6-15-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL:

Good Video For ELLs: “Best funny and cute cat videos compilation 2014″

Thanks to Edutopia and Amy Erin Borovoy, who published Five-Minute Film Festival: The Best Cat Videos for Educators, I found this great video that English Language Learners could watch and then describe verbally & in writing:

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

This Week In Web 2.0

In yet another attempt to get at the enormous backlog I have of sites worth blogging about, I’ve recently begin a regular feature called “The Week In Web 2.0.” (you might also be interested in The Best Web 2.0 Applications For Education In 2013). I also sometimes include tech tools that might not exactly fit the definition of Web 2.0: I’ve just completely updated The Best Sites For Creating Onlin

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h 

June’s Infographics & Interactives Galore – Part Two

There are just so many good infographics and interactives out there that I’ve begun a new semi-regular feature called “Infographics & Interactives Galore.” You can see others at A Collection Of “The Best…” Lists On Infographics and by searching “infographics” on this blog. I’ll still be publishing separate posts to individually highlight especially useful infographics and interactives, but you

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1min 

Three Useful Classroom Instruction Resources

Here are three recent links useful for classroom instruction: What Does A Good Common Core Lesson Look Like? is from NPR. I’m adding it to The Most Useful Resources For Implementing Common Core. 24 Assessments that don’t suck… is from Paul Bogush. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About Effective Student & Teacher Assessments. 7 Tips to Eliminate the “I don’t know” Response is

by Larry Ferlazzo / 54min 

Sunday’s World Cup Resources

Here are today’s additions to The Best Sites For Learning About The 2014 World Cup In Brazil (some might not be visible on an RSS Reader): THE BEAUTIFUL BRANDED GAME: SEE THE 12 BEST 2014 WORLD CUP ADS is from Fast Company. 10 things non-soccer fans need to know about the World Cup is from Vox.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 9min hide  //  save

The Best Resources For Learning About Freedom Summer

It’s the fiftieth anniversary of Freedom Summer: Freedom Summer was a 1964 voter registration project in Mississippi, part of a larger effort by civil rights groups such as the Congress on Racial Equality (CORE) and the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) to expand black voting in the South. The Mississippi project was run by the local Council of Federated Organizations (COFO), an a

by Larry Ferlazzo / 9min 

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Week… 6-14-14 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFLLARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAYTwo Good Resources To Help Understand Education ResearchHere are some new additions to The Best Resources For Understanding How To Interpret Education Research: How qualitative research contributes is by Daniel Willingham. Why Statistically Significant Studies Aren’t Necessarily Significant

by mike simpson / 13h 

6-15-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:

Video. Protest at Dyett. If CPS closes Dyett there will be no public neighborhood high school in Bronzeville

by Fred Klonsky / 0min 

Ken Previti. My Grandfather, the Great Depression, and today’s teacher wage theft.

- Ken Previti is  a retired Illinois teacher living in Florida, activist and pension blogger at Reclaim Reform.  My grandfather, Joe Tagler, was victimized with wage theft during the Great Depression. He was a motorman (driver) of streetcars for the Chicago Surface Lines, later to be taken over by the CTA, the Chicago Transit Authority. He was hired on an hourly basis when needed; that is how it

2 by Fred Klonsky / 59min 

Sunday reads.

Welcome to Rio. The myth of the bad teacher. Conjuring up memories of my father who was always there. The road to Juneteenth. I’m a nine year old who struggles with math. Rahm on pensions and property taxes. Don’t believe the hype. Harris v. Quinn. Pension fees are a profit center for money managers. Like Rauner. IF THE POLITICIANS who want to get rid of teacher tenure have their way, every schoo

by Fred Klonsky / 3min 

John Dillon. Lisa Madigan blames the unions.

- John Dillon is a retired teacher, activist and publishes Pension Vocabulary. In the opening of A New Leaf, one of my favorite Walter Matthau films, an angry and non-repentant Matthau is castigating his financial advisor for a bounced check, one that has made the one-percenter Matthau look like “some kind of indigent.” His advisor tries cautiously to explain to Matthau that he has been overspend

by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

6-14-14 Fred All Week Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Fred All Week Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacherA message to retiring teachers at the end of the school year.Some members of our Skokie Organization of Retired Educators (SORE) IEA Retired making a call on our local state representative. This is the last day of school in Park R

by mike simpson / 13h 

All Week 6-15-14 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE:

To those focusing on tenure, you’re doing it wrong

If my social media accounts are any indication, I’m probably one of the last 1% of teachers with a week’s worth of school days remaining. It will take me a little more time, once graduations and all of these other special events are over this week, to fully digest and comment on the CA tenure […]

by Shaun Johnson / 36min 

All Week 6-14-14 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE : All Week @ THE CHALK FACE Why Tenure is EssentialI usually find it easier to communicate with conservative reformers like Mike Petrilli or Rick Hess. Unlike their liberal counterparts, they don’t have to contort themselves into crusaders for equity and justice. They don’t have to pretend that attacks on teachers and other workers is some sort of civil rights crusade. These defen

by mike simpson / 13h 

6-15-14 Curmudgucation Week

CURMUDGUCATION:

Tenure- Private vs. Public

Nobody else has tenure. Why should teachers get it?So what if you could be fired for any reason? That's how employment works for every one else. Most people are "at will employees."You've heard these arguments (and if you haven't, gird your loins and go strolling through the trolling in the comments section of any article about Vergara and/or tenure). And I believe it's a sincere, honest

45 by Peter Greene / 1h hide  //  save

An Action Everyone Can Take

It can seem huge and hopeless, the large scale of the current battle for the soul of public education in this country. But there is a useful, positive, strengthening, helpful action that every single one of us can take.Write a letter.Because here's two things I know about teachers.Thing one. We work mostly in isolation, with our main human contact the small persons we work with every day. Get busy

21 by Peter Greene / 2h 

6-14-14 Curmudgucation Week

CURMUDGUCATION:Curmudgucation WeekVan Roekel Gets Feisty-ishIt has been a noisy week for NEA president Dennis van Roekel. In the face of a great deal of anti-teacher rhetoric (some if it coming from a sitting judge in a major court case), DVR has decided that it's time to finally speak up on behalf of teachers.First, he opened up in HuffPo, declaring that our accountability system is flunking. He

by mike simpson / 13h 

6-15-14 Perdido Street School Week

Perdido Street School:

Zephyr Teachout To Address Parents And Teachers In Buffalo

From Bob McCarthy in the Buffalo News:Zephyr Teachout, the Fordham Law School professor who unsuccessfully challenged Gov. Andrew Cuomo for the Working Families Party nomination last month, may launch a primary bid against him, according to her local supporters. That’s why it’s no coincidence that she will address local teachers union and parent groups in Buffalo this week.Teachout needs help gett

by reality-based edu... / 0min 

Public Isn't Buying Substandard Technology As Big Problem For Schools

From the Times-Union/Siena poll:Almost three-quarters, 71 percent, said the biggest problem facing schools is lack of parental involvement in a child's progress, followed by bullying and poor behavior, 69 percent each, and hiring and retaining effective teachers, 61 percent. One of the least significant problems, respondents said, is substandard technology and facilities: Only 40 percent cited the

by reality-based edu... / 24min 

The Public Trusts Teachers WAY MORE Than Cuomo, King, And Tisch To Do What's Right For Students

The Times-Union has extraordinary results from a Times-Union/Siena poll on education issues in today's paper - the public overwhelmingly support teachers over the governor, the Legislature, the Board of Regents, and NYSED Commissioner King to do what is right for students.The poll was conducted by Siena and here's the question I want to look at closely today:Now after thinking about education in N

by reality-based edu... / 30min 

The Insanity Of The Chinese Education System

This is the education system that Barack Obama and Arne Duncan admire so much:Nearly 9.8 million Chinese high school students took the National College Entrance Exam, called gaokao, on June 7 and 8.The emphasis on a two-day test has sparked criticism from some educators because of the incredible amount of pressure it places on students leading up to just one test. Gaokao has also been linked to Ch

by reality-based edu... / 38min

OPEN THREAD: What Is The UFT/AFT Strategy To Counter Attacks On Teacher Tenure/Due Process Protections?

The NY Times published an attack on teacher tenure earlier in the week in an editorial and today the NY Post followed up with a sensationalized PERV TEACHER story that is meant to drive the "Reform Tenure" narrative and bring about political action.The attacks on teacher tenure/due process here in NY State have begun in earnest. What is the UFT/AFT response to these attacks?Do they have

by reality-based edu... / 6min hide  //  save

NY Post Starts The Attacks On Teacher Tenure In New York In Earnest

I'm not going to link to the story because it deserves as few hits as possible.But here's the gist - the Post has a prominent story attacking teacher tenure today that complains about the following:State law requires that an independent hearing officer decide whether a tenured teacher is guilty of charges and, if so, set the punishment.Each termination case, including witness testimony, cross-exam

by reality-based edu... / 1h 

6-14-14 Perdido Street School Week

Perdido Street School: Perdido Street School WeekTax Deadbeat Andrew Cuomo Offers Lame Excuse For Barring Tax Assessor From His HomeKeep an eye on this story - it's something opponents of Andrew Cuomo will hit again and again during his re-election campaign:Gov. Andrew Cuomo addressed the controversy over whether he and his live-in girlfriend, Food Network star Sandra Lee, dodged property tax incr

by mike simpson / 13h 

Collaboration | Connected Principals

Collaboration | Connected Principals:

Collaboration

by Jesse McLean • June 15, 2014 • 0 Comments

So a few weeks ago I attended the Innovate West Conference at the Connect Charter School in Calgary, with a team of 7 teachers from our school. Along with Claudia Scanga, our school’s learning coach, Lynn Lang and Ashley Solomon, teachers from our school, we facilitated a discussion we called “Collaborative Teaching Models”. My hope, as I put our presentation together, was that we would share our story and what we do at Greystone Centennial Middle School, and then open up the floor to hear about other models, and maybe discuss how we could create more opportunities for teacher collaboration in all schools. It didn’t end up going that way.

We shared how we embed three blocks of collaborative time for each teaching team into our timetable,

how our school design team put together a planning document that guides the conversation in those blocks,

and how our staff choose to use the time provided to collaborate with their teams rather than grab a coffee, photocopy work or mark assignments. From there the conversation ended up being focused on how we are able to do this in our building and how we got there. A couple people dismissed what we told them as “too pie-in-the-sky” and walked out of the session, while others wanted to ask us question after question about how it’s possible.

By the end of the session we did get to talk to teachers from BC who shared with us all the issues they are currently dealing with that limit their ability to create collaborative models. We talked with teachers from small schools who spoke about limited resources and limited numbers of teachers, and how that can hinder their collaboration. We also heard Collaboration | Connected Principals: 

Mother Crusader: A Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, A Billionaire And A USDOE Assistant Secretary Walk Into A Courtroom...

Mother Crusader: A Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, A Billionaire And A USDOE Assistant Secretary Walk Into A Courtroom...:

A Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, A Billionaire And A USDOE Assistant Secretary Walk Into A Courtroom...

Much of the press surrounding the Vergara decision has focused on the role of David Welch, President of the Silicone Valley Telecommunications behemoth, Infinera.

Dave Welch isn't a teacher, politician or lawyer, but he was the driving force behind a landmark court ruling Tuesday that is poised to overhaul public education in California and across the nation.

Welch 

How did the 53-year-old Silicon Valley entrepreneur do it? Some would say it's a passion for kids' education and a winning argument that California's policies guiding teacher tenure are broken. Others would say, simply, it's his money.

Welch certainly seems to be the driving force behind the Vergara case, but he had a lot of help along the way from some very reformy friends in very high places.

I've taken some time to familiarize myself with the 990s for the Students First Foundation, which is "doing business as" Students Matter. Students First Foundation is the 501c3 Welch formed to trample teacher tenure. 

It's amazing what you can learn from a 990.

The most recent one is from 2012. It reveals not only where the $2 million they had at their disposal that year came from, but how it was spent, and the rationale for the expenditures. (Between 2010 and 2012, Students Matter has spent well over $3 million - imagine how much more Mother Crusader: A Silicon Valley Entrepreneur, A Billionaire And A USDOE Assistant Secretary Walk Into A Courtroom...:

NYC Educator: Go from "Grossly Ineffective" to "Highly Effective" Overnight

NYC Educator: Go from "Grossly Ineffective" to "Highly Effective" Overnight:

Go from "Grossly Ineffective" to "Highly Effective" Overnight

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