UPDATE: Why community schools are a no-brainer

Why community schools are a no-brainer:

Why community schools are a no-brainer

• BY VALERIE STRAUSS

• October 23 at 4:00 am

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This seems so obvious that it shouldn’t have to be said, but with standardized testing being the focus of school reform, here goes anyway: Children can’t become high achievers in school if they arrive in class hungry, sick, exhausted, traumatized. That’s why community schools  should be a bigger part of the school reform movement than they are.

Community schools focus not only on academics but also, through partnerships with outside organizations, child and youth development, family support, health and social services, and community development.  By aligning with non-profits, businesses, and public agencies, community schools can streamline services to their students while avoiding costly redundancies and gaps in delivery.

This piece is about the value of community schools, written by Brock Cohen, who after teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 12 years, is pursuing a doctorate at the University of Southern California while working at the Los Angeles Education Partnership nonprofit as a small schools coach. As such, he now works with the Los Angeles Unified School District’s teacher collectives to ensure that all of their students have access to engaging, high-quality curricula and instruction.

By Brock Cohen

No family exists in a vacuum, many parents need support to become the best parents they can be, and sadly, not every child has a parent as a champion. –

Harvard, Amherst feud over Emily Dickinson

The longstanding feud between Harvard University and Amherst College over who has the best claim to maintaining Emily Dickinson’s legacy has a new chapter: Tensions is bubbling over what Amherst believes is Harvard’s big-footing on a project involving the digital publication of some of her works. Harvard’s student newspaper, the Crimson, wrote: Wednesday’s launch of the Emily […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 2min 

Teacher to reformers: ‘Invite us to the table’

It is no secret that many teachers today are demoralized about the direction of modern school reform; in fact, a major poll taken earlier this year showed that their level of job  satisfaction has dropped 23 percentage points since 2008 and is at its lowest in 25 years. This e-mail, which I received from New […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 0min 

It’s Mole Day. What’s that?

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20 by Valerie Strauss / 2h

Special Late Nite Cap EXTRA 10-22-13 #EDCHAT #P2 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk

Nite Cap EXTRA

EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA

Sacramento City Council votes 5-4 for strong mayor proposal -
 Our Region - The Sacramento Bee http://bit.ly/19O8lb9

Testing & School Grading in Virginia: The Time to Act is Now

There are some major happenings at the state level with public education in Virginia and if you're a supporter of public education in Virginia, there's a few things you can do about them right now.1. What's happening: Almost every Virginia parent and every Virginia educator I talk to is concerned about the amount of SOL testing, what its results are used for, and how it negatively impacts curricul

14 by Rachel Levy / 2h 

College Board: Tuition growth slowing at public colleges

The spike in tuition and fees for public colleges after the 2008 financial crisis has given way to slower growth, with lower price increases this year than in any of the previous four years, according to a national survey. Read full article >>    

1 by Nick Anderson / 17min 

Virtual Schools: Cyber Pie in the Sky?

Sandy Hellebrand was concerned. She needed to find a school that could educate her son Gabriel, who has autism and was about to enter high school. Hellebrand thought she had found the perfect solution: She would enroll Gabriel and her two younger children in Sky Mountain Charter School, one of a rapidly-growing number of virtual schools in California and across the country. After all, she reasoned

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Common Core Reading Survey Shows Slow Start To Teaching Shift

NEW YORK -- On a sunny summer afternoon, teachers fill a bright red auditorium in the basement of the Soho headquarters of Scholastic Inc., the educational publishing giant. In front of them, a coach uses a big screen to show them books. Because of new learning standards called the Common Core, New York City educators attending the presentation will soon have to revamp how they teach reading. The

89 38min 

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Photo below from left to right: me; Sylvia Aguilera, director of government relations for McDonald’s Corporation; Jes Sofia Valle, CEO of the Bloggers of Health network; Ana Roca Castro, founder of LATISM, education tech developer and CEO of Plaza Familia; and Laurita Tellado, the force behind the Holdin’ Out for a Hero and Expresso con Leche communities. New York, NY — As I mentioned in two pre

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Bits Blog: Senator Raises Questions About Protecting Student Data

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100+ by By NATASHA SINGER / 37min 

College less affordable, despite small tuition increases, because financial aid did not keep pace, College Board says

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2 by Betsy Hammond | b... / 54min 

Portland Public Schools sets goal for all ninth-graders to complete high school or equivalent in five years

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2 by Nicole Dungca | n... / 1h 

Do You Want the Mayor to Take Control of Seattle Schools?

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Washington State Charter School Letters of Intent Filed

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Guest Post: How Newsrooms Can Better Cover U.S. Latinos

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Seattle School Board candidates differ on influence of money, role of board

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0min 

School Shootings, Regrets, and a Chin Up - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson

School Shootings, Regrets, and a Chin Up - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson: School Shootings, Regrets, and a Chin Upby JOSE VILSON on OCTOBER 22, 2013in JOSEDid I not fix my face this morning? Did I not prepare enough for my lesson to sufficiently engage my students? Did I talk too much, explain too little, ask too much, or push too hard? Should I have let her go to the bathroom? Should I have p

by mike simpson / 2h 

10-22-13 Jersey Jazzman

Jersey Jazzman: ALERT! Wed, 10/23: Make Chris Christie Confront His War On Poor StudentsI just got word of a great event taking place in Trenton tomorrow: Wednesday, October 23, at 11:00 AM: Statehouse Photo Exhibit to Expose Deplorable Conditions in New Jersey Public Schools Trenton – An art exhibit in front of the Statehouse will expose the shameful conditions in some New Jersey public schools.

1 by mike simpson / 2h 

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 10-22-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATEUPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATECORPORATE ED REFORM Sacramento School Kids Paying for City's Privatization Scheme?At last night's SCUSD board meeting there was a proposal to "lease" Fremont Adult School to the Studios for the Performing Arts Operating Company. A wonderful concept when you follow the presentation. My first thought was WOW! great Idea! Then I heard the "rest

1 by mike simpson / 3h mark as read  //  save

Nite Cap 10-22-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2

James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPTODAYSPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 10-22-13 #RealEdTalk #edreformBig Education Ape - Mid Day Banana BreakFund This: Social justice and public education in the spotlight in Curtis Chin's TestedDocumentary feature examines race, class and public edu

1 by mike simpson / 6h 

SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 10-22-13 #RealEdTalk #edreform

Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana BreakFund This: Social justice and public education in the spotlight in Curtis Chin's TestedDocumentary feature examines race, class and public education in New York City. My friend is working on a documentary feature that's winding down its fundraising campaign and could some help... Tested, directed by Curtis Chin, follows a diverse group of 8th graders from th

1 by mike simpson / 7h 

School Shootings, Regrets, and a Chin Up - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson

School Shootings, Regrets, and a Chin Up - The Jose Vilson | The Jose Vilson:

School Shootings, Regrets, and a Chin Up

by JOSE VILSON on OCTOBER 22, 2013

in JOSE

Did I not fix my face this morning? Did I not prepare enough for my lesson to sufficiently engage my students? Did I talk too much, explain too little, ask too much, or push too hard? Should I have let her go to the bathroom? Should I have prevented him from going when all he wanted to do was walk around in the hallway? Did he just need some space to breathe because he’s having a hard time concentrating? Who does he not like in the class? Who does he like and is that why he’s writing little notes to her? Him? Was I too loud in my reproach? Did I listen to the student who’s been absent so long, he barely remembers his teachers’ names? Should I have sat down with him earlier? Should I have given him less warnings? More assignments? Someone more forceful about working through the today’s problems?

Should I have taken a small breather after class?

Should I have kept my patience on 10 with my after-school students? Could I have pushed them to think instead of just giggle at their erroneous suggestions? Should I have pushed her not to

- See more at: http://thejosevilson.com/school-shootings-regrets-chin/#sthash.MPRQ4R2a.dpuf

10-22-13 Jersey Jazzman

Jersey Jazzman:

ALERT! Wed, 10/23: Make Chris Christie Confront His War On Poor Students

I just got word of a great event taking place in Trenton tomorrow: Wednesday, October 23, at 11:00 AM: Statehouse Photo Exhibit to Expose Deplorable Conditions in New Jersey Public Schools Trenton – An art exhibit in front of the Statehouse will expose the shameful conditions in some New Jersey public schools. Called “A Blind Eye: The Immorality of Inaction,” the exhibit highlights  the

by Duke / 2min 

 

10-21-13 Jersey Jazzman

Jersey Jazzman: Star-Ledger: Christie Stinks, But We Hate Teachers Unions MoreWhen it comes to generating illogical, incoherent, self-contradictory claptrap, Editorial Page Editor Tom Moran and his merry crew at the Star-Ledger never fail to disappoint. But their idiotic and shameful endorsement of Chris Christie for governor - a man they admit has been an abject failure in Trenton - is a new low.

by mike simpson / 10h