Thursday, April 12, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 4-12 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform


Reynoso pepper-spray report Long-awaited reports are no whitewash | Davis Enterprise #ows

Long-awaited reports are no whitewash | Davis Enterprise: Long-awaited reports are no whitewashbyBob DunningAN AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY… while there’s plenty of blame to go around in the long-awaited Reynoso pepper-spray report that was released Wednesday, the very first paragraph of the report, under the simple heading “Introduction,” said it all … noted the report: “Our overriding conclusion can be stated briefly and explicitly. The pepper spraying incident that took place on November 18, 2011, should and could have been prevented.” … ... more »

When Everything Is a 'Race' - Bridging Differences - Education Week

When Everything Is a 'Race' - Bridging Differences - Education Week: When Everything Is a 'Race'byDeborah MeierDear Diane,My daughter and I were swimming in my pond one sunny summer day, and I said, "This is the best pond in the world." My daughter responded (sharply): "Why must it be the best? Can't it just be a wonderful pond?"I was actually slightly miffed, but she had a point. We are (or I am?) so accustomed to assuming that praise has to ... more »

'Bully' Highlights Need for Parent-School Cooperation - High School Notes (usnews.com)

'Bully' Highlights Need for Parent-School Cooperation - High School Notes (usnews.com): 'Bully' Highlights Need for Parent-School CooperationByLAURA MCMULLENApril 12, 2012RSS FeedPrintThe fact that about30 percent of school children are reportedly affected by bullyingis much too real for Jackie Libby. Her 12-year-old son, Alex, lived a nightmare each day at school and on the bus, where he was regularly strangled, punched, stabbed with pencils, and verbally abused.Viewers across the country will get an intimate look into the lives of Alex, and ... more »

The Alzheimer's Caregiver: Angels Among Us | Maria Shriver | The Open Field Network

The Alzheimer's Caregiver: Angels Among Us | Maria Shriver | The Open Field Network: APRIL 9, 2012ALZHEIMER'S AND CAREGIVINGThe Alzheimer's Caregiver: Angels Among UsByEllen Woodward Potts and Daniel C. PottsMy father-in-law, Lester Potts, was a proud member of the Lions’ Club, a men’s community service organization similar to Rotary or Kiwanis.Until he moved into an Alzheimer’s assisted living unit, he had perfect attendance at their meetings for over 42 years.During the last several years of those 42, advancing Alzheimer’s disease ... more »

What Am I to Say to Aspiring Teachers? | IDEA

What Am I to Say to Aspiring Teachers? | IDEA: What Am I to Say to Aspiring Teachers?by Kristan Morrison indemocracy.eduAt my university, I serve as the Graduate Program Coordinator for the Masters in Education program. Part of this job entails serving as an advisor/recruiter to people who already have a Bachelor's degree in some other field, but who wish to now earn a Masters in Education simultaneous with earning a state license to teach. Last week, a prospective student ... more »

Schools Matter: Ask Eli Broad's Jim McIntyre for His "research and experience" to Support Corporate School Reform Costs

Schools Matter: Ask Eli Broad's Jim McIntyre for His "research and experience" to Support Corporate School Reform Costs: Ask Eli Broad's Jim McIntyre for His "research and experience" to Support Corporate School Reform CostsbyJim HornWhile the local corporate media of Knoxville continues to print any kind of unsubstantiated charges or rumors against teachers, all the while ignoring the grassroots movement emerging against the corporate education reform schools tide from Eli Broad disciple, Supt. Jim McIntyre, the other local media outlets ... more »

PROFESSOR: 'Teach For America' Has Gone Off The Deep End - Business Insider

PROFESSOR: 'Teach For America' Has Gone Off The Deep End - Business Insider: PROFESSOR: 'Teach For America' Has Gone Off The Deep EndMelanie Hicken|April 11, 2012|4,340|2900Professor Mark Naison (Youtube/NewYorkRawVideos)Teach for Americawill announce its final round of acceptancesfor next year's corps tomorrow.TFA, which recruits recent college graduates to teach in low-income neighborhoods,consistently makes Fortune's listof the Top 100 Employers to work for. Last year,only 11 percent of the nearly 50,000 students who appliedwere accepted into the prestigious program. So it is ... more »

What teachers know vs. what education policymakers do — Ravitch - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

What teachers know vs. what education policymakers do — Ravitch - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: What teachers know vs. what education policymakers do — RavitchbyValerie StraussThiswas written by education historian Diane Ravitch for herBridging Differencesblog, which she co-authors with Deborah Meier on theEducation Week website. The item was first published on March 6. In their blog,Ravitch and Meierexchange letters about what matters most in education. Ravitch, a research professor at New York University, is author of “The ... more »

Reynoso on Pepper Spray: They Had a Plan, But it Was Not Adequate. And They Didn't Follow It Anyway. - Davis, CA Patch

Reynoso on Pepper Spray: They Had a Plan, But it Was Not Adequate. And They Didn't Follow It Anyway. - Davis, CA Patch: Reynoso on Pepper Spray: They Had a Plan, But it Was Not Adequate. And They Didn't Follow It Anyway.Note: Check back Thursday for video and more coverage.The introduction of the Reynoso Task Force Report pretty much sums it up the pepper spray findings:“Our overriding conclusion can be stated briefly and explicitly. The pepper spraying incident that took ... more »

Bully movie exposes the new cruel norms of a cyber-powered world - Sacramento Cyber Safety | Examiner.com

Bully movie exposes the new cruel norms of a cyber-powered world - Sacramento Cyber Safety | Examiner.com: Bully movie exposes the new cruel norms of a cyber-powered worldJoanna JullienSacramento Cyber Safety ExaminerContinue reading onExaminer.com http://exm.nr/I7eIsi“The kids are using the phones to be cruel to each other. Parents if you must issue your child a phone, load it with nannyware to monitor their texts.” Valinda Frost, instructor at Mira Loma High SchoolPhoto credit:www.bravesociety.orgSACRAMENTO -- Sheila Self, Bullying Prevention Specialist of theSacramento ... more »

Katehi Writes Letter Thanking Reynoso Task Force - Davis, CA Patch

Katehi Writes Letter Thanking Reynoso Task Force - Davis, CA Patch: Katehi Writes Letter Thanking Reynoso Task ForceChancellor Linda P.B. Katehi sent a letter just before the Reynoso Report Task Force presentation on UC Davis pepper spraying ended.ByJustin CoxEmail the author5:18 pmEmailPrintCommentUpload Photos and VideosHere's the letter from Chancelor Linda P.B. Katehi in regard tothe Reynoso Task Forceon the UC Davis pepper spray incident. The report has been widely interpretedas critical of Katehi, the police chief,Lt. John Pikeand thepepper spraysituation ... more »

No Wonder Teachers Are Demoralized

No Wonder Teachers Are Demoralized: No Wonder Teachers Are DemoralizedI retired in June of 2011 and yesterday I returned to the high school where I had taught social studies for 35 years. The district is one of the wealthiest in Ohio. Many of the residents are well-paid professionals. Our alumni include numerous lawyers (one of whom argued in front of the US Supreme Court a year or so ago), doctors, executives, a current member of the Saturday Night Live cast, ... more »

Charter Schools No Cure-All for Black Students, Says Study | News

Charter Schools No Cure-All for Black Students, Says Study | News: Charter Schools No Cure-All for Black Students, Says StudyApril 11, 2012AUSTIN, Texas — Despite being promoted as a viable alternative to traditional public schools, privately owned charter schools in Texas have higher attrition rates for black students than comparable urban public schools, says a University of Texas at Austin study.Dr.Julian Vasquez Heilig’s research shows that, although many privately operated charter schools claim that 90 percent or more of their ... more »

Gates Won't Pull ALEC Grant

Gates Won't Pull ALEC Grant: Gates Won't Pull ALECGrantThe Microsoft founder's foundation promised not to give future grants after a campaign from the left.postedApr 10, 2012 1:28pm EDTBuzzfeed PoliticsBuzzFeed StaffMore from Buzzfeed ›ShareEmail2StumbleGates at an Energy Department conference in February.(Getty Images / PAUL J. RICHARDS)The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, under fire from the left for a grant to the American Legislative Exchange Council, said it won't pull its promised funding from the conservative group.The Gates Foundation last fallawardedALEC a ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Audit&Finance Committee Meeting Round-Up

Seattle Schools Community Forum: AuditFinance Committee Meeting Round-Up: AuditFinance Committee Meeting Round-UpbyMelissa WestbrookAs if to only reinforce the idea that the real action of the district is at committee meetings, there was the AuditFinance committee meeting yesterday.On the upside, I think this district has made tremendous strides in bringing in some bright and capable people as district staff. Duggan Harmon, head of Finance, Richard Staudt, Risk Management, and Andrew Medina, Internal Auditor, and Ronic Lirio, also in Finance, all come ... more »

Schools Matter: How Do You Shut Down the Most Brutal and Corrupt Charter School in U. S. History? We Don't Know Yet

Schools Matter: How Do You Shut Down the Most Brutal and Corrupt Charter School in U. S. History? We Don't Know Yet: How Do You Shut Down the Most Brutal and Corrupt Charter School in U. S. History? We Don't Know YetbyJim HornIf you follow our model, you'll be a winner. By the time these kids are in ninth grade, I don't have to call them idiots anymore. --Ben Chavis, founder of AIPCSBen Chavis is the foul-mouthed right wing thug ... more »

Advocate for the Right Tools in Teacher Evaluation « InterACT

Advocate for the Right Tools in Teacher Evaluation « InterACT: Advocate for the Right Tools in Teacher EvaluationbyDavid B. CohenThe blog post that follows is lifted (and slightly modified) from a lengthy comment I put on the Accomplished California Teachers Ning site, which is our members-only online platform. A Los Angeles teacher asked me to elaborate on a prior comment I’d made suggesting that I think teachers need to fight against the use of value-added measures in teacher evaluation.Okay – ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts 4-11 #edreform #soschat

Will Gates Foundation ALSO Dump #ALEC owned Michelle Rhee?Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-8 minutes agoRheeFirst!: FEATURED STORYAs the test cheating scandalsheat up around the country, media attention is now increasingly focused on the issue. Viewpointsvary–from the uninformed and superficial tothose that offera deeper scrutiny on the root causes ofcheating. In other words, from the stupid to the sublime. Take your pick. Weare compilinga running list onrecentErasureGate articles. Please feel free [...]WHERE IS RHEE?ACADEMIC REPORTSFalse Choices: the economic argument ... more »

Pell Needs More Thought, Fewer Quick Fixes

Pell Needs More Thought, Fewer Quick Fixes: Pell Needs More Thought, Fewer Quick FixesbyMandy ZatynskiToday’sdiverse panelof student aid advocates and experts didn’t agree on much, but one thing was for certain: Everyone is tired of one-year fixes. The Pell Grant program needs—and deserves—a more long-term solution to its funding woes.“The whole discussion has become, each year, ‘How do we save the Pell Grant program?’ It would be nice to solve this problem so we can move on and do something ... more »

Task Force Report: Davis Pepper-Spraying Should Have Been Prevented - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento

Task Force Report: Davis Pepper-Spraying Should Have Been Prevented - Sacramento News Story - KCRA Sacramento: Task Force Report: Davis Pepper-Spraying Should Have Been PreventedPOSTED: 1:29 pm PDT April 10, 2012UPDATED: 12:38 pm PDT April 11, 2012EmailPrint1commentsSAN FRANCISCO --The University of California has released a long-awaited report on the pepper-spraying of student demonstrators by UC Davis police last fall, concluding that the incident "should and could have been prevented."Comprehensive Summary Of ReportRead Full ReportThe report also said that the use ... more »

Title I Academic Achievement Awards for 2011-12 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Title I Academic Achievement Awards for 2011-12 - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces 2011-12Title I Academic Achievement Award Schools SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today announced that 117 California public schools have been selected for the 2011-12 Title I Academic Achievement Award."The progress being made at these schools, which serve our neediest students, should serve as a beacon of hope for California. At a time of fiscal crisis and economic uncertainty, ... more »