Wednesday, May 8, 2013

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-8-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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

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Voucher Decision a Blow to Jindal 2016 Campaign

Good article in the Washington Post about the major decision by Louisiana’s top court to strike down funding of vouchers with public school dollars.
More than 700,000 students in the state, only 8,000 have vouchers. Many vouchers used in schools that resolutely refuse to teach modern science, math, or history. Funny place for Jindal to stake his claim. He is determined to find the money some other way, though he would surely prefer to carve it out of the public school 


Charter Appreciation Week and Teacher Appreciation Week

By some strange coincidence, Teacher Appreciation Week coincides with National Charter School Week.
Bear in mind that almost 90% of charters are non-union, that charters may fire teachers at will, that charter teachers do not have tenure, that many charters are known for high teacher turnover due to the stress of longer school days, and that many do not hire certified teachers. In some states, lie Ohio, charter teachers earn half as much as public school teachers, because the charter teachers are typically younger and less experienced.
Just thinking about that when I read President Obama’s proclamation.

Paul Thomas: Now Is the Time for Non-Cooperation

Paul Thomas reacts here to Randi Weingarten’s call for a one-year moratorium on high-stakes testing associated with the Common Core and to Jennifer Jennings’ apology to Secretary Duncan for being booed at AERA.
He warns that moderation and civility are not appropriate responses to extreme conditions.

Texas: The Surefire Plan to Destroy Public Education

You think it can’t happen here?
You think your state is immune?
Read about the war on public education in Texas and think again.
Some part of this radical agenda is being promoted in almost every state.
Yours too.
This comment was written by Bonnie Lesley of “Texas Kids Can’t Wait”:
“I worry a lot whether public schools will continue to exist in some states. Our organization, Texas Kids Cant

John Merrow’s Investigation of Michelle Rhee

John Merrow deserves enormous praise for his dogged investigative journalism in pursuing the allegations if widespread cheating in the DC public schools during the tenure of Michelle Rhee.
Perhaps even more impressive is that he recognized his own error in his past coverage, which had presented Rhee in a heroic light. Merrow, by his account, ran a dozen segments on Rhee, which were very positive. It was only towards the end of his last story that he began to dig deeper, especially after he heard the story of Adell 

Anthony Cody: Will a Moratorium Save Common Core?

In one of his characteristically thoughtful and provocative essays, Anthony Cody ponders Randi Weingarten’s call for a one-year moratorium on the high stakes associated with Common Core testing. Randi praised the Common Core standards lavishly but warned that they would fail if high stakes are attached to them before teachers and students are prepared to master them.
Cody does not agree. He maintains that the Common Core testing will have even higher stakes than NCLB. Not only will there be more testing, but teachers and principals will be fired, schools will close, communities will be 

Diane in the Evening 5-7-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | #thankateacher

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: *#thankateacher* Teachers: You Must Not Internalize the Blame by dianerav This teacher realized that she could not be free to think for herself until she stopped internalizing and accepting the reproaches of the corporate reformers. She was free when she realized that her training and experience as an educator mattered. She was free when she realized that when she did not attain perfection every day, it was not her fault. She wrote: “Can’t speak for everyone, but the way it worked for me was this way… initially... more »