12-4-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL:

Here Are My Choices For The Five Best Commentaries On The PISA Results

Boy, there is no shortage of commentaries/summaries on the PISA results from yesterday, and you can find a bunch of good resources at The Best Posts & Articles On 2012 PISA Test Results. After wading though a bunch of them, here are what I believe to be the five best ones (though they all don’t necessarily agree with one another): Four lessons on new PISA scores — Ravitch is from The Washingto

by Larry Ferlazzo / 12min 

Response: How Do You Teach About Knowledge Questions?

A week ago, I published a post headlined: Attention, IB Theory Of Knowledge Teachers! How Do You Teach “Knowledge Questions” (Formerly “Knowledge Issues”)? As I said in the post, I think helping students understand knowledge questions is one of the most challenging tasks I have in class. I’ve invited a number of people to respond to that question, and will be posting their responses over the next

by Larry Ferlazzo / 13min 

This Is Exactly What I Mean By Connecting Social Emotional Learning & Literacy Instruction….

My drumbeat here on this blog and in my books is about the importance of connecting Social Emotional Learning and literacy instruction. It’s so easy to do, and I’m amazed that so many SEL strategies don’t make that explicit connection. Here’s a short lesson I’m doing tomorrow that illustrates that connection: I always teach a lesson on self-control using the famous marshmallow experiment during t

by Larry Ferlazzo / 25min 

Resources On The Sandy Hook Shootings

As most readers probably know, the audio recordings of the Sandy Hook 911 calls were released today. That news, and the upcoming one year anniversary of that tragedy, prompts me to share previous related posts: “Sandy Hook Promise Launches ‘Parent Together’ As Tragedy’s One Year Mark Approaches” is from my other blog, Engaging Parents In School. Quote Of The Day: “A Sandy Hook Parent’s Letter to

by Larry Ferlazzo / 0min 

Video: “The World Outside My Window – Time Lapse of Earth from the ISS”

I’m adding this video to The Best Images Taken In Space:

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h 

The Best Places To Find The Most Popular

I periodically post “most popular” lists of websites (and books) that I think educators might find useful. Of course, there are a number of ways to gauge “popularity.” I just view these lists as opportunities to check-out some new sites, and find it interesting to see which ones might be particularly “popular.” I’ve made quite a few posts that fit into this category, and thought I’d highlight whi

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h 

“Awkward Family Photos” Is A Great Source Of ELL Materials

There are tons of ways to use photos in lessons with English Language Learners (see The Best Ways To Use Photos In Lessons) and the Awkward Family Photos site is a great source for them. Some are inappropriate for classroom use or just too mean-spirited to use, but there are tons of excellent ones, and the site has an index to easily search by topic, especially by specific holiday. I’m adding it

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h 

YESTERDAY

Excellent Animated Interviews From PBS

Blank On Blank is a PBS feature that creates excellent, short animated interviews with well-known figures. You can see all of them at their YouTube Channel. Here’s an interview with Tupac Shakur they just posted today: You might also be interested in a recently discovered video with Tupac about which I previously posted (we do a unit on him in our tenth-grade English classes).

by Larry Ferlazzo / 11h  

12-3-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites | The Best Posts & Articles On 2012 PISA Test Results

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: The Best Posts & Articles On 2012 PISA Test ResultsThe Internet is awash today with articles about this morning’s release of the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA, test results. I’m just quickly posting the best resources I’ve seen this morning, and articles offering real insightful commentary w

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-4-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:

Rahm wants to go after us geezers. Get in the friggin’ line.

The Reader’s Ben Joravsky The state’s lawmakers had passed a pension bill for all of about ten minutes—socking it to little old retirees from Cairo to Waukegan—when Mayor Emanuel issued a statement to the press. “The pension crisis is not truly solved until relief is brought to Chicago and all of the other local governments across our state that are standing on the brink of a fiscal cliff because

by Fred Klonsky / 5min 

What it will cost a retiree.

The Center for Tax and Budget Accountability has developed a formula to calculate estimated changes in retirement income over the years, based on the best information available right now, pension specialist Amanda Kass said. Here are three scenarios: Employee 1 Retired teacher, 30 years of service Initial annual benefit: $67,000 Annual pension benefit after 20 years of retirement: $121,009 a year

by Fred Klonsky / 11min 

Planning on giving money to Dick Durbin? Don’t.

I got a letter from Illinois Senator Dick Durbin: I have some important news I want to share with you: I am officially running for re-election to the United States Senate! I’ve filed my petitions to get on the ballot — with signatures from each of Illinois’ 102 counties — and yesterday the race officially began. But I need your help to get our campaign off to a fast start. Will you help me k

by Fred Klonsky / 21min 

The in box. The new COLA formula and rates for Tier 1 retirees.

From the Illinois Retired Teachers Association: For clarification purposes the IRTA plans to file a lawsuit after the Governor signs the bill into law. It is anticipated that the Governor will sign the legistion in the next 10 days. You will receive your 3% compounded COLA in January, as scheduled. The following comparison explains how the new legislation affects your future increases. This inform

by Fred Klonsky / 52min 

The vile Chicago Tribune cartoon.

Having reposted the vile Chicago Tribune cartoon that compares the states public service workers – police, janitors, secretaries, teachers, professors and others to a dog with it’s sex organs removed, my blood pressure has not yet returned to normal. Earlier today I posted how this fight was never just about pensions. It was always about the future of working families at a time when the countries

by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

Having supported #pension theft, this is what the Chicago Tribune thinks of Illinois’ public service workers.

by Fred Klonsky / 1h hide  //  save

It’s the Democrats, stupid. And the Republicans, if they mattered.

  Democrat Kelly Cassidy was for it before she was against it before she was for it. Democrat Toni Berrios was for it before she got primaried and voted against it.   Will Guzzardi’s primary challenge is the reason Berrios flipped. There was never any doubt about the outcome. We made bets on when. Would Democratic party boss Michael Madigan get his way back in May. Or the first week in December

by Fred Klonsky / 30min 

  

12-3-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: #Pension theft. Protest at Marion district office of John Bradley.Read the entire story in The Southern. “Our pension didn’t cause the problem and stealing will not fix it,” said Alan Latoza, President of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) IL Retirees Subchapter 93.

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-4-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

Principal Uphappy at Cashin Support for Despised Networks as Backlash Against De Blasio Ed Moves Begins

...let's hope this is not another case of come meet the new boss, same as the old boss... NYC Principal Photo from Gotham SchoolsA very concerned principal expresses concern that networks may be staying around given Cashin's statement (State policymaker with a city stake wants to keep networks):Kathy Cashin is a very bright lady. She is also very astute politically. If she is talking about keeping

by ed notes online / 16min hide  //  save

Teachers Talk Testing Forum at PS 321 a Rousing Success

...and very moving as teachers from the school were joined by MOREistas Sam Coleman and Julie Cavanagh on the panel. Principal Liz Phillips was also on the panel as was well-known college education prof Celia Oyler.Professional film makers filmed the event so I could just sit back and enjoy.Many Change the Stakes people were there too -- the synergy between MORE and CTS, the two branches of what u

by ed notes online / 3h 

Metro North Wreck: What Would it have cost to put up a "slow speed" warning sign?

Ms. Anders said on Monday that the tracks north of the station did not include any kind of marker telling engineers when to slow down. “Engineers are required to know maximum authorized speeds and speed restrictions as part of their territory qualification,” she said.... NY TimesYes, the engineer should have known. But a simple flashing light would prevent the possibility of distraction. Thus the

by ed notes online / 12h hide  //  save

Common Core for Infant Future Opt-Outers: Read Ravitch

Mommy engages Max in close reading. No context please.Who is that Ravitch lady who is scaring the beejeezus out of ed deformers?

by ed notes online / 12h 

Principal Responds to Recruiting Request from College

Subject: RE: Your Assistance is Needed: Identifying Future School LeadersI will suggest folks apply for waivers like the last few Chancellors (and the former State Ed  Commissioner, Steiner) who have been invited to  address folks at your school Klein Levy, Black and Walcott...Why waste their time actually studying to become a leader when you can do it via nepotism and waivers as NYC has done for

by ed notes online / 10h 

12-2-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: WSJ Reports on Citizens of the World Charter UnderenrollmentThe school's experience demonstrates that charter schools, which often say parents need more choices, can be stung when parents' decisions don't fall their way. It also bolsters opponents who say that, despite claims of long wait lists and tales of parents craving alternatives, there isn't as much demand for charter schoo

by mike simpson / 8h

12-4-13 Wait What?

Wait What?:

Did you see the “For Sale” sign that they Malloy Administration put up?

The evidence continues to surface… Since Governor Malloy and the Connecticut General Assembly changed the law to allow individuals to donate larger amounts of money to the respective State political parties, the funds have been flowing in to the Democratic State Central Committee courtesy of those who do business with the state or want to […]The post Did you see the “For Sale” sign that they Mallo

by jonpelto / 7:02 AM UTC-8 hide  //  save

Are Alliance School Districts implementing their Turnaround Plans with “fidelity”?

That unbelievable question is what Morgan Barth; Malloy’s School Turnaround Director at the State Department of Education (and former Achievement First Inc. administrator) is asking Connecticut’s Alliance School Districts. Are you implementing your plan with fidelity…? As the direction of Stefan Pryor, Malloy’s Commissioner of Education, the State Department of Education has managed to put […]The

by jonpelto / 1h 

12-3-13 Wait What?

Wait What?: And on Education Funding… Malloy misleads audience… again…According to an article published in the CT Mirror and entitled, “Malloy makes no promises to increase school funding further,” when speaking to the right-wing American Enterprise Institute yesterday, Governor Malloy was “noncommittal Monday when asked during a forum in Washington, D.C., if he would further increase education fu

by mike simpson / 8h