Schools Matter: Broad's Jim McIntyre Gets 2 Earfuls from Knoxville Educators

Schools Matter: Broad's Jim McIntyre Gets 2 Earfuls from Knoxville Educators:

Broad's Jim McIntyre Gets 2 Earfuls from Knoxville Educators

by Jim Horn

After serving as the Business Roundtable's star witness in Nashville recently for the Milken Plan for teacher evaluation (the essential plan that has spawned the New York prinicpal revolt), the smarmy and saccharine Jim McIntyre offered a commentary a few days ago in the Knoxville News-Sentinel to underscore how bureaucratic insanity may be viewed as rational practice. From the responses he got from Knoxville educators, I'd say they're not buying it. Here is a link to McIntyre's piece, and below are some of the responses.

rwhunter writes:

The reason the teachers all tell you it is an excellent system is because they all fear you! Every teacher I have spoken to has stated the numerous issues with this evaluation. While I am for regular evaluations for all teachers

UPDATE: Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #ows #edreform

All Things Education: School "Reform" in DC: Is the Problem Choice or What Compels Families to Choose?

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

All Things Education: School "Reform" in DC: Is the Problem Choice or What Compels Families to Choose?:School "Reform" in DC: Is the Problem Choice or What Compels Families to Choose?by Rachel LevyAfter reading the New York times op-ed on school choice in DC, I asked some folks close to what's happening in education there for their thoughts. Mary Levy sent me what is written below and (with her permission), I decided to use it as a guest post. Mary Levy ... more »

Health centers and “full-service community schools” - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

Health centers and “full-service community schools” - The Education Report - Katy Murphy's blog on Oakland schools:Health centers and “full-service community schools”By Katy MurphyMonday, December 5th, 2011 at 8:38 am in health, high schools, initiatives, OUSD central office, students.photos by Roy Manzanares, courtesy of Oakland UnifiedOakland Superintendent Tony Smith’s vision of full-service community schools is taking shape on some campuses, thanks to a school-based health center initiative that has picked up steam (and millions of dollars in funding) since 2008.Oakland ... more »

some asian american college applicants are leaving the 'asian' check box blank | angry asian man

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

some asian american college applicants are leaving the 'asian' check box blank | angry asian man:some asian american college applicants are leaving the 'asian' check box blankGot bombarded over the weekend with this Associated Press article about college-bound mixed-race Asian American students who are choosing not to identify themselves as 'Asian' on their applications: Some Asians' college strategy: Don't check 'Asian.'The idea is to get an edge at elite schools, where Asian Americans are perceptibly held to higher admissions standards ... more »

ALEC Education Task Force Approves Anti-Common Core Model Legislation | Truth in American Education

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

ALEC Education Task Force Approves Anti-Common Core Model Legislation | Truth in American Education:ALEC Education Task Force Approves Anti-Common Core Model Legislationby Shane Vander HartThe American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) met last week in Scottsdale, AZ. They are an organization whose mission is “to advance the Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, federalism, and individual liberty, through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America’s state legislators, members of the private sector, the federal government, and general public.” They h... more »

Schools Matter: Gingrich and Trump Team Up to Create "Junior Janitor Apprentice"

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

Schools Matter: Gingrich and Trump Team Up to Create "Junior Janitor Apprentice":Gingrich and Trump Team Up to Create "Junior Janitor Apprentice"by Jim HornLast week Newt Grincherly proved to be the latest threat to the GOP's only brand of ReaganLite, Mitt Romney. In showing why he is the intellectual voice of conservative politcs, Grinchoski offered his view on helping poor children while saving the schools some money. Let's go to the video:PopoutToday the new GOP frontrunner zoomed up Trump Towers for ... more »

Current Events and a Recent Interview « Bill Ayers #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

Current Events and a Recent Interview « Bill Ayers:Current Events and a Recent Interviewby billayersBill Ayers interviewWith the Arab Spring and the Occupy movements there seems to be a distinct parallel between what is happening now and what was happening in the 60’s: the summer of ’68, world uprisings, the Civil Rights movement, the general malaise with the establishment. What is your take on Occupy? 1). It’s tempting to make comparisons, but I resist. Humanity plunges forward, circumstances shift, unpredictable ... more »

Cornel West: ‘I intend to fight’ for Harlem school that could close | GothamSchools

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

Cornel West: ‘I intend to fight’ for Harlem school that could close | GothamSchools:Cornel West: ‘I intend to fight’ for Harlem school that could closeby Geoff DeckerPopoutStudents at a Harlem school that could be closed got an unlikely ally today: famed philosopher Cornel West.West spoked to students this morning at Wadleigh Secondary School for the Performing Arts as part of librarian Paul McIntosh’s long-running speaker series meant to inspire students to stay on the right track.Wadleigh and another school in ... more »

School Choice? A Question of Time and Money – SchoolBook

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

School Choice? A Question of Time and Money – SchoolBook:School Choice? A Question of Time and MoneyErin E. Evans for SchoolBookFACEBOOKTWITTERQUESTIONWhat do you think of the school choice process?RespondDec. 5, 2011, 6:21 p.m.By AMY STUART WELLSIn a New York Times op-ed article on Monday, Natalie Hopkinson writes that school choice in her neighborhood in Washington hasdestroyed community-based education for working-class families. With New York ranked No. 1 in the nation in giving parents and students choices, according to one study ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts #ows #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 1 minute ago

Great Schools for Amerca — Great Teachers ##edreformBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-52 minutes agoGreat Schools for Amerca — Great Teachers:EdwatchEducation Watch is an evolving database constructed to illuminate the connections between wealthy individuals, the proliferation of newly formed tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, and the policy that diverts public money to these private ventures. Nearly all of these organizations were formed or co-opted within the past decade. If you know of an organization to add to Education Watch, please e-mail ... more »

Occupy Davis, as Covered by High School Journalists - NYTimes.com

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

Occupy Davis, as Covered by High School Journalists - NYTimes.com:Occupy Davis, as Covered by High School JournalistsBy HOLLY EPSTEIN OJALVOCourtesy of Blue Devil HUBVideo taken by Anna Sturla, a high school journalist, of the U.C. Davis chancellor’s “silent walk” amid student protesters in the aftermath of the pepper spray incident.Readers learned of the pepper-spraying incident at the University of California-Davis by reading coverage on The Lede, The Times’s breaking news blog, in a post by Brian Stelter. The next day, ... more »

A Whole Child Approach to Education and the Common Core State Standards Initiative

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:A Whole Child Approach to Education and the Common Core State Standards Initiativeby Molly McCloskeyA whole child approach to education is defined by policies, practices, and relationships that ensure each child, in each school, in each community, is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. It engages all stakeholders—educators, families, policymakers, and community members—in defying the “percentage proficient” culture of too many school reform efforts, to focus on each child. And it further raises ... more »

Bullying: The reality of a child’s pain (video) | Being Latino Online Magazine

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

Bullying: The reality of a child’s pain (video) | Being Latino Online Magazine:Bullying: The reality of a child’s pain (video)by Libby Juliá-VázquezHe writes on the YouTube description, “IM NOT GOING TO KILL MYSELF. I JUST NEED TO GET THIS OUT HERE.” How many more children are hurting and not being heard. What can YOU do to help?

Schools Matter: CALL FOR ACTION: EDUCATORS UNITE! #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

Schools Matter: CALL FOR ACTION: EDUCATORS UNITE!:CALL FOR ACTION: EDUCATORS UNITE!by P. L. ThomasCALL FOR ACTION: EDUCATORS UNITE!As public educators committed to democratic principles, we are charged to: Advocate for authentic reform initiatives that support public education to ensure PK-12 students develop the critical thinking and process skills necessary to become informed citizens capable of supporting an effective democracy, And, in support of this goal, resist, and support resistance of, forces that seek to connect standardized testing to teacher evaluation.The ... more »

UCSD Reclaims Revelle’s CLICS Library « occupy california #OWS

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

UCSD Reclaims Revelle’s CLICS Library « occupy california:UCSD Reclaims Revelle’s CLICS Libraryby *from RebelRadio:Hello Community,UCSD Student’s have RECLAIMED the Library known as CLICS located in Revelle College. The University shut it down earlier this year due to “budget cuts.” This has had a dramatic effect on all students and further illustrates the Universities Privatization. The school just placed a $1.3 Million Dollar installation on the Jacob’s School of Engineering but couldn’t afford to keep the Library open.Students have spoken out ... more »

Washington D.C. Schools: Why School Choice Fails « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

Washington D.C. Schools: Why School Choice Fails « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!:Washington D.C. Schools: Why School Choice Failsby millerlfBy NATALIE HOPKINSON Published: December 4, 2011 NYTime Op-EdIF you want to see the direction that education reform is taking the country, pay a visit to my leafy, majority-black neighborhood in Washington. While we have lived in the same house since our 11-year-old son was born, he’s been assigned to three different elementary schools as one after the other has ... more »

Are Complaints About Student Loan Debt Overhyped? - Education - GOOD

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

Are Complaints About Student Loan Debt Overhyped? - Education - GOOD:Are Complaints About Student Loan Debt Overhyped?by Liz DwyerWith total student loan debt approaching $1 trillion and two-thirds of 2010 graduates owing back loans that average $25,250—a 5 percent increase since 2009—plenty of people are condemning the amount of money students must borrow to earn college degrees. But one education expert is bucking that trend, saying that the furor over loans has been blown way out of proportion.In a recent ...more »

Schools Matter: When Adults Take Tests Aimed at Children

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

Schools Matter: When Adults Take Tests Aimed at Children:When Adults Take Tests Aimed at Childrenby Jim HornFrom :This was written by Marion Brady, veteran teacher, administrator, curriculum designer and author.By Marion BradyA longtime friend on the school board of one of the largest school systems in America did something that few public servants are willing to do. He took versions of his state’s high-stakes standardized math and reading tests for 10th graders, and said he’d make his scores public.By any ... more »

All Education Matters: Hypervocal: Washington Post - “Forgive Us Our Student Loan Debt?” No Thanks!

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

All Education Matters: Hypervocal: Washington Post - “Forgive Us Our Student Loan Debt?” No Thanks!:Hypervocal: Washington Post - “Forgive Us Our Student Loan Debt?” No Thanks!by Cryn JohannsenHere's another piece I recently wrote on my column, Seriously Subversive, over at Hypervocal.com.The Washington Post, which owns for-profit Kaplan, published an op-ed on Monday in favor ofloan forgiveness. This is a company that has profited greatly from student loans.Naturally, they will push an agenda whose language is not particularly well-received among a ... more »

John Thompson: The Center for American Progress Pushes the Good, Bad and Ugly in Teacher Evaluation: Part 1 - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 7 hours ago

John Thompson: The Center for American Progress Pushes the Good, Bad and Ugly in Teacher Evaluation: Part 1 - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:John Thompson: The Center for American Progress Pushes the Good, Bad and Ugly in Teacher Evaluation: Part 1by Anthony CodyGuest post by John Thompson. Part One of Two.The Center For American Progress (CAP) is a progressive think tank founded by former Clinton staffer John Podesta. The CAP believes, "progressives are idealistic enough to believe change ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Observations

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Observations:

Observations

by Mike Klonsky

Here's a few of my favorite observations from this morning's media scan.

There is an “autumn of the patriarch” feel to Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg these days. -- Michael Powell, New York Times.

Diane Ravitch

I have said it before, and I'll say it again: There are no silver bullets in education. There are no magic feathers that enable elephants like Dumbo to fly. It's hard work to improve schools. It takes dedication, resources, and time. And the work is never done, the magic number of 100 percent is always out of reach. Just when you think that you've achieved success with this year's students, another new group arrives, each student with his or her issues. Or students leave and arrive mid-year. Or the state changes the testing program or releases new regulations requiring more paperwork. Claims of overnight or one-year

Seattle Schools Community Forum: American

Seattle Schools Community Forum: American:

American

by Charlie Mas

You’re invited to attend a special screening of a recently released documentary on teaching in the U.S., American Teacher, on December 12 at 6:00 PM at Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101. Seats are limited, so please register.

The film is being shown in communities across the country to facilitate discussion and attention on the role teachers play in providing a quality education to our nation’s children.

Weaving interviews and startling facts about U.S. education with the lives and careers of several teachers, American Teachertells the collective story of the 3.2 million teachers who spend every day in the classroom. In the U.S., the challenge is significant – more than 1 million teachers will retire in the next ten

Do You Believe in Miracles? - Bridging Differences - Education Week #edreform

Do You Believe in Miracles? - Bridging Differences - Education Week:

Do You Believe in Miracles?

by Diane Ravitch

Dear Deborah,

One of the central claims of the corporate-reform movement is that poverty is not destiny and that a school staffed with great teachers can eliminate poverty. This is a very appealing sort of rhetoric because we all harbor the hope that every single person can overcome the obstacles of poverty to achieve success in school and in life.

Surely, we treasure the American dream that people who grow up in poverty may go on to achieve outstanding success in their lives (even though social science says the odds favor those who have money, education, and privilege). For some people, this trope also has the appeal that we can ignore poverty, cut taxes and spending, and just concentrate on closing schools, opening charters, giving out vouchers, putting kids online without teachers, increasing class sizes, or launching a new teacher evaluation scheme.

We know that there is a strong and undeniable correlation between family income and test scores. This

NYC Educator: Let's Ask the KIds How They Feel about Class Size

NYC Educator: Let's Ask the KIds How They Feel about Class Size:

Let's Ask the KIds How They Feel about Class Size

by Miss Eyre

After reading Mayor Bloomberg's fascinating views on class size(for everyone else's kids, of course, not his own), I realized whose voices weren't being heard in the discussion: Those of the children. I thought about some recurring comments made under the collective breath of my class of 30+ tenth graders who are crammed into middle-school-sized desks in a room that, as you know, typically hovers at