Thursday, December 29, 2011

What Happens When We Stop Writing Letters? « CAFFEINATED POLITICS

What Happens When We Stop Writing Letters? « CAFFEINATED POLITICS:

What Happens When We Stop Writing Letters?

DECEMBER 29, 2011
Rate This

There is a debate among some educators over the merits of teaching cursive writing. In an age of computers and gadgets is there still a place for something as ‘old-fashioned’ as knowing how to write legibly? (I think there is.)

There might also be a debate about something equally important–the importance of writing a letter. This week The New Yorker had a column that is worthy of pondering.

As you read the paragraph below ponder the loss of the letters from John and Abigail Adams.

If we stop writing letters, who will keep our history or dare venture upon a biography? George Washington, Oscar Wilde, T. E. Lawrence, Virginia Woolf, E. B. White, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Vera Nabokov, J. P. Morgan—if any of these vivid predecessors still belong to us in some fragmented private way, it’s because of their letters or diaries (which are letters to ourselves) or thanks to some strong biography built on a ledge of letters. Twenty years ago, many o

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: A Teacher At PS 51 In The Bronx Fights Back

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: A Teacher At PS 51 In The Bronx Fights Back:

A Teacher At PS 51 In The Bronx Fights Back

oday quite disconcerting news came across the SBSB newsroom desk. Nancy Tomassi, a teacher at PS 51 in the Bronx has filed a lawsuit against the DOEalleging that the former building that housed PS 51 led to her unborn child being diagnosed with anencephaly which resulted in her ending her pregnancy.

The crack team at SBSB and myself would like to first take this time to show how support and sympathy to Nancy, her husband Mike, and their entire families i

Reflections from the Ohio Summit 2.5 Part II | Connected Principals

Reflections from the Ohio Summit 2.5 Part II | Connected Principals:

Reflections from the Ohio Summit 2.5 Part II

On Thursday, December 8, 2011 I attended the Ohio Summit 2.5, which is a conference that showcases what Ohio schools are doing to integrate 21st Century skills and technology in the teaching and learning process. I wanted to attend the conference to hear some of the keynote presenters: Karl Fisch (@karlfisch), the creator of “Shift Happens: Did You Know 2.0″, Daniel Pink (@danielpink), author of A Whole New Mind and Drive, and finally Ewan McIntosh (@ewanmcintosh), Scottish educator. I’ve already shared my reflections about the state of Ohio’s Interim Superintendent’s opening remarks, which you can review here. This is part II of my reflections.

The first keynote speaker was Karl Fisch, Director of Technology and Mathematics teacher at Arapahoe High

Full-time cyber schools expanding despite no evidence of their effectiveness, new report finds #edreform #ows

Great Lakes Center For Education Research & Practice:

Full-time cyber schools expanding despite no evidence of their effectiveness, new report finds

Study finds more questions than answers about the benefit of full-time virtual schools

EAST LANSING, Mich. (Oct. 25, 2011) — Full-time virtual schools are expanding despite no high-quality evidence that they are effective, according to a new report released today.

Cash-strapped states and school districts are using online education — including full-time virtual schools with no face-to-face contact between students and teachers — as a lower-cost alternative to traditional public schools. In states such as Florida, virtual schools are used as a loophole in laws that limit the size of classes.

According to the report, authored by University of Colorado education professors Gene V Glass and Kevin G. Welner, full-time "cyber schools" are now operating in 27 states. In at least one case in Arizona, a private firm outsourced essay grading to low-paid workers in India.

"Private operators are gaining access to large streams of public revenue to run cyber schools," Glass said. "But school districts are not getting full information on the actual costs of these programs, so it's not clear if taxpayer money is being used effectively — or properly."

Cyber schools are subject to only minimal government oversight, according to the report.

"We have to make sure that cyber schools don't become just a cheap way of providing second-rate service to disadvantaged schools and students," Glass said.

Big Education Ape: 12-29-11 PM Reform vs. Anti-Reform: Quoth the Raven EDition #OWS #edreform

Big Education Ape: Ed News Now:
Big Education Ape: Ed News Now

Published by Coopmike48 – 7 news spotters today

PS 51 Cancer Scare Ignites Calls For Accountability

ny1.com - To view our videos, you need toenable JavaScript. Learn how.install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now. Then come back here and refresh the page. Critics are calling for Schools Chancellor Denni...

leoniehaimson

Tides Are a-Turnin’

mskatiesramblings.blogspot.com - There are some quiet rumblings out there that the tide in education reform is turning. As the sparkle and noise of Waiting for Superman fades into memory and the propaganda machine that is NBC’s E...

DianeRavitch

Live Twitter stream on

@coopmike48/big-edu-ape-news-11

coopmike48 profile

coopmike48 Do You Use Paper.Li or Summify To Create ESL/EFL News Summaries? | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… - goo.gl/jU4bC24 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

DianeRavitch profile

DianeRavitch How to profit from education, join the crowd at only $1400 a plate:dailycensored.com/2011/12/29/ref…11 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

coopmike48 profile

coopmike48 Great Lakes Center For Education Research & Practicebit.ly/v3pZxH #Edu2 minutes ago · reply · retweet · favorite

EducationSee all

Charter schools get win in White Hat suit

dispatch.com - By Charlie Boss The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday December 28, 2011 4:46 AM The 19-month fight over whether Ohio’s largest for-profit manager of charter schools must share detailed financial records...

DianeRavitch

The Killing of a High School.

fosteringthefuture.blogspot.com - The replacement of Eastside Memorial High school with IDEA Charter is a stunning example of a school board pushing forward over the clear wishes of the students and families it was elected to serve...

leoniehaimson

SocietySee all

Russo Off by 4 Months

schoolsmatter.info - If Alexander Russo had penned this near April 1, instead of January 1, and ended with "April Fools!" I would have enjoyed the irony, but instead, Russo appears serious with "Media: Reform Opponents...

DianeRavitch

Russo Off by 4 Months

schoolsmatter.info - If Alexander Russo had penned this near April 1, instead of January 1, and ended with "April Fools!" I would have enjoyed the irony, but instead, Russo appears serious with "Media: Reform Opponents...

mikeklonsky

More trouble on the horizon « Opine I will

rlratto.wordpress.com - NYS Governor Andrew Cuomo’s recent announcement that “The greatest challenge is going to be reforming the education system in this state” should be a wake up call for all educators throughout the ...

DianeRavitch

PoliticsSee all

The PATCO Syndrome | Labor Notes

labornotes.org - Coming at the beginning of the Reagan-era conservative ascendancy, the 1981 PATCO strike is often cited as the defining labor struggle of our time. The air traffic controllers’ strike and its bruta...

coopmike48

StoriesSee all

Reverend Billy Looks Forward to Spring

occupywallst.org - "From time immemorial the Winter Solstice holidays have had many names. For instance, in the North where there is snow they were called "White Holidays." Then they became the "Roman Holidays," and ...

coopmike48

NYC Educator: The Dueling Teacher-on-Vacation Conscience

nyceducator.com - There they are. Right next to my desk here. That pile of essays I said I would grade over the vacation.I know I should. I know I'll regret it on Tuesday morning if I don't. I have other work to do,...

coopmike48

CrimeSee all

FBI Investigates St. HOPE - Politics News Story

kcra.com - POSTED: 12:59 pm PDT June 17, 2009UPDATED: 5:00 pm PDT June 17, 2009SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The FBI has opened an investigation into allegations that a board member at Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson'...

coopmike48

BusinessSee all

The 25 Highest-Paid CEOs In New York

businessinsider.com - AOL's Tim ArmstrongIn New York City, the top 1 percent take home around 30 percent of the city's income. This exclusive group includes many of the city's CEOs. Crain's New York Business found the 1...

leoniehaimson

#eduRead this paperSee all

#owsSee all

Occupy the Iowa Caucuses! | OccupyWallSt.org

occupywallst.org - As the United States prepares for another election year and presidential candidates gather to begin their corporate-financed campaigns, we are again presented with politicians that have all been bo...

coopmike48

Un-Settling Occupation | OccupyWallSt.org

occupywallst.org - This evening, 5:30 - 8:30 85 South Oxford Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217 Please join Occupy Wall St. to connect the colonial occupation of Manhattan to Occupy Wall Street— an occupation of already occu...

coopmike48

VideosSee all