Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, November 9, 2015

Teach Strong: More of the Same, But with a Game Board | deutsch29

Teach Strong: More of the Same, But with a Game Board | deutsch29:

Teach Strong: More of the Same, But with a Game Board

A group of 40 organizations, including many that are chiefly test-score-driven, corporate-reform- bent, is launching an effort to prompt the 2016 presidential contenders who are saying little about educational issues (as though they all met together and agreed, “Let’s just not talk much at all about American public education”) to agree to a nine-point plan to supposedly improve the teaching profession.
The campaign is called Teach Strong (#teachstrong) and is led by Center for American Progress (CAP). Amazingly, the teacher temp agency, Teach for America (TFA), is also in on this nine-point push, even though TFA president Elisa Villanueva Beard told Washington Post that TFA has no plans to modify its instant-oatmeal, five-week “great, very rigorous pretraining” of its turnstile teachers.
This coalition is a real corporate reform nest (e.g., Education Trust, Council of Chief State School Officers, National Council on Teacher Quality, Relay Graduate School of Education, The New Teacher Project, Education Post) plus education groups that have origins outside of corporate reform but who want (ahem) “a seat at the table” bad enough to go along with corporate reform, including both national teachers unions. (Click image to enlarge):
teachstrong
So, what is focus of the Teach Strong campaign? Why, its that same global competitiveness that gave us untested Common Core, but instead of focusing on Teach Strong: More of the Same, But with a Game Board | deutsch29:

Hillary Clinton’s Charter School Problem | gadflyonthewallblog

Hillary Clinton’s Charter School Problem | gadflyonthewallblog:

Hillary Clinton’s Charter School Problem

hillary




Good news! Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton just admitted there are significant problems with the nation’s charter schools!
Bad news! She has no interest in solving them! In fact, she thinks charters are just great.
Here’s Clinton criticizing charter schools:
Most charter schools — I don’t want to say every one — but most charter schools, they don’t take the hardest-to-teach kids, or, if they do, they don’t keep them. And so the public schools are often in a no-win situation, because they do, thankfully, take everybody, and then they don’t get the resources or the help and support that they need to be able to take care of every child’s education.
And all over the country, teachers, parents and students rejoice. Someone actually notices our problem!
Charter school scandals seem to hit the paper with the regularity of a grandfather clock. Charters cut student services and boost overhead to produce profit. Chartersrack up debt and then sell it for a profit. Charters fudge the paperwork so they get Hillary Clinton’s Charter School Problem | gadflyonthewallblog:

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: How Will Your Students Remember You?

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: How Will Your Students Remember You?:

How Will Your Students Remember You?





I have taught for 30+ years, and over the years, I have connected with former students.

On the street, their jobs, emails, and visits. Last year, 3 siblings surprised me with a visit. I had each of them in my classroom. One had graduated from college and was working in D.C, one was in college, and one had just graduated from high school.They not only thanked me, but they talked to my students, gave them some of their wisdom and let them know how fortunate they were to have me.:) A student from one of my 3rd grade classes in the 80's, found me on Facebook, and remembered her experience in my classroom.

Hearing about the impact I have had on their lives makes me proud. Proud as in "I am so happy that I have made a difference", not "look what I've done."

Presently, I work with one of my former 5th grade students, she is a para in my classroom.She told my husband that I was good, because I was the only teacher she still remembered.

Here are some things I have done over the last thirty years that I believe has affected the relationship I had with my students.

I was not mean.
This does not mean I never raised my voice, or laid them out. It doesn't mean that I never let loose with sarcasm,(I have really become a lot better at controlling this!). It means what it saysDIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: How Will Your Students Remember You?:

Houston Board Candidates Respond to their Teacher Evaluation System | VAMboozled!

Houston Board Candidates Respond to their Teacher Evaluation System | VAMboozled!:

Houston Board Candidates Respond to their Teacher Evaluation System

VAMboozled!




For a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, the newspaper sent 12 current candidates for the Houston Independent School District (HISD) School Board a series of questions about HISD, to which seven candidates responded. The seven candidates’ responses are of specific interest here in that HISD is the district well-known for attaching more higher-stakes consequences to value-added output (e.g., teacher termination) than others (see for example herehere, and here). The seven candidates’ responses are of general interest in that the district uses the popular and (in)famous Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) for said purposes (see also herehere, and here). Accordingly, what these seven candidates have to say about the EVAAS and/or HISD’s teacher evaluation system might also be a sign of things to come, perhaps for the better, throughout HISD.
The questions are: (1) Do you support HISD’s current teacher evaluation system, which includes student test scores? Why or why not? What, if any, changes would you make? And (2) Do you support HISD’s current bonus system based on student test scores? Why or why not? What, if any, changes would you make? To see candidate names, their background information, their responses to other questions, etc. please read in full the article in the Houston Chronicle.
Here are the seven candidates’ responses to question #1:
  • I do not support the current teacher evaluation system. Teacher’s performance should not rely on the current formula using the evaluation system with the amount of weight placed on student test scores. Too many obstacles outside the classroom affect student learning today that are unfair in this system. Other means of support such as a community school model must be put in place to support the whole Houston Board Candidates Respond to their Teacher Evaluation System | VAMboozled!:

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/9/15



CORPORATE ED REFORM





State lets Cash revamp five schools without union OK - City & Region - The Buffalo News
State lets Cash revamp five schools without union OK - City & Region - The Buffalo News: State lets Cash revamp five schools without union OKIn one of her most significant actions as state education commissioner, MaryEllen Elia has granted Buffalo Superintendent Kriner Cash unprecedented power to make changes at the district’s most struggling schools without negotiating them with the teachers
Search firm creates the profile for LAUSD's next superintendent - LA School Report
Search firm creates the profile for LAUSD's next superintendent - LA School Report: Search firm creates the profile for LAUSD's next superintendent It doesn’t matter if the next superintendent is a he or she, but it does matter if the he or she is bilingual. The person should be good at communicating and love Los Angeles. And, the candidate should have been a teacher at one point in his or her car
CURMUDGUCATION: Let's Play Teacher
CURMUDGUCATION: Let's Play Teacher: Let's Play TeacherNo other profession sees anything quite like it.Sure, we occasionally see stories about a guy who declares himself a doctor and sets up a practice with no real qualifications. Or a person who just opens a law office without benefit of a legal degree. Or a person who finds ordination documents on line and declares himself a preacher.We have name
What Did Hillary Clinton Really Mean on Charter Schools? - Politics K-12 - Education Week
What Did Hillary Clinton Really Mean on Charter Schools? - Politics K-12 - Education Week: What Did Hillary Clinton Really Mean on Charter Schools?So as I'm sure you've read by now, over the weekend Hillary Clinton, a longtime charter fan, had some tough words for charters, specifically when it comes to equity.And that sent the Internet into a bit of a tizzy as folks tried to parse her words and f
Testing, Charters and Strikes, oh my! Video of panel with Jesse Hagopian, Wayne Au and Dora Taylor | Seattle Education
Testing, Charters and Strikes, oh my! Video of panel with Jesse Hagopian, Wayne Au and Dora Taylor | Seattle Education: Testing, Charters and Strikes, oh my! Video of panel with Jesse Hagopian, Wayne Au and Dora TaylorOn October 17 of this year, Jesse, Wayne and I spoke on a panel at the annual Northwest Teaching for Social Justice Conference sponsored by Rethinking Schools about the testing opt o
Boston Charter Schools - Mayor Marty Walsh Reverses Position on 'School Reform'
Boston Charter Schools - Mayor Marty Walsh Reverses Position on 'School Reform': Boston's Mayor Goes Full Scott Walker on Charter SchoolsMayor Marty Walsh has broken up with Candidate Marty Walsh.C'mon, Marty Walsh. This is not acceptable.The ever-essential Diane Ravitch catches Walsh in the middle of performing what we like to refer to around the shebeen as a "full Scott Walker"—namely,
Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Vote of No Confidence in Nyland Coming?
Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Vote of No Confidence in Nyland Coming?: A Vote of No Confidence in Nyland Coming?I haven't raised this idea but others have. My analysis of the situation is below but here's what made me a "vote of no-confidence" believer; it's a quote from a story that KIRO radio did about the State of the District speech.He also defended his salary. "My raise is
Anatomy of a School Board Election: When Big Money Wins, Kids Lose | Kaplan for Kids
Anatomy of a School Board Election: When Big Money Wins, Kids Lose | Kaplan for Kids: Anatomy of a School Board Election: When Big Money Wins, Kids Lose“Reformers” in Denver are claiming victory, and to some extent they should.  They have been successful in buying a 7-0 school board.  Following is the story of how the last seat was purchased on November 3 and how the big money was able to hold on
American Education Week to Celebrate the Nation's Public Schools and Educators - NEA Today
American Education Week to Celebrate the Nation's Public Schools and Educators - NEA Today: American Education Week to Celebrate the Nation’s Public Schools and EducatorsNovember 16-20 marks the National Education Association’s 94th annual celebration of American Education Week. The AEW festivities will honor the team of people who work in the nation’s public schools, everyone from the bus driver
WTU contract negotiations team - Written by Candi Peterson, WTU General Vice President
The Washington Teacher: Candi PetersonEducation blogger & activistWritten by Candi Peterson, WTU General Vice PresidentStatements or expressions of opinions herein 'do not' represent the views or official positions of DCPS, AFT, Washington Teachers' Union (WTU) or its members. Views are my own. For the record, I am not a member of the WTU contract negotiations team. Like you are, I am an elect
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's hidden corruption tax
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's hidden corruption tax: Rahm's hidden corruption taxAs Rahm Emanuel is about to hit city residents with the biggest property tax increase in history, there's another hidden tax we already pay. It's one Rahm never mentioned in recent budget hearings. I  call it the corruption tax, and it's a big one. According to a recent study, everyone in this state pays an an
Xavier University's Way to Keep Higher Ed from Becoming the Next Victim of Corporate Ed Reform | John Thompson
Xavier University's Way to Keep Higher Ed from Becoming the Next Victim of Corporate Ed Reform | John Thompson: Xavier University's Way to Keep Higher Ed from Becoming the Next Victim of Corporate Ed ReformAs Kwame Anthony Appiah reminds us, universities advance great science, literary culture, and the educated citizenry necessary for a democracy, and they do so by bringing a diverse set of confli
Selling the Common Core - Bill and Melinda Gates' Audacious Plan to Control Public Education   - Wait What?
Selling the Common Core - Bill and Melinda Gates' Audacious Plan to Control Public Education   - Wait What?: Selling the Common Core – Bill and Melinda Gates’ Audacious Plan to Control Public Education  “If you don’t want a man unhappy politically, don’t give him two sides to a question to worry him; give him one. Better yet, give him none…Cram them full of noncombustible data, chock them so damne
Shrinking Possible | EduShyster
Shrinking Possible | EduShyster: Shrinking PossibleHow did the vision of what’s possible get so small?While this Tweet from former school chancellor Joel Klein refers to NYC, he could mean any number of cities where pitched battles over charter schools have raised a complicated question:  Who exactly is a progressive when it comes to education?Fierce fightTake Boston, a city embroiled in a fierce
What’s Innovative about Charter Schools?
What’s Innovative about Charter Schools?: What’s Innovative about Charter Schools?What is innovative about charter schools? What do they do that is so unique it has provided traditional public schools with new methods of working with students? I often hear politicians and charter advocates praising charter schools for what they can give public schools in the way of new ideas. I am wondering what i
As School Meals Have Gotten Healthier, 1.4 Million Students Drop Out of School Lunch Program
As School Meals Have Gotten Healthier, 1.4 Million Students Drop Out of School Lunch Program: As School Meals Have Gotten Healthier, 1.4 Million Students Drop Out of School Lunch ProgramMichelle Obama’s healthy school meal standards have scored not too tasty.Over a span of three school years, 1.4 million children dropped out of the National School Lunch Program, reports the Government Accountabili
Congress Ought to Do Something Radical, Take ESEA Back to Its Original Purpose: Equity | janresseger
Congress Ought to Do Something Radical, Take ESEA Back to Its Original Purpose: Equity | janresseger: Congress Ought to Do Something Radical, Take ESEA Back to Its Original Purpose: EquityIn a news blast last week, the Education Law Center challenged Congress to “compel states to fund schools fairly” in any legislation it might pass to reauthorize the federal education law that we currently call N
“Edu-speak” is a disease that undermines efforts to improve U.S. schools - The Hechinger Report
“Edu-speak” is a disease that undermines efforts to improve U.S. schools - The Hechinger Report: “Edu-speak” is a disease that undermines efforts to improve U.S. schoolsTime to take a stand against confusing acronyms and overused jargon in education.I was taking notes during one of those tedious but important school board meetings rookie reporters are assigned to cover when I realized I had no ide
Where have all the teachers gone? By Jean Jaykus and AnneMarie Surfaro-Boehme - Wait What?
Where have all the teachers gone? By Jean Jaykus and AnneMarie Surfaro-Boehme - Wait What?: Where have all the teachers gone? By Jean Jaykus and AnneMarie Surfaro-BoehmeJean Jaykus and AnneMarie Surfaro-Boehme are both educators, Teacher of the Year awardees in Ridgefield and both won Connecticut Celebration of Excellence Awards. Their recent commentary piece entitled, “Where have all the teachers
With A Brooklyn Accent: An Oral History Inteview with the Bronx African American History Project With Lessons for Today
With A Brooklyn Accent: An Oral History Inteview with the Bronx African American History Project With Lessons for Today: An Oral History Inteview with the Bronx African American History Project With Lessons for TodayYesterday, we resumed interviewing for the Bronx African American History Project by bringing in Mario Sprouse, a musician, composer, arranger, educator and musical director who grew u
Walton Foundation sustains local funding for Teach For America with new grant - LA Times
Walton Foundation sustains local funding for Teach For America with new grant - LA Times: Walton foundation sustains local funding for Teach For America with new grante Walton Family Foundation, a major education funder in Los Angeles, has announced a $50-million grant to Teach For America that will support the organization’s work in Southern California as well as across the nation.Teach For Ameri
Education Policy Q&A with teachers in Las Vegas ( and @BernieSanders ) | Cloaking Inequity
Education Policy Q&A with teachers in Las Vegas ( and @BernieSanders ) | Cloaking Inequity: Education Policy Q&A with teachers in Las Vegas ( and @BernieSanders )I was recently honored to discuss Teach For America, Vouchers, Charters at a Leading Educators Activating a Difference (LEAD) caucus convening in Nevada. I enjoyed joining the educators in Las Vegas to engage in powerful discussio
L.A. Board of Education will weigh Broad charter-expansion plan - LA Times
L.A. Board of Education will weigh Broad charter-expansion plan - LA Times: L.A. Board of Education will weigh Broad charter-expansion planMembers of the Los Angeles Board of Education will be under pressure to take a position on a controversial plan to expand local charter schools because of a resolution being introduced at its meeting this week.The measure, sponsored by board member Scott Schmer
Teacher’s Rant On Why She Quit Goes Viral As Thousands Relate To The ‘Demanding’ Job - Yahoo News
Teacher’s Rant On Why She Quit Goes Viral As Thousands Relate To The ‘Demanding’ Job - Yahoo News: Teacher’s Rant On Why She Quit Goes Viral As Thousands Relate To The ‘Demanding’ JobA woman who wrote a lengthy rant about why she quit teaching has seen the note go viral after it struck a chord with hundreds of thousands of other teachers.A woman who wrote a lengthy rant about why she quit teaching
College Professors Begin Revolt Against Common Core
College Professors Begin Revolt Against Common Core: College Professors Begin Revolt Against Common CoreIn Kentucky, the first state to adopt Common Core, college professors are protesting that it means teaching woefully unprepared students. A newly elected Matt Bevin will be receptive.It’s been obvious from the beginning of the Common Core scheme that one of many weak links in the enterprise was
Recess Is Not a Privilege | Laura Hanby Hudgens
Recess Is Not a Privilege | Laura Hanby Hudgens: Recess Is Not a PrivilegeI am a high school teacher, and if there is one thing I know about education it is that modern education is steeped in research and data. Teachers collect and examine data in formative assessments (checking to see if students are learning as we go) and summative assessments (checking to see if student learning is complete).
Behind The Shortage Of Special Ed Teachers: Long Hours, Crushing Paperwork : NPR Ed : NPR
Behind The Shortage Of Special Ed Teachers: Long Hours, Crushing Paperwork : NPR Ed : NPR: Behind The Shortage Of Special Ed Teachers: Long Hours, Crushing PaperworkThere is a letter that school districts really don't like sending home to parents of special education students. Each state has a different version, but they begin with something like this:"Dear Parent, as of the date of this lett
Is it time to update NAEP? - The Hechinger Report
Is it time to update NAEP? - The Hechinger Report: Is it time to update NAEP?Common Core classrooms shift away from what the nation's report card measures the most recent nationwide U.S. math test, known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress or NAEP, an eighth grader might have been asked a question about stem-and-leaf plots (see the sample question in the graphic on this page or here
L.A. schools swapped 'zero tolerance' for 'restorative justice.' Is it working? - CSMonitor.com
L.A. schools swapped 'zero tolerance' for 'restorative justice.' Is it working? - CSMonitor.com: L.A. schools swapped 'zero tolerance' for 'restorative justice.' Is it working?Staff applaud the goals of 'restorative justice,' a community-minded alternative to schools' 'zero tolerance' policies, which have not proven to be effective, but they add that more training and resources are needed.San Anto

YESTERDAY

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/8/15
CORPORATE ED REFORMTime to end standardized testing mania by Joseph A. Ricciotti - Wait What?Time to end standardized testing mania by Joseph A. Ricciotti - Wait What?: Time to end standardized testing mania by Joseph A. RicciottiJoseph A. Ricciotti is a retired education and fellow public education advocate and commentator.  His latest article, Time to end standardized testing mania first appeare