12-8-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

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

This Week’s “Links I Should Have Posted About, But Didn’t” — December

I have a huge backlog of resources that I’ve been planning to post about in this blog but, just because of time constraints, have not gotten around to doing. Instead of letting that backlog grow bigger, I regularly grab a few and list them here with a minimal description. It forces me to look through these older links, and help me organize them for my own use. I hope others will find them helpful

by Larry Ferlazzo / 54min 

Response: Teaching 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 / 2h 

Does Anyone Know What Happened To Voice Of America’s “GoEnglish.me”?

I’ve posted several times about the great English-language-learning activities on the Voice of America’s site (see Voice Of America Redesigns & Enhances Their “Learning English” Site — Again!). Last week, though, Lynne Weintraub, the director of the great website Citizenship News, contacted me asking if I knew what had happened to the VOA site “GoEnglish.me” — it had gone off-line. GoEnglish h

by Larry Ferlazzo / 0min 

The Best “Words Of The Year” Features For 2013

I do an annual “The Best…” list on the “words of the year” that various organizations name at about this time of the year. Groups have begun their announcements, and I’ll add to this list as more do the same. You might also be interested in: The Best “Words Of The Year” Features For 2012 The Best “Words Of The Year” Features For 2011 The Best “Words Of The Year” Features For 2010 Oxford Dictionari

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1min 

Infographic: Christmas Meals Around The World

I’m adding this infographic to The Best Places To Learn About Christmas, Hanukkah, & Kwanzaa: Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually. by Gourmandia

by Larry Ferlazzo / 20min 

Even More Excellent Resources On Mandela

Here are the latest additions to The Best Resources Honoring Nelson Mandela At His Passing….: The Mandela Playlist: A Life And Legacy, Told In Music is from NPR. How Nelson Mandela became the man we knew is from CBS News. Mandela and The Politics of Forgiveness is from The New Yorker. The CBBC Newsround has a very accessible page with many features on Mandela.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 37min 

The Best Resources, Articles & Blog Posts For Teachers Of ELLs In 2013 – Part Two

Another day, another  “The Best…” list….. You might also be interested in: The Best Resources, Articles & Blog Posts For Teachers Of ELLs In 2013 – So Far The Best Resources, Articles & Blog Posts For Teachers Of ELL’s In 2012 — Part Two The Best Resources, Articles & Blog Posts For Teachers Of ELL’s In 2012 — Part One The Best Resources, Articles & Blog Posts For Teachers Of ELL’

by Larry Ferlazzo / 8h 

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Week… 12-7-13 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFLLARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAY mark as readMore Resources On Nelson MandelaHere are more additions to The Best Resources Honoring Nelson Mandela At His Passing….: 12 Mandela Quotes That Won’t Be In the Corporate Media Obituaries is from common Dreams. See how South Africa changed over Nelson Mandela’s lifetime is from T

by mike simpson / 9h 

12-8-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

Randi Munches on PISA

“The crucial question we face now is whether we have the political will to move away from the failed policies and embrace what works in high-performing countries so that we can reclaim the promise of public education... Randi WeingartenIs she talking about the failed policies of the teacher unions without whose support NCLB or RTTT could have been enforced?I can't believe anything Randi says is ta

by ed notes online / 3min hide  //  save

In Parting Shot, Bloomberg/Walcott Oversee Demise of Adult Ed

Thus the charge in an email document received from an anonymous source.

by ed notes online / 3min 

Obama's Admiration for Mandela - Is He Pal'n Around With Terrorists?

....the people who complain today about fast food workers organizing or the government taking guns away would have been the same people in the 80s saying Mandela was a terrorist. I can imagine the 1980s Facebook statuses. "Mandela died today. Thank God he never got a chance to steal South Africa away from the hard-working people and hand it over to a bunch of whiners who just want to profit

by ed notes online / 3min

12-7-13 Ed Notes Online Week

Ed Notes Online: Ed Notes Onlinemark as readSusan Ohanian's Saturday Morning SpecialNew Cartoon:Found in a Standards-Struck Classroomhttp://susanohanian.org/cartoon_fetch.php?id=854This one received so much comment, I'll mention it again.Teacher Contemplating Common Corehttp://susanohanian.org/cartoon_fetch.php?id=851You won't want to miss Duncan's recent remarks:http://susanohanian.org/show_dunca

by mike simpson / 8h 

12-8-13 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE:

Why is NYS Railroading Students with Disabilities?

A guest post from Bianca Tanis, Parent, Special Educator and Co-Founder NYS Allies for Public Education The current education reforms being implemented in NYS are an assault on the dignity and the rights of students with disabilities, plain and simple. While educational leaders seem to be suffering from an extreme case of magical thinking, parents […]

by Chris Cerrone / 32min 

The school of schools also hates creativity via @slate #highered #teacherprep

On inside the box thinking. This resonates perfectly with my experiences in higher education and teacher preparation, specifically. Creative thinking, in a politically charged environment, is dangerous. Allow me to explain, and this is my experience only. You may have experienced something different, and that’s fine. The crux of this very short Slate piece is […]

by Shaun Johnson / 4min hide  //  save

An investigative documentary into the Common Core State Standards Initiative

BUILDING THE MACHINE (2014) – Official Trailer [HQ] I want to use the same disclaimer here that I did the last time I posted Common Core State Standards (CSSS) related materials from sources that I disavow any connection with. The video is produced by, and also features, individuals that are from fringe-right-wing groups. The last […]

by Robert D. Skeels ... / 5min 

Join us at 6PM EST as we chat for the first time with @angelcintronjr

Link to the show.  Check it at 6PM EST.

by Shaun Johnson / 4min 

Insanely bizarre #commoncore teaching video for #kindergarten

This is primarily in response to a recent post here by Chris Cerrone on an “innovative teaching” video library. I finally had a moment to watch. Now that I’m back in the classroom, I think I can offer my insights on this. One simple question I have first: this is a grown ass woman, probably […]

by Shaun Johnson / 10min 

Mandela: Dishonored by Passive Radical Myth

Mandela: Dishonored by Passive Radical Myth. via Mandela: Dishonored by Passive Radical Myth.

by plthomasedd / 38min 

All Week 12-7-13 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER: All Week @ THE CHALK FACE  mark as readStand for Children Louisiana: Teachers “Like” Common CoreIt is very important to privatizing interests to promote the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). After all, there is a lot of money to be made in attendant curriculum development, and assessments, and data collection. Of course, those pushing CCSS cannot state as m

by mike simpson / 9h 

12-8-13 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:

Add Corruption to Arne Duncan's Shortcomings

Elizabeth Warren calls him a lapdog--I think that is very generous of her.  From HuffPo:The U.S. Department of Education risks becoming a “lapdog” as a result of recent actions toward financial companies such as Sallie Mae, Sen. Elizabeth Warren charged Thursday.The Massachusetts Democrat said she was “deeply concerned” by a Huffington Post report that the Education Department had recently told Sa

by Jim Horn / 8min 

Beginning to Understand How CorpEd Came to Dominate the National Leadership of AFT and NEA

A couple of piece from the vault, one video featuring Randi and Bill at the AFT Conference in Seattle, and just below that a piece of text that provides some background on the corporate takeover of leadership in AFT and NEA.Originally posted 7/13/13:Coming to understand that NEA and AFT have been hijacked by corporate money and the insider machinations of corporate stooges is the first step in rec

by Jim Horn / 8min 

12-7-13 Schools Matter All Week

Schools Matter:  Schools Matter All Week mark as readEx Pearson "Female" Exec Joins Twitter BoardMy my, you never know what you will find by reading the business news.Pearson and Twitter, imagine the possibilities. Wall Street is all aflutter with a "woman" on the board of Twitter, how progressive.By Jessica GuynnDecember 5, 2013, 9:16 a.m.SAN FRANCISCO -- Twitter has added a f

by mike simpson / 9h 

12-8-13 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University)

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University):

“He knows, or thinks he knows”: It’s Still a Man’s (Hostile) World

During the spring of 2006 when members of the Duke lacrosse team were first accused of rape (later to be dismissed by North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper), I was teaching a freshman English course that focused on Kurt Vonnegut. Although my university is composed of a female majority, this class was mostly male students; since the university is a small, selective liberal arts university, the

by plthomasedd / 8min 

Mandela: Dishonored by Passive Radical Myth

Early in February 1990, my daughter, born March 11, 1989, spent an entire night vomiting. My wife and I were new parents, and we called our pediatrician multiple times, always urged to be patient and wait it out. By the morning, we were in the emergency room, followed by our tiny child, a month shy of a year old, being admitted to the hospital. After a few sleepless days for my wife and me, my dau

by plthomasedd / 53min  

12-7-13 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD

THE BECOMING RADICALRadical Scholarshipmark as readSecretary Duncan and the Politics of White OutrageSocial media and even mainstream media appear poised to leap on Secretary Arne Duncan with both feet due to his swipe at white suburban moms. The nearly universal sweeping outrage—some with a level of glee that must not be ignored—calls for close consideration itself. First, rejecting Duncan’s comm

by mike simpson / 9h 

12-8-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School:

Put Pressure On De Blasio To Keep His Campaign Promises On Education

De Blasio said today that he probably won't announce his pick for the next chancellor this week.Ross Barkan at Politicker wrote that de Blasio is still taking names for the job:Mr. de Blasio, who will be the city’s first mayor in recent times with a child in the public school system, said the decision was a particularly important one for his family, and that, thanks to his experience, he and his w

by reality-based edu... / 2min 

De Blasio Says Schools Chancellor Announcement Will Probably Not Come This Week

From Politicker:Bill de Blasio will be unveiling “important” new appointments in the near future, but don’t expect his schools chancellor pick to be among them. Asked today about his decision-making process for the chancellor pick, the mayor-elect described it as deliberate and methodical and said new candidates are still being nominated even as his January 1 inauguration looms a few weeks away. “

by reality-based edu... / 10min 

A Response To The Daily News Corporate Education Reform Editorial

 A commenter responds to the DN neo-liberals shilling for corporate education reform and calling for a pro-charter chancellor: If "it's really about the kids," Mr. DeBlasio will do nothing less than the following: 1. Appoint an educator who has valid school district administrator credentials, no more emergency waivers from the state. We have not had a qualified educational leader since D

by reality-based edu... / 24min 

Randi Weingarten And The Day Of Action

Gates Foundation cash-flushed Randi Weingarten is advertising a "Day of Action" to save public education tomorrow.As I told Randi on twitter (a conversation you can see here), she's full of crap over this "save public education" stuff since she's done so much to wreck it herself - from signing off on the Race to the Top reforms, caving on tying teacher evaluations to test score

by reality-based edu... / 32min 

12-7-13 Perdido Street School Week

Perdido Street School: Perdido Street School Week mark as readLet De Blasio Know Rahm Emanuel's School CEO And DCPS Rhee Acolyte Are Unacceptable For NYCDOEGotham Schools posted rumors that Rahm Emanuel's schools CEO, Barbara Byrd-Bennett, the woman who helped oversee the closing of 50 Chicago schools in one fell swoop this year, is on Bill de Blasio's short list to be NYCDOE chancellor.The NY Tim

by mike simpson / 9h 

A Day of Action for Our Students | Lily's Blackboard

A Day of Action for Our Students | Lily's Blackboard:

A Day of Action for Our Students

Dec 8th, 2013 

by LilysBlackboard.

The December 9 Day of Action — a day when parents, students, educators and community leaders will hold events in more than 30 cities throughout the country to support public schools — got an early start in Austin, Texas, with a rally outside the state Capitol building.

More than 300 supporters gathered to hear speakers address the most pressing issues in Texas schools, including education equity and comprehensive immigration reform.

Check out the coverage of Univision Austin!

We also had the NEA social media team gathering images and tweets:

Teachers and students in Nyack, Yonkers to rally against education overhaul | The Journal News | lohud.com | lohud.com

Teachers and students in Nyack, Yonkers to rally against education overhaul | The Journal News | lohud.com | lohud.com:

Teachers and students in Nyack, Yonkers to rally against education overhaul

Union leaders to join events

Teachers unions will lead a series of rallies across the country Monday — including ones in Nyack and Yonkers — to decry an overemphasis on testing and demand more investment in public education.

A “National Day of Action” is being led by the American Federation of Teachers, whose president, Randi Weingarten, will be in Nyack early. She and Richard Iannuzzi, president of New York State United Teachers, are scheduled to join teachers and parents for a 7 a.m. rally at Nyack High School. They will then move on to Nyack Middle School and three elementary schools.

At each school, students are set to sing “One Voice” and “Data This, Data That,” an ode to New York’s controversial plans to send identifiable student data to a privately run database.

At 11 a.m., Weingarten and Iannuzzi are set to join local union leaders at the Richard C. Dodson School in Yonkers. Teachers union presidents from Yonkers, Mount Vernon and Harrison are slated to attend.

In New York, rallies will also focus on concerns about the implementation of the Common Core learning standards. Across the state, rallies are scheduled in West Seneca, Albany, Jamestown, Binghamton, Rochester, Syracuse and Manhattan.

More than 60 coordinated events are planned across the country. At each stop, teachers are supposed to wear blue “National Day of Action” T-shirts.

Twitter: @garysternNY

What if Common Core Had Followed the Democratic Process? | deutsch29

What if Common Core Had Followed the Democratic Process? | deutsch29:

What if Common Core Had Followed the Democratic Process?

December 7, 2013

On December 2, 2013, I posted a piece that focused on the governor-business hybrid nonprofit, Achieve, Inc. The post also included information on one of the “lead writers” of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Sue Pimentel.

I followed the post on December 3 with CCSS Validation Committee member Sandra Stotsky’s response to my post.

Based upon my CCSS investigations and resulting writings, I maintain that teacher involvement in CCSS development was both peripheral and cosmetic.

In the early morning on December 4, I had a comment on my initial post to the effect that I was wrong, that teachers were indeed a part of the CCSS developmental process. I ended the exchange with the following comment:

Here’s the true test:

Could teachers vote to not adopt CCSS in the first place?

No. It had been decided. Teachers were not “lead architects” and were not even in the