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

Person of the Year | Lefty Parent

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

Person of the Year | Lefty Parent:Person of the Yearby Cooper ZaleI caught the cover art of the recent Time magazine piececalling out the “Protester” as its “Person of the Year” and thought it was very cool. For the second time in this new century this long-time bulwark of the Eastern U.S. establishment has gone against its longstanding elitist tradition of calling out a member (or at least a darling) of the elite as its (once “Man” and now) “Person ... more »

Rethinking Schools Article Goes Viral: Students Asked to Critically Consider Gender Stereotypes « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

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

Rethinking Schools Article Goes Viral: Students Asked to Critically Consider Gender Stereotypes « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!:Rethinking Schools Article Goes Viral: Students Asked to Critically Consider Gender Stereotypesby millerlfThe following Rethinking Schools article, written by Melissa BollowTempel a Milwaukee Public School teacher, was posted this past week on Huffington Post. It has gone viral state-wide in Wisconsin, nationally and internationally.It’s Ok to Be NeitherTeaching that supports gender-variant children By Melissa Bollow Tempel Fall 2011, Rethinkin... more »

Teach for America: The Hidden Curriculum of Liberal Do-Gooders

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

Teach for America: The Hidden Curriculum of Liberal Do-Gooders:Teach for America: The Hidden Curriculum of Liberal Do-Goodersby ANDREW HARTMAN · in WINTER 2012Art by Loki MuthuThe job of the American public school teacher has never been so thankless. In states across America, cutting teacher salaries and pensions has become the most popular method for fixing budget deficits. New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie’s deep cuts, for instance, force teachers to contribute a much higher percentage of their salaries to their ...more »

At least our union rights weren’t pimped cheap. « Fred Klonsky

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

At least our union rights weren’t pimped cheap. « Fred Klonsky:At least our union rights weren’t pimped cheap.by Fred KlonskyI guess I owe Audrey Soglin, the IEA Executive Director and retired ex-president Ken Swanson an apology.For several years I have ridden them kind of hard for selling out our union rights and getting nothing in return.In order to qualify for Race to the Top money several years ago, Audrey was appointed by the governor to head the committee that drafted ...more »

Jay P. Greene Highlights Internal Common Core Battles | Truth in American Education

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

Jay P. Greene Highlights Internal Common Core Battles | Truth in American Education:Jay P. Greene Highlights Internal Common Core Battlesby James BellJay P. Greene writes on his own blog that a battle is brewing between various strains of the pro-Common Core factions as they realize the immensity of the monopoly they are proposing to put into place:Let the in-fighting begin.Supporters of digital learning, many of whom were among the strongest supporters of national standards, have organized in opposition to the ... more »

SBE Agenda for January 2012 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

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

SBE Agenda for January 2012 - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education):SBE Agenda for January 2012Agenda for the California State Board of Education (SBE) meeting to be held on January 11 and 12, 2012.State Board MembersMichael W. Kirst, PresidentTrish Williams, Vice PresidentJames AschwandenYvonne ChanCarl CohnAida MolinaJames C. RamosPatricia A. RuckerIlene W. StrausCaitlin Snell, Student MemberSecretary Executive OfficerHon. Tom TorlaksonExecutive DirectorSusan K. BurrSchedule of MeetingLocationWednesday, January 11, 20128:30 a.m. Pacific Time +STATE BOARD OF EDUCATIONClos... more »

School Tech Connect: Dumb Ideas

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

School Tech Connect: Dumb Ideas:Dumb Ideasby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)Race To The Top. If I weren't so lazy, I'd still be racking by brain trying to figure out which constituency is supposed to be happy about RTTT. Aside from data-system salespeople, it all seems like it's just designed to piss people off.At some point, the RTTT money was coming out of the stimulus package of 2009. Is is still? And how in the frick is it supposed to stimulate the economy when ... more »

December 2011 Information Memoranda - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

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December 2011 Information Memoranda - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education):December 2011 Information MemorandaBackground information and updates on issues of interest to the State Board Members.Periodically, the State Board Members may receive information memoranda from State Board staff and the California Department of Education. The information memoranda may include background information, updates on issues of interest to the State Board Members, and reports on a variety of educational topics.California High School Exit Examination: Annual and Biennial Independent Evalu... more »

Bridging Disparities in U.S. Student Learning « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

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

Bridging Disparities in U.S. Student Learning « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Bridging Disparities in U.S. Student Learningby Klea ScharbergNine years after NCLB, although there have been improvements in test scores of U.S. minority students, serious gaps persist between the achievement of white students and their Black and Latino counterparts.In Creating the Opportunity to Learn: Moving from Research to Practice to Close the Achievement Gap, authors A. Wade Boykin and Pedro Noguera, nationally recognized experts in the fields ... more »

Please help PAA grow even stronger in 2012! « Parents Across America

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

Please help PAA grow even stronger in 2012! « Parents Across America: Please help PAA grow even stronger in 2012!by leoniehaimsonDear Friends,It’s nearly impossible for parents to ignore what’s being done to our public schools these days. It’s become even harder for parents to have a say about decisions that affect our children’s lives on a daily basis. In fact, politicians and those running our school systems often seem to think that the only voices that matter in education are ... more »

#OWS Thanks Our Supporters! | OccupyWallSt.org

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

OWS Thanks Our Supporters! | OccupyWallSt.org:OWS Thanks Our Supporters!by OccupyWallSt‎2011 was a revolutionary year for a new movement that is changing the world. From NYC to Cairo, we are just getting started. We are still busy building this amazing movement, and we couldn't do it without you -- our supporters! Let's make next year even better!Popout(This video was passed by consensus through the New York City General Assembly on Tuesday, December 20, 2011.)

I Lost Three Years of My Life – The Story of a Teacher Who May Never Teach Her Students Again « JD2718

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

I Lost Three Years of My Life – The Story of a Teacher Who May Never Teach Her Students Again « JD2718:I Lost Three Years of My Life – The Story of a Teacher Who May Never Teach Her Students Againby jd2718by Rodney Grubiak, retired teacherOn this day, Wednesday, December, 21, 2011, Bronx Supreme Court Justice Dominic Massaro found Raqnel James not guilty and totally exonerated her of the criminal charges that were brought against her almost three (3) years ... more »

Sacramento Press / No swap for Sac High and West Campus – for now

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

Sacramento Press / No swap for Sac High and West Campus – for now:No swap for Sac High and West Campus – for nowby Melissa Corker, published on December 22, 2011 at 6:28 PMSCUSD board trustee, Patrick kennedyThe potential West Campus/Sacramento High School “swap” is off the table, but the budget and facility use problems that spurred the proposal still exist – leaving open the question, is this really the end of the conversation?“We have serious issues as far as ... more »

All Things Education: When single-issue advocacy causes multiple-issue empowerment

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

All Things Education: When single-issue advocacy causes multiple-issue empowerment:When single-issue advocacy causes multiple-issue empowermentby Rachel LevyEducation journalist Joy Removits recently wrote this article on the education "reform" lobby. The article was not particularly remarkable, but I did discern a bit of pivoting on the part of some of the organizations, such as Students First, Stand for Children, and DFER (Democrats for Education Reform) Removits wrote about. In particular, they talked about being "single-issue" advocates and financially backing politicians only b... more »

School Tech Connect: The Civil Rights Issue Of Our Time

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

School Tech Connect: The Civil Rights Issue Of Our Time:The Civil Rights Issue Of Our Timeby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)Separate but whatever...Meanwhile, Rahm appears to be driving them away down at Lab.There is much happening at the Schools as we end 2011—including the activities associated with the searches for division heads for the Primary, Middle, and High Schools. We have long planned

solidaridad: United Way' Elise Buik's Myopic One Percent Policies #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

solidaridad: United Way' Elise Buik's Myopic One Percent Policies:United Way' Elise Buik's Myopic One Percent Policiesby Robert D. Skeels * rdsatheneFirst published on OccupyLAUSD.org"By what logic does United Way engage in an activity that is shunned by all the other charities?" — Professor Ralph E. ShafferUnited Way of Greater Los Angeles' CEO Elise Buik's total compensation in 2010 was $286,985. Entering that figure on http://www.globalrichlist.com/ provides the following insights:You're in the TOP 0.001% richest people in the world!You are the ... more »

Green Ribbon Schools Program - School Facility (CA Dept of Education)

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

Green Ribbon Schools Program - School Facility (CA Dept of Education):Green Ribbon Schools ProgramThe U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) award is intended to recognize those schools taking a comprehensive approach to greening their school. A comprehensive approach incorporates and integrates environmental learning with maximizing positive environmental and health impacts. The award criteria are intended to focus on measurable outcomes wherever possible.This is a two-step process. The first step is to complete and submit the online application in ...more »

Join - Sacramento Tree Foundation

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

Join - Sacramento Tree Foundation:Unsubscribe l Forward to a FriendFollow the Sacramento Tree Foundation on: SACRAMENTO TREE FOUNDATIONA Note From Ray Little Gifts Make a Difference$5.00 - One Tree Guard(to protect a young tree) $10.00 - Two Seedling Grow Kits(for use in elementary school classrooms) $25.00 - Five Bags of Mulch(to make sure trees survive our hot summers) $35.00 - One 5 Gallon Shade Tree(to be planted in a park, school, or streetside) $50.00 - Two Shovels(for volunteers to use ... more »

Modern School: Pragmatism Beats Out Occupy and Bunga Bunga for Word of Year

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 22 hours ago

Modern School: Pragmatism Beats Out Occupy and Bunga Bunga for Word of Year:Pragmatism Beats Out Occupy and Bunga Bunga for Word of Yearby Michael DunnMerriam-Webster is calling “pragmatic” the word of the year, saying there were more searches for this one word in 2011 than any other word, including “occupy,” according to the Daily Mail.Congressional Super Committe (by DonkeyHotey) Searches for the term “pragmatic” spiked this past year when Congress voted to increase the debt ceiling and when its super ... more »

Action for Week of December 18, 2011 | United Opt Out National #OWS

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 day ago

Action for Week of December 18, 2011 | United Opt Out National:Action for Week of December 18, 2011by adminAre you ready for the holidays??? Opting-out is probably not on your to do list this weekend but here is a simple action to share. Share the January 7th, National Opt Out Day poster. Post the following with it in your email or on your Facebook page: United Opt Out National has declared January 7th as National Opt Out Day. On this ... more »

The truth about school prayer - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

The truth about school prayer - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

The truth about school prayer

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by Charles Haynes, director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum. He writes and speaks extensively on religious liberty and religion in American public life. This appeared on the The Amendment Center’s website.

By Charles Haynes

The latest attack on the “godless public schools” — a staple of Republican primaries past — is a new ad in Iowa by Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s campaign proclaiming there’s “something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military, but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.”

Read full article >>

Engaging Parents In School… - “Effective Communication With Parents”

Engaging Parents In School… - “Effective Communication With Parents”:

“Effective Communication With Parents”

by Larry Ferlazzo

Effective Communication With Parents is a useful article at Education World.

This Week’s “Links I Should Have Posted About, But Didn’t”

by Larry Ferlazzo

I have a huge backlog of resources that I’ve been planning to post about in this blog but, just because of time constraints, have not gotten around to doing. Instead of letting that backlog grow bigger, I regularly grab a few and list them here with a minimal description. It forces me to look through these older links, and help me organize them for my own use. I hope others will find them helpful, too. These are resources that I didn’t include in my “Best Tweets” feature because I had planned to post about them, or because I didn’t even get around to sending a tweet sharing them.

Here are This Week’s “Links I Should Have Posted About, But Didn’t”:

I’ve previously posted about “Ology,” the children’s website of the American Museum of Natural History. I’m

Photo Galleries Of The Week

by Larry Ferlazzo

Obviously, photos can be great educational tools with English Language Learners and with any students (seeThe Best Ways To Use Photos In Lessons). I post about many photo galleries, also called slideshows. To do it in a little more organized way, though, I recently began this weekly feature called “Photo Galleries Of The Week.” This post is a “round-up” of online slideshows I’m adding to various “The Best…” lists:

The next four are additions to The Best Places To Learn About Christmas, Hanukkah, & Kwanzaa:

Christmas Around The World is a slideshow from ABC in Australia (thanks to Ira Socol for the tip).

ASCD Inservice: In Case You Missed It

ASCD Inservice: In Case You Missed It:

In Case You Missed It

Check out the most recent highlights from ASCD:

• Use the following seven principles to guide instruction in every classroom and at every level of schooling, says Elliott Seif.


• Technology should be a part of the daily routine in the classroom writes Celina Brennan.


• Teacher leadership, curriculum development and keeping the "main thing the main thing" should be on your list to focus on in the new year.


• One approach to use with students who don't like reading is to share

Schools Matter: Poverty Matters!: Questions Needing Answers

Schools Matter: Poverty Matters!: Questions Needing Answers:

Poverty Matters!: Questions Needing Answers

by P. L. Thomas

In "Poverty Matters!: A Christmas Miracle pt. 1," I conceded the new refrain that no one is discounting the negative influence of poverty on student learning, specifically on the narrow representation of learning through test scores. I also ventured to identify the broad positions of the education reform debate, acknowledging the problem with suggesting anything has two sides but believing that this characterization is fair—with the "No Excuses" Reformers embracing rugged individualism ideology and trusting schools can be a powerful social reform mechanism and Social Context Reformers arguing that social norms create as well as maintain inequities regardless of merit and that school reform will succeed only within larger social reforms. I also confessed that I began my teaching career as a social reconstructionist (more in line with the "No Excuses" Reformers in some ways) but have come to see through the evidence of my nearly thirty years as an educator that the Social Context Reformers are where my allegiances lie.

Here in part 2, I want to be brief, but I think it is time that the "No Excuses" Reform movement answer some

hctiB G: Holiday Greeting 2011 | The G Bitch Spot

hctiB G: Holiday Greeting 2011 | The G Bitch Spot:

hctiB G: Holiday Greeting 2011

by G Bitch

Ah, the season of what-DO-you-eat is here again.

originally posted December 21, 2006

It’s time to make another magical, atheist, vegan Christmas/holiday season for The Girl. I will take a break from now until about the 30th. Spare an animal–have a vegetarian/vegan holiday meal. Donate to others and smile for no reason

Remember: Dec. 31, 2005

by G Bitch

Longtime educators are kicked to the curb, letter to editor, Times-Pic. 12/31/05

I am a 34-year veteran who has spent half of my entire life at a successful school. Now the restructuring experts are putting the final nail in the coffin of the New Orleans public schools. Employees are scattered all over Texas, Louisiana and Colorado and as far away as Maine. Many will just retire from the system and never return. We have put our blood and sweat into this system, and now we are being kicked to the curb.

At a meeting for principals back in August, Bill Roberti asked a question: “Do y’all read magazines?” No one said a word, including yours truly.

It kind of set the tone as to what was in store for the NOPS and all of its employees. Katrina made it worse, and

Solution Meets Problem

by G Bitch

The solution:

9/05:

The news racing around the shelter that day was that the Republican Congressman Richard Baker had told a group of lobbyists, “We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn’t do it, but God did.” Joseph Canizaro, one of New Orleans’ wealthiest developers, had just expressed a similar sentiment: “I think we have a clean sheet to start again. And with that clean sheet we have some very big opportunities.”

11/9/06:

Much of the media