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

Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom. « Fred Klonsky

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Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom. « Fred Klonsky:Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom.from Fred Klonsky's blog by Fred KlonskyWhen former Vice President Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom at Fort Meade, Maryland, last week, it was his first public appearance in more than 19 months. Cheney has been held without trial for the past year and a half; only now is a hearing being conducted to determine if there is sufficient evidence to refer his case ...more »

Connecting the Classroom to the Capitol « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

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Connecting the Classroom to the Capitol « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Connecting the Classroom to the Capitolby Klea ScharbergWhat works best for children? What must we all—educators, families, policymakers, and community members—do to ensure their success? Answering those questions pushes us to redefine what a successful learner is and how we measure success. ASCD’s Whole Child Initiative seeks to change the conversation about education from a focus on narrowly defined academic achievement to one that encompasses a ... more »

Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan

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Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan:OPINION: Now is not the right time for more charter schools in MichiganOn Dec. 14, our state legislators passed Senate Bill 618 to allow more charter schools in Michigan. Wasting no time, Gov. Rick Snyder signed it into law on Dec. 20. The leaders in Lansing like the idea of choice and competition, and when the population in Michigan is growing, that way of thinking would be just fine.But ... more »

Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ - NY Daily News

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Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ - NY Daily News:Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ They are unwilling to work within the systemBY EADIE SHANKER NEW YORK DAILY NEWSMonday, December 26 2011, 3:50 AMLegendary teachers union leader Al Shanker would not have supported the current charter school movement.Battle over airwaves pits UFT vs. pro-charter forcesEditorial: Jobbing school reformBam education plan ... more »

SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reform - Washington Times

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SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reform - Washington Times:SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reformBy Deborah Simmons-The Washington TimesSunday, December 25, 2011**FILE** D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray (Associated Press)STORY TOPICSEducationD.C. Public Education Finance Reform CommissionChristmasFOLLOW US ONFACEBOOKQUESTION OF THE DAYDid you spend less this Christmas because of the economy?YesNoUndecidedOtherLogin to VoteView resultsCOMMENTS (1)RECOMMENDTWITTERLINKEDINREAD LATEREMAILPRINTTEXT SIZE: +| -CLICK-2-LISTENSHAREANALYSIS/OPINIONThere’s a na... more »

Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board -- WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

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Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board -- WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --:Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kathleen S. Tighe, the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Education and a strong proponent of transparency and accountability in government, has been selected by President Obama to serve as the new Chair of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board.(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100702/RECOVERYLOGO)... more »

The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011 - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

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The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011 - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011by Valerie StraussThe year 2011 was monumental in education — monumentally good or monumentally bad, depending on your view.School reformers who believe in using business principles to run public schools had a banner year. More states expanded the number of charter schools, promoted vouchers and moved toward using student test scores to evaluate teachers.Read full article

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

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solidaridad: Social Justice Schools Conference by CEJ and PEAC February 2012Big Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-1 minute agosolidaridad: Social Justice Schools Conference by CEJ and PEAC February 2012:Social Justice Schools Conference by CEJ and PEAC February 2012by Robert D. Skeels * rdsatheneWhat does real school transformation look like? How will we win? Real transformation is rooted in the communities that schools serve, respect the rights of all school employees, and is fully funded.February 10 February 11, 2012Fri: 4:30 to ... more »

The Educated Reporter: Do Teacher-Student Facebook Friendships Cross the Line?

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The Educated Reporter: Do Teacher-Student Facebook Friendships Cross the Line?:Do Teacher-Student Facebook Friendships Cross the Line?by Emily Richmond I'm off for a few days for the holidays. Given that some other states and districts are actively debating new rules limiting student-teacher contact via social media, I thought this prior post was worth another look. Missouri recently passed a law to severely limit online interactions between teachers and their students on social networking sites. It quickly became known as Missouri’s “Facebook ... more »

solidaridad: Social Justice Schools Conference by CEJ and PEAC February 2012

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solidaridad: Social Justice Schools Conference by CEJ and PEAC February 2012:Social Justice Schools Conference by CEJ and PEAC February 2012by Robert D. Skeels * rdsatheneWhat does real school transformation look like? How will we win? Real transformation is rooted in the communities that schools serve, respect the rights of all school employees, and is fully funded.February 10 February 11, 2012Fri: 4:30 to 7:00pmSat: 8:30 to 5:00UCLA Community School3201 W. 8th StreetLos Angeles, CA 90005RSVP: Jimenez.rosa@gmail.com or (909) 753-9007 ASAPChildcare, Food, ... more »

Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN #edreform

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Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN:Top Content this WeekTop Content Rank1NYS Teacher Evaluation ControversyAdded by Thomas Whitby on December 22, 20112Understanding TPACKAdded by Thomas Whitby on December 22, 20113To Tweet Or Not To TweetAdded by Thomas Whitby on December 9, 20114Edutopia: A Neurologist Makes the Case for the Video Game Model as a Learning ToolAdded by Thomas Whitby on November 12, 20115SchoolisyzationAdded by Thomas Whitby on December 18, 20116Favorite FREE Web 2.0 AppsPosted by Thomas Whitby on November ... more »

State community colleges set to ration classes

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State community colleges set to ration classes:State community colleges set to ration classesNanette Asimov, Chronicle Staff WriterSunday, December 25, 2011(page 1 of 2) SINGLE PAGEPrintE-mailShareComments (118)Font | Size: 44David Paul Morris / Special To The ChronicleDiana Wachner writes in a Life Review class. Community colleges plan to focus on essential classes only.IMAGES View All Images (6)MORE EDUCATIONProfessor works for healthy surf tourism industry 12.25.11California finally gets a piece of Race to the Top 12.17.11S.F. Leadership High on state's list of ... more »

All My “Best Of 2011″ Lists In One Place | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

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All My “Best Of 2011″ Lists In One Place | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…:All My “Best Of 2011″ Lists In One Placeby Larry FerlazzoI’ve posted quite a few “Best Of 2011″ lists. And you can find links to all of them in this post.You might also be interested in:The Best Of The Best — 2007/08The Best “The Best…” Lists Of 2009All My “The Best Of 2010″ Lists In One Place!Here are All My “Best Of 2011″ Lists In

Teach for America: Liberal mission helps conservative agenda - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

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Teach for America: Liberal mission helps conservative agenda - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:Teach for America: Liberal mission helps conservative agendaby Valerie StraussThis was written by Andrew Hartman, who teaches history at Illinois State University. He is the author ofEducation and the Cold War: The Battle for the American School. This was originally published atjacobinmag.com. It is long but well worth your time.By Andrew HartmanRead full article

"A Sunday Kind Of Love" - Etta James spending Christmas in hospital

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Etta James spending Christmas in hospitalDecember 25, 2011 | 7:48 am 30The family of Etta James said they hope to share Christmas with the hospitalized singing legend if she is feeling well enough.If doctors can revive her from her sedation by Sunday, her family will try to hold a small Christmas celebration in her hospital room."She always felt Christmastime was for the children," said her son, Donto James. "The biggest thing she ever wanted was for people to be with ... more »

Schools Matter: Will Haslam Continue to Lead TN Schools Continue Down the Corporate Rabbit Hole?

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Schools Matter: Will Haslam Continue to Lead TN Schools Continue Down the Corporate Rabbit Hole?:Separate and Unequal in Body and Mindby Jim Hornby Judy RabinWhile the scrooges in the halls of Congress, the multi-billion dollar testing industry and the greedy, fascist proponents of more tests to measure and punish poor students and those who teach them sit down to their Christmas dinner, here's yet another story that is finally changing the conversation about education from "no excuses" to "it's the ... more »

“Math is #1” The Lives They Lived - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com

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The Lives They Lived - Interactive Feature - NYTimes.com:Mr. GellerRichard Geller, b. 1946 When Richard Geller died, students put his catch phrase, “Math is #1,” all over Stuyvesant High School, in New York City, where he had taught. It was taped onto lockers. It was drawn on a couple of desks. It was handwritten on a T-shirt. In the classroom, Geller was passionate and intense and demanding. One student remembered her math grade was the lowest one on her report ... more »

Merry Christmas Baby Elvis Presley

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Merry, merry Christmas babySure did treat me niceI said merry Christmas babySure did treat me niceGave me a diamond ring for ChristmasNow I'm living in paradiseWell I'm feeling might fineGot good music on my radioWell, I'm feeling might fineGot good music on my radioWell, I want to kiss you babyWhile you're standing beneath the mistletoeI said, merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas babyYou sure did treat me niceYes, you did, yes, you didYes, you did, yes, you didI said merry, merry ... more »

NYC Educator: Happy Christmas

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NYC Educator: Happy Christmas:Happy ChristmasI hope you're having a great day. Just in case you aren't, it may give you some perspective to hear the story of someone having a day that's even worse.Posted by NYC Educator at 10:06 AM

"Peace on earth and good will to men!"

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The Peace Speech - John F. Kennedy:The Peace SpeechCommencement Address at American UniversityPresident John F. KennedyWashington, D.C.June 10, 1963 Let us examine our attitude toward peace itself. Too many of us think it is impossible. Too many think it unreal. But that is a dangerous, defeatist belief. It leads to the conclusion that war is inevitable--that mankind is doomed--that we are gripped by forces we cannot control. We need not accept that view. Our problems are manmade--therefore, they can be ... more »

Mother Crusader: Is the suburban charter school battle Christie's Waterloo?

Mother Crusader: Is the suburban charter school battle Christie's Waterloo?:

Is the suburban charter school battle Christie's Waterloo?

by darciecima

With all of the holiday hubbub this segment almost escaped me.


ON 12/22 WNYC's new Managing Editor for New Jersey Nancy Solomon and New Jersey native and WNYC investigative journalist Bob Hennelly participated in a discussion on the Brian Lehrer show called New Jersey Confirmation Battle. It was an intelligent discussion of the issues regarding Senator Rice's block of Acting Education Commissioner Chris Cerf's appointment. At no time was Senator Rice called a conspiracy theorist. Instead, Nancy Solomon detailed Cerf's long history of involvement with for-profit companies that contract with public school districts.


Bob Hennelly pointed out that what Senator Rice is looking for is more transparency in the Newark schools.

The Ghost of Ed Reform Past -- and the Hope of Ed Reform Future | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

The Ghost of Ed Reform Past -- and the Hope of Ed Reform Future | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:

The Ghost of Ed Reform Past -- and the Hope of Ed Reform Future

by obriena

Editor's note: This post was originally written for Edutopia.

As 2011 winds to a close, we are about to turn the page on a year that saw new evidence suggesting that the education reform policies du jour aren't really working. Most charter schools perform no better than traditional public schools (at least in Chicago); value-added modeling does not produce consistent, reliable measures of teacher effectiveness; and the school curriculum is narrowing, in part because of the pressures of state tests (according to teachers).

Student performance on standardized assessments has remainedstubbornly flat during the past few years (though much more progress has been made in math than reading). And despite all our efforts over the past

What are you doing with your “rocks?” | Connected Principals

What are you doing with your “rocks?” | Connected Principals:

What are you doing with your “rocks?”

by Justin Tarte

A few weeks ago my school district was visited by a team of educators from the Hallsville R-IV School District. Since my district is in year two of implementing Professional Learning Communities, we are interested in hearing from other districts on how they got started and their advice as we move forward.

Though there was a lot of great information and advice shared, there was one particular conversation that really stuck out in my mind. As we talked about moving forward with PLCs, the topic of resistant and unresponsive staff came up. As with any new initiative or process, success or failure

Stewardship vs Adultism in the Real World | Lefty Parent

Stewardship vs Adultism in the Real World | Lefty Parent:

Stewardship vs Adultism in the Real World

by Cooper Zale

Following up on several of my previous pieces (most recently“Adultism vs Legitimate Adult Stewardship of Youth”), I think it is important to call out some real-world examples of what I consider the exercise of legitimate adult stewardship of young people. That versus what I would consider inappropriate “adultism”. I believe sorting out this dichotomy is critical to adult interaction with young people in our society going forward, whether parents with their kids or teachers with their students.

My working definition of “adultism” is…

The disrespect and discrimination against young people (simply because they are not adults) that

Schools Matter: Bilingual education, yes. But high levels of English requires access to books.

Schools Matter: Bilingual education, yes. But high levels of English requires access to books.:

Bilingual education, yes. But high levels of English requires access to books.

by skrashen

Helping Language Minority Students Develop a Reading Habit
Sent to the Daily Breeze (Torrance, CA), Dec 26
Re: Non-English speakers' failures hit schools (Dec 24):

Bilingual education works. Children in bilingual programs consistently do better than children in all-English programs on tests of English reading. Also, studies have shown that the dismantling of bilingual programs in California after Prop. 227 did not lead to better English language development.

Bilingual education is not enough, however. As noted in the Breeze, language minority children are very often