Monday, December 19, 2011

New York City Student Testing Over the Past Decade - NYTimes.com: 10 Years of State Exams With Results That Never Need QuestioningByMICHAEL WINERIPPublished: December 18, 2011RECOMMENDTWITTERLINKEDINCOMMENTSE-MAILPRINTREPRINTSSHAREIn the last decade, we have emerged from the Education Stone Age. No longer must we rely on primitive tools like teachers and principals to assess children’s academic progress. Thanks to the best education minds in Washington, Albany and Lower Manhattan, we now have finely calibrated state tests aligned with the highest academic standards. What ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 3 minutes ago

The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like? | The Classroom SoothBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-31 minutes agoThe Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like? | The Classroom Sooth: The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like?byclassroomsoothI havepreviously arguedthat reforming education by just adding time onto the school day amounts to good talking points for the newspapers, but bad planning, and won’t necessarily ... more »

2011 in Education: The Year of the Awakening - Living in Dialogue - #Edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 3 minutes ago

2011 in Education: The Year of the Awakening - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: 2011 in Education: The Year of the AwakeningbyAnthony CodyIn mysummary of the year 2010I wrote:This was the year of the billionaire in education. And teachers, parents and students are wondering what we need to do to make 2011 turn out a bit differently.We figured it out alright. 2011 was the year of the great awakening.The year began with Wisconsin educators rallying to protect their ...more »

'Alarming' new test-score gap discovered in Seattle schools | Seattle Times Newspaper

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 3 minutes ago

Local News | 'Alarming' new test-score gap discovered in Seattle schools | Seattle Times Newspaper: 'Alarming' new test-score gap discovered in Seattle schoolsFor the first time, Seattle Public Schools officials have broken down test scores by specific home language. The recently announced results revealed a surprising trend that may have implications for policy around the district.ByBrian M. RosenthalSeattle Times education reporterStudent test scores by language spoken at homeDOCUMENTPAGESZoomp. 1p. 2p. 3«Page1of15»African-American students whose primary language is English perfor... more »

NEW STUDY SHOWS BREATHING ESSENTIAL FOR LIVING « Teachers Fight Back

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 3 minutes ago

NEW STUDY SHOWS BREATHING ESSENTIAL FOR LIVING « Teachers Fight Back: NEW STUDY SHOWS BREATHING ESSENTIAL FOR LIVINGbyalkleenIs there any occupation in the world that has more ridiculous studies done than that of the world of education? If I hear one more study about the benefits of early childhood education, I’m going to scream.Last June, University of Minnesota researchers released a report that tracked 1,400 Chicago Public School students for 25 years. It found that children who attended a high ... more »

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in Georgia #edreform #sosmarch

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

CHARTER SCHOOL SCANDALS: Gulen charter schools in Georgia: Gulen charter schools in GeorgiabyThe Perimeter PrimateSTATE# ACTIVE# PENDING# INACTIVE*TOTALGA3014* Denied, withdrawn, closed, or unknown status===============================================================SCHOOLS===============================================================FULTONSCIENCE ACADEMY MIDDLE SCHOOL (formerly Cosmos Science Academy)StatusACTIVE,opened in 2002; five-year renewal in 2007; currentlyin a major dispute with Fulton County Schoolsover terms of charter renewalCharter HolderFulton Science Academy, Inc.Aut... more »

Daily Kos: This will be my last diary today - I promise

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Daily Kos: This will be my last diary today - I promise: This will be my last diary today - I promisebyrss@dailykos.com (teacherken)I suppose I have been very verbose. I had promised TheFatLadySings to repost my diary on behalf of her cause today, and I suppose that should have been enough. But then I kept encountering things in my reading that I felt I should be sure that others saw. So I wrote and post, and wrote and posted, and ... more »

Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which Grade « Cooperative Catalyst

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which Grade « Cooperative Catalyst: Teaching to the Test? What is the Point of This? Northeast Social Studies Exam … Guess Which GradebyPragmatic MomMy middle child has been studying for her Social Studies exam on the Northeast Region with great diligence for the past week. With one day to go, she still could not spell these terms:MontpelierIwo-Jima MemorialJefferson Memorial

Modern School: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student Teachers

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Modern School: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student Teachers: Mexican Security Forces Kill Two Student TeachersbyMichael DunnAt least two student teachers were killed by security forces in Mexico this week, according to theLos Angeles Timesand theTeacher Solidaritywebsite. The student teachers were participating in a protest demanding increased funding for their college and were shot while blockading a road in Guerrero state. At least 20 other demonstrators were arrested and two others were seriously injured. The national teachers union is callingthe ... more »

At Least The Classroom Isn’t Like The NFL | The Jose Vilson

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

At Least The Classroom Isn’t Like The NFL | The Jose Vilson: At Least The Classroom Isn’t Like The NFLbyJoseToday, after watching the New York Giants fall face-flat against the Washington Redskins, I had a few revelations. First, Eli Manning will (unfairly) get the blame for the Giants’ general inconsistency across the country. Secondly, the NFL is much more dependent on anonymous linemen and assistant coaches than any other major sport. Third, I’m still amazed that this sport only has ... more »

Holiday Greetings from Two Teachers and a Microphone #edreform #ows #lasud

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Transportation cuts take effect January 1st! We must act quickly!What does this mean for LAUSD students?For LAUSD, the impending trigger cuts are approximately over $150 million, which includes $38.2 million in cuts to school busing. The cuts to transportation could eliminate home-to-school transportation effective January 1. The $150 million in cuts is equivalent to approximately 1,700 full year positions (but we are already halfway through the year, so to achieve this reduction, the effect would be double that number).FOR LAUSD ... more »

Salutations America #edreform #ows

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

Sending out a thank you to teachers everywhere. Letting Secretary Arne Duncan that our children and our teachers are more than a test score. I'm sending out a call to action for Americans to occupy their Departments of Education with "Opt Out The National Movement", and 'Children Are More Than Test Scores" this March 30, 31, and April 1 2. Let's show teachers and children we care. Think about joining, and thank a teacher today.Thank you for listening to my ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Mid Day Posts #ows #edreform

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 6 hours ago

The Ghost of Christmas Presents - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher #edreformBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-10 minutes agoThe Ghost of Christmas Presents - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: The Ghost of Christmas PresentsbyNancy FlanaganIn a holiday-themed archetype of legislative overreach,Alabama passed an ethics law earlier this year forbidding K-12 school teachers from accepting expensive presents.Previous legislation set a $100 limit on individual gifts to public workers, but the new law ... more »

The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like? | The Classroom Sooth

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like? | The Classroom Sooth: The Longer School Day in Chicago Part II: What Should it Look Like?byclassroomsoothI havepreviously arguedthat reforming education by just adding time onto the school day amounts to good talking points for the newspapers, but bad planning, and won’t necessarily improve education teaching or learning. Perhaps that argument fell on deaf ears because it seems as if the Longer School Day is more or ... more »

Census shows half of Americans are poor or low-income « Larry Miller's Blog

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

Census shows half of Americans are poor or low-income « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Census shows half of Americans are poor or low-incomebymillerlfThe news that should be dominating the airwaves is the recent report that half of the American people live in poverty or near poverty conditions. It should be the main discussion at the Republican debates, from White House news conferences and from all news sources. Instead it has been treated in the news cycle and political ... more »

PostRank’s Listing Of The “Most Engaging” Education Blogs | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

PostRank’s Listing Of The “Most Engaging” Education Blogs | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: PostRank’s Listing Of The “Most Engaging” Education BlogsbyLarry FerlazzoAs regular readers know, I periodically publish posts sharing what some organizations list as the “most popular” sites or services. I find them interesting and sometimes useful (seeThe Best Places To Find The Most Popular ( Useful) Resources For Educators –2011).Every six months or so, I also publish Postrank’s listing of their determination of the“most engaging”education blogs ... more »

A City Education: Going Back to Basics Is Key to Achievement - Education - GOOD

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

A City Education: Going Back to Basics Is Key to Achievement - Education - GOOD: A City Education: Going Back to Basics Is Key to AchievementbyLiz WardenIn ourA City Educationseries, two City Year corps members share their experiences working as tutors and mentors in schools in hopes of closing the achievement gap and ending the dropout crisisAt the start of the school year I played the name game with my middle-school students. I remember trying so hard to remember all ... more »

Daily Kos: Battlefield America: Is Gitmo in Your Future?

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

Daily Kos: Battlefield America: Is Gitmo in Your Future?: Battlefield America: Is Gitmo in Your Future?byrss@dailykos.com (teacherken)I am finding many must reads in my morning perusal of emails and news websites. Ray McGovern is a former ranking figure at the Central Intelligence Agency who took his oath of office to the Constitution seriously. He sought the impeachment of the last administration. He has opposed the expansion of military and administrative power at the expense of civil liberties. In short, he ... more »

Occupy Wall Street | NYC Protest for World Revolution

Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All) - 14 hours ago

Occupy Wall Street | NYC Protest for World Revolution: OWS D18 Round UpPosted 34 minutes ago on Dec. 18, 2011, 10:24 a.m. EST byOccupyWallSt(1) D18: CHARAS COMES HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYSFacebook Event(2) D18: IMMIGRANTS OCCUPYFacebook event(3) D18: OWS-WIDE VISIONING SESSIONFacebook EventRead More...2 CommentsLive: #D17 Occupiers in Times SquarePosted 15 hours ago on Dec. 17, 2011, 7:50 p.m. EST byOccupyWallSt48 CommentsOWS D18 Round UpOccupyWallStatOccupyWallSt News-5 minutes ago[image: Walmart] *(1) D18: CHARAS COMES HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS* Facebook Event *(2) D18: IMMIGRANTS ... more »

The Poverty of School Reform -- In These Times #edreform

The Poverty of School Reform -- In These Times:

The Poverty of School Reform

In Chicago’s African-American neighborhoods, schools change quickly—regardless of what families want.

BY JOEL HANDLEY

Poor black students are still not benefiting from CPS's sweeping reforms. Only half graduate, and a fifth drop out each year. The achievement gap between black and white students has also grown, counter to national trends.

This story continues "The Other Chicago," an In These Times investigation into the lives of those African-American youth who have borne the brunt of the Great Recession. The five-part series focuses on the struggle of young African-American men, whose rate of unemployment dwarfs that of their white counterparts. In de-industrializing Chicago, a highly segregated city that is one-third black, their plight is particularly acute. Other stories in the series include:

"Black Chicago Divided: Class and Generational Conflicts Intensify, as  African Americans Cope with the Great Recession"

"Black and Blue Chicago: A Spate of Police Shootings of African Americans Underscores Longstanding Mutual Distrust"

—The Editors

John Marshall Metropolitan High School, located in Chicago’s mostly black East Garfield Park neighborhood, underwent a highly touted transformation last year when it became one of Chicago’s “turnaround” schools. Started under former Chicago Public Schools (CPS) CEO and current Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, the turnaround program picks low-performing schools to receive millions of federal, city and private dollars. CPS gives the school buildings a makeover and fires the entire staff, from principals to janitors. Axed employees can re-apply for positions in the school system, but according to CPS, only 70 percent are rehired.

Reactions from the students are expectedly mixed. Marshall junior Darrell Jackson said he lost a lot of good teachers, but got more out of the new 90-minute periods. Johnnie Fort, a senior, isn’t a fan of the security cameras in the hallways and

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Stumbling towards exactitude

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Stumbling towards exactitude:

Stumbling towards exactitude

by Mike Klonsky

Michael Winerip, writing in Sunday's NYT ("10 Years of Assessing Students With Scientific Exactitude") reveals the discrepancy between testing and reality in Bloomberg Town.

Winerip tells the testing story year-by-year, listing every pile of disinformation, scandal, and resistance left in the wake of No Child Left Behind and current state testing madness.

Nearly a quarter of the state’s principals — 1,046 — have signed an online letter protesting the

EDUCATION SUPERSTARS! THANK YOU TO OUR TOP CYBERLOBBYISTS OF 2011

NEA - Federal Legislative Updates:

EDUCATION SUPERSTARS! THANK YOU TO OUR TOP CYBERLOBBYISTS OF 2011

The NEA family won a number of important victories in Congress this year -- victories that would not have been possible without the activism of educators and others who care about children and public education. You sent over 530,000 emails, made over 8,300 phone calls, and made thousands of visits to Members of Congress to help achieve these victories.

Your e-mails and phone calls to Congress help amplify our voice and make sure that the concerns of educators are part of policy debates in Washington, DC. Sharing educators’ first-hand experiences is the most effective way to influence education policy and ensure that Congress crafts laws that will work for real students in real classrooms. We hope all NEA cyber-lobbyists will continue to share your expertise with your elected representatives and encourage your colleagues to do the same. Together, we are strong force that cannot be ignored.

Special thanks to our top 50 cyberlobbyists of 2011 -- who together sent over 17,000 e-mails to Congress. We thank you for standing up for your beliefs and taking time out of your busy schedules to make sure policy makers heard your voice:

Judy Armstrong-Hall, Troy, MI
Timothy Bakner, Virginia Beach, VA
Anthony B. Barrette, Alvin, IL
Linda Casey, Sewaren, NJ
Kathy Cieslak, Bethlehem, PA
Cecelia Collins, Milwaukee, WI
Cheryl Corbett, Tewksbury, MA
Ollie Danage, Aberdeen, MD
Laura Ehrenkranz, Fairfield, CT
Katherine Elliott, Canton, OH
Elizabeth Funderburk, Candler, NC
Esther Garvett, Miami, FL
Annabel Gunsallus, Charlottesville, VA
Betty Hankins, Saline, MI
Art Hanson, Lansing, MI
Robin Kerle, Lucinda, PA
Donna Kirk, East Hampton, CT
Jim Kline, Blacksburg, VA
Daniel Klipa, Plum, PA
LynnAnne Lange, Highland Park, CA
Sharon Lautner, Waretown, NJ
Cari Manzer, Norman, OK
Jeanne Marchiondo, Fairless Hills, PA
Robert Moeller, Glens Falls, NY
Vincent Newman, Hollywood, FL
Wende O'Brien, Brewster, MA
Irene Rathier, Smithfield, RI
Joe Ridgway, Blackwood, NJ
Kenneth Robertson, Kansas City, MO
Robert Rodich, Canal Winchester, OH
Melanie Scaplello, West Chester, PA
Dave Schwarck, Marquette, MI
Rachel Sebolt, Pittsburgh, PA
Fred Shoemaker, Harmony, PA
Kathryn Shoemaker, Lake Isabella, MI
Steve Silverston, Brighton, MI
Chasidy Simplot, Milwaukee, WI
Eileen Slavinsky, Mahwah, NJ
Alisa Sternberg, Titusville, NJ
Jessica Tatton, New Brunswick, NJ
Tina Theuerkauf, Gloucester, VA
Ann Watters, Salem, OR
Melissa Weinberg, Morristown, NJ
Scott Weiner, Jackson, NJ
Ken Weisman, Leesburg, VA
Todd Welcz, Vineland, NJ
Kathryn Wilde, Tucson, AZ
Carolyn Wilson, Zanesville, OH
Jacquelin Woods, Flossmoor, IL
Carol Yakimik, Mahwah, NJ

We would also like to extend special recognition to the three states whose activists sent the most messages to Congress this year:Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Illinois.

Shanker Blog » How Many Teachers Does It Take To Close An Achievement Gap?

Shanker Blog » How Many Teachers Does It Take To Close An Achievement Gap?:

How Many Teachers Does It Take To Close An Achievement Gap?

Posted by Matthew Di Carlo on March 17, 2011

** Also posted here on “Valerie Strauss’ Answer Sheet” in the Washington Post

Over the weekend, New York Times columnist Nick Kristof made a persuasive argument that teachers should be paid more. In making his case, he also put forth a point that you’ve probably heard before: “One Los Angeles study found that having a teacher from the 25 percent most effective group of teachers for four years in a row would be enough to eliminate the black-white achievement gap.”

This is an instance of what we might call the “X consecutive teachers” argument (sometimes it’s three, sometimes four or five). It is often invoked to support, directly or indirectly, specific policy prescriptions, such as merit pay, ending tenure, or, in this case, higher salaries (see also here and here). To his credit, Kristof’s use of the argument is on the cautious side, but there are plenty of examples in which it used as evidence supporting particular policies.

Actually, the day after the column ran, in a 60 Minutes segment featuring “The Equity Project,” a charter school that pays its teachers $125,000 a year, the school’s principal was asked how he planned to narrow the achievement gap with his school. His reply was: “The difference between a great teacher and a mediocre or poor teacher is several

What do we want in a superintendent? | Seattle Education

What do we want in a superintendent? | Seattle Education:

What do we want in a superintendent?

Posted on December 19, 2011 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment

The last four years have been a whirlwind with the hiring of the Broad-trained superintendent Dr. Goodloe-Johnson and all that came with her reign of tenure. School closings and re-openings, unnecessary rif’s, shutting down of programs that should have instead been supported, the MAP test three times each year even though only twice per year is required to get the appropriate results (we’ll get to that later), Teach for America, Inc., the student assignment plan debacle and the re-segregation of our schools (just in time to start the drumbeat of charters as a “choice” now that most options have been taken away from students on the southend of Seattle. And if the options have not been taken away

At Least 30% of Kids Will Be Arrested Before Age 23 - National - The Atlantic Wire

At Least 30% of Kids Will Be Arrested Before Age 23 - National - The Atlantic Wire:

At Least 30% of Kids Will Be Arrested Before Age 23

by Dino Grandoni

According to a new study in Pediatrics, somewhere between 30.2 and 41.4 percent of 8- to 23-year-olds in the U.S. will be arrested before their 23rd birthdays. Now the younger kids in that age range aren't getting arrested at crazy rates -- the "greatest growth in the cumulative prevalence of arrest occurs during late adolescence and the period of early or emerging adulthood" -- but those in the under-23 crowd are being picked up by police more frequently than in the past. According to USAToday:

The new data show a sharp increase from a previous study that stunned the American public when it was published 44 years ago by criminologist Ron Christensen. That study found 22% of youth would be arrested by age 23. The latest study finds 30.2% of young people will be arrested by age 23.

There seems to be two probable cause for calculated increase in arrests (which excludes traffic violations):

New Year Resolutions for School Health | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

New Year Resolutions for School Health | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:

New Year Resolutions for School Health

by NEA Health Information Network

With the beginning of a new year, many of us think about exchanging our old bad habits for new good ones. Often, New Year’s resolutions focus on changing how we eat, how much sleep we get, or how active we want to be. In preparation for getting a great start in 2012, the NEA Health Information Network offers its list of the ten top good habits (in no particular order) that schools can adopt to help students and staff be healthier.

Offer healthier food in school meal programs and from other sources that sell food in the schools. With the twin challenges of hunger and obesity, the types of food served in schools becomes more important than ever. Students need access to healthy food choices so they can make them.

Expand school breakfast participation. Nationally, only a fraction of the students who participate in free

Why community schools are part of the answer - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Why community schools are part of the answer - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Why community schools are part of the answer

by Valerie Strauss

If there was a hearing that the D.C. Council should not have allowed to be cancelled at the last minute, as happened last week, it would be on this: creating community schools. Why? Because community schools are part of the answer when it comes to effective school reform.
Community schools focus not only on academics but also, through partnerships with outside organizations, child and youth development, family support, health and social services, and community development.
Read full article >>

Arne’s poor poll results. « Fred Klonsky

Arne’s poor poll results. « Fred Klonsky:

Arne’s poor poll results.

by Fred Klonsky

My little “fire the fool” poll on Arne Duncan basically shows that readers of this blog don’t think highly of the Education Secretary.
No surprise there.
I received some comments that I took as being critical of my poll. They were along the lines of, “firing Duncan won’t accomplish anything. The problem is…” And then you can fill in the blank. Bill Gates. Obama. Capitalism. The system. Michelle Rhee. Testing.
Hey. I was just doing a little goof on Duncan. It was a slow news moment. I thought a little interactive post would

Illinois teacher pensions. No rest for the weary. « Fred Klonsky

Illinois teacher pensions. No rest for the weary. « Fred Klonsky:

Illinois teacher pensions. No rest for the weary.

by Fred Klonsky

For those who thought we were done with teacher pension issues for a while: think again.
Jim Broadway reports that the issue will be back sooner than later. The Illinois General Assembly comes into session the end of January.
Broadway says that there will no doubt be further efforts to go after teacher pensions, even prior to next

Obama Administration Officials to Hold a National Press Call on Promise Neighborhoods | U.S. Department of Education

Obama Administration Officials to Hold a National Press Call on Promise Neighborhoods | U.S. Department of Education:

Obama Administration Officials to Hold a National Press Call on Promise Neighborhoods

DECEMBER 19, 2011

Contact:

Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov

Event Date 1: December 19, 2011 02:00 pm - 03:00 pm

Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Mark Zuckerman, U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and the Department’s Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Innovation and Improvement Jim Shelton will hold a national press call today at 2 p.m. ET on the second round winners of the Promise Neighborhoods program.

Last April, the Department announced $30 million in funding for a second round of Promise Neighborhoods grants to be divided between a new set of implementation grants and a second round of planning grants.

A press release with additional details will be available prior to the call. Press interested in joining today's call should dial 800-857-9828.

Event 1

Who :	Deputy Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council Mark Zuckerman U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan Assistant Deputy Education Secretary Jim Shelton, U.S. Department of Education
What :	National press call on Promise Neighborhoods second round winners
When :	2 p.m. ET
Where :	Dial-In: 800-857-9828

Tags:

Why an anti-testing post went viral - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

Why an anti-testing post went viral - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

Why an anti-testing post went viral

by Valerie Strauss

A guest post on The Answer Sheet this month about a school board member in Florida who took a version of a standardized test and was horrified at what he found drew an unusually large readership. It could be a fluke that the post went viral, but it is more likely that the Dec. 5 post, written by veteran educator Marion Brady, hit a nerve with an audience increasingly disturbed about test-based school reform.
Read full article >>

‘What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate’

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by Marion Brady, veteran teacher, administrator, curriculum designer and author.

By Marion Brady
“What we’ve got here,” as Cool Hand Luke once said, “is a failure to communicate.”
Read full article >>

Help a child: Donate to a classroom | Being Latino Online Magazine

Help a child: Donate to a classroom | Being Latino Online Magazine:

Help a child: Donate to a classroom

by Eric Jude Cortes

by Eric Jude Cortes
The holiday season really is the season of giving. Stores and traditions dictate that we spend thousands of dollars on gifts for friends, family members, and of course, ourselves.
This is also the time of year that charities make their biggest push for donations. It’s good to donate to charity, and as long as they’re legitimate, donate all you want and encourage others to do so. If you have extra money after helping fight cancer, you can donate it a needy classroom.

DonorsChoose.org is an excellent organization that allows individuals to buy supplies for a needy school. Upon accessing the site, users are given the opportunity to donate a small sum to one of thousands of classroom projects. The projects have all been submitted by real teachers and verified by the professionals at Donors Choose. Further safeguards include verifying directly with the school principal and other

Principals and Teachers: Partners in Leadership « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Principals and Teachers: Partners in Leadership « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:

Principals and Teachers: Partners in Leadership

by Klea Scharberg

Post submitted by Whole Child Blogger Carole Hayward
In a session at ASCD’s Fall Conference in October, Phyllis Pajardo, human resources assistant superintendent, and Brandon Wolfe, principal, both from Fairfax County, Va., asked participants to think deeply about leadership and what it means to be an effective leader, as well as to honestly assess their own leadership skills.
Pajardo asked participants to define in their own words, “teacher leadership,” “building capacity,” and “partnership,” and to also consider how much time their schools currently invest in teacher professional development.

Pajardo discussed the ways the job of the teacher has expanded and changed over the years to include acting as leaders of school improvement, facilitators of professional learning, facilitators of student transitions across

The New Stupid :: Frederick M. Hess

The New Stupid :: Frederick M. Hess:

The New Stupid

by Frederick M. Hess • Dec 19, 2011 at 7:59 am
Cross-posted from Education Week

Send

RSS

A little while back, I published a piece titled "The New Stupid" in Educational Leadership. It's a piece that's perhaps more relevant today than when I wrote it, and one that folks continue to ask about. Anyway, given that things have slowed down for the pre-holiday week, I thought I'd share it over the next few days. So, here we go:

A decade ago, it was disconcertingly easy to find education leaders who dismissed student achievement data and systematic research as having only limited utility when it came to improving schools or school systems. Today, we have come full circle. It is hard to attend an education conference or read an education magazine without encountering broad claims for data-based decision making and research-based practice. Yet these phrases can too readily morph into convenient buzzwords that obscure rather than clarify. Indeed, I fear that

Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, December 19, 2011

The Poverty of School Reform

EDUCATION SUPERSTARS! THANK YOU TO OUR TOP CYBERLOBBYISTS OF 2011

What do we want in a superintendent?

Obama Administration Officials to Hold a National Press Call on Promise Neighborhoods

The New Stupid