Which Schools Might Close?
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One item - A reader said that the district really should use clear language
in what is happening.
*The message to parents talks about “consolidating” fi...
Two Front Pages: 2016 and 2024
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Veteran journalist James Fallows put up a post today on his blog comparing
the front page of the New York Times on October 29, 2016 to the front page
of th...
The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books
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https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/11/the-elite-college-students-who-cant-read-books/679945/?gift=zXzXUEZZZLHi5sK2YilNUD9CLqEES1pTD-XJg_PM...
Seditious Trump is a criminal.
-
Donald Trump “resorted to crimes” in a failed bid to cling to power after
losing the 2020 election, federal prosecutors said in a newly unsealed
cour...
Science of Learning; an Education Fraud
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By Thomas Ultican 10/2/2024 On September 24, The 74 headline read, “What
Happens When a 48K-Student District Commits to the ‘Science of Learning’ –
In Fred...
Only 1% of math teachers say they use AI “a lot”
-
In the Spring of 2024, RAND found that 82% of surveyed math teachers
have never used AI tools for their mathematics teaching. 1% said they use
it “Often.” ...
“Union Mouth”
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So—when we’re immersed in the pre-election floodwaters of political revenge
speech, it’s easy to snicker at the misfortune, if that’s the word, of
right-wi...
Prime Palindromes
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I haven’t done a math puzzle in a while. Maybe a year? But I play with
math. A lot. If I see puzzles, why not share them? What is the largest
4-digit prime...
Names and Places: Asheville, NC 2024
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Names My mother’s parents can be fairly described as “characters.” Even as
a small child, I found them fascinating, fun, and a treat to visit. The
thing th...
¿Cuál es el poder de su voto?
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En People's Action, creemos que la gente como tu y yo podemos tomar las
decisiones correctas para nuestras vidas y la de nuestro país. Por eso
estamos pasa...
TWO UPCOMING READINGS WITH TWO DAZZLING COMRADES.
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PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE!! Friday, Oct. 4 City Lit Books w/
Alice Kim 6:30 – 7:30pm @ 2523 N Kedzie Blvd, Chicago Details Monday, Oct.
7 Volumes...
Be Wary of the Well Intentioned Man
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“Don’t blame the boss. He has enough problems.” ― Donald Rumsfeld
Everybody talks about how tired parents are during the infant years of
child-rearing. I...
“Necessary But Not Sufficient”
-
Many schools, both public and private, are banning cellphones. Is this a
good idea? Let me present three connected points and a (seemingly) logical
conclus...
September’s Parent Engagement Resources
-
A Back-to-School Guide for Connecting with Families is from ASCD. What all
parents can learn from the troubled AI in Los Angeles schools
https://t.co/4I5Q7...
The Jea Street Article
-
I would be hard pressed to find anyone who has fought for the students of
Wilmington schools more than Jea Street. I first heard of him when he led
the cha...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Could there be a "Silver Wave" for Harris/Walz?
-
Bill McKibben raises this question, and goes beyond the obvious concern
that those of us who are seniors (I am 78) have for Social Security and
Medicare....
Dear AD55 Voters: She Se Puede!
-
Click here for image I am so grateful for your support in the March primary
LACDP race …I do not…
The post Dear AD55 Voters: She Se Puede! first appeared...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
-
This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
Time to Rein in Vouchers
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Universal voucher programs have, in many states led to substantial budget
stress (Baker, 2024;[1] Hager, 2024). Initial cost estimates in Florida
were that...
A Challenge for the UFT and NYSUT
-
After my July 23 blog post, a legal eagle fanboi reached out to a member of
The Crack Team with a solution to the plight of those waiting years to have
a...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
15 Questions for the Candidates
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Those citizens who fantasize about defying tyranny from within fortified
compounds have never understood how liberty is actually threatened in a
modern bur...
Bibliography for History Posts on This Blog
-
I remember when school reformers insisted the biggest problem
in education was that teachers didn't come from the best colleges.
Bibliography
VER...
We are making a CPESS documentary!
-
In 2020, I was approached by Deborah Meier and Jane Andrais and I decided
we should document the story of Central Park East Secondary School (CPESS).
This ...
Volunteer in 2024
-
Be the change, volunteer and make the difference! Let’s face it, the world
is in turmoil, and divisive politics in our country is threatening our
democracy...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
-
Well, this is the first anniversary of the introduction of Generative AI in
the form of ChatGPT to the world of education. Before it was a week old,
over o...
Vote NO on the UFT Contract. Here is Why:
-
The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
-
In this article, we will explore the powerful use of metaphors in Martin
Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” ...
Read more
Testimony to the CPS Truancy Task Force
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I prepared testimony for one of two public hearings held by the Chicago
Public Schools Truancy Task Force, a body mandated by state legislation.
The meetin...
Skin Deep
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She spends so much time on her outward appearance. There is never a hair
out of place. Her makeup is perfect and her clothes are stylish and match
to ...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
-
*Defeating the Purpose of Education*
*Updated: May 2024*
*Most people would agree that the primary purpose of education is to
prepare children for a good a...
THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. NOT!
-
There is a teacher shortage.And just to be sure you understand, it's not
that teachers don't want to teach.It's not that there aren't enough
teachers certi...
Abortion: Only For Those Who Need It!
-
NOTE: This post contains my opinions on Catholicism based on my experiences
as a child in the 1960's and 70's. Take what you like and leave the rest. I
m...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
-
Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
On the Edge of Silence
-
“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.
Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the
fundamen...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
-
TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
-
I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
-
[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
GA run-offs need your help!
-
Extremely important. Volunteer if you can. Thank you if you are already
doing so. Out of state opportunities here: Ralph …
Continue reading →
The Threat of Integration
-
I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
-
The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
A Fundamental Redesign of Our Schools
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I climbed the hill leading up to one of my favorite coffee shops in Seattle
this morning to enjoy a coffee while taking in a phenomenal view of the
city o...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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I am the son of Chaz and like to inform you that he passed away this
afternoon from the COVID virus. My father passed in peace beside his loved
ones. We ar...
Thoughts on schooling in the era of COVID-19
-
Well, a whole lot has changed since I returned to blogging a month and half
ago. In case you didn't notice, and I'm sure everyone reading this did,
there's...
NAEP scores and "the science of reading"
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*Sent to US News. They just informed me that they no longer publish
letters to the editor. *
*Re: “National reading emergency” November 12*
*[https://www...
2019 NAEP Scores: Achievement Gap or …?
-
Here you go: A ‘Disturbing’ Assessment: Sagging Reading Scores,
Particularly for Eighth-Graders, Headline 2019’s Disappointing NAEP Results
NAEP 2019: Re...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
-
Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Storm is Coming! (…again)
-
A new Commissioner will have as much impact on our state ed system as a new
meteorologist will have on …
Continue reading →
Déjà vu: 2019 ELA Assessment: Dear Board of Regents
-
Dear Board of Regents,
I have copied below an email I sent to you almost a year ago, after the
2018 ELA assessment's computer-based testing failures and mo...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
-
The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
-
Originally posted on Wrench in the Gears:
I created this video as a follow up to the one I prepared last year on
Social Impact Bonds. It is time to examine...
New Local Businesses in Sacramento
-
Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
3rd Grade Reading: Who is Failing?
-
Education Trust Midwest has just released its study on third grade reading
and, predictably, the results aren’t great. This study uniquely compares
Michiga...
Opting out of the Dinosaur (end of year test)
-
Today I sent in a second letter to refuse PARCC/CMAS for my son, Luke. The
first email I sent at the beginning of the year was not sufficient as they
requi...
Resurrection
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I realized it's Lent, but this blog, bless Jesus Christ, can't wait.
Ok, so with that said, I plan to discuss Class Action suits in existence,
as well as w...
IDEA Is Still The Law Of The Land
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Unless you've been living under a rock, you know the US Department of
Education (USDOE) rescinded 72 Dear Colleague and other letters of
explanation to ...
Education Is a Civic Question
-
In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
-
Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
-
An Open Letter to NC State Lawmakers and NC State Superintendent Mark
Johnson: I am a NC native, voter, and public school teacher. I am
addressing you all ...
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My Next Bestseller)
-
The Secret to Fixing Schools (My next bestseller) Prologue I just finished
watching a fascinating documentary on Netflix entitled, “The Secret”. The
film p...
Farewell, Sleep
-
Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
Capturing the Spark
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It’s been a long time since InterACT was an active education blog, though I
remain quite proud of what we did here. Those of us who wrote blog posts
here h...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
-
I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
WTU Peterson Slate: Not a 1 Woman Dictatorship
-
Candi Peterson & GeLynn Thompson
Candidates for WTU Prez & GVP 2016By Candi Peterson, WTU Gen. Vice President
*Statements or expressions of opinions herein...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
-
Dear Readers,
Thank you for visiting *The Perimeter Primate*. This blog is being retired
for the time being. Although I no longer post here, I do still s...
I am Retiring
-
I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
Flaws at the Heart of Current Education Reforms
-
Originally posted on Creative by Nature:
“Teaching is an art form rooted in the wise and careful use of educational
research and assessment tools. When gove...
The MAP Test
-
Teachers will be voting this afternoon on the contract that has been
tentatively agreed upon. I am asking all teachers to not allow an
evaluation system th...
My Suggestion for Holiday Gifts I always have this problem in early December: What shall I give to the children in my life? This year I did something I have wanted to do for a long time. I got a gift catalog from Heifer.com and I ordered animals that will be given to a family that needs them to have a better life. I purchased a sheep ($120) on behalf of one child and a goat on behalf of another.
School Leaders Who Never Learn Believe Students Can't Either It's hard to overstate the lack of vision and foresight of Mayor Bill de Blasio and Chancellor Richard Carranza, but they continue to trip all over themselves day after day. The mayor just finished announcing that the one-third of students who signed up for in person learning, at least those in lower grades, might be able to attend fiv
Florida: Leader of Closed Charter School Indicted for Embezzlement The leader of Paramount Charter School in Broward County, now closed, was indicted for theft of federal funds. The school opened in 2015, promising to provide an education that would meet “the highest academic and personal standards.” Didn’t happen, say parents. After compiling a terrible academic record, the school closed in 201
Schools Are Still Not Like Ubers Betsy DeVos (who will soon not be a humble servant in the education secretary's office, but will instead be a very rich lady who wants to dismantle public education) likes to compare her vision of education to the same kind of disruption offered by outfits like Uber, a comparison that many folks like to make . I've written before about what a lousy comparison tha
I will be voting no on the new contract and if you are a teacher in DCPS so should you You know a contract offer is bad when even people voting for it admit it. Over and over again, I have heard, yeah, it's not good, but what are we going to do. I will tell you what you should do, say no. Say no to the disrespect, say no to the shoddy offer, that robs Peter to pay Paul, say no to the threats, ju
2019-20 Data on Use of Restraints on Students - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education) California Department of Education Releases 2019-20 Data on Use of Restraints and Seclusions on Students 2019-20 High School Graduation and Dropout Rates - Year 2020 (CA Dept of Education) - https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel101.asp SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education (CDE) today released data on
Going to UFT Meetings There are people with perfect attendance and that’s not me, but I do like going to union meetings, and my attendance is pretty good. There are four different kinds of United Federation of Teachers meetings I attend. And all of them have changed during the pandemic. DR Meetings At my DR’s meetings we have a small group. It’s possible to have real discussion. And when I have
FRIDAY NEWS DROP “I believe that managing is like holding a dove in your hand. If you hold it too tightly, you kill it, but if you hold it too loosely, you lose it.” ― Tommy Lasorda In 1994 Major League Baseball went on strike . Like many fans, I was disappointed, angry, and frustrated. The games resumed in the Spring of 1995, but not without damage done to the preception of the game. Many fans
Dad Gone Wild – Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it. THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS Dad Gone Wild Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it. FRIDAY NEW DROP by TC Weber / 18h “I believe that managing is like holding a dove in your hand. If you hold it too tightly, you kill it, but if you hold it too loosely, you lose it.” ― Tommy Lasorda In 1994 Major League Baseball went on strike . Like many fans, I was disa
Teacher Tom Worrying About Using the Words of Diagnosis 500+ 23h Sucking the Joy From Their Lives 2K 2d Getting on the Same Bandwagon 400+ 3d It's the Thinking 200+ 4d Learning Rules Vs. Intellectual Development and Understanding 500+ 5d False Beliefs 200+ 8d Teacher Tom
California Department of Education SSPI THURMOND STUFF THIS WEEK FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 2019-20 Data on Use of Restraints on Students 15h California Department of Education releases 2019-20 data on use of restraints and seclusions on students. 2019-20 High School Graduation and Dropout Rates 16h California Department of Education releases 2019-20 high school graduation and dr
NewBlackMan (in Exile) South Africa After the Rainbow: A Conversation with Anne-Maria Makhulu by Mark Anthony Neal / 14h 'When professor Anne-Maria Makhulu returned to South Africa to start her research in the late 1990's, the South African Truth & Reconciliation Commission was just beginning to start it's work. She says that while the newly established transparency was important for understandi
Education Research Report COVID-19 and learning loss by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 19h The COVID-19 pandemic has both illuminated and magnified the persistent disparities between different races and income groups in the United States. In education, attention has largely focused on the achievement gap, which is widening because of the pandemic. But to address the achievement gap, schools must focus on
Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day... | The latest news and resources in education since 2007 New Site Shares The Stories Of Thousands Who Were Enslaved by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h Enslaved is an amazing site allow people to learn the stories of hundreds of thousands of people who had been enslaved. You can research names, read short narrative stories , and a lot more at the site. A Smithsonian Mag
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 Florida: Leader of Closed Charter School Indicted for Embezzlement by dianeravitch / 20min The leader of Paramount Charter School in Broward County, now closed, was indicted for theft of federal funds. The school opened in 2015, promising to prov
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Education Research Report: Study: Teacher performance measures may penalize black educators - http://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/ Panel Discussion Focuses on Small Businesses and Education Amid COVID-19 - Higher Education - https://diverseeducation.com/?p=198994 When will teachers be vaccinated? It depends on where you live - A
Grades Tarnish Teaching as well as Learning Recently on social media, a professor asked if others used rubrics with graduate students. Since rejecting rubrics has been a central component of my career-long efforts to de-grade and de-test teaching and learning, I chimed in. My posts in the comments explaining why I don’t use rubrics were significant outliers because the thread of comments was ove
Fewer Kindergartners Could Signal Big Educational, Financial Troubles For Sacramento City Schools Ann Crisp says her family tried doing “Zoom-school” for their 5-year-old son Lennon earlier this year, but it just didn’t work. She works at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, so she set her son up in front of a computer next to her desk to make sure he paid attention during class. But her son h
To Joe Biden: Save America’s Children from “Poisonous Pedagogy” Peter Handel writes at Truthout that President-Elect Biden must change education policy if he wants to heal the nation. By his choice for Secretary of Education, Biden must acknowledge the damage done to America’s children by the high-stakes testing regime of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top. Bush’s law and Obama’s program w
Right Wing Disinformation Targets San Diego Schools An error filled online posting, devoid of context, with misleading assumptions has led to death threats and vile messages aimed at staff in the San Diego Unified School District, according to Board of Education Vice President Barrera. Efforts to create awareness of racism as a systemic rather than an individual problem have stoked indignation i
Charter Schools Bully Teachers | Dissident Voice Charter Schools Bully Teachers It is no accident that fewer than three percent of the nation’s roughly 7,300 charter schools are operated by teachers and that 90% of charter schools do not have a teachers union. So much for the narrative that charter schools started nearly 30 years ago to empower teachers. Some states even allow charter schools to
No Vaccine, No School? School and public health officials weigh what it will take to reopen schools and some say requiring a coronavirus vaccine may be just a matter of time. WITH THE FOOD AND DRUG Administration poised to approve the first coronavirus vaccine for use in the U.S. – the start of a major national effort to blunt the spread of a pandemic that’s taken the lives of nearly 300,000 Ame
NewBlackMan (in Exile) NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/12/this-week-with-newblackman-in-exile.html Stopping the Exploitation of Prisoners and Their Families Requires More Comprehensive Solutions by Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr. by Mark Anthony Neal / 1h Credit: Bryan Thomas | @DrBenChavis | special to NewB
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.html Another Study Points Out That SEL Is Not A Cure-All by Larry Ferlazzo / 4h S
OH: Ed Disruptors Want Their Big Test F Aaron Churchill, the Fordham Institution's Ohio research director, popped up in the Columbus Dispatch today as a "guest columnist." It's worth noting that his job is "aimed at strengthening education policy in Ohio," which is of course not the same thing as improving education and certainly not the same thing as supporting public education. Churchill's pre
Worrying About Using the Words of Diagnosis Several years ago, the mother of one of my students became convinced that her son, a smart, quirky five-year-old, was autistic. Having known him for three years, she asked me what I thought. I told her that I had known many children on the autism spectrum over the years, but that I wasn't qualified to make a diagnosis. When she pressed me, I told her t
Will President Biden Support Public School Teachers and Abandon Awful Obama-Duncan and Trump-DeVos Education Agendas? There is widespread anxiety about President Elect Joseph Biden’s choice of a Secretary of Education and his public school policy priorities. Yes, we are bidding farewell to Betsy DeVos, which certainly must be celebrated, but something much more consequential may be happening. Tw
Liability, Thy Name Is Google Meet In order to educate students in quarantine, our school district is now using the video conferencing tool, Google Meet , which is part of the Google Classroom portfolio of online education products. Google Meet has been billed as “a game changer.” Indeed. The idea of viewing the interior of my students’ homes while teaching them using Google Meet immediately bri
Mrs. Gates Still Doesn't Get It, Still Last week the New York Times decided to offer one more glowing portrait of Melinda Gates , unintentionally underlining the work of rich folk critic Anand Giridharadas and explaining, again, that she doesn't get the problem of Gates riches in education. She opens with an Emerson quote from her valedictory high school graduation speech about success being the
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES The End of Public Schools Would Mean the End of the Common Good - https://jacobinmag.com/2020/12/public-schools-privatization-wolf-schoolhouse-door-review#new_tab Colleges share lessons learned about the coronavirus pandemic during the fall semester - The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/colleges-fall-sem
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and Experts Discuss Approaches to Countering Anti-Semitism in Education to End Hate Virtual Classroom Series SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond today joined leaders from the Museum of Tolerance in a virtual classroom session on countering anti-Semitism, part of the ongoing Education to End Hate initiative designed to explore and
Norms, Ethics and Civility. Plus Education. Early in 2016, when it became apparent that Donald Trump would be the Republican nominee for president, the question emerged: just what percentage of the population actually endorsed his brand of brash white nationalism? It always felt impossible that more than a small sliver of the country would honestly embrace (not just tolerate) his behaviors and p
Jeff Bryant in The Progressive: Derek Black: We Need Public Schools Now More than Ever | Ed Politics JEFF BRYANT IN THE PROGRESSIVE: DEREK BLACK: WE NEED PUBLIC SCHOOLS NOW MORE THAN EVER After such a polarizing election, as the nation grapples with how to deal with the coronavirus pandemic and its financial fallout, many people wonder what can bring us together. In his new book, Schoolhouse Burn
We are 'scared, frustrated, and anxious'; Weingarten says this Yale course can help educators NEW HAVEN — The Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence has created an online course designed to aid educators battling the anxiety and stress of teaching during the pandemic and, in turn, students. The course came after a recent YCEI survey “of over 2,500 educators nationwide found that their top emotio
Ventilation is the key to helping students, staff and families stay safe Thoughts on SFUSD’s Return Safely to School Together Plan Last night district staff shared a plan for bringing students back to schools for in-person learning. Click the following links to see the proposed plan and presentation . (When the conversation becomes available via SFGovTV I will post it as well below.) Click the i
Sucking the Joy From Their Lives I was sitting on a bench near a playground merry-go-round watching our three and four-year-olds play. A pair of boys decided they wanted a spin. They mounted the apparatus, then one of them turned to me, "Teacher Tom, you push us." I answered, "Sorry, I'm busy sitting here. You'll have to find someone else." As the first boy tried pleading with me, the second sai
Suspend High-Stakes Testing for Spring 2021! Add Your Name! FAIRTest and other assessment reform allies call on the new Biden administration to suspend high-stakes standardized testing this spring. Please add your name to their petition! Open the link to add your name to this petition. To: U.S. Secretary of Education and state education policymakers From: [Your Name] We call on the U.S. Departme
SomeDAM Poet: Education Needs Variation, Not Standardization Those who seek to apply business thinking on education make a huge error. SomeDAM Poet, a regular commenter, cites the work of the brilliant education scholar Yong Zhao, who has consistently argued that progress and creativity relies on diversity, not standardization. This is, for example, a fundamental flaw of the Common Core, which c
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.html The Smithsonian’s “24 Hours In A Time Of Change” Seems Like A Great Opportun
McKinsey & Company Uses Falling Behind Talk to Ramp Up School Toughness McKinsey & Company Uses Falling Behind Talk to Ramp Up School Toughness For years McKinsey & Company has had a premier seat at the school reform table for the U.S., England, and worldwide, despite faulty reporting. Because of Covid-19, plans are being put in place to get tougher on students to make up for lost learning time.
Does the Pandemic Help Us Make Education More Equitable? (Pasi Sahlberg) “Pasi Sahlberg is a Finnish educator who has worked as a schoolteacher, teacher-educator, researcher, and policy advisor in Finland and has studied education systems and advised education leaders around the world..” I have excerpted Sahlberg’s description of how Finland’s and Australia’s schools responded to the Covid-19 pa
THE GLASS JUST MIGHT BE HALF FULL “There are two ways to be fooled One to believe what isn’t true The other is to refuse to believe what is true.” Soren Kierkegaard The battle between those who believe that school buildings should be open and those who believe they are unsafe under current circumstances shows no sign of abatement. In fact just the opposite, as opposing sides cling tighter to the
State Superintendent Tony Thurmond Announces Additional Educator Trainings and Grants to Address Equity and Learning Gaps SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond announced Tuesday that the California Department of Education (CDE) is launching additional virtual educator trainings and mini-grants designed to accelerate ongoing efforts to address equity gaps, strengthen
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Researcher Says Law Hiding Fiscal Effects of ‘Tax-Credit Vouchers’ from Public View Undermines Valid Analysis Earlier this week, two Kennesaw State University economists wrote about their study that suggests the private school tax credit program saves Georgia money. Today, another researcher questions their conclusions and their analysis, saying they relied on flawe
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Are Covid cases spreading in DC schools? - The Washington Post - https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-released-data-showing-outbreaks-in-schools-it-did-not-show-that-cases-spread-in-classrooms/2020/12/08/763bc456-398a-11eb-98c4-25dc9f4987e8_story.html?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_local-education Maryla
More Important Than Biden's Ed Secretary Pick There are plenty of reasons to focus attention and concern on President-elect Joe Biden’s choice for Secretary of Education. After all, VP Biden was part of the administration that gave us Arne Duncan as secretary, a choice universally panned by teachers. Public education advocates are hoping that Biden will give us a career educator with the leaders
The positively worst and best education news of 2020 — as viewed by a teacher It has been an annual tradition on The Answer Sheet for veteran teacher Larry Ferlazzo to assess what he sees as the best and worst education news of the year and then make predictions about the coming year. Here is his installment on the news of 2020 (and his predictions for 2021 will be coming soon). Ferlazzo teaches
Jeff Bryant: What Is Worse Than DeVos? Jeff Bryant writes that while we were all celebrating the pending departure of Betsy DeVos, the usual suspects were buying control of local school board elections . We are all aware of her efforts to direct federal funding to private schools and charter schools. But, he warns, we should pay attention to the “threat to democratically governed schools that pr
Lauren Hadi Joins the Schott Foundation as Senior Vice President of Advancement New York, NY – The Schott Foundation for Public Education is pleased to announce that Lauren Hadi has joined our team as Senior Vice President of Advancement. In this role, Lauren will guide the Foundation’s work with our philanthropic partners to channel more resources to the education justice movement and our grass
Education Research Report What are schools doing to feed students during COVID-19-related closures? by Jonathan Kantrowitz / 17h As schools across the United States are grappling with remote and hybrid learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior , published by Elsevier, investigates the initial responses of child nutrition administrative
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.html Video & A Whole Lot More: Google Releases “The Year In Search” by Larry Ferl
Oakland School Board Election: Money Can’t Buy Everything Ken Rice was an elected member of the Oakland Unified School District from 1997-2000. That was before the billionaire disrupters decided to take control of Oakland and turn it into their own petri dish for “reform” (i.e., privatization). Rice wrote the following description of the recent school board election, in which grassroots organiza
Mayor Bozo Ready to Lower Standards Yet Again If you're a teacher, you constantly hear talks of standards. The standardized test is the Bible, the Holy Grail, and the Ten Commandments all rolled into one. If your student gets 64 on the NY State English Regents, she is unfit to graduate. However, her classmate who gets a 65 is college and career ready. That's because this instrument is so precise
Listen to this – 2020 #5 SCHOOLS AS A COMMON GOOD The End of Public Schools Would Mean the End of the Common Good What is the purpose of public education? Is it a “factory for human capital” or a place to raise citizens in a democracy? The “business model” of education supported by many “reformers,” focuses on churning out workers from the public schools. The idea that public education is a Comm
Getting on the Same Bandwagon There are few more gratifying things than when the experts tell you something you already know. For instance, throughout my teaching career, I've always said that the first step with every child is getting on the same bandwagon, by which I mean, essentially, to befriend them. Once we're on the same bandwagon, once they know I like them and I know that they like me,
Why the New “Fair School Funding Plan” Matters for One Ohio School District: Will the Ohio Senate Let It Die? In Ohio, the state senate is refusing even to consider a new school funding plan, developed over a period of several years to replace the old school funding system that has become progressively unworkable over the past decade . Last Thursday, the Ohio House of Representatives passed the
Choosing Democracy: Teachers’ Strikes -Conditions for Success Teachers’ Strikes -Conditions for Success Teachers’ Strikes -Conditions for Success At the center of the recent teacher insurgency is one particular form of direct action—the strike. The strike occupies a distinctive place in the popular consciousness of teachers and working people more generally, primarily because of its extraordinary
As problems mount DCPS sits on 70 million dollars Veteran teachers are about to take a pay cut, our contact tracing is a joke, and thousands of sub-jobs have gone unfilled, all while the district sits on way more money than it is statutorily required to do so. I have been told they are saving the money for a rainy day. Well, friends, if they look outside, they would be able to that it is pouring
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES Epic Charter Schools board approves more corrective actions - https://nondoc.com/?p=20443 by @https://twitter.com/MeganPrather405 on @nondocmedia As more Biden administration picks roll in, the future U.S. Secretary of Education remains a mystery | Florida Phoenix - https://www.floridaphoenix.com/p/197806 via @flphoenixnews Issa Rae and
It's the Thinking Nearly twenty years ago, there was a two-year-old in my class named Melissa who would regularly hit the other kids. Not when she was mad or when she wanted something they had, but only when they cried. The moment she heard a classmate cry, she made a beeline for them, then proceeded to methodically pummel them about the head and shoulders, which of course made things worse. She
Hispanic caucus backs former teacher’s union chief for Education secretary Latino lawmakers sent a letter to the Biden transition team Monday night urging the president-elect to nominate Lily Eskelsen García. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus is lobbying President-elect Joe Biden to nominate Lily Eskelsen García for Education secretary, substantially boosting the pack of supporters who are stump
Lessons From Pandemic Teaching We’ll soon hit a full year of trying to figure out how public education works (or doesn’t) during a pandemic. Some of the experience gained may be specific to 2020 – the social and political dynamics of which have not been even remotely encouraging (see what I did there?). I’d respectfully suggest, however, that many of the “lessons” learned along the way apply to
Teachers Who Make a Difference A few years back, Mike Rose’s wrote a post about his high school English teacher. It was a beautiful piece that captures the ineffable moment 40 years earlier that Rose was ready–he did not know it, of course, at the time–to dig deeper into literature and the pushing and prodding he got from Jack McFarland, his young English teacher. McFarland’s teaching, Rose said
No More Children Locked in Cages- Separated from Their Families WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden has picked California Attorney General Xavier Becerra to be his health secretary, putting a defender of the Affordable Care Act in a leading role to oversee his administration’s coronavirus response. Separately, Biden picked a Harvard infectious disease expert, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, to he
“Coal Miner’s Daughter” Hawks Digital Learning By Thomas Ultican 12/8/2020 The last Democrat and first woman to serve as Governor of North Carolina, Bev Perdue, has become one of the nation’s leading advocates for digital learning. She presents herself as a simple country girl from a poor family, but doesn’t mention that her coalminer father became a rich mine owner by the time she was in colleg
Is DCPS hoarding money? Is DCPS hoarding err saving cash? I was told they were and have since asked the district how much of their budget they are keeping in reserves. It's my opinion it shouldn't be more than one dollar over the statutory minimum. DCPS has needs that are going unmet. I was told they were doing so in case the commissioner decided not to release funds for distance learning studen
UFT Executive Board December 7, 2020--School in the Times of COVID 19 UFT President Michael Mulgrew --Asks for moment of silence for Barbara Schiller, who passed today. Says schools ran smoothly today. City is allowed to change plan as long as they adhere to test rules. Says testing will keep us extremely safe. Closed 1400 schools based on monthly testing, not weekly. Schools said large majority
PSST…THERE’S A PANDEMIC GOING ON. “I believe in kindness. Also in mischief.” ― Mary Oliver It’s been my experience that when dealing with the unpleasant – be it debt, employment dissatisfaction, marriage infidelity, health risks, or school shortcomings – we often default to a strategy akin to sticking our fingers in our ears and making loud noises in hopes that if we don’t acknowledge the issue,
How a soccer club won a $1.2 million grant from DeVos’s Education Department to open a charter school By Carol Burris In late September 2020, amid the covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Education awarded nearly $6 million to five organizations to open new charter schools. One of the five awardees was “The All Football Club, Lancaster Lions Corporation,” located in Lancaster, Pa. The club
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.html Excellent Visualizations About How People Spend Their Time In Countries Thro
THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES CPS will reopen next month even if only a fraction of students opt in — and most teachers will be required to return, CEO says - Chicago Sun-Times - https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2020/12/3/22150924/cps-public-school-reopen-in-person-covid-19-remote-janice-jackson#new_tab AG: Scholarship can go to religious schools - https://oklahoman.com/article
Dangerous COVID-19 surge leads to hard shutdown of L.A. public schools Los Angeles campuses will shut down completely beginning Thursday for all in-person tutoring and special services, as prospects for fully reopening the nation's second-largest school district recede further into 2021 amid a dangerous coronavirus surge, Supt. Austin Beutner announced Monday. The move immediately affects some 4
The next education secretary must know about much more than education The next education secretary must know about much more than education Our schools are in crisis. We need Biden to tell us who our new secretary of education will be ASAP In the days after President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, you didn’t have to be inside the beltway to hear whispers of names being floated for cabinet positions —
Learning Rules Vs. Intellectual Development and Understanding I've had the opportunity, through this blog and in person, to talk to hundreds of thousands of educators and parents about how our version of progressive, play-based preschool education works. I've shared about creating interesting, safe-enough environments in which children are free to follow their own curiosity, to ask and answer th
Stunningly Oblivious On Thursday, November 19, all school buildings (NYC public schools) were closed. Today, December 7, New York City elementary schools buildings are reopening. This is not because the situation has gotten better. It has gotten worse. Much worse. There is a huge wave of COVID moving across the United States. The case rate in NYC was 3% when buildings closed. The case rate today
WISHES FROM A NEW YORK CITY TEACHER WHO HAPPENS TO BE MY DAUGHTER. On my mind are all the NYC elementary school teachers going into classrooms today with only window ventilation on a 35 degree day. I hope you don’t have yet another schedule. I hope if you are also teaching remote students those classes don’t have 50 students in them to balance out the less than 10 you see today. Despite everythi
How to Return to Campus Safely: Test, Then Test Again Some colleges are using lessons from the fall to bring back more students in spring This is the Coronavirus Schools Briefing, a guide to the seismic changes in U.S. education that are taking place during the pandemic. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. The fall semester has been hell for most colleges — canceled classes, dorm
How Has School Privatization Contributed to Mental Illness in Students Before and During Covid-19? How Has School Privatization Contributed to Mental Illness in Students Before and During Covid-19? Mental illness in children existed before Covid-19. How many students are struggling with it during the pandemic? How did school privatization contribute to this phenomenon? Before Covid-19 A 2018 surv
Donors Choose Monday: Mice I donate locally when I can identify a need, and for a few weeks I've also been donating to teachers across the country on Donors Choose, because it makes me feel slightly less helpless in these crazy days. I've been blogging about it here to encourage you--if you can--to offer some help to someone. Maybe you know of worthy causes or programs local to you. But if you'r
US Export: Failing Schools Again with the phrase failing schools ! This time it’s in Australia where the New South Wales (NSW) state government has announced that it will intervene in public schools that don’t meet “performance standards.” Here’s a tweet from Pasi Sahlberg who has been working in Australia for the past few years… I’ll give you one guess what the “performance standards” are. Yes,
NewBlackMan (in Exile) NewBlackMan (in Exile) TODAY Big Education Ape: THIS WEEK WITH NEWBLACKMAN (IN EXILE) http://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/12/this-week-with-newblackman-in-exile.html Artist Titus Kaphar on Depicting Loss and Finding Purpose by Mark Anthony Neal / 14h 'One of the country's hottest artists, Titus Kaphar has long tackled under-representation of minorities in Western art t
Who Is Doing the Work in the Teaching/Learning Dynamic? The end of a course often challenges my fundamental beliefs as a teacher. Once again, in the final days of my courses when students are allowed and encouraged to revise their major essays as often as possible, I have returned several without responding because the resubmitted essays are mostly the same as the last draft I marked or the stud
Distance Learning and Compliance Culture Compliance culture in the classroom has always, always been a problem. This is the teacher who demands compliance, in fact, grades on compliance. Most folks have a story about That Teacher--the one who wouldn't accept a paper because it was ten minutes late, or who took off a letter grade because the paper had the "wrong" heading on it. For some people, c
Actions Last Week Extend the Student Loan Debt Cliff and Protect DACA There is a lot to worry about right now—an unhinged President who has given up governing, a divided Congress, a raging pandemic, and, so far at least, Congressional failure to pass an economic relief bill as the COVID-19 recession intensifies. Two developments last week should, however, be seen as hopeful. Both will protect vu
Lily Eskelsen Garcia Pursues US Ed Sec Post As the December 04, 2020, Politico reports , former National Education Association (NEA) president, Lily Eskelsen Garcia, is seriously pursuing President-elect Biden’s nod for next US secretary of education. Eskelsen Garcia earned her BS in elementary education in 1980 and her MEd in instructional technology in 1985, both from the University of Utah. S
CURMUDGUCATION: ICYMI: So It's Really December Edition (12/6) So It's Really December Edition Still trying to take care of all the places the cold gets into our house, because apparently the season is serious about things. Still counting down to the magical day when I can go many days at a time without asking, "Well, what has the President done today?" But there are still some good things to read
The Jingle Bells Effect And The Canon So, if you need a little something to jumpkick you into the season, here's a playlist challenge for you. Yes, that's roughly 76 minutes of various versions of "Jingle Bells," carefully selected, curated and ordered for your listening pleasure. "Jingle Bells" is a curious song to become a Christmas standard, mostly because it has nothing to do with Christmas
EdAction in Congress December 6, 2020 Democratic leaders push for bipartisan COVID-19 compromise Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) are working toward a bipartisan compromise to address the rampant spread of COVID-19 that is preventing the safe reopening of our schools and our society. The effort took on new urgency earlier this week, as Congress tr
America's children are facing a mental health crisis that no one is talking about Mental health-related hospital visits for children are way up, as kids’ lives are disrupted by the pandemic With a third wave of COVID-19 infections sweeping the United States and widespread infection around the world, some schools are grappling with how to stay open safely , while others remain shuttered with remo
Grace – Tennessee Education Report GRACE In response to the responses she received to this post about poverty, school funding, and teacher pay in light of the realities laid bare by COVID-19, MNEA President Amanda Kail posted a follow-up. Here’s what she has to say: What a hard and heavy year. In the fierceness of all the rage and bitterness, I will do my part. I will apologize. If you are a pare
Oklahoma: Governor Stitt Appoints Home-Schooling Anti-Masker to State Board of Education Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt kicked his own appointee off the State Board of Education who made the terrible error of trying to claw back millions from a for-profit charter school and supported a mask mandate in all public schools. Gov. Kevin Stitt abruptly replaced one of his own appointees to the Oklahoma
More students than ever got F’s in first term of 2020-21 school year — but are A-F grades fair in a pandemic? Students’ grades for the first period of the 2020-21 academic year are being recorded and we are seeing stories from around the country about an unprecedented rise in F’s. Is anybody surprised? Millions of kids are living through the most disruptive school year of their lives because of
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.html Sunday’s Must-Read Articles On School Reopenings by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h tors
Tennessee: Why Do Failed Reforms Survive, Only to Fail Again? In 2012, Tennessee created the “Achievement School District” (ASD) and promised that it would catapult the state’s lowest performing schools into high-performing schools. So confident were state leaders that they hired Chris Barbic, who ran a celebrated charter chain in Houston, and he was confident that the state’s weakest schools co
Sense, Nonsense, and de Blasio's DOE Things are at a new level now, yet agaon. Every time you think the DOE has outdone itself, it does something else to show you that the last thing was nothing. The NY Post reports that UFT members who don't consent to testing will be removed from payroll . That would be surprising if it weren't for the fact that this was agreed to back in September. While peop