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Saturday, December 26, 2020

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 12/26/20 #REDFORED #tbats #COVID-19 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDOUTBREAK #BIDENWINS #TOPBANANAHEADLINES #edsec

 Big Education Ape


TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 12/26/20




TOP POSTS THIS MONTH 12/26/20





THE TOP BANANA
TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES



A Racial Slur, a Viral Video, and a Reckoning - The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/26/us/mimi-groves-jimmy-galligan-racial-slurs.html

Louder Than A Riot: Making Revolution Irresistible | NewBlackMan (in Exile) - https://www.newblackmaninexile.net/2020/12/louder-than-riot-making-revolution.html

Texans reflect on the coronavirus pandemic and their 2020 | The Texas Tribune - https://www.texastribune.org/2020/12/26/coronavirus-texas-weekend-brief/ by @wisemeister on @TexasTribune

More earnings data is available, but students aren’t using it - https://hechingerreport.org/?p=76181 via @hechingerreport

More info is available about which college majors pay off, but students aren’t using it - The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/college-major-salary/2020/12/24/cad0f5de-44b3-11eb-b0e4-0f182923a025_story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_local-education

‘Equity hubs’ give families struggling financially a chance at pandemic pods - The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/pandemic-learning-pod-montgomery-county/2020/12/25/9216f7c4-2de9-11eb-860d-f7999599cbc2_story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_local-education

My Interview on “Democracy Now” | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-sUK via @dianeravitch

If You Love Public Higher Education, Fight for It | Diane Ravitch's blog - https://wp.me/p2odLa-sVM via @dianeravitch

Eight Teaching Concerns I Have Going Into 2021 | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=114360 on @Larryferlazzo

Most Popular Posts Of The Week | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... - https://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/?p=114354 on @Larryferlazzo

As Biden Backs Away From Student Debt Forgiveness, Progressives Call Foul - LA Progressive - https://www.laprogressive.com/?p=358011

Investigation Finds Charter Schools Misused PPP Loans | KJZZ - https://kjzz.org/node/1645615 by @kjzzphoenix


POSTS THIS WEEK 12/26/20




Megan Prather: The year in Oklahoma education - NONDOC
by Mike Simpson / 2min
The year in Oklahoma education The year in Oklahoma education W hat a long, strange year it’s been. We collectively coped with adjusting to COVID-19, an election and a massive power outage all in the span of 365 days. For that, I think we all deserve an air high-five. But before we plunge into a new year, take a moment to stroll down Oklahoma education memory lane with this collection of notable
Kwanzaa 2020: Celebrating Beautiful and Resilient Blackness
by Mike Simpson / 2min
Habari Gani? This Kwanzaa, We’re Celebrating All the Beautiful and Resilient Blackness We Saw in 2020 Kwanzaa is a Black holiday that takes place between December 26 and January 1 each year, during which Black people are encouraged to celebrate their community, culture, and kinship including by reflecting on the Seven Principles, or Nguzo Saba, that characterize some of our shared values as a pe
How Beliefs in School Reform Evolve Over Time | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
by Mike Simpson / 2min
How Beliefs in School Reform Evolve Over Time School reform is steady work. As a teacher, administrator, superintendent, and university researcher for over six decades in working to reform classrooms, schools, and districts, it should come as no surprise to readers that what I thought about reform in the mid-1950s as a teacher, what I believed school reform was when I ran a district in the 1970s
REPORT: Closing America’s Education Funding Gaps - THE CENTURY FOUNDATION
by Mike Simpson / 2min
Closing America’s Education Funding Gaps Closing America’s Education Funding Gaps Key Findings Our cost model and interactive map identify every district in the country with a funding gap—that is, where current spending is below the amount that our model estimates is necessary to achieve average outcomes, based on that district’s unique geography and student demographics. The result is that broad
SURVEY: BRUCE LESLEY WANTS TO KNOW What's your priority for children for 2021? - First Focus Campaign for Children
by Mike Simpson / 2min
Children's Action Network - First Focus Campaign for Children SURVEY: BRUCE LESLEY WANTS TO KNOW What's your priority for children for 2021? Ensuring all children have health coverage Increasing access to quality child care and early childhood programs Designating a White House Office of Children to oversee children’s issues Ending the school-to-prison pipeline and placing more counselors in scho
Andrea Gabor: First Tasks for Secretary Cardona: Cancel Standardized Testing, Pursue Equity | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 2min
Andrea Gabor: First Tasks for Secretary Cardona: Cancel Standardized Testing, Pursue Equity Andrea Gabor has some good ideas about what the new Secretary of Education must do. President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for education secretary, Miguel Cardona, will face a host of pandemic-related challenges that have disproportionately affected the nation’s neediest students. In addition to learning set
CURMUDGUCATION: No Test In 2021 (A BS Test Reader)
by Mike Simpson / 2min
No Test In 2021 (A BS Test Reader) Among the many things that the new secretary of education really needs to do upon taking office, a big simple one is this--cancel the Big Standardized Test for 2021. I've been banging the "Get Rid of the BS Test" for years, but all the reasons it's a lousy, toxic, destructive-and-not-even-useful force in education are amplified a hundred-fold by our current pan
THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS Dad Gone Wild Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it. + TENNESSEE EDUCATION REPORT
by Mike Simpson / 2min
Dad Gone Wild – Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it. THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS Dad Gone Wild Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it. DEC 24 A MELDING OF HOLIDAY CLASSICS by TC Weber / 1d “War is fought in mystery. The truth can take days to travel, and ahead of truth flies rumor, and it is ever hard to know what is really happening, and the art of it is to pluck the clean bone of fact from the rotting
TEACHER TOM THIS WEEK IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
by Mike Simpson / 2min
Teacher Tom This Cursed and Blessed Year 81 2d Teacher Tom's Last Minute Gift Ideas 1K 3d When the Sun Stands Still 200+ 4d The Technology of Speaking With Children So They Can Think 300+ 5d A Profession in Crisis 500+ 8d Teacher Tom
SSPI TONY THURMOND: STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
by Mike Simpson / 2min
California Department of Education SSPI TONY THURMOND STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION USDA Foods List and Material Price Report 2021–22 1d The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently published the USDA Foods Available List and the USDA Foods Processor Material Prices for School Year (SY) 2021–22. COVID-19 Guidance Web Page: Updates to FAQs 3d California Departme
THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER
by Mike Simpson / 2min
NewBlackMan (in Exile) THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) Louder Than A Riot: Making Revolution Irresistible by Mark Anthony Neal / 8h ' Yo Gotti grew up in Memphis just across the state line from Mississippi State Penitentiary (aka Parchman) — so this year, when he learned about the squalor its inmates were living in, he wanted to help. Gotti enlisted Jay-Z and Roc Nation to sue the departmen
THIS WEEK Education Research Report
by Mike Simpson / 2min
Education Research Report When Equity Is Optional: School Accountability Systems Fail to Help Most Vulnerable Students Under ESSA by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 23h Five years into the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states are doing a wildly varied job of serving vulnerable students and closing persistent gaps required by the law, new analyses from the Alliance for Excellent Education (All
THIS WEEK IN EDUCATION Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007
by Mike Simpson / 2min
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 Eight Teaching Concerns I Have Going Into 2021 by Larry Ferlazzo / 9h Clker-Free-Vector-Images / Pixabay In July, I wrote a column for The Washington Post headlined Teacher: Eight concerns about school this fall that are robbing me of sleep . And, boy, was I “spot-on” with those concerns as the fall s
KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDVACCINE #BIDEN #edsec
by Mike Simpson / 2min
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 If You Love Public Higher Education, Fight for It by dianeravitch / 48min I posted a delightful article by Jennifer Raab, President of Hunter College, celebrating the importance of public higher education, which has provided opportunity to so man

WISHING YOU A HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL
by Mike Simpson / 23h
J ames Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become." Big Education Ape
NYC Educator: Merry Christmas to All!
by Mike Simpson / 23h
Merry Christmas to All! Here's the best Christmas video you've never seen. NYC Educator: Merry Christmas to All!
Snopes: The True Story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 23h
Snopes: The True Story of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Did you ever stop to think about the origins of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? Probably not. But it’s a true story with a happy ending. It starts like this: Rudolph came to life in 1939 when the Chicago-based Montgomery Ward company asked one of their copywriters, 34-year-old Robert L. May, to come up with a Christmas story they could giv
Ed Notes Online: Fred Smith with his annual The Night Before Xmas—2020
by Mike Simpson / 23h
Fred Smith with his annual The Night Before Xmas—2020 Fred Smith has done it again for 2020 with is yearly Xmas specials. Here are his previous years, each with a different theme. Fred Smith - The Day After Christmas - 2018 Version 2017: Fred Smith: Dispirit of the Season 2016: Fred Smith's Annual "Night Before Christmas" 2015: Fred Smith, Poet Laureate of Opt Out - 'Twas the night before... And
Shawgi Tell: Charter School Promoters Comfortable With Cardona | Dissident Voice
by Mike Simpson / 23h
Charter School Promoters Comfortable With Cardona | Dissident Voice Charter School Promoters Comfortable With Cardona President-elect Joe Biden recently nominated Miguel Cardona to serve as the next U.S. Secretary of Education. Hardly anyone in education circles has heard of or spoken about Cardona, let alone in an open and serious way. For weeks there was endless speculation and confusion surrou
“Two North” — A Christmas Story. MY Christmas Story. | Eclectablog
by Mike Simpson / 23h
“Two North” — A Christmas Story. MY Christmas Story. “Two North” is a story about one Christmas when my mom was spending time on the psychiatric ward of our town’s hospital after trying to commit suicide to escape a physically-abusive husband. I was thirteen. It was a cataclysmic event in our lives but it brought us together into a two-person tribe like no other event ever has in my life. I offe
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus: It’s Called Public Education | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 23h
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus: It’s Called Public Education This is a beautiful article by Jennifer Raab , president of Hunter College, which is part of the City University of New York. It appeared in the New York Daily News. When Virginia O’Hanlon attended Hunter College, the City University was tuition-free. In 1976, CUNY began to charge tuition, but it remains far less than private co
CURMUDGUCATION: Here's Some Merry Christmas Listening For You
by Mike Simpson / 23h
Here's Some Merry Christmas Listening For You I hope that those of you who celebrate the holiday are enjoying it, even in these weird and distant times. May we never have a Christmas celebration like this one ever again. As is tradition here at the institute, I have a collection of seasonal tunes for yoe- actually, a couple, this year. For you youtubers, here's a collection specifically put toge
First Step in Educational Equity: Move Away from Standardized Testing | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog
by Mike Simpson / 23h
First Step in Educational Equity: Move Away from Standardized Testing If the next US ed sec, Miguel Cardona, wants equity in education, he needs to step away from America’s obsession with standardized testing and make better use of the federal education dollars. To that end, I have the perfect article for him to read, written by my colleague, Andrea Gabor, Bloomberg chair of business journalism

DEC 24

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES #REDFORED #tbats #COVIDVACCINE #BIDEN #edsecMiguelCardona #HAPPYHOLIDAYS #MERRYCHRISTMAS
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Democracy and Education - https://obrag.org/2020/12/democracy-and-education/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+obrag%2FIrDB+%28OB+Rag%29 272 NYC school buildings closed over COVID-19 cases - New York Daily News - https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-school-building-closures-20201223-ud4o7pd2vzcmvpdd
A MELDING OF HOLIDAY CLASSICS – Dad Gone Wild
by Mike Simpson / 1d
A MELDING OF HOLIDAY CLASSICS “War is fought in mystery. The truth can take days to travel, and ahead of truth flies rumor, and it is ever hard to know what is really happening, and the art of it is to pluck the clean bone of fact from the rotting flesh of fear and lies.” ― Bernard Cornwell, The Last Kingdom ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Not a creature was stirrin
John Thompson in Oklahoma: Grifters Gonna Keep Grifting | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 1d
John Thompson in Oklahoma: Grifters Gonna Keep Grifting John Thompson, historian and retired teacher, writes often about what is happening in Oklahoma. It is often not good for public schools and teachers because of the state’s awful legislature, controlled by oil-and-gas billionaire Harold Hamm, and its Republican Governor Kevin Stitt. The best education leader in the state is state Commissione
Biden Picks Former President of Broad Foundation as Deputy Chief of Staff | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Biden Picks Former President of Broad Foundation as Deputy Chief of Staff President-Elect announced that Bruce Reed will be his Deputy Chief of Staff. This is alarming news, though not surprising. Reed previously served as Biden’s chief of staff when he was vice president. The toxic Broad Foundation gave grants to some of Betsy DeVos’s favorite causes. This report from TYT (The Young Turks) desc
NANCY BAILEY: Education’s “Better Angels of Our Nature” During a Pandemic
by Mike Simpson / 1d
Education’s “Better Angels of Our Nature” During a Pandemic Education’s “Better Angels of Our Nature” During a Pandemic We are not enemies but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature. ~President Abraham Lincoln f
A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007
by Mike Simpson / 1d
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/2020/12/this-week-in-education-larry- ferlazzos_19.html Thursday’s Must-Read Articles On School Reopenings – & Teachers Will REA
Fred Smith: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Fred Smith: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas We have a pride of poets on this blog. The following was written by testing expert Fred Smith, who advised the New York City Board of Education back in the days before Testmania. Fred now advises opt out parent groups. ‘Twas the night before Christmas and in the Snow House Sat a duck-assed old fat man with botoxic spouse. This may be my last chance to
NYC Educator: After the Toughest Year Ever, We Get a Break
by Mike Simpson / 2d
After the Toughest Year Ever, We Get a Break This has been the most stressful year in my memory for all of us working in schools. We've been through all sorts of indignities and inconvenience, but there's been nothing like 2020. Let's hope there's nothing like it ever again. We're on a roller coaster of opening and closing. As Broadway went dark, as Long Island schools closed, pig-headed Bill de
Teacher Tom: This Cursed and Blessed Year
by Mike Simpson / 2d
This Cursed and Blessed Year Just before Christmas last year, we discovered that the company from whom we rent a storage locker had lost all of our stuff. The good news is that most of it probably should have been thrown out years ago, but among the things we'll never see again were all of our holiday decorations, including ornaments I'd been collecting since I was a little boy. So, for the firs
Cartoons for a Pandemic Winter | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Cartoons for a Pandemic Winter For the Covid-19 winter holidays, I have gathered some cartoons that poke fun at what transpires in homes, schools, and Santa’s place. Enjoy! MORE CARTOONS: Cartoons for a Pandemic Winter | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
CURMUDGUCATION: AI, Language, and the Uncanny Valley
by Mike Simpson / 2d
AI, Language, and the Uncanny Valley We experience vertigo in the uncanny valley because we’ve spent hundreds of thousands of years fine-tuning our nervous systems to read and respond to the subtlest cues in real faces. We perceive when someone’s eyes squint into a smile, or how their face flushes from the cheeks to the forehead, and we also — at least subconsciously — perceive the absence of th
You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone… | Live Long and Prosper
by Mike Simpson / 2d
You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone… GOT KIDS? GOT GRANDKIDS? Have you tried schooling them at home during the pandemic? For most people, it hasn’t been as easy as they thought it would be. Never mind the fact that the only people who are helping their kids at home are those who can afford to stay home, or who can work from home, or who have been laid off so they’re home anyway. Many p
Diane Ravitch: Biden’s Pick for Education Secretary Must Overturn DeVos’s Attack on Public Schools | Democracy Now!
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Diane Ravitch: Biden’s Pick for Education Secretary Must Overturn DeVos’s Attack on Public Schools President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Connecticut public schools commissioner Miguel Cardona for secretary of education, tapping a third Latinx person to join his Cabinet. Cardona is a former teacher who represents a sharp break from outgoing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, who urged career empl
Diane Ravitch: The Dark History of School Choice | by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books
by Mike Simpson / 2d
The Dark History of School Choice | by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books The Dark History of School Choice How an argument for segregated schools became a rallying cry for privatizing public education. During her tenure as secretary of education, Betsy DeVos repeatedly asked Congress to allocate billions of dollars for vouchers for religious and private schools. She was repeatedly rebu

DEC 23

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDVACCINE #BIDEN #edsecMiguelCardona #MiguelCardona
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Biden's Education secretary pick acknowledges ‘ongoing crisis’ in schools https://politi.co/2LZMdet via @politico Biden To Pick Connecticut Schools Chief Miguel Cardona As Education Secretary https://www.scpr.org/news/2020/12/22/95826/biden-to-pick-connecticut-schools-chief-miguel-car/ via @kpcc DACA backers ask judge for reprieve until
Education Week: Where Cardona Stands on the Issues | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Education Week: Where Cardona Stands on the Issues Eve Blad wrote in Education Week about where Miguel Cardona , Biden’s choice for Secretary of Education, stands on the issues: On reopening schools during the pandemic: He favors in-person instruction, but has not mandated it. He recommends face masks. “We all know remote learning will never replace the classroom experience,” Cardona wrote in a
JEFF BRYANT: Truthout: DeVos Is on Her Way Out, But Public Education Is Still Very Much Under Attack | National Education Policy Center
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Truthout: DeVos Is on Her Way Out, But Public Education Is Still Very Much Under Attack | National Education Policy Center Truthout: DeVos Is on Her Way Out, But Public Education Is Still Very Much Under Attack When a Biden victory in the 2020 presidential election became certain, supporters of public education gleefully took to social media to say good riddance to U.S. Secretary of Education Bet
SSPI TONY THURMOND: What's New - California Department of Education - Grant Opportunity - 2020 Finalists for PAEMST - SBE Agenda for January 2021
by Mike Simpson / 2d
California Department of Education SSPI TONY THURMOND What's New - California Department of Education COVID-19 Guidance Web Page: Updates to FAQs 19h California Department of Education (CDE) has updated the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section of the CDE COVID-19 Guidance in the Child Nutrition Programs (CNP) web page to provide further guidance for CNPs. Grant Opportunity: TN Taste of CA Rec
Politico: Will Dr. Cardona Push 2021 Testing? | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Politico: Will Dr. Cardona Push 2021 Testing? Not many people outside Connecticut are familiar with President-Elect Biden’s choice for Secretary of Education. He went to public schools. He has worked in public schools his entire career. His children go to public schools in Meriden, where he lives. He is not aligned with DFER or Chiefs for Change or any billionaire-funded “reform” group. Politico
Shawgi Tell: Charter Schools Spend Millions On Advertising and Marketing | Dissident Voice
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Charter Schools Spend Millions On Advertising and Marketing | Dissident Voice Charter Schools Spend Millions On Advertising and Marketing Unlike public schools, private businesses like charter schools spend millions of public dollars a year on advertising and marketing. Putting aside widespread fraud and corruption in the segregated charter school sector, this is an enormous waste and abuse of pu
A teacher will head the department of education. – Fred Klonsky
by Mike Simpson / 2d
A TEACHER WILL HEAD THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Like most educators around the country, I don’t know much about Dr. Miguel Cardona other than that he comes from years of classroom experience and that he was the head of public schools in Connecticut. I have always thought that the importance of having a teacher head the federal education department was overstated. First hand teaching experience i
Who is the new U.S. Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona? The Hechinger Report
by Mike Simpson / 2d
Who is the new U.S. Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona? Who is the new U.S. Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona? Biden’s ed secretary will continue a “meteoric rise” to the nation’s top education job after serving as Connecticut’s commissioner When he was assistant superintendent of schools in Meriden, Miguel Cardona — the state’s new education commissioner — would take new teachers on a tour of
Five reasons educators are excited about Miguel Cardona - Education Votes
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Five reasons educators are excited about Miguel Cardona On Monday, President-elect Joe Biden announced former public elementary school teacher and union member, and current Connecticut Commissioner of Education Miguel Cardona as his pick to lead the U.S. Department of Education. “When a record number of Americans turned out to vote for President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Ha
Where Did Education Fail Us? | The Jose Vilson
by Mike Simpson / 3d
WHERE DID EDUCATION FAIL US? In my final reflection for the semester of my doctoral studies (don’t ask me how it’s going), I considered what it meant to get an education. Over and again in this space, I’ve considered how there’s a big difference between schooling and education. Schooling is a set of processes characterized by the desire to show students a given set of ideas and materials. Educat
Doyle and Sahlberg: After the Pandemic, Children Need to Play | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Doyle and Sahlberg: After the Pandemic, Children Need to Play William Doyle and Pasi Sahlberg have a proposal for what children should do after the pandemic: Play. They write at CNN.com: When the novel coronavirus is no longer as great a threat and schools finally reopen, we should give children the one thing they will need most after enduring months of isolation, stress, physical restraint and
NYC Educator: Can We Agree on a Fair Evaluation System?
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Can We Agree on a Fair Evaluation System? That's a tough question. Our esteemed chancellor writes us missives telling us how much he respects and cares for us. Our safety is the most important thing there is. Yet you don't see him setting his foot in a school unless it's pre-screened and a whole lot cleaner than any I've seen over the last decade or two. If Regents exams are canceled, and if no
CURMUDGUCATION: Nobody Hates Miguel Cardona (So Far)
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Nobody Hates Miguel Cardona (So Far) (OF course, I finished this post at about 3:55 PM Eastern time, so there's plenty of time left for folks to crank up the disapproval) So now we know who the new guy is (probably) going to be, and an awful lot of folks are asking who he is and whether we should be delighted or upset or whatever. Diane Ravitch notes that he hasn't taken a position on many of th
NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY #BLM #BLACKLIVESMATTER
by Mike Simpson / 3d
NewBlackMan (in Exile) NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/12/this-week-with-newblackman-in-exile_12.html The Quarantine Tapes 137: Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o by Mark Anthony Neal / 19h 'Host Paul Holdengräber is joined by writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o on episode 137 of The Quarantine Tapes . A celebrated author of no
A VERY BUSY DAY Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... The latest news and resources in education since 2007
by Mike Simpson / 3d
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/2020/12/this-week-in-education-larry- ferlazzos_19.html December’s Most Popular Posts by Larry Ferlazzo / 11h As regular readers
EXTRA: Biden Appoints Dr. Miguel Cardona as Education Secretary | janresseger
by Mike Simpson / 3d
EXTRA: Biden Appoints Dr. Miguel Cardona as Education Secretary This is a reblog of Diane Ravitch’s commentary on President Elect Joseph Biden’s appointment of Dr. Miguel Cardona as the next Secretary of Education. Biden Picks Connecticut Commissioner Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education by dianeravitch President-Elect Joe Biden selected Dr. Miguel Cardona, Commissioner of Education in Conne
Teacher Tom: Teacher Tom's Last Minute Gift Ideas
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Teacher Tom's Last Minute Gift Ideas We've been bombarded with "last minute" gift idea promotions since at least mid-November, but now, finally, the last minute is truly upon us. As a public service I offer Teacher Tom's last minute gift ideas for children, most of which won't even require a trip to a mall or an Amazon delivery. Mesh produce bags. Things that rot. A place to leave things to rot
NPE's Thoughts on the Selection of Miguel Cardona for Secretary of Education - Network For Public Education
by Mike Simpson / 3d
NPE’s Thoughts on the Selection of Miguel Cardona for Secretary of Education Last evening the Biden Administration selected Dr. Miguel Cardona, the State Superintendent of Connecticut, as his Secretary of Education. We congratulate Dr. Cardona who has dedicated his life to public schools–as a public school teacher, principal, central administrator and State Superintendent. We are delighted that
CT Ed Commissioner Miguel Cardona to be Next US Ed Sec | deutsch29: Mercedes Schneider's Blog
by Mike Simpson / 3d
CT Ed Commissioner Miguel Cardona to be Next US Ed Sec President-elect Joe Biden has selected Connecticut education commissioner, Miguel Cardona, as the next US secretary of education. Cardona was appointed state superintendent in Connecticut in August 2019. According to Cardona’s Linkedin bio , he earned his bachelors in education from Central Connecticut State University (1993-1997) and severa
Stop Using Black Children as an Excuse to Open Your Schools | Black&Smart
by Mike Simpson / 3d
STOP USING BLACK CHILDREN AS AN EXCUSE TO OPEN YOUR SCHOOLS It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog. The Corona Virus has forced me to address so many things virtually, that the last thing I’ve had the energy for was sitting down in front of the computer for yet another thing. I didn’t even want to think about an Op-Ed. However, the current chatter about returning to schools has me thinking

DEC 22

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDVACCINE #CHANGEGONNACOME #BIDEN #edsec
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Congress 2020: Late and inadequate COVID-19 relief - Education Votes - https://educationvotes.nea.org/2020/12/21/congress-2020-late-and-inadequate-covid-19-relief/ Judges Are Locking Up Children for Noncriminal Offenses Like Repeatedly Disobeying Their Parents and Skipping School — ProPublica - https://www.propublica.org/article/judges-
Opinion: Teachers are more than Covid data points - CNN
by Mike Simpson / 3d
Too many parents and decision makers treat teachers like they don't matter (CNN) Julie Davis, 49, was an inspirational third grade teacher, a " mother to everyone ," who attended her students' extracurriculars and donated to children in need. About three weeks after a student at her North Carolina school tested positive for Covid-19, Davis fell ill. This mother and grandmother died certain, her
JEFF BRYANT: A Flood of New Charter Schools Shows How the Industry May Try to Thrive — Despite the Pandemic | Ed Politics
by Mike Simpson / 4d
A Flood of New Charter Schools Shows How the Industry May Try to Thrive — Despite the Pandemic | Ed Politics A FLOOD OF NEW CHARTER SCHOOLS SHOWS HOW THE INDUSTRY MAY TRY TO THRIVE — DESPITE THE PANDEMIC As the COVID-19 pandemic began closing school buildings and forcing schools to quickly ramp up online learning programs in April, an op-ed by Alex Medler, the executive director of the Colorado A
Biden Picks Connecticut Commissioner Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Biden Picks Connecticut Commissioner Miguel Cardona as Secretary of Education President-Elect Joe Biden selected Dr. Miguel Cardona, Commissioner of Education in Connecticut, to be his administration’s Secretary of Education. The Washington Post wrote about him: President-elect Joe Biden is set to nominate the commissioner of public schools in Connecticut as his education secretary, settling on
K-12 Schools Get $57 Billion in COVID-19 Deal; No Relief for State and Local Governments
by Mike Simpson / 4d
K-12 Schools Get $57 Billion in COVID-19 Deal; No Relief for State and Local Governments K-12 schools would receive about $57 billion in direct aid under a new $900 billion federal COVID-19 relief deal reached over the weekend by congressional negotiators. The vast majority of that amount, $54.3 billion, would be for public schools in an education stabilization fund, and 90 percent of that must
Biden leaning toward Miguel Cardona for education secretary - Axios
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Miguel Cardona emerges as Biden's choice to open schools Joe Biden is leaning toward nominating Miguel Cardona, education commissioner in Connecticut, to serve as secretary of the Department of Education and lead a reopening of the country's schools, according to people familiar with the matter. Why it matters: Cardona, who has focused on reopening schools in his home state, emerged as the presi
Clamor por Cardona - Manhattan Times News
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Clamor for Cardona Clamor por Cardona Clamor for Cardona (ENGLISH) Una de las promesas de campaña del presidente electo Joe Biden incluyó nombrar a un maestro como el próximo secretario de Educación. Inmediatamente surgieron varios nombres, incluidos Randi Weingarten, presidente de la Federación Estadounidense de Maestros, y Lily Eskelsen García, ex presidenta de la Asociación Nacional de Educaci
Biden to pick Connecticut education commissioner for top schools post - POLITICO
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Biden to pick Connecticut education commissioner for top schools post Miguel Cardona will be tested on his ability to unify opposing sides in the debate over reopening schools. President-elect Joe Biden is poised to nominate Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona for Education secretary, adding another Latino to his roster of Cabinet appointees and choosing a leader who has pressed sc
Survey: Oklahoma educators 'overwhelmed' and 'scared' - NONDOC
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Survey: Oklahoma educators 'overwhelmed' and 'scared' Survey: Oklahoma educators ‘overwhelmed’ and ‘scared’ In a recent survey, the Oklahoma Education Association asked more than 3,100 teachers, support professionals and administrators to use one word to describe their current feelings about their job. Words like “stressed,” “overwhelmed,” and “scared” landed in the top 10. The survey (embedded b
Laura Chapman: Charters in Ohio Shaking the PPP Money Tree | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Laura Chapman: Charters in Ohio Shaking the PPP Money Tree Our reader Laura Chapman lives in Ohio. She contacted NPE Execurive Director Carol Burris to find out which Ohio charter schools asked for and received money from the Paycheck Protection Program, even though they already received funding allotted to public schools; even though they lost no income, unlike the hundreds of thousands of smal
Teacher Tom: When the Sun Stands Still
by Mike Simpson / 4d
When the Sun Stands Still I've been awaking to darkness for the last couple weeks. I’d have to say that the short winter days are one of the most challenging aspects of life in the northern tier, but things are turning around. The Winter Solstice occurred in Seattle on Monday at 2:02 a.m., marking the end of our ever-longer nights and the return of light. Not to lessen the significance of Christ
Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick for Secretary of Education | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick for Secretary of Education President-Elect Joe Biden will soon announce his choice for Secretary of Education. He promised to choose a person with experience as a teacher. He said he wants a Secretary who is committed to public education. Here is my choice. I can’t think of anyone better qualified to be Secretary of Education than Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick, other than Dr. Linda
BACK ROOM QUESTIONS – Dad Gone Wild
by Mike Simpson / 4d
BACK ROOM QUESTIONS “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” ― Winston S. Churchill Things are bad in Tennessee in relation to COVID-19. Case rates are the highest in the country, and open hospital beds are becoming scarce. As Christmas approaches, fears are ratcheting up for another after the holiday explosion. Especially as many schools are scheduled to re-ope

DEC 21

THE TOP BANANA: TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES #REDFORED #tbats #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDVACCINE #CHANGEGONNACOME #BIDEN #edsec
by Mike Simpson / 4d
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES A COVID-related illness is sickening a growing number of children in California http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/q0FYjPE6WI4/covid-related-misc-illness-california-children Congress Poised To Simplify FAFSA, And Help People In Prison Go To College | 89.3 KPCC - https://www.scpr.org/news/2020/12/20/95809/congress-poised-to-simplif
Cartoons on Zooming for Work and School | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Cartoons on Zooming for Work and School Most readers of this blog Zoom for work, birthdays, anniversaries, and sadly, for funerals in these surreal pandemic times. Then there are the millions of students who received instruction on Zoom from preschoolers to high school seniors. Many of those Zoomers, maybe all, are Zoomed out. Not only Zoom but other devices and software stretch the limits of pa
WATCH VIDEO: Fauci puts priority on getting teachers vaccinated and a return to in-person classes | EdSource
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Fauci puts priority on getting teachers vaccinated and a return to in-person classes | EdSource Fauci puts priority on getting teachers vaccinated and a return to in-person classes CSU Chancellor Tim White hosts virtual Q&A event with Dr. Anthony Fauci hen Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, takes on his new role as President-elect Biden’s chief medical adviser, one of
Online proctoring services pose privacy concerns for remote learning - Vox
by Mike Simpson / 5d
How teachers [sic] are sacrificing student privacy to stop cheating Surveillance software for remote learning is drawing criticism from privacy advocates and lawmakers. As the fall semester began at the University of Nevada, Reno, psychology professor Mark Lescroart faced an increasingly common dilemma for teachers: How to prevent his newly remote students from cheating on the quizzes and exams
Teacher Tom: The Technology of Speaking With Children So They Can Think
by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Technology of Speaking With Children So They Can Think It was in one of Tom Drummond's classes more than 20 years ago that I first heard about the "technology" of speaking with children so they could think. Tom was explaining the ultimate ineffectiveness of "directive" statements. You know the kind -- "Sit over here," "Stand there," "Pick that up" -- the sorts of adult communications with wh
John Thompson on Ta-Nehisi Coates and Bruce Springsteen | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 5d
John Thompson on Ta-Nehisi Coates and Bruce Springsteen John Thompson, historian and retired teacher in Oklahoma, shares ideas about teaching in difficult times. My high school and GED students always loved wrestling with the ideas presented by Ta-Nehisi Coates and Bruce Springsteen. I’m sure they would now agree that America needs both – Coates’ Between the World and Me , centered around Coates
Just an EdD from a State University – radical eyes for equity
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Just an EdD from a State University Several years ago I was on a panel for a public forum held on my university’s campus. At the Q&A ending the panel talk, a colleague from another discipline asked a detailed question grounded in their discipline. I watched their face and eyes as I navigated not only the arcane and somewhat navel-gazing elements of the question (we academics love to hold forth w
Christmas Past | Teacher in a strange land
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Christmas Past If you watched Stephen Colbert’s show-length interview with Joe and Jill Biden last week, you heard Joe, acting like the nation’s corny but well-meaning grandpa, describing his annual habit of spreading fake snow, made with Ivory Snow flakes , on the branches of the family Christmas tree. Joe really got into it, adding a lot of detail about placement of single strands of tinsel, a
What the Congressional Deal Means for Education | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 5d
What the Congressional Deal Means for Education Phyllis W. Jordan of Future-Ed, a D.C. think tank, explains here what the latest Congressional agreement on COVID aid means for education and compares it to last spring’s CARES Act as well as to the HEROES Act passed in May by the House of Representatives. The agreement does not include any aid for cities or states. President-Elect Joe Biden has pl
2020 Review: The Year That Changed Everything | Exceptional Delaware
by Mike Simpson / 5d
2020 Review: The Year That Changed Everything Christmas is in a few days which means the end of the year is fast approaching. 2020 was one for the record books. Between Covid-19, the election, and all that came before, between, and after, it was a year no one will ever forget. Personally I went through so many changes, at such a rapid pace, that I’m still absorbing it all. The entire year was fi
Louisiana Educator: Science vs Superstition and Stupid Politics
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Science vs Superstition and Stupid Politics More than 40 years ago the brilliant musician Stevie Wonder released an interesting and highly relevant song called: "Superstition". Part of the lyrics to the song are as follows: When you believe in things That you don't understand, Then you suffer, Superstition ain't the way Stevie Wonder's song is amazingly relevant today when people refuse to wear
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/2020/12/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_19.html My Most Popular Tweets Of The Year by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h PhotoMIX-Compan

DEC 20

HAPPY SOLSTICE EVERYONE: WINTER SOLSTICE 2020 PLUS BONUS CHRISTMAS STAR | The Old Farmer's Almanac
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Winter Solstice 2020: When Is the First Day of Winter? What Is the Winter Solstice? | The Old Farmer's Almanac WINTER SOLSTICE 2020: THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER CELEBRATE THE WINTER SOLSTICE WITH FACTS, FOLKLORE, AND MORE The winter solstice happens on Monday, December 21, 2020 . This is the astronomical first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the shortest day of the year. What happens at
CATCH UP WITH CURMUDGUCATION + ICYMI: Santa's Almost Here (12/20)
by Mike Simpson / 5d
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: Santa's Almost Here (12/20) Santa's Almost Here And the Board of Directors has just about figured out this Christmas thing and twigged onto the notion that presents are coming (but why not right now). I am going to try not to think constantly about all the family and children and grandchildren that I am not seeing this week, because that sucks. In the meantime, here's some
Kelsey Sends Grinchy Voucher Christmas Card – Tennessee Education Report
by Mike Simpson / 5d
KELSEY SENDS GRINCHY VOUCHER CHRISTMAS CARD Tennessee’s “Mr. Voucher” State Senator Brian Kelsey sent Christmas greeting cards with a grinchy message about his non-stop work to privatize Tennessee’s public schools. Apparently, even the “Season of Giving” is one where Kelsey spends his time thinking about how to send taxpayer money to public school privatizers. Here’s that fun card: Of course, pu
Arizona Charters Hit Jackpot with Federal Paycheck Protection Program | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Arizona Charters Hit Jackpot with Federal Paycheck Protection Program The federal CARES Act included the Paycheck Protection Program to help struggling small businesses and nonprofits survive the pandemic. Lobbyists for the charter industry slipped in a provision enabling charter schools to apply for PPP funding, even though they experienced no financial losses. Charter schools got a share of th
CURMUDGUCATION: Pennsylvania's Teacher Problem
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Pennsylvania's Teacher Problem We already know that the teaching profession is primarily composed of white women (average age 43). But sometimes, when you break data down in particular ways, it becomes even more striking. Research for Action is a Philly-based group that has done some great work over the years, and they've done some research about the TOC/SOC balance in PA that are featured both
Los Angeles: Billionaire-funded Group Complains about Remote Learning Pact | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Los Angeles: Billionaire-funded Group Complains about Remote Learning Pact In Los Angeles, the UTLA reached an agreement with the LAUSD and superintendent to extend remote learning as COVID surges and every ICU bed is filled in the city. The billionaire-funded “Parent Revolution” complained (billionaires are parents although they have no children in LA public schools). https://www.latimes.com/ca
NANCY BAILEY: The Attack on Dr. Jill Biden is Cloaked Hatred of Teachers and Public Education
by Mike Simpson / 5d
The Attack on Dr. Jill Biden is Cloaked Hatred of Teachers and Public Education The Attack on Dr. Jill Biden is Cloaked Hatred of Teachers and Public Education Much has been written about the offensiveness of the Wall Street Journal’s Epstein opinion piece on Dr. Jill Biden. It lacks respect for Dr. Biden, a veteran teacher, deeply committed to her profession and community college students, but i
Personal Reflections On My 2020 Professional Experiences | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...
by Mike Simpson / 5d
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS ON MY 2020 PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES I thought some readers might find it interesting, and I thought it would be a useful reflection exercise for me, if I reflected on my work around education over the past twelve months AND my hopes and concerns for 2021 (those 2021 thoughts will appear in a future post) I’ve already done a more “big picture” review in my annual Washington P
Missouri Grants First Charter Outside Two Biggest Districts | Diane Ravitch's blog
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Missouri Grants First Charter Outside Two Biggest Districts Up until now, the only districts with charters in Missouri were St. Louis and Kansas City, the state’s two biggest districts. But the state board just granted a charter for a new school in the Normandy district, one of the state’s poorest and lowest performing. The state board of education approved the charter with six votes in favor, o
Democracy and Education | tultican
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Democracy and Education By Thomas Ultican 12/19/2020 Democracy and free universal public education are foundational American ideologies. They have engendered world renowned success for our experiment in government “by the people” . Two new books – Schoolhouse Burning by Derek Black and A Wolf at the Schoolhouse Door by Jack Schneider and Jennifer Berkshire – demonstrate that these principles whi
Gingerbread houses and teacher unions. – Fred Klonsky
by Mike Simpson / 5d
GINGERBREAD HOUSES AND TEACHER UNIONS When I see gingerbread houses this time of year I think about the teacher two doors down the hall who made making them an assignment each year as homework. I imagine it was mostly done by parents – moms most likely. But they were great and festive. And a shared family thing. They filled the library display case. Pretzel log roofs. Jellies in the windows. Can
Will Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Change the Political Power Structure in New York City? Should We Use RCV in State and Congressional Elections? | Ed In The Apple
by Mike Simpson / 5d
Will Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) Change the Political Power Structure in New York City? Should We Use RCV in State and Congressional Elections? The ballots in New York City elections commonly ask voters to vote on “ballot proposals” as well as candidates, in 2019, an off year, no one was running for citywide or state office, the ballot contained four proposals , one of the proposals changed the m
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/2020/12/this-week-in-education-larry-ferlazzos_19.html Personal Reflections On My 2020 Professional Experiences by Larry Ferlazz

DEC 19

TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 12/19/20 #REDFORED #tbats #COVID-19 #REOPENSCHOOLSSAFELY #COVIDOUTBREAK #BIDENWINS #TOPBANANAHEADLINES #edsec
by Mike Simpson / 6d
Big Education Ape TOP POSTS THIS WEEK 12/19/20 ‘Slaying Goliath’: Diane Ravitch argues in new book that public education advocates have beat back efforts to privatize schools - The Washington Post The real story of New 

 Big Education Ape

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