Morning Wink 9-30-14 AM Posts #edchat #edreform

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-30-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Tennessee: Most Teachers Say Abandon Common CoreTennessee is one of Arne Duncan’s favorite states because it was one of the first states to win Race to the Top funding, it has a rightwing governor and legislature, and an experienced, TFA-trained state commissioner. Thus, the state is committed to charters, to privatization, and to

by mike simpson / 1min 

9-30-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: Appocalypse Soon - DC Watch Debate: Guns and Race"When government officials distrust their people, they disarm the people to protect themselves from the dangers they fear from them...." - Gary Imhoff, DC WatchYou know I've been thinking along these lines. That with the .01% stealing resources with the ultimate possibility of unrest, the bringing home of the military and

by mike simpson / 3min 

9-30-14 Engaging Parents In School… | Upcoming Google Hangout: “Family and Community Engagement Practices that Raise Achievement”

Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": Upcoming Google Hangout: “Family and Community Engagement Practices that Raise Achievement”Scholastic will be hosting what looks like a very useful Google Hangout on family engagement. Here’s how they describe it: Wed, Oct 8, 5:00 PM – 5:40 PM Hangouts On Air – Broadcast for free Join us for a Scholastic Mini-PD session foc

by mike simpson / 7min 

9-30-14 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.: Not my kids. Your kids.2 by Fred Klonsky / 33min hide  //  save“I hope this extra time to find new employment alleviates some of your hardship,” Balanoff said in the call.SEIU Local 1 President Tom Balanoff. I hope writing about CPS janitors doesn’t cause me to receive a letter from SEIU lawyers. Like

by mike simpson / 12min 

9-30-14 Schools Matter - Comments on Naomi Klein's New Book

Schools Matter: Comments on Naomi Klein's New BookA clip from comments on Naomi Klein's new book at Nation of Change:Klein starts with a blunt statement of the problem: “[O]ur economic system and our planetary system are now at war. Or, more accurately, our economy is at war with many forms of life on earth, including human life.” (21) Human survival requires a new economics, which explains why cl

by mike simpson / 15min 

9-30-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Teachers Can Receive Free DVD Of “12 Years A Slave” & Study GuideTeachers can receive a free DVD copy of the movie “12 Years A Slave,” a book and more, and it’s very simple to register for it online. Here’s what you get: *FREE Educator’s Toolkit Includes: Full Length DVD copy of the movie (edited version, parental appro

by mike simpson / 20min 

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-30-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Newton in The LA Times: DEASY+CO CIRCLE THE WAGONS AS EMILY BRONTE MEETS CHRISTIAN GREYEXT. MONUMENT VALLEY – DAY THERE ARE SMOKE SIGNALS – AND THE SOUNDTRACK HAS AN INCESSENT DRUMBEAT. AND SO IT BEGINS, AS THE DEASY LOYALISTS, ®EFORMERS, ASTROTURF ALLIANCES, CHARTER SCHOOL PROPONENTS AND THE BILLIONARE BOYS CLUB CIRCLE THE WAGONS IN THE VALLEY AS THE B

by mike simpson / 22min 

9-30-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: About the radio showJoin Drs. Shaun Johnson and Tim Slekar LIVE Sundays at 6PM EST and Wednesdays at 7PM EST on Blog Talk Radio for progressive, pro-public education talk radio. Call in to speak live with Tim and Shaun during the show, (805) 727-7111. You can also listen to our Monday "Sunday-Replay" at 7PM EST, and re-broadcasts of the archives every Tuesday and Thursd

by mike simpson / 26min 

9-30-14 Hemlock on the Rocks

Hemlock on the Rocks: Big Education Ape: Homeless students increase by 58 percent in past six years | Education By The Numbershttp://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2014/09/homeless-students-increase-by-58.html Homeless students increase by 58 percent in past six years | Education By The NumbersDespite signs of a national economic recovery, homelessness in U.S. public schools steadily increased 8 per

by mike simpson / 28min 

9-30-14 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Oprah Loves "Warriors"Associated Press today: SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) -- Oprah Winfrey is donating $100,000 to a youth center on the south side of Syracuse.Winfrey made a surprise stop Monday at the Mary Nelson Youth Center and said she was writing out the check on the spot. She called Mary Nelson a "community warrior" for doing the work she does on the city'

1 by mike simpson / 30min 

How college ed programs try, fail to recruit teachers of color | The Hechinger Report

How college ed programs try, fail to recruit teachers of color | The Hechinger Report: How college ed programs try, fail to recruit teachers of colorOnly radical new engagement strategies can end racial disparityBy Andre PerryNationally, black males account for 2 percent of the teacher population. Blacks in total represent 8 percent of all teachers; Latinos, 7 percent; and Asians, 2 percent. My 3-

by mike simpson / 35min 

A #Commoncore Twitter Play | Missouri Education Watchdog

A #Commoncore Twitter Play | Missouri Education Watchdog: A #Commoncore Twitter PlayinSharePass the popcorn.CAST:Common Core Proponents (Supported by Tax Dollars and Special Interest Groups):Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, State Education Agency,Jefferson City, MO dese.mo.govRobert Pondiscio, Senior Fellow @ Fordham Institute; senior adviser @democracyprep. K-12 educatio

1 by mike simpson / 39min 

Ohio’s Plunderbund Examines Correlation of School District Ratings with Family Income | janresseger

Ohio’s Plunderbund Examines Correlation of School District Ratings with Family Income | janresseger: Ohio’s Plunderbund Examines Correlation of School District Ratings with Family IncomePosted on September 30, 2014 by janressegerFor many years Ohio has used a Performance Index to judge its school districts.  The Performance Index is a formula based primarily on standardized test scores.  Not too l

1 by mike simpson / 40min 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Philly's cancerous approach to school funding

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Philly's cancerous approach to school funding: Philly's cancerous approach to school fundingAs if making schools dependent on property taxes wasn't bad enough, now Philadelphia Public Schools will have to rely on cigarette sales just to make it through the year. Without the regressive $2-a-pack cigarette tax increase passed by the legislature and signed by Gov. Corbe

by mike simpson / 46min 

Teachers' Unions, Democracy, & Risk-Taking - Bridging Differences - Education Week

Teachers' Unions, Democracy, & Risk-Taking - Bridging Differences - Education Week: Teachers' Unions, Democracy, & Risk-TakingBy Deborah Meier on September 30, 2014 9:06 AMDeborah Meier continues her conversation with Leo Casey today. Dear Leo (and Readers),Yes, indeed, democracy is nonnegotiable, except ...  democracy is a constant negotiation, a balancing act, which never gets it quite r

by mike simpson / 52min 

Teaching U.S. History in a Failing School (Part 2) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

Teaching U.S. History in a Failing School (Part 2) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Teaching U.S. History in a Failing School (Part 2)How to interpret the three history lessons I watched Mark Allison, a veteran teacher, teach?Allison had prepared an interactive lesson with a series of slides on the Civil Rights movement. He asked his students to inspect each slide carefully a

by mike simpson / 55min 

NYC Educator: What Does UFT Leadership Stand For?

NYC Educator: What Does UFT Leadership Stand For?: What Does UFT Leadership Stand For?We know that President Michael Mulgrew loves Common Core, because he clearly stated he'd punch anyone who tried to take it away from him. He then ridiculed those who said Gates had anything to do with it, though Gates clearly pumped hundreds of millions into it, several in the direction of teacher unions. While r

by mike simpson / 59min 

Brown wraps up ed bills, leaves some heads shaking :: SI&A Cabinet Report

Brown wraps up ed bills, leaves some heads shaking :: SI&A Cabinet Report :: The Essential Resource for Superintendents and the Cabinet: SEPTEMBER 30, 2014Brown wraps up ed bills, leaves some heads shakingby Kimberly Beltran(Calif.) Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have made kindergarten mandatory while at the same time signing one intended to show the overwhelming boost that opti

1 by mike simpson / 1h 

Evaluating Gates via His Microsoft Failure | deutsch29

Evaluating Gates via His Microsoft Failure | deutsch29: Evaluating Gates via His Microsoft FailureSeptember 30, 2014Billionaire Bill Gates has been buying his version of American public education for years now. His first major *reform* effort began in 2000 and involved chopping large urban high schools into smaller schools. It was his solution of choice for several years.  He abandoned the idea in

1 by mike simpson / 1h 

YESTERDAY

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 9-29-14 #BATsACT #edreform #EDCHAT #P2

Nite Cap UPDATEUPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATECORPORATE ED REFORM“I must do right by the children… I refuse to administer the PARCC.”“I must do right by the children…” Do we realize that saving our children requires that we ALL “must do right by the children”? I know Peggy Robertson, a mom and a Colorado teacher who helped found United Opt Out. I have more respect for her as a human being and as a tea

2 by mike simpson / 10h 

Marie Corfield: UPDATE: The real story behind Lily's trip to Camden

Marie Corfield: UPDATE: The real story behind Lily's trip to Camden: UPDATE: The real story behind Lily's trip to CamdenTwo weeks ago NEA President Lily Eskelsen Garcia visited New Jersey as part of her 50-state Back to School Tour. I wrote about her visit and meeting with NJ ed bloggers here, here and here.One of her stops was Pyne Poynt Middle School in Camden which is also home to the co-locate

1 by mike simpson / 14h 

Nite Cap 9-29-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT

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 CAPA Prof Debunks Standardized Testing & Pearson Strikes BackA Prof Debunks Standardized Testing & Pearson Strikes Back: A Prof Debunks Standardized Testing & Pearson Strikes BackDon't Tread on My PROFITS! Rebellions sometimes begin slow

4 by mike simpson / 16h 

A Prof Debunks Standardized Testing & Pearson Strikes Back

A Prof Debunks Standardized Testing & Pearson Strikes Back: A Prof Debunks Standardized Testing & Pearson Strikes BackDon't Tread on My PROFITS! Rebellions sometimes begin slowly, and Walter Stroup had to wait almost seven hours to start his. The setting was a legislative hearing at the Texas Capitol in the summer of 2012 at which the growing opposition to high-stakes standardized testing

22 by mike simpson / 16h 

Gene V Glass: Education in Two Worlds: How Charter School Owners Feather Their Nets & Other Conflicts of Interest

Gene V Glass: Education in Two Worlds: How Charter School Owners Feather Their Nets & Other Conflicts of Interest: How Charter School Owners Feather Their Nets & Other Conflicts of InterestMany people in one of my home states — Arizona — seem to have no concept of a conflict of interest.When charter schools were authorized in Arizona in the mid-1990s, it wasn’t long before a young woman “r

1 by mike simpson / 17h 

Computer Essay Grading v. Student Journals

Computer Essay Grading v. Student Journals: Computer Essay Grading v. Student JournalsSEPTEMBER 29, 2014 BY NANCY BAILEY LEAVE A COMMENTThe beauty of being an English or language arts teacher is helping students develop the skill of writing. Next to learning how to read, learning how to express your ideas through writing is a valuable form of communication. And in today’s world, being able to comm

1 by mike simpson / 17h 

What I Saw, Who I Met and What You Should Know About My Back to School Tour - Lily's Blackboard

What I Saw, Who I Met and What You Should Know About My Back to School Tour - Lily's Blackboard: What I Saw, Who I Met and What You Should Know About My Back to School TourSeptember 29, 2014 by LilyCategories: GeneralTags: back to school, parents, Testing, tourI am on a plane, heading home for the first weekend I’ve had off in six weeks. I’m not tired. Maybe it’s the six cups of coffee I had this

5 by mike simpson / 17h 

9-29-14 Hemlock on the Rocks

Hemlock on the Rocks: Big Education Ape: LAUSD spends like Billionaires while being a Tyrant about Teacher’s Salaries - Lydia Gutierrezhttp://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2014/09/lausd-spends-like-billionaires-while.html LAUSD spends like Billionaires while being a Tyrant about Teacher's Salaries - Lydia Gutierrez Lydia Gutierrez: LAUSD spends like Billionaires while being a Tyrant about Teacher's

1 by mike simpson / 18h 

9-29-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: EIA: Providence Teachers Union Prefers Convicted Felon to Charter School DirectorMy question to Mike Antonucci is: What exactly is the difference? Providence Teachers Union Prefers Convicted Felon to Charter School DirectorThe executive board of the Providence Teachers Union “overwhelmingly” endorsed Vincent “Buddy” Cianci Jr. for mayor. “Mr. Cianci had a little bit more experienc

1 by mike simpson / 18h 

Blue Jersey:: Camden parents protest "Urban Hope Act" outside Assembly Session

Blue Jersey:: Camden parents protest "Urban Hope Act" outside Assembly Session: Camden parents protest "Urban Hope Act" outside Assembly Sessionby: Rosi EfthimMon Sep 29, 2014 at 03:15:19 PM EDTA group of Camden parents is walking the halls of the New Jersey legislature today in advance of the Assembly's vote in this afternoon's session on the "Urban Hope Act".I'm tol

1 by mike simpson / 18h 

9-29-14 Curmudgucation - Data Dopiness Survives in Indiana

CURMUDGUCATION: Data Dopiness Survives in IndianaYou may recall that back in the day, one of the items on our List of Terrible Things About Reformy Stuff was data mining. Featured in RttT and RttT Lite Waivers, the mandate to hoover up giant mounds of data was one of the great hated evils of reformsterdom, loathed by conservatives and liberals alike.The Leonie Haimson led a fight against InBloom i

1 by mike simpson / 19h 

Choosing Democracy: California Enacts First-in-the-Nation Law to Eliminate Student Suspensions for Minor Misbehavior

Choosing Democracy: California Enacts First-in-the-Nation Law to Eliminate Student Suspensions for Minor Misbehavior: California Enacts First-in-the-Nation Law to Eliminate Student Suspensions for Minor Misbehavior AB 420 signing caps landmark year for school discipline reform in the stateRoger Dickinson SACRAMENTO, CA  – Today California becomes the first state in the nation to eliminate suspensi

1 by mike simpson / 19h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Shooting the messenger

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Shooting the messenger: Shooting the messengerOn Friday, I received the following missive from SEIU Pres. Christine Boardman via the union's general counsel Tyson Roan.First, I'm glad to find that the president of SEIU Local 73 is such an avid reader of SmallTalk. I remember meeting Mayor Emanuel at a social event a while back (got friends in low places) and as he sh

3 by mike simpson / 19h 

Did Rheeformers Rhee and Henderson Actually Close Any of Those Achievement Gaps in DC Public Schools? | GFBrandenburg's Blog

Did Rheeformers Rhee and Henderson Actually Close Any of Those Achievement Gaps in DC Public Schools? | GFBrandenburg's Blog: Did Rheeformers Rhee and Henderson Actually Close Any of Those Achievement Gaps in DC Public Schools?Part Sixteen and FinalToday we look at the black-white and hispanic-white achievement gaps in the Washington, DC public school system, which has now been under mayoral contr

1 by mike simpson / 20h 

LAUSD spends like Billionaires while being a Tyrant about Teacher’s Salaries - Lydia Gutierrez

Lydia Gutierrez: LAUSD spends like Billionaires while being a Tyrant about Teacher’s SalariesLos Angeles: When charges were filled against LAUSD for not enforcing policy in protecting children from sexual predators, i.e. Mark Berndt, LAUSD School Board decided to hire 2 law firms, Sedgwick and Andrade, at $350 to $460 an hour, spending over $7 million dollars and still counting, to litigate the Mi

1 by mike simpson / 20h 

9-29-14 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: About the radio showJoin Drs. Shaun Johnson and Tim Slekar LIVE Sundays at 6PM EST and Wednesdays at 7PM EST on Blog Talk Radio for progressive, pro-public education talk radio. Call in to speak live with Tim and Shaun during the show, (805) 727-7111. You can also listen to our Monday "Sunday-Replay" at 7PM EST, and re-broadcasts of the archives every Tuesday and Thursd

1 by mike simpson / 20h 

9-29-14 Cali Education Headlines CSIS – California School Information Services

Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team | CSIS – California School Information Services: Education HeadlinesManteca Unified on curriculum’s cutting edgeFast becoming one of the most tech-savvy districts in the state, Manteca Unified moved ahead this month on a plan to equip every one of its students in January with a tablet-style laptop as it moves into the second phase of its $30 million d

1 by mike simpson / 20h 

9-29-14 This Week in LA - School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD

LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): Brown signs bill limiting ‘willful defiance’ suspensions, expulsionsBrown signs bill limiting ‘willful defiance’ suspensions, expulsions Gov. Jerry Brown With the signing of AB 420, Gov. Jerry Brown on Saturday made California the first state in the nation to limit suspensions and expulsions for the reaso

1 by mike simpson / 20h 

BEING BAD: My Baby Brother and the School-to-Prison Pipeline | Bill Ayers

BEING BAD: My Baby Brother and the School-to-Prison Pipeline | Bill Ayers: BEING BAD: My Baby Brother and the School-to-Prison PipelineHere is another super-important book, just published and written by Crystal Laura, a former student and good friend. It’s called BEING BAD: My Baby Brother and the School-to-Prison Pipeline, and I wrote the Foreword (below). I sincerely hope people will check this

1 by mike simpson / 20h 

Come ride The BUS with SOS, United Opt Out, and The Badass Teachers’ Association | DCGEducator: Doing The Right Thing

Come ride The BUS with SOS, United Opt Out, and The Badass Teachers’ Association | DCGEducator: Doing The Right Thing: Come ride The BUS with SOS, United Opt Out, and The Badass Teachers’ AssociationTeaching and Speaking OutWhat happens to teachers who speak out about problems they see in their work? Teachers shared their first-hand stories on the Education Town HallBUS, Thursday, September 25.Fra

1 by mike simpson / 21h 

A Sociological Eye on Education | Want to be rated ‘highly effective’ in New York? Don’t teach English or math in grades 4-8

A Sociological Eye on Education | Want to be rated ‘highly effective’ in New York? Don’t teach English or math in grades 4-8: Want to be rated ‘highly effective’ in New York? Don’t teach English or math in grades 4-8English and math teachers in grades 4-8 in New York are much less effective in promoting student growth on state assessments (or comparable measures) than other teachers in the Empire

by mike simpson / 21h 

Meetings That Work–and Get Work Done! | Connected Principals

Meetings That Work–and Get Work Done! | Connected Principals: Meetings That Work–and Get Work Done!by Sam LeDeaux • September 29, 2014 • 0 CommentsIf you find these cartoons humorous, it’s unfortunately likely this is your workplace reality. You are not alone. Why is it common for meetings to be major obstacles to getting things done? Objective. Every leader of a meeting hopes it will be productiv

1 by mike simpson / 21h 

Blue Jersey:: The Danger of a Single Edu-Story

Blue Jersey:: The Danger of a Single Edu-Story: The Danger of a Single Edu-Storyby: okaikorMon Sep 29, 2014 at 06:40:07 AM EDTAfter several of us posted about an education bloggers meeting we had here in NJ with newly-elected NEA president Lily Eskelsen Garcia, Okaikor raised the question of why there were no black educators there. I thought it was a good question, particularly for NJEA to be invi

1 by mike simpson / 21h 

9-29-14 All NEW Living in Dialogue - Teachers and Students Still Trapped Going Up the Down Staircase

Home - Living in Dialogue: Teachers and Students Still Trapped Going Up the Down StaircaseBy John Thompson. Bel Kaufman’s Up the Down Staircase (1965) is the teachers’ and students’ Catch-22 (1961). She captures the fecklessness of bureaucracies, especially those damaged by a culture of powerlessness. She also illuminates the best single antidote to the situational ethics that dominate dysfunction

1 by mike simpson / 22h 

Announcing “More Than a Score: The New Uprising Against High-Stakes Testing” | I AM AN EDUCATOR

Announcing “More Than a Score: The New Uprising Against High-Stakes Testing” | I AM AN EDUCATOR: Announcing “More Than a Score: The New Uprising Against High-Stakes Testing”By I AM AN EDUCATOR on September 29, 2014Pre-order available for More Than a ScoreEdited by Jesse Hagopian, Foreword by Diane Ravitch, Introduction by Alfie Kohn,Afterword by Wayne AuA teacher threatened with having her teachin

1 by mike simpson / 23h 

Educators4Excellence | Raginghorseblog

Educators4Excellence | Raginghorseblog:Vergara v. California Part One: Thoughts on Hannah Arendt, a New Totalitarianism and Completing The Circle of DominationApril 21, 2014The Vergara Nine surrounded by handlers.It is a peculiar, dark and unhinged world in which we dwell and it seems to grow more so all the time. Consider the extraordinary case of Vergara v. California, now winding down and await

1 by mike simpson / 23h 

Morning Wink 9-29-14 AM Posts #edchat #edreform

BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-29-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Who Loves Teachers Most?Back to politico.com: Instead of scapegoating teachers, politicians are competing to claim they raised salaries. How short are teachers’ memories? Vying and usually lying

3 by mike simpson / 1d 

2nd Banana 9-27-14 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

2nd Banana 9-20-14 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 9-13-14 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 9-6-14 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 8-30-14 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

2nd Banana 8-23-14 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Nite Cap 9-29-14

Nite Cap 9-28-14

Nite Cap 9-27-14

Nite Cap 9-26-14

Nite Cap 9-25-14

Nite Cap 9-24-14

Nite Cap 9-23-14

Nite Cap 9-22-14

Nite Cap 9-21-14

Nite Cap 9-20-14

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-30-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

I Apologize to the League of Women Voters of New York State

The other day, I wrote a post chastising the League of Women Voters for planning a debate that included only Governor Cuomo and Republican candidate Rob Astorino. I thought it was unfair to exclude Howie Hawkins, who is running on the Green Party ticket.   I received the following response from Laura Ladd Bierman of the League of Women Voters of NYS:   The League of Women Voters of NYS, with its p

by dianeravitch / 1h 

StudentsFirst in NY Raises $1.75 Million to Help Senate Republicans

When will the media acknowledge that Michelle Rhee’s StudentsFirst is a rightwing group, not “liberal” or “Democratic”? When election time comes round, it reliably supports Republicans, who can be counted on to endorse school privatization and to undercut teachers and their unions (if they have one). Occasionally, StudentsFirst finds a Democrat who supports vouchers, but the overwhelming bulk of t

by dianeravitch / 3min 

Jim Arnold: Copy Louisiana? What a Joke!

Jim Arnold, former superintendent of Pelham City public schools in Georgia, has a message for Governor Znathan Deal, who is running for re-election. Governor Deal thinks Georgia needs a “recovery school district,” like the one in New Orleans, Louisiana. Jim Arnold says Governor Deal is wrong. Arnold writes that Louisiana is a low-performing state and Néw Orleans is a low-performing district. “L

by dianeravitch / 3min 

Which Teacher in Utah Has the Largest Class Size?

Lisa Schencker of the Salt Lake Tribune reported that class sizes are rising in the state, despite an official low number. She realized that the official number of 22.8 students per class was misleading. The Tribune invited readers to write and identify large classes.   The Tribune asked readers last week to help us find the state’s largest classes. The Tribune received more than 100 responses via

by dianeravitch / 21min 

Gov. Corbett: You Should Be Ashamed

“The Notebook” reports on the disgraceful funding of schools in Pennsylvania, especially Philadelphia. Corporate tax breaks mean more to Governor Corbett and the Legislature than children. Public schools don’t make campaign contributions. Charter operators and corporations do. Says “The Notebook”: “It’s hard to overstate the deplorable conditions facing Philadelphia school children again this fa

5 by dianeravitch / 50min 

Does Nevada Love the Common Core?

Fortunately, I am on Angie Sullivan’s email list, which has scores of recipients. Most seem to be teachers, legislators, and journalists in Nevada. Angie keeps all of us up-to-date with education events in Nevada. We learned first from Angie that the public schools in Nevada are poorly funded. In fact, the Education Law Center says that Nevada has one of the most inequitable funding formulas in th

1 by dianeravitch / 1h 

Tennessee: Most Teachers Say Abandon Common Core

Tennessee is one of Arne Duncan’s favorite states because it was one of the first states to win Race to the Top funding, it has a rightwing governor and legislature, and an experienced, TFA-trained state commissioner. Thus, the state is committed to charters, to privatization, and to eliminating tenure (it already abolished collective bargaining). This is Arne’s kind of state, a state where Democr

5 by dianeravitch / 54min hide  //  save

Robert Pondiscio: This Is What a Great Common Core Lesson Does NOT Look Like

Robert Pondiscio, who now works for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, shows here how a Common Core lesson can be deadly dull. New York put one of its “experts” on NPR to demonstrate how exciting a Common Core lesson was . But it wasn’t. “I referred my listeners to a recent NPR effort to get “super-specific about what makes a good Common Core–aligned lesson.” The reporter enlisted the aid of Kate G

5 by dianeravitch / 1h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-29-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Who Loves Teachers Most?Back to politico.com: Instead of scapegoating teachers, politicians are competing to claim they raised salaries. How short are teachers’ memories? Vying and usually lying: “TEACHERS’ PETS?: Forget soccer moms. This election cycle, candidates across the country are scrambling to get teachers on their side – o

2 by mike simpson / 7h 

9-30-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

The Demographic Shift of Eva Moskowitz - The Grim (and Almost All White) Faces of Success Academy Parents

A large group of MOREistas joined parents opposing Eva Moskowitz's politically and economically (not educationally) motivated Success Charter expansion into the most expensive real estate in the world, a clear shift from the stated purpose of serving poor kids of color - which from day 1 we never believed. Eva used these kids as cover for her real purposes.Some speakers were benign towards these o

1 by ed notes online / 1h 

Appocalypse Soon - DC Watch Debate: Guns and Race

"When government officials distrust their people, they disarm the people to protect themselves from the dangers they fear from them...." - Gary Imhoff, DC WatchYou know I've been thinking along these lines. That with the .01% stealing resources with the ultimate possibility of unrest, the bringing home of the military and the flood of heavy weapons into police departments --- well, draw

1 by ed notes online / 1h 

9-29-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: EIA: Providence Teachers Union Prefers Convicted Felon to Charter School DirectorMy question to Mike Antonucci is: What exactly is the difference? Providence Teachers Union Prefers Convicted Felon to Charter School DirectorThe executive board of the Providence Teachers Union “overwhelmingly” endorsed Vincent “Buddy” Cianci Jr. for mayor. “Mr. Cianci had a little bit more experienc

1 by mike simpson / 1h 

9-30-14 Engaging Parents In School… | Upcoming Google Hangout: “Family and Community Engagement Practices that Raise Achievement”

Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement":

Upcoming Google Hangout: “Family and Community Engagement Practices that Raise Achievement”

Scholastic will be hosting what looks like a very useful Google Hangout on family engagement. Here’s how they describe it: Wed, Oct 8, 5:00 PM – 5:40 PM Hangouts On Air – Broadcast for free Join us for a Scholastic Mini-PD session focused on “Family and Community Engagement Practices that Raise Achievement.” Through this 40-minute, interactive panel discussion, you will: 1) Learn about the U.S.

5 by Larry Ferlazzo / 4h 

9-28-14 Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"

Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": “Community Engagement: The Secret Ingredient”Community Engagement: The Secret Ingredient is a good commentary from the Annenberg Institute for School Reform that provides a good critique of much that is done in the name of “community-based” place-based-initiatives in education. Simply put, they tend to be foundation and pro

1 by mike simpson / 17h 

9-30-14 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.:

Hinsdale issues scab call in preparation for teacher strike.

The HInsdale District 86 board is advertising for scab teachers. This is a sign they are not interested in a negotiated agreement. This is not about compensation or working conditions. It is about the union itself. The Hinsdale District 86 board wants to bust the union. Daily Herald: HINSDALE HIGH SCHOOL D86 J O I N U S! J O I N U P! Enroll in Hinsdale High School District 86’s Team Effort Dedic

5 by Fred Klonsky / 30min 

Not my kids. Your kids.

2 by Fred Klonsky / 33min hide  //  save

“I hope this extra time to find new employment alleviates some of your hardship,” Balanoff said in the call.

SEIU Local 1 President Tom Balanoff. I hope writing about CPS janitors doesn’t cause me to receive a letter from SEIU lawyers. Like my brother Mike. There is news this morning that the firing of Aramark employed janitors has been delayed. As far as I can tell, it wasn’t because the union leadership of SEIU Local 1 raised a stink. It was the loud voices of principals and teachers that complained a

7 by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

“If they don’t teach us civil disobedience, we will teach ourselves.”

Columbine High School students line the bridge at South Wadsworth Blvd. and West Bowles Ave. during their walk out September 25, 2014 to protest proposed AP History curriculum changes. Both Columbine and Dakota Ridge merged at the corner to protest as one. (John Leyba, The Denver Post) - From the Denver Post: JEFFERSON COUNTY — While teachers and the Jefferson County school board are busy blaming

5 by Fred Klonsky / 2h 

9-29-14 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.: Raunerian ethics and voter fraud. Here and in North Carolina.Moral Monday protests in North Carolina. Man. Did I catch it when I accused Republican candidate for the 17th Illinois House District of voter fraud. She is running against Democrat Laura Fine. The Sun-Times had reported that Kathy Myalls wa

1 by mike simpson / 7h

9-30-14 Schools Matter - Ken Derstine Comments

Schools Matter:

Ken Derstine Comments

Comment about “The Unbearable Lightness of Neo-Liberal Historical Revisionism in Education” by Jim HornRegarding this last sentence of the article:Booker T. Washington spent his life never bothering to ask that question, and it appears that Dana Goldstein’s book, which no doubt will earn the seal of approval from Bill Gates and Randi Weingarten, has charted a similar track.By Ken DerstineApparentl

2 by Jim Horn / 51min 

Comments on Naomi Klein's New Book

A clip from comments on Naomi Klein's new book at Nation of Change:Klein starts with a blunt statement of the problem: “[O]ur economic system and our planetary system are now at war. Or, more accurately, our economy is at war with many forms of life on earth, including human life.” (21) Human survival requires a new economics, which explains why climate-change denial is strongest among conservativ

by Jim Horn / 32min 

9-27-14 Schools Matter All Week

Schools Matter:  Schools Matter All WeekThe Unbearable Lightness of Neo-Liberal Historical Revisionism in EducationDana Goldstein studied intellectual history at Brown before she became a reporter, then a grad student at Columbia, and now another author among the growing tribe of young, privileged white folks with new books intended to make the world safe for corporate education reform.Goldstein j

1 by mike simpson / 10h 

9-30-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

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

Ebola Resource Update

© 2014 European Commission DG ECHO, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio With the first confirmed case of Ebola in the United States today, I thought I’d update the already extensive The Best Resources For Learning About The Ebola Virus list: Investigating Ebola: How contact tracing will work in Texas is an infographic from The Washington Post. The NY Times has updated their What You Need to Know About t

8 by Larry Ferlazzo / 49min hide  //  save

Excellent ASCD Article On Memory & Learning

© 2012 hyoin min, Flickr | CC-BY-ND | via Wylio As usual, Bryan Goodwin has written an excellent piece in this month’s issue of ASCD Educational Leadership. It’s titled Research Says / Which Strategy Works Best? It’s a concise description of the differences between short-term memory, working memory and long-term memory, with teaching hints for all three. I’ve written a lot about memory and learnin

8 by Larry Ferlazzo / 49min 

World Teachers Day Is October 5th — Here Are Related Resources

© 1943 The U.S. National Archives, Flickr | PD | via Wylio World Teachers’ Day, held annually on October 5th since 1994 – when it was created by UNESCO – celebrates teachers worldwide (in the United States, National Teacher Day is Tuesday in the first full week of May). You’ll find many related resources at The Best Resources To Learn About World Teachers Day.

12 by Larry Ferlazzo / 27min

Teachers Can Receive Free DVD Of “12 Years A Slave” & Study Guide

Teachers can receive a free DVD copy of the movie “12 Years A Slave,” a book and more, and it’s very simple to register for it online. Here’s what you get: *FREE Educator’s Toolkit Includes: Full Length DVD copy of the movie (edited version, parental approval suggested) Copy of the Penguin Paperback Book Printed study guide Letter from director Steve McQueen I’m not sure how realistic, practic

12 by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h hide  //  save

Video: “Marie’s Dictionary”

This short documentary tells the story of Marie Wilcox, the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language and the dictionary she created in an effort to keep her language alive: Marie’s Dictionary from Go Project Films on Vimeo. I’m adding it to The Best Resources For International Mother Language Day.

8 by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

9-29-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Excellent List Of Eleven “Classroom Discipline Mistakes”© 2014 Tim Pierce, Flickr | CC-BY | via Wylio Marvin Marshall, a great writer on positive classroom management, has published an excellent list of eleven “Classroom Discipline Mistakes.” You definitely want to read them all, but here are his first three: 1. BEING REACT

1 by mike simpson / 7h