5-8-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

UFT Contract: Jeff Kaufman Disects the ATR Issue Plus a Video Interview - Should All Teachers Be Frightened? HELL YES!

Jeff does a great job in tearing apart the ATR agreement in the new contract at the ICE blog.After the DA he was interviewed by a reported for The Chief and went into the problems with due process in both the old and new contracts, pointing to how the DOE plays political games with teachers.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1uGevRjTb0&feature=share&list=UU9iVb99ewF1omA6LbPUWEOghttp://iceuftb

by ed notes online / 24min 

MORE Press Release: UFT CONTRACT: NOT A DONE DEAL UNTIL THE MEMBERSHIP VOTES

I should be at the MORE press conference outside the Hilton as this is published at 6PM just after the Unity Caucus dominated Delegate Assembly votes YES without having had a chance to read the full 46-page Memorandum of Understanding. (If I'm not check local hospitals.) Watch the Unity trolls throw everything they can against the wall trying to disparage the MORE campaign. Readers know that I hav

by ed notes online / 24min 

De Blasio Says UFT Contract Agreement Sets Pattern For Rest Of Unions, NYC Budget

This sounds like a mayor who thinks he's a UFT rank-and-file that's going along with the contract proposal:After reaching a preliminary deal with the United Federation of Teachers last week, Mayor Bill de Blasio presented his $73.9 billion executive budget on Thursday as a "real budget" based on a presumed pattern from the U.F.T. deal.De Blasio's proposal allocated roughly $5.5 billion t

by reality-based edu... / 6min 

Portelos Verdict - Despite Enormous DOE Assault and Expense....

Respondent’s admissions, conduct, demeanor and demonstrated commitment to education persuade me that, if given the chance, he can resume his career as a highly effective educator. Finally, the record is replete with evidence of Respondent’s exceptional teaching and abilities from the administration, colleagues, parents and students. After two years of reassignment, it is important that Respondent

by ed notes online / 33min 

Julie Cavanagh Video at MORE Press Conf and at WNYC: Here's Why NYC Teachers Should Reject Labor Contract

Union members have been without a contract for more than five years. We, along with the communities we serve, have faced a tidal wave of attacks on our neighborhood schools. A new contract has the power to right these wrongs....Many teachers I know would have happily conceded some financial compensation in favor of a greater improvement to teaching and learning conditions. Given this contract exte

by ed notes online / 4min 

Elfrank-Dana Slams Mulgrew on DA

Dear President Mulgrew,I was surprised by your insinuation that I am against people's right to vote when I objected to retirees voting last night. Are you going to let me vote for my District Rep instead of appointing her/him? Are you going require high school VP to be elected only by high school members instead of having their votes disenfranchised?Are you going to be concerned that you are elect

by ed notes online / 45min hide  //  save

Fear and Loathing at the UFT Delegate Assembly Contract Vote As Mulgrew Filibusters

Mulgrew purposely shut down the debate with Julie Cavanagh, his opponent in the UFT elections last year, waiting at the microphone to speak. Mulgrew will never let Julie get up in front of a DA -- look for them to call a fire drill if she ever manages to get the mic. Who would think that Mulgrew could turn the UFT into a more undemocratic institution than Randi Weingarten? Give me the days of Shan

by ed notes online / 1h 

5-7-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: Roseanne McCosh: Why I Am Voting No to the UFT ContractRoseanne has been in touch for a number of years - she follows issues very closely and shares them with her staff at PS 8 in the Bronx. She was chapter leader for a number of years before passing it on to the next gen. She shared this with teachers in her school. She has never been to a MORE meeting. So Roseanne represents ran

by mike simpson / 8h 

5-8-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE:

Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”

Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”. via Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical

1 by plthomasedd / 1h hide  //  save

John Kuhn’s Eloquent Embrace of Public Education

  Texas superintendent, John Kuhn, spoke to the Network for Public Education (NPE) about how “The public school system reveals the American heart.” He reminded us that “There isn’t a square inch of America that doesn’t fall inside some school district or another. There isn’t a pupil who can’t walk into their local school and demand […]

4 by John Thompson / 1h

5-7-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: PISA Brainwashing: Measure, Rank, RepeatPISA Brainwashing: Measure, Rank, Repeat. via PISA Brainwashing: Measure, Rank, Repeat.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical1 by plthomasedd / 1h hide  //  saveDuncan Flunks the “State led” Test with His Indiana NCLB Waiver WarningCorporate reformers love tests. It seems that now, the test is on them. Is the federal government usurping

by mike simpson / 8h

5-8-14 The Whole Child Blog — Join the Whole Child Symposium: Tune In Today at Noon for Live Stream Event — Whole Child Education

Join the Whole Child Symposium: Tune In Today at Noon for Live Stream Event — Whole Child Education:

THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG

Join the Whole Child Symposium: Tune In Today at Noon for Live Stream Event

May 8, 2014 by Whole Child Symposium

Today at 12 p.m., eastern time, ASCD presents the next event in its 2014 Whole Child Symposium, a live-streamed discussion about what we need from education and how we are preparing students for the world they will enter. The entire event will be live streamed from the Knight Studio at the Newseum in Washington, D.C., to you and educators around the world at www.ascd.org/wcsymposium. We encourage participants to join in the dialogue and ask questions for the panel on Twitter during the event using the hashtag#WCSymposium2014.

Looking at the theme "Choosing Your Tomorrow Today" from a global and long-term perspective, panelists will address

• How decisions taken today by policymakers will determine what our youth and our societies become.
• What we as a society risk by abdicating the decision-making process or, at worst, not being aware that the wheels are in motion.
• At a fundamental level, what we want our youth, our children, and our societies to become—and what decisions must be made to get us there.

You'll hear from ASCD CEO and Executive Director Dr. Gene R. Carter and a panel of education experts that include

• Charles Haynes, director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum;
• Karen Pittman, president and CEO of the Forum for Youth Investment; and
• Yong Zhao, an internationally known scholar, author, and speaker who focuses on the implications of globalization and technology on education.

Andy Hargreaves is unable to participate due to illness. David Osher, American Institutes for Research (AIR) vice president, AIR Institute fellow, and co-director of AIR's Health and Social Development Program will join the panel to round out the discussion.

Learn more about the live event participants.

5-7-14 The Whole Child Blog — Supporting Readers in Science — Whole Child Education

Supporting Readers in Science — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGSupporting Readers in ScienceMay 7, 2014 by ASCD Whole Child BloggersPost written by Sarah Carlson, Deni Basaraba, Gina Biancarosa, and Lina ShanleyWhen most people think about reading in science, they think of heavy and densely written texts—the kind you find in science textbooks. Although textbooks remain a staple of scie

by mike simpson / 37min 

5-8-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University):

Once Again, NAEP? Nope: “states and schools have lied about the rigor of their courses”

Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. “Fire and Ice,” Robert Frost While it appears I was right about Teacher Appreciation Week 2014, I was a tad bit off about the source of the Zombie Apocalypse or Armageddon: The world will not end because of PISA score rankings, but because of stagnant NAEP scores by high school students. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education has just rele

10 by plthomasedd / 1h

5-7-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): PISA Brainwashing: Measure, Rank, RepeatWhen Mary Catherine Bradshaw, a teacher since 1984 in Nashville, TN, announced her retirement from public schools, Bradshaw pointed her finger at one major reason, standardized testing: [S]he says standardized testing is the reason

by mike simpson / 8h

5-8-14 Curmudgucation

CURMUDGUCATION:

The Three Sides of the Battle for Public Schools

We have discussed the battle over American public education as if there are two sides. This is not correct, and people who don't grasp the truth are in for a rude and unpleasant shock further down the road.I. Status QuoI've called these guys everything from Purveyors of Reformy Nonsense to Reformsters. We don't call them reformers any more because 1) they aren't interested in reforming anything an

5 by Peter Greene / 36min 

Standards & Curriculum

So is the Common Core a national curriculum or not?  The Common Core is not a national curriculum, because it is not a curriculum at all. It is only a set of standards, and that's completely different from the scope and sequence of curriculum planning.As angry villagers storm the Common Core Castle with pointy sticks and burny things, CCSS defenders keep repeating the curriculum/standards explanat

2 by Peter Greene / 37min 

Testing Does Not Improve Instruction

In an ongoing cultural debate, it is always interesting to watch the shift and change of talking points. The battle for public education is no different.Many talking points are retired voluntarily. Common Core supporters have shifted from "all CCSS opposition comes from the tin hat tea party wing" to "it's those damn teachers and their unholy alliance with the tea party." Just

by Peter Greene / 1h 

5-7-14 Curmudgucation

CURMUDGUCATION: Charter$ & Ca$hing InSince the President has declared this week National Charter School Appreciation & General Praise Week, you are probably thinking, "How can I be part of the charter school excitement?"In the past, many charters were launched that focused solidly on providing unique and exciting educational experiences for their communities. These schools were i

by mike simpson / 6h 

5-8-14 Wait What?

Wait What?:

Malloy and Legislature turn their back on Public Magnet School students and their parents

Governor Dannel “Dan” Malloy and his administration managed to deliver another “kick to the head” to Connecticut’s public school students, parents and teachers as the 2014 session of the Connecticut General Assembly came to an end at midnight last night. While Connecticut’s privately owned charter schools left the legislative session with a higher reimbursement rate […] The post Malloy and Legisla

9 by jonpelto / 25min 

5-7-14 Wait What?

Wait What?: The Destruction of Public Education in Bridgeport courtesy of Malloy and Mayor Bill FinchWhen it comes to the corporate education reform industry’s strategies and tactics, Bridgeport has become one of their “ground zero” targets. Thanks to Governor Malloy, Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, and education reformer extraordinaire Paul Vallas, t

by mike simpson / 8h 

5-8-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet:

Report: Right-wing extremists use Common Core attacks to undermine public education

A year ago I wrote about how extreme right-wing rhetoric against the Common Core State Standards was clouding a substantive debate about  the Common Core State Standards initiative. Now a report by the Southern Poverty Law Center details how right-wing extremists are using Core opposition are using conspiracy theories and misinformation to undermine the very […]

4 by Valerie Strauss / 24min 

How students will be affected by federal revocation of Washington’s NCLB waiver

I recently published an open letter by a school board member in Washington named David Iseminger to Education Secretary Arne Duncan about the Education Department’s revocation of the state’s waiver from onerous parts of No Child Left Behind.  Congress was supposed to rewrite NCLB seven years ago but it hasn’t. Recognizing NCLB’s problems — such as […]

3 by Valerie Strauss / 6h  

5-7-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet: U.S. judge: It’s ridiculous to judge teachers by test scores of students they don’t have, but it’s legal in Florida“Justice? You get justice in the next world, in this world you have the law.” ― William Gaddis, A Frolic of His Own   A federal judge in Florida said that it is wildly unfair that the state evaluates many teachers on the standardized test scores of students they don’

by mike simpson / 8h 

5-8-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

Wilson-Pacific; FACMAC Weighs In

It might have gone unnoticed by some parents but the issues with Wilson-Pacific are near dire. This matters for two reasons.  One, there is a ripple effect to nearly every single capital decision in this district.  Two, next time, it could be your community.  - The district will have a "community meeting on Tuesday, May 13, 6:30 p.m., at the Wilson-Pacific building’s SeaMat Center where infor

by Melissa Westbrook / 8h 

5-7-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Possible Tragedy Averted at EcksteinToday at Eckstein (from a reader):Principal messsage: "At approximately 9:30, Eckstein went into Shelter-in-Place. All students and staff were safe. Police reported that there was an Eckstein student in the neighborhood who might be armed. Police apprehended the student at approximately 9:50 and we returned to business as us

by mike simpson / 33min

5-8-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

12th grade NAEP scores: Does the common core deserve the credit?

Sent to the Hartford Courant, May 7, 2014It is a premature to give the "new academic standards" of the common core credit for Connecticut's good performance on the 12th grade NAEP reading test ("State Students Excel On 'Nation's Report Card'," May 7). First, the improvement was not uniform: Grade 8 scores increased less than grade 12 scores, and grade 4 scores stayed the same a

by skrashen / 16min 

Where Do TN Schools Stand After Two Decades of the Sanders VAM Fertilizer Treatment?

After two decades of value-added nonsense posing as a school improvement plan, 70 percent of Tennessee teachers are being evaluated based on test scores that belong to someone else, and the state's 12th graders are ranked one step from the basement in terms of proficiency in math and reading.  With Bill Sanders now out to pasture, will his flawless algorithm for diverting attention away from educa

by Jim Horn / 2min hide  //  save

SPLC says don't read tacit support for Common Core into their condemnation of reactionary hate groups

"In short, the real literacy crisis occurs whenever we deploy a pedagogy that asks our students only to consume texts and not to produce them as well." — Richard E. Miller Profiteering members of the testing industrial complex, and right-of-center Democrats were quick to embrace the release of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) report that correctly takes issue with right wing extrem

2 by Robert D. Skeels ... / 3h 

5-7-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter: KIPP's Gritsters Get Hammered for Amoral Character GoalsCapitalism is neither moral nor immoral; it is amoral.  There is no room at the bottom line for pious judgments of right or wrong that might affect the balance sheet.  Capitalism is about the accumulation of capital to make more capital and nothing else.  There was a time in our not-so-distant past when capitalists chose to ma

by mike simpson / 7h