LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-14-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

Missouri Governor Signs Bill to Review Common Core

Jay Nixon, Governor of Missouri, signed a bill to review and revise Common Core. It will remain in place for next two years,

5 by dianeravitch / 2h 

Good News! David Sirota’s New Job

Just received good news from crack investigative journalist David Sirota: http://davidsirota.com/ July 14, 2014 ———————————————————— Friends: http://www.ibtimes.com I just wanted to share some exciting news in my world – as of July 21st, I will be starting a new job at the International Business Times (www.ibtimes.com). I will be a senior writer focusing on the intersection of politics, business

2 by dianeravitch / 19min 

Clay Pell: A Fresh Face for Rhode Island Governor

Clay Pell, a grandson of Rhode Island’s legendary Senator Claiborne Pell, announced that he is running for governor. Since the other two candidates are allied with corporate reformers, Pell offers hope that he might take a different tack and actually help public education (despite his own elite schooling). Clay has two distinctions. First, he is 32, which would make him the nation’s youngest gove

8 by dianeravitch / 37min 

A Spirited Debate about Common Core at AFT Convention

Stephen Sawchuck did a good job reporting the heated debate about the Common Core standards at the AFT convention. The Chicago Teachers Union wanted to dump them. The head of the New York City United Federation of Teachers mocked the critics of the standards. One union official said that the critics represented the Tea Party. That’s pretty insulting to the Chicago Teachers Union and one-third of t

1 by dianeravitch / 6min 

Jill Lepore: What the Theory of Disruptive Innovation Gets Wrong

If your school has been closed, if the staff was fired in a “turnaround,” you have experienced the theory of disruptive innovation, which is associated with Harvard Business Professor Clayton Chistensen. Or perhaps your neighborhood school fell victim to Joseph Schumpeter’s theory of “creative destruction.” Just so you can see these ideologies from a critical perspective, be sure to read Harvard

6 by dianeravitch / 26min 

Paul Thomas on Arne Duncan and the Myth of Low Expectations

Paul Thomas here reviews many of the public statements of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and finds a common theme: the cause of low test scores is low expectations.   If only society, the schools, and parents had higher expectations, no child would be left behind, no child would ever get low test scores, children with disabilities would excel.   Embedded in this claim is the strange belief tha

3 by dianeravitch / 19min 

Help Joshua Katz Take Back Our Democracy in Florida!

I hope you remember seeing Joshua Katz’s fabulous TED talk, where he lacerated the fake reformers who are assailing hard-working teachers, smothering children with standardized tests, and privatizing public education for fun and profit. Josh is a math teacher in Orange County, Florida. Great news! Joshua Katz is running for school board in Orange County, Florida. That board is thinking of bringing

4 by dianeravitch / 1h 

Pearson Errors: Would You Trust Your Child to This Corporation?

Pearson, the British megacorporation, appears to have won the PARCC Common Core contract, which is worth about $1 billion. Its tests will be administered to 6-10 million children in 14 states. The third grade tests will take eight hours. The high school tests will take 10 hours. PARCC is also developing tests for kindergarten, first and second grades. FAIRTEST has compiled a catalogue of known Pe

58 by dianeravitch / 2h hide  //  save

Finland: Frequent Recesses Keep Students Focused

When American teacher Tim Walker got a job as a teacher in Finland, he learned a lot about its successful schools. For one thing, students get a recess every hour for 15 minutes. They spend 45 minutes in class, then run out to the playground for a 15-minute break. At first, he bought this was unnecessary so he gave two consecutive classes. He had some very grumpy students who did not understand w

78 by dianeravitch / 3h 

YESTERDAY

Mercedes Schneider on AFT Resolutions

Mercedes Schneider was unimpressed by the AFT resolutions. Plaintively, she writes: “It sure would be nice if a national union would aggressively confront the pro-privatization education agenda emanating from the Oval Office.” Neither NEA nor AFT would take on that Herculean task. She expects that nothing will happen to Duncan, no matter how many absurd things he says or does. He is coated with T

10 by dianeravitch / 9h 

AFT: Yes to Common Core, Remediation Needed by Duncan

In a day of debates, the American Federation of Teachers voted to continue its support for the controversial Common Core standards while complaining about its faulty implementation. The delegates also voted for a resolution to put Secretary Duncan on a remediation plan that would be monitored by President Obama (ha-ha, when he is not busy with foreign crises). Politico.com wrote: “The “improvement

40 by dianeravitch / 9h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 7-13-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Connection Between Jeb Bush, ALEC, K12, and MaineThis prize-winning story by investigative reporter Colin Woodard follows the money trail in Maine, as Governor Paul LePage seeks to make a name for himself in the world of digital learning. It was originally published two years ago, but remains relevant. Woodard dug through more

by mike simpson / 8h 

7-14-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy

Wait What?:

  Wait What? 

Connecticut deserves a government that will tell its citizens the truth

And a Governor who has the courage and conviction to work to set Connecticut back on the right path. As the CT Mirror explains in the series on where the candidates stand of the state budget, Pelto: State budget deficit reveals a broken fiscal system;  Former state Rep. Jonathan Pelto doesn’t have any trouble standing […] The post Connecticut deserves a government that will tell its citizens the t

by jonpelto / 1h 

7-13-14 Wait What? - Jonathan Pelto: Gubernatorial Candidate and A Really Nice Guy

Wait What?:   Wait What? All WeekCharter Advocates Give New Meaning To ‘Chutzpah’ (by Sarah Darer Littman)Charter Advocates Give New Meaning To ‘Chutzpah’ Sarah Darer Littman, pro-public school advocate, award winning columnist and parent has written one of the most powerful commentary pieces about the state of the state when it comes to the Charter School Industry and how the Malloy administratio

by mike simpson / 4h 

7-14-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

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

All My Ed Week Posts On Teaching Reading & Writing In One Place

I’ve published my latest Q & A Collection over at Ed Week. It brings together all my posts from the last three years on teaching reading and writing. Here’s an excerpt:

by Larry Ferlazzo / 19min 

The New Yorker’s “Wrong Answer” Feature Is The Must-Read Education Article Of The Summer

© 2011 Sean MacEntee, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio The New Yorker, two months after publishing an excellent article on the school reform fiasco in Newark which made The Best Articles & Posts On Education Policy In 2014 – So Far list) has now published an extraordinary feature on the Atlanta testing scandal — Wrong Answer: In an era of high-stakes testing, a struggling school made a shocking choi

by Larry Ferlazzo / 8min 

“What you can do to help the US’ 52,000 child migrants”

© 2011 Takver, Flickr | CC-BY-SA | via Wylio Vox has just published a very useful list of organizations that are helping the child refugees in the Southwest, and ways people can help them. Check out What you can do to help the US’ 52,000 child migrants. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For Learning About The Children Refugee Crisis At The U.S. Southern Border.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 10min 

Great Video & Tweets: Donna Brazile At The AFT Convention

Donna Brazile announced the formation of Democrats For Public Education at the American Federation of Teachers Convention in Los Angeles. It’s designed to support effective and teacher-supported education efforts. You’ve got to watch this of her speech at the Convention. I’ve also embedded a few tweets that contain excerpts… "We know that the root cause of the problems we see in schools toda

by Larry Ferlazzo / 9min 

Infographic: “Around The World In 80 Hats”

I’m adding this infographic to The Best Sites For Learning About The World’s Different Cultures:

by Larry Ferlazzo / 8h

7-13-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Latest Resources On Child Refugees At U.S.-Mexico Border© 2007 Richard Masoner / Cyclelicious, Flickr | CC-BY-SA | via Wylio Here are the latest additions to The Best Resources For Learning About The Children Refugee Crisis At The U.S. Southern Border: Shame on you, Murrieta, for blocking immigrant detainee buses is from Th

by mike simpson / 8h 

7-14-14 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.:

Jose Vilson. Teachers of color caught in the windmill (on real equity).

- Jose Vilson is a New York teacher and author of This is Not a Test. Time and again, we get reports from former teachers of color about why they leave, and often, it’s the same symptoms for why teachers in general leave: lack of empowerment and autonomy, working conditions, and low pay. With teacher of color, education systems only exacerbate this problem because many teachers of color come back

1 by Fred Klonsky / 2h 

Ten minute drawing. Senator Mark Kirk hears voices about immigrants.

by Fred Klonsky / 15min 

In Hinsdale this is what Tea Party democracy looks like.

“Hey, Fred,” a teacher friend writes. “Ever hear of a school board holding a press conference that denied access to other board members from attending it? Too funny, but that just happened in Hinsdale. No parents, teachers or even other school board members were allowed to attend their Tea Party.” The Hinsdale High School Teachers Association, which is engaged in tough negotiations with the local

by Fred Klonsky / 6min 

There’s a national assault on teacher pensions. I wonder if the AFT and the NEA heard?

Michael “Macho Man” Mulgrew. Yesterday I began the afternoon watching the live streaming of the debate over Common Core. What could be more moving than hearing my friend Michelle Gunderson speaking about the damage Common Core is doing to her babies? Imagine. An urban public school teacher talking about her students as if they were her own children – her babies. And knowing Michelle as I do, ther

by Fred Klonsky / 1min hide  //  save

The United Federation of Teachers’ loyalty oath. Tolerating no dissent.

UFT President Michael Mulgrew. “I’ll punch you in the face if you try to take away my Common Core.” Arthur Goldstein is a high school English teacher and chapter chair of the United Federation of Teachers at Francis Lewis High School. He could not be a delegate to the AFT convention in LA because he would not sign the UFT’s loyalty oath. When a reader of this blog asked about the loyalty oath, Ar

13 by Fred Klonsky / 2h 

7-13-14 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.: Sunday reads.Detroit residents on Thursday launched a direct action to halt the city’s mass shut-off of water to thousands of households, physically blocking a private corporation from turning off the tap. Israel bombs a mosque and a center for the disabled, killing two residents and wounding three, a

by mike simpson / 8h 

7-14-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE:

About the radio show

Join Drs. Shaun Johnson and Tim Slekar 

LIVE Sundays at 6PM EST and Wednesdays at 7PM EST 

on Blog Talk Radio for progressive, pro-public education talk radio. 

Call in to speak live with Tim and Shaun during the show, (805) 727-7111. 

You can also listen to our Monday "Sunday-Replay" at 7PM EST, and re-broadcasts of the archives every Tuesday and Thursday at 7PM EST.

Visit the @ the Chalk Face radio main page for more information on the show and syndication.

New York Magazine Bias?

NEW YORK MAGAZINE BIAS?.

1 by David Greene / 11min hide  //  save

Former United Federation of Teachers VP Leo Casey Tries to Twitter-slam Me

I have been asked numerous times to join Twitter. The response I offer to this request: I haven’t the time to keep up with Twitter. That doesn’t mean that I do not occasionally become the topic of a Twitter exchange, however. Apparently such an exchange began on July 10, 2014, between New York City teacher Arthur […]

1 by deutsch29 / 30min 

Why Isnt Aft And New York More Enraged About Engageny?

WHY ISNT AFT AND NEW YORK MORE ENRAGED ABOUT ENGAGENY?.

1 by David Greene / 22min  

7-13-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: About the radio showJoin Drs. Shaun Johnson and Tim Slekar LIVE Sundays at 6PM EST and Wednesdays at 7PM EST on Blog Talk Radio for progressive, pro-public education talk radio. Call in to speak live with Tim and Shaun during the show, (805) 727-7111. You can also listen to our Monday "Sunday-Replay" at 7PM EST, and re-broadcasts of the archives every Tuesday and Thursd

by mike simpson / 13h 

7-14-14 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School:

Weingarten Criticizes Astorino For Common Core Dodge Even As She Pulls Another CCSS Dodge At The AFT

Jessica Bakeman at Capital NY:ALBANY—American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten said Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino is using an anti-Common Core campaign to “cloak” his other positions on education issues that would be far less palatable to public school advocates. Weingarten, the former president of New York City's United Federation of Teachers, said during a tele

by reality-based edu... / 5min 

Is Chris Christie In An "Unholy Alliance" With Andrew Cuomo Over The Bridgegate Scandal?

Fred Dicker raises the question in his NY Post column today:One of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s jobs as this year’s head of the Republican Governors Association is to help elect more GOP governors, but don’t tell that to people working on Astorino’s campaign. “Chris Christie has done diddly squat to help the Astorino folks,’’ said a highly knowledgeable Republican insider. “Either Christie has

by reality-based edu... / 51min

7-13-14 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Bill Gates Plans For Wireless Remote Controlled ContraceptionI'm sure this couldn't have any downsides:First Bill Gates brought us a better condom. Now, the billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft founder is taking birth control to an even more amazing level.Gates is backing a long-lasting implantable birth control device that can be turned on and off with a remote control.

by mike simpson / 8h