5-5-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet:

‘There are common hypocrites. There are spectacular hypocrites. And then there are Florida legislators.’

“There are common hypocrites. There are spectacular hypocrites. And then there are Florida legislators.” That’s how John Romano, a writer for the Tampa Bay Times, started this column expressing his disgust over legislation that the Florida legislature just rammed through with procedural tricks that expands the state’s controversial voucher program. What got him so exercised? […]

by Valerie Strauss / 18min 

Virginia’s SOL exams: what students need to know to pass (and graduate on time)

Today is the day when Virginia students will start running what teacher Mary Tedrow calls the state’s ” testing gauntlet” which seems to test endurance at least as much as knowledge. In this post, Tedrow looks at the sample questions of Standards of Learning tests and explains what students need to know about these exams […]

by Valerie Strauss / 15min hide  //  save

Pearson, of course, wins huge Common Core testing contract

I noted recently that two years ago the nonprofit group FairTest predicted that despite promises by policymakers that competition and innovation would result from school reform,  it would be the same old education firms that would wind up with the big Common Core-related contracts. FairTest got that right. Pearson, the largest education company in the world, […]

15 by Valerie Strauss / 3h 

What teaching is and isn’t

The first week in May is Teacher Appreciation Week, so declared back in 1984 by the Parent Teachers Association, and the 2014 observation of this is upon us.  It couldn’t have come at a better time, given that teachers aren’t feeling especially appreciated these days, what with school reform policies targeted right at them. In […]

41 by Valerie Strauss / 6h 

5-4-14 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet: ‘Today was the first day I was ever ashamed to be a teacher’Students around the country are taking high-stakes Common Core-aligned standardized tests now and some teachers are expressing unhappiness about having to administer them.  Some are refusing to administer them and others are going public with their concerns about the nature of the tests and the emphasis being placed on t

by mike simpson / 6h 

5-5-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida ALL Week

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education:

“There is school choice and there is the destruction of public education choice”

A teacher and candidate for Marion School Board, Diane Schrier writes in the Ocala Star Banner: Marion County has been lucky so far, as we’ve managed to be able to keep out most of these organizations (for-profit charter schools) through implementation of special programs when needed. However, that will change this year. A new application form has been approved by the Legislature streamlining th

by Bob Sikes / 3h 

 

5-4-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida ALL Week

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Did Step Up for Students Buy Florida Voucher Expansion?At some point, the Republican-dominated Florida senate was going to be able to impose their will on expanding Florida’s voucher system. Few legislators have fought against what’s now become a clear effort by Republic

by mike simpson / 6h 

5-5-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

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

A Collection Of Useful Posts, Articles & Videos On Race & Racism – Help Me Find More

Issues of race and racism are critical for us to discuss and act on in our classrooms, among the teaching profession, and in society. I’ve posted a number of useful related resources over the years, and I thought this would be a good time to bring them all together and to also invite readers to contribute more. Here are my choices, so far, for inclusion in A Collection Of Useful Posts, Articles &

by Larry Ferlazzo / 48min hide  //  save

Great Video For ELLs: “Teeth”

This is a great video for English Language Learners — there’s no dialogue, but it’s engaging and funny. ELLs can watch it and then describe in writing and verbally what happened in it:

by Larry Ferlazzo / 48min 

As Carthay Center turns magnet, parents want principal out

Carthay Center Elementary School Disgruntled parents from Carthay Center Elementary school in LA Unified’s District 1 are holding rallies this week to build support for removing their principal. Their outrage arose after the principal, Crystal Campbell-Shirley, who is completing her first year at the school, told seven teachers on Friday — half the faculty — that they would not be welcome back in

27 by Yana Gracile / 2h 

Google’s New Teacher Appreciation Video

I’m adding Google’s brand-new teacher appreciation video to The Best Resources To Learn About World Teachers Day:

by Larry Ferlazzo / 32min 

President Obama Declares This Week “National Charter Schools Week” – Perhaps He Should Read Some Of These Articles

President Obama has declared this week to be “National Charter Schools Week.” Perhaps he could benefit from reading The Best Posts & Articles Analyzing Charter Schools before he does the same next year.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 17min 

Learn About Mother’s Day & Conjunctions In My Latest NY Times Post For ELLs

Learn about Mother’s Day AND conjunctions in my latest New York Times post for English Language Learners. It includes a student interactive and teaching ideas. You might also be interested in my previous forty NY Times posts for ELLs. You might also want to check-out The Best Sites For Learning About Mother’s Day.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h hide  //  save

YESTERDAY

Pinterest Changes The Way You Can Embed Pins — Again!

I like Pinterest a lot, and have several very active Boards. One thing I don’t like about it, though, is that the company keeps on changing the way you can embed Pins on blogs and websites. First, it was easy — they just gave you an embed code. Then, they created a new two-step process that was a pain, while at the same time disabling all the previous embedded images people at used on their sites

by Larry Ferlazzo / 8h 

5-4-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Video: “Hans Rosling – fossil fuel distribution in two minutes”I’m adding this video to The Best Hans Rosling Videos:by Larry Ferlazzo / 59min  Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Week… 5-3-14 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFLarry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFLLARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF T

by mike simpson / 6h 

5-5-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

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

Karen Lewis. The pension heist. Must read.

KAREN LEWIS PUBLIC ADDRESS: IT’S ABOUT THE MONEY CITY CLUB CHICAGO Monday, May 5, 2014 On behalf of the members and staff of the Chicago Teachers Union, I want to thank you for inviting me to the City Club again. I am always honored and pleased to stand before you. One of my fondest memories of growing up in Chicago was when I was about seven years and my father would take me out on Saturdays for

by Fred Klonsky / 57min 

Public pension theft is a national scandal. A story that goes way beyond one state.

David Sirota, Pando Daily Thanks to confidential documents exclusively obtained by Pando, we can now see some of the language and fee structures in the agreements between the “alternative investment” industry and major public pension funds. Taken together, the documents raise serious questions about whether the government employees, trustees and politicians overseeing major public pension funds a

4 by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

Karen Lewis. “I’m not looking to make anybody’s election year easy.” No contract extension.

Chicago Tribune: Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis said today that the union likely will not agree to a one-year extension on the three-year contract that was signed after a seven-day strike in September 2012. That means contract talks between the union and the Chicago Public Schools could be underway during the campaign leading up to the February 2015 mayoral election. Lewis long has

3 by Fred Klonsky / 42min 

John, Glen, Ken and I discuss. What should we do about Quinn and Rauner?

John Dillon, Glen Brown, Ken Previti and I are all retired teachers, activists, advocates for pension justice and bloggers. Today we discuss the issue of what our union and the members of the Illinois Education Association, should do in the Illinois election for governor. This will be cross-posted on all four blogs.   Voting for Quinn in November: Seeking HazMat Suit on EBay There is the old clic

1 by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

5-4-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Sunday reads.This week teachers at Brooklyn’s International High School at Prospect Heights said no to pointless and testing. Veteran New York teacher and union Chapter leader Arthur Goldstein explains why he is against the contract to Diane Ravitch who wrote that it was a good deal. The Sunday New Yo

by mike simpson / 8h 

5-5-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE:

Diana Ravitch’s Grand Synthesis Explains the Collapse of Test-Driven School Reform

This spring, once again, Diane Ravitch nailed the spirit of our education age. Addressing the Network for Public Education (NPE) conference, Ravitch came with an uplifting message. Corporate reform has failed. A new era of school improvement is dawning. Many of its leaders come from today’s youth. They are the new “Greatest Generation.” Today’s young […]

4 by John Thompson / 1h 

Consumed by the Digital Divide

Consumed by the Digital Divide. via Consumed by the Digital Divide.

by plthomasedd / 9min 

“TAKING BACK OUR SCHOOLS” May 17th

  Come and bring your families, your friends, and your colleagues to NYC on May 17th to show the world how we are    from corporate “reformers”.http://saveourschoolsmarch.org/event/nyc-metro-spring-action/

1 by David Greene / 9min hide  //  save

Guest Post: Joining Forces for Education report back from the CSUN Parents’ Forum

By Ellen Lubic, Director, Joining Forces for Education Recently, the CSUN Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership and the Los Angeles Education Partnership, presented a public meeting titled Seeking an Authentic Voice: The Role of Parents and Communities in School Change in L.A. The professor in charge, Dr. Susan Auerbach, had sent me a personal invitation […]

2 by Robert D. Skeels ... / 5h 

YESTERDAY

The 2008 Common Core Sales Job: Part Two

In 2008, the National Governors Association (NGA), the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and Achieve, Inc., released a report, Benchmarking for Success: Ensuring U.S. Students Receive a World-class Education. The report promotes a now all-too-familiar spectrum of so-called “reforms,” including establishing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), CCSS-aligned curriculum and assessment

6 by deutsch29 / 8h 

5-4-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: Celebrities, Thank You, But…Celebrities, Thank You, But…. via Celebrities, Thank You, But….by plthomasedd / 6min  All Week 5-3-14 @ THE CHALK FACE@ THE CHALK FACE : All Week @ THE CHALK FACE Incompetent Pearson “Wins” PARCC Contract. Big Surprise.In his six-minute videoed speech on the necessity of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), billionaire Bill Gates patiently explains 

by mike simpson / 8h