This Week In Education: Magazines: NYT's Technology-Focused Education Issue

This Week In Education: Magazines: NYT's Technology-Focused Education Issue

Magazines: NYT's Technology-Focused Education Issue

by Alexander Russo

Here's some of the best links to the stories in the NYT Sunday Magazine's annual education issue, which is focused on learning and technology:

Enfeebling the Mind? If machines are to improve teaching, we must recognize their limits.

Tutors Made to Measure Can race- and sex-specific online teachers close achievement gaps?

Dial-a-Class Cellphones are not the enemy.

Anytime, Anywhere Online courses have become a standard part of normal public education.

Learning by Playing: Can one middle school’s approach transform education?

Pilsen: Whittier Parents Win Huberman Meeting - District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog

Pilsen: Whittier Parents Win Huberman Meeting - District 299: Chicago Public Schools Blog

Pilsen: Whittier Parents Win Huberman Meeting

by Alexander Russo

What do you think about the parents at Whittier protesting Board plans to tear down a field house -- and winning massive coverage and a meeting with Huberman?

Pilsen residents fight City Hall Sun Times: On its third day, a sit-in by parents demanding a library for a Pilsen elementary school took several twists and turns -- with police at one point threatening arrests, then abruptly leaving after more than 100 parents, students and teachers pushed past barricades to support the protesters...

City, still reeling from number of kids who failed state exams, limits lows for grading schools

City, still reeling from number of kids who failed state exams, limits lows for grading schools

BY RACHEL MONAHAN
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Saturday, September 18th 2010, 4:00 AM

Few city schools will earn big, fat F's on the city-issued report cards, set to be issued next week, the Daily News has learned.

After a massive increase in the number of city kids who failed state exams, the agency decided to limit the number of schools that will get D's and F's.

Officials are expected to announce next week that:

The 84% of elementary and middle schools that got A's last year will get no worse than a C.

The 13% of schools that received B's can earn no lower than a D.

Schools that are in the top quarter of the city based on their students' average math and reading exam scores will achieve no lower than a C.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/09/18/2010-09-18_city_to_limit_the_lows_for_grading_schools.html?r=ny_local/education#ixzz0ztVOavdj

D.C. Wire - Fenty says no to GOP nomination

D.C. Wire - Fenty says no to GOP nomination

Fenty says no to GOP nomination

Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) said Friday afternoon that he will not seek re-election as a Republican, even though he won the GOP nomination after more than 800 voters wrote in his name on their ballot in Tuesday's primary.

Repeating statements he made before he lost the Democratic nomination to D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, Fenty said he plans to remain a Democrat. On Thursday, Fenty formally endorsed Gray in the mayor's race.

"Today's news of the Republican nomination is a recognition of the great progress this city has seen over the past four years," Fenty said. "While I am humbled by the nomination, I will not accept it. I believe the best days of the District of Columbia lay ahead, and I will work with

Editorial: Big hearts and ugly acts conclude week - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: Big hearts and ugly acts conclude week - Sacramento Opinion - Sacramento Editorial | Sacramento Bee

Editorial: Big hearts and ugly acts conclude week

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Published: Saturday, Sep. 18, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 12A

You don't have to look far to see both the good and not-so-good in people.

Sometimes, they're on the same page of the local newspaper, as in Friday's Bee.

One story reported that for the second time in a week, a swastika had defaced a midtown mural of Sacramento King Omri Casspi, the first Israeli-born player in the NBA.

If a prank, it's just stupid. If an attempted message of hate, it's vile and contemptible –

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/18/3038066/editorial-big-hearts-and-ugly.html#ixzz0ztSw4rQh

California's legislative leaders seek reconsideration of student loan change

By Laurel Rosenhall - Published: 12:00 am

California's top lawmakers have asked the federal government to reconsider its decision to give EdFund's student loan guaranty business to the Minnesota-based Education Credit Management Corp.

Sac State grad's new website seeks to turn class notes into a commodity

By Claudia Buck - Published: 12:00 am

As founder of a young startup company, Ryan Stevens has assembled all the ingredients: a business plan, willing investors, an eager staff, a sleek website, plenty of marketing freebies.

Police ask high schools to help students obey curfew

Published: 12:00 am

The Sacramento Police Department is reaching out to area high schools asking for help in encouraging teens to obey a 10 p.m. curfew, particularly at Second Saturday.

Mexican consul general holds talk at Sacramento State

By Stephen Magagnini - Published: 11:58 am

The consul general of Mexico in Sacramento, Carlos González Gutiérrez, will discuss the historical relationship between California and Mexico when he visits Sacramento State Monday.

Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/education/#ixzz0ztTBIqpR

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Deb Meier visits Telpochcalli

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Deb Meier visits Telpochcalli

Deb Meier visits Telpochcalli

by Mike Klonsky

Deborah Meier was in town yesterday. So we went out to visit Telpochcalli, a small neighborhood elementary school in Chicago's Little Village community. Telpochcalli (named after early Aztec schools) is an arts-focused, dual-language school where teachers work collaboratively to personalize instruction and support each other.

Deborah and I were invited to sit in on a regular Friday event called Teacher Talk where one classroom teacher

Remainders: Role-reversing parents to city: Shut our school | GothamSchools

Remainders: Role-reversing parents to city: Shut our school | GothamSchools

Remainders: Role-reversing parents to city: Shut our school - In a twist, parents at PS 42 in the Rockaways urge the city to shut their school down. (Daily News) - A fight with a principal led a Haitian immigrant mom in Queens to faint, have a panic attack. (NY1) - An East Harlem charter ...

Wide margins of error, instability on city’s value-added reports [image: Some English Language Arts teachers received high "value-added" scores in 2007 but much lower scores in 2008.] Some English Language Arts teachers who received high "value-added" scores in 2007 received much lower scores in 2008. The ...

Analysis of Why Michelle Rhee Can’t Stand the Heat � Larry Miller's Blog

Analysis of Why Michelle Rhee Can’t Stand the Heat � Larry Miller's Blog

Analysis of Why Michelle Rhee Can’t Stand the Heat Why Michelle Rhee’s Education ‘Brand’ Failed in D.C. http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/09/why-michelle-rhees-education-brand-failed-in-dc/63014/Sep 15 2010, 12:16 PM ET | Comments (64) The urban education reform movement just got a ...

Problem at “Waiting for Superman” Premier: Rhee Blasts DC Voters *Why ‘Waiting for Superman’ premiere was chilling* D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee used the occasion of the D.C. premiereof the “Waiting for Superman” documentary — which portrays her as the educational Joan of Arc — to blast D.C. voters yet ...

D.C. School Chief Rhee’s Next Move Probably Toward The Door By Bill Turque Friday, September 17, 2010; 12:38 PM Their long-awaited meeting is set for next week. But when Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee and mayor-apparent Vincent C. Gray do finally sit down, it is increasingly likely that the discussion ...

Citigroup Sheds Its Student Loan Business : NPR

Citigroup Sheds Its Student Loan Business : NPR

Fisk Music Group Was Moneymaking Powerhouse The documentary “One Man’s Journey” tells the story of pianist Matthew Kennedy, who was the musical director of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. The group is credited with introducing the world to Negro spirituals. His daughter, filmmaker Nina Kennedy, ...

Black Oral History Project Heads 'Back-To-School' Throughout the month of September, Tell Me More explores issues in education �" what’s outstanding, what needs improvement and what remains incomplete. Friday, hundreds of prominent African American leaders will head back to school as part of a ...

Fisk University Struggles Through Financial Crisis In the wake of serious financial issues, Fisk University, the oldest private African American university, attempted to sell its stake of the art collection donated to the school by the late Georgia O'Keeffe. However, a judge rejected this move by ...

This Week In Education: Twitter Friday: Blogs And Commentary

This Week In Education: Twitter Friday: Blogs And Commentary

Twitter Friday: Blogs And Commentary

by Alexander Russo

Links, news, commentary all in one place - because it's Friday and you're going to have to get used to this real time / social media thing sooner or later:

Hit "refresh" to get newer items, or clic

N.J. Senate Democrats plan to subpoena Race to the Top officials | NJ.com

N.J. Senate Democrats plan to subpoena Race to the Top officials | NJ.com

N.J. Senate Democrats plan to subpoena Race to the Top officials

Published: Friday, September 17, 2010, 4:13 PM Updated: Friday, September 17, 2010, 4:13 PM

Matt Friedman/Statehouse Bureau
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Robert Sciarrino/The Star-LedgerGov. Chris Christie, left, and Education Commissioner Bret Schundler speak at the E. Raymond Appleby Elementary School in Spotswood in this file photo.

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TRENTON — Senate Democrats plan to invoke subpoena power to force top members of Gov. Chris Christie’s administration to testify on the state’s bungled “Race to the Top” application.

Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D- Middlesex) said she will introduce a resolution Monday that would grant the Senate Legislative Oversight Committee that power, which has only been invoked only five times in the last 20 years. The committee will also subpoena documents the administration did not provide in response to an Open Public Records Act request, Buono said.

“This is an absolutely necessary step that we need to take in order to do our job,” said Buono, who added that Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), who will have to post the resolution for a vote, supports the move. “And it should come as no surprise given the administration’s disturbing pattern of rejecting requests for information.”

Buono said she has not heard back from two top Christie administration officials

School Tech Connect: Update On My So-Called Summit

School Tech Connect: Update On My So-Called Summit

Update On My So-Called Summit

by effacethefacade@yahoo.com (Tim)

I should pay more attention. I'm seeing some email traffic from the steering committee members of Teachers' Letters To Obama indicating that this NBC Summit thingy is more of a teachers-may-listen-but-not-participate.

Typical. Clearly the only people who know anything about education are people not involved with it day to day.

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � Teacher Town Hall! And…

Eduwonk � Blog Archive � Teacher Town Hall! And…

Teacher Town Hall! And…

by arotherham

NBC’s Education Week is fast upon us. They want to kick it off with a virtual town hall for teachers but you need to register. By the way, I’m not getting paid to post that but now that I read this story, I think I should be!

Secretary Duncan Celebrates Constitution Day with the HistoryMakers – ED.gov Blog

Secretary Duncan Celebrates Constitution Day with the HistoryMakers – ED.gov Blog

Secretary Duncan Celebrates Constitution Day with the HistoryMakers

To celebrate Constitution Day, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined civil rights leaders and educators at the Dorothy I. Height Community Public Charter School in Washington.

To celebrate Constitution Day, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined civil rights leaders and educators at the Dorothy I. Height Community Public Charter School in Washington. The speakers encouraged students to honor the freedoms provided by the Constitution by working hard to shape their own destiny.

Julieanna Richardson, the founder of HistoryMakers, kicked off the program, explaining that her motivation to study history came when she was embarrassed as a child in school. When everyone in her class was asked to describe their ancestors, Richardson had nothing to say. “Others talked about their rich European heritage,” she explained, but the only African Americans she had learned about were George Washington Carver and slaves. The experience later motivated Richardson to begin the HistoryMakers project, which is a 7,000-hour video archive of testimony from well-known and unsung African American heroes.

Both Secretary Duncan and featured speaker Rev. Al Sharpton said that as children they were inspired by great African American leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dorothy I. Height, for whom the school is named.

Roger Wilkins, who worked with Dr. King and other civil rights leaders in the 1950s and 1960s, described growing up in a segregated Kansas City in the 1930s and attending a segregated school with a roof so leaky that rain dripped into his classroom.

The speakers urged students to not let their circumstances or backgrounds determine their future. “If you work hard and get a good education, there is nothing you can’t achieve,” Duncan said. Sharpton echoed Duncan, reminding students not to take short cuts along the way. “Talent is good,” he said, “but undisciplined talent is a disaster.”

In a question-and-answer session, Secretary Duncan described the importance of remembering the Constitution and using it to make decisions for today. “The signing of the Constitution was a seminal moment in our country’s history,” he said. “We learn about what to do now by studying history.”

Principal Kent Amos, who left a successful career at Xerox to start the Dorothy I. Height Charter School, introduced a class of students who would be leaving later in the day to continue their study of the Constitution at a local history museum.
Learn more about Constitution Day.

Click here for an accessible version of the video.

Laurie Calvert
Washington Teacher Ambassador Fellow

This entry was written by pkickbush, posted on Septembe

DREAM Act could be voted on next week | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

DREAM Act could be voted on next week | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

DREAM Act could be voted on next week

by Gustavo Martínez

Organizers in support of the DREAM Act are calling senators to help get the 60 votes needed to pass the much-anticipated federal bill. After reaching the 10,000 phone-call mark on Thursday, activists now hope to make 5,000 more before the vote.

Just this week

Worst. Questions. Ever. � The Quick and the Ed

Worst. Questions. Ever. � The Quick and the Ed

QUICK Hits [image: Quick Hits]*Quick Hits is a short compilation of question-raising news stories, blog posts, and video clips that Education Sector team members are reading or viewing each day.* - Is the cart trying to give birth to the horse? Shouldn’t ...

A Response to the Career College Association The Career College Association issued a statement responding to my paper on gainful employment and since I’ve seen a few other critiques or questions from others, I thought it was worth giving a somewhat detailed response. The statement asserts ...

Worst. Questions. Ever. This weekend’s Sunday New York Times Magazine is all about the intersection of education and technology. Naturally, Deborah Solomon has some questionsfor Secretary of Education Arne Duncan: *This interview is for a special issue on education and ...

Measuring Teacher Effectiveness - California Teachers Association

Measuring Teacher Effectiveness - California Teachers Association

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Where We Stand

CTA President David A. Sanchez's response to the controversial Los Angeles Times article, Grading the Teacher: Who's Teaching LA's Kids?:

"Publishing the database assembled by the LA Times as an accurate measure of teacher effectiveness or even as a 'value-added' assessment model is irresponsible and disrespectful to the hard-working teachers of Los Angeles. This LA Times model oversimplifies what defines an effective teacher and is based solely on one set of student test scores -- tests, I might add, that were never designed to measure teacher effectiveness or even student growth. The California Standards Tests are designed to measure grade-level standards, not student growth from the beginning of the school year to the end of the year. So trying to use that single test to create a value-added model in Los Angeles is impossible. In addition, all education research has concluded that using value-added models as a primary measure for evaluating teachers is not appropriate as the measures are too unstable and too vulnerable. It is impossible to fully separate out the influences of students' other teachers as well as school conditions, classroom assignments, and student attendance. Parents know their child is more than a test score, and so are teachers.”

What are your thoughts? How do you feel about the article and what it is proposing? Your stories are needed to help educate the public - what is it really like in the classroom? How do your students react to standardized testing?

In the News

Politics, not evidence, drive education reform | SFGate.com

Method to grade teachers provokes battles | New York Times

One number can't illustrate teacher effectiveness | Los Angeles Times

Big questions about the LA Times teachers project | Washington Post

There's teaching, and there's learning | Los Angeles Times

Judging teacher performance is difficult, experts say | California Watch

Research

EPI Briefing Paper | Economic Policy Institute
Recently released research co-authored by scholars convened by the Economic Policy Institute focuses on problems with the use of student test scores to evaluate teachers.

Teacher Effectiveness | CTA
For any high stakes purpose associated with personnel decision making or compensation, multiple measures should be used, as all measures give a partial picture of teacher performance and are subject to error.

Using Student Test Scores | CTA
Research includes many cautions about the problems of basing teacher evaluations substantially on student test scores.

Letter Report to the U.S. Department of Education on the Race to the Top Fund | National Academies
Value-added methods to assess teachers not ready for use in high-stakes decisions.

'Value Added' Gauge of Teaching Probed | Education Week [multiple sources]
Studies suggests that “value added” methods for determining the effectiveness of classroom teachers are built on some shaky assumptions and may be misleading.

Blogs

The best kind of teacher evaluation | Washington Post [written by Sacramento teacher Larry Ferlazzo]

LA Times Joins The Teacher-Bashing Parade | Colorlines.com

Education Experts Slam LA Times Teacher Assessments | Calitics.com

The LA Times Goes Astray | Learningfirst.org