Top Content this Week - 1-12-13 The Educator's PLN

Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN:

1	20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network Added by Tess Pajaron on January 4, 2013
2	Rick Wormeli: Redos, Retakes, and Do-Overs, Part One Added by Thomas Whitby on January 8, 2013
3	Flipping Tools Posted by Bonnie Birdsall on January 8, 2013
4	Edchat Added by Shelly Terrell on October 17, 2009
5	Born to Learn Added by Thomas Whitby on October 29, 2012
6	Confidence Through Connectedness Added by Thomas Whitby on January 9, 2013
7	On the need for clarity of vision Added by Jennie Snyder on January 5, 2013
8	Why is Creativity Important in Education? Sir Ken Robinson Video Series from Adobe Education Added by Thomas Whitby on January 10, 2013
9	Optimizing Tablet Use in the Classroom Added by DC Nelson on January 11, 2013
10	21st Century Learning Is Not A Program Added by William Washington on January 8, 2013
11	Disrupting Class: Michael B. Horn at TEDxManhattanBeach Added by Thomas Whitby on January 7, 2013
12	17 iPad Tips & Tricks Added by Thomas Whitby on January 7, 2013
13	30 Myths About eLearning that Need to Die in 2013 Added by Tess Pajaron on January 12, 2013
14	15 Reasons Why Daydreamers are Better Learners Added by Tess Pajaron on January 8, 2013
15	Education Trends: What to Expect in 2013 Added by WISE Official on January 10, 2013
16	Informational Text for Social Studies or English: "The Perils of Indifference" by Elie Wiesel Added by Colette Marie Bennett on January 11, 2013
17	Best Science Apps for Upper Elementary and Middle School Added by iGameMom on January 7, 2013
18	MAE Engineering College, Pune Posted by Ajinkyajit Jadhav on January 9, 2013
19	Optimizing Tablet Use in the Classroom Added by DC Nelson on January 11, 2013
20	FREE Book App: The Aesop for Children Added by iGameMom on January 7, 2013

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 1-12-13

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:

4LAKIDS - SOME OF THE NEWS THAT DOESN'T FIT

“YOU DON’T FIX EDUCATION BY LOWERING THE BAR. YOU DO IT BY LIFTING THE KIDS.”

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 day ago

Florida and Virginia have adopted new academic standards for students based on race and ability. These states used their federally-granted NCLB waivers to create separate and unequal performance standards for their black, white, Hispanic, Asian and disabled children. In Virginia, in order to pass the standardized math exam, an Asian student has to get an 82 percent. a Latino student has to get

KNOCKING AT THE COLLEGE DOOR: New Report Projects High School Graduating Classes Will Be Smaller, More Diverse

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 day ago

International Business Times | http://bit.ly/11kVheq BOULDER, Colo., Jan. 10, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 8th edition of Knocking at the College Door: Projections of High School Graduates, released today by the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), indicates that the population of U.S. high school graduates is entering a period of modest decline after nearly two

GOVERNOR’S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR 2013-2014

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 day ago

“Under this budget, K‑12 school districts will see an increase in funds. School districts serving those students who have the greatest challenges will receive more generous increases — so that all students in California have the opportunity to succeed. This budget also focuses more responsibility and accountability on those who are closest to our students.” From the Governor’s

NATE SILVER ON DATA-DRIVEN TEACHER EVALUATION: “applying objective measures badly is worse than not applying them at all”

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 day ago

Transcript of Nate Silver’s ‘Ask Me Anything’ on Reddit By THE NEW YORK TIMES | http://nyti.ms/RISaJ4 January 8, 2013, 11:58 pm  ::  Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight took questions Tuesday on the popular social news site Reddit’s “Ask Me Anything” section. What follows is an edited transcript, with the questions and answers sorted into several subject areas Q. What are your

Consider the source: CHARTER SCHOOL ADVISORY GROUP ENDORSE LAUSD SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 day ago

politics as unusual The Coalition for School Reform: The full corporate name of CSR is the Coalition for School Reform to Support Sanchez for Board of Education 2011. The ‘Sanchez’  is Board President Monica Garcia’s former chief of staff Luis Sanchez – who despite CSR’s huge  investment was defeated by Bennett Kayser in 2011. CSR is a 501 (c)(4) Super PAC on the

TESTING TROUBLE: -- Schools are having a hard time just educating students; it's the wrong time for unfunded mandates + smf’s 2¢

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 2 days ago

Editorial: Los Angeles News Group/Daily News, etc.  | http://bit.ly/ZLvsDL 1/09/2013 05:21:43 PM PST  ::  California's Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson took a look at the current shambles of the state's once-shining educational system and thought: What we need is ... better tests. Not, say, a retooling of the insane way the state funds its K-12 schools through a variety of

Opinion: LAUSD’s AIRPLANE MECHANIC SCHOOL AT VAN NUYS AIRPORT SHOULD BE RESCUED + smf’s 2¢

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 2 days ago

Los Angeles Daily News Editorial |http://bit.ly/VLp8H0 01/09/2013 10:56:18 AM PST  ::  A popular airplane mechanic school in danger of losing its spot at Van Nuys Airport due to exorbitant rents charged to Los Angeles Unified School District needs a rescue. This vocation program is in jeopardy because the school district can't afford the monthly rent charged by the city of Los Angeles, which

ELITE COLLEGES STRUGGLE TO RECRUIT SMART, LOW-INCOME KIDS + smf’’s 2¢

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 2 days ago

by Shankar Vedantam, Morning Edition/National Public Radio | http://n.pr/UBA7BN Listen to the Story |  4 min 38 sec  |  Download First Broadcast January 09, 2013 3:31 AM RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne. STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: And I'm Steve Inskeep. We're getting into the time of year when colleges pick their next freshman class. Schools are

HIGH DESERT CHARTER SCHOOL FIRST ‘SUCCESS’ FOR PARENT TRIGGER LAW

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 2 days ago

--Teresa Watanabe, LA Times/LA Now |  http://lat.ms/VKyJ30 January 8, 2013 |  9:50 pm  ::  Mojave Desert parents made history Tuesday by becoming the first Californians to successfully use the state’s landmark parent trigger law to win approval of new charter management for their failing school. After an 18-month legal and political battle over the law, the Adelanto school board voted

SECOND PHASE OF L.A. ARTS FUNDRAISING PLAN BEGINS: 'Art Matters' campaign has brought in more than $750,000 in the last three months for arts in the public schools.

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 2 days ago

By Dalina Castellanos, Los Angeles Times | http://lat.ms/13h0pzA A pedestrian passes a Metro bus that has been painted to look like a school bus as part of the "Arts Matter" campaign. (Christina House / For the Los Angeles Times) January 9, 2013   ::  Standing on the steps of City Hall with three major artistic institutions in their line of vision, members of the Los Angeles Fund for Public

STATE SCHOOLS CHIEF URGES CUT IN NUMBER OF TESTS NEXT YEAR: Supt. of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson says second-graders would not be tested in math and English, and most high school tests would be dropped.

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

L.A. Unified chief expresses reservations: Reduced testing will complicate efforts to track student and teacher performance. The district's proposed teacher evaluation system relies on data that would not be collected next year. previously in 4LAKidsNews: STATE SUPERINTENDENT TOM TORLAKSON PROPOSES NEW STATEWIDE TESTING SYSTEM: Common Core

Report - CALIFORNIA’S DIMINISHING RESOURCE: CHILDREN

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

kidsdata advisory by email from The Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health |  http://bit.ly/XiBI1s January 8, 2013  ::  A report released today by the USC Price School of Public Policy and the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health indicates that an unprecedented decline in California’s child population, coupled with a tidal wave of Baby Boom retirees, will pose significant

Dr. John explains it all for you: NEWSMAKER INTERVIEW ON THE LAUSD BUDGET

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

abc7.com - KABC Los Angeles News. John Deasy talks LAUSD ... LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy is seen on the Jan. 6, 2013 episode of KABC Eyewitness Newsmakers | http://bit.ly/13gRLAe Eyewitness Newsmakers, a half-hour weekly program dedicated to a deeper exploration of local issues and concerns airs Sundays at 11 a.m. on ABC7. The show is hosted by Adrienne Alpert. Part 1 Part 2  

2 years after Tucson/25 days after Sandy Hook: GABBY GIFFORDS & MARK KELLY TAKE ON GUN VIOLENCE

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

Our new campaign will launch a national dialogue and raise funds to counter influence of the gun lobby. Op-ed by Gabrielle Giffords and Mark Kelly in USAToday | http://usat.ly/13eWIdO (Photo: Rob Schumacher, The Arizona Republic) 9:45a.m. EST January 8, 2013  ::  In response to a horrific series of shootings that has sown terror in our communities, victimized tens of thousands of

STATE SUPERINTENDENT TOM TORLAKSON PROPOSES NEW STATEWIDE TESTING SYSTEM: Common Core Assessments to Focus on Problem Solving and Critical Thinking

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

••smf: If this what all those tablets and laptops will be for maybe the state – or the testing companies - should pay for them? Via twitter from @Tom Torlakson and the California Department of Education Facebook page·| http://on.fb.me/REtUaY Tuesday, January 08, 2013 :: SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today recommended shifting the focus of standardized

EDUCATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR ARTS TEACHERS: Arts, History, Storytelling + Narrative

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

from music center education director mark slavkin

TODAY IS 40th ANNIVERSARY OF SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK AND 11th ANNVERSARY OF NO CHILD’S LEFT BEHIND: 1 helped kids learn, 1 forced schools to fail.

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 3 days ago

see: ‘SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK’ GETS A SINGALONG SALUTE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER FOR ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY ON 11th ANNIVERSARY, NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND LAW IN TATTERS: California officials expect 80 percent of schools to fail in 2014. Adolfo Guzman-Lopez | KPCC Pass Fail | http://bit.ly/TISXcF Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images - President Obama has said the U.S. needs to replace No Child Left Behind with

SPECIAL PROGRAM ON BULLYING OF LGBTQ YOUTH AT EAGLE ROCK HIGH SCHOOL, Wed. Jan 9th at 7PM

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 4 days ago

   EAGLE ROCK HIGH SCHOOL Eagle Rock High School PTSA and the Parent Center cordially invite you to a special lecture on bullying on Wednesday, January 9th at 7:00pm following the PTSA Meeting at 6:30pm. What: PTSA Lecture ‐ Bullying When: Wednesday, January 9th @ 7:00pm Where: Eagle Rock High School Library 1750 Yosemite Drive Los Angeles, CA 90041 Guest Speakers

EdSource/EdWatch 2013: HEAD START FUNDING AND TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 4 days ago

By Lillian Mongeau | EdSource Today http://bit.ly/URNYqf January 7th, 2013 | Head Start in Los Angeles County, the largest provider in the nation, could be broken up into a cluster of smaller programs under a new grant process aimed at improving quality in the federally-funded early childcare program for low-income families. For the first time in Head Start history, grantees whose programs did

®eform v. Reason: THE EDUCATION REFORM DICHOTOMY – BIG CHOICES AHEAD

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 4 days ago

By Anthony Cody in Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher http://bit.ly/RCw0Iv January 1, 2013 12:00 PM  ::  In recent weeks, some commenters on my blog have suggested that there is a "false dichotomy" at work in the debate over education reform. We are told we should "tone down" our views in order that we be might be better heard. I am a firm believer in civil discourse, and believe we

A v. Z / ®eform v. Reason: SCHOOL BOARD SHOWDOWN IN LOS ANGELES

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 4 days ago

by Diane Ravitch in her blog | http://bit.ly/V4bZey January 4, 2013   ::  Steve Zimmer is an alumnus of Teach for America. He is not your typical TFA-er. He was elected to the Los Angeles Unified school board in 2009, after seventeen years as a public school teacher. He will be opposed by Kate Anderson, who has endorsements and major funding from the powerful charter school lobby. Zimmer,

Sir Ken Robinson: CHANGING EDUCATION PARADIGMS

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 days ago

from RSA animate/YouTube | http://bit.ly/VFUNfe “If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.” - Sir Ken Robinson Sir Ken Robinson, PhD  is an internationally recognized leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation.  He is also one of the world’s leading speakers with a profound impact on audiences everywhere.  The videos of

12 STATES (including California) GET FAILING GRADES ON PUBLIC SCHOOL POLICIES FROM (Michelle Rhee’s) ADVOCACY GROUP

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 days ago

By MOTOKO RICH, New York Times | http://nyti.ms/URfKTP Published: January 7, 2013  ::  In just a few short years, state legislatures and education agencies across the country have sought to transform American public education by passing a series of laws and policies overhauling teacher tenure, introducing the use of standardized test scores in performance evaluations and expanding charter

EdSource/EdWatch 2013: THE NEXT BUDGET BILL + SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM REDUX - plus RESOLVING TO TRANSFORM OUR SCHOOL FINANCE SYSTEM

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 days ago

  The next budget bill By Kathryn Baron. EdSource Today | http://bit.ly/VFNO64 January 3rd, 2013  ::  California may finally get the “Year of Education” that former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger promised for 2008, which, ironically, is now remembered as the year school funding began its descent to the lower depths. 2013 is full of promise for education, notably due to increased tax revenues from

LAUSD STUDENT CULINARY TEAMS VIE TO SEE THEIR DISHES SERVED IN CAFETERIAS

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 days ago

By Rob Kuznia, Staff Writer, The Daily Breeze | http://bit.ly/VK9jQu   <^Culinary-arts students from Doyle Career and Transition Center in Gardena at work. 01/05/2013 03:18:40 PM PST  ::  Culinary-arts students from Doyle Career and Transition Center in Gardena along with students from Banning High in Wilmington are cooking up original entrees in a contest this month whose winners will

EDUCATORS, POLITICIANS HAVE STARK REACTION TO GOV. JERRY BROWN’S SCHOOL FUNDING REVAMP

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 days ago

By Barbara Jones and Beau Yarbrough, Staff Writers. LA Daily News | http://bit.ly/VMlnA4 1/03/2013 07:00:39 PM PST  ::  School districts that have long struggled to educate large numbers of poor students or English learners could see a massive influx of cash under a new funding formula expected to be unveiled next week by Gov. Jerry Brown. Public school districts receive the bulk of their

WHY CALIFORNIA MUST LEAD THE WAY IN CLOSING UNDERPERFORMING CHARTER SCHOOLS

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 days ago

By Jed Wallace, Ed Source Today | http://bit.ly/SdHIuL January 1st, 2013 | Many of California’s charter schools are among the best public schools in the state, if not the nation, but some are also among the worst. It is time for the charter community to fix the failings in the sector so that more children have the chance to attend a great school. The second state in the nation to allow

‘SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK’ GETS A SINGALONG SALUTE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER FOR ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 days ago

By Monica Hesse, The Washington Post http://wapo.st/105XoDJ View Photo Gallery — When ‘Rock’ schooled us: The ABC series “Schoolhouse Rock” sneaked learning into children’s weekend TV viewing with three-minute music videos featuring catchy tunes that many adults still know by heart. The Kennedy Center will host a singalong of the show’s tunes Sunday. January 4, 2013  ::  Back in the heyday

2 from RAND: SHIFTING THE BURDEN OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE: HELPING FAMILIES + IN CONNECTICUT, RECOVERY AND HEALING WILL TAKE TIME

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 5 days ago

SHIFTING THE BURDEN OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE: HELPING FAMILIES By Ramya Chari | The Rand Blog | http://bit.ly/138E9rF December 21, 2012 :: In the coming weeks and months, we will hear numerous calls for better mental health programs and policies as a way to prevent tragedies such as the Newtown, Conn., shooting. As news and details trickle out, we may or may not emerge with a complete picture

FRAUD ALLEGATIONS SWIRL AROUND FIRM RUN BY TWO L.A. CANDIDATES

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 6 days ago

Clients say firm run by James T. Law and Analilia Joya, both candidates for city office, broke agreement to get enough signatures to put the clients on school board ballot. Law denies the allegations.   By Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times | http://lat.ms/ZbfH4g January 5, 2013, 8:00 p.m.  ::  Two would-be candidates for the Los Angeles school board have accused a campaign consulting firm —

Anticipated for 3 weeks, the letter finally arrives: FEDERAL OFFICIALS REJECT CALIFORNIA’S NCLB WAIVER REQUEST

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 6 days ago

…but no thanks! Adolfo Guzman-Lopez - Pass / Fail  | 89.3 KPCC http://bit.ly/UxjmsR Adolfo Guzman-Lopez/KPCC - U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan gives a speech in Los Angeles. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali look on. January 4th, 2013, 3:07pm  ::  The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter on Friday to the president of California’s

Apologizing to the boobsgeoisie: THE TROUBLE WITH SATIRE

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 6 days ago

LA Times Editorial by Sue Horton | no link at this posting*   update:http://lat.ms/XwGkVB BABIES AS FOOD was Swift's shocking satire. Saturday, January 5, 2013 :: The Times ran an Op-Ed article on Dec. 28 with the headline “Crayons, pencil, gun: What's missing from the typical kindergartner's backpack? A pistol.” The writer, Daniel Akst, was responding to what he considered an absurd

THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS DEEMS RECESS “CRUCIAL AND NECESSARY”

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 6 days ago

REPORT: The Crucial Role of Recess in School By Debbie Nicholson, AllVoices.com |  http://bit.ly/Vr9XTp Washington : DC : USA | Jan 02, 2013 at 11:49 AM PST   ::  Over forty percent of school districts in the nation have either reduced, eliminated or are considering eliminating recess in order to give children more time in the classroom. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics in a

LAPD, SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES BEGIN PATROLS AT L.A. SCHOOLS ON MONDAY

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 week ago

By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer, LA Daily News | http://bit.ly/VBghdc 1/04/2013 06:27:04 PM PST  ::  Police officers and sheriff's deputies who have simply cruised by elementary and middle schools in the past will add campus visits to their daily patrols beginning Monday, the first day that LAUSD students will be back in class since the Dec. 14 school shootings in Connecticut. Officials from

L.A. COUNCILMAN GARCETTI WANTS $1 A YEAR RENT TO SAVE VAN NUYS AVIATION SCHOOL

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 week ago

By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer, LA Daily News | http://bit.ly/ZnhwQd Friday, 1/04/2013 05:31:52 PM PST  ::  Calling it a way to promote middle-class jobs, Councilman Eric Garcetti called Friday for a report on how to continue the Aviation Center at Van Nuys Airport to train aircraft mechanics. The school, operated by the Los Angeles Unified School District, has been threatened with closure

SANDY HOOK: A picture worth 10,000 words + 1,042 words – The New Yorker and the AALA Update

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 week ago

“We know that when children do not feel safe, they cannot focus on learning. When staff members do not feel safe, they cannot give 100 percent to students.” – AALA Update   New Yorker Cover 1/7/2013 by Chris Ware ●●smf: I started to write a long form essay on Sandy Hook and what it means in the new year. I started on New Years Eve Day, at the counter at Langer’s Deli, waiting on a

AB51: CALIFORNIA LAWMAKER’S BILL PUSHES S.T.E.M. COLLEGE DEGREE FOR $10,000.

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 week ago

By Laurel Rosenhall, Sacramento Bee | http://bit.ly/UJrPKs Thursday, Jan. 3, 2013 - 10:03 am  ::  With the cost of going to college already more than $30,000 a year at many California campuses, is it possible to earn a bachelor's degree for just $10,000 – total? Assemblyman Dan Logue, R-Marysville, hopes so.>> Borrowing an idea being promoted by Republican governors in Texas and Florida,

Mercury News editorial: BROWN HAS COMMON SENSE IDEAS FOR SCHOOL FUNDING

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 week ago

smf: Unfortunately common sense outcomes are not reached in political processes – as evidenced by anything  recently from Beaudry,  Sacramento or Washington DC Mercury News Editorial | http://bit.ly/X3ZUEU 01/03/2013 02:00:17 PM PST  ::  Gov. Jerry Brown does not shy away from the big challenges. But he's going to need all the help he can get to accomplish school funding reform in

LAO Report: CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS FACE RISING SPECIAL ED COSTS

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 week ago

The Associated Press in Ventora County Star | http://bit.ly/10VjGai January 3, 2013 at 12:12 p.m  ::  LOS ANGELES — A state report on special education in California has found that school districts are shouldering an increasing share of the cost of educating students with disabilities. The report released Thursday by the state Legislative Analyst's Office says state and federal funds for

AN AILING SCHOOL SYSTEM SEES A FRAUGHT PLAN TO SOLVENCY: Philadelphia School District Plans to Close Dozens of Schools

smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 1 week ago

Financial problems caused by decreasing enrollment is largely because of the lure of local charter schools. By JON HURDLE, nEW yORK tIMES | http://nyti.ms/12TbdE0 Mark Makela for The New York Times - A class at University City High School in Philadelphia this month. Students there will be forced to transfer if a proposal to close and consolidate district schools is passed in March. More