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Sunday, July 16, 2017

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/16/17


Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/16/17

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One Way Teachers Can Fight Exhaustion Before It Starts - Teacher Habits





Texas High Schoolers Rise Against Anti-Immigrant SB 4 Law - News Taco
by mike simpson / 8min
Texas High Schoolers Rise Against Anti-Immigrant SB 4 Law - News Taco : Latin@ high school students are rising to protest hateful SB 4 law in Texas. Students raising a fist at the WT White High School Day Without Immigrants walkout. (Photo courtesy of Madison Barber) These young Latin@s are organizing a strike and a protest against hateful laws in Texas. Click on The Grito to support them. VL Fou
The Charlatans Are Here – Live Long and Prosper
by mike simpson / 5h
The Charlatans Are Here – Live Long and Prosper : The Charlatans Are Here [Part 2 of 2: A followup post on the recent increase of anti-science and anti-intellectualism in America. Click HERE here to read Part 1, Standing in Denial, Rising to Power .] GOOD TEACHERS RETEACH What can we, as actual educators (not the Betsy DeVos kind), do to change the country’s direction when it comes to science, an
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Half a Summer Gone + Catch up with CURMUDGUCATION
by mike simpson / 6h
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Half a Summer Gone : ICYMI: Half a Summer Gone So what have we found to read this week? David Brooks and the Language of Privilege Robert Pondiscio on how language reinforces privilege. Lots to think about here. Massachusetts Parents United-- New Wine in Old Bottles One thing about astro-turf, it never actually dies. And no fields grow astro-turf as lush and green as the la
One Way Teachers Can Fight Exhaustion Before It Starts - Teacher Habits
by mike simpson / 7h
One Way Teachers Can Fight Exhaustion Before It Starts - Teacher Habits : One Way Teachers Can Fight Exhaustion Before It Starts One of the best things about being a teacher is we get to start anew each fall. With the school year around the corner, exhaustion is probably far from your mind. After a restorative summer, you are likely itching to get started. You have new ideas you picked up at conf
Betsy DeVos Is Sending the Wrong Message to Rape Victims | Fortune.com
by mike simpson / 8h
Betsy DeVos Is Sending the Wrong Message to Rape Victims | Fortune.com : Betsy DeVos Is Sending the Wrong Message to Rape Victims According to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Trump administration, disability rights, hate crimes, predatory lending, or heading off an impending economic bubble rooted in student loan defaults are not the most pressing higher education matters. Instead, they’r
Schools Haunted by Ghost of No Child Left Behind Act | Observer
by mike simpson / 8h
Schools Haunted by Ghost of No Child Left Behind Act | Observer : Schools Haunted by Ghost of No Child Left Behind Act More than 15 years ago, George W. Bush signed into law the bipartisan “ No Child Left Behind Act ,” which relied heavily on high-stakes standardized testing. Even though the bill was replaced by the “Every Student Succeeds Act,” those high stakes standardized tests could still re
Embattled charter school reported wrong data to state - The Boston Globe
by mike simpson / 8h
Embattled charter school reported wrong data to state - The Boston Globe : Embattled Mystic Valley Regional Charter School reported wrong data to state A Malden charter school that recently faced criticism for banning certain hairstyles reported erroneous information to regulators about the number of students who left during the academic year, according to state education officials. The data from
Summertime Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
by mike simpson / 8h
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all : Summertime Diane Ravitch's blog A site to discuss better education for all Jennifer Berkshire: Watch What Betsy DeVos Does, Not the Nonsense She Says by dianeravitch / 0min Jennifer Berkshire writes about Betsy DeVos’s radical agenda, which she cloaks in platitudes. She has become the mistress of not speaking to the press. When i
Teachers With Student Debt: The Struggle, The Causes And What Comes Next : NPR Ed : NPR
by mike simpson / 8h
Teachers With Student Debt: The Struggle, The Causes And What Comes Next : NPR Ed : NPR : Teachers With Student Debt: The Struggle, The Causes And What Comes Next "I am overloaded and struggling. It's terrifying." "I feel like I'll be making the last payment from my grave." "It is an albatross around my neck. Years of paying and I feel like I'm getting nowhere." "Help!" Those were some of the com
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
by mike simpson / 9h
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL : Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL July’s (2017) Best Tweets – Part Three by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h Every month I make a few short lists highlighting my choices of the best resources I through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. I’ve already s
With A Brooklyn Accent: When Anti-Immigrant Hysteria Swept the Land
by mike simpson / 9h
With A Brooklyn Accent: When Anti-Immigrant Hysteria Swept the Land : When Anti-Immigrant Hysteria Swept the Land During and after World War I, anti-immigrant hysteria swept the nation, focusing largely on Catholic and Jewish immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe. Some of the results of that hysteria were: The Prohibition of alcoholic beverages by Constitutional Amendment A Red Scare result
How the Democratic Party Became an Enemy of Public Education - The Crucial Voice of the PeopleThe Crucial Voice of the People
by mike simpson / 9h
How the Democratic Party Became an Enemy of Public Education - The Crucial Voice of the PeopleThe Crucial Voice of the People : How the Democratic Party Became an Enemy of Public Education Perhaps the title “WHO influenced the Democratic Party into becoming an enemy of public education?” would more accurately represent the subject here. But the reason for the title came from an article in my “To
Editorial Peddles School Privatization Agenda | tultican
by mike simpson / 9h
Editorial Peddles School Privatization Agenda | tultican : Editorial Peddles School Privatization Agenda The San Diego Union editor deserves the bunkum efficiency award for packing so much baloney in a scant four paragraphs. The first sentence of the editorial headlined “ Still more bad faith from state ED board ” says: “The State Board of Education’s defining characteristic is its ardent defense
Badass Teachers Association: Personalized Learning Without People – An Education Scam from the 1980s Returns by Steven SInger
by mike simpson / 10h
Badass Teachers Association: Personalized Learning Without People – An Education Scam from the 1980s Returns by Steven SInger : Personalized Learning Without People – An Education Scam from the 1980s Returns by Steven SInger Originally posted at: https://gadflyonthewallblog.wordpress.com/2017/07/14/personalized-learning-without-people-an-education-scam-from-the-1980s-returns/ Sometimes it seems t

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Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/15/17
by mike simpson / 1d
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 7/15/17 Featured Post Franken introduces bill to fight teacher shortage | Brainerd Dispatch CURMUDGUCATION: Why Is Kiddie PISA a Thing by mike simpson / 16min CURMUDGUCATION: Why 

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Texas High Schoolers Rise Against Anti-Immigrant SB 4 Law - News Taco

Texas High Schoolers Rise Against Anti-Immigrant SB 4 Law - News Taco:

Latin@ high school students are rising to protest hateful SB 4 law in Texas.

Students raising a fist at the WT White High School Day Without Immigrants walkout. (Photo courtesy of Madison Barber)


These young Latin@s are organizing a strike and a protest against hateful laws in Texas. Click on The Grito to support them. VL



 Four months ago, on February 16, thousands of high school students across Texas joined in a collective effort to stand up against hate. On that day, we stood with our classmates and walked out of school to join the national “Day Without Immigrants” strike. It was a non-violent protest against Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda and retaliatory immigration raids in central Texas. We intend to rise again against Texas’s SB 4.

That day we walked out of school to show the world that we will not live in fear or be divided by injustice.  The message from students was clear:  This is our home.  And we will fight to get the Latino community in Texas the dignity and respect that we deserve.
That’s exactly what we did and will continue to do.
Since that day in February, we have worked to organize our community to fight the attacks against immigrants, Latinos and all people of color.  Today, that means fighting back against SB 4, Texas’ racist “show me your papers” law, and it means building grassroots power from the ground up.
Signed into law on May 7 by Texas Governor Abbott, SB 4 is one of the most anti-Latino and anti-immigrant laws in the country.
When the law goes into effect on September 1, SB 4 will force local police into the role of Texas High Schoolers Rise Against Anti-Immigrant SB 4 Law - News Taco:

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The Charlatans Are Here – Live Long and Prosper

The Charlatans Are Here – Live Long and Prosper:

The Charlatans Are Here


[Part 2 of 2: A followup post on the recent increase of anti-science and anti-intellectualism in America. Click HERE here to read Part 1, Standing in Denial, Rising to Power.]

GOOD TEACHERS RETEACH
What can we, as actual educators (not the Betsy DeVos kind), do to change the country’s direction when it comes to science, and to learning in general?
1. When students don’t learn the first time, good teachers reteach. As teachers, we can take it upon ourselves to reteach history, including scientific innovations and developments, to the American people. Even the know-nothings like Pruitt and Perry use science every day with their cell phones, their cable and satellite TVs, and their kitchens. It’s important to remember how those advancements came about. This, of course, won’t deter those who deny science or are “reforming” schools in order to enrich themselves. However, it might help support regular citizens who are interested in planning for the nation’s future.
As teachers, we must become active lobbyists. We should lobby parents, local, state and federal legislators and policy-makers to do what needs to be done to Make America Smart Again.
Teachers need to speak out, write to legislators, support public education advocacy groups like the Indiana Coalition for Public Education or the Network for Public Education, and educate their friends, neighbors, and relatives.
TEACH THE COMMUNITY
Specifically teachers should lobby for the following.
2. End the waste of our time and money on standardized tests and use the savings to The Charlatans Are Here – Live Long and Prosper:
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CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Half a Summer Gone + Catch up with CURMUDGUCATION

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Half a Summer Gone:

ICYMI: Half a Summer Gone



So what have we found to read this week?

David Brooks and the Language of Privilege

Robert Pondiscio on how language reinforces privilege. Lots to think about here.

Massachusetts Parents United-- New Wine in Old Bottles

One thing about astro-turf, it never actually dies. And no fields grow astro-turf as lush and green as the lawns of Massachusetts. Here's the newest batch.

Betsy DeVos, Queen of Obfuscation, Talks Nonsense

Jennifer Berkshire is over at AlterNet, with a good clear look at Betsy DeVos's latest non-interview.

Field Guide To Jobs That Don't Exist Yet

That annoying stat about how 65% of the jobs our students will have do not exist yet-- it turns out to be pretty much made up. Here is a beautifully researched explanation of where that little slice of baloney came from.

Four Things Betsy DeVos Doesn't Want You To Know About EDucation Tax Credits

Dora Taylor with some important information about how those ETC really, truly work.

An Educational Scam from the 1980s Returns

We've connected the dots between personalized learning and its many antecedents, but Steven Singer reminds of it connection to that old classic, the correspondence course.

The Real Reason Your Child Is Being Psychologically Profiled at School

Emily Talmage points out one more type of data mining that may be going on at your school.

You Don't Know What You've Got

Jan Ressenger takes a look at the march of austerity and privatization.

School Reform's Hot Air Balloon

Journalist John Merrow takes a look at the unending PR push to keep DC schools looking like a success.

Digital Classrooms as Data Factories

Wrench in the Gears offers part of a series looking at the connection between social impact investing, future ready classrooms, and good old data mining.

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Half a Summer Gone:

Catch up with CURMUDGUCATION

Big Education Ape: Catch up with CURMUDGUCATION Rural Schools and Phauxlanthropy - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2017/07/catch-up-with-curmudgucation-rural.html
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One Way Teachers Can Fight Exhaustion Before It Starts - Teacher Habits

One Way Teachers Can Fight Exhaustion Before It Starts - Teacher Habits:

One Way Teachers Can Fight Exhaustion Before It Starts

procedures

One of the best things about being a teacher is we get to start anew each fall. With the school year around the corner, exhaustion is probably far from your mind. After a restorative summer, you are likely itching to get started. You have new ideas you picked up at conferences, new strategies for dealing with behavior you can’t wait to try, new technology in your classroom, new colleagues or principals, and what feels like a new lease on your career. The stress and fatigue you felt at the end of last year has drifted away like a dandelion fluff on the summer breeze.
So I hope you’ll forgive me for raining on your vacation and dousing your enthusiasm.
The stress and exhaustion will be coming back unless you do something different this year.
There are many steps you can take, all of which I outline in my forthcoming book, Exhausted, but there is one you must absolutely do if you hope to have more energy at the end of your work days. And you must start before students show up on the first day of school. What is it?
Plan and Perfect As Many Procedures As Possible
Every teacher knows the importance of teaching, modeling, and practicing classroom routines until students have them down. Teachers who want to avoid student confusion and the resultant One Way Teachers Can Fight Exhaustion Before It Starts - Teacher Habits:
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Betsy DeVos Is Sending the Wrong Message to Rape Victims | Fortune.com

Betsy DeVos Is Sending the Wrong Message to Rape Victims | Fortune.com:

Betsy DeVos Is Sending the Wrong Message to Rape Victims 




According to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and the Trump administration, disability rights, hate crimes, predatory lending, or heading off an impending economic bubble rooted in student loan defaults are not the most pressing higher education matters. Instead, they’re focusing on establishing the terms and conditions for the legal redress of “false allegations” against the “victims”: students wrongly accused of sexual assault.
Save Our Sons, a group that advocates for “families whose college sons have been falsely accused of sexual misconduct” has been pushing for this day for years. Finally, after what the accused see as decades of abuse from the federal government’s Title IX protections and equity initiatives on college campuses, the supposed victims of wrongful sexual harassment claims have had an audience with the secretary of education.
By meeting with these accused sexual assaulters, the federal government risks creating and reinforcing a climate of intimidation against those who report them.
From my two-plus decades of higher education experience, I can assure DeVos that she has been misled by the victim’s rights advocates. No cabal of disgruntled feminists roam campuses in wolf packs looking to devour men. (Note: College-age students who identify as male are no longer “boys” needing protection of their mommies. They are adults.) Furthermore, faculty members, administrators, and students on equity committees and other Title IX-supervised programs don’t take their duties lightly. In fact, the process can often take longer to complete because of the amount of care that goes into making sure all complainants are fairly represented.
It’s important to note that Title IX protections and the campus equity systems were created to protect all students from a wide variety of predatory behaviors. These include sexual advances from professors, harassment in the college workplace, inappropriate behavior during an internship, and intimidation by advisors and other supervisors in the undergraduate and graduate classroom and degree completion process. In other words, Title IX protects everyone. It is wrong to reduce the problem of sexual abuse, harassment, assault, and cyberbullying to a stereotypical “he said/she said” drama with a cast of Betsy DeVos Is Sending the Wrong Message to Rape Victims | Fortune.com:

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Schools Haunted by Ghost of No Child Left Behind Act | Observer

Schools Haunted by Ghost of No Child Left Behind Act | Observer:

Schools Haunted by Ghost of No Child Left Behind Act


More than 15 years ago, George W. Bush signed into law the bipartisan “No Child Left Behind Act,” which relied heavily on high-stakes standardized testing. Even though the bill was replaced by the “Every Student Succeeds Act,” those high stakes standardized tests could still reemerge at the state level. But does all of this standardized testing actually improve student performance?
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act called for a number of changes and reforms, but its signature item was the standardized testing rigor. Standardized tests existed before NCLB, but the big difference was that NCLB bureaucrats could base their decisions on them; Test scores were used not only to evaluate performance but also to decide whether a school would keep its doors open.
NCLB supporters started their evaluation in 2005 and claimed there was progress between 2000 and 2005 (ignoring 2003, for some reason). Researchers Thomas Dee and Brian A. Jacob found gains for 4th grade math (about 25 percent of the improvement could be attributed to NCLB) from 1997 to 2007, slight but insignificant gains in 8th grade math, and no change in reading scores over a decade for fourth or eighth grade students. Even setting the bar low didn’t help.
Comparing The Results: NCLB vs. Local Control
The Pew Research Center just released data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), dubbed “The Nation’s Report Card” from 1990 to 2015 in math, the one area where NCLB could possibly count any success based on past reports. And here’s what we learned.
Among 4th graders in math, we had five percent considered “advanced” in 2005. Today, it’s seven percent. In 2005, 31 percent were graded “proficient.” Today, 33 percent are proficient. Back in 2005, 44 percent were considered “basic” in math. Today, that number is 42 percent. Finally, 20 percent were judged to be below basic in math. Now, that number has fallen to 18 percent.
It’s a similar story for 8th graders. In 2005, six percent were advanced; in 2015, eight percent are. In 2005, 24 percent were proficient; in 2015, it’s 25 percent. Basic scores went from 39 percent to 37 percent. Finally, for those below basic, it’s fallen from 31 percent in 2005 to 29 percent in 2015. In other words, there has been very little change.
Now, consider the story of what happened before NCLB and the high-stakes Schools Haunted by Ghost of No Child Left Behind Act | Observer:

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