Daily Kos: adolescents - those I teach, those I know

Daily Kos: adolescents - those I teach, those I know:

adolescents - those I teach, those I know

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

are very much on my mind this Saturday morning. I was supposed to be in Chicago for an educational conference this weekend, but because of an adolescent's personal crisis I could not go. I am not for reasons of privacy going to go into the details. I was in my classroom with little to do the past two days - I had left lesson plans that did not require my presence. That gave me time to observe and listen in a way I am not normally able to do. Earlier in the week we had begun the process of registration for next year, which connected me with the fears, anxieties, and aspirations of a number of students. I also thought of adolescents in our extended families, some I know through our religious communities, a few I have encountered around our neighborhood.

In the process I thought back to my own adolescence, which was perhaps the most unhappy time I have ever experienced.

I had a student "lose it" completely in class on Tuesday, a few minutes after the announcements had completed. As it happens, this student's parents had had a nasty divorce, and while in counseling, the student had not really shared with classmates, nor had any of the teachers been informed. When later in the day I caught up with student and with custodial parent (please note I am trying to keep as much confidentiality as I can while discussion the incident) the parent apologized for not having informed me when I called at the beginning of the school year as I do for all my students, in part because I want to know of any issues that might affect the child in my class.

That is what started the process of this reflection, which continues below the squiggle.

Grumpy Educators: Ed Reform Storm Clouds Gathering

Grumpy Educators: Ed Reform Storm Clouds Gathering:

Ed Reform Storm Clouds Gathering

by Sandra

South Carolina made news this week in a well-attended State Senate meeting regarding a bill that would reverse the state's 2010 decision to implement the Common Core standards. Senator Mike Fair opposes the implementation stating it takes away local control. An AP report on the proposed bill got national coverage in Education Week and a mention by Neil McCluskey of the Cato Institute in a piece called "War Against the Core". McCluskey wonders if the Palmetto State has a "huge desire to withdraw."

The AP report also got state coverage in the Post and Courier stating that Governor Niki Haley supports the bill "as an extension of her frequent complaints of federal overreaching." S.C. State School Superintendent Mick Zais also does not support the decision made prior to his election; however, he is committed to implementing the decision as required.

The meeting described as full, with standing room only. Testimony favoring the standards came from South Carolina educators who have been preparing for

Jack Hassard: Test-Based Reform: Where is the Common Core Leading Us? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Jack Hassard: Test-Based Reform: Where is the Common Core Leading Us? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Jack Hassard: Test-Based Reform: Where is the Common Core Leading Us?

by Anthony Cody

Guest post by Jack Hassard.

Part 1 of 2.

In my post of a week ago, I reported that Georgia's Cobb County School System rejected the superintendent's proposal to hire 50 Teacher for America teachers for schools located in South Cobb. Many of the South Cobb schools are underperforming schools. I suggested that this was a good decision, but also indicated that it was done by default. The default is, that the proposal never made it to agenda of the board and thus was withdrawn for the time being. Is this another avoidance tactic?

Today, we expand our thinking to explore the nature of the achievement data that is used to make decisions about student progress and teacher effectiveness. Our over-obsession with test data has led to the narrowing of

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Parents, teachers and students occupying Piccolo

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Parents, teachers and students occupying Piccolo:

Parents, teachers and students occupying Piccolo

by Mike Klonsky

Saying no to privatization

Photos by A. Klonsky

The halls and classrooms of Brian Piccolo Elementary School on North

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 2-18 AM Posts #soschat #edreform

Katehi survives no confidence vote at UC Davis - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 2 hours ago

Katehi survives no confidence vote at UC Davis - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News | Sacramento Bee:Katehi survives no confidence vote at UC DavisShareBy Brad Brananbbranan@sacbee.comPublished: Friday, Feb. 17, 2012 - 6:56 pm A motion asking for a vote of no confidence in UC Davis Chancellor Linda P.B. Katehi failed to gain a majority of votes needed to pass, school officials said tonight.The motion received 312 yes votes and 697 no votes, out of 2,693 eligible voters ... more »

FROM CHUTZPAH TO MOLLYCODDLING « Teachers Fight Back

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FROM CHUTZPAH TO MOLLYCODDLING « Teachers Fight Back:FROM CHUTZPAH TO MOLLYCODDLINGby alkleenNice to see some teachers with chutzpah for a change instead of legislators and education administrators. The Chicago Teachers Union is asking for a 30% raise over two years because the administration is mandating an extra 90 minutes of instruction next year. The C.T.U. also wants class size reductions and several other items. Wow, how refreshing.Just heard from a friend who is a teacher in an upper middle class ... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's Charters quick to suspend, expel, council told - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post

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Charters quick to suspend, expel, council told - D.C. Schools Insider - The Washington Post:Charters quick to suspend, expel, council toldBy Bill TurquePublic charter school officials pushed rarely seen suspension and expulsion data into public view at Friday’s D.C. Council oversight hearing, some of it astonishing if accurate--and some school leaders contend that it is not.Perhaps the most alarming stat comes from Friendship Collegiate Academy-Woodson, the Ward 7 high school, which expelled eight percent (102 of 1,231) of its students ... more »

COP Meeting Notice for February 28, 2012 - Title I Committee of Practitioners (COP) (CA Dept of Education)

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COP Meeting Notice for February 28, 2012 - Title I Committee of Practitioners (COP) (CA Dept of Education):Meeting Notice:Title I Committee of PractitionersTuesday, February 28, 201210:00 a.m.The meeting will be held at:California Department of Education1430 N Street, 6th Floor, Room 6102Sacramento, CA916-319-0926The following sites will also be available to the public:Tustin Unified School District 1362 Mitchell AvenueTustin, CA714-730-7385Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District 28751 Cole Grade RoadValley Center, CA760-749-0464Reef-Sunset Unified School District 205 North Park... more »

A.M. Winn Closure Meeting: What You Said on Facebook - Rosemont, CA Patch

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A.M. Winn Closure Meeting: What You Said on Facebook - Rosemont, CA Patch:A.M. Winn Closure Meeting: What You Said on FacebookThursday night's meeting of the Sacramento City Unified School District Board of Education was filled with dozens of people asking that the district keep A.M. Winn Elementary School open next year.But not all of the school's supporters could be there. Here's what some of Rosemont Patch's Facebook fans said on our page during the meeting:Kayla Amber Chung: "I know a ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The War on Teachers Unions Hits a New Low

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Jersey Jazzman: The War on Teachers Unions Hits a New Low:The War on Teachers Unions Hits a New Lowby DukeJust so classy:In its escalating war with the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s Republican Party recently turned to a new tactic: ambushing the head of the union with a video camera in the hope of capturing an embarrassing YouTube moment.The association said Thursday that having videographers lurking outside their offices in hooded sweatshirts and knit caps showed the lengths to ... more »

Are You Feeling RESPECT? « InterACT

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Are You Feeling RESPECT? « InterACT:Are You Feeling RESPECT?by David B. CohenDear California Teachers,While you were in the classroom or eating lunch, or supervising lunch, or sponsoring a club, or helping students or attending an IEP meeting this past Wednesday afternoon, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was talking about transforming our profession, launching Project RESPECT – which stands for Recognizing Education Success, Professional Excellence, Collaborative Teaching. It took from 2009 to 2012 for the administration to come around to the ... more »

Letter to Arne Duncan - Two Teachers and a Microphone

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

Letter to Arne Duncan Listen for a minute to what I sayWe don't teach kids for the merit pay I wipe away tears and break up fights in the hallsWhile Arne Duncan plays basketballPublic school you never taught in your lifeBut you studied Harvard so it gives you the right To bully the states who don't in your run raceWho oppose the policies that you embraceBased on the test you and your crewCrucify teachers and close our schoolsPimping out Pearson ... more »

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When it comes to the free-speech rights of teachers, the joke’s still on usBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-2 minutes agoWhen it comes to the free-speech rights of teachers, the joke’s still on us:When it comes to the free-speech rights of teachers, the joke’s still on usby SamThe good news is that Republican lawmakers in Arizona are now retreating from their recent proposal to require teachers to limit their speech to words that comply with FCC regulations on what ... more »

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Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 12 hours ago

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Borrowing wise words from those truly market-based, Private Independent schools… « School Finance 101

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Borrowing wise words from those truly market-based, Private Independent schools… « School Finance 101:Borrowing wise words from those truly market-based, Private Independent schools…by schoolfinance101Lately it seems that public policy and the reformy rhetoric that drives it are hardly influenced by the vast body ofempirical work and insights from leading academic scholars which suggests that such practices as using value-added metrics to rate teacher quality, or dramatically increasing test-based accountability and pushing for common core standards and tests to go with ... more »

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Brookings Institution Hits Common Core, Denounces Education Alarmism | Truth in American Education

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Grumpy Educators: Colorado: Parents Oppose Excessive Testing

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Grumpy Educators: Colorado: Parents Oppose Excessive Testing:Colorado: Parents Oppose Excessive TestingIn their own voices, parents speak out against excessive testing and test-centric instructional environments, one by one.Posted by Sandra at 2:10 PM

When it comes to the free-speech rights of teachers, the joke’s still on us

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When it comes to the free-speech rights of teachers, the joke’s still on us:When it comes to the free-speech rights of teachers, the joke’s still on usby SamThe good news is that Republican lawmakers in Arizona are now retreating from their recent proposal to require teachers to limit their speech to words that comply with FCC regulations on what can be said on TV or radio — a half-baked idea rightly characterized by one critic as the “most hilariously unconstitutional ... more »

Teachers statewide will wear black in protest of legislation Gov. keeps pushing for educational reform - wtvr

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

Gov. keeps pushing for educational reform - wtvr:Gov. keeps pushing for educational reformTeachers statewide will wear black in protest of legislationComments0Share0TopicsRegional AuthorityGovernmentExecutive BranchSee more topics »Lorenzo Halladded by Alix Bryan/Online Producer11:26 p.m. EST, February 16, 2012RICHMOND, Va. (WTVR) --—Kathy Boultt and thousands of other teachers across the state on Friday will take part in a silent protest opposing lawmakers who want to do away with tenure-like contracts for teachers.“What the governor is proposing lends no stability whatsoever to te... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Carol Burris, principal, on the new NY State teacher evaluation plan announced yesterday

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

NYC Public School Parents: Carol Burris, principal, on the new NY State teacher evaluation plan announced yesterday:Carol Burris, principal, on the new NY State teacher evaluation plan announced yesterdayby Leonie HaimsonCarol is the courageous Long Island principal who co-authored the letter, signed onto by one third of all NY State principals, protesting the NYS teacher evaluation system. Her follow-up article for the Washington Post Answer Sheet was called, “Forging ahead with a nutty teacher evaluation plan.”Below is the email she ...more »

Schools Matter: Cuomo and Mulgrew Get New York in LIne with Other Lemmings

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Don't Like Value-Added? Cool. So Pick Your Poison :: Frederick M. Hess

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

Don't Like Value-Added? Cool. So Pick Your Poison :: Frederick M. Hess:Don't Like Value-Added? Cool. So Pick Your Poisonby Frederick M. Hess • Feb 17, 2012 at 8:03 amCross-posted from Education Week Print Send RSS ShareAs regular readers know, much of my writing on value-added dings would-be reformers for getting waaaay ahead of themselves. They're busy trying to build whole systems around tools that are crude, limited, and relevant for only a portion of what teachers and schools do. That's ... more »

Opportunism and cowardice. « Fred Klonsky

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

Opportunism and cowardice. « Fred Klonsky:Opportunism and cowardice.by Fred KlonskyThis morning my comrades in the schools of New York are writing rants about the foul deal that was worked out between their unions and the governor on teacher evaluation.The deal is a hoax, of course.Just like Illinois’ Senate Bill 7 is a hoax.Like all top-down reform plans. These scams will do nothing to address or fix the real or imagined ills claimed by their sponsors.Their sponsors know that. It is ... more »