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

INEFFICIENT USE OF A TEACHER’S TIME « Teachers Fight Back

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INEFFICIENT USE OF A TEACHER’S TIME « Teachers Fight Back:INEFFICIENT USE OF A TEACHER’S TIMEby alkleenI would like to see education reformers insist that school districts make efficient use of a teacher’s time. There are way too many times that teachers are doing jobs that are nothing more than glorified babysitting.Teachers often have what is known as “bus duty”. They supervise students on the school grounds as they arrive at school and when they leave school. The “bus duty” can ... more »

Three Years of Lefty Parent | Lefty Parent

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Three Years of Lefty Parent | Lefty Parent:Three Years of Lefty Parentby Cooper ZaleI’m three years into my writing under the banner of “Lefty Parent”. It has been the key outward expression of my effort to move beyond the mid-life crisis of my early fifties. In that time period I have written about 325 pieces, had over 120,000 views of those pieces on my ownwww.leftyparent.com blog, and thousands of additional views and comments on the Daily KOS version of my ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts #ows #edreform

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Looking for a few good mentors | Ideas and ThoughtsBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-6 minutes agoLooking for a few good mentors | Ideas and Thoughts:Looking for a few good mentorsby Dean ShareskiFrom January to April I'll be teaching a course called ECMP 455. It's an advanced course on using technology in education. Whatever that means. Actually what it means is I want my students to dig deep into what teaching and learning looks like in 2012 as great ... more »

Kansas HS Student Won't Apologize to Governor for Tweet | MyFDL

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Kansas HS Student Won't Apologize to Governor for Tweet | MyFDL:Kansas HS Student Won’t Apologize to Governor for Tweetby Teddy PartridgeHigh school tweeter Emma SullivanHigh school tweeter Emma Sullivan, citing free speech and Gandhi, will defy her high school principal and not apologize to Governor Sam Brownback for the supposedly hurtful things she twittered to her (then-60) Twitter followers, implying she spoke back harshly to the governor, called him out publicly for his views, and suggested he blows — a ... more »

First Amendment hijacked by moneyed interests #ows

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First Amendment hijacked by moneyed interests:First Amendment hijacked by moneyed interestsRobert ReichSunday, November 27, 2011PrintE-mailShareComments (65)Font | Size: 405Thomas K. Fowler / APA UC Davis police officer uses pepper spray on protesters during an Occupy rally Nov. 18. View Larger ImageMORE BUSINESSGrossman rallies Washington past Seattle 23-17 11.27.11Early Walt Disney drawing up for auction in Reno 11.27.11UN conference to deal with carbon reductions 11.27.11A funny thing happened to the First Amendment on its way to the public forum: It was ... more »

On school reform, concensus grows around three principles | NJ.com

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On school reform, concensus grows around three principles | NJ.com:On school reform, concensus grows around three principlesPublished: Sunday, November 27, 2011, 12:04 PM By Star-Ledger Guest Columnist By Mike Lilley and Tim MeltonFrom President Obama to Gov. Chris Christie to the New Jersey Education Association to Michelle Rhee, a national consensus is emerging that significant changes must come to public education.It would have been unthinkable as recently as a year ago, but today the issue isn’t whether the political will ... more »

Students lose individual attention as class sizes swell across the metro area | OregonLive.com

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Students lose individual attention as class sizes swell across the metro area | OregonLive.com:Students lose individual attention as class sizes swell across the metro areaby Nicole Dungca, The OregonianHAPPY VALLEY -- After walking into Carl Sander's algebra class with a late pass in hand, Alex Gonzales, 13, found himself alone at a side table. It wasn't punishment. The Happy Valley Middle School classroom simply doesn't have enough desks for 47 students. In many school districts across Oregon, this year's classes ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: A message from Parents to Improve School Transportation: Relax about bus strike but not about safety

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NYC Public School Parents: A message from Parents to Improve School Transportation: Relax about bus strike but not about safety:A message from Parents to Improve School Transportation: Relax about bus strike but not about safetyby Leonie HaimsonPIST was an invited guest at the monthly membership meeting of school bus drivers’, escorts’, and mechanics’ Local 1181 ATU on November 22. This was clearly NOT a meeting to hold a strike vote. The president went over the union’s position on Employee Protection ... more »

Schools Matter: A Look at Finnish Schools and Teacher Preparation

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Schools Matter: A Look at Finnish Schools and Teacher Preparation:A Look at Finnish Schools and Teacher Preparationby Jim HornThe Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has an excellent piece on the Finnish system, including the video that you see below. As you watch the short video, listen for how the special education teacher in the poor Finnish school talks about the basic skills that all their children get--it's a very different conception of what is "basic" when compared to endless test-prep worksheets that non-privileged ... more »

Oklahoma Gazette News: Shaping social studies group that includes an influential nonacademic religious adviser

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Oklahoma Gazette News: Shaping social studies:Shaping social studiesCurriculum for an interdisciplinary field gets revised by a group that includes an influential nonacademic religious adviser.Clifton AdcockNovember 16th, 2011 The state Department of Education is beginning the process of formulating new curriculum for public social studies classes.Sixty-five individuals are tasked with reviewing and rewriting the curriculum. At least one name on the list has drawn fire in the past for controversial statements: David Barton, the founder of WallBuilders, a group that bills ... more »

INTERACTIVE: The Privatization of Education | The Nation

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INTERACTIVE: The Privatization of Education | The Nation:INTERACTIVE: The Privatization of EducationThe Nation November 17, 2011 Legislative changes to: Online coursework Charter schools Online schools Both charter schools and online schools Online coursework, charter schools and online schoolsFor years, privatizing education has been a hobby horse for conservatives of all stripes. But they met with little success until very recently. What accounts for the sudden change in fortune? As Lee Fang reports in this week's issue, under the banner of ... more »

Coordinated West Coast Port Shutdown « occupy california #ows

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Coordinated West Coast Port Shutdown « occupy california:Coordinated West Coast Port Shutdownby *CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON – A Coordinated US West Coast port shutdown for Monday, December 12th has been called for by the occupation movement in solidarity with longshoreman, particularly in Longview, WA. RSVP here.A Call from Occupy Oakland:Greetings and Solidarity from Occupy Oakland!We present this call to you because we believe it is time the occupation movement begins to work together to carry through coordinated, pinpointed actions. We want ... more »

Modern School: The Not So Shocking Truth About the Crackdown on Occupy Wall Street #ows

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Modern School: The Not So Shocking Truth About the Crackdown on Occupy Wall Street:The Not So Shocking Truth About the Crackdown on Occupy Wall Streetby Michael DunnImage from Flickr, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.comNaomi Wolf’s expose on the federal role in the crackdown on the Occupy Wall Street movement, “The shocking truth about the crackdown on Occupy,” has been making the rounds in the liberal blogosphere, getting replayed here and here, for example. In her piece, Wolf calls the violent crackdown on ... more »

URGENT: Occupy LA Prepares for Eviction | OccupyWallSt.org #ows

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URGENT: Occupy LA Prepares for Eviction | OccupyWallSt.org:URGENT: Occupy LA Prepares for Evictionby OccupyWallStPopoutThe mayor of Los Angeles, Antonio Villaraigosa, has ordered Occupy LA to pack up and leave Solidarity Park (formerly City Hall Park) by 12:01AM tonight or face arrest. Villaraigosa – who initially claimed to support the Occupation and has lauded OWS for "awakening the country's conscience" – is now citing "public health and safety" as justification to evict the encampment, even as LA police chief Charlie Beck ... more »

Education Petition: Open Letter: Defend CA Public Education | Change.org #ows #edreform

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Education Petition: Open Letter: Defend CA Public Education | Change.org:Open Letter: Defend CA Public EducationWhy This Is ImportantThis Open Letter is an indispensable tool to reverse the attacks on public education in California. It gives the authorities an ultimatum: either cede to our demands or we will begin a massive wave of actions beginning on February 1, 2012.Please help us gather hundreds of thousands of signatures, including from all major labor, student, and community organizations, by forwarding this out widely. ... more »

Schools need to have a voice | EdNewsColorado

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Schools need to have a voice | EdNewsColorado:Schools need to have a voiceby Guest ColumnistEditor’s note: This article was submitted by teacher Mark Thorsen from Ponderosa High School in Douglas County.Our school now enters a critical period, and a recent conversation with a well-respected colleague helped to keep some of my angst in perspective. He mentioned that he felt like we were in a period of mourning; we were dealing with a loss. It is a process, and we enter ...more »

In Case You Missed It… « EdVox

In Case You Missed It… « EdVox:

In Case You Missed It…

by edvoxny

Here on EdVox we’re excited to bring you the latest news about education issues and policies affecting our communities. It can be hard to keep up with all of the events and happenings, so – in case you missed it… Here is a recap of the latest stories in NYC education news, starting with the most recent (Wednesday, November 23rd):

WEDNESDAY

• The Daily News reported that nearly 300 students at Grace Dodge HS in the Bronx have not had an English teacher since the third week of school this year, prompting parents and other leaders to protest and reiterate state Chancellor Tisch’s argument that the Bloomberg Administration is dooming some students by “warehousing” them in neglected schools and classrooms. This is the second school the News has discovered to be without an English teacher for a large number of students–the other was also

We’re evolving…Stay tuned! « Failing Schools

We’re evolving…Stay tuned! « Failing Schools:

We’re evolving…Stay tuned!

NOVEMBER 28, 2011

by Sabrina

Happy Monday, everyone! We hope everyone had a great weekend.

We know we’ve been quiet for a WHILE now, but there are some exciting new developments in the works. Watch this space, and follow us on Twitter (look down and right) for updates on what’s to come, and how you can get involved. And of course, feel free to leave ideas and messages about what you’d like to see in the comments. Thanks so much!
–Sabrina, Maria & Mark

Sign here to oppose poorly designed, rush-job evaluations of professional educators - New York Principals

APPR Paper - New York Principals:

APPR Paper

In May 2010, the New York State Legislature—in an effort to secure federal Race to the Top funds—approved an amendment to Educational Law 3012-c regarding the Annual Professional Performance Review (APPR) of teachers and principals. The new law states that beginning September 2011, all teachers and principals will receive a number from 0-100 to rate their performance. Part of that number (ranging from 20% to 40%) will be derived from how well students perform on standardized tests. At first glance, using test scores might seem like a reasonable approach to accountability. As designed, however, these regulations carry unintended negative consequences for our schools and students that simply cannot be ignored. Our paper describes in clear detail why everyone should be concerned about these changes, and we provide recommendations for moving forward in a manner that is best for our students and schools. Read our paper by clicking the link in the Attachments section below.

SAT scandal shows tyranny of standardized testing - CNN.com

SAT scandal shows tyranny of standardized testing - CNN.com:

SAT scandal shows tyranny of standardized testing

By Nicolaus Mills, Special to CNN

updated 9:36 AM EST, Mon November 28, 2011

Samuel Eshaghoff of Great Neck, New York, is arrested in September for impersonating high school students to take the SAT.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• On Long Island, 20 students have been arrested for cheating on SAT
• The scandal reflects the tyranny of standardized testing, says Nicolaus Mills
• Standardized test scores have become overly important for college admission, Mills says
• Mills: Colleges must balance their use of tests with a more complex look at their applicants

Editor's note: Nicolaus Mills is professor of American Studies at Sarah Lawrence College and author of "Winning the Peace: The Marshall Plan and America's Coming of Age as a Superpower."

(CNN) -- As education scandals go, the news that students at some of the best high schools on Long Island paid others to take their College Board tests seems mild. The Long Island scandal pales behind the sex scandal at Penn State.

Yet the fears driving the Long Island scandal come with much broader educational implications than those affecting Penn State.

Education Research Report: CT Charter Schools Test Results Analyzed

Education Research Report: CT Charter Schools Test Results Analyzed:

CT Charter Schools Test Results Analyzed

by Jonathan Kantrowitz

Ω

by Jon Pelto, Wait, What

Achievement First and other major urban charter schools base their demand for more public funds by claiming that their standardized test scores prove that their charter schools are providing students with a superior education.

However, there is a fundamental flaw in the argument these charter school advocates are putting forward.

Putting aside the broader problems associated with using standardized mastery tests to measure educational outcomes; there is overwhelming evidence that test scores are impacted by a number of factors beyond simply what is going on in the classroom.

Study after study has indicated that poverty and standardized test scores (like the mastery test) are closely correlated. More poverty means lower school test scores; less poverty means higher school test scores.

Hechinger Report | For-profit teacher certification booming in Texas

Hechinger Report | For-profit teacher certification booming in Texas:

For-profit teacher certification booming in Texas

by Nick Pandolfo

Jeff Arrington in his disaster-response high school class in Denton, Texas. (Photo by Allison Smith/The Texas Tribune)

DENTON — One afternoon in mid-November, Jeff Arrington scattered 80 paper gingerbread men labeled with numbers across the floor of his high school disaster-response class.

The numbers corresponded with the severity of injuries ranging from burns to hysterical blindness. His students had to categorize the “men” based on the level of medical attention each required.

Arrington, in the middle of his third month of teaching at the Advanced Technology Complex in the Denton Independent School District, has a background well suited to the subject. He was a police officer for six years — he turned in his badge on Sept. 12 and began teaching the next day.

He is earning his teaching certificate through an online, for-profit alternative certification program, a nontraditional route to teaching that is becoming more common in Texas. Such programs, which can offer certification in three months to two years, are booming despite little more than anecdotal evidence of their success. They draw

No to Co-Option: MoveOn is the Opposite of the Occupy Movement | OWSnews.org #ows

No to Co-Option: MoveOn is the Opposite of the Occupy Movement | OWSnews.org:

No to Co-Option: MoveOn is the Opposite of the Occupy Movement

November 28, 2011 in Uncategorized

MoveOn’s History of Undermining Progressive Causes in Support of the Corporate-Dominated Democratic Party

While most of the comments about my article on Van Jones and our General Assembly’s call for independence from the Democratic Party and Democratic Party front groups were positive, a few people don’t seem to know the history of MoveOn.

Please do not misunderstand my criticisms of MoveOn and other organizations in this article as criticism of the many good people in these organizations. We have some people from MoveOn and other groups working with us at Occupy Washington, DC. It is the leadership of these groups

Schools Matter: Tennessee Treasurer, David Lillard, Undercuts Local Decisions to Rein In Corporate Charter Schools

Schools Matter: Tennessee Treasurer, David Lillard, Undercuts Local Decisions to Rein In Corporate Charter Schools:

Tennessee Treasurer, David Lillard, Undercuts Local Decisions to Rein In Corporate Charter Schools

by Jim Horn

Following the blueprint from Gates and the other Business Roundtable education reform scammers, the Tennessee General Assembly passed laws last year that uncapped segregated corporate charter school expansion and opened the door to the fabulously-lucrative cyber school business, wherein underpaid adjunct teachers in their underwear monitor the "progress" of children working through stacks of 19th Century worksheets on their 21st Century IPads.

There is evidence, however, that citizens in Tennessee and elsewhere are coming to understand the economic and human costs of turning corporate America loose on their children to educate. Work hard, be nice, indeed.

An "American" Approach to K-12 School Reform :: Frederick M. Hess

An "American" Approach to K-12 School Reform :: Frederick M. Hess:

An "American" Approach to K-12 School Reform

by Frederick M. Hess • Nov 28, 2011 at 8:26 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

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A recent series in The Atlantic has explored the "secrets of innovation" and asked which nations the U.S. ought to emulate in seeking to regain our competitive edge. As part of it, I was asked to offer my take on the K-12 question. Despite all the preaching by the high priests of international mimicry (see Marc Tucker's new bookSurpassing Shanghai or, well, anything by McKinsey & Co.), I counseled that the U.S. would do well to chart our own course. (An earlier version of this piece appeared in The Atlantic, but I thought I'd share a tweaked version with RHSU readers.)

When asked how to boost America's educational competitiveness, a staple response is the emphatic assertion that we need to be more like Nation X. It can be South Korea, Finland, or wherever country the guru has visited

November 28: A Tale of Two Universities « Student Activism #ows

November 28: A Tale of Two Universities « Student Activism:

November 28: A Tale of Two Universities

by Angus Johnston

Last week a massive General Assembly on the UC Davis campus called a student strike for today, November 28, on campuses across California. The strike was intended to call attention to police violence in UC, and to highlight student demonstrations against today’s meeting of the University of California Board of Regents.

The UC Regents were supposed to meet earlier this month at the system’s out-of-the-way Mission Bay campus, but that meeting was cancelled in the face of planned student demonstrations. Today’s rescheduled meeting will take place by teleconference, with regents scattered across the state. UC Davis is one of the meeting’s four physical locations, but as of the weekend only the board’s two student members (one of them non-voting) planned to be present at what has become the new center of resistance to the university’s capricious regulations and reprehensible institutional violence.

In explaining why more regents did not plan to be present at Davis today, university spokesman Pete King said

You Don't Know How Much I Needed This! Six Ideas about Professional Growth for Teachers - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

You Don't Know How Much I Needed This! Six Ideas about Professional Growth for Teachers - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher:

You Don't Know How Much I Needed This! Six Ideas about Professional Growth for Teachers

by Nancy Flanagan

The film ended, the panel discussion was over. The crowd had moved across the hall for coffee and desserts. I was gathering my tote bag, when approached by a young woman, who thanked me for an "amazing" evening. I began to demur-- explaining how small my part was in the success of the program --when her eyes grew shiny, and she exclaimed "You don't know how much I needed this!"

She explained how lonely she felt at school, how refreshing it was to be part of an upbeat, engaged group of teachers that evening, listening to professional dialogue. She wanted to talk to someone about issues that had been raised, to ask questions, share her own thoughts.

She was a second-year teacher, full of promise, but disillusioned by what she felt was an unprofessional