Saturday, October 31, 2020

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 10/31/20

Big Education Ape: Lori Jablonski: The OP Ed the SacBee Refused to Print - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/10/lori-jablonski-op-ed-sacbee-refused-to.html

Texas Parent PAC: A Model of Action for Every State | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4min

Texas Parent PAC: A Model of Action for Every State Parents in Texas got disgusted 15 years ago when the Legislature almost passed a voucher law. They organized the Texas Parent PAC, which is a highly effective voice on behalf of public schools and more than five million students. The website of Texas Parent PAC has a list of the endorsed candidates, both Democrats and Republicans. Their guiding

The week in coveducation: Cancellations, unclaimed funds, public school oversight

by Mike Simpson / 4min

The week in coveducation: Cancellations, unclaimed funds, public school oversight Oklahoma faced intense winter weather this week that took down tree limbs, left more than 250,000 people without power and caused school cancellations. Despite this freeze in the weather, the Oklahoma education news gears kept spinning to include a reported decline in enrollment at Tulsa Public Schools, 70 Oklahoma

New data lays bare school funding disparities -- within districts, too

by Mike Simpson / 4min

New data: Even within the same district some wealthy schools get millions more than poor ones We’ve long known about spending disparities from one district to another; new federally mandated data lays bare within-district inequities, too At Ronald D. O’Neal Elementary School, in Elgin, Illinois, none of the third graders could read and write at grade level according to state tests in 2019. Nearl

VOICES: River City, Episode 103: SCUSD Candidates Nailah Pope-Harden and Lavinia Grace Phillips – VOICES: River City

by Mike Simpson / 4min

VOICES: River City, Episode 103: SCUSD Candidates Nailah Pope-Harden and Lavinia Grace Phillips BY: VOICES: THE PODCAST OCTOBER 30, 2020 We’re joined by Sacramento City Unified School District candidates Nailah Pope-Harden and Lavinia Grace Phillips , who are running in areas 4 and 7, respectively. They share with us why they’ve been moved to run for office during such an acrimonious time betwee

NANCY BAILEY: Alien School Invasion and Reformers With Erased Memories

by Mike Simpson / 4min

Alien School Invasion and Reformers With Erased Memories Alien School Invasion and Reformers With Erased Memories They don’t recall the alien invasion, or recognize those who had part in it. The school reformers and their friends condemn public schools, mortified by senior NAEP scores (how could those teachers not teach reading?). They’ve forgotten the rotten changes to remake public schools. Par

Whatever Happened To Vocational Education? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 4min

Whatever Happened To Vocational Education? Where and When Did Vocational Education Begin? In the mid-19th century, school reformers made the distinction between the head and hand learning in children and youth–both had to be schooled. After the Civil War, reformers introduced “manual education” into schools. Working with tools to fashion wood, iron, and other metals into useful objects, balanced

How is New York City Increasing Student Outcomes in the COVID World? How about More Standardized Tests and Evaluating/Rating Teacher Remote Instruction? | Ed In The Apple

by Mike Simpson / 4min

How is New York City Increasing Student Outcomes in the COVID World? How about More Standardized Tests and Evaluating/Rating Teacher Remote Instruction? Why is the NYC school leader giving a standardized test in the middle of October, in the midst of a pandemic, in the midst of a world wide crisis of unparalleled proportions? COVID positive rates are inching upward, the mayor threatening parents

WHAT'S NEW AT THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

by Mike Simpson / 4min

California Department of Education Verification Status Under the NSLP Posted 30-Oct-2020 October 6, 2020 Tuesday at 2 Webinar Posted 30-Oct-2020 COVID-19: FFVP Operations Questions and Answers Posted 30-Oct-2020 Nutrition Physical Activity Tip Sheets Posted 30-Oct-2020 Advisory Commission for Special Education (ACSE) Meeting Webcast for October 21, 2020 Posted 26-Oct-2020 Mathematics CFCC Webcas

BETTER WAYS TO SPEND OUR TIME – Dad Gone Wild

by Mike Simpson / 4min

BETTER WAYS TO SPEND OUR TIME “Sometimes I wonder if we’re livin’ in the same land. Why do you wanna be my friend when I feel like a juggler running out of hands?” ― Elvis Costello Throughout the ongoing pandemic, the one thing that has remained consistent is our endless belief that if we just ignore reality and recreate things the way they used to be, everything will be fine. As if by sheer wil

TEACHER TOM THIS WEEK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

by Mike Simpson / 4min

Teacher Tom The Disease of Productivity 500+ 23h OCT 29 Rationality Cannot Exist Without Emotions 100+ 2d ****** Teacher Tom's Second Book is now available in Australia and New Zealand as well as the US, Canada, the UK, Iceland, and Europe. And if you missed it, Teacher Tom's First Book is back in print as well. I put a lot of time and effort into this blog. If you'd like to support me please co

THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS Dad Gone Wild Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it.

by Mike Simpson / 4min

Dad Gone Wild – Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it. BETTER WAYS TO SPEND OUR TIME by TC Weber / 20h “Sometimes I wonder if we’re livin’ in the same land. Why do you wanna be my friend when I feel like a juggler running out of hands?” ― Elvis Costello Throughout the ongoing pandemic, the one thing that has remained consistent is our endless belief that if we just ignore reality and recreate thi

SSPI THURMOND STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

by Mike Simpson / 4min

California Department of Education Verification Status Under the NSLP 15h To date, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not issued guidance regarding the verification process for School Year (SY) 2020–21. October 6, 2020 Tuesday at 2 Webinar 15h The California Department of Education (CDE) Nutrition Services Division (NSD) hosted the eleventh Tuesday @ 2 School Nutrition Town Hall webin

Saturday, October 24, 2020 THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE)

by Mike Simpson / 4min

NewBlackMan (in Exile) THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) Alicia Garza on the Purpose of Power by Mark Anthony Neal / 17h ' “Black people. I love you. I love us. Our lives matter,” wrote Alicia Garza in a 2013 Facebook post after the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer. The #BlackLivesMatter hashtag that emerged in response to the post, and the following movement (co-founded by Garza), rema

THIS WEEK Education Research Report

by Mike Simpson / 4min

Education Research Report Positive student-teacher relationships benefit students' long-term health, study finds by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 1d Teens who have good, supportive relationships with their teachers enjoy better health as adults, according to research published by the American Psychological Association. Perhaps surprisingly, although friendships are important to adolescents, the study di

THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 4min

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Most Popular Posts Of The Week by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h I’m making a change in the content of the regular feature. In addition to sharing the top five posts that have received the most “hits” in the preceding seven days (though they may have originally been published on an earlier date), I will also inc

KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all #REDFORED #tbats #COVID-19 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #BidenHarris2020

by Mike Simpson / 4min

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all Texas Parent PAC: A Model of Action for Every State by dianeravitch /

YESTERDAY

Lori Jablonski: The OP Ed the SacBee Refused to Print

by Mike Simpson / 15h

The OP Ed the SacBee Refused to Print From Lori Jablonski The Sacramento Bee consistently begs for support for local journalism and claims to be a forum for important issues that concern our region. Yet its editors have refused to print a timely and insightful opinion piece from CK McClatchy's Lori Jablonski. At the same time, the Bee continues to print anti-teacher, anti-union attacks from its e

CURMUDGUCATION: Psychic AI and Plagiarism Detection

by Mike Simpson / 20h

Psychic AI and Plagiarism Detection Artificial Intelligence is used to sell a lot of baloney. It would be bad enough it were used only to teach badly and provide poor assessments of student work, but AI is also being hawked as a means of rooting out plagiarism. For an example of this phenomenon at its worst, let's check in on a little webcast from Mark Boothe at Canvas Learning Management System

Play an online board game with me TODAY at 5pm! | Cloaking Inequity

by Mike Simpson / 20h

PLAY AN ONLINE BOARD GAME WITH ME TODAY AT 5PM! Honored that the University of Kentucky College of Education is sponsoring Give Health For Kentucky Kids. The donation page is: Extra-Life.org/GiveHealthKY We will be playing Jackbox- an online board game. Join us and play LIVE with me and Esports stars for free on your phone Friday 10/30 at 5pm: Twitch.tv/universityofky Sharing is caring: Play an

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 20h

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/10/saturday-october-17-2020-this-week-in.html October’s (2020) Useful Parent Engagement Resources – Part Two | Engaging Par

DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? A site to discuss better education for all

by Mike Simpson / 20h

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all DID YOU MISS DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG TODAY? A site to discuss better education for all Big Education Ape: KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/08/keep-up-catch-up-with-diane-ravitchs_22.html Florida: Voucher Schools Still Firing Gay Teachers

Teacher Tom: The Disease of Productivity

by Mike Simpson / 1d

The Disease of Productivity I've been struggling lately with feelings of guilt. Nothing too bad, but no matter how hard I try to shut it up, there's little voice nagging me: I should be working more, working harder. Objectively, there is no reason for this. I'm meeting my obligations. I'm not letting anyone down, but whenever I sit choose to read a novel in the middle of the day or take a long w

Jennifer Berkshire: Will Education Cause The GOP to Lose Arizona? | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Jennifer Berkshire: Will Education Cause The GOP to Lose Arizona? Jennifer Berkshire writes in this post about the educational awakening in Arizona, the result of #red4ed and the teachers’ revolt of 2018. Proposition 208 is on the ballot. It calls for a 3.5% tax increase on people earning over $250,000 a year, to be used to raise teachers’ salaries and hire more teachers. Surprisingly, 60% of vo

Grassroots Education Network- October 2020 Newsletter - Network For Public Education

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Grassroots Education Network- October 2020 Newsletter The NPE Grassroots Education Network is a network of over 155 grassroots organizations nationwide who have joined together to preserve, promote, improve, and strengthen our public schools. If you know of a group that would like to join this powerful network, please go here to sign on. If you have any questions about the NPE Grassroots Educati

Prospects for COVID-19 Stimulus Package Fade: Will We Have to Wait for A New President and New Congress to Negotiate Relief for States and Their Public Schools? | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Prospects for COVID-19 Stimulus Package Fade: Will We Have to Wait for A New President and New Congress to Negotiate Relief for States and Their Public Schools? Negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, White House negotiator Steve Mnuchin and Senate Republicans for a second coronavirus relief bill have collapsed until at least after the election—maybe until a new Congress convenes in 202

$420K in Grants Donated to Digital DIvide Fund - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces $420,000 in Grants to the Bridging the Digital Divide Fund to Benefit Students in Southern California SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today announced that Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) and San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E), in partnership with the San Diego Foundation, have donated a total of $420,000 to the B

Fund Education Instead

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Fund Education Instead

Big money for pro-charter school board candidates, picks George Gascón for DA – Los Angeles Education Examiner

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Big money for pro-charter school board candidates, picks George Gascón for DA Los Angeles’ school district used to have sleepy school board races. But those low budget, pedestrian races – like that for LA County’s District Attorney – are bygones. Between the SCOTUS Citizens United ruling codifying limitless lobbying and independent campaign support, and the ascendency of “school choice” as a sta

OCT 29

CURMUDGUCATION: DeVos New NAEP Baloney Sandwich

by Mike Simpson / 1d

DeVos New NAEP Baloney Sandwich Betsy DeVos would like you to know--again, some more--that public schools are failing. Her exhibit this time is the newly-released NAEP results for 12th graders in 2019. And as usual at NAEP time, her brief exhortation is riddled with baloney. America is the greatest country on the face of the earth, and we should deliver our rising generation the greatest educati

Tonight: How can we bridge the digital and health divide for students of color during the pandemic? | Cloaking Inequity

by Mike Simpson / 1d

TONIGHT: HOW CAN WE BRIDGE THE DIGITAL AND HEALTH DIVIDE FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR DURING THE PANDEMIC? Expert panelists from the National Medical Association and the NAACP will share their ideas in a free webinar taking place Thursday, Oct. 29. The discussion will be moderated by the University of Kentucky College of Education’s Dr. Gregory Vincent , executive director of the college’s Education an

COVID19 Rips Through Michigan K-12 Schools - PopularResistance.Org

by Mike Simpson / 1d

COVID19 RIPS THROUGH MICHIGAN K-12 SCHOOLS The spread of COVID-19 through Michigan’s K-12 schools is rapidly accelerating, with the number of new outbreaks rising for the third week in a row, according to data released by the state yesterday. Last week, there were 29 separate outbreaks affecting 107 students, teachers and school workers, making it the most infectious week in Michigan since the s

Minnesota teachers at 'breaking point' over pandemic stress - StarTribune.com

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Minnesota teachers juggling online, in-person classes fight stress in pandemic Erika Jagiella wakes up at night fretting about lesson plans she needs to create and deliver to kids in person and in a socially distanced way. Then, she remembers: There's online coursework to craft, too. The crush of daily workload demands has been so great that Jagiella, a special education teacher for the White Be

‘Twas the Week Before the Election | Teacher in a strange land

by Mike Simpson / 1d

‘Twas the Week Before the Election People sometimes ask me if I struggle to find things to write about. The answer is no. Essentially, never. But this week, I have three unfinished blogs about education sitting on my desktop. Blogger block. I’ve been blogging pretty much since blogging become a thing—and started getting paid for doing it in the early aughts, which made it feel more like reality

Imposter: Whitewashing “By Any Means Necessary” – radical eyes for equity

by Mike Simpson / 1d

Imposter: Whitewashing “By Any Means Necessary” Every white person in this country—and I do not care what he or she says—knows one thing. They may not know, as they put it, “what I want,” but they know they would not like to be black here. If they know that, then they know everything they need to know, and whatever else they say is a lie. James Baldwin, On Language, Race and the Black Writer ( L

NAEP 12th Grade Scores: Unchanged Since 2005 | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 1d

NAEP 12th Grade Scores: Unchanged Since 2005 Those of you who have followed this blog for many years know that I don’t put much stock in twelfth grade NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores. Having served for seven years on the NAEP governing board (the National Assessment Governing Board), I know that twelfth graders are a perennial problem. Unlike students in fourth and eigh

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 1d

100th Episode: A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door – Have You Heard

by Mike Simpson / 2d

100th Episode: A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door Our long-awaited book, A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door, is finally (almost) out. To celebrate its publication, and the 100th episode of Have You Heard, we asked an expert—a former lobbyist for a conservative free-market think tank—to read the book and tell us what we got right & wrong. His main takeaway: our predictions about the future aren’t bleak e

NYC Educator: Voting Is Worth the Wait

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Voting Is Worth the Wait Voting this year wasn't what it usually is for me. Most years I wake up really early, show up at my polling place around 6 AM, and I'm the very first person there. Last year we had this law that gave us up to four hours off to vote. I needed to organize our staff around it, so of course I took the four hours. This year is something entirely different. I'm sure I'm not al

Education Research Report: Education Equity in Michigan

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Education Equity in Michigan The Michigan Civil Rights Commission has released a 62-page report describing inequities in Michigan’s K-12 education system and detailing specific recommendations for action that policy makers and educators can implement to make achieving educational equity a priority in all Michigan schools. The report is the culmination of a series of public hearings and a year-lo

Celebrating in the Face of COVID, Hurricanes, and DeVos | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Celebrating in the Face of COVID, Hurricanes, and DeVos I am sitting in my living room waiting for Hurricane Zeta to pass over my southeastern Louisiana home in a few hours. It’s our fifth hurricane to hit the region this season and the seventh time southern Louisiana has fallen within the cone of hurricane threat. This year has been a regular diet of COVID and hurricanes overshadowing my teachi

NOT YOUR CANARY IN A COAL MINE – Dad Gone Wild

by Mike Simpson / 2d

NOT YOUR CANARY IN A COAL MINE “Never trust someone that claims they care nothing of what society thinks of them. Instead of conquering obstacles, they simply pretend they don’t exist.” ― Tiffany Madison All hail Overton High School’s favorite son Mookie Betts. Last night he led the Los Angelos Dodgers to their first World Championship in 32 years. Betts didn’t bat exceptionally well or win the

CM Treyger urges the DOE to report class sizes on Nov. 15 as legally required, disaggregated this year according to the type of class | Class Size Matters

by Mike Simpson / 2d

CM Treyger urges the DOE to report class sizes on Nov. 15 as legally required, disaggregated this year according to the type of class Last week, Council Education Chair Mark Treyger wrote a letter to Chancellor Carranza urging him to report on school-specific and citywide class size averages as the law requires on Nov. 15, and also to disagreggate the data by type of instruction used: either in-

2021 CA Teachers of the Year Announced - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education)

by Mike Simpson / 2d

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces 2021 California Teachers of the Year SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today named five exceptional educators as the 2021 California Teachers of the Year. These educators are ambassadors for the profession and serve as representatives of the state for the calendar year. Thurmond, who began his career as a social worke

OCT 28

Who is running for Sacramento City Unified school board? | The Sacramento Bee

by Mike Simpson / 2d

These are the candidates in the high stakes Sacramento City Unified School board election As the Sacramento City Unified School District approaches potential insolvency, the board is heading into what could be the most high-stakes local election of 2020. The cash-strapped district may be taken over by the state in the coming months (board members are elected officials and would not be removed un

Danny Feingold: Why Californians Should Approve Three Ballot Propositions | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Danny Feingold: Why Californians Should Approve Three Ballot Propositions Danny Feingold, publisher of Capitol & Main, explains why voters in California should right civil wrongs by voting for Proposition 15, 16, and 21. He writes: Proposition 15 would make amends for one of the most far-reaching ballot measures in American history — 1978’s era-defining Prop. 13. With its landslide passage, Prop

NANCY BAILEY: Kindergarten Pandemic Learning Fears Should Not Be Tied to Screen Time and Rigid Drilling

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Kindergarten Pandemic Learning Fears Should Not Be Tied to Screen Time and Rigid Drilling Kindergarten Pandemic Learning Fears Should Not Be Tied to Screen Time and Rigid Drilling Kindergartners and their parents and teachers struggle with the pandemic. When the focus is on problems with children learning online, whether a child will succeed, it might help to revisit what’s developmentally approp

AFT warns Trump: We’ll take to the streets to defend democracy – People's World

by Mike Simpson / 2d

AFT warns Trump: We’ll take to the streets to defend democracy WASHINGTON—The Teachers (AFT) will take to the streets, if necessary, to defend U.S. democracy during and after the Nov. 3 election, the 1.7-million-member union’s Executive Council announced. And their resolution makes clear the threat comes from GOP Oval Office occupant Donald Trump. But it’s not just Trump, Protecting American Dem

Teacher Tom: "Well, Actually . . ."

by Mike Simpson / 2d

"Well, Actually . . ." The man was wearing a T-shirt that read: I don't need Google . . . I already know everything . It's a joke, of course, one that pokes fun at the know-it-alls and mansplainers out there, including, possibly, himself. I like to think the shirt was a gift from his wife, or maybe his daughter, and the fact that he wears it is an act of self-awareness. I'm not going to wade int

On Teaching: How to Be an Anti-racist White Educator - The Atlantic

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Working for Racial Justice as a White Teacher Robert Roth on an anti-racist approach to high-school history Editor’s Note: In 1988, a teacher most commonly had 15 years of experience. In recent years, that number is closer to just three years leading a classroom. The “On Teaching” series focuses on the wisdom of veteran teachers. One of this year’s largest youth-led Black Lives Matter protests t

Betsy DeVos Still Doesn’t Get the Connection Between Democracy and Our System of Public Schools | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Betsy DeVos Still Doesn’t Get the Connection Between Democracy and Our System of Public Schools A week ago, at one of the nation’s most conservative Christian colleges, Betsy DeVos delivered a vehement attack on the idea of public education. With the election coming up next week, we can hope it was the final attack on the institution of public schooling DeVos will deliver from per perch as U.S.

As More Students Head Back, Here’s What We Now Know (And Still Don’t) about Schools and COVID Spread (Matt Barnum) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 2d

As More Students Head Back, Here’s What We Now Know (And Still Don’t) about Schools and COVID Spread (Matt Barnum) This article appeared in Chalkbea t , October 22, 2020. Matt Barnum is an education journalist. Two months ago, Ashish Jha, the dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health, was something of a school reopening skeptic. In places with relatively high COVID rates, like Florida a

How Many Kids are Attending NYC Public Schools? | JD2718

by Mike Simpson / 2d

How Many Kids are Attending NYC Public Schools? Should be an easy question. How many kids are in school? Turns out, schools have been “open” for a month, and no one seemed to know how many kids were in them. Open? Well, in this weird blended/staggered way, with most instruction taking place through Zoom. That includes kids who opted to stay home all the time. Kids who come in every other, every

Choosing Democracy: Teachers' Union Rejects Election Interference

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Teachers' Union Rejects Election Interference PROTECTING AMERICAN DEMOCRACY The 2020 election is a test of who we are as Americans and what we will do to preserve our democracy when it is in mortal peril. Throughout our history, Americans have risen to the moment to extend and defend democracy. From the abolitionists and suffragists who risked their freedom in the fights against slavery and to s

NYC Public School Parents: Parent leader Tory Frye on the Mayor's reversal that parents will be allowed to opt-into online learning for their children once -- and will have to decide by Nov. 15

by Mike Simpson / 2d

Parent leader Tory Frye on the Mayor's reversal that parents will be allowed to opt-into online learning for their children once -- and will have to decide by Nov. 15 Yesterday, the Mayor announced that contrary to earlier statements, parents would only be allowed to opt into in-person learning for their kids a single time during the entire school year, and the choice will have to be made starti

NYC Educator: When Carranza Says PTA, He Means "Pass Them All"

by Mike Simpson / 2d

When Carranza Says PTA, He Means "Pass Them All" Our friends at the DOE have done it again. They've unilaterally issued a grading policy, and haven't bothered to consult with those of us who actually do the work. Of course they know better than we do what goes on in classrooms. After all, we spend all of our time teaching, and what do we know about sitting around in offices and generating report

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 2d

OCT 27

Sam Wineburg on Teaching History | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Sam Wineburg on Teaching History The Silence of the Ellipses : Or Why History Can’t Be About Telling Our Children Lies Sam Wineburg is the Margaret Jacks Professor of Education & (by courtesy) History at Stanford University. His most recent book is Why Learn History (When It is Already on Your Phone) , University of Chicago Press, 2018. He tweets at @samwineburg. Aware his days were numbered, a

The Impossible Job of a Parent Navigating Zoom School - The Atlantic

by Mike Simpson / 3d

A Mother of Five Navigates Remote Learning - The Atlantic The Impossible Job of a Parent Navigating Zoom School When Donald Trump took the oath of office on a gray January morning in 2017, he laid out his vision for the United States under his leadership. “We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease,” he said. “

When it Comes to Cameras in Virtual Classrooms, Compromise Over Compliance - Philly's 7th Ward

by Mike Simpson / 3d

WHEN IT COMES TO CAMERAS IN VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS, COMPROMISE OVER COMPLIANCE For me, my home is a sacred place; not only because I am a person of faith but also because my home is an intimate and safe space where my relationships, culture and humanity is nurtured, affirmed and celebrated. I like to believe that my wife and children think the same thing. Generally speaking, I never invite strangers

How do you measure a child's worth? - SF PUBLIC SCHOOL MOM

by Mike Simpson / 3d

How do you measure a child’s worth? Over the past few weeks, the community members have been witnessing that conversations about Lowell’s selective admissions policy are once again stirring up anti-Black/Latinx sentiment in online spaces and within the Lowell High School community. #HereWeGoAgain While folks may choose to believe otherwise, the admissions changes currently being considered were

Who Voted In Davos? How Data-Driven Government and the Internet of Bodies Are Poised To Transform Smart Sustainable Cities Into Social Impact Prisons – Wrench in the Gears

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Who Voted In Davos? How Data-Driven Government and the Internet of Bodies Are Poised To Transform Smart Sustainable Cities Into Social Impact Prisons What follows is a transcript of the remarks I made as part of an online forum, Politics In And Out Of Europ e, hosted by Rutgers University’s Center for European Studies on Monday October 26, 2020. There were two panels followed by an hour of discu

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 3d

Teacher Tom: There Has Never Been a Better Time to Try

by Mike Simpson / 4d

There Has Never Been a Better Time to Try Even before the pandemic, child care in the US was an "industry" already in the midst of a slow motion crisis. Care takers and teachers were already leaving the low paying, low prestige profession. Child care centers and preschools where already being shuttered, unable to make ends meet. Tuition costs were already as high or higher than many middle class

Betsy DeVos Tells Kentucky That Now is the Time for Charters and Vouchers | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Betsy DeVos Tells Kentucky That Now is the Time for Charters and Vouchers Betsy DeVos traveled to Kentucky to sell her used goods (schmattes is the Yiddish term): charter schools and vouchers. For DeVos, a pandemic is the perfect time to push school privatization. Day in, day out, for 30 years or so, DeVos has been promoting charters and vouchers. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – School choice supporter

Ed Tech Spending Rampaging through North Carolina Public Schools | tultican

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Ed Tech Spending Rampaging through North Carolina Public Schools By Thomas Ultican 10/27/2020 A North Carolina cabal of school superintendents, republican politicians, consultants and technology companies has gone wild over the past seven years. In Chapel Hill, Education Elements obtained an illegitimate $767,000 contract. Chapel Hill-Carborro City Hills Schools (CHCCS) Assistant Superintendent

CURMUDGUCATION: Is It Time For The Internet To Be A School-Managed Public Utility?

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Is It Time For The Internet To Be A School-Managed Public Utility? School has opened across the country, but in many districts that means class via internet—if those students are among those fortunate enough to have access to fast, large-capacity internet connections. How many aren’t connected? The answer is that nobody’s exactly sure. One study say s that 33 million citizens live without the ne

NYC Educator: UFT Executive Board October 26, 2020---DOE Unilaterally Issues Grading Policy

by Mike Simpson / 4d

UFT Executive Board October 26, 2020---DOE Unilaterally Issues Grading Policy Roll Call --5:50 Minutes-- approved UFT President Michael Mulgrew --City put out a grading policy. Not discussed with us. Should've come up with something more flexible. We will look at it and decide what to do. DOE hasn't done much work because it's very similar to last year's. There are supposed to be four opt in per

CURMUDGUCATION: Segregation, Privatization, and Taxation

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Segregation, Privatization, and Taxation he New York Times ran a piece yesterday about a school board voting mess in Sumter County, Georgia (that's the county of Plains, home of Jimmy Carter's peanut farm). The story itself is an instructional look at how yet another white minority is trying to keep their hands on the levers of power, resulting in a district that is 70% Black run by a board that

DOING THE RIGHT THING THE WRONG WAY – Dad Gone Wild

by Mike Simpson / 4d

DOING THE RIGHT THING THE WRONG WAY “The American political system has lost the ability for large-scale compromise, and it has lost the ability to accept some pain now for much gain later on.” ― Fareed Zakaria, The Post-American World Last Friday, the Metro Nashville Public School Board held an emergency work session in order to revisit the district’s re-entry plan. Notice I refer to it as a re-

OCT 26

Education Is on the Ballot in San Diego this November 3rd

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Education Is on the Ballot in San Diego this November 3rd By Jim Miller What can you do to help education in a time of crisis? Well, as I’ve written here in a couple of other columns, the most important thing is to vote Yes on Proposition 15 , which would bring in $12 billion a year statewide and around $700 million to our region. Given the lack of any new revenue from the state and federal leve

Russ on Reading: Ten Roles of the Instructional Leader in Literacy

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Ten Roles of the Instructional Leader in Literacy I currently teach a graduate course at Rider University for prospective reading specialists. While the course focuses on the theory and research behind sound reading instruction, an underlying goal of the course is to prepare students to be literacy instruction leaders. Toward that end, here are the roles I think a successful instructional leader

Houston ISD teachers hold 'sick out' to protest COVID-19 protocols

by Mike Simpson / 4d

Houston ISD teachers hold 'sick out' to protest COVID-19 protocols Houston teachers aren't pleased with the conditions they're expected to teach in amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and they staged a "sick-out" protest Thursday to demand a safer environment for themselves and their students. Houston Public Media's Laura Isensee reported that teachers from at least a dozen schools participated

Teacher Tom: The Secret to Breaking the Ugly Habits of "Tough Love"

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Teacher Tom: T he Secret to Breaking the Ugly Habits of "Tough Love" The Secret to Breaking the Ugly Habits of "Tough Love" Long ago, I became acquainted a middle school teacher who came across as a smart, jolly guy. Talking with him in social circumstances, he gave me the impression that he was likely one of the more popular faculty members at his school: casual, hip, and funny. I was a new teac

OPINION: Why it’s time to diversify and modernize science teaching - The Hechinger Report

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Why it’s time to diversify and modernize science teaching The Black Lives Matter movement and the pandemic reveal a need for more inclusive science education Picture yourself in an introductory college chemistry class. What does the instructor look like, and how is the class taught? Whether the curriculum is virtual or in person, often the instructor is a white, cisgender man, lecturing to a lar

John Thompson: Instead of Funding Public Schools, Oklahoma Bankrolled a For-Profit Virtual Charter | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d

John Thompson: Instead of Funding Public Schools, Oklahoma Bankrolled a For-Profit Virtual Charter John Thompson, historian and retired teacher, writes in the Progressive about the epic failure of a for-profit virtual school in Oklahoma. The Epic virtual charter school was well positioned to benefit from the demand for remote learning during the pandemic. But it just happened that its great mome

Longstanding State Tax Freeze and New Voucher Explosion Create Overwhelming Financial Problems for Ohio School Districts | janresseger

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Longstanding State Tax Freeze and New Voucher Explosion Create Overwhelming Financial Problems for Ohio School Districts The Presidential election has torn the country apart this fall, but in my community, the local school operating levy on next week’s ballot has caused almost as much rancor. One problem is a 40-year-old property tax freeze law that keeps all Ohio school districts repeatedly beg

Does Classroom Use of Computers Cause Gains in Students’ Academic Achievement? | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Does Classroom Use of Computers Cause Gains in Students’ Academic Achievement? A decade ago when a surge of interest in placing computers in classrooms was joined to available public and private money, U.S. schools went on a rampage of buying and distributing devices to students and teachers. At that time I wrote a post about a puzzling fact that was overlooked or simply ignored: With increased

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 5d

CURMUDGUCATION: Ed Department Produces Advertisement For Computer-Based Education

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Ed Department Produces Advertisement For Computer-Based Education Even as Betsy DeVos has been demanding that public schools get their doors opened and their teachers back in the bricks and mortar classrooms, the department has announced its release of a slick "guide" to computer-based edu-flavored products. It's a nice package of marketing materials for the folks working the digitized street co

OCT 25

CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Fake Spring Edition (10/25)

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Fake Spring Edition It was beautiful here most of the week, which served in part as a reminder that pandemic winter is going to suck so very much. Here are a few pieces to check out from the week. The Perfect Trap Paul Thomas with some good insights about teaching writing and the power of redrafting. Neoliberal Education Reformers Have Found A New Way To Scapegoat Teachers At Jacobin, Josh Mound

Childcare and the Pandemic - LA Progressive

by Mike Simpson / 5d

How Coronavirus Exposed the Flaws of the Childcare Economy he U.S. government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that childcare workers in the nation have a median salary of just over $24,000 a year—below the poverty line for a family of four. The segment of our nation’s workforce that attends to the basic needs of our children is shockingly underpaid, and now during the coronavirus pandemic, le

We have to do what’s right—when it’s right! - SF PUBLIC SCHOOL MOM

by Mike Simpson / 5d

We have to do what’s right—when it’s right! A parent speaks on reopening schools Families right now are struggling to balance working from home, homeschooling their children during crisis distance learning, and the demands of parenting during shelter-in-place. Latoya Pitcher is one such parent. This past Tuesday, at the October 20, 2020 Regular Board Meeting , SFUSD staff presented progress on s

Arizona: Gov. Ducey Blasts Referendum to Increase $$$ for Education | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Arizona: Gov. Ducey Blasts Referendum to Increase $$$ for Education Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, who is often called a Koch puppet because the Koch network donated heavily to his elections, denounced Proposition 208, which would increase taxes to raise teachers’ salaries. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos stood by his side, presumably pleased with his attack on higher wages for the state’s teac

Sacramento Area School Districts All Taking Different Paths To Reopening - capradio.org

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Sacramento Area School Districts All Taking Different Paths To Reopening When Sacramento health officials gave schools the green light to re-open for in-person instruction on Oct. 13 , administrators with the county’s 13 school districts went into a planning frenzy. Twin Rivers Unified School District Superintendent Steve Martinez was one of them. “Boy, this is one of the few times since I’ve be

Sacramento: Vote for the Pro-Public School Candidates! | Diane Ravitch's blog

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Sacramento: Vote for the Pro-Public School Candidates! If you live in Sacramento, you have an opportunity to flip the board because four of seven seats are up for grabs. Fortunately, there is an excellent pro-public school slate with four outstanding candidates, each of whom has been endorsed by Sacramento City Teachers Association, SEIU Local 1021, the Sacramento Central Labor Council and the S

glen brown: Dear Retired Teacher: Imagine You Are a Teacher Today

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Dear Retired Teacher: Imagine You Are a Teacher Today Dear Retired Teacher: Imagine you are a teacher today. You are afraid that you cannot teach effectively because you are afraid: You are afraid of contracting the coronavirus and infecting your family and others. You are afraid of your students contracting the coronavirus and infecting their families. You are afraid for students who ride buses

NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY

by Mike Simpson / 5d

NewBlackMan (in Exile) Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/10/saturday-october-17-2020-this-week-with.html Misty Copeland's Children's Book by Mark Anthony Neal / 10h 'Ballerina Misty Copeland , who in 2015 became the first African American woman to be promoted to principal dancer in the American Ballet Theater's 75-year history, j

A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007

by Mike Simpson / 5d

Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/10/saturday-october-17-2020-this-week-in.html Most Popular Posts Of The Week by Larry Ferlazzo / 9h I’m making a change in

OCT 24

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 10/24/20 #REDFORED #tbats #COVID-19 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #BidenHarris2020 #YesOn15

by Mike Simpson / 6d

Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 10/24/20 Big Education Ape: SACRAMENTO TEACHER LORI JOBLANSKI SAYS: CHANGE THE SCUSD BOARD 2020 - http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/10/sacramento-

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