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Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 1-31 Early Evening Posts #ows #edreform


School Tech Connect: Half The Story

School Tech Connect: Half The Story:Half The Storyby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)Mayor's collaboration with nutcases and the odious Juan William getting some press, although it doesn't tell the whole story. I posted a comment; we'll see if it gets through.The story of the mayor’s collaboration with this right wing group is incomplete without a full description of

How our dues are being used. « Fred Klonsky

How our dues are being used. « Fred Klonsky:How our dues are being used.by Fred KlonskyIn preparation for the IEA RA in March, local Regions held budget hearings last night. The meeting I was at had three Regions present.The news I got was this:The IEA leadership says they will be launching a legislative campaign to do away with the existing regressive flat tax in Illinois and replace it with a progressive income tax.The IEA Budget Committee is proposing a five ... more »

Foster youth deserve to be left out of Brown’s plan to combine categorical funds | Thoughts on Public Education

Foster youth deserve to be left out of Brown’s plan to combine categorical funds | Thoughts on Public Education:Foster youth deserve to be left out of Brown’s plan to combine categorical funds - by Daniel Heimpelby Daniel HeimpelIn 1981, the California State Legislature launched the Foster Youth Services program to address the educational needs of foster children, putting California at the vanguard of a national movement to level the educational playing field for students in foster care. But dramatic changes ... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Romney, Bain took over test giant Princeton Review

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Romney, Bain took over test giant Princeton Review:Romney, Bain took over test giant Princeton Reviewby Mike KlonskyOne of Bain's takeover targets while Gov. Romney ran the predator investment firm, was Princeton Review, one of the largest testing and test-prep operations in the country. In 2007, Bain and Prides Capital, made a $60 million preferred stock investment in Princeton and effectively took the company over, replacing former CEO John Katzman with Michael J. Perik, former CEO ...more »

Jersey Jazzman: Can't Tell the Players Without a Scorecard!

Jersey Jazzman: Can't Tell the Players Without a Scorecard!:Can't Tell the Players Without a Scorecard!by DukeI've been at this edu-blogging thing for nearly two years; I'd like to believe I have a fairly good handle on the reformy scene here in Jersey. I'd like to think that I know the players, the connections, the whole tomato pie...So it's more than a little embarrassing to admit I had no idea that Excellent Education for Everyone (E3) - the big dog in ... more »

Miami – Dade Superintendent: “Thanking, Not Ranking a Teacher” | Scathing Purple Musings

Miami – Dade Superintendent: “Thanking, Not Ranking a Teacher” | Scathing Purple Musings:Miami – Dade Superintendent: “Thanking, Not Ranking a Teacher”by Bob SikesAmidst a Mary McGrory FCAT rankings piece in the Miami Herald was this takeaway in a quote from Miami-Dade County superintendent Alberto Carvalho:Miami-Dade Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said he took pride in the district’s accomplishments, but contended that “overall rankings provide an overly simplistic view of academic success.”Carvalho added: “Thanking, not ranking, a teacher in Miami is in order.”While ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: View of SOTU from right field

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: View of SOTU from right field:View of SOTU from right fieldby Mike KlonskyMy friend called me yesterday. She sounded irate. "Do you read the Tribune?" she asks. I try not to but can't avoid it sometimes, I respond. "Did you read that column Sunday by Steve Chapman?" No I didn't but I guess I will have to now, I answer. "He's actually calling on kids to drop out of school. If you don't write something about ... more »

Diane Ravitch in Sacramento, Continued « InterACT

Diane Ravitch in Sacramento, Continued « InterACT:Diane Ravitch in Sacramento, Continuedby David B. CohenIn a prior post, I shared two video clips from Diane Ravitch’s speech at the Sacramento Convention Center on January 20th. I managed to record two other portions of the speech, and have embedded those clips below.In the first clip, I picked up in the middle of a larger segment of the speech in which Ravitch points out that union detractors might have more credibility if they ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts 1-30 #edreform #ows

My Problem(s) With #Educon | Connected PrincipalsBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-2 hours agoMy Problem(s) With Educon | Connected Principals:My Problem(s) With Educonby Patrick LarkinAs I reflect on my third Educon experience, I feel the need to get a few things off my chest in regards to the conference put on by Mr. Lehmann and his crew at Science Leadership Academy.The sessions – What’s up with so many great conversations in each time slot? I am used to attending ... more »

My Problem(s) With #Educon | Connected Principals

My Problem(s) With Educon | Connected Principals:My Problem(s) With Educonby Patrick LarkinAs I reflect on my third Educon experience, I feel the need to get a few things off my chest in regards to the conference put on by Mr. Lehmann and his crew at Science Leadership Academy.The sessions – What’s up with so many great conversations in each time slot? I am used to attending conferences where I struggle to find one quality session in each time slot.Between the ... more »

PARENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT LONGER SCHOOL DAY « Teachers Fight Back

PARENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT LONGER SCHOOL DAY « Teachers Fight Back:PARENTS COMPLAIN ABOUT LONGER SCHOOL DAYby alkleenA mini revolt is being staged by parents of some elementary school children in Chicago. The Chicago public school administrators increased class time at several schools. The school day is now up to seven and a half hours at some schools. Many parents are upset that they had to change bedtimes, reset alarm clocks, and alter homework and dinner schedules for their little ones.The biggest ... more »

PAA on real parent empowerment – an antidote to phony “parental choice” « Parents Across America

PAA on real parent empowerment – an antidote to phony “parental choice” « Parents Across America: PAA on real parent empowerment – an antidote to phony “parental choice”by pureparentsJanuary 31, 2012Contacts:Julie Woestehoff, PAA co-founder, Parents United for Responsible Education, Chicago 773-715-3989Leonie Haimson, PAA co-founder, Class Size Matters, New York City – 212-674-7320Lorie Barzano, PAA, The Coalition to Strengthen Austin (TX) Urban Schools – 512-447-5577Karran Harper Royal, PAA founder, Education advocate – 504-722-8174Parents Across America releases a proposalfor real... more »

Digital Educators Needed for 21st Century Digital Learners! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!

Digital Educators Needed for 21st Century Digital Learners! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!:Digital Educators Needed for 21st Century Digital Learners!by OldschoolteachI am not a digital native by any means. I am 52 years old and have been teaching for 27 years. I am the teacher people assume is scared to touch a computer for fear of contracting a virus. I am the teacher they assume has dust gathering on the classroom computers like moss on a stone.I am ... more »

"Teachers & Parents for Real Education Reform": IFF Study Released to Criticism of Research Methodology

"Teachers Parents for Real Education Reform": IFF Study Released to Criticism of Research Methodology:IFF Study Released to Criticism of Research MethodologyQuality Schools, Every Child, Every Neighborhood IndeedA response by Teachers and Parents for Real Education ReformThe Illinois Facilities Fund report titled: Quality Schools, Every School, Every Child, Every Neighborhood was released last week at a briefing by Deputy Mayor for Education De’Shawn Wright. There were no surprises in the report. Back in November, local analyst Mary Levy had accurately predicted ... more »

Teachers Inject Their Own Message Into Union-Busters' Twitter Campaign | Truthout

Teachers Inject Their Own Message Into Union-Busters' Twitter Campaign | Truthout:Teachers Inject Their Own Message Into Union-Busters' Twitter CampaignMonday 30 January 2012by: Adam Bessie, The Daily Censored | Op-EdIn the last year, the national education debate has been occupied by economists, billionaires, hedge-fund managers, corporate columnists and party-politicians –indeed, it seems like the further a person is from the classroom, the more weight his opinion carries.Call it the Gates Paradox – the power of your voice in the “education reform” ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 1-30 Early Evening Posts #ows #edreform

Teacher Unionism Reborn | The IndypendentBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-18 minutes agoTeacher Unionism Reborn | The Indypendent: Teacher Unionism RebornBYLOIS WEINERJANUARY 30, 2012 In the past five years, we have witnessed a demonization of teachers unions that is close to achieving its goal: destruction of the most stable and potentially powerful defender of mass public education. Teacher unionism’s continued existence is imperiled — if what we define as "existence" is organizations having the legal capacity to bargain over ... more »

RIP: National School Counseling Week - Resources (CA Dept of Education)

National School Counseling Week - Resources (CA Dept of Education):National School Counseling WeekInformation regarding National School Counseling Week, February 6-10, 2012, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). National School Counseling Week will be celebrated from February 6-10, 2012 to focus public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week (Outside Source), sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve scho... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Christie's Lies: Golden Oldies

Jersey Jazzman: Christie's Lies: Golden Oldies:Christie's Lies: Golden Oldiesby DukeI haven't posted about this in a while:Christie joined with Democratic leaders last year to shift a greater share of the pension burden to public workers and to end cost-of-living increases for current and future retirees. The legislation helped drive down the state’s unfunded pension liability from $53.9 billion to $36.3 billion when the administration revised its figures for fiscal 2010, according to the actuarial reports made public on Tuesday. [emphasis ... more »

What the New Yorker Piece on Tyler Clementi and Dharun Ravi Gets Wrong « Student Activism

What the New Yorker Piece on Tyler Clementi and Dharun Ravi Gets Wrong « Student Activism:What the New Yorker Piece on Tyler Clementi and Dharun Ravi Gets Wrongby Angus JohnstonThe New Yorker has published a major new article by Ian Parker on the September 2010 death of Rutgers first-year Tyler Clementi who, targeted by his roommate in a campaign of webcam spying and harassment, killed himself by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. (Clementi’s roommate, Dharun Ravi, will face trial ... more »

Mother Crusader: Can a Man Of God Run a School For The State?

Mother Crusader: Can a Man Of God Run a School For The State?:Can a Man Of God Run a School For The State?by darciecimaJersey Jazzman and I have been using our blogs in the last week or so to raise questions about the Regis Academy that was approved by Acting Commissioner Cerf for Cherry Hill, Voorhees, Lawnside and Somerdale. Jersey Jazzman came up with a great timeline that raises some serious questions as to how and why this application made ...more »

Schools Matter: New York Principal's Heroic Stand

Schools Matter: New York Principal's Heroic Stand:

New York Principal's Heroic Stand

Zeppie said Gov. Andrew Cuomo's recent implementation of standardized testing reviews is unhealthy and wrong.

"I don’t believe in stressing kids out so that they have no childhood," Zeppie said. "Sooner or later it will trickle down and lead to more suicides in children."

RYE, N.Y. - Osborn School Principal Clarita Zeppie announced in a letter to schools Superintendent Ed Shine and the Osborn School staff that she would be

When University Press Releases are Scholarly Malpractice « Student Activism

When University Press Releases are Scholarly Malpractice « Student Activism:

University Press Releases as Scholarly Malpractice

An obscure academic publishes a strange paper in a no-name journal. Scholars uniformly repudiate it as worthless. Some speculate that the author is mentally ill. But in the meantime the theory attracts huge attention online, and even makes it into some mainstream news outlets, lauded as a potentially earth-shaking discovery.

How does this happen?

University public relations departments.

The academic in question is biochemist Erik Andrulis, and the paper is called “Theory of the Origin, Evolution, and Nature of Life.” It was published in the premiere issue of a minor new journal called Life last week, and if that had been all the exposure it received, it likely would have sunk without a trace.

But Andrulis is an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University, and six days ago the CWRU public

Peg with Pen: Awake in Indiana

Peg with Pen: Awake in Indiana:

Awake in Indiana

What does it mean to be awake? We hear that phrase a lot. When will they wake up? Whatwill it take to wake the 99%?

Simply look at Indiana. While corporate education reformers circle and attack, Indiana folks areholding their ground - they recognizethat all children in Indiana are entitled to a whole and equitableeducation. They recognize that theirtax dollars are being used to create a public school system that harms childrenand profits the 1%.

They are organized.

They ask questions that everyone should be asking:

What would it take to get people to understand howimportant education is?

A Teacher Testifies in Opposition to House Bill 2426, the Charter School Bill | Seattle Education

A Teacher Testifies in Opposition to House Bill 2426, the Charter School Bill | Seattle Education:

A Teacher Testifies in Opposition to House Bill 2426, the Charter School Bill

Eric Muhs, a teacher in the Seattle Public School district, braved the ice and snow on Friday, January 20th, with several other brave souls to provide testimony regarding House Bill 2426, the charter school bill. To follow is what he stated:

Hello. My name is Eric Muhs. I teach physics & astronomy at Ballard High School in Seattle. I’ve been teaching for 25 years, and achieved National Board Certification 5 years ago. I work 70 hours a week, and was in the news last year for leading a group of students in placing an experiment aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. I

School Tech Connect: Um, No. He Has No Clue

School Tech Connect: Um, No. He Has No Clue

Um, No. He Has No Clue


President Obama cannot possibly understand what is going on as a result of Race To Nowhere. He's simply too smart, and the situation is so obvious and easy to understand, that he clearly has no clue. He's obviously been given a certain small universe of facts, been introduced to some very, very special interests, and been sold a line of bull by whoever's been running ed policy through Arne Duncan's flapping jaws.

This kills me: