Monday, September 17, 2012

Big Ed Ape - Morning Wink STRIKE UPDATE DAY #8 9-17 AM Posts #faircontractnow #CTUSTRIKE #soschat



BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS

Chicago Teachers Strike 2012

¡Qué Viva Horizonte! An Alternative School Were Students Move Forward - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 minutes ago
¡Qué Viva Horizonte! An Alternative School Were Students Move Forward - Lily's Blackboard | Lily's Blackboard: [image: Lily's Blackboard Rotating Header Image] ¡Qué Viva Horizonte! An Alternative School Were Students Move Forward Sep 17th, 2012 by Lily. Some of the students at the Horizonte Center in Salt Lake City have painted a mural in the front entryway. It is magnificent. *It shows the faces of teachers, principals, support staff and community leaders who love them*. My friend, Susan McFarland’s picture is there. She gets puddle-eyed to show me. She is so proud to be in that pa... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Many Faces of Cory Booker

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 minutes ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Many Faces of Cory Booker: The Many Faces of Cory Booker by Duke *Cross-posted at Blue Jersey.* Cory Booker on vouchers: As for vouchers, which give people tax money to spend in private schools, Booker said he “doesn’t care” if districts are upset. “I don’t think vouchers are the solution, but how can I tell a parent that they have to stay in a failing system,” he said. “These kids are locked in a prison. Am I supposed to tell a parent, ‘You just wait until we get this figured out?’”

School Tech Connect: Something For The Mayor's Pipe

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 minutes ago
School Tech Connect: Something For The Mayor's Pipe: And The Winner Is... by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Is there an award for Funniest Paragraph of the Year? Because I've found it. Maybe they are. Maybe the testing is a something that's better than a past nothing. But a lot hangs on these numbers. Just as they measure the presumed progress of the students, so with a little massaging do they also measure the presumed worth of the students' teachers. Do they? A lot of smart people want to think so. "Evaluations that rely in part on test scores really do identify the best tea... more »

Teamster Nation: Kochs spend $4M on Prop 32

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 30 minutes ago
Teamster Nation: Kochs spend $4M on Prop 32: Kochs spend $4M on Prop 32 If California's Prop 32 is supposed to take money out of politics, why are the Koch brothers supporting it? They're the poster boys for the corporate takeover of our democracy. Short answer: Prop 32 is about taking *union* money out of politics. That's why they call it the "Billionaires' Bill of Rights." Here are the deets: The LA Times reported, A group with ties to the conservative billionaire Koch brothers has dropped $4 million to pass a ballot measure that would severely limit the political activity of l... more »

Schools Matter: In Search of An Accountable Education Editor at the New York Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 34 minutes ago
Schools Matter: In Search of An Accountable Education Editor at the New York Times: In Search of An Accountable Education Editor at the New York Times by Jim Horn Brent Staples has long been the education editorialist at the New York Times, and his function as a rubber stamp for corporate education reform has assured his continuing tenure there. His opining never fails to parrot the Business Roundtable talking points on education, a subject for which the privatizers are the least prepared to talk about sensibly--other than ethics, of course. Staples does so in a unique patroniz... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » You can’t wish it away

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 35 minutes ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » You can’t wish it away: You can’t wish it away by alicemercer [image: Caution Sign and Arrow] Simply, I believe all children can learn. I believe low-income children of color can learn when they have great teachers who believe in them, and treat them with the same passion, enthusiasm and intellectual rigor that they would treat their own children. And I believe in the skill and will of teachers, provided they are given the opportunity to teach, learn and lead as true professionals. I

New Developments in the CUNY Attack on the QCC English Department « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 37 minutes ago
New Developments in the CUNY Attack on the QCC English Department « Student Activism: New Developments in the CUNY Attack on the QCC English Department by Angus Johnston A CUNY administrator’s threat to dismantle the Queensborough Community College English department is making waves across academic media this morning. The story, which I’ve been covering all weekend, involves a dispute over whether QCC will adopt a reduced contact-hour standard for composition classes demanded by CUNY central. When the department last week refused to cut students’ class time (and professors’ compe... more »

Modern School: Walker’s Anti-Labor Law Null and Void

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Modern School: Walker’s Anti-Labor Law Null and Void: Walker’s Anti-Labor Law Null and Void by Michael Dunn Huck/Konopacki Labor Cartoons The good news is that a Wisconsin judge has ruled Gov. Walker’s anti-labor law, Act 10, null and void, restoring collective bargaining rights to Wisconsin’s public sector workers and the right to collect dues through payroll deductions. The bad news is that even if his appeal is rejected Wisconsin’s public sector workers will be back to where they were prior to the enactment of Act 10. Key sections of Walker’s controversial anti-labor law were ru... more »

A funny kind of boss. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
A funny kind of boss. « Fred Klonsky: A funny kind of boss. by Fred Klonsky When someone in the press writes about a union leader they will inevitably refer to her as a “labor boss.” Watching Karen Lewis and CTU VP Jesse Sharkey on TV, standing before the assembled reporters at about 6:45 yesterday afternoon, I thought to myself, “what an amazing group they have proven to be.” It was clear to me that they had gone into the House of Delegates meeting with the intention of getting tentative approval of the contract they had worked on since last November. Listen. I’ve done this. You do... more »

Shanker Blog » "We Need Teachers, Not Computers"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Shanker Blog » "We Need Teachers, Not Computers": “We Need Teachers, Not Computers” by Esther Quintero I’ve been noticing for a while that a lot of articles about education technology have a similar ring to them: “Must Have Apps for K12 Educators,” “What Every Teacher Should Know About Using iPads in the Classroom,” “The Best 50 Education Technology Resources for Teachers.” You get the drift. This type of headline suggests that educators are the ones in need of schooling when it comes to technology, while the articles themselves often portray students as technology natives, natura... more »

iPads and Reforming Classroom Practice: Deja Vu? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
iPads and Reforming Classroom Practice: Deja Vu? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: iPads and Reforming Classroom Practice: Deja Vu? by larrycuban Listen to John Fontana, a journalist who blogs on such high-tech issues as digital identity, privacy and security. *iPad rollouts are significant when the school actually does something with them. My first-hand experience hasn’t been that good, I would like to hear what others have experienced. Perhaps I can use a good story or two to shake things loose at my son’s school.* *They rolled out iPads last year. They talke... more »

The Chicago Teachers Strike, Week 2 :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
The Chicago Teachers Strike, Week 2 :: Frederick M. Hess: The Chicago Teachers Strike, Week 2 *by Frederick M. Hess • Sep 17, 2012 at 8:39 am Cross-posted from Education Week* [image: Chicago Teachers Strike 2012] * * Up until Sunday, word on the street was that the Chicago strike would definitely end over the weekend. If you'd asked me on Thursday or Friday, I'd have put the likelihood that kids and teachers would be back in school today at better than 95%. (This is why I try to limit my gaming.) But the union decided not to accept the latest contract deal on Sunday night, and n... more »

Charters balk at new pre-kindergarten law

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Charters balk at new pre-kindergarten law: Charters balk at new pre-kindergarten law*September 17, 2012, 05:00 AM By Christina Hoag The Associated Press * * **[image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] * * * LOS ANGELES — A California law requires public schools to add a grade level this fall designed to give the very youngest students a boost when they enroll in kindergarten, but charter schools say the law does not apply to them, pitting them against the state Department of Education. The education department says the 2010 Kindergarten Readiness Act requiring transi... more »

What Would Diane Ravitch Say?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
What Would Diane Ravitch Say?: What Would Diane Ravitch Say? Diane Ravitch, the former assistant U.S. secretary of education, tells Miller-McCune what she thinks about No Child Left Behind now. Principal Sarah Ali, right, joins a third-grade teacher and a literacy intervention specialist to review student progress at Aspire Antonio Maria Lugo Academy in Southern California. (Melinda Burns) August 22, 2011 • By Melinda Burns • 4 Comments and 10 Reactions In their embrace of testing, Sparks Middle School, Aspire Antonio Maria Lugo Academy and Wilmington Middle School reflect the data-d... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-17-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Race to the Top or Crawl to the Bottom? by dianerav This reader sees ominous signs as his school complies with the demands of Race to the Top: *Race to the Top is diverting teacher know-how, skill, talent, passion, etc to numbers crunching and reporting. taking valuable time away from figuring out how to teach well. We are heading rapidly to where the only people who will be able to get a deep enough education to be capable of being in charge of anything in the world will be those who can go to private scho... more »

Details of Chicago teachers strike - chicagotribune.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Details of Chicago teachers strike - chicagotribune.com: Chicago teacher strike: Issues at the center of contract negotiations - [image: Email] - [image: print] - 81 - - - [image: Strike continues] Chicago School Board President David Vitale, making a brief announcement regarding his disappointment with the decision of the Chicago Teacher's Union to continue with the strike. (Nuccio DiNuzzo, Chicago Tribune / September 16, 2012) By Diane Rado, Chicago Tribune reporter September 17, 2012 As the Chicago teachers strike moves into a second school week, the pr... more »

A defense of Common Core State Standards - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
A defense of Common Core State Standards - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] A defense of Common Core State Standards By Valerie Strauss I’ve published a number of posts critical of the Common Core State Standards (here’s one and here’s another), but but below is a piece by an award-winning teacher in support of the initiative. This was written by Sara Brown Wessling, the national 2010 National Teacher of the Year and an English teacher Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa. She is also the Teacher Laureate for Teaching Channel and hosts “Teaching Cha... more »

Blended Learning, But To What End? | Taking Note

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Blended Learning, But To What End? | Taking Note: Blended Learning, But To What End? by John Merrow One high point of an interesting week was a meeting of The Philanthropy Roundtable, where a few hundred people were wrapping their heads around “Blended Learning,” the latest and most promising next new thing in education. Most in the audience were funders focused on education, and, judging from their body language and comments, most were sold on the idea. Quickly, blended learning is some mix of traditional classroom instruction (which in itself varies considerably) and instruction... more »

The Hidden Deceit Behind Ammendment 8 | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
The Hidden Deceit Behind Ammendment 8 | Scathing Purple Musings: The Hidden Deceit Behind Ammendment 8 by Bob Sikes *Pensacola News-Journal *reporter Erin Kourkournis spoke with Escambia county’s superintendent of schools about the misleadingly named Religious Freedom Amendment. Escambia County Schools Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said public schools have taken a big cut in funding in recent years, and if this amendment passes, he worries that public school districts will get less money. Escambia County Schools Superintendent Malcolm Thomas said public schools have taken a big

LAUSD: THIS AMERICAN LIE - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
LAUSD: THIS AMERICAN LIE - Perdaily.com: LAUSD: THIS AMERICAN LIE by Leonard Isenberg [image: This American Life.jpg] *(Mensaje se repite en Español) (For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post) **In listening to the This American Life show entitleBack to School, it finally dawned on me what I dislike most about the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and public school districts like it around the United States: * *Vacuous rhetoric aside, those running these failure factories have *

Milner School given to Jumoke Academy: When Does Lying Become Criminal…? - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Milner School given to Jumoke Academy: When Does Lying Become Criminal…? - Wait, What?: Milner School given to Jumoke Academy: When Does Lying Become Criminal…? by jonpelto And what if the thing you are lying about hurts the future of children. One of the issues surrounding the Chicago Teacher’s strike is Mayor Emanuel Rahm’s plan to turn a number of public schools over to charter school management companies. Governor Malloy’s administration is engaged in a similar strategy here. In August, as part of his “turnaround” strategy, Commissioner of Education, Stefan Pryor, proposed a pla... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES Matt Farmer on Up with Chris Hayes, MSNBC Sunday Karen Lewis *"Delegates just didn’t trust Chicago Public Schools not to try to slip one over on them if they called off the first CTU strike in 25 years without more study and discussion of the offer. Please write ‘trust’ in big giant letters because that’s what the problem is.’*’ -- Sun-Times Alex Kotlowitz *It’s been too easy to see this dispute as one between two *

CTA Statement of Solidarity - California Teachers Association

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
CTA Statement of Solidarity - California Teachers Association: CTA Statement of Solidarity With Striking Chicago Educators *Contact: Mike Myslinski at 650-552-5324* * * BURLINGAME – Dean E. Vogel, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association, issued this statement of solidarity today as CTA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously to support striking Chicago educators in the nation’s third-largest public school district: “California’s educators stand in solidarity with the 30,000 striking Chicago Teachers Union members and their goals. What teachers want in Chicago... more »

Standing Up for Schools and Kids | The Forum for Education and Democracy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Standing Up for Schools and Kids | The Forum for Education and Democracy: Standing Up for Schools and Kids by George Wood A couple of recent events, one on the state level and one very local, have given me hope and point out the way each and every one of us can stand up for our public schools. First, three superintendents and their school boards have decided to stand up publicly against the ill-conceived 'Third Grade Guarantee' here in Ohio. If you missed it, last spring the Ohio legislature, prompted by Governor John Kasich, decided that no child would be promoted to fourth grade... more »

Chicago Teachers Strike to Last Couple More Days, as Union Mulls Over Tentative Agreement | FDL News Desk

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Chicago Teachers Strike to Last Couple More Days, as Union Mulls Over Tentative Agreement | FDL News Desk: Chicago Teachers Strike to Last Couple More Days, as Union Mulls Over Tentative Agreement by David Dayen (photo: peoplesworld / flickr) Chicago public school students will not return to the classroom on Monday, as the Chicago Teachers Uniondecided to take more time to mull over a contract proposal. Students will not return to class until Wednesday at the earliest, according to the union. The delegates could vote to end the strike as early as Tuesday, as members want the addit... more »

Chicago mayor seeks injunction to end teachers strike | News - Home

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Chicago mayor seeks injunction to end teachers strike | News - Home: Chicago mayor seeks injunction to end teachers strikeRahm Emanuel asks city lawyers to file an injunction to immediately end the teachers strike Author: From Kyung Lah and Greg Botelho CNN Published On: Sep 16 2012 01:10:11 AM EDT Updated On: Sep 16 2012 09:10:03 PM EDT - - - - Print - Email - - - - - [image: Chicago teachers on strike 4] Kevin Myers/CNN CHICAGO (CNN) - The week-old teachers strike in Chicago's public schools will continue into the new week, after a repres... more »

School Tech Connect: Rushing A Vote

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Rushing A Vote: Rushing A Vote by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Let's not forget what happens when people are asked to vote quickly on complex documents. Popout

Students Last: The Tiniest Test Takers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Students Last: The Tiniest Test Takers: The Tiniest Test Takers by Students Last *New York City* - Pearson PLC, the world's leading learning company, announced a multi-million dollar deal with New York City's Department of Education that will allow the company to begin administering standardized tests to the city's youngest students - fetuses. Pearson-provided sonogram of fetus taking ELA exam. Sadly, test scores prove fetus is merely average.Flanked by both Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Chancellor of Education Dennis Walcott, Pearson CEO Marjorie Scardino gushed, "We couldn't be mor... more »

CTU President: We Are Still on Strike | NBC Chicago

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
CTU President: We Are Still on Strike | NBC Chicago: CTU President: We Are Still on StrikeTeachers from around the country will gather at noon on Saturday for a solidarity rally in Union Park Sunday, Sep 16, 2012 | Updated 12:11 AM CDT View Comments ( 11 ) | Email | Print [image: The Chicago Teachers Union hosted a] The Chicago Teachers Union hosted a "Solidarity Rally" in Union Park on Saturday afternoon, while officials from CTU and Chicago Public Schools hammer out the details for an agreement. Michelle Relerford reports from Union Park. PHOTOS AND VIDEOS [image: Negotiations Co... more »

Teachers For Social Justice: THE STRIKE IS STILL ON!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Teachers For Social Justice: THE STRIKE IS STILL ON!: THE STRIKE IS STILL ON! by sarah atlas It's not over yet-democracy in is action in the CTU, as the House of Delegates decides how to proceed with the tentative agreement (see below for the CTU website release on the HoD meeting today). Let's get back on those picket lines at the schools Monday morning and do other strike support as well. Watch the CTU & TSJ website for updates, and don't necessarily believe what you hear in the news! Solidarity!! *From CTU Website:* * House of Delegates to review new contract language this ... more »

Chicago Teachers Strike Continues Into New Week As Union, City Fail To Strike Deal

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Chicago Teachers Strike Continues Into New Week As Union, City Fail To Strike Deal: Chicago Teachers Strike Continues Into New Week As Union, City Fail To Strike Deal by Joy Resmovits [image: @CTULocal1 members march for "student needs, not corporate greed!] The Chicago Teachers Union delegates decided Sunday night not to accept a deal for a new contract from Chicago Public Schools and made plans to resume negotiations Tuesday, effectively prolonging the weeklong teachers strike and ensuring that school would not be in session for the city's public school students for the next tw... more »

NYC Educator: God Save Karen Lewis

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
NYC Educator: God Save Karen Lewis: God Save Karen Lewis by NYC Educator After hearing the CTU strike was nearing a resolution, I was surprised to hear that it was, in fact, going to continue for two more days. I was more surprised, though, at the rationale behind that decision. *“This union is a democratic institution, which values the opportunity for all members to make decisions together. The officers of this union follow the lead of our members,” President Lewis said.* Have you ever heard of such a thing? She's going to

College Education- Who Benefits? | educarenow

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
College Education- Who Benefits? | educarenow: College Education- Who Benefits? Posted on September 14, 2012 | Leave a comment I continue to be disappointed by the quality of questions the national media is asking around the issue of education. Latest case in point? The cover of Newsweek’s September 10 edition, which blares, *Is College a Lousy Investment? *Such a question assumes that the purpose of a college education is simply to provide an income. A college education is reduced to being a very personal choice (in that it is a choice that affects only the potential attende... more »

School Tech Connect: If You're Ready To Pounce

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
School Tech Connect: If You're Ready To Pounce: If You're Ready To Pounce by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) [image: Parents Stand With CTU (CLICK ON PICTURE)] I have now received my third text message asking me how I'm going to vote in the House of Delegates. Friends, relatives, countrymen---- I'm not even in the union. I work in Skokie. Let me say this, though. I've seen some bold advice around the blogosphere, and I'm sure that there are people ready to pounce on Karen Lewis and the delegates no matter what the outcome. I'll just say that it's one thing to have an opinion, b... more »

Democracy breaks out in Chicago. Many surprised, not having seen it before. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Democracy breaks out in Chicago. Many surprised, not having seen it before. « Fred Klonsky: Democracy breaks out in Chicago. Many surprised, not having seen it before. by Fred Klonsky *He’s an idiot.* I have negotiated many contracts. We went out on strike over one. The membership rejected one that our team brought back. I never make public judgments about what the union members anywhere decide to do about a bargained contract. Their contract. The Chicago CTU House of Delegates just voted minutes ago to take time to read the deal and vote on Tuesday.

Chicago Teachers Union | House of Delegates Votes to Continue Strike

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Chicago Teachers Union | House of Delegates Votes to Continue Strike: House of Delegates Votes to Continue Strike 09/16/2012 [image: Parents Stand With CTU (CLICK ON PICTURE)] Some 800 delegates of the Chicago Teachers Union duly elected from each school and workplace convened Sunday afternoon to discuss the framework established during negotiations between the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Board of Education. Officers presented a 23-page document outlining the most important points of the agreement whose outline has been worked out between the two parties. That tentativ... more »

Schools Matter: Rothstein Considers the First Teacher Strike Against Corporate Education Reform's Notion of Accountability

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Schools Matter: Rothstein Considers the First Teacher Strike Against Corporate Education Reform's Notion of Accountability: Rothstein Considers the First Teacher Strike Against Corporate Education Reform's Notion of Accountability by Jim Horn From Economic Policy Institute by Richard Rothstein: Teacher accountability and the Chicago teachers strike Posted September 14, 2012 at 9:56 am by RICHARD ROTHSTEIN It was bound to happen, whether in Chicago or elsewhere. What is surprising about the Chicago teachers’ strike is that something like this did not happen sooner. The strike represe... more »

Louisiana Educator: Follow Up on Choice Course Program

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Follow Up on Choice Course Program: Follow Up on Choice Course Program by Michael Deshotels Dear Ms Dastugue and BESE Members: I have received the responses to my questions to BESE about choice course regulations. It is my understanding that President Dastugue directed Ms Pozniak (BESE Executive Director) to answer my questions according to BESE policy as it will be applied to choice courses for the 2013-14 school year. I was disappointed by the lack of substance and accountability of BESE policy on choice courses as interpreted by Ms Pozniak in her answers to t... more »

Not So Hot for Teacher - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Not So Hot for Teacher - NYTimes.com: Not So Hot for Teacher Illustration by Tom Gauld By ELIZABETH ALSOPPublished: September 14, 2012 Comment In his State of the Union address in 2011, President Obama made a point of applauding the nation’s teachers and exhorted Americans to do the same. “In South Korea,” Obama reminded us, “teachers are known as ‘nation builders.’ . . . It’s time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect.” Readers’ Comments Share your thoughts. - Post a Comment » Out in TV land, however, we’ve been receiving a different me... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Arne Duncan's Vision of Community Schools Realized? Dinner Now Served at Schools.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Arne Duncan's Vision of Community Schools Realized? Dinner Now Served at Schools.: Arne Duncan's Vision of Community Schools Realized? Dinner Now Served at Schools. by stlgretchen Parents don't have to figure out dinner menus. What a deal. What are food stamps for?....one reader asks in this Ann Althouse blog *Who Gets Free School Dinner in Madison Wisconsin:* "Unlike the lunch program, eligibility for a free dinner is based on whether the school qualifies for the program based on school poverty rates, rather than the income level of an individual st... more »

British journalist: Chicago teachers’ strike touches on far-reaching issues | The Raw Story

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
British journalist: Chicago teachers’ strike touches on far-reaching issues | The Raw Story: British journalist: Chicago teachers’ strike touches on far-reaching issues By Arturo Garcia Sunday, September 16, 2012 15:39 EDT [image: Gary Younge screenshot 091612 (2)] Topics: british journalist ♦ chicago public schools ♦ Chicago teachers As Chicago teachers prepared to vote on a tentative agreement to end their weeklong strike, a British journalist appearing on *Up With Chris Hayes* Sunday said the issues at hand — not only teachers’ pay but evaluation standards, working conditions ... more »

There Is No Going Back - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
There Is No Going Back - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators: Looking Ahead There Is No Going Back I spent time this weekend visiting a place that has been very significant to me, especially over the last year. I did it to come to terms with the fact that I can’t go ba­ck. I know they say you can’t go home again. But I found I could go home again when I returned to Massachusetts in the early two-thousands. So I thought I could apply this here. I was wrong. This visit, my best friend was no longer available to me. T... more »

All Eyes On Chicago « Raginghorseblog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
All Eyes On Chicago « Raginghorseblog: All Eyes On ChicagoSeptember 16, 2012 In early July of 1892 an event took place in the industrial town of Homestead, Pennsylvania that would define labor and management relations across the United States for decades to come. A violent and bloody battle between Andrew Carnegie’s Homestead Steel Works and the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers (an early incarnation of the United Steel Workers), the Homestead Strike of 1892 was a demarcation, a line in the sand, and a tragedy for the American labor movement. Orchestrated by Hen... more »

How reformers (unfortunately) get captivated by experimental technology - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
How reformers (unfortunately) get captivated by experimental technology - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] How reformers (unfortunately) get captivated by experimental technology By Valerie Strauss Because teacher evaluation is such an important part of school reform and at the center of the Chicago teachers strike, I have published several pieces on the issue in the last week, here and her e and here. Below is a new historical look on the subject. It was written by Jack Schneider and Ethan Hutt. Schneider is an assistant professor of education at the ... more »

Democurmudgeon: Charter and Voucher school success Measured by Enrollment, not Grades!!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Democurmudgeon: Charter and Voucher school success Measured by Enrollment, not Grades!!: Charter and Voucher school success Measured by Enrollment, not Grades!! by Democurmudgeon Almost all the media coverage surrounding charter schools, oddly steers clear of their successes and failures, and focuses mostly on their increased enrollment. And it’s always deceptively packaged it as an educational “sign of success.” Make it your own test as well, when you read articles about charter and voucher schools. A perfect example made its way into Education Week recently. Look for any ment... more »

UPDATE: Diane in the Afternoon 9-15-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Correction: Chicago Teacher Salary Average Is $74,000 by dianerav It became commonplace in he media to say over and over that the average salary for Chicago teachers is $71,000-$76,000. I heard this and didn’t question it. I didn’t think it was inappropriate or extravagant as compensation for a Who Are the Members of Florida’s Board of Education? by dianerav This blogger wondered who was appointed to the Florida state board. This is a powerful board that selects the state commissioner of education and sets policy for the children, teachers, and schools of th... more »

msnbc tv: Teaching conditions on the line in Chicago strikes

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
msnbc tv: Teaching conditions on the line in Chicago strikes: Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Privateers and Public Education: They Want the Money | Firedoglake

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Privateers and Public Education: They Want the Money | Firedoglake: Privateers and Public Education: They Want the Money by Glenn W. Smith Message scrawled on temp classroom, Pershing Jr. High It’s not hard to pierce the rotten veil of today’s so-called public education reformers. Some corporate hacks see all that money spent on public education and, as is their habit, they set out to get it. First, they embarrass teachers and schools with ridiculous, destructive high-stakes tests and rigged “accountability” measures. Second, create an awkward, exploitative alliance with home-schoole... more »

Short Notes: Educator’s Rights Tied To Women’s Rights, Again | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Short Notes: Educator’s Rights Tied To Women’s Rights, Again | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: Educator’s Rights Tied To Women’s Rights, Again by Jose Bill Clinton: Don’t Hate, Calculate A few notes: - Erin Gloria Ryan shows three stupid ways to discuss the Chicago Teachers’ Strike. [Jezebel] - The support / disapproval of the strike seem to lie across racial lines. If you’re surprised, read this. [The American Prospect via Alexander Russo] - Remember when the terms “liberal” and “progressive” were synonymous? These five prove the shift. [Truth Out] - Fathers... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Board meeting agenda for 9/19/12

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: School Board meeting agenda for 9/19/12: School Board meeting agenda for 9/19/12 by Charlie Mas Here's the agenda for the Seattle School Board Meeting of September 19, 2012. Not every meeting has a theme, but this one features some interesting timing decisions. Or perhaps the theme is evading public discussion. The *public testimony* is still scheduled for 5:00pm. The Board knows that having the testimony at this time creates a barrier to participation by working people. Perhaps that's the intent. *The proclamation for Cheryl Chow* is presented ... more »

The Weekly Update: The Chicago teachers strike and where it all began | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
The Weekly Update: The Chicago teachers strike and where it all began | Seattle Education: The Weekly Update: The Chicago teachers strike and where it all began by seattleducation2011 *The Weekly Update for the news and views you might have missed.* Words can’t begin to express my gratitude for this. I’m a very proud middle school reading teacher in CPS. I strike not by choice as the mayor has stated but on principle. You have clearly articulated why I am on the picket. My students deserve better. We bailed out the banks while allowing public schools to fail. I stand up for public ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Steve Perry Strikes Again

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Reformy Steve Perry Strikes Again: Reformy Steve Perry Strikes Again by Duke Dear lord: He's not an educator; he's "delivering a product," like a used car salesman. So he says you should pay teachers what they're worth, but then immediately says you should pay them "what you can afford to pay." You know, like a car: "Hey, I'll take that Lamborghini! I can afford to pay $500 for it, OK?" Does this man really think the world works this way? Reformy Steve says he can only make as much, in his capacity as a principal, as the community can afford to pay him. But he m... more »

NYC Public School Parents: The underlying issues in the Chicago teacher strike according to Julie Cavanagh and Matt Farmer

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: The underlying issues in the Chicago teacher strike according to Julie Cavanagh and Matt Farmer: The underlying issues in the Chicago teacher strike according to Julie Cavanagh and Matt Farmer See video excerpts from "Up with Chris" this morning, MSNBC's show on the Chicago teacher strike. Here are NYC teacher Julie Cavanagh and Chicago parent Matt Farmer talking about how this is a "defining moment" in the fight against privatization and corporate education reform, and how the Chicago struggle is really about whether poverty and the highly inequitable ... more »

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky: The Sunday Mail. by Fred Klonsky *Students at Chicago’s Benito Juarez High School supporting the teachers’ strike. Photo: Nate Gunderson* *John Dillon’s pension vocabulary.* Structural revenue problems. *Politicians in Illinois are proud of repeating their “new reality” mantra – “we are not going to kick the can down the road anymore,” in actuality, as long as a structural revenue problem exists – that’s all they we ever be able to do.* *MSNBC’s Up with Chris Hayes* covers the strike issues. *Alex Kotlowitz on Chicago.* *“One teacher told me last w... more »

Modern School: Chicago Teachers, Just Say No

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Modern School: Chicago Teachers, Just Say No: Chicago Teachers, Just Say No by Michael Dunn The Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) and Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are were very near a deal by the end of last week. Last minute negotiating today, it is hoped, will lead to a compromise that both sides can accept, allowing teachers and students back in the classroom by Monday. The 800 members of the CTU House of Delegates would have to approve the contract and then teachers would have to ratify it. The details of the proposal have not yet been made public, but speculation by the mainstre... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week Two 2012

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week Two 2012: Week Two 2012 by alicemercer [image: Two of Arts - 2000 Visual Mashups] [image: :-)] I’m doing good. My class, while not perfect, has many positive attributes, and I like the kids even when they cause me to raise my eyebrows at the sort of behavior that one can expect from 11 year olds as hormones overtake all good sense and control. What did we do? We didn’t take pictures, I didn’t take pictures. I’m sorry I will do better next week, when I start having some of my kids who have gotten permission, to take pictures of our le... more »

Schools Matter: Molly Meacham, English Teacher: "How A Political Poem Was Bullied Out of Me"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Schools Matter: Molly Meacham, English Teacher: "How A Political Poem Was Bullied Out of Me": Molly Meacham, English Teacher: "How A Political Poem Was Bullied Out of Me" by Jim Horn ht to Susan Harman: PopoutHow A Political Poem Was Bullied Out of Me from Molly Meacham on Vimeo .

At Rally, Chicago Teachers Union President Invites City Hall to Turn Off Air-Conditioning | The Dissenter

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
At Rally, Chicago Teachers Union President Invites City Hall to Turn Off Air-Conditioning | The Dissenter: At Rally, Chicago Teachers Union President Invites City Hall to Turn Off Air-Conditioning by Kevin Gosztola CTU President Karen Lewis at solidarity rally on September 15 In Union Park in Chicago thousands of educators and supporters of the Chicago Teachers Union gathered for a solidarity rally. People from out-of-state, like Minnesota and Wisconsin, were there to show support. After a two-hour rally, everyone marched to Garfield Park. There were students, parents and representa... more »

Daily Kos: Is Poverty Destiny?: Ideology v. Evidence in Education Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Daily Kos: Is Poverty Destiny?: Ideology v. Evidence in Education Reform: Is Poverty Destiny?: Ideology v. Evidence in Education Reform byplthomasEdDFollow In the spirit of his *Education Week* blog, Living in Dialogue, science educator and activist Anthony Cody entered into a five-part exchange with the Gates Foundation (GF) about education reform. These point-counterpoint posts serve well to illustrate the essential difference between Social Context Reformers, represented by Cody, and "No Excuses" Reformers, represented by the GF: “No Excuses” Reformers insist that the source of... more »

Teacher Bashing: The Inequality Psychology | OurFuture.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Teacher Bashing: The Inequality Psychology | OurFuture.org: Teacher Bashing: The Inequality Psychology by Sam Pizzigati *In any society where wealth and income concentrate overwhelmingly at the top, the affluent will almost always come to sneer at public services and the men and women who provide them. In Chicago, those men and women have pushed back.* Last year state lawmakers in Illinois did their best to make a Chicago teacher strike impossible. They passed a new law that required at least 75 percent of the city’s teachers to okay any walkout in advance. How did Chicago teacher... more »





Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 

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