a teacher’s worthby Mandy ZatynskiA new report this week from the American Enterprise Institute, in conjunction with the Heritage Foundation, sent waves (or perhaps a tsunami?) through the education community after claiming it found teachers to be overpaid – to the tune of 52 percent more than their educated equivalents in the private sector.If that’s the case, I missed out on some money somewhere.I taught ESL for almost three years in Spain in various capacities including ... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 minutes ago

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, EFL:Native American Heritage Month ResourcesLarry Ferlazzo at Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - 37 minutes agoNovember is Native American Heritage Month in the United States. Though I don’t have a “The Best…” list solely devoted to Native American resources, I do have tons of related materials at The Best Sites For International Day Of The … Continue reading →The Best Ideas On How Parents Can Help Their Kids ... more »

Re:education in Baltimore – Fishbowl Edition | Re:education in Baltimore

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 4 minutes ago

Re:education in Baltimore – Fishbowl Edition | Re:education in Baltimore:Re:education in Baltimore – Fishbowl Editionby Edit BarryI wrote a new post for this week based on a selection of articles and op-eds I’d read over the past two. Here are the links:Alonso plans to close schools that are underused, dilapidatedSpecific list hasn’t been finalizedBy Erica L. GreenThe Baltimore SunOctober 14, 2011Why smaller is betterOur view: Consolidating students in fewer buildings makes the best use of the city school system’s limited ... more »

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: What's Next? School Lunches?

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: What's Next? School Lunches?:What's Next? School Lunches?by Melissa WestbrookThe Seattle Times is reporting that Governor Gregoire is considering cutting K-12 bus transportation. But any squeamishness over student-transportation cuts isn't enough to keep that $220 million idea off her list of ways to potentially deal with budget shortfalls, the latest a $2 billion one.Washington would be the first to completely eliminate state dollars for bus service because of the recent recession, said Bob Riley, executive director ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #owsIn Friday's paper: Area charter schools report low test scores - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register StarBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-3 hours agoIn Friday's paper: Area charter schools report low test scores - Rockford, IL - Rockford Register Star:In Friday's paper: Area charter schools report low test scoresROCKFORD — Rockford’s charter schools were ranked near the bottom of the heap when local Illinois Standards Achievement Test scores were released ... more »

What We Can Learn From High-Performing Charter Schools: Treat Teachers as Professionals | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

What We Can Learn From High-Performing Charter Schools: Treat Teachers as Professionals | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:What We Can Learn From High-Performing Charter Schools: Treat Teachers as Professionalsby Tarsi DunlopToo often when discussing the challenges public K-12 education faces, sweeping generalizations are made that in addition to being inaccurate, unfairly categorize professional educators and public schools as uniformly unsuccessful or at best inadequate. For instance, there is no proof that charter schools are guaranteed to produce ... more »

Democurmudgeon: Charter School Networks Failing, New Orleans all Charter District Gets low Grades.

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

Democurmudgeon: Charter School Networks Failing, New Orleans all Charter District Gets low Grades.:Charter School Networks Failing, New Orleans all Charter District Gets low Grades.by DemocurmudgeonSo what’s the point of running parallel school districts when they offer up the same results and problems?This study of larger groups of charter networks, thought to expand successful technics within their systems, did not achieve that goal. Edweek: A new national study on the effectiveness of networks that operate charter schools finds overall that their ... more »

Diary of a Social Art-tivist Mommy: DC Parent Power OPEN Meeting Monday

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

Diary of a Social Art-tivist Mommy: DC Parent Power OPEN Meeting Monday:DC Parent Power OPEN Meeting Mondayby ART-tivist MommyDC Parent Power Open Meeting InviteYou are invited to an open meeting for “DC Parent Power” to look for common ground for civic engagement around public education in the District.THIS Monday, November 7th, 2011atJuanita E. Thornton/Shepherd Park Neighborhood Library,Room: SPK Room A,Time: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PMThis is an open gathering of a group of DCPS parents and education advocates joining together ... more »

Transformers Top Ten List

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

Transformers Top Ten List: Transformers Top Ten Listby NancyFlanaganThis is a blog to tell SOS readers about IDEC 2012 Week. And–the IDEC 2012 Conference in Puerto Rico next March, a celebration of democratic education– education that is human, powerful, relevant and transformative. Right up Save Our Schools’ alley.So–how do you transform public education in a world where data and profit trump human needs?How do you create a climate where education is continuously reinvented–collaboratively and sustainably–in forms that honor our democratic ...more »

NAEP: A flawed benchmark producing the same old story - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

NAEP: A flawed benchmark producing the same old story - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:NAEP: A flawed benchmark producing the same old storyby Valerie StraussThis was written by James Harvey, executive director of the National Superintendents Roundtable. Harvey, who helped write the seminal 1983 report “A Nation at Risk,” is the author or co-author of four books and dozens of articles on education and has been examining the history of NAEP as part of his doctoral studies at ...more »

Board and Mayor agree to stop breaking the law. « Fred Klonsky's blog

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

Board and Mayor agree to stop breaking the law. « Fred Klonsky's blog:Board and Mayor agree to stop breaking the law.by Fred KlonskyIn an agreement between the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Board which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the 5th floor of City Hall, Rahm Emanuel agreed to stop breaking the law and live by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Nothing in the agreement stops the CTU from pursuing their complaint with the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board. ... more »

"Tests" for Kindergarteners? - Dana Goldstein

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

"Tests" for Kindergarteners? - Dana Goldstein:"Tests" for Kindergarteners?I'll be in Mexico from Sunday through Wednesday, so this will be my last post until late next week. In the meantime, check out my new piece at Slate, which examines the best and not-so-great practices in "kindergarten readiness assessment"--yes, the so-called kindergarten "tests" the Obama administration is asking states to develop, and which have dusted up some controversy. Read it!

At the National Association of Multicultural Education conference today

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 17 hours ago

Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » At the NAME conference today:At the NAME conference todayby adminThe National Association of Multicultural Education (NAME) has been holding their 21st annual international conference here in Chicago this week. NAME’s mission is toadvance and advocate for equity and social justice through multicultural education.I’ll be on a panel this afternoon with friend and true education reformer Bill Ayers and a bunch of other people, all who have contributed to a (we hope) ... more »

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: Bombs or Bridges, Paychecks or Profits

Save Seattle Schools Community Blog: Bombs or Bridges, Paychecks or Profits:

Bombs or Bridges, Paychecks or Profits

by Charlie Mas

Paul Krugman wrote a column about government spending in which he suggests that the decision comes down to either bombs or bridges. Rep. Barney Frank calls some of his colleagues "Weaponized Keynesians". He defines them as people who believe "that the government does not create jobs when it funds the building of bridges or important research or retrains workers, but when it builds airplanes that are never going to be used in combat, that is of course economic salvation."

Mr. Krugman says that the difference is that bridges get used and bombs don't. He defers to Mr. Keynes who noticed that wholly "wasteful" government spending (on weapons that will never be used) was preferred to partly "wasteful" forms, which, because they are not wholly wasteful, tend to be judged on strict "business" principles. Mr. Krugman accepts the idea that government spending on weapons systems is preferred because it

Anti-bullying legislation attacked for allowing bullying - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Anti-bullying legislation attacked for allowing bullying - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Anti-bullying legislation attacked for allowing bullying

by Valerie Strauss

Anti-bullying legislation just approved by the Michigan Senate has been denounced by the father of the teenager for whom it was named because, he said, it actually allows bullying to continue.

The legislation, called “Matt’s Safe School Law,” was named after Matt Epling, an honor-roll student who killed himself at the age of 14 in 2002 after being assaulted by anti-gay bullies at his school.

Read full article >>

All Education Matters: A Few Thoughts: Washington DC, David Hunsicker, and NYC

All Education Matters: A Few Thoughts: Washington DC, David Hunsicker, and NYC:

A Few Thoughts: Washington DC, David Hunsicker, and NYC

It's been a productive and very busy week in Washington, DC. I'll provide an update on the offices I visited soon. Some of the meetings were great, and others were . . . not so great. I am staying with fellow activist Leni Weisl in Maryland this weekend. She and her husband opened their home to me for much needed rest. On Monday I will be heading to NYC, which will be just as busy. Stay tuned for updates about that trip as well. A special thanks to David Hunsicker for joining me on my meetings this week. Hunsicker is a fantastic person, and deeply concerned about the student lending crisis. He is the type of person I want in Congress. If he wins in the Democratic

The Occupations Report: 11/04 | Occupy Together #ows

The Occupations Report: 11/04 | Occupy Together:

The Occupations Report: 11/04

November 5th, 2011 · Ella · The Occupations ReportNo comments

We’ve recently seen this report posted and shared through social media, but we thought it might be helpful to have another place on the web it can be published and accessed daily. We’ll be posting the archives of this report soon. This Occupation Report is compiled by Rebuild the Dream.

REQUEST FOR UPDATES FROM READERS: The Daily Occupations Report needs your help! We are currently putting together a list of cities that have been supportive of local Occupy groups and those that have been less than supportive (i.e.: police crackdowns and evictions). Please send your stories and updates to monique@rebuildthedream.com or lizbutlerdc@gmail.com.

This report includes updates from Occupy sites and related efforts across the country and the globe. It includes big wins, local organizing efforts, protests/events, police activity reports and calls to action where additional support from allies/general public may be

Chicago 1968, Seattle l999, and now Occupy 2011 | Dissident Voice #OWS

Chicago 1968, Seattle l999, and now Occupy 2011 | Dissident Voice:

Chicago 1968, Seattle l999, and now Occupy 2011

by Shepherd Bliss / November 5th, 2011

… once in a lifetime/ the longed for tidal wave/ of justice can rise up…
So hope for a great sea-change…
Believe in miracles…
– Irish Nobel Prize laureate Seamus Heaney, from the poem “The Cure”

The miraculous and magical rise of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) tidal wave has suspended us in a threshold between a no-longer and a not-yet. The call for justice initiated by American youth echoes around the globe. Ours is a time of transition; exploring similar transitional moments in history could be instructive.

I recently watched the acclaimed fictionalized film Battle of Seattle with a 22-year-old who has been at Occupy Santa Rosa numerous times, here in Sonoma County, Northern California. The film evoked memories from the l968 Chicago National Democratic Convention, where I was in the streets and then briefly in jail. I was not in Seattle for the 1999 actions against the international gathering of the World Trade Organization, though I followed

Jersey Jazzman: Our Student Debt Crisis

Jersey Jazzman: Our Student Debt Crisis:

Our Student Debt Crisis

by Duke

Congratulations to a great New Jersey teacher. Nice to see Milken money going to help teachers instead ofscrewing up their profession (those Milkens have made quite a mess of the education system down in Tennessee).

The source of the prize aside, I couldn't help but notice this:

Iannucci said he’s considering putting the money toward his $78,000 in student loan debt. He attended Seton Hall University, then graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in computer science. He later earned a master’s in educational leadership from Montclair State. [emphasis mine]

If the Milkens really want to help teachers, they'd put their money into lobbying for revisions to the tax code that

Engaging Parents In School… - The Best Ideas On How Parents Can Help Their Kids Succeed Academically

Engaging Parents In School… - The Best Ideas On How Parents Can Help Their Kids Succeed Academically:

The Best Ideas On How Parents Can Help Their Kids Succeed Academically

by Larry Ferlazzo

I’ve found several good resources sharing ideas on how parents can best help their children learn, and decided to bring them together in one post. You can see all my parent engagement-related “The Best” lists here.

Here are my picks for The Best Ideas On How Parents Can Help Their Kids With Schoolwork At Home:

Lorna Constantini has posted a link to a Livebinder of parent resources with activities that parents can do at home.

“But What If I Don’t Know English?” is another great resource from Colorin Colorado. It shares ideas on how

Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Should legislators meddle in sex education (and other subjects)?

by Valerie Strauss

Wisconsin’s Senate just passed a bill that would force public school teachers who are teaching sex education to promote the benefits of marriage and abstinence as the best way to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. And bills have been introduced in both houses of the U.S. Congress that would encourage comprehensive sex ed in high schools and colleges.

Read full article >>

Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scores | Scathing Purple Musings

Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scores | Scathing Purple Musings:

Jeb Bush Dodges Accountability for NAEP Scores

by Bob Sikes

So NOW its about the funding. From Leslie Postal in Sentinel School Zone:

Former Gov. Jeb Bush sent out a press release this afternoon lamenting the state’s flat NAEP scores and calling for higher standards to boost performance that had “plateaued.”
Bush, head of the Foundation for Florida’s Future, also said money would help.
“ And investing in education is also important,” he said in his statement. “ We urge the Florida Legislature to protect funding for public education, particularly policies and programs that support, incentivize and reward student achievement. These are critical elements for keeping Florida’s

Guest Column: Evaluations ignore education factors Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

Guest Column: Evaluations ignore education factors

Jim Horn

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Surely everyone can agree with Mike Edwards' core idea in "Grading teachers vital to education" (Oct. 29) that "every student needs to be well prepared for life and the work force" and that education is a critical factor in every citizen's quality of life. However, almost no one, especially researchers, would agree with Edwards' contention that teachers are the most important factor in a child's education. What the research consistently shows, rather, is that teachers are the most important school-level factor in student learning, and that other non-school factors including family income, parental influence, health, poverty and safety combine to shape a child's school achievement in ways that even the greatest teachers cannot account for.

Other important factors influencing student achievement that Edwards does not mention include the quality and quantity of resources, human and otherwise, within school organizations. Research consistently shows, for example, that well-resourced schools with effective school library programs, up-to-date facilities, solid professional development, and socioeconomically-integrated school populations have overall higher student achievement than segregated schools that operate out of run-down buildings with old books and inadequate