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Saturday, May 18, 2013

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-18-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch





How Corporate Reform Discourages Prospective Teachers

I have heard repeatedly in the past few years that teachers don’t want student teachers in their classrooms. The teachers are so focused on raising test scores that they can’t take the time to mentor the younger generation, and they are afraid to lose ground if they let a student teacher try a practice class. Consequently, the opportunities for the would-be teachers to get student teaching experience are closing up. This is not a problem for Teach for America, whose recruits get five weeks of training, but it is a huge problem for those planning a career as an educator and eager to get classroom experience before they enter into the profession.
This comment from a reader confirms the stories:
I am currently enrolled in a MAT program in Chicago, and I have been following your blog closely for quite a few 


The Flea, the Grasshopper, and the Frog: A Reformy Tale

Our first reform fairy tale was Chicken Little. This one is the story of the Flea, the Grasshopper, and the Leap-Frog, who were invited by the King to pass a test to win the Princess.
It is with humor, satire, and fairy tales that we unmask the foolishness that dares call itself “reform.”

Ed Berger: How to Defend Our Public Schools

In this post, Ed Berger explains the collaboration among stakeholders that is needed to defend our community public schools from marauders and vandals. He identifies the vandals.
The vandals all have the same goal: Destroy public schools. They call it “reform,” and anyone who stands up to

How CPS Lies About School Closings

WBEZ, the NPR station in Chicago has been doing outstanding investigative reporting on the Chicago Public Schools. The reporters, Becky Vevea and Linda Lutton, dig for facts and do their own analysis instead of reporting the press releases from CPS.
In this story, they do a fact-check on the city’s plan to close dozens of public schools.
The facts and the claims don’t coincide.
Wouldn’t it be great if every city had investigative journalists like them?

UTLA Member to Leadership: Let’s Support Monica NOW!

Hi David,
Thanks again for writing.
I heard and understood what you already told me in e-mails. Is there something new to tell me on the phone?
So, there was no quorum at that HOR [House of Representatives] meeting in March. Why wasn’t another meeting scheduled, and the delegates notified regarding how essential their attendance at it was?
Yes, at this point it is too late to call another HOR meeting, but even if officially the endorsement cannot be changed, you (collectively, UTLA leadership) should be doing everything possible to notify membership (even though not an official endorsement change) regarding how essential it is that everyone work for the election of 

Students Last: Pearson Product Placement No Error

Students and teachers complained about the commercial brands that were represented in the recent Pearson tests for the a Common Core testing in New York State.
According to the authoritative satirical blogger Students Last, this was no error. This is now state policy and a clever way to raise new funding.
Why not sell naming rights to our schools while we are at it?

Karen Lewis Wins Re-election as President of CTU

Karen Lewis won re-election as president of CTU with about 80% of the votes.
Lewis led the city’s first teachers’ strike in 25 years last fall.
She has been leading the battle against Mayor Emanuel’s mass school closings, the largest in American history.

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-17-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] PBS in Houston: Watch the Faces of the Students by dianerav A reader from Houston suggests that we watch the PBS documentary on Houston’s Apollo program and watch the faces of the students: He writes: To see how many kids react to an overemphasis on testing, watch Dropout Nation. PBS Frontline’s Dropout Nation series featured HISD and its Apollo Program in its September broadcast. While there are some good Rothstein: Advice to Future Teachers by dianerav Ri... more »