Some Christmas Tunery
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Here at the Institute (where the Board of Directors still firmly believe in
Santa Claus), we like our seasonal music, both as consumers and as
producers,...
Greg Olear: Reading Charles Dickens Today
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Greg Olear writes a blog that is always rewarding to read–full of insight,
experience, knowledge, wisdom. His post below connects the world of Dickens
to t...
Finding Light in Winter by Mary Pipher
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The mornings are dark, the late afternoons are dusky, and before we finish
making dinner, the daylight is gone. As we approach the darkest days of the
ye...
Last Minute Gift Ideas!
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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
publi...
Cartoons about the Holiday Season
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Here are some cartoons that got me to smile about this time of year. I hope
they will do the same for you. Happy holidays to all of my readers. Enjoy!
HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!
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*HAIRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAIRY HANUKKAH TOO!*
* The Big Hairy Education Ape Spreads Holiday Cheer! Ah, December! The time
of year when the air tur...
About the Social Security Fairness Act
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On December 21, 2024, the US Senate passed the Social Security Fairness
Act, otherwise known as HR 82, a bill that restores full Social Security
benefits t...
Apologies to Dan Alicea
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I want to truly apologize to Daniel Alicea. On November 30, Dan wrote a
blog post about how, despite millions of dollars being available, Mulgrew
refused...
The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” Awards
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At NPE, we know who is naughty and nice when it comes to supporting our
public schools and their students.
The post The 2024 NPE “Coal in the Stocking” A...
Big Lies of Education: Grade Retention
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The Big Lie of grade retention in the US is that it is often hidden within
larger reading legislation and policy, notably since the 2010s: Westall and
Cumm...
Juntos lo haremos
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En el año que viene, tendremos que tomar decisiones difíciles sobre quienes
queremos ser en cada comunidad y como nación. Ha sido un año muy intenso.
Desde...
WTF, Democratic Caucus?
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Why is the failure of this current budget bill being blamed on Republicans
when almost every single Democrat voted against it? If only half of the
Dems had...
Peace through Beauty
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I am and always have been more musical than I have been verbal. I have
always found beauty in sound. Often it can be purely instrumental, such as
playing...
San Diego School Board Election Outcomes
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By Thomas Ultican 12/17/2024 Before the recent election, I wrote
recommendations for several school board seats in San Diego County. The San
Diego County R...
SPI Supports SB 48 to Keep ICE Off School Campuses
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State Superintendent Tony Thurmond sponsors Senate Bill 48 to keep
Immigration and Customs Enforcement off of school campuses, protecting
school attendance...
Schrödinger’s Cat
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Schrödinger’s cat is a famous thought experiment in which the renowned
scientist pondered how a cat in a closed box could be thought of as
simultaneously a...
In Memoriam: Nikki Giovanni
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The literary and cultural world has lost an irreplaceable voice with the
passing of Nikki Giovanni. As one of the most celebrated poets and
activists of ou...
Education Has Failed and What Can We Do Next?
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Education has failed to prepare children for the world today. Despite the
increased investment, impactful reforms, hardworking teachers and school
leaders,...
Defining Productivity, Cost, and Efficiency
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Recycled material here… The central problem with US public schools is often
characterized as an efficiency problem. We spend a lot and don’t get much
for i...
November Parent Engagement Resources
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Greeting a family in their preferred language is a small gesture that
demonstrates respect and eagerness to connect with parents. Creating a
Welcoming Envi...
Try Substack?
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Seems like the popular new thing. Here’s my first try – it’s about
yesterday’s UFT Retired Teachers Chapter meeting – first ever not run by
Unity. (Spoiler...
Number 18 — A barely-hanging-on Blogoversary
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Blogoversary #18 SEPTEMBER 14, 2006 I started this blog while I was still
teaching, in 2006. I had just begun my 31st year as an educator. Just like
in pre...
Student "Growth" Measures Are STILL Biased
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This caught my attention:
New Jersey school districts may soon be evaluated differently, *with a
greater emphasis on student growth* as compared to stud...
AIN’T IT AWFUL
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As the terrible feelings of dread and angst spread across the world the
great majority of the American people feel powerless before the onslaught
of those ...
The Sky is Falling, or is it?
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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:
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The best reason to vote no on this contract is this: UFT Unity* lied* to us
in 2018. They misrepresented that contract. It was predicated on deals we
wer...
Metaphors in ‘I Have a Dream’ Speech
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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...
There Is A Teacher Shortage.Not.
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THERE IS A TEACHER SHORTAGE. And just to be sure you understand, it’s not
that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s not that there aren’t enough
teachers cer...
Book Banning Turns to Dick and Jane
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Breaking News: Dateline February 4, 2022 - Parents in Dimwitty, Alabama
have asked the Dimwitty Board of Education to ban the children's primer *Fun
with...
Have You Heard Has a New Website
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TweetHave You Heard has a new website. Visit us at
www.haveyouheardpodcast.com to find our latest episodes and our entire
archive. And be sure to check out...
Follow me at Substack
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I've moved. Follow me at Substack
I'm now posting regularly at Substack. You can subscribe for free to my new
Edu/Pol blog at michaelklonsky.substack.com
...
Aspiring Teachers Get New Help Paying For College
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[image: colorful classroom pattern]
*; Credit: shuoshu/Getty Images*
Cory Turner | NPR
New rules kick in today that will help aspiring teachers pay for c...
Tips Akses Situs Judi Qq Tanpa Perlu Takut Nawala
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Kegiatan berjudi slot melalui situs judi qq online, sekarang sudah
dilakukan oleh banyak penjudi Indonesia. Tentu, Kamu yang sedang membaca
artikel ini a...
The Threat of Integration
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I have lived in the same house in the Miracle Mile section of Los Angeles
for over 30 years, where up until now I have had little or no interaction
with th...
We fight for a democracy worthy of us all!
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The nation stands at a crossroads, said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García
in her final keynote address to the 2020 NEA Representative Assembly and
it’s up...
The Passing Of Chaz 1951-2020 Age 69
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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...
The Fight For Our Children
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*The number of suicides among people ages 10 to 24 nationally increased by
56 percent between 2007 and 2017, according to a new federal report showing
the ...
Read to Self: Just a Kid and a Book.
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Date: Monday, January 5, 2020 Place: My classroom Student: Mrs.Mims, could
we start doing Read to Self again because I got this great book for
Christmas an...
Keeping Progressive Schools Alive
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Dear Friends and Colleagues, Happy New Year and a special thanks to those
who respond to past blogs about choice, et al. I always mean to respond to
each c...
Reminiscences
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I just finished dumping the rest of my lesson plans. I guess I held on to
the calculus ones for so long because I spent so much time working on them
an...
Just Asking for some Teachers I know.
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Recently Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers stated, We must … recognize that
part of supporting our kids in the classroom means supporting the educators
who t...
Cara Menang Bermain Judi Bola Online
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Bermain judi bola online tentu saja memiliki kesenangannya tersendiri baik
itu mendapatkan keuntungan maupun ketika menantikan hasil skor pada sebuah
perta...
A Critique of Standards-Based Grading
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It first happened to me about ten years ago. I was beginning my third year
of teaching in a new school in Washington, DC. Social studies teachers were
si...
My First and Last Visit to Hudson Yards
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Figuring I did not need to invite any more darkness and vulgarity into my
head than that provided on a daily basis from Trump’s White House, and
after read...
The World According to Michelle Rhee
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The men behind the curtain fashioning the brave new world of corporate run
education in America! Michelle Rhee is the founder of StudentsFirst, The
New T...
Whose Opinions Matter in Education World?
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It's hard to identify education heroes and sheroes. And perhaps even harder
to pinpoint just whose work is slanted, paid-for and dishonest.
Blockchain: Life on the Ledger
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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
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Starting a new local business in Sacramento is a monumental task, but can
be accomplished with footwork, perseverance and knowledge. One must learn
the loc...
Lesson Plan: Rhyme and Rhythm in Poetry
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I’ve started a recent unit on poetry with my class. I’m not a poet, and I’m
not a poetry fan (I don’t hate it, but I’m a prose gal), so this makes it
harde...
The Apotheosis of Betsy DeVos
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Betsy Devos has drawn few headlines in recent months, and that is a good
thing for the Secretary of Education. Her tenure began with Vice President
Mike P...
Education Is a Civic Question
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In their final post to end Bridging Differences' decade-long run, Deborah
Meier and Harry Boyte urge readers to put the energy, talents, wisdom, and
hard w...
Site News: New Home for Education News & Commentary
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Quick! Get over there! The daily education news roundup and education
commentaries that you're probably looking for are now being published over
at The Gra...
Should We Be Grateful?
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In an odd turn of events, and with little explanation, Michigan Governor
Rick Snyder has decided to return the state’s School Reform Office back to
the Dep...
An Open Letter to NC Lawmakers
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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)
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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
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Today is the official last day of my spring break. I've done a scientific
survey: My natural bedtime is 2 AM, and my natural wake up time is 9:41
AM. Tom...
REPORT: States With the Best and Worst Schools
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States With the Best (and Worst)Schools
By *Evan Comen, Michael B. Sauter, Samuel Stebbins and Thomas C. Frohlich*
January 20, 2017- http://247wallst.com
...
Test Refusal = People Power
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In recent months, social media has been ablaze with talk of regular folk
taking action to resist the Trump agenda. Protests are a daily occurrence,
and ev...
Random Musings and Observations. . . .
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I’ve been gone a while from the blogging scene. Some of my more regular
readers no doubt noticed but did not hassle me about it. Thank you for
that. Sinc...
AB 934: A LEGISLATIVE FIX FOR VERGARA?
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By Michael Stratford | in the Politco Morning Education Report | via email
05/24/2016 10:00 AM EDT :: Two national education groups are backing a
Califor...
MY NEW BLOG
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My new blog will consist of fictitious headlines, meant to be a blend of
humor and satire. I apologize ahead of time if any other satirical site has
simila...
Thank you
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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
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I have some news: I am retiring from the PBS NewsHour and Learning Matters.
[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other
conte...
New Beginnings: Kickstarter and EdWeek Teacher
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Greetings to InterACT readers one and all! If you’ve been following posts
here recently you might recall that I’m moving my blogging activity to
other loca...
Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School
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*“With Adelaide L. Sanford Charter School closing, Newark families must
move on.”* The Star-Ledger (NJ), 6/25/2013
NEWARK — Bobby and Troy Shanks saw the...
If Teachers Get the Vaccine Quickly, Can Students Get Back to School? - The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/us/teachers-vaccine-school.html
Black Student Expelled After Mother Complains About 'Fences' - The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/us/providence-day-school-fences-.html
Schools Will Close in Germany as Cases Surge - The New York Times - https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/14/us/german-school-close-coronavirus-lockdown.html
Less than a third of NYC schools offering five days a week of in-person learning: de Blasio - New York Daily News - https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-schools-full-time-in-person-learning-numbers-20201214-xx3pubjy5jfuvec2ayqorupvua-story.html via @nydailynews
Virtually monitoring progress and collecting information during remote education for students with disabilities | NJ Spotlight News - https://www.njspotlight.com/2020/12/virtually-monitoring-progress-and-collecting-information-during-remote-education-for-students-with-disabilities/ via @njspotlight
More Northern Virginia school systems revert to online-only learning https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/virginia-schools-online-learning-fairfax/2020/12/14/59cf689c-3e1f-11eb-8bc0-ae155bee4aff_story.html?tid=ss_tw
Education Research Report: Expansions to Pell Grant Eligibility for Short Occupational Training Programs - http://educationresearchreport.blogspot.com/2020/12/expansions-to-pell-grant-eligibility.html
BREAKING: Rutherford County Schools Moving to Distance Learning – Tennessee Education Report - http://tnedreport.com/?p=5034 via @TNEdReport
Potential Education Secretary Nominee Attacked by Antiunion Group - https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2020/12/14/potential-education-secretary-nominee-attacked-antiunion-group
Washington Teachers Partnering to Tutor Elementary D.C. Students | Black Star News - https://www.blackstarnews.com/node/19371
The Election is Over, Time for a Marshall Plan and Educational Reparations for Black People. But, The Plans Must Be White-Proof. - Philly's 7th Ward - https://wp.me/p7sbg2-uS
Dixie State University in Utah Says It’s in Need of a Name Change https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/15/us/dixie-state-name-change.html
CPS hiring 2,000 new workers — no Chicago residency required — to help reopen schools - Chicago Sun-Times - https://chicago.suntimes.com/education/2020/12/14/22170561/cps-reopen-schools-public-in-person-learning-teaching-jobs-help-wanted-hire-listing-substitute#new_tab
Stressed by too much screen time, these Philly high school students staged a protest - https://fusion.inquirer.com/education/philadelphia-school-district-screen-time-protest-kensington-capa-20201214.html#new_tab
Fairfax Co. Public Schools plans to respond to uptick in failing grades with new grading policies | WTOP - https://wtop.com/fairfax-county/2020/12/fairfax-county-public-schools-plan-to-respond-to-uptick-in-failing-grades/#new_tab
Schools Work to Speed Up Internet in Rural Homes for Remote Learning - WSJ - https://www.wsj.com/articles/schools-work-to-speed-up-internet-in-rural-homes-for-remote-learning-11608037202?mod=searchresults_pos2&page=1#new_tab by @juliejargon on @WSJ
Abraham Lincoln was once a hero. In some S.F. education circles, he’s now a bad guy - SFChronicle.com - https://www.sfchronicle.com/local-politics/article/Abraham-Lincoln-was-once-a-hero-In-some-S-F-15798744.php#new_tab on @sfchronicle
During COVID-19 pandemic, Salt Lake City elementary students failed fall classes at triple last year’s rate - https://www.sltrib.com/news/education/2020/12/13/during-covid-pandemic/#new_tab by https://www.facebook.com/saltlaketribune on @sltrib
NYC teachers, parents sue to stop COVID testing over DNA fears - https://wp.me/pb3Qpq-18zao by @nypmetro on @nypost
Covid is having a devastating impact on children — and the vaccine won't fix everything - https://www.nbcnews.com/news/education/covid-having-devastating-impact-children-vaccine-won-t-fix-everything-n1251172#new_tab by NBCNews on @NBCNews
The push-and-pull drama over school reopenings reaches fever pitch in L.A. and Orange counties - https://news.yahoo.com/push-pull-drama-over-school-133036277.html#new_tab on @YahooNews
‘A very isolating experience:’ First-year teachers seek support through unprecedented year - Chalkbeat Chicago - https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2020/12/15/22175480/illinois-first-year-teachers-school-unprecedented-year-covid-19#new_tab on chalkbeat
Long Beach schools push back reopening to March, citing rise in COVID-19 cases http://feeds.latimes.com/~r/lanowblog/~3/m00AsTlXAP4/long-beach-schools-reopening-march
Say it ain’t snow! De Blasio declares no more snow days for city school kids https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/education/ny-nyc-schools-covid-snow-days-20201215-pl4piqn35fg2jg2y5oh2kd6ole-story.html#ed=rss_www.nydailynews.com/arcio/rss/category/new-york/education/
Paul Peterson: “No, Al Shanker Did Not Invent the Charter School” This is a fascinating article written by Paul Peterson of Harvard University about the origin of the charter school idea. Many people credit the idea to Al Shanker and Ray Budde of the University of Massachusetts, but Peterson sets them straight. Peterson is the foremost proponent of school choice, charters and vouchers, in the ac
Opinion | We need a Marshall Plan for our schools. And we need it now. - The Washington Post We need a Marshall Plan for our schools. And we need it now Richard Carranza, Austin Beutner and Janice Jackson are superintendents of the nation’s three largest school districts, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, respectively. President-elect Joe Biden has described the crisis in public schools caused b
Grandparents raising students face extra challenges during COVID-19 Grandparents raising students face extra challenges during COVID-19 Linda Chambers has had guardianship over her two grandchildren for the past four years. There were new things to learn, like getting the hang of school schedules and navigating programs through the Department of Human Services. But the biggest adjustment came thi
The Lower Realities of Higher Education I posted a fairly tame Tweet about the Wall Street Journal ‘s recent Op-Ed attacking Jill Biden using “Dr.” and editorial doubling-down on negative responses to the Op-Ed (none of which I will link here): The Tweet attracted conservatives with ten’s of followers, most of them misreading the Tweet and many of them attacking me for being an academic/professo
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 “You’re Minor, We’re Major”: Halfway Books Reimagines Hip-Hop Journalism by Tyler Bunzey by Mark Anthony Neal / 12h | @t_bunzey | NewBlackMan (in Exile) From ’71 ‘til, hip-hop has tried to ignore con
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all Big Education Ape: KEEP UP/ CATCH UP WITH DIANE RAVITCH'S BLOG A site to discuss better education for all - https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2020/12/keep-up-catch-up-with-diane-ravitchs.html Three Big-City Superintendents: We Need a Marshall Plan for Our Schools: Now! 32 by dianeravitch / 3h This article by the superintendents
DR. EVIL VERSUS LILY AND THE TEACHER UNIONS We’re still waiting to hear from the Biden administration as to their pick for Education Secretary. The delay could reflect the debate within the Democratic Party between the corporate education reformers like Democrats for Education Reform and the large teacher unions like the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. For
They didn’t turn in their work for remote school. Their parents were threatened with courts and fines After their kids experienced tech glitches or turned off cameras during online learning, these families were accused of truancy and received legal threats Hayden, 12, had been having panic attacks about school even before a letter arrived at his home last month, threatening legal action for his
Classrooms of the Future? Technological fantasies of the future school have been around for decades. Here’s one from 1910. Note all of the information going into students’ heads comes from textbooks fed into a wood chipper. Or another from 1963 cartoon called “The Jetsons.” Or this one in 1982 predicting that the future school will be monopolized by the then dominant company Atari. And then “Mee
What if Being Good at Things Wasn't the Point of Doing Them? Our daughter played on a middle school soccer team in a league that didn't believe in keeping score. The kids, of course, simply kept score themselves, always knowing in the end who had won and who had lost. They knew that not keeping score wasn't part of the real world and they mocked the charade. That said, her team was not very good
Another Letter from the Chancellor Dear Colleagues, As we approach the end of the calendar year, I am reflecting back on some of the events of 2020. We have confronted uncertainty and pain together, working as a community dedicated in service to our city’s children. Because their safety is paramount, we took a principled stand and vowed to close schools as soon as the positivity rate reached 3%.
Patrick Sullivan on the DOE's acquisition of Reliant bus company: Why the PEP should vote no. Patrick Sullivan, a former member of the Panel for Educational Policy, sent this to current members in opposition to the DOE acquisition of Reliant bus company. For more on this issue, see Sue Edelman's article yesterday in the New York Post and the editorial today. The PEP is voting on this contract to
Epstein's poke at Dr. Jill Biden backfires. Whatever the purpose of Joseph Epstein's WSJ screed ... it surely failed. I think his poke at Dr. Jill Biden for professionally using 'DR.' in front of her name had less to do with educational leadership titles and Dr. Biden's personal achievements (which are notable) and more with discrediting the Biden/Harris election victory. The best honorific for
THE LONG AND THE SHORT OF IT “As far as Kiva could tell, whenever selfish humans encountered a wrenching, life-altering crisis, they embarked on a journey of five distinct stages: Denial. Denial. Denial. Fucking Denial. Oh, shit everything is terrible grab what you can and run.” ― John Scalzi, The Last Emperox This past weekend, riding in the car with my 10-year old son, I was regaling him with
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_12.html A Beginning List Of Resources For Teaching About Racist Mascots by Larry
Big Education Ape THE TOP BANANA TODAY'S EDUCATION HEADLINES They Didn't Turn In Their Work For Remote School. Their Parents Were Threatened With Court And Fines. | HuffPost -