Re-Visiting Ivan Illich: Deschooling Society
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"(L)earning is the human activity which least needs manipulation by others.
Most learning is not the result of instruction. It is rather the result of
u...
AI, Facing the Dark, and Human Sparknotes
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The New York Times unleashed a feature section about AI, and it is just a
big fat festival of awful.
There's a conversation between Kevin Roose and Casey N...
Recommended: Your Brain on ChatGPT
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[Header Photo by Levart_Photographer on Unsplash] Recently, advocacy for
educators to fully embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a key part of
how stude...
Recommended: Your Brain on ChatGPT
-
[Header Photo by Levart_Photographer on Unsplash] Recently, advocacy for
educators to fully embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a key part of
how stude...
Second Breakfast: AI is Carceral Ed-Tech
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Second Breakfast: AI is Carceral Ed-Tech
I've always been deeply uncomfortable with the casual observation that
"schools are prisons," even if there are u...
Bizarre WAPO Opinion Piece by Hanushek and Raymond
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By Thomas Ultican 6/17/2025 It was déjà vu all over again when Eric
Hanushek and his wife Macke Raymond’s shared their views in the Washington
Post. They c...
Learning Styles, Preferences, or Strategies?
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The persistence of learning styles as a concept in educational discourse
and research is paradoxical, given the overwhelming evidence discrediting
the m...
BIKING MY AGE (AND THEN SOME)
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I completed my ABBA-sanctioned ride and have now ‘biked my age’ for 15
consecutive years. My goal was 84 miles, but I ended up biking 101 miles,
my first ...
Summertime Doesn’t Always Mean Nuthin But Fun
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“Don’t do it, Eleanor told the little girl; insist on your cup of stars;
once they have trapped you into being like everyone else you will never see
your c...
The Man In The Back
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At the Christina School District Board of Education meeting this past
Tuesday, Board President Donald Patton used his last meeting as President
to air a li...
Teach Your Children Well
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It used to be fairly common in Traverse City, Michigan—a Michael Moore
sighting. I once stood in line behind him at a Coldstone Creamery on Front
Street (n...
Marines invade California. Who's next?
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In his June 10 Oval Office press conference, Trump said that “people who
want to protest will be met with very big force”, adding that such
individuals “ha...
Epic Teachers Left in the Dark After Layoffs
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The Supreme Court heard the arguments in St. Isadore of Seville Catholic
Virtual School vs Drummond, which seeks to establish a religious charter
school....
Congratulations, Thank You, Remember…
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Some delayed “first” reactions to the end of the 2025 UFT elections I
published this on Substack. I’m not sure how in the future I am going to
divide up co...
What Lessons Are We Learning from Our Students?
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“Mr. Vilson, I’m in a doctoral program, just like you.” One of my former
students posted a picture of a quad at an established university. ...
Read More
...
What Lessons Are We Learning from Our Students?
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“Mr. Vilson, I’m in a doctoral program, just like you.” One of my former
students posted a picture of a quad at an established university. ...
Read More
...
May’s Parent Engagement Resources
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These 4 tips can make screen time good for your kids and even help them
learn to talk is from The Conversation. Using Existing School Messaging
Platforms t...
79
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It was May 23, 1946, in a New York City Hospital, that 30 year old Sylvia
Livingston Bernstein gave birth to the 2nd and final child of her marriage
to L...
Il Papa è Morto
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Francis brought a distinct pastoral outlook to his papacy. A simple man, he
lived in a small apartment in the guesthouse. He sought to make the church
acce...
Trump plays Putin’s Playbook
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Recently Aleksander Dugin was interviewed on CNN, last week, and he stated
that he believes Trump is closer ideologically to President Putin than to
Washin...
Mike Shulman the ARISE UFT Judenrat
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I was surprised to learn that Mike Shulman has aligned himself with ARISE.
I previously supported him, advocating that the Castle Doctrine could have
bee...
How Do We Fight Trump?
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Dear Friends, I don’t know when and why it hit me. But I suddenly realized
how serious Trump is about changing the country into something that
horrifies. I...
Are we all on the same team?
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Copied from Quora; I didn’t write any of this… As an American I ask my
fellow Americans, why can’t you realize at the end of the day we are all on
the same...
Who is the new CEO of Teach For America?
-
From 1990 until 2013, the CEO of TFA was the founder, Wendy Kopp. Under her
leadership the program grew from a small organization that struggled to
make pa...
Site Index - Updated December 31, 2024
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When I was teaching,
I got tired of hearing how bad American educators were.
*My Promise *
WHEN I STARTED BLOGGING IN 2011, I said I planned to speak ...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
-
I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
-
I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
-
I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
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Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
-
It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
Reduced time for testing? Not so fast.
-
NYSED and Commish Elia continue to say that the NYS Assessments are of
reasonable length, I completely disagree.
Here is what NYSED states are average expe...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
-
It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
-
In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
-
An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
-
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
-
In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
-
I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
-
Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
-
*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
I'm a Colonizer but I feel the Sacred. by Peggy Roberston | BustED Pencils : I’m a Colonizer but I feel the Sacred. by Peggy Roberston BustED Pencils is proud of our own Peggy Robertson who is now on the ground in North Dakota and participating in the #NoDAPL grassroots movement. She will be submitting blogs via cellphone. With the help of friends, we (BustED Pencils) will make sure that every wo
It’s Crunch Time-Let’s Do This! - Lily's Blackboard : It’s Crunch Time-Let’s Do This! I don’t know about you, but I am excited! (And not just because the Cubs won the World Series after a century-long drought.) I’m excited to make history! The moment we’ve been building up to has arrived. We are voting on Tuesday, November 8. I am thrilled that after the many phone calls we’ve made, the voters we
Los Angeles: Educators at 4 Public Schools Reject Broad-Walton Money | Diane Ravitch's blog : Los Angeles: Educators at 4 Public Schools Reject Broad-Walton Money This just happened in Los Angeles: Educators at four LAUSD public schools turned away money from the two billionaire backers of privatization. Broad and Walton are offering funding to these schools at the same time that their charters a
Video: Dispelling False Narratives about Charters and Public Education | Schott Foundation for Public Education : Video: Dispelling False Narratives about Charters and Public Education Schott President & CEO Dr. John H. Jackson spoke at a recent forum at Howard University on public education & charter schools, moderated by Roland Martin: "There will always be battles. But not much is accomplished
HD14 - Candidate Profile: Lee Ann Langston (D) | Blue Cereal Education : HD14 - Candidate Profile: Lee Ann Langston (D) | There are many fresh faces running for state office this year – it’s sometimes difficult to keep up. That’s a good problem to have. While Lee Ann Langston is new to the race to represent House District 14, she’s very much NOT new to holding office, navigating bureaucracy, reco
Schools Matter: Relay School of Teacher Ed Fakery Now in Nashville : Relay School of Teacher Ed Fakery Now in Nashville Thanks to former Metro Schools chief, Jesse Register, and former mayor, Karl Dean, a state-approved "partnership" now exists between Metro Schools and the private teacher education sweatshop, Relay Graduate School of Education . Relay was created a few years back to train an ong
Spending ramps up in race for Washington schools chief | KUOW News and Information : Spending ramps up in race for Washington schools chief One of the largest independent expenditures in Washington state elections this year has come in the race for schools chief. Listen Listening... 1:47 The education reform organization Stand for Children's PAC has bought $164,887 worth of mailers for the Erin J
Bipartisan group of senators asks Obama to rein in Education Department proposals - The Washington Post : Bipartisan group of senators asks Obama to rein in Education Department proposals A bipartisan group of 10 U.S. senators is asking President Obama to rein in the Education Department, arguing that the agency is trying to overreach into matters that Congress intended to be decided by states an
Charter School Parents Push For Local School Councils | WBEZ : Charter School Parents Push For Local School Councils In a small community room at La Villita Community Church in Little Village, a group of seven mothers sat around a table with a pile of candy and a stack of papers, one titled “UNO Schools Ongoing Lack of Transparency.” Luz Solarte has children at Omar E. Torres Elementary School an
Black Teachers Interviewed For Report On Teacher Struggles : NPR Ed : NPR : The Burden On Black Teachers: 'I Don't Belong At Your Table' Students need many things, from visionary principals to sharp pencils. Somewhere near the top of that list should be these two words: Black teachers. As of 2012, 16 percent of public school students were African-American, while just 7 percent of teachers were bl
Karen Lewis at the City Club talks smack about Social Impact Bonds. $34 million to Goldman Sachs. | Fred Klonsky : Karen Lewis at the City Club talks smack about Social Impact Bonds. $34 million to Goldman Sachs. CTU President Karen Lewis at Wednesday’s City Club luncheon. Cleveland and the Cubs were not the only ones hitting home runs on Wednesday. On the heels of the 70% vote by CTU members app
Exclusive: Most important election for civil rights in many years – Cloaking Inequity : Exclusive: Most important election for civil rights in many years This is the most important election for civil rights in many years. I was in Washington state recently meeting with educators who work on issues of college access and equity and on the way home I decided that I should put together some words abo
Charter School Industry drops $63,000 plus into Connecticut legislative races - Wait What? : Charter School Industry drops $63,000 plus into Connecticut legislative races With $30,000 in “Dark Money” from a New York based entity called Real Reform Now Network and thousands more from Connecticut’s deep-pocket charter school players, a political action committee in Connecticut is funneling tens of
Instead of Building More Charter Schools for the Few, Improve Public Education for All | janresseger : Instead of Building More Charter Schools for the Few, Improve Public Education for All Roland S. Martin is a journalist and the h ost and managing editor of TV One’s News One Now . For years he has promoted market-based school choice. He recently moderated a town hall, “Is School Choice the Blac
Value-Added for Kindergarten Teachers in Ecuador | VAMboozled! : Value-Added for Kindergarten Teachers in Ecuador In a study a colleague of mine recently sent me, authors of a study recently released in The Quarterly Journal of Economics and titled “ Teacher Quality and Learning Outcomes in Kindergarten ,” (nearly randomly) assigned two cohorts of more than 24,000 kindergarten students to teacher
CURMUDGUCATION: Common Core: Victim of Inadequate PR? : Common Core: Victim of Inadequate PR? We've often heard that poor old Common Core was a swell thing that fell victim to bad implementation. But over at EdSource yesterday, Pat Reilly identified a different culprit. Messages, backed up with data and brought to life through emotive language, are fundamental to changing minds in the 21st centur
Private school vouchers will hurt needy students | The Daily Texan : Private school vouchers will hurt needy students It’s no secret that there is an imbalance among Texas public school students in which the quality of their education depends on their ZIP code. Instead of addressing this, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced last month that in the next legislative session he would prioritize pushing pr
This Governor Wants to Take Over ‘Failing’ Public Schools and Turn Them Into Charters | The Nation : This Governor Wants to Take Over ‘Failing’ Public Schools and Turn Them Into Charters These activists are telling Georgia’s Nathan Deal: That’s not how it works. M elissa Ladd never imagined she would sue the Governor of Georgia. The fifth-grade public-school teacher from Coweta County describes h
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 11/3/16 Featured Post Bernie Sanders calls for defeat of charter school measure - The Boston Globe Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Baseball and schooling still both the players' game by