Opinion: Teachers are more than Covid data points - CNN

Opinion: Teachers are more than Covid data points - CNN

Too many parents and decision makers treat teachers like they don't matter

(CNN)Julie Davis, 49, was an inspirational third grade teacher, a "mother to everyone," who attended her students' extracurriculars and donated to children in need. About three weeks after a student at her North Carolina school tested positive for Covid-19, Davis fell ill. This mother and grandmother died certain, her brother said, that she caught the virus at school (an assessment the superintendent said was unproven). One week after Davis's death, her school system shifted to virtual instruction because of rampant Covid-19 infections in the schools and community.

Alexandra Robbins

Amid growing numbers of Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths, I've spoken to educators who told me they're afraid for their lives and the health of their loved ones. Meanwhile, some organized groups of parents are issuing increasingly forceful calls to reopen schools. But too many of them neglect the teachers.

This neglect fits a pattern. In March, some districts initially failed to heed teachers' pleas to close, forcing them to keep working in person; at least 70 school-based staff died in New York City alone, though it's unclear whether they contracted the disease in schools. In a statement emailed to New York City outlet THE CITY in response to questions in May about how the Department of Education had handled the situation, a spokeswoman said that DOE's practice was to "immediately" notify school communities about Covid cases confirmed by the state Department of Health and added, "All our decisions are informed by public health experts in order to protect the health and safety of our students and staff." In the summer, some decision makers excluded teachers from discussions about how to operate pandemic classrooms. And now, many parents and pundits alike are ignoring teachers again.

America faces a dissonant, CONTINUE READING: Opinion: Teachers are more than Covid data points - CNN

JEFF BRYANT: A Flood of New Charter Schools Shows How the Industry May Try to Thrive — Despite the Pandemic | Ed Politics

A Flood of New Charter Schools Shows How the Industry May Try to Thrive — Despite the Pandemic | Ed Politics

A FLOOD OF NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS SHOWS HOW THE INDUSTRY MAY TRY TO THRIVE — DESPITE THE PANDEMIC

As the COVID-19 pandemic began closing school buildings and forcing schools to quickly ramp up online learning programs in April, an op-ed by Alex Medler, the executive director of the Colorado Association of Charter School Authorizers, made an appeal to Betsy DeVos’s Department of Education to change the guidelines of her department’s grants for new charter school startups to allow the money to go to existing charter schools. Medler justified the request to address “immediate needs during the pandemic.”

But when Chalkbeat broke the story that DeVos would agree with Medler and approve Florida’s request to repurpose about $10 million in grant money for new charter schools to be redirected to existing charters, Medler made the curious admission to Chalkbeat reporter Matt Barnum that another reason for the need to change grant requirements was because “there aren’t enough new [charter] schools being created across the country to spend all the… money on the one purpose of funding the start-up of new charters.”

Is the charter school industry, even before the current crisis, really on the skids?

The annual rate of charter school growth nationwide from 2014 to 2016 was half of what it was between 2008 and 2014, according to CONTINUE READING: A Flood of New Charter Schools Shows How the Industry May Try to Thrive — Despite the Pandemic | Ed Politics

Biden Picks Connecticut Commissioner Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

Biden Picks Connecticut Commissioner Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

Biden Picks Connecticut Commissioner Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education

President-Elect Joe Biden selected Dr. Miguel Cardona, Commissioner of Education in Connecticut, to be his administration’s Secretary of Education.

The Washington Post wrote about him:

President-elect Joe Biden is set to nominate the commissioner of public schools in Connecticut as his education secretary, settling on a low-profile candidate who has pushed to reopen schools and is not aligned with either side in education policy battles of recent years, two people familiar with the matter said Monday.

Miguel Cardona was named Connecticut’s top schools official last year and if confirmed will have achieved a meteoric rise, moving from an assistant superintendent in Meriden, Conn., a district with 9,000 students, to secretary of education in less than two years.

He was born in Meriden to Puerto Rican parents who lived in public housing. He began his career as a fourth-grade teacher and rocketed up the ranks, becoming the state’s youngest principal at age 28. He was named the state’s principal of the year in 2012...

A finalist for the job was Leslie Fenwick, former dean of the Howard University School of Education and a fierce critic of education policies such as test-based accountability for schools and teachers who have been popular with centrists in both political parties.

Cardona represented a safer selection. He does not CONTINUE READING: Biden Picks Connecticut Commissioner Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

K-12 Schools Get $57 Billion in COVID-19 Deal; No Relief for State and Local Governments

K-12 Schools Get $57 Billion in COVID-19 Deal; No Relief for State and Local Governments

K-12 Schools Get $57 Billion in COVID-19 Deal; No Relief for State and Local Governments

K-12 schools would receive about $57 billion in direct aid under a new $900 billion federal COVID-19 relief deal reached over the weekend by congressional negotiators.

The vast majority of that amount, $54.3 billion, would be for public schools in an education stabilization fund, and 90 percent of that must ultimately go to local school districts, including charter schools that function as districts. According to the legislation, schools could use the relief to address learning loss, to improve school facilities and infrastructure to reduce the risk of transmitting the coronavirus, and to purchase education technology. This funding would be available through September 2022.

Education organizations that have long pushed for additional aid for schools grappling with the effects of the pandemic characterized the bill, which is much smaller than some previous proposals, as a down payment. President-elect Joe Biden has suggested he will pursue an additional relief deal after his inauguration.

The legislation does not include more funding for the E-Rate program that supports internet service for schools and libraries. The bill does provide $3.2 billion to an CONTINUE READING: K-12 Schools Get $57 Billion in COVID-19 Deal; No Relief for State and Local Governments

Biden leaning toward Miguel Cardona for education secretary - Axios

Biden leaning toward Miguel Cardona for education secretary - Axios

Miguel Cardona emerges as Biden's choice to open schools

Joe Biden is leaning toward nominating Miguel Cardona, education commissioner in Connecticut, to serve as secretary of the Department of Education and lead a reopening of the country's schools, according to people familiar with the matter.

Why it matters: Cardona, who has focused on reopening schools in his home state, emerged as the president-elect leaned away from another potential candidate, Leslie Fenwick, dean emeritus at Howard University, and two teacher's union candidates. A final decision has not been made.

The big picture: Biden has pledged to reopen the majority of U.S. schools within his first 100 days as president if Congress helps with financial support. It's urgent as parents and educators fear losing a generation of scholars due to coronavirus shutdowns that sent children to remote learning.

• There have been broad inequities in this digital environment, spurring a movement to get kids back in classrooms and to secure the health of teachers who must stand before them.
• “In-person education is too important for our children to disrupt their education further, unless and until local conditions specifically dictate the need to do so,” Cardona and the acting public health commissioner wrote to school superintendents last month, according to the Hartford Courant.
• A Biden transition spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Biden moved toward Cardona after initially considering two high-profile representatives of the two largest teachers' unions: Lily Eskelsen Garcia, former president of the National Education Association, and Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

• In picking neither, Biden appears to have sidestepped any sibling rivalry between the NEA and AFT.

Zoom in: CONTINUE READING: Biden leaning toward Miguel Cardona for education secretary - Axios

Clamor por Cardona - Manhattan Times News

Clamor for CardonaClamor por Cardona - Manhattan Times News

Clamor por Cardona

Clamor for Cardona (ENGLISH)

Una de las promesas de campaña del presidente electo Joe Biden incluyó nombrar a un maestro como el próximo secretario de Educación.

Inmediatamente surgieron varios nombres, incluidos Randi Weingarten, presidente de la Federación Estadounidense de Maestros, y Lily Eskelsen García, ex presidenta de la Asociación Nacional de Educación, quien vive en Nueva York. Pero otro educador de área también es un contendiente.

es otro nombre en la lista de finalistas de Biden. Los padres de Cardona son originarios de Puerto Rico y él creció en viviendas públicas en Meriden, Connecticut. Él llama a la educación, “el gran igualador”.

Cardona solo hablaba español cuando ingresó a la escuela. Después de graduarse de la Universidad Estatal de Connecticut Central, comenzó a enseñar cuarto grado. Más adelante en su carrera, fue nombrado “Director Nacional Distinguido” de la Asociación de Escuelas de Connecticut de 2012.

Desde 2019, se ha desempeñado como comisionado del Departamento de Educación de Connecticut, la primera persona latina en ocupar el puesto.

Si bien Cardona definitivamente se ajusta a los criterios de enseñanza de Biden, también tiene amplias credenciales en materia de políticas. Su tesis doctoral, “Afinando el enfoque de la voluntad política para abordar las disparidades en el aprovechamiento”, se originó en sus primeros años como aprendiz del idioma inglés (ELL, por sus siglas en inglés).

Tanto la Federación Hispana como el Caucus Hispano del Congreso han respaldado a Cardona. En una carta a Biden instando a la nominación de Cardona. Frankie Miranda, presidente de la Federación Hispana, escribió que el país enfrenta un “momento crítico” en la educación pública.

El presidente electo Joe Biden.

“Durante los últimos cuatro años, el Departamento de Educación se ha dirigido a los maestros, las escuelas con dificultades y los estudiantes de color con políticas diseñadas para socavar la confianza y el apoyo a la educación pública. El impacto en las comunidades latinas de esta guerra en nuestras escuelas ha sido devastador”, agregó Miranda.

Betsey DeVos ha ocupado el puesto de gabinete durante los últimos cuatro años. DeVos, una donante de campaña republicana desde hace mucho tiempo, defendió las escuelas charter con fines de lucro durante su mandato. También recortó el presupuesto del Departamento de Educación y trató de revertir la legislación de derechos civiles de los estudiantes.

Cardona es visto por muchos como un antídoto para el reinado destructivo de DeVos. Ha pedido un “enfoque holístico” que refleje la necesidad no solo de una política educativa con visión de futuro, sino también de una que aborde la vivienda, el acceso a la atención médica y la pobreza.

Poco después de convertirse en comisionado de Educación de Connecticut, admitió: “Hubo momentos durante mi juventud en los que creo que la gente tenía expectativas más bajas de las que debería. Simplemente me dio más ímpetu”

Clamor for CardonaClamor por Cardona - Manhattan Times News

Biden to pick Connecticut education commissioner for top schools post - POLITICO

Biden to pick Connecticut education commissioner for top schools post - POLITICO

Biden to pick Connecticut education commissioner for top schools post

Miguel Cardona will be tested on his ability to unify opposing sides in the debate over reopening schools.

President-elect Joe Biden is poised to nominate Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona for Education secretary, adding another Latino to his roster of Cabinet appointees and choosing a leader who has pressed schools to remain open for in-person classes during the pandemic, according to people familiar with the decision.

Cardona’s selection fulfills Biden’s campaign promise to name an educator with public school experience as his nominee for the post. He has spent his entire career in Connecticut, working as an elementary school teacher, principal, district administrator and assistant superintendent, as well as adjunct professor before being named Connecticut’s state chief last year by Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont.

About 70 percent of the state’s schools reopened for in-person classes this fall. But when some Connecticut schools decided to shut down in-person learning in November, Cardona and the state’s acting Department of Health commissioner wrote in an email to districts that they did not think “arbitrary, date-based closures of school are warranted at this time.”

The state health and education chiefs said the prevention strategies schools are using are working, and the state wasn’t seeing “sustained person to person transmission” of the virus in schools, or outbreaks at schools, despite a surge in the state. That put Cardona at odds with the state teachers union, although decisions about remote or in-person classes have been left to local districts.

The union has demanded statewide rules on sharing data about school coronavirus cases, testing and availability of personal protective equipment.

Still, the teachers union and other education unions in Connecticut endorsed Cardona’s selection as head of the Education Department.

“While this challenge has been a rocky road — and many issues remain CONTINUE READING: Biden to pick Connecticut education commissioner for top schools post - POLITICO

Survey: Oklahoma educators 'overwhelmed' and 'scared' - NONDOC

Survey: Oklahoma educators 'overwhelmed' and 'scared'

Survey: Oklahoma educators ‘overwhelmed’ and ‘scared’

In a recent survey, the Oklahoma Education Association asked more than 3,100 teachers, support professionals and administrators to use one word to describe their current feelings about their job. Words like “stressed,” “overwhelmed,” and “scared” landed in the top 10.

The survey (embedded below) was conducted online Dec. 1 through Dec. 14, and it asked respondents to express their feelings on issues like the pandemic in general, school safety, student learning and how school employees are doing. A total of 3,580 Oklahoma educators completed the survey, with 3,147 responses deemed to be valid. The survey took about 30 minutes to complete and had a 54 percent completion rate, with responses coming from 230 communities.

“As you’ll see in the survey, the number one concern of our members has been the educational progress of our students,” OEA President Alicia Priest said during a Monday press conference announcing the survey results. “However, when the governor released a video last week where blame was placed on OEA and educators for the current state of fear regarding COVID-19 in Oklahoma, or when he declared that all schools must return CONTINUE READING: Survey: Oklahoma educators 'overwhelmed' and 'scared'

Laura Chapman: Charters in Ohio Shaking the PPP Money Tree | Diane Ravitch's blog

Laura Chapman: Charters in Ohio Shaking the PPP Money Tree | Diane Ravitch's blog

Laura Chapman: Charters in Ohio Shaking the PPP Money Tree

Our reader Laura Chapman lives in Ohio. She contacted NPE Execurive Director Carol Burris to find out which Ohio charter schools asked for and received money from the Paycheck Protection Program, even though they already received funding allotted to public schools; even though they lost no income, unlike the hundreds of thousands of small businesses that were closed by the pandemic and had NO income; even though public schools were not alllowed to apply for PPP funds. Under the CARES Act, the average public school received an average of $134,500. Charter schools for their share of that money, plus qualified to double dip into the PPP funds,, thanks to their skilled lobbyists.

Chapman writes:

Diane, You beat me to it. I found the headline this morning: “Charter’s PPP loan called into question. School gave shareholder company a $10M bonus.” That report from Craig Harris of the Arizona Republic (Dec 19, 2020) referred to Primavera, an online charter school based in Chandler. “The school received “a PPP loan of nearly $2.2 million, the largest forgivable loan among the 132 Arizona charter schools that obtained them. https://cdn.newseum.org/dfp/pdf19/AZ_AR.pdf

This scam is about to be repeated if more PPP money is allocated for so-called public charter schools now reinvented as small businesses.

I have been looking at the first round of Paycheck CONTINUE READING: Laura Chapman: Charters in Ohio Shaking the PPP Money Tree | Diane Ravitch's blog

Teacher Tom: When the Sun Stands Still

Teacher Tom: When the Sun Stands Still

When the Sun Stands Still

I've been awaking to darkness for the last couple weeks. I’d have to say that the short winter days are one of the most challenging aspects of life in the northern tier, but things are turning around. The Winter Solstice occurred in Seattle on Monday at 2:02 a.m., marking the end of our ever-longer nights and the return of light.

Not to lessen the significance of Christmas, Hanukkah or any of the other festivals of lights, but this astrological event is the original reason for the season. The Earth is tilted on its axis at, on average, a 23.5-degree angle and yesterday was when the North Pole is farthest from the sun, causing it to appear to rise and set in the same place. We call it the first day of winter, and while the days will now grow longer by increments until the Summer Solstice in June, the average temperature of the “top” part of the globe will continue to drop as the oceans slowly lose the heat they still store from the warm summer months.

Humans can hardly think without resorting to metaphor and CONTINUE READING: Teacher Tom: When the Sun Stands Still

Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick for Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick for Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick for Secretary of Education

President-Elect Joe Biden will soon announce his choice for Secretary of Education. He promised to choose a person with experience as a teacher. He said he wants a Secretary who is committed to public education. Here is my choice.

I can’t think of anyone better qualified to be Secretary of Education than Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick, other than Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, who is chair of the Biden education transition team and has taken herself out of the running.

Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick is Dean Emeritus of the School of Education at Howard University.

She has been a teacher, a teacher educator, a scholar, and a dean. She taught middle school science in Toledo, her hometown. 

She understands the most important needs of American education: adequate and equitable funding; experienced teachers; and a commitment to equity and inclusion.

I have watched her lectures online, and I was blown away CONTINUE READING: Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick for Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

BACK ROOM QUESTIONS – Dad Gone Wild

BACK ROOM QUESTIONS – Dad Gone Wild

BACK ROOM QUESTIONS

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.”
― Winston S. Churchill

Things are bad in Tennessee in relation to COVID-19. Case rates are the highest in the country, and open hospital beds are becoming scarce. As Christmas approaches, fears are ratcheting up for another after the holiday explosion. Especially as many schools are scheduled to re-open for in-person learning the first week in January.

The danger of the current circumstances was highlighted for Governor Lee when his wife was diagnosed with the Coronavirus at the end of the week. In response, a news conference for Sunday at 7 pm was hastily scheduled, with the announcement that local TV stations would carry his words. Speculation ran rampant on what the Governor would say. Some thought he might go as far as to institute a statewide mask mandate, something he’d previously been resistant to instituting.

Sunday, 7 pm arrived, and with it came a mad scramble to find the Governors speech. It wasn’t on any of the stations as advertised, and if you took longer than 8 minutes to find it on an alternative source, you missed it.

What you missed remains unclear because the Governor managed to address a crisis without CONTINUE READING: BACK ROOM QUESTIONS – Dad Gone Wild

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDVACCINE #CHANGEGONNACOME #BIDEN #edsec

 Big Education Ape

THE TOP BANANA
TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES 

A COVID-related illness is sickening a growing number of children in California http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/q0FYjPE6WI4/covid-related-misc-illness-california-children

Congress Poised To Simplify FAFSA, And Help People In Prison Go To College | 89.3 KPCC - https://www.scpr.org/news/2020/12/20/95809/congress-poised-to-simplify-fafsa-and-help-people/

Pandemic Causes Child Welfare Crisis https://www.laprogressive.com/pandemic-causes-child-welfare-crisis/

Is There a Doctor in the House? - LA Progressive - https://www.laprogressive.com/?p=357454

Breaking down the $900B stimulus package and $1.4T omnibus bill - POLITICO - https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/20/details-stimulus-package-omnibus-bill-449499

Congress clinches deal to restore Pell grants for prisoners 26 years after ban - POLITICO - https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/20/congress-pell-grant-prisoners-449364

The Lost Year: Marriage, kids, 2 jobs, maskless customers, and #BlackLivesMatter in the rural South https://www.vox.com/22175217/front-desk-job-maskless-lost-year-anna

95 Percent of Representatives Have a Degree. Look Where That’s Got Us. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/21/opinion/politicians-college-degrees.html #uncategorized #feedly

Five Federal Institutions with Free Education Materials - ED.gov Blog - https://blog.ed.gov/?p=29519

Teachers union ‘concerned and disappointed’ by plans to reopen St. Paul elementary schools – Twin Cities - https://wp.me/p79gJ9-fRqe on @pioneerpress

Former gang member is named Missouri's Teacher of the Year - CNN - https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/12/us/former-gang-member-teacher-trnd/index.html#new_tab

Low-income children wait months for USDA food aid to replace school meals - POLITICO - https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/20/usda-pandemic-ebt-food-aid-448558#new_tab

Chicago high school teachers say they’ve seen an increase in the number of students taking jobs, sometimes at the cost of their education. https://www.wbez.org/stories/to-help-their-families-during-the-pandemic-chicago-teens-are-skipping-class-to-work/ba108579-4fc9-4dcb-b9fc-9ffc82e08c2e?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=Web-Share

Trump appoints 1776 Commission members in last-minute bid to advance 'patriotic education' - POLITICO - https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/18/trump-1776-commission-appointments-448229#new_tab

Biden weighs options for education secretary who would face early political pressure in school reopening bid - CNNPolitics - https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/19/politics/joe-biden-education-secretary-decision/index.html#new_tab

Students aren’t showing up for virtual learning. ‘Are they well cared for? Are they safe?’ - https://www.inquirer.com/education/nj-education-attendance-schools-virtual-attendance-skipping-camden-pandemic-coronavirus-20201221.html#new_tab via @PhillyInquirer

Without special education services, thousands of families are in limbo - https://hechingerreport.org/?p=75572 via @hechingerreport

London Breed and parents rage after SFUSD again delays school openings https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/San-Francisco-schools-reopening-date-delayed-COVID-15814857.php#new_tab?utm_campaign=CMS%20Sharing%20Tools%20(Premium)&utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

Guilford County Schools Superintendent Sharon Contreras among finalists for education secretary https://www.wnct.com/news/education/guilford-county-schools-superintendent-sharon-contreras-among-finalists-for-education-secretary/

Number of students enrolled in vocational degrees dropping - https://hechingerreport.org/?p=76083 by @jillbarshay on @hechingerreport

Will New Federal Funding Shower Money on Private Schools? | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-sQY via @dianeravitch

What the Congressional Deal Means for Education | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-sRh via @dianeravitch

Brian Stelter: Rightwing Media Are Promoting Dangerous Radicalization | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-sRs via @dianeravitch

Stress, Bullying Among Parents' Concerns During Pandemic: Survey | Across America, US Patch - https://patch.com/us/across-america/stress-bullying-among-parents-concerns-during-pandemic-survey?google_editors_picks=true

L.A. Unified will not reopen campuses when the spring semester starts Jan. 11 http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/G8TLDhPO_Sw/covid-19-surge-keep-lausd-closed-january

Salt Lake City schools reach deal with Utah lawmakers on teacher bonuses - https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/12/18/salt-lake-city-schools/#new_tab by https://www.facebook.com/SchottHappens/ on @sltrib

Nancy Bailey’s Education Website: How Has School Privatization Contributed to Mental Illness in Students Before and During Covid-19? | National Education Policy Center - https://nepc.colorado.edu/node/10679 on @NEPCtweet

Cartoons on Zooming for Work and School | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / now

Cartoons on Zooming for Work and School Most readers of this blog Zoom for work, birthdays, anniversaries, and sadly, for funerals in these surreal pandemic times. Then there are the millions of students who received instruction on Zoom from preschoolers to high school seniors. Many of those Zoomers, maybe all, are Zoomed out. Not only Zoom but other devices and software stretch the limits of pa

WATCH VIDEO: Fauci puts priority on getting teachers vaccinated and a return to in-person classes | EdSource

by Mike Simpson / now

Fauci puts priority on getting teachers vaccinated and a return to in-person classes | EdSource Fauci puts priority on getting teachers vaccinated and a return to in-person classes CSU Chancellor Tim White hosts virtual Q&A event with Dr. Anthony Fauci hen Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, takes on his new role as President-elect Biden’s chief medical adviser, one of

Online proctoring services pose privacy concerns for remote learning - Vox

by Mike Simpson / now

How teachers [sic] are sacrificing student privacy to stop cheating Surveillance software for remote learning is drawing criticism from privacy advocates and lawmakers. As the fall semester began at the University of Nevada, Reno, psychology professor Mark Lescroart faced an increasingly common dilemma for teachers: How to prevent his newly remote students from cheating on the quizzes and exams

Teacher Tom: The Technology of Speaking With Children So They Can Think

by Mike Simpson / now

The Technology of Speaking With Children So They Can Think It was in one of Tom Drummond's classes more than 20 years ago that I first heard about the "technology" of speaking with children so they could think. Tom was explaining the ultimate ineffectiveness of "directive" statements. You know the kind -- "Sit over here," "Stand there," "Pick that up" -- the sorts of adult communications with wh

John Thompson on Ta-Nehisi Coates and Bruce Springsteen | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / now

John Thompson on Ta-Nehisi Coates and Bruce Springsteen John Thompson, historian and retired teacher in Oklahoma, shares ideas about teaching in difficult times. My high school and GED students always loved wrestling with the ideas presented by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Bruce Springsteen. I’m sure they would now agree that America needs both – Coates’ Between the World and Me , centered around Coates

Just an EdD from a State University – radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / now

Just an EdD from a State University Several years ago I was on a panel for a public forum held on my university’s campus. At the Q&A ending the panel talk, a colleague from another discipline asked a detailed question grounded in their discipline. I watched their face and eyes as I navigated not only the arcane and somewhat navel-gazing elements of the question (we academics love to hold forth w

Christmas Past | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / now

Christmas Past If you watched Stephen Colbert’s show-length interview with Joe and Jill Biden last week, you heard Joe, acting like the nation’s corny but well-meaning grandpa, describing his annual habit of spreading fake snow, made with Ivory Snow flakes , on the branches of the family Christmas tree. Joe really got into it, adding a lot of detail about placement of single strands of tinsel, a

What the Congressional Deal Means for Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / now

What the Congressional Deal Means for Education Phyllis W. Jordan of Future-Ed, a D.C. think tank, explains here what the latest Congressional agreement on COVID aid means for education and compares it to last spring’s CARES Act as well as to the HEROES Act passed in May by the House of Representatives. The agreement does not include any aid for cities or states. President-Elect Joe Biden has pl

2020 Review: The Year That Changed Everything | Exceptional Delaware

by Mike Simpson / now

2020 Review: The Year That Changed Everything Christmas is in a few days which means the end of the year is fast approaching. 2020 was one for the record books. Between Covid-19, the election, and all that came before, between, and after, it was a year no one will ever forget. Personally I went through so many changes, at such a rapid pace, that I’m still absorbing it all. The entire year was fi

Louisiana Educator: Science vs Superstition and Stupid Politics

by Mike Simpson / now

Science vs Superstition and Stupid Politics More than 40 years ago the brilliant musician Stevie Wonder released an interesting and highly relevant song called: "Superstition". Part of the lyrics to the song are as follows: When you believe in things That you don't understand, Then you suffer, Superstition ain't the way Stevie Wonder's song is amazingly relevant today when people refuse to wear

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / now

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/12/this-week-in-

HAPPY SOLSTICE EVERYONE: WINTER SOLSTICE 2020 PLUS BONUS CHRISTMAS STAR | The Old Farmer's Almanac

by Mike Simpson / 13h

Winter Solstice 2020: When Is the First Day of Winter? What Is the Winter Solstice? | The Old Farmer's Almanac WINTER SOLSTICE 2020: THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER CELEBRATE THE WINTER SOLSTICE WITH FACTS, FOLKLORE, AND MORE The winter solstice happens on Monday, December 21, 2020 . This is the astronomical first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day of the year. What happens at

CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Santa's Almost Here (12/20)

by Mike Simpson / 22h

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Santa's Almost Here (12/20) Santa's Almost Here And the Board of Directors has just about figured out this Christmas thing and twigged onto the notion that presents are coming (but why not right now). I am going to try not to think constantly about all the family and children and grandchildren that I am not seeing this week, because that sucks. In the meantime, here's some

Kelsey Sends Grinchy Voucher Christmas Card – Tennessee Education Report

by Mike Simpson / 22h

KELSEY SENDS GRINCHY VOUCHER CHRISTMAS CARD Tennessee’s “Mr. Voucher” State Senator Brian Kelsey sent Christmas greeting cards with a grinchy message about his non-stop work to privatize Tennessee’s public schools. Apparently, even the “Season of Giving” is one where Kelsey spends his time thinking about how to send taxpayer money to public school privatizers. Here’s that fun card: Of course, pu

Arizona Charters Hit Jackpot with Federal Paycheck Protection Program | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 22h

Arizona Charters Hit Jackpot with Federal Paycheck Protection Program The federal CARES Act included the Paycheck Protection Program to help struggling small businesses and nonprofits survive the pandemic. Lobbyists for the charter industry slipped in a provision enabling charter schools to apply for PPP funding, even though they experienced no financial losses. Charter schools got a share of th

CURMUDGUCATION: Pennsylvania's Teacher Problem

by Mike Simpson / 22h

Pennsylvania's Teacher Problem We already know that the teaching profession is primarily composed of white women (average age 43). But sometimes, when you break data down in particular ways, it becomes even more striking. Research for Action is a Philly-based group that has done some great work over the years, and they've done some research about the TOC/SOC balance in PA that are featured both

Los Angeles: Billionaire-funded Group Complains about Remote Learning Pact | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 22h

Los Angeles: Billionaire-funded Group Complains about Remote Learning Pact In Los Angeles, the UTLA reached an agreement with the LAUSD and superintendent to extend remote learning as COVID surges and every ICU bed is filled in the city. The billionaire-funded “Parent Revolution” complained (billionaires are parents although they have no children in LA public schools). https://www.latimes.com/ca

NANCY BAILEY: The Attack on Dr. Jill Biden is Cloaked Hatred of Teachers and Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 22h

The Attack on Dr. Jill Biden is Cloaked Hatred of Teachers and Public Education The Attack on Dr. Jill Biden is Cloaked Hatred of Teachers and Public Education Much has been written about the offensiveness of the Wall Street Journal’s Epstein opinion piece on Dr. Jill Biden. It lacks respect for Dr. Biden, a veteran teacher, deeply committed to her profession and community college students, but i

Personal Reflections On My 2020 Professional Experiences | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

by Mike Simpson / 22h

PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON MY 2020 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES I thought some readers might find it interesting, and I thought it would be a useful reflection exercise for me, if I reflected on my work around education over the past twelve months AND my hopes and concerns for 2021 (those 2021 thoughts will appear in a future post) I’ve already done a more “big picture” review in my annual Washington P

Missouri Grants First Charter Outside Two Biggest Districts | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 22h

Missouri Grants First Charter Outside Two Biggest Districts Up until now, the only districts with charters in Missouri were St. Louis and Kansas City, the state’s two biggest districts. But the state board just granted a charter for a new school in the Normandy district, one of the state’s poorest and lowest performing. The state board of education approved the charter with six votes in favor, o

Democracy and Education | tultican

by Mike Simpson / 22h

Democracy and Education By Thomas Ultican 12/19/2020 Democracy and free universal public education are foundational American ideologies. They have engendered world renowned success for our experiment in government “by the people” . Two new books – Schoolhouse Burning by Derek Black and A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door by Jack Schneider and Jennifer Berkshire – demonstrate that these principles whi

Gingerbread houses and teacher unions. – Fred Klonsky

by Mike Simpson / 22h

GINGERBREAD HOUSES AND TEACHER UNIONS When I see gingerbread houses this time of year I think about the teacher two doors down the hall who made making them an assignment each year as homework. I imagine it was mostly done by parents – moms most likely. But they were great and festive. And a shared family thing. They filled the library display case. Pretzel log roofs. Jellies in the windows. Can

Will Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Change the Political Power Structure in New York City? Should We Use RCV in State and Congressional Elections? | Ed In The Apple

by Mike Simpson / 22h

Will Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Change the Political Power Structure in New York City? Should We Use RCV in State and Congressional Elections? The ballots in New York City elections commonly ask voters to vote on “ballot proposals” as well as candidates, in 2019, an off year, no one was running for citywide or state office, the ballot contained four proposals , one of the proposals changed the m

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 22h

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/12/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_19.html Personal Reflections On My 2020 Professional Experiences by Larry Ferlazz

DEC 19

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 12/19/20 #REDFORED #tbats #COVID-19 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDOUTBREAK #BIDENWINS #TOPBANANAHEADLINES #edsec

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 12/19/20 ‘Slaying Goliath’: Diane Ravitch argues in new book that public education advocates have beat back efforts to privatize schools - The Washington Post The real story of New 

 Big Education Ape