Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Big Education Ape: 2-15-12 PM Guessing About NAEP Results EDition #2013BUDGET #SOSCHAT

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now:
Big Education Ape: Ed News Now

Published by Coopmike48 – 8 news spotters today

CMS scraps controversial tests, teacher ratings

charlotteobserver.com - Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is scrapping 52 controversial year-end exams, including one-on-one testing for children as young as kindergarten, and the "value-added" test-score ratings that had tea...

leoniehaimson

Shanker Blog » Guessing About NAEP Results

shankerblog.org - Every two years, the release of data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) generates a wave of research and commentary trying to explain short- and long-term trends. For insta...

DianeRavitch

Live Twitter stream on

@coopmike48/big-edu-ape-news-11

coopmike48 profile

coopmike48 Media Advisories | U.S. Department of Education - goo.gl/yBPrO2 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

coopmike48 profile

coopmike48 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: STUDENT’S BUSES SECURED ONLY FOR REST OF SEMESTER - goo.gl/ofMhgabout 1 minute ago · reply · retweet · favorite

coopmike48 profile

coopmike48 Conn. nutrition advocates push school breakfast - Boston.com -goo.gl/fZQtI4 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

EducationSee all

Guest Commentary: Opting out of CSAPs

denverpost.com - Policymakers may convince themselves it's so. School administrators, hired to sing from a state-issue hymnal, will say it's so.Any parent who pays attention will know it's not. "School accountabili...

DianeRavitch

The Teaching Profession as a Service Industry

dailycensored.com - Walt Gardner, writing in his EdWeek blog, concluded recently: “The latest reminder that freedom of speech for teachers in K-12 is an illusion came from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit...

DianeRavitch

SocietySee all

Rick Santorum's Pincer Movement - New York Times (blog)

campaignstops.blogs.nytimes.com - New York Times (blog)Rick Santorum's Pincer MovementNew York Times (blog)It's been clear since Iowa that Rick Santorum, of all the Republican contenders, posed the most serious challenge to Mitt Ro...

fklonsky

That Old Black Magic

nytimes.com - WASHINGTON As though Bill Donohue didn’t have enough to be cranky about. The perpetually apoplectic Catholic League president is on the rampage about President Obama trying to m...

fklonsky

PoliticsSee all

ActBlue — Contribute now to Elizabeth Warren

secure.actblue.com - In an era of politicians who pander to the corporations and Wall Street banks, Elizabeth Warren will be a tireless champion for the 99%.She's the best candidate that money can't buy.Please stand wi...

mikeklonsky

actress lisa chan apologizes for hoekstra ad

blog.angryasianman.com - An update on Lisa Chan, the 21-year-old actress who appeared in Michigan Senate candidate Pete Hoekstra's godawful racist campaign ad... When the ad hit the airwaves (and for the rest of us, the in...

coopmike48

CrimeSee all

LeisureSee all

ScienceSee all

Twitter

washingtonsblog.com - Over 400 Degrees Celsius Pretending that the Fukushima reactors achieved a state of “cold shutdown” was a political – rather than scientific - decision. Tepco itself said the state of cold shutdown...

mikeklonsky

Pay Effective Teachers Salaries They Deserve

thepetitionsite.com - signatures: deadline: ongoing signature goal: 50,000 In February, President Obama said, "Education is an investment that we need to win the future." He's right. In order to invest in our kids' futu...

coopmike48

#2013budgetSee all

#soschatSee all

Tuesday is Virtual Lobby Day. « Fred Klonsky

preaprez.wordpress.com - It’s Tuesday. Wear Red. Email your legislators. “Don’t mess with our TRS.” At our Local’s Governing Board meeting last night we made plans for our back-home lobbying efforts. In past years, this wo...

tbfurman

Student protests hit Rahm's favorite charter chain

michaelklonsky.blogspot.com - Julie Woestehoff, of Parents United for Responsible Education, speaks at a rally and march to call for an end to what they call “appalling” disciplinary policies at some schools. | Brian Jackson...

mikeklonsky

VideosSee all

PhotosSee all


Posted by at

Another superintendent cites school testing 'perversion' | The Education Front Blog | dallasnews.com

Another superintendent cites school testing 'perversion' | The Education Front Blog | dallasnews.com:

Another superintendent cites school testing 'perversion'

by Rodger Jones/Editorial Writer

Now comes an email from the superintendent of Hudson ISD, near Lufkin, forwarding a statement she sent to her local paper about standardized testing mandated out of Austin.

Mary Ann Whiteker says she agrees with the North Texas superintendents who say high-stakes testing is "strangling" public education. And she agrees with Education Commissioner Robert Scott that testing in some places has become a "perversion" of its original intent.

Excerpt (with full letter below):

As a 39 year professional educator, I can assure you that [today's] testing/accountability system does NOT promote classrooms that engage students in 21st century learning, but rather classrooms where students memorize and fill out "bubble" answer sheets in order to graduate.

These tests are then used to determine campus / district ratings based on the weakest/lowest


Obama's right to focus on teacher training

by William McKenzie/ Editorial Columnist

The White House is announcing a plan today that would be a Race to the Top-like initiative to encourage better teaching. The administration wants Congress to appropriate $5 billion that the Education Department could give to states that show promising ways to improve the training and licensing of their teachers.

The administration earlier used Race to the Top to encourage states to pursue such reforms as raising the standards for their schools. I support the emphasis now on improving teacher preparation.

Yes, I have mixed feelings about creating a new spending category. For deficit reasons, I don't like it. For education reasons, I think this is on the mark. It's a tossup, but I'm going with my education side.

Along with requiring more precise teacher evaluations, the next wave of teaching reforms needs to focus on the way teachers are prepared for the classroom. For example, are future instructors leaving college with a strong

Posted by at

Special-ism — Reach Your Child's Potential with Professional Insights

Special-ism — Reach Your Child's Potential with Professional Insights:

Heavy Work for the Hands: Viewing Clothespins through Sensory Savvy Lenses

Martianne Stanger at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
Heavy work. For children with special needs, it is known as the great equalizer. Depending on its use and duration, it can act as a calming tool or an alerting one. Heavy work provides proprioceptive input that helps children become more aware of their bodies positions in space, making them more efficient with grading and [...]

Fun and Fitness In the Snow

Joni Redlich, DPT at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
Few things compare to the opportunities for a fun workout than playing in the snow. Get the kids outside and get moving and then warm up with a large mug of hot chocolate. Exercise is beneficial for all children, but has additional benefits for children with sensory processing disorders, low tone and anxiety disorders In [...]

Crystals & Stones: Helping a Variety of Isms

Julie McAllister at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
Have you ever noticed how much children love rocks? Well, you can use that love and help your child at the same time. Crystals and stones have incredible energy and each stone has different properties that can help for every possible condition you can imagine. Crystals Bring Change, Really? When I was first told that [...]

Catch More Flies with Honey – Show Thanks to Those Involved with Your Child

Joanna Keating-Velasco at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
There’s an old idiom that “you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” My mom used to say that to me growing up. As with those who have autism, that figure of speech confused me since I didn’t understand why anyone would want more flies around. Nevertheless, I used to ask my mom why she [...]

How to Collaborate with Your School

Michele Hancock M.S., P.P.S. at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
In December I received a lot of emails from angry, frazzled parents. Grades came in, their child’s behavior had become a serious problem, and they didn’t like their new caseworker. Emotions were running high and a lot of finger pointing was going on. But behind all of the emotion, what I really heard was “I [...]

What Makes Waking Up So Difficult for Kids with ADHD?

Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ACAC at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
In my previous article, What Makes Sleep so Difficult for Kids with ADHD?, I explored the difficulties that children and adolescents may have in falling asleep. As I had mentioned, research shows that between 25 and 50% of people with ADHD have clinically reported sleep difficulties. These can be attributed to biology, stimulant medication side [...]

Everyone has a Love Story…..

Teresa Fair-Field, OTR/L at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
Scholars and poets of the very earliest works have love stories. Comedies, tragedies, graphic novels and every known scripture have their love stories. Teenagers with glitter fingernails and cross-bone hoodies have their love stories. Individuals on the autism spectrum, at every age, will write love stories of their own. Relationships Examined As the parent of [...]

When an Advantage Becomes a Disadvantage

D.S. Walker, RN at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
The same excellent rote memory that helps many Aspies and Autistics can also be a distinct disadvantage. Most people believe being able to seamlessly remember details of events or of things read is an advantage and most of the time it is. After all, it makes studying for tests easier and allows for needed attention [...]

One Path to Find Spiritual Strength

Lori Ciccarelli at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
I am going to take a different approach this month and focus on what got me through some very difficult and challenging times raising a child with special needs; my spiritual strength. “The Lord is close to the broken hearted, He rescues those who are crushed in Spirit,” Psalm 34:18. There were many times I [...]

5 Ideas to Foster Writing Readiness

Bonnie Hacker, MHS, OTR/L at Special-ism - 1 hour ago
Many parents and teachers are eager for young children to write. Writing, which used to be introduced in first grade, and then in kindergarten, now is often part of the preschool curriculum. As a result, many children miss out on this important time to develop foundation skills and at the same time they reinforce inefficient [...]

How to Collaborate with Your School

Michele Hancock M.S., P.P.S. at Special-ism - 5 days ago
[fbshare]In December I received a lot of emails from angry, frazzled parents. Grades came in, their child’s behavior had become a serious problem, and they didn’t like their new caseworker. Emotions were running high and a lot of finger pointing was going on. But behind all of the emotion, what I really heard was “I [...]

Special-Ism is Coming!

Danette Schott, M.A. at Special-ism - 6 days ago
[fbshare]A brand new platform, Special-Ism, will take this place around February 15th. All new articles will be published at Special-Ism! While you are waiting, join Special-Ism on facebook and twitter.

What Makes Waking Up So Difficult for Kids with ADHD?

Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ACAC at Special-ism - 1 week ago
[fbshare]In my previous article, What Makes Sleep so Difficult for Kids with ADHD?, I explored the difficulties that children and adolescents may have in falling asleep. As I had mentioned, research shows that between 25 and 50% of people with ADHD have clinically reported sleep difficulties. These can be attributed to biology, stimulant medication side [...]

When an Advantage Becomes a Disadvantage

D.S. Walker at Special-ism - 1 week ago
[fbshare]The same excellent rote memory that helps many Aspies and Autistics can also be a distinct disadvantage. Most people believe being able to seamlessly remember details of events or of things read is an advantage and most of the time it is. After all, it makes studying for tests easier and allows for needed attention [...]
Posted by at

Unschooling in the Art of Theater | Lefty Parent

Unschooling in the Art of Theater | Lefty Parent:

Unschooling in the Art of Theater

by Cooper Zale

Me as "Maurice" in Lord of the Flies

I am a huge advocate for unschooling, as I’m sure you can gather if you have read very many of my pieces. Wikipedia defines “unschooling” as a term coined in the 1970s by radical educator John Holt, representing…

A range of educational philosophies and practices centered on allowing children to learn through their natural life experiences, including play, game play, household responsibilities, work experience, and social interaction, rather than through a more traditional school curriculum. There are some who find it controversial. Unschooling encourages exploration of activities, often initiated by the children themselves, facilitated by the adults. Unschooling differs from conventional schooling principally in the thesis that standard curricula and conventional grading methods, as well as other features of traditional schooling, are counterproductive to the goal of maximizing the

Posted by at

tomhayden.com - Peace Exchange Bulletin - Occupy Chicago? 1968 Again? #ows

tomhayden.com - Peace Exchange Bulletin - Occupy Chicago? 1968 Again?:

OCCUPY CHICAGO? 1968 AGAIN?

DateWEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2012 AT 2:01PM

With Adbusters inviting 50,000 “culture jammers” to attend the NATO-G8 Chicago summit May 18-20, as part of an “International Spring Offensive” beginning on May 12, the Occupy movement will experience new growth – and new tests – this spring.

The Occupy movement already has influenced the 2012 national elections by “changing the conversation” to a greater focus on economic inequality, Wall Street corruption and the evils of money in politics more than any time in six decades. But there appears to be no chance that Occupy will engage with or campaign for candidates, or even lobby for specific proposals for policy reform. Those efforts will be up to organized labor, environmentalists, peace advocates, online advocates, Progressive Democrats, and a few elected officials and candidates around the

Posted by at

PAA letter to House Education committee on ESEA « Parents Across America

PAA letter to House Education committee on ESEA « Parents Across America:

PAA letter to House Education committee on ESEA

by pureparents


The House Education and the Workforce Committee will hold a hearing tomorrow on new House proposals to revise the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
Some day we hope that the committee will include real parent voices in their hearings. Until then, we need to keep the letters coming, Here’s what we faxed to the committee members today (feel free to copy, sign, and send to your own congresspeople).
We are working on a more detailed position statement on the House proposals – watch this space!
****
February 15, 2012
Re: HR 3989 and HR 3990
Dear Education Committee Member:
As you begin discussion of the Student Success Act and the Encouraging Innovation and Effectiveness Teacher Act, we ask that you give thoughtful consideration to the concerns and priorities of Parents Across America, a national network of active parents, representing the primary stakeholders of the public schools. Because the voices of grass-roots parents have been mostly missing from the Capitol Hill ESEA debate, we also urge you to invite a representative of our group to testify at any hearings called on the topic of ESEA reauthorization.
Our general concerns regarding ESEA include its over-reliance on the current corporate reform agenda of further privatization, school closings, more charter schools, larger classes, and the expansion of high-stakes standardized tests. In fact, the majority of US parents oppose these strategies, which have no significant track record of success. We instead support research-based proposals to improve our schools, including class size reduction, expansion of preK programs, support for a more well-rounded, challenging curriculum, and more parent involvement in decision-making at all levels.
We support the HR 3989 and HR 3990 proposals to:
  • end the use of AYP.
  • maintain disaggregated student data.
  • locate school improvement activities closer to the schools and end mandates for the four ineffective SIG models.
We oppose the proposals that:
  • expand standardized testing by mandating its use as a high-stakes measure for teacher evaluation.
  • fail to adequately support true multiple assessments that use actual student work done over time.
  • cap the funds available to reduce class size.
  • disregard the value of teacher preparation and pre-qualification.
  • shift more public education funds to private interests including expanded charter schools.
  • avoid addressing the critical needs of children brought about by poverty.
 We look forward to making a more detailed presentation of our positions in a hearing.  Meanwhile, please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. Thank you so much for your time and attention, and for your service to our children.
Sincerely,
Julie Woestehoff, Parents United for Responsible Education (Chicago)
Co-Founder and Legislative Chair, Parents Across America
Posted by at
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)