Latest News and Comment from Education

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 10-28-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



October’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 minute ago
October’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: October’s Best Posts From This Blog by Larry Ferlazzo I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see my previous Best Posts of the Month at Websites Of The Month. These posts are different from the ones I list under the monthly“Most Popular Blog Posts.” Those are the posts the largest numbers of readers “clicked-on” to read. I have to admit, I’ve been a bit lax ... more »

Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for charter schools - Tampa Bay Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 43 minutes ago
Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for charter schools - Tampa Bay Times: Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for *charter schools* No more excuses. No more self-serving propaganda. If Florida Department of Education officials and lawmakers fail to slow expansion and tighten loopholes in charter school regulations, they should all be dismissed as hypocrites or fools. That's not hyperbole, and it's not intended to shock. The simple truth is the current standards and policies have been exposed as a joke, and can no longer be ignored. Case in point: A charter high sch... more »

Hearing delayed in case dealing with voucher law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 desegregation case

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 46 minutes ago
Hearing delayed in case dealing with voucher law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 desegregation case: Hearing delayed in case dealing with *voucher* law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 *...* NEW ORLEANS — A federal court hearing on the effects the state private school voucher program could have on a decades-old desegregation case has been delayed until November. The Tangipahoa Parish school system argues that the voucher program, which pays private school tuition for some lower-income students from low-performing schools, diverts state money from the local school district. And they say that ... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 59 minutes ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Mitt Romney’s No-Excuses Schooling by dianerav Sometimes people complain that Mitt Romney can’t understand today’s schools because he went to an elite private school. But don’t be too quick to judge. EduShyster points out that his school had a lot in common with today’s “no-excuses” schools. Just forget the part about small classes, ample athletic facilities, a gorgeous campus, lots of arts, no Diane in the Evening 10-27-12 Diane Ravitch's blog coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago Diane Ravitch'... more »

Schools Matter: Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Schools Matter: Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden: Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden by Jim Horn We posted here in August on the corporate reform school plan for Camden, and we posted here on the School Board's courageous vote to say NO to the KIPP correctional facilities at the center of the Norcross Plan. Now apparently Norcross and his army of lawyers can't take NO for an answer, and they are planning a meeting whose date and location they would like to keep as closely guarded as possible. *Now the KIPP plan is tentatively planned to be heard again tomorrow at th... more »

Daily Kos: If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Daily Kos: If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch: If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) My good friend, Diane Ravitch, has been one of the strongest critics of this administration on educational policy. Early in its first year, she trained her sharp wit upon the Secretary of Education, describing Arne Duncan as Margaret Spellings (Bush Secretary of Education) in drag. She has been a constant critic of Race to the Top and the Blue Print on education... more »

Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you? | Get Schooled: Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you? by Maureen Downey * Students First of Sacramento, Calif., also gave $250,000.* The AJC has been following the money in the high-powered, high-profile campaign for the charter school amendment, which would give the state the power to overrule local school boards and approve and fund charter schools. Presumably, that would lead to ... more »

American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted?: American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted? Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 28, 2012 at 8:00 am (Katherine Frey/THE WASHINGTON POST ) The Pew Research Center released a new study on American reading habits reading. A number of news outlets reported that it says most young Americans (ages 16-29) are reading a lot and using public libraries. But cognitive scientist Daniel Willinghamsays that these reports have been misleading. He explains why in this post, which appeared on his Science and Education blog. Will... more »

NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local ControlSave Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local ControlSave Our Schools: NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control by Server Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control Cautions…Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control*Reference Publication: * How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education | National Education Policy Center *Contact:* William J. Mathis, (802) 383-0058, Ken.Howe@Colorado.edu Kenneth Howe, (303) ... more »

NYC Educator: Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
NYC Educator: Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again: Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again by NYC Educator That wacky DOE is at it again. I just got an email from Dennis Walcott saying that emergency workers should report at 8 AM tomorrow. What are emergency workers? Well, emergency workers are pretty much any city employee who volunteered to be one. I got 4 or 5 calls and several emails asking me to be one. However, at the bottom of the message was this: *At this time, we expect City government and schools to open on Monday. * So not only are those teachers w... more »

“TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
“TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda « InterACT: “TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda by David B. Cohen [image: teached]My brochure from the screening of “TEACHED” – included here because it has some text not on their website. I recently attended a screening of “TEACHED,” a trio of short films marketed as documentaries but in truth, rather superficial looks at three important topics in education. The screening was organized by some graduate student groups at Stanford, open to the public but mostly attended by grad students in education, law, and business. Acc... more »

Video; Election 2012 Goes to School: Obama/Romney Policy DebateSave Our Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Video; Election 2012 Goes to School: Obama/Romney Policy DebateSave Our Schools: Video; Election 2012 Goes to School: Obama/Romney Policy Debate by Server Video of Taking the Election to School: Making Education a Focus of the 2012 ElectionPopout Taking the Election to School:*Exclusive Webcast on edweek.org* Taking the Election to School: Making Education a Focus of the 2012 Election Education Advisers to Obama and Romney to Debate at Teachers College, Columbia University *The Debaters:* *Jon Schnur*, co-founder of America Achieves. Previously, Mr. Schnur co-founded and served as C... more »

School Tech Connect: How I Vote Now 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
School Tech Connect: How I Vote Now 2012: How I Vote Now 2012 by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Popout Go full screen. It's more fun. *Lemme tellya*..... early voting is no picnic. It took two hours. Apparently there was a glitch with the modem, or whatever. They got it fixed, but man that was a lot of standing--- and I had just walked a precinct handing out flyers. My feet feel someone used them to beat a rug. This was the most unsatisfying election experience of my life. The President is up 17 points in Illinois, and yet I felt like I couldn't risk voting Green for presiden... more »

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Gulen charter school timeline

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: Gulen charter school timeline: Gulen charter school timeline (Updated 3/12/2012) Additional schools are added as they appear @ http://charterschoolscandals.blogspot.com/p/list-of-us-gulen-schools.html The largest charter school chain in the U.S. is run by the members of the Gulen movement, a controversial, secretive, religious, and highly nationalistic group out of Turkey that is operating in a manner with *no exact precedent.* The "movement" simultaneously promotes Islam, Turkey, and GM-affiliated Turkish businesses as it pursues a strategic, power-accum... more »

Teachers union refuses to sign off on LAUSD Race to the Top grant - LA Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Teachers union refuses to sign off on LAUSD Race to the Top grant - LA Daily News: Teachers union refuses to sign off on LAUSD Race to the Top grant by By Barbara Jones barbara.jones@dailynews.com, 818-713-3710 Twitter.com/LADNSchools Staff Writer The Los Angeles teachers union has refused to sign off on Los Angeles Unified's bid for a prestigious Race to the Top grant, costing the district a shot at winning $40 million in federal money, sources said Saturday. LAUSD had been negotiating for days with United Teachers Los Angeles, in the hope of gaining the endorsement it needed to ... more »

Teachers For Social Justice: CTU Rally for Immediate Moratorium on School Closures and Charter Expansion

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Teachers For Social Justice: CTU Rally for Immediate Moratorium on School Closures and Charter Expansion: CTU Rally for Immediate Moratorium on School Closures and Charter Expansion by sarah-ji [image: 20120917CTUStrikeDay6-12] Save our Schools! Immediate Moratorium on School Closures & Charter Expansion! Friday, Nov 2nd 4pm Rally/4:30pm Press Conference City Hall LaSalle between Washington & Randolph Streets CPS plans to close up to 100 schools in our neighborhood while finding cash to open 60 more politically-conected charter schools. Our students deserve small class sizes, mor...more »

Why are the Walton’s spending so much money on charter school Initiative 1240? | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Why are the Walton’s spending so much money on charter school Initiative 1240? | Seattle Education: ' Why are the Walton’s spending so much money on charter school Initiative 1240? by seattleducation2011 …and they don’t even live here. Do they care about us that much? I don’t think so. The following post on the *Walmart 1% *website clearly describes what they are doing in our state. *Endangering Public Schools* “Before considering the specific goals and activities of these foundations, it is worth reflecting on the wisdom of allowing education policy to be directed or, one might sa... more »

Let’s Have a Real Discussion about Education Policy | Lefty Parent

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Let’s Have a Real Discussion about Education Policy | Lefty Parent: Let’s Have a Real Discussion about Education Policy by Cooper Zale Back in August President Obama gave a speech about education policy at Canyon Springs High School in Las Vegas. Here’s a snippet posted in a blog piece… Education should not be a Democratic or a Republican issue. It’s an American issue. It’s about what’s best for our kids. And I haven’t just talked the talk, I’ve walked the walk on this. Over the past four years, we’ve broken through the traditional stalemate that used to exist between the left and... more »

Technology in the Classroom: Friend or Foe? | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Technology in the Classroom: Friend or Foe? | toteachornototeach: Technology in the Classroom: Friend or Foe? by aristotlethewise *Technology in the Classroom: Friend or Foe?* by James Rosenberg The proliferation of technology has transformed modern society on many levels. In the classroom, technology is changing the way children learn, educators teach and how teachers and students communicate with one another. While technology provides greater access to information and new ways for students to learn, it can become a crutch hindering creative problem solving and cognitive developm... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Also, in the "Could This Happen under 1240?" Category

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Also, in the "Could This Happen under 1240?" Category: Also, in the "Could This Happen under 1240?" Category by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] Readers pointed out this news story - *a charter school in Sacramento, just 6 weeks into the school year, closed its doors to 400 students.* Just like that. The story comes from CBS Sacramento. The CEO claims there are "safety" issues in a building that Placer County said can only hold 75 but had 400. But the County also said that it didn't tell the CEO to shut down "not wantin... more »

A Message To Our Mayor From Connecticut: “don’t come into my house and mess with my right to vote!” | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
A Message To Our Mayor From Connecticut: “don’t come into my house and mess with my right to vote!” | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: A Message To Our Mayor From Connecticut: “don’t come into my house and mess with my right to vote!” by Larry Ferlazzo Thanks to Diane Ravitch, I just learned that our Mayor, Kevin Johnson, who has thankfully failed in having much influence in our city’s schools, is now telling other cities that they should give up their right to vote for a school board and leave it in the hands of their mayor. He went to Bridgeport, Connecticut last week to... more »

Diane in the Evening 10-27-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: From One Pro Basketball Player to Another: LINK FIXED! by dianerav Kevin Johnson, who was a basketball star but is now the Mayor of Sacramento (and the husband of Michelle Rhee), recently visited Bridgeport, Connecticut, to urge its citizens to support a mayoral takeover of the public schools. He asked them to end the practice of electing their local school board. This is a big goal of privatizers, as it will remove an obstacle to closing more public schools and turning them over to charter operators. John Bagley wrote an opinion piece answering Kevin Jo... more »

Supt. Joshua Starr’s view of MCPS’s ‘seven keys to college readiness’

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Supt. Joshua Starr’s view of MCPS’s ‘seven keys to college readiness’: Supt. Joshua Starr’s view of MCPS’s ‘seven keys to college readiness’ Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 27, 2012 at 4:37 pm - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » I asked Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr for his view of the school system’s “Seven Keys to College Readiness” in response to a post calling for these “keys” to be abandoned. The keys, on the school district’s Web site, are a suggested “pathwa... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: K-8s (and does $1M a year extra at South Shore help?)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: K-8s (and does $1M a year extra at South Shore help?): K-8s (and does $1M a year extra at South Shore help?) by Melissa Westbrook South Shore PreK-8 came up as a topic during a discussion over conversion charters. I, like many, believe it would be a target (a willing one) for a conversion takeover. I suspect you could get the parents or teachers to agree and I'm sure LEV, who now directs the foundation money that South Shore gets, would also be agreeable. That leaves the community and the district that may not like the idea of losing a $73M bui... more »

UPDATE: Jersey Jazzman: Local Control of Schools: It's a White People Thing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Local Control of Schools: It's a White People Thing: Local Control of Schools: It's a White People Thing by Duke *Banned Halloween Costumes* Longtime readers know I've been chronicling the sordid tale of Perth Amboy's schools for the past year. Superintendent Janine Caffrey, the Queen of Tenure, has been waging a public war through the press with her school board. For her part, Caffrey has leveled ethics charges against members of the board. All this has taken place against a backdrop of corporate reforminess and a nasty mayoral election. As I've said all along: I... more »

VAAP | California Father

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
VAAP | California Father: VAAP by California Father *I recently received this thoughtful comment bin response to a blog entry I wrote a while back about alternative assessment for kids with IEPs. Thank you, Karen. I think your take is spot on!* I wrote a letter that appeared in our local newspaper. Free Lance Star. I thought it might interest you. As a teacher I wanted parents to be aware of this new process and how it might impact their children. Here is a copy. October 8, 2012 To whom it may concern: I am a National Board Certified Special Education teacher in Spotsylvania Coun... more »

Online University of the Left – Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Online University of the Left – Education: ONLINE UNIVERSITY OF THE LEFT Changing Our Thinking, Changing Opinion, Changing the World Education Pushing back the veil of ignorance hindering humanity and it grasp of its environment--natural, social, political, spiritual--is a goal of educators and teachers from ancient times to the present. Here is where we present the various methods of learning, how schools are best organized, and what kind of values and skills we want to pass on to a younger generation. *Marxism and the Philosophy of Education* 16 Video Lectures by Stephen Hicks,... more »

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky Last Tuesday was Anne and my 36th wedding anniversary. We went to a meeting for an elected school board. We felt that was important but not quite celebratory. So last night Mike and Susan joined us for dinner at a French restaurant on Halsted Street. The chef greeted us with a large laugh and a girth to match. *“Are you happy?”* he asked. *“I’ll tell you after we eat,”*I said with a grin and he laughed again. The food and the wine was wonderful and we all left very happy. I love French food. Once, in Paris Anne and... more »

Noam Chomsky | California Father

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Noam Chomsky | California Father: [image: California Father] Noam Chomsky by California Father Hi, folks. Back after a long silence, awakened a few days ago by a thoughtful response to one of my posts. Anyway, a new hero of mine: Noam Chomsky. Enjoy! *NOAM CHOMSKY:* When I was thinking about these remarks, I had two topics in mind, couldn’t decide between them—actually pretty obvious ones. One topic is, what are the most important issues that we face? The second topic is, what issues are not being treated seriously—or at all—in the quadrennial frenzy now underway called an elec... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Star-Ledger Calls Teachers "Liars"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Star-Ledger Calls Teachers "Liars": Star-Ledger Calls Teachers "Liars" by Duke *Twinkle twinkle little star, what you say is what you are* You won't often see big-city newspapers use the word "liar" in their editorials. It's an explosive word that speaks directly to the subject's motivations. Unless it's well-documented, it opens up the newspaper to charges of libel. So when Newark's newspaper, the *Star-Ledger,* says that a group is "spreading outright lies," I have to wonder who would cause Op-Ed Page Editor Tom Moran to make such a serious allegation. Ah, of co... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: Communities Need Parent Trigger Laws | Debate Club | US News Opinion

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: Communities Need Parent Trigger Laws | Debate Club | US News Opinion: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: Communities Need Parent Trigger Laws 77 140 By MICHELLE RHEE , CEO at StudentsFirst October 26, 2012 About Michelle Rhee: *She will eat your brain first and then give you a parent trigger* Parents of children at Desert Trails Elementary School in Adelanto, Calif., didn't decide to seek an overhaul of the school using the state's 2010 parent-trigger law lightly, or with little thought. They sought changes on numerous occasions, giving admini... more »

Camden Education Association president's feisty letter against renaissance schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Camden Education Association president's feisty letter against renaissance schools: Camden Education Association president's feisty letter against renaissance schools In anticipation of Monday’s school board meeting (if it happens), the Camden Education Association president put out a feisty letter asking all members to show up and speak out against any more privately run and publicly funded schools in the city. As I mentioned in my article in today’s Inquirer, officials involved with the KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy proposal, which was rejected in September by the Camden Board o... more »

Teachers For Social Justice: Urgent Action: ERSB Advisory Referendum on Ballots

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Teachers For Social Justice: Urgent Action: ERSB Advisory Referendum on Ballots: Urgent Action: ERSB Advisory Referendum on Ballots by sarah-ji The advisory referendum for an Elected Representative School Board is on the ballot in 327 precincts around the city. Vote Yes! - Go to this list to see if your precinct is one of them or view a sample ballot for your precinct based on street address here. You may have to go to the end of the ballot to find the referendum. Vote Yes! - Tell your friends and neighbors! Download and post this flyer/palm card . - Let voters kn... more »








Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-27-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-26-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-25-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-23-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-20-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-19-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-18-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-17-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-16-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-11-12 AT Smokey Joe's Cafe Edition #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 10-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

 

October’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

October’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:


October’s Best Posts From This Blog

I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see my previous Best Posts of the Month at Websites Of The Month.
These posts are different from the ones I list under the monthly“Most Popular Blog Posts.” Those are the posts the largest numbers of readers “clicked-on” to read. I have to admit, I’ve been a bit lax about writing those posts, though.
Here are some of the posts I personally think are the best, and most helpful, ones I’ve written during this past month (not in any order of preference):

“Working Smarter, Not Harder, With Neuroscience in the Classroom”

Two More Studies Show The Flaws Behind Using “Value-Added Measures” To Assess Teachers — Is Gates Foundation Listening?

“Two Cheers for Gates Foundation Student Survey Research” — Guest Post By Dr. John Thompson

“Using ‘Brain-Based Learning’ in the Classroom”

Have You Ever Had A Student Say “This Is Boring”? Here’s A Lesson On It I’m Trying Out Tomorrow

This Is Why I Have Students Share Their Positive Stories

“Using Photographs to Teach Social Justice” Is An Excellent Resource

“Skqueak” Looks Like A Great App For Providing Audio To Photos

“Classroom Strategies to Foster a Growth Mindset”

“Don’t Eat The Marshmallow, Mr. Ferlazzo”

What Does A Broken Escalator Have To Do With A Lesson On Personal Responsibility?

Wow! Google Cultural Institute Is Pretty Impressive…

Transcript To Our Online Ed Week Chat On Teaching ELL’s

Tell A Story At “Web Of Stories”

“Eight Ways to Use Video With English Language Learners”

“Applying Research Findings to the Classroom”

Treasure Chest Of Ways To Build Academic Vocabulary

Nice Review Of My Book, “Helping Students Motivate Themselves”

“Bloom’s Taxonomy according to Andy Griffith”

“Using Photos With English Language Learners”

Wash Post Re-Publishes My Piece On Importance Of “Making A Deal”

“Image Code” Makes Photo Attribution Easy

“What education reformers did with student surveys” Is Clearly A Candidate For Best Educational Policy Post Of The Year

“The Best Ways To Use Interactive White Boards”

“Urlist” Is Now My Favorite Tool For Creating Internet Scavenger Hunts


Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 10-27-12 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] ““Won’t Back Down” Continues to Plummet” Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 10 hours ago Diane Ravitch reports that “Won’t Back Down,” the parent trigger-pushing film, is now officially a box office flop. Read the details at “Won’t Back Down” Continues to Plummet. I’m adding this info to The Best Posts & Articles On Parent Trigger Movie “Won’t Back Down.” “Tapping Community... more »

Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for charter schools - Tampa Bay Times

Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for charter schools - Tampa Bay Times:


Romano: Lawmakers need to tighten loopholes for charter schools



No more excuses. No more self-serving propaganda.
If Florida Department of Education officials and lawmakers fail to slow expansion and tighten loopholes in charter school regulations, they should all be dismissed as hypocrites or fools.
That's not hyperbole, and it's not intended to shock. The simple truth is the current standards and policies have been exposed as a joke, and can no longer be ignored.
Case in point:
A charter high school in Orlando was recently closed due to poor performance. The principal, who was drawing a salary of $305,000, was handed a parting gift of more than $519,000 in taxpayer money, according to an Orlando Sentinel report.
The principal's overall pay in the last year was more than double the school's entire education budget.
Under charter school laws, this was perfectly legal.
Case in point:
A struggling charter in Manatee County recently ran a newspaper ad offering a free 

Hearing delayed in case dealing with voucher law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 desegregation case

Hearing delayed in case dealing with voucher law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 desegregation case:


Hearing delayed in case dealing with voucher law's effect on Tangipahoa '65 ...



NEW ORLEANS — A federal court hearing on the effects the state private school voucher program could have on a decades-old desegregation case has been delayed until November.
The Tangipahoa Parish school system argues that the voucher program, which pays private school tuition for some lower-income students from low-performing schools, diverts state money from the local school district.
And they say that affects the system's ability to comply with orders in the 1965 desegregation case. Those orders include construction of four elementary schools and continuation of magnet school programs.
State education officials had been summoned to a hearing set for Tuesday in federal court in New Orleans. After requests for delays by the state, U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle rescheduled the hearing for Nov. 26 at the federal courthouse in Baton Rouge.
The new statewide voucher program provides state-funded private school tuition for students from low- to moderate-income families who would otherwise attend a public school graded with a C, D or F by the state. More than 4,900 students are taking advantage of it 

UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch


Invest in Charter Schools, Get a Green Card

Wealthy investors from around te world are pouring millions of dollars into new charter school construction in the US. In return, they get a green card, thanks to a federal program known as EB-5.
Reuters investigative journalist Stephanie Simon has once again broken open a little known story. Here is a linkto some of her earlier stories.

An investor forum in China last spring, for instance, touted U.S. charter schools as a nearly fool-proof 

How to Join the EduBusiness

A reader writes from Wisconsin:
After our Act 10 passed in Wisconsin, a few of my colleagues and I looked into what it would take to take our game to the private sector and start a voucher school in our town. What we learned was that it would be perfectly legal for us to rent an abandoned storefront in our town and lure students in with the promise of free technology that they could keep, even after they left the school. We could collect our voucher money from the state after the third Friday in September, when the state establishes your enrollment. To keep costs low and profits high, we could use Khan Academy as our curriculum and hire uncertified aides to monitor the students (we had a few recent HS graduates in mind who we thought would make good bouncers). The hastily sketched out business 

What Matt Taibbi Said About Tom Friedman

Matt Taibbi really doesn’t like Tom Friedman. He has written several articles taking Friedman apart, both for his writing and his thinking.
What educators have learned about Friedman is that he has no first-hand knowledge about schools and teaching. Whatever he writes seems to be based on conversations with Bill Gates or Arne Duncan. It’s a shame that a journalist who is so out of touch does not take the time to meet with teachers and principals and students, or take a few days in public schools to learn about their challenges and their accomplishments. Until he does, 

Mitt Romney’s No-Excuses Schooling

Sometimes people complain that Mitt Romney can’t understand today’s schools because he went to an elite private school.
But don’t be too quick to judge.
EduShyster points out that his school had a lot in common with today’s “no-excuses” schools.
Just forget the part about small classes, ample athletic facilities, a gorgeous campus, lots of arts, no 




Diane in the Evening 10-27-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: From One Pro Basketball Player to Another: LINK FIXED! by dianerav Kevin Johnson, who was a basketball star but is now the Mayor of Sacramento (and the husband of Michelle Rhee), recently visited Bridgeport, Connecticut, to urge its citizens to support a mayoral takeover of the public schools. He asked them to end the practice of electing their local school board. This is a big goal of privatizers, as it will remove an obstacle to closing more public schools and turning them over to charter operators. John Bagley wrote an opinion piece answering Kevin Jo... more »




LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-27-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Do We All Love Teachers? by dianerav This is an excellent article, written by NYC charter school teacher Allison LaFave. It was prompted by Bob Schieffer’s off-hand remark during the last Presidential debate that “We all love teachers.” Do we all love teachers? Why don’t we trust them to manage their classrooms? Why must they be evaluated by Charter Closes, Kids Abandoned by dianerav A charter school in Sacramento abruptly closed its doors, locked out the students, and called it quits. The charter operator sa... more »





Schools Matter: Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden

Schools Matter: Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden:


Storm Brewing Over KIPP Re-Vote in Camden

We posted here in August on the corporate reform school plan for Camden, and we posted here on the School Board's courageous vote to say NO to the KIPP correctional facilities at the center of the Norcross Plan.

Now apparently Norcross and his army of lawyers can't take NO for an answer, and they are planning a meeting whose date and location they would like to keep as closely guarded as possible.

Now the KIPP plan is tentatively planned to be heard again tomorrow at the Camden School Board meeting.  

Please use this list below to call or email Camden school board members to thank them for supporting public education in NJ, rather than the total compliance corporate reform schools that Norcross and KIPP have planned for urban children.


Administration Building
201 North Front Street 8th floor
Camden, New Jersey 08102
(856) 966-2000

Daily Kos: If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch

Daily Kos: If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch:


If you are an educator thinking of not voting for Obama, you need to read Diane Ravitch

My good friend, Diane Ravitch, has been one of the strongest critics of this administration on educational policy.  Early in its first year, she trained her sharp wit upon the Secretary of Education, describing Arne Duncan as Margaret Spellings (Bush Secretary of Education) in drag.
She has been a constant critic of Race to the Top and the Blue Print on education.
Those who attended my educational panel at Netroots Nation in Providence heard how pointed some of her criticisms can be, and she has served as a key person in organizing opposition to the educational policies of this


Washington Post has Kaine up 51-44

as you can read in this just posted story.
The Post notes that Kaine is maintaining his lead while the President's has shrunk, meaning he is now running ahead of the President.
A couple of snips:
The two men have raised nearly $30 million combined, and more than $40 million has been poured into the race by outside groups — the most of any non-presidential race in the country, according to the Center for Responsive Politics — with the majority coming from Allen’s allies.
  And that tsunami of negative ads against Kaine has been wasted.  From April until Kaine went on the air in 

Minor changes in Nate Silvers's numbers

which were not posted until after 2 AM, in part because he was traveling
His Nov,. 6 numbers are
overall  73.6%
EV  295.9
Now- cast is
overall 76.8
EV  295.9
State percentages

Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you? | Get Schooled

Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you? | Get Schooled:


Most pro charter amendment money coming from outside Georgia. Most against from state educators. Does either worry you?

 Students First of Sacramento, Calif., also gave $250,000.
The AJC has been following the money in the high-powered, high-profile campaign for the charter school amendment, which would give the state the power to overrule local school boards and approve and fund charter schools. Presumably, that would lead to more charter schools in Georgia. Voters will decide the question on Nov. 6.
The AJC reports:
Groups backing the charter schools constitutional amendment have again pulled in far more money than amendment opponents, the most recent campaign filing statements show.  Families for Better Public Schools, which supports the amendment, raised $1.28 million during the filing period that ends 15 days before the election. Families’ haul was 70 times more than the $18,164 the 

American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted?

American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted?:


American reading habits survey: Was it misinterpreted?



(Katherine Frey/THE WASHINGTON POST )
The Pew Research Center released a new study on American reading habits reading.  A number of news outlets reported  that it says most young Americans (ages 16-29) are reading a lot and using public libraries. But cognitive scientist Daniel Willinghamsays that these reports have been misleading. He explains why in this post, which appeared on his Science and Education blog. Willingham is a professor and director of graduate studies in psychology at the University of Virginia and author of “Why Don’t Students Like School?” His newly published book is “When Can You Trust The Experts? How to tell good science from bad in education.
By Daniel Willingham
new survey of American reading habits was published last week. Much of the news coverage led with the somewhat surprising finding that young people (age 16-29), 

A math class video trick for Halloween

 Here’s a video trick  that Assistant Professor Matthew Weathers  did for his Nature of Math class at Biola University in California. It’s an experiment in video editing and mixing video with live action.
Read full article >>

NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local ControlSave Our Schools

NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local ControlSave Our Schools:


NEPC Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control



Report; Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control



Cautions…Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control

Reference Publication: 
How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education | National Education Policy Center
Contact:
William J. Mathis, (802) 383-0058, Ken.Howe@Colorado.edu
Kenneth Howe, (303) 492-7229, Ken.Howe@Colorado.edu
URL for this press release: New Report Cautions Against Federal Education Policies that Undermine Democracy and Local Control
BOULDER, CO October 16, 2012 – “Local control” has been a bedrock principle of public schooling in America since its earliest days, but a new report concludes the concept “has all but disappeared” in discussions of education policy.
The report, Democracy Left Behind: How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education, by Kenneth Howe and David Meens of the University of Colorado Boulder, examines the impact on democratic ideals of vanishing local control over education. The report examines the making of education policy as well as the decisions about what schools teach and how they teach it.
The report is published today by the National Education Policy Center (NEPC) at the University of Colorado Boulder.
In a healthy democracy, schools play a key role in preparing citizens. A healthy democracy also depends on citizens engaged in democratic governance. And since schools sit at the center of most communities, local democratic control over schooling has long been highly valued in the United States.
Howe and Meens describe local control as “the power of communities, made up of individuals bound together by common geography, resources, problems and interests, to collectively determine the policies that govern their 

NYC Educator: Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again

NYC Educator: Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again:


Mayor Bloomberg Is Putting Children First Again

That wacky DOE is at it again. I just got an email from Dennis Walcott saying that emergency workers should report at 8 AM tomorrow. What are emergency workers? Well, emergency workers are pretty much any city employee who volunteered to be one. I got 4 or 5 calls and several emails asking me to be one.

However, at the bottom of the message was this:

At this time, we expect City government and schools to open on Monday. 

So not only are those teachers who volunteered to help expected to do so--they're also expected to report to their regular jobs. That way, apparently, they can be at two places at once. Pretty impressive feat for people 

“TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda « InterACT

“TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda « InterACT:


“TEACHED” Documentaries Offer Glossy Propaganda

teachedMy brochure from the screening of “TEACHED” – included here because it has some text not on their website.
I recently attended a screening of “TEACHED,” a trio of short films marketed as documentaries but in truth, rather superficial looks at three important topics in education.  The screening was organized by some graduate student groups at Stanford, open to the public but mostly attended by grad students in education, law, and business.  According to a brochure I picked up at the screening, TEACHED has as part of its mission to “Analyze the causes and the consequences of the ‘achievement gap’ between students of color and their peers,” but I’m sorry to say that these films offered very little analysis, certainly nothing that would advance a serious