Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-19-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



James Baldwin said it best: 

"For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."

A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAP




Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 minutes ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends: Odds and Ends from Seattle Schools Community Forum by Melissa Westbrook *Olympic Hills Capacity Mtg on Monday night* Packed house, I was almost surprised they had it such a small school but it was cozy. Attendees - SPS staff, Directors Peaslee and Carr (but oddly, not Martin-Morris as one of the central issues was Eckstein that sits in his district) and FACMAC co-chairs and other members of the Committee. Rep. Gerry Pollet also was in attendance. The room was packed full. I liked the way this meeting went. There was just a brief ... more »

The We Are One White Paper. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 minutes ago
The We Are One White Paper. « Fred Klonsky: The We Are One White Paper. by Fred Klonsky Popout I’m reminded of an old joke. *A woman goes into a meat market and asks the butcher why his pork chops are 7 dollars a pound, when the guy across the street is selling his for 4 dollars a pound?* The butcher says, “Well, then, why don’t you go over there and buy his?” The lady customer says, “Well, he don’t have any. The butcher says, “Well, that’s nothing. When I don’t have ANY, I sell mine for only 3 dollars a

Ladner’s False Choice | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 24 minutes ago
Ladner’s False Choice | Truth in American Education: Ladner’s False Choice by Shane Vander Hart Matthew Ladner wrote a guest post at Jay P. Greene’s blog today that lays out a false choice either support the Common Core State Standards or support status quo where in some states their standards were a joke. He wrote about his experience in Arizona when he was asked to oppose Arizona’s adoption of the Common Core State Standards: I had deep misgivings regarding Common Core at the time, the most serious of which was the governance of the standards over time. At the time I was of the... more »

A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools from Philadelphia Public School Notebook by thenotebook *by Bill Hangley, Jr.* Photo: Harvey Finkle Philadelphia Federation of Teachers' secretary, Freda Sydnor-Joell, addresses the crowd outside the School District building on Dec. 13, the day the school closings plan was announced. * * The report released Tuesday by the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS) is ambitious to say the least: it repr... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem | EduShyster: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem by edushyster2012 Does heroism hold value in Michelle Rhee’s measure of a teacher’s worth? In the annals of tin-eared condolence statements, the one released by Michelle Rhee in the wake of the Newtown school shooting stands out. Her very word choices felt stilted and wrong, evoking a strange world in which children are “assets,” stunned and reeling teachers are “colleagues,” and family are the members of Rhee’s own “team.” But if the statement began on an off note, wors... more »

Reflecting on the Unthinkable « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Reflecting on the Unthinkable « InterACT: Reflecting on the Unthinkable by David B. Cohen [image: IMG_0913]The tragic deaths in Newtown, Connecticut, have been difficult for me to process or respond to. The first actual writing I’ve done on the topic actually came in comments on another blog, written by Michael Petrilli. I don’t often find myself agreeing with Petrilli or the Fordham Foundation in their analysis of education practices, policies, or reform. (And I never did hear back from the foundation’s president, Checker Finn, regarding the free lunch I put up in a wager based... more »

Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Thom Markham]Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher December 19, 2012 by Thom Markham When teachers and parents hear the term *Common Core standards* (CCS), a frequent tendency is to see the new standards as a simple upgrade. In fact, the CCS represent an entirely new operating system. This is good news for the whole child movement. CCS focuses on an inquiry approach to education. Inquiry can't be done through direct instruction alone; it requir... more »

A Race to the Top Winner. Really? | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
A Race to the Top Winner. Really? | Seattle Education: A Race to the Top Winner. Really? Posted on December 19, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment There are more questions than answers as it pertains to how the Race to the Top money will be spent by the districts in our state that “won” Race to the Top funding. The Puget Sound Educational Service District, which is made up 35 school districts, received $40M after spending 3 years working with the Community Center for Education Results to pull together the data that apparently the Department of Education wanted anyway. ... more »

Mother Crusader: The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Mother Crusader: The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On: The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On by darciecima My blog post refuting Commissioner Cerf's claim that CREDO was "not a part of the bandwagon", was picked up by both Diane Ravitch and Valerie Strauss. I have done a bit more digging, and have come up with what I feel is irrefutable evidence that not only is CREDO part of the bandwagon, their Director Macke Raymond, may in fact be one of the band leaders. The additional research started with this email, which was released to the Education Law Center under the Op... more »

Diane in the Afternoon 12-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Beware the Common Core Standards! by dianerav Kris Neilsen, a middle school teacher, was an early enthusiast for the Common Core Standards. He read them, explained them to parents at his schools, and was commended for his leadership. But he had a change of heart as he reflected on them. He is now an outspoken critic. He thinks the corporate reform movement is imposing them to standardize children and to stamp out originality. I have urged people to read the standards and come to their own judgment. This is Kris’s judgment. By the way, this is the same Kri... more »

Common Core State Standards Public Hearings - Curriculum Frameworks (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Common Core State Standards Public Hearings - Curriculum Frameworks (CA Dept of Education): Announcement of Two Public Hearings Recommended Modifications to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics with California Additions and Model Courses for Higher Mathematics Thursday, January 3, 2013 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. California Department of Education 1430 N Street, Room 1101 Sacramento, CA 95814 For information, contact: 916-319-0881 Friday, January 4, 2013 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Orange County Department of Education 200 Kalmus Drive, Board Room Costa Mesa, CA 92626 For inform... more »

Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline | ED.gov Blog: Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline Posted on December 19, 2012 by Deb Delisle Last week I met José, who visited the U.S. Department of Education for a roundtable discussion on school discipline policies. He described experiences at his Chicago high school that left him with the uneasy feeling that he had to keep his “guard up” while trying to learn. José came to Washington for a congressional hearing on discipline,... more »

Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege. | Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege. | Student Voice: Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege. by admin Popout Always have to start with an amazing video. Plus Sir Ken Robinson is an amazing speaker! I wanted to share my perspective because I am a student at Oklahoma State University yet, attended Uncollege’s Hackademic. In my life, I found a balance between college and this movement known as unschooling. *Exactly what does unschooling mean to me:* I believe that it begins when you come to a realization that learning takes place further th... more »

UPDATE: The Right 4 Questions « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The Right 4 Questions « Deborah Meier on Education: The Right 4 Questions by debmeier Thank you, Roger Tilles for posing these Four Questions, which should guide all policy. *1. What kind of algorithm measures the kind of devotion that we saw and I am sure we would see in crisis after crisis in all of our schools?**2. How do you establish a pre- and post-test for the kind of personal responsibility that these professionals demonstrated?* *3. How do we measure the trust that these children and their parents have placed in us as educators “in loco parentis”?* *4. What kind of virtua... more »

Tom King's Blog of De-Fog!: Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Tom King's Blog of De-Fog!: Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost!: Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost! by Tom King Want to know a secret? Something that will have more kids learning more? Something you can have your students do that takes only a few minutes a day. It's so simple you won't believe it. And if you pay it forward, it could change the K12 world for the better in an iFlash! It's called iLearner. Short for I'm the Learner. I'm the one in charge. I'm the only one who can make my learning happen. It's the answer to the question: Who's... more »

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, December 19, 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Education Headlines *Wednesday, December 19, 2012* Schools reexamine safety plansThe tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut is spurring Mother Lode educators to refresh their memory on safety plans, but it has also left them wondering if they can do more to protect students. New superintendent named for El Monte City School DistrictAs a former Columbia Elementary School student, Maribel Garcia fondly remembered her principal Jeff Seymour, a man who would later become superintendent of the El Monte City School... more »

Modern School: Union Bosses, Which Side Are You On? . . . Capital, Of Course

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Modern School: Union Bosses, Which Side Are You On? . . . Capital, Of Course: Union Bosses, Which Side Are You On? . . . Capital, Of Course by Michael Dunn Oliver Burkhard, head of Germany’s IG Metall (IGM) trade union, will soon be taking over as head of personnel at the multination Thyssen Krupp. His annual income will rise to €2 million, or more than €160,000 a month, according to the World Socialist Website. Many have accused Burkhard of being a turncoat. However, his new job is really only a change in title. Union bosses maintain a unique and opaque position in the economy, ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Help Class Size Matters continue our work helping kids in 2013!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Help Class Size Matters continue our work helping kids in 2013!: Help Class Size Matters continue our work helping kids in 2013! by Leonie Haimson Last spring, I heard about a girl named Megan who had been prevented from graduating with the rest of her 8th grade class because DOE believed she’d failed the state exam. Over the summer, it turned out that she had passed the exam after all. I contacted a reporter, Yoav Gonen of the NY Post, who wrote about her story, as well as the experiences of *seven thousand other New York City children*who had been pr... more »

Secretary Duncan Hails Sandy Hook Elementary Educators – and Thanks the Nation’s Teachers, School Leaders, and School Staff | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Secretary Duncan Hails Sandy Hook Elementary Educators – and Thanks the Nation’s Teachers, School Leaders, and School Staff | ED.gov Blog: VIDEO: Secretary Duncan Hails Sandy Hook Elementary Educators by Cameron Brenchley We ask a lot of our nation’s teachers, Secretary Duncan said in a video message to the educators of Sandy Hook Elementary School. “But no one could possibly ask for this kind of sacrifice,” he said of the courage shown by educators during last week’s tragedy in Newtown, Conn. In his video message, Secretary Duncan expressed his deep gratitude to teachers, school le... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The view from Right Field

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The view from Right Field: The view from Right Field by Mike Klonsky *Rick Hess of the far-right American Enterprise Institute (AEI)* Rick Hess of the far-right American Enterprise Institute (AEI) claims to be "horrified by advocates and education pundits who seize upon Newtown as a "hook" to place an op-ed or push their favorite talking points and agenda items." He's not mentioning any names, but it's clear that he's talking about *Diane Ravitch* who posted a thoughtful and powerful tribute to the heroism of teachers (union members at that) on her ... more »

Edward Fiske: Can Public Education as We Know it Survive?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Edward Fiske: Can Public Education as We Know it Survive?: Can Public Education as We Know it Survive? Posted: 12/18/2012 6:40 pm Americans are now confronted with two radically different visions of public education. Which vision ultimately prevails will go a long way toward determining the quality of the education available to future generations of children. The first -- call it the "private" -- vision can be seen in the well-funded efforts in states and localities across the country to dismantle many of the fundamental structures of public education that have evolved since the... more »

The Unequal State of America: An interview with U.S. education chief Arne Duncan | Reuters

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The Unequal State of America: An interview with U.S. education chief Arne Duncan | Reuters: The Unequal State of America: An interview with U.S. education chief Arne Duncan By David Rohde and Kristina Cooke Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:03am EST (Reuters) - Arne Duncan, the U.S. secretary of secretary, spoke with Reuters about education's role in income inequality. The questions and answers have been edited for length. Q: In a commencement speech in December 2011, you said education is still the "great equalizer." Is that true? A: It must be the great equalizer. And in some places, educatio... more »

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] A Pennsylvania Parent Reflects on Teacher Heroes by dianerav Blogger Yinzercation is a parent of little children in Pennsylvania. She was reluctant to send them to school, but she did with assurances that they would be okay. And she thought about the teachers and principal in Newtown. She read that there was a plan in Newtown to cut the budget of the schools, possibly eliminating the music teachers and the librarian. They too had sheltered the children. As Yinzercation points out, the story in Newtown is a... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Look what's In Byrd-Bennet's 'hidden drawer' -- The real school-closing plan

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Look what's In Byrd-Bennet's 'hidden drawer' -- The real school-closing plan: Look what's In Byrd-Bennet's 'hidden drawer' -- The real school-closing plan by Mike Klonsky Angelique Harris, a member of the Bronzeville Community Action Council, attends a hearing on school closings Monday at the Metropolitan Apostolic Community Church in Chicago. Harris has a child enrolled at Wells Preparatory Elementary Academy. (Warren Skalski, Photo for the Tribune /December 17, 2012) *"Unless my staff has a hidden drawer somewhere where they've got numbers in there... more »

UPDATE: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. « Fred Klonsky: Life in Rahm’s Chicago. He had the school closing plans in his drawers all along. by Fred Klonsky [image: rahm_2011_boxer_shorts] “Unless my staff has a hidden drawer somewhere where they’ve got numbers in there, we don’t have a number,” schools CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett said in November. Apparently somebody took them out of Rahm’s drawers and leaked them to the Chicago Tribune. Rahm is such a liar. The internal document, prepared at a time when school leaders faced a December deadli... more »

Arming Teachers, School Cops Could Cause More Harm Than Good | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Arming Teachers, School Cops Could Cause More Harm Than Good | toteachornototeach: Arming Teachers, School Cops Could Cause More Harm Than Good by aristotlethewise *Arming Teachers, School Cops Could Cause More Harm Than Good, Experts Say* [image: multiplefeat_hm_01] by Matt Sledge A nation shaken by Friday’s school shooting in Newtown, Conn., is wondering what to do to prevent future tragedies. Some gun rights advocates have suggested returning to a time-worn strategy in lieu of gun control: keeping up with the proliferation of arms outside the schoolhouse doors by arming those ins... more »

California teachers retirement fund threat triggers sale of gun company | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
California teachers retirement fund threat triggers sale of gun company | EdSource Today: California teachers retirement fund threat triggers sale of gun company ** December 19th, 2012 | Add a Comment | By Louis Freedberg Share on twitterShare on facebookShare on emailShare on google_plusone More Sharing Services Less than a day after the California teachers pension fund threatened to withdraw its investment, a major private equity firm has announced that it will sell Freedom Group, a company it formed that includes the manufacturer of the rifle used by Adam Lanza to massacre 26 p...more »

Ed Notes Online: Karen Lewis Kicks TFA Veep the Creep David Rosenberg's Ass Down the Road

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: Karen Lewis Kicks TFA Veep the Creep David Rosenberg's Ass Down the Road: Karen Lewis Kicks TFA Veep the Creep David Rosenberg's Ass Down the Road by ed notes online *To David Rosenberg, Shanda! Shame on you for such a paranoid rant. If you had nothing of which to be guilty, those words would have rolled off your back.... Karen Lewis* *a town like Sandy Hook would laugh at the very idea of a TFA 6 week wonder teaching their kids.* I kvell at the growing relationship between Karen Lewis and Diane Ravitch. Today Karen, who let me remind everyone, came straight out... more »

How My Son Really Started Walking | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
How My Son Really Started Walking | The Jose Vilson: How My Son Really Started Walking by Jose It’s obvious he does things his way. When he first came out of the womb, he yelled at the nurses in the hospital for making reference to Lady Gaga’s version of his name. When in the nursing station, he slept on his side whereas everyone else slept on their back. During my first few hours with him, he pooped, peed, and spit up on me, the holy daddy trifecta. He didn’t care much for my swaddles, no matter how tight I wrapped him. So it should come at no surprise that he didn’t want to fol... more »

Thinking of Newtown « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Thinking of Newtown « Deborah Meier on Education: Thinking of Newtown by debmeier Dear friends, If we extended the logic of the NRA one could say, “atomic weapons don’t kill, people do”. So why are most people, including almost all NRA supporters, so worried about Iran developing a bomb? Because countries (like people) can’t kill without the weapons to do so, and they can’t kill a lot of people in one stroke without weapons of mass destruction. That’s why we rightly fear the spread of such weapons. That should go for guns of mass destruction too. I find it incredulous that abou... more »

UPDATE: Friend, parent activist and fellow pro-public education blogger Wendy Lecker's letter to President Obama. - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Friend, parent activist and fellow pro-public education blogger Wendy Lecker's letter to President Obama. - Wait, What?: Hello? Anybody home? by jonpelto Governor Malloy issued a call for a Special Session of the Connecticut General Assembly to deal with the growing state deficit. That Session is taking place today. The State Senate and State House convened at 10:00 am and then recessed until 4:30 pm so that elected officials could attend funerals and memorial services resulting from the Newtown Elementary School Massacre. When they reconvene at 4:30 pm, a joint session of the Legi... more »

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: ‘Guns have no place in schools’

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: ‘Guns have no place in schools’: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee: ‘Guns have no place in schools’ Posted by Valerie Strauss on December 19, 2012 at 4:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Here is a memo that national education reformer Michelle Rhee wrote to the staff of her advocacy organization, StudentsFirst, in the wake of the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. In the memo she refers to Senate Bill 59 in Michigan, which would ha... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Capacity Management Work Sesson Recs

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Seattle Schools Capacity Management Work Sesson Recs: Seattle Schools Capacity Management Work Sesson Recs by Melissa Westbrook The presentation for this Board Work Session tomorrow has been posted. It's quite interesting. I note at last night's Capacity meeting for the NE, it was stated that FACMAC would have their recs tomorrow. It's odd because one page is labeled "Development of Recommended Options" and lists input from FACMAC but clearly FACMAC's recommendations are not part of this presentation because they aren't even out yet. Okay, wait... more »

Louisiana Educator: Act 1 Ruling Helpful in Restoring Teacher and School Board Rights

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Act 1 Ruling Helpful in Restoring Teacher and School Board Rights: Act 1 Ruling Helpful in Restoring Teacher and School Board Rights by Michael Deshotels Congratulations to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers for winning a partial victory against some of the anti-teacher legislation passed by the Jindal administration. The ruling by Judge Caldwell removes the provision of Act 1 that would have denied teacher seniority rights based upon a negative rating on the new Act 54 evaluation system. Another part of this court ruling also returns the right of school boa... more »

Kimble's Corner: President Lightning

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Kimble's Corner: President Lightning: President Lightning by Representative Kimble The success of Profiles in Courageousness has made many readers ask me what my next project will be. I am actually currently working on a screenplay for a movie that I am tentatively calling President Lighting. It takes place during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and it's a piece of historical fiction. Or is it? In 1935, the Nazis worried about being embarrassed at the Berlin Olympics the next year kidnap Jesse Owens. It looks like they will be unstoppable in track and field until a crippled Preside... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Bushmaster Charter School

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Bushmaster Charter School: Bushmaster Charter School by Duke Another awesome and reformy portrait in courage: Gov. Rick Snyder vetoed a bill this afternoon that would have allowed gun owners with extra training to carry their concealed weapons in schools, day care centers, churches and stadiums. In his veto letter sent to the Legislature shortly before 4 p.m.,*Snyder said the bill had a fatal loophole that didn’t allow for those institutions to opt out of the new legislation and prohibit weapons from their buildings* . “I believe that it is important that these p... more »

Keeping My Students Safe Isn’t Easy « Cooperative Catalyst

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Keeping My Students Safe Isn’t Easy « Cooperative Catalyst: Keeping My Students Safe Isn’t Easy by Deven Black [image: Gun Library] I want to keep my students safe, I really do, but it really is impossible. When it comes to student and staff safety, there are so many things wrong with the way my school is built and run that I don’t know where to begin. Our principal reminded the staff again this week that only the front door should be used for entrance and exit, so let’s start there. It is unlocked. Anyone can walk up the three steps, open the door, and be in the building. Anyone. Del... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Why Do Teachers Hate America?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Why Do Teachers Hate America?: Why Do Teachers Hate America? by Duke *Our American Education Conversation* *A Play in One Act* by Jersey Jazzman (*curtain opens*) TEACHER: "I'm tired of being blamed for so many of our society's problems! I'm tired of my union being called "thugs!" We teachers are doing a good job! Why does everyone think our unions and tenure are so bad? Those teachers who died in Newtown are heroes, and they belonged to unions, and the senior ones had tenure! They were career teachers who dedicated their lives to education; they *literally* gave t... more »

TEACHERS ORGANIZE TO CONFRONT LAUSD WITCH HUNT - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
TEACHERS ORGANIZE TO CONFRONT LAUSD WITCH HUNT - Perdaily.com: TEACHERS ORGANIZE TO CONFRONT LAUSD WITCH HUNT by Leonard Isenberg [image: Let's Get Together.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español)* *There is an awareness that the war against teachers at the top of the salary scale, about to vest in lifetime health benefits, or who just stand up for high academic standards for all is not going to stop unless teachers and those who support them do something about it.* * * *Since Miramonte, LAUSD has used this regrettable and avoidable event to defame teachers, while giving a pass to the ... more »

School Tech Connect: Reading Between The Gun Control Lines

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Reading Between The Gun Control Lines: Reading Between The Gun Control Lines When I was a young pup, I used to go to the NEA Representative Assemblies and wonder at why on earth the delegates would be arguing over positions related to all of these "outside" issues--- it frustrated me as a young person. I used to think that education was this thing that you could isolate, and that there was no need to vote about statements regarding poverty, women's rights, gun control, criminal justice, or whatever. Whatever the issue was, it seemed to me, sooner or later the ... more »

Bigger, Better and Beyond the Book? | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Bigger, Better and Beyond the Book? | Truth in American Education: Bigger, Better and Beyond the Book? by Shane Vander Hart I was introduced to Dr. Rozlyn Linder’s blog today by a friend. She the K-12 District Literacy Specialist in Douglasville, GA and an avid advocate of the Common Core State Standards. Today she opined that those of us who are critics of the Common Core, in particular, the ELA standards are uninformed and we need to read the standards. She wrote: As a proponent of the critical analysis shift demanded by Common Core I regularly speak out about the divergence ... more »

Fight for the Soul of the Common Core Standards | The IDEA Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Fight for the Soul of the Common Core Standards | The IDEA Blog: Fight for the Soul of the Common Core Standards Posted by Dana Bennis on Dec 18, 2012 - 06:15 AM ** * * * * *This is a guest blog post by Susan Sandler, who works at the Sandler Foundation and leads funding related to education policy as well as other areas. Previously, Susan spent 17 years working for racial justice in education as an organizational leader, policy advocate, researcher, professional development provider, school therapist, teacher, and activist. Susan is a member of the boards of directors for the Cen... more »

January 15, 2013 Screening Committee Notice - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
January 15, 2013 Screening Committee Notice - State Board of Education (CA Dept of Education): CALIFORNIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION1430 N Street, Suite 5111 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-319-0827 Fax: 916-319-0175 SBE Screening Committee Members Ilene Straus, Chair Carl Cohn, Member Bruce Holaday, Member Aida Molina, Member December 17, 2012 Meeting Notice: Screening Committee of the State Board of Education *Tuesday, January 15, 2013, commencing at 1:00 p.m.* State Board of Education Conference Room California State Board of Education Office 1430 “N” Street, Room 5111 Sacramento, C... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Asperger's Syndrome

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Asperger's Syndrome: Asperger's Syndrome by Melissa Westbrook The Newtown shooter was said to have Asperger's Syndrome which is on the spectrum of autism. These people are considered the high-functioning end of that spectrum (even as they face very real and distinct challenges.) One thing to make clear - Asperger's is NOT mental illness. It is a neurobiological condition. While some mental illness, like schziophrenia, does have a biological basis, Asperger's is not defined in that category. After saying that, based on my own personal experience... more »








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Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Odds and Ends:


Odds and Ends

Olympic Hills Capacity Mtg on Monday night
Packed house, I was almost surprised they had it such a small school but it was cozy.

Attendees - SPS staff, Directors Peaslee and Carr (but oddly, not Martin-Morris as one of the central issues was Eckstein that sits in his district) and FACMAC co-chairs and other members of the Committee.  Rep. Gerry Pollet also was in attendance.  The room was packed full.

I liked the way this meeting went.  There was just a brief presentation, then principal Zoe Jenkins did a roll call of sorts of what schools were there.  She listed them on a blackboard, plus a spot for community input.  She then handed out a card for each school to anyone who wanted to speak.  In that way, we had input from all schools plus a rotation of speakers.   There were about 12 schools represented.

What I did hear firmly:

- Pinehurst is to stay in place.  No mention of exactly what that would then mean for Jane Addams. 

The We Are One White Paper. « Fred Klonsky

The We Are One White Paper. « Fred Klonsky:


The We Are One White Paper.

Popout
I’m reminded of an old joke.
A woman goes into a meat market and asks the butcher why his pork chops are 7 dollars a pound, when the guy across the street is selling his for 4 dollars a pound?
The butcher says, “Well, then, why don’t you go over there and buy his?”
The lady customer says, “Well, he don’t have any.
The butcher says, “Well, that’s nothing. When I don’t have ANY, I sell mine for only 3 dollars a 

Ladner’s False Choice | Truth in American Education

Ladner’s False Choice | Truth in American Education:


Ladner’s False Choice

Matthew Ladner wrote a guest post at Jay P. Greene’s blog today that lays out a false choice either support the Common Core State Standards or support status quo where in some states their standards were a joke.
He wrote about his experience in Arizona when he was asked to oppose Arizona’s adoption of the Common Core State Standards:
I had deep misgivings regarding Common Core at the time, the most serious of which was the governance of the standards over time. At the time I was of the opinion that unless Ben Bernanke took up the task of governing the standards that it would inevitably follow that Common Core would eventually result in the Great American Dummy Down.
Nevertheless in the end I decided not to oppose Arizona’s adoption of Common Core standards.  Regardless of how bad Common Core started out or later became, Arizona simply had nothing to lose.  Arizona had just about every testing problem you could imagine- dummied down cut scores, 

A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools | Philadelphia Public School Notebook:


A closer look at the alternative plan to reform Philly schools

by Bill Hangley, Jr.
Photo: Harvey Finkle
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers' secretary, Freda Sydnor-Joell, addresses the crowd outside the School District building on Dec. 13, the day the school closings plan was announced.



The report released Tuesday by the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools (PCAPS) is ambitious to say the least: it represents an attempt to push back vigorously against almost all of the current trends in city and state education policy.
The immediate villain as PCAPS sees it is the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), whose privately-funded collection of reform recommendations was unveiled with great fanfare by District officials last spring.
While the District has since distanced itself from some of BCG’s more controversial proposals, PCAPS’ report asks officials to effectively deep-six the entire BCG framework, which it calls “deeply flawed.”
But more broadly, the PCAPS report, funded by private donations and coalition members (which include the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, the Philadelphia Student Union, the Philadelphia Home and School Council, and other labor and community organizing groups), calls on local leaders to push back hard against the education agenda of Governor Tom Corbett and his allies, who strongly support current funding levels and BCG-endorsed reforms like charter expansion.
Among the funding and policy trends PCAPS wants to see reversed:
  • The District faces a five-year deficit of over a billion dollars; PCAPS calls for significant increases in per-pupil funding, putting the city on par with its surrounding suburban counties.
  • The District has been laying off teachers and support staff and reducing 

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem | EduShyster

Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem | EduShyster:


Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee’s Hero Problem

Does heroism hold value in Michelle Rhee’s measure of a teacher’s worth?
In the annals of tin-eared condolence statements, the one released by Michelle Rhee in the wake of the Newtown school shooting stands out. Her very word choices felt stilted and wrong, evoking a strange world in which children are “assets,” stunned and reeling teachers are “colleagues,” and family are the members of Rhee’s own “team.” But if the statement began on an off note, worse was still to come. The lesson of the hours-old tragedy, Rhee seemed to conclude, was that she’d been right along. “Improve schools for children,” (read, eliminate tenure and other workplace protections for teachers) and thereby “improve entire communities” (read, prevent senseless slaughter). As for her parting, there was nothing left for Rhee to do but double down, announcing that she and the entire StudentsFirst organization—”including the members of our team in Connecticut“—were recommitting to their mission today. Not two days from now, when the first of the unending 

Reflecting on the Unthinkable « InterACT

Reflecting on the Unthinkable « InterACT:


Reflecting on the Unthinkable

IMG_0913The tragic deaths in Newtown, Connecticut, have been difficult for me to process or respond to.  The first actual writing I’ve done on the topic actually came in comments on another blog, written by Michael Petrilli.  I don’t often find myself agreeing with Petrilli or the Fordham Foundation in their analysis of education practices, policies, or reform.  (And I never did hear back from the foundation’s president, Checker Finn, regarding the free lunch I put up in a wager based on something he wrote about teaching).
However, Petrilli’s post today took up education reform in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook school shootings, and it’s well worth reading.  He offers two ideas he takes away from the tragedy:
First, we in the reform movement need to tone down any rhetoric that implies that a typical teacher isn’t committed to doing right by her or his students. This isn’t a new idea, but the heroism of the Sandy Hook teachers (and administrators) brings the point into sharp relief. That’s not to say we should relax our efforts to identify and remove ineffective teachers from the classroom. Just as 

Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education

Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher — Whole Child Education:


Thom Markham

Ten Reasons Why Common Core Standards Require a Whole Teacher

When teachers and parents hear the term Common Core standards (CCS), a frequent tendency is to see the new standards as a simple upgrade. In fact, the CCS represent an entirely new operating system.
This is good news for the whole child movement. CCS focuses on an inquiry approach to education. Inquiry can't be done through direct instruction alone; it requires student cooperation, engagement, and persistence—all attributes drawn from a pool of social and emotional resources. Without addressing this aspect of human performance, the CCS will fail.
Many educators are nervous about the magnitude of the training task ahead. Even so, I don't think enough leaders recognize that becoming an effective teacher of CCS involves more than cognitive acquaintance with the new standards. Just as students will be asked to marshal more of their internal resources, a good CCS teacher will also need to be a whole teacher, able to interact easily with students, communicate well, inspire when necessary, and lead as well as teach. This is a skill set that relies on a teacher's own emotional competencies, including the flexibility to move with students through the uncertainty of an inquiry process.
What will be different? I can think of ten skills that most teachers will need to develop or improve for the CCS:
  1. Foster a culture of care. In inquiry-based education, attitude equals altitude. Without the consent and engagement of students, the process goes nowhere. Engagement begins when students feel safe, nurtured, respected, and listened to. Posting a list of norms on the wall of the classroom that instructs students to "keep their hands to themselves" or "raise your hand before speaking" won't be sufficient. Teachers will need to build trust before they teach. Elementary teachers should do fine; many high school teachers will have to reinvent themselves.
  2. Move from classroom management to people management. In a traditional classroom, based on instruction, teachers keep their eyes on the room and employ a standard set of tools to enforce discipline. The CCS emphasize construction—working together to figure out problems. In a student-centered system, self-discipline matters more than referral slips. That requires frank conversations with students, more praise than criticism, and the ability to see past faults in favor of supporting sustained effort.
  3. Redefine rigor. What if a student works diligently to solve a CCS math problem, but obtains the wrong answer? How does a teacher recognize and reward effort and persistence? In an inquiry-based system, the process of learning is just as important as the final result. This mandates a shift in the commonly 

A Race to the Top Winner. Really? | Seattle Education

A Race to the Top Winner. Really? | Seattle Education:


A Race to the Top Winner. Really?

There are more questions than answers as it pertains to how the Race to the Top money will be spent by the districts in our state that “won” Race to the Top funding.
The Puget Sound Educational Service District, which is made up 35 school districts,  received $40M after spending 3 years working with the Community Center for Education Results to pull together the data that apparently the Department of Education wanted anyway.
The follow is a list of school districts that make up the PSESD:

Mother Crusader: The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On

Mother Crusader: The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On:


The NJ CREDO Study; And The Band Played On

My blog post refuting Commissioner Cerf's claim that CREDO was "not a part of the bandwagon", was picked up by both Diane Ravitch and Valerie Strauss.  I have done a bit more digging, and have come up with what I feel is irrefutable evidence that not only is CREDO part of the bandwagon, their Director Macke Raymond, may in fact be one of the band leaders.

The additional research started with this email, which was released to the Education Law Center under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA).
Macke:Smarick re- Robertson.pdf

This email is LOADED.  It's going to take a bit of work to break it all down.


New Jersey Implications


The first, and most obvious thing is that Raymond states, in no uncertain terms, that she has used a yet to be signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between CREDO and the NJDOE to leverage a grant from the 

Diane in the Afternoon 12-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:









Beware the Common Core Standards!

Kris Neilsen, a middle school teacher, was an early enthusiast for the Common Core Standards. He read them, explained them to parents at his schools, and was commended for his leadership.
But he had a change of heart as he reflected on them. He is now an outspoken critic. He thinks the corporate reform movement is imposing them to standardize children and to stamp out originality.
I have urged people to read the standards and come to their own judgment.
This is Kris’s judgment. By the way, this is the same Kris Neilsen whose statement “I Quit” went viral and was viewed by more than 150,000 people. This is a man who speaks his mid without fear or favor.



LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-19-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Tasteless: StudentsFirst Ad Attacks Teachers in NYC by dianerav While I was watching the television coverage of the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut, an ad came on that was very upsetting. Sponsored by StudentsFirst ad, it was a typically deceptive TV ad depicting teachers and parents who demand that teachers be evaluated by test scores. It implies that teachers are slackers and need a swift kick to get to work. If they are evaluated, they claim, this will have a revolutionary effect on the schools. Showing... more »

Common Core State Standards Public Hearings - Curriculum Frameworks (CA Dept of Education)

Common Core State Standards Public Hearings - Curriculum Frameworks (CA Dept of Education):


Announcement of Two Public Hearings

Recommended Modifications to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics with California Additions and Model Courses for Higher Mathematics

 
Thursday, January 3, 2013

3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Room 1101
Sacramento, CA 95814
For information, contact: 916-319-0881
Friday, January 4, 2013

3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Orange County Department of Education
200 Kalmus Drive, Board Room
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
For information, contact: 714-966-4000
Purpose of the Public Hearings

Public hearings will be conducted to receive public comment on the recommended modifications to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics with California Additions and the Model Courses for Higher Mathematics.
Senate Bill 1200 (Chapter 654, Statutes of 2012) authorizes the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) to recommend, and the State Board of Education (SBE) to adopt, reject, or modify, modifications to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics that were adopted by the SBE on August 2, 2010. The SSPI recommendations are presented in “Recommended Modifications to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics with California Additions and Model Courses for Higher Mathematics” (Attachment 1), available at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/documents/att1jan13item04.doc. The recommendations include the organization of standards for higher mathematics into model courses in both the traditional pathway (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II) and integrated pathway (Mathematics I, II, and III). Table 1 (Attachment 2), available athttp://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/documents/att2jan13item04.doc, provides a summary of the recommended modifications to the California additions.
Written Comments

In addition to comments at the public hearings, written comments will be accepted. Written comments can be submitted by mail, fax, or e-mail. All written comments must be received prior to 5 p.m. Monday, January 7, 2013. All written comments received by that time will be forwarded to the SSPI and the SBE.
Submit written comments by mail, fax, or e-mail as follows:
Mail:
Deborah Franklin, Education Programs Consultant
Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division
California Department of Education
1430 N Street, Suite 3207
Sacramento, CA 95814-5901
Fax:
916-319-0172
Attention: Deborah Franklin
E-mail:
SB1200@cde.ca.gov
For more information:

California Department of Education
Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division
1430 N Street, Room 3207
Sacramento, California 95814
916-319-0881 or 916-319-0442; (Fax) 916-319-0172
Reasonable accommodation will be provided for any individual with disability

Pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, any individual with a disability who requires reasonable accommodation to attend or participate in a public hearing may request assistance by contacting the California Department of Education’s Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division. It is recommended that assistance be requested at least two weeks prior to the hearing.

Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline | ED.gov Blog

Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline | ED.gov Blog:


Asst Secretary Delisle and Youth Lend Their Voices to Combatting the School-to-Prison Pipeline

Last week I met José, who visited the U.S. Department of Education for a roundtable discussion on school discipline policies. He described experiences at his Chicago high school that left him with the uneasy feeling that he had to keep his “guard up” while trying to learn. José came to Washington for a congressional hearing on discipline, where I testified, and we invited him and other students from the Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE) project to come back to ED to talk more.
In our ongoing “Student Voices” series at the Department, students engage with senior staff members to help develop recommendations on current and future education programs and policies.
Delisle at Senate Hearing
At a Senate hearing on Dec. 12, Assistant Secretary Deb Delisle testified about the importance of keeping students in school, and out of the judicial system and prison.
At last week’s session, the Chicago youth offered their ideas for improving school discipline practices and ending the “school-to-prison pipeline,” a widespread pattern of pushing students – particularly those who are disadvantaged – out of school and into the juvenile justice or prison systems.
While all educators strive to demonstrate positive, caring discipline practices in their classrooms, and a large number of schools and districts implement effective strategies for managing student behavior, far too many schools overly rely on discipline policies that remove students from the learning environment. Across the country, during the 2009-2010 academic year, upwards of three million students were suspended, nearly 110,000 were expelled, and more than 240,000 were referred to law enforcement.
I was heartened by the words of Tiara, a youth participant at the roundtable, when she described why she feels so strongly about stopping this trend. She said, “There is a racial issue here, too, when Black and Latino students are being punished more severely than their White peers and being incarcerated at higher rates.”
Recent data support Tiara’s observation. African-American students are more than three-and-a-half times as likely to be suspended or expelled than White students. Disparities in discipline rates are also apparent for students with disabilities, who are more than twice as likely to receive out-of-school suspensions as their non-disabled peers. These disparities, which also exist between male and female students, raise concerns that some schools are not providing all youth with equal access to education, which potentially violates civil rights laws.
We also know that when students are removed from school as a disciplinary measure, the likelihood that they will drop out or become involved in the juvenile justice system dramatically increases. A 2011 longitudinal study of nearly one million students in Texas by the Council of State Governments revealed that about 15 percent were suspended or expelled 11 times or more and nearly half of those students also became involved in the juvenile justice system. During the roundtable, Brian, a graduate of Chicago’s Kelvyn Park High School, noted that teachers and principals can help to eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline by learning how to implement discipline policies that respond to students’ needs and the root causes of their misbehavior.
I echoed Brian’s sentiment prior to my discussion with him and his peers during my testimony before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights on December 12. I appreciate that Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who represents the students from VOYCE, convened a hearing on school discipline, a topic that comes up often when Secretary Duncan and my colleagues at ED talk with students. I talked with the subcommittee about the importance of providing teachers and school leaders with appropriate alternatives to suspensions and expulsions. That work begins when we focus on helping educators to build the competencies and skills they need to maintain safe, engaging classrooms.
We also must increase capacity at the local level for developing positive school climates and supporting students through promising, evidence-based discipline practices. Currently, the Department is reviewing behavioral frameworks – including Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports – to determine if such approaches might help ED better focus its technical assistance to schools. Encouraging states and districts to review their discipline policies also is critical to ensuring that every school has in place an equitable code of conduct that does not more frequently or more harshly impact particular student groups.
Partnerships across the education, health, child welfare, and justice sectors are vital to keep all students safe, in school, and learning. To find out more about the Department’s work in this area and how the agency is collaborating with other organizations and federal stakeholders, read my full Senate testimony here.
Deb Delisle is the assistant secretary for elementary and secondary education at the U.S. Department of Education.

Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege. | Student Voice

Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege. | Student Voice:


Josh Birdwell – Why I am in College, and support Uncollege.


Popout
Always have to start with an amazing video. Plus Sir Ken Robinson is an amazing speaker!
I wanted to share my perspective because I am a student at Oklahoma State University yet, attended Uncollege’s Hackademic. In my life, I found a balance between college and this movement known as unschoolingExactly what does unschooling mean to me: I believe that it begins when you come to a realization that learning takes place further than the outlined course work. Also, there are multiple ways to be an educated man. My main point I preach is taking your education into your own hands. This comes about from experiencing and getting away from the textbook to go discover. A student needs to understand why they are in college and not idle by following the norms. Walking to class everyday, I look around and wonder why are people


UPDATE: The Right 4 Questions « Deborah Meier on Education

The Right 4 Questions « Deborah Meier on Education:


The Right 4 Questions

Thank you, Roger Tilles for posing these Four Questions, which should guide all policy.
1. What kind of algorithm measures the kind of devotion that we saw and I am sure we would see in crisis after crisis in all of our schools?2. How do you establish a pre- and post-test for the kind of personal responsibility that these professionals demonstrated?
3. How do we measure the trust that these children and their parents have placed in us as educators “in loco parentis”?
4. What kind of virtual teacher would be able to foster the communication needed to create a trusting 


Get out your calendars

Join “us” on April 5-7 for Save Our Schools and others–in D.C.
And put aside, NOW, August 25-28 for celebrating and committing ourselves anew. It’s 50 years since the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The same folks who brought you the last one are mobilizing for this one. Bring your kids, grandkids, grandmothers, old and new friends– and yourselves.

Tom King's Blog of De-Fog!: Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost!

Tom King's Blog of De-Fog!: Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost!:


Want Kids to Learn? Put Them in Charge - Well, Almost!

Want to know a secret?

Something that will have more kids learning more?

Something you can have your students do that takes only a few minutes a day.

It's so simple you won't believe it. And if you pay it forward, it could change the K12 world for the better in an iFlash! It's called iLearner. Short for I'm the Learner. I'm the one in charge. I'm the only one who can make my learning happen.

It's the answer to the question: Who's responsible for my learning?

The answer is, altogether now, "I am!"

Riddle me this? Why have we left the most important part of learning out of the learning equation? The answer is at the bottom of this rant.

Back in the early 21st century someone thought that quality in K12 education was like quality in producing