Big Education Ape

Monday, February 6, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 2-6 AM Posts #edreform #ows

Schools Matter: Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytes

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Schools Matter: Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytes:Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytesby skrashenJeff McQuillan: "Books before bytes"re (Michael Hiltzik)Sent to the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 5, 2012To the Editor:Kudos to Michael Hiltzik for his column ("Hyping tech will not help students," February 5) criticizing federal officials for overselling the benefits of technology to K-12 schools. As co-producer of the most popular educational podcast in the world (ESLPod.com's English as a Second Language Podcast), I'm no enemy of new technology.But our students ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Late Nite Posts 2-5 #edreform #ows

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10 Reasons the Tests Are Lowering Our Standards « Cooperative CatalystBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-23 minutes ago10 Reasons the Tests Are Lowering Our Standards « Cooperative Catalyst:10 Reasons the Tests Are Lowering Our Standardsfrom Cooperative Catalyst » 5 questions about everything by John T. Spencerwe’re creating shallow zombies in the name of high standardsOften, the proponents of the drill-and-kill testing environment hold up the banner of “high standards” as a rationale for excessive testing. I disagree with this ... more »

All Hands on Deck! | Connected Principals

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All Hands on Deck! | Connected Principals:All Hands on Deck!by Larry FliegelmanIn the days of yore, the captain of a ship would have the Boatswain (or Bosun) use his pipe to make the “All Hands” call when he wanted the entire crew up on deck and ready for action. Everyone, no matter what their role, no matter when their last duty shift, no matter how busy on another project, were expected to stop what they were doing, assemble on deck ... more »

The Spectatorization of American Politics | Lefty Parent

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The Spectatorization of American Politics | Lefty Parent:The Spectatorization of American Politicsby Cooper ZaleInteresting juxtaposition between two pieces from this past week, “Americans’ Political Views Not So Far Apart” from LiveScience.com and “Yes, Washington is in fact more partisan now” from The Signal. The first looks at polling since 1970 that purports to show no growing ideological divide between people in the U.S. The second shows just the opposite, but among U.S. politicians. If you believe these two statistical snapshots, ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Joel Rose of the School of One returns...with a COIB ruling that ignores the city's conflict of interest rules

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NYC Public School Parents: Joel Rose of the School of One returns...with a COIB ruling that ignores the city's conflict of interest rules:Joel Rose of the School of One returns...with a COIB ruling that ignores the city's conflict of interest rulesby Leonie HaimsonToday, Rachel Monahan reported in the Daily News that the DOE is going forward with a contract for Joel Rose’s new company to run the School of One in NYC public schools.Joel Rose devised and ran the “School ... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Joel Rose of the School of One returns...with a COIB ruling that ignores the city's conflict of interest rules

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School Tech Connect: #Occupy The Unions #ows

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School Tech Connect: #Occupy The Unions:#Occupy The Unionsby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)And I'm back. I can only tell you that I successfully closed the achievement gap, which as you know requires alot of firing, and a lot of dispersing urban black kids to other schools, and then getting the hell out of town before the studies show that you actually didn't close the achievement gap but made it worse instead.Anyhoo, the most interesting thing I read during my little social media vacation ... more »

10 Reasons the Tests Are Lowering Our Standards « Cooperative Catalyst

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10 Reasons the Tests Are Lowering Our Standards « Cooperative Catalyst:10 Reasons the Tests Are Lowering Our Standardsfrom Cooperative Catalyst » 5 questions about everything by John T. Spencerwe’re creating shallow zombies in the name of high standardsOften, the proponents of the drill-and-kill testing environment hold up the banner of “high standards” as a rationale for excessive testing. I disagree with this premise entirely. Here are ten reasons most tests lead to lower standards:Extrinsic Motivation: Kids will work hard to ... more »

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: The New York Post Blows

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SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: The New York Post Blows:The New York Post Blowsby noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)Not too long ago I came across this article in the New York Post. This is about Christine Rubino, who taught at PS 203 in Flatlands, for posting “repulsive” comments on Facebook.Several thoughts came to my mind. One, is it not ironic how the Post (and of course News Corp.) the harbinger of freedom is quick to mock someone for defending their constitutional rights of freedom ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Afternoon Posts 2-5 #ows #edreform

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The privatization trap - The 99 Percent Plan - Salon.comBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-3 minutes agoThe privatization trap - The 99 Percent Plan - Salon.com:The privatization trapFrom schools to prisons, outsourcing government's works typically ends with cronyism, waste and unaccountabilityBY MIKE KONCZALAn employee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Ga., waiting for the front gate to be opened. The detention center is operated on contract by Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America. (Credit: AP)TOPICS:THE 99 ... more »

5th Annual Media Reform Summit: Media for the 99% - Perdaily.com

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5th Annual Media Reform Summit: Media for the 99% - Perdaily.com:5th Annual Media Reform Summit: Media for the 99%by Leonard IsenbergThe Occupy Movement has taken the country by storm, changing the dialogue everywhere from the presidential primaries to kitchen tables. People are talking about economic inequality and power concentrated in the hands of a few -- and they're looking for solutions. Social media and alternative media have aided the movement, providing a wake up call to the unfair advantage wealthy ... more »

TRIUMPH OF DUCT TAPE PEDAGOGY #edreform #edchat #p2

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Rhee security detailed hired. Duct-taped protesters deemed dangerousRheeFirst!:

Rhee security detailed hired. Duct-taped protesters deemed dangerous

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RheeFirst!:Rhee security detailed hired. Duct-taped protesters deemed dangerous.“In order to insure order outside and inside the theater, I’ve hired security people who will be with us all week to provide protection for Michelle Rhee and to provide services as needed to guarantee your safety and enjoyment.“One more myth (about Rhee) bites the dust“‘Former D.C. schools chancellor Michelle Rhee [...] failed miserably — as she conceded — in recruiting and training great principals, the key to turning a school around. She ... more »

Diane Ravitch Letter - Florida Model Does NOT Work Independent Source PAC

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Diane Ravitch Letter - Independent Source PAC:SPECIAL ISPAC GUEST COLUMN:An Important Letter From Education Research Professor, Diane Ravitch, to New Mexico Legislators - Florida Model Does NOT Work.Dear State Legislators:Friends in New Mexico have told me that your governor wants to import the so-called "Florida model" of education to New Mexico.I urge you to oppose this effort.Florida is not a good model for the nation. It is not even good for Florida.The Florida model rests on two pillars: One is ... more »

THE HYPOCRISY GROWS « Teachers Fight Back

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THE HYPOCRISY GROWS « Teachers Fight Back:THE HYPOCRISY GROWSby alkleenRECENT HEADLINES AND STATEMENTS FROM VARIOUS NEWS ORGANIZATIONS:“There is no more important job than that of teaching our children.”“Teachers have the most important job in our community.”“Teachers deserve the respect that should be afforded to the most important job in our society.”“We must get and retain the best and brightest people in our teaching profession.”“Teachers seek a raise despite the difficult financial plight of our community.”“New investigation finds that teachers receive ... more »

Grumpy Educators: Indiana: Bring parent opposition to excessive standardized testing out of the shadows

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Grumpy Educators: Indiana: Bring parent opposition to excessive standardized testing out of the shadows:Indiana: Bring parent opposition to excessive standardized testing out of the shadowsby SandraYesterday, Grumpy Educators reported on Texas concerns of the testing "perversion." Today, the highlight is on Indiana and parents who are organizing in opposition to testing. Parent rights are at the heart of the issue. State Impact reported the story including Indiana Department of Education official Stephanie Sample response

The privatization trap - The 99 Percent Plan - Salon.com

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The privatization trap - The 99 Percent Plan - Salon.com:The privatization trapFrom schools to prisons, outsourcing government's works typically ends with cronyism, waste and unaccountabilityBY MIKE KONCZALAn employee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, Ga., waiting for the front gate to be opened. The detention center is operated on contract by Nashville-based Corrections Corporation of America. (Credit: AP)TOPICS:THE 99 PERCENT PLAN, AMERICAN SPRING, U.S. ECONOMYThe 99 Percent Plan is a joint Roosevelt Institute-Salon series that explores ...more »

4LAKids - HOMEOWNERS CONSIDER SUING LAUSD OVER WALGROVE LAND LEASE AGREEMENT

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4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: HOMEOWNERS CONSIDER SUING LAUSD OVER WALGROVE LAND LEASE AGREEMENT:HOMEOWNERS CONSIDER SUING LAUSD OVER WALGROVE LAND LEASE AGREEMENTBY GARY WALKER, THE ARGONAUT |HTTP://BIT.LY/XND0QSWednesday, February 1, 2012 5:19 PM PST :: A group of Mar Vista residents are mulling over the possibility of filing a lawsuit against the Los Angeles Unified School District to stop the construction of a charter school.On Jan. 20, the LAUSD Facilities Management Division awarded Ocean Charter School a ... more »

Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky

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Sunday links. « Fred Klonsky:Sunday links.by Fred KlonskyThey’re still talking about Rahm’s paid protesters on Ken Davis’ Chicago Newsroom. This is a story that seems to have legs. It starts at 22:30 on the video.The cops break up one of the last Occupy encampments. This one in DC.In an address to the Hitler Youth, Hitler said, ”In our eyes, the German boy of the future must be slim and slender, as fast as a greyhound, tough as leather and hard ...more »

Jersey Jazzman: Full Disclosure From This Professional Blogger

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Jersey Jazzman: Full Disclosure From This Professional Blogger:Full Disclosure From This Professional Bloggerby DukeIn the past, I've said I haven't made "one damn dime" off of this blog. Well, I started putting up the ads a while ago, and now I'm making just about that.So, every few months, I'll be taking Mrs. Jazzman out to dinner as a penance for making her listen to my rants while I type this tuff at the kitchen table. This is thanks to all ... more »

NYC Educator: Consider This

NYC Educator: Consider This:

Consider This

by NYC Educator

In Topeka, you can make 5,000 bucks extra in merit pay if you get those scores up. So, the writer wonders, why would you help anyone who was not your student? After all, every minute you spend helping those other kids is a minute lost from propping up the test scores you need to survive.

That scenario could be even worse if demagogues Bloomberg and Cuomo get their way. Cuomo wants 40% of your rating to be based on test scores, and I've read that it would be impossible to get a favorable rating without favorable test scores. Bear in mind, of course, that these geniuses want to base these ratings

Is Twitter encouraging a type of ‘Arab Spring’ within Education? | Connected Principals

Is Twitter encouraging a type of ‘Arab Spring’ within Education? | Connected Principals:

Is Twitter encouraging a type of ‘Arab Spring’ within Education?

by sharris

Is education's future getting brighter?

This interesting thought occurred during a conversation today.
Are we living through a process whereby social media is finally breaking down
some of the traditional divides that have kept education transformation
suppressed? I suspect we are.

What is twitter managing to do?

Break down the barriers that have made it
difficult for teachers from different sectors to meet , collaborate and talk
Spawn new grassroots movements such as Teach
Meets where teachers from any background can freely share ideas
Enable quick transfer of outstanding ideas and
practice to anyone interested
Gather a new educational tribe, one that has
education and vision ahead of administration, policy or politics

The difference between good schools and effective schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

The difference between good schools and effective schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:

The difference between good schools and effective schools

by Valerie Strauss

This was written by Joanne Yatvin, a longtime public school educator, author and past president of the National Council of Teachers of English. She teaches part-time at Portland State University and is writing a book on good teaching in high poverty schools.

Read full article >>

Bottom 5 percent of economists face dismissal — unbelievable report

by Valerie Strauss

Plenty of school reformers say that if 5 to 10 percent of teachers in the United States are fired each year, then U.S. standardized test scores would compete with the top-achieving nations. It’s not true, but that doesn’t stop them from saying it. Well, now we learn that teachers are no longer the only professionals who are being targeted for wholesale firing.

Read full article >>

More CalSTRS pressure on lawmakers | Thoughts on Public Education

More CalSTRS pressure on lawmakers | Thoughts on Public Education:

More CalSTRS pressure on lawmakers
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Lower rate of return, higher burden for taxpayers

Posted on 2/06/12 • Categorized as Pensions

By John Fensterwald - Educated Guess

What a difference a quarter of 1 percent makes.

The decision last week by the board of the California State Teachers Retirement System to lower the expected rate of return on investments from 7.75 percent to 7.50 percent equates to an additional $475 million that school districts and the State Legislature must eventually contribute annually to make up for the shortfall and keep the pension fund healthy. That’s on top of the $4 billion extra per year that CalSTRS says contributors should already start paying to compensate for the big hit that investments took when the market tanked in 2008. The Legislature, facing a General Fund shortfall of its own, hasn’t acted on CalSTRS’ recommendation, and it’s also not expected to act this year on the latest change. But the increased liability will add pressure on lawmakers to deal with Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed reforms to reduce pension costs. Last week, Brown provided a conference committee on

Missouri Education Watchdog: Why Use Longitudinal Data Systems on Students when Palm Reading is Probably As Effective (and Cheaper)

Missouri Education Watchdog: Why Use Longitudinal Data Systems on Students when Palm Reading is Probably As Effective (and Cheaper):

Why Use Longitudinal Data Systems on Students when Palm Reading is Probably As Effective (and Cheaper)

by stlgretchen

Can data determine your child's future in the work force? That's the plan of the Department of Education and the use of the Longitudinal Data System. Student data will be shared with various federal agencies so employers will be able to identify workers fitting their unique requirements.

How dependable is this data in scrutinizing children? According to a recent Wall Street Journal article and the teenage brain, adolescent behavior may not determine the character or future actions of

LAUSD: AN UNSEEMLY CULTURE THAT PERVERTS EVERYTHING IT SHOULD STAND FOR - Perdaily.com

LAUSD: AN UNSEEMLY CULTURE THAT PERVERTS EVERYTHING IT SHOULD STAND FOR - Perdaily.com:

LAUSD: AN UNSEEMLY CULTURE THAT PERVERTS EVERYTHING IT SHOULD STAND FOR

by Leonard Isenberg

(Mensaje se repite en Español)

(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)

One of my first recollections as a child, which made me aware of the fact that I was part of a minority group - different than other people - was how my parents would get when a Jewish person did something wrong. Having both suffered from antisemitism when they were growing up in Chicago, they hated it when a Jew would do something reprehensible that caused Jews to be perceived in a negative way that could be construed by the society at large as fulfilling the negative antisemitic stereotype that was still prevalent at that time and regrettably still infects a large part of our population, simply because it seems to be human nature to generalize and stereotype the negative ascribed characteristics of any identifiable members of any ethnic

Jersey Jazzman: "Rigorous" Charter Reviews?

Jersey Jazzman: "Rigorous" Charter Reviews?:

"Rigorous" Charter Reviews?

by Duke

When the charter for Regis Academy in Cherry Hill was approved, ACTING NJ DOE Commissioner Chris Cerfassured us it had to be one of the very best of the best:

“The most important bar that any applicant must clear is demonstrating that the school has a very high likelihood of providing an excellent education to its students,” said Acting Commissioner Cerf. “Through our rigorous review process, we became confident that these four schools will offer students a great education on day one of the school year. The Department will work with applicants who were not approved in this round but demonstrated potential to continue to develop their application for consideration in future rounds. It has been our experience that with additional guidance and time to plan, applicants who were not approved have been able to resubmit successful applicatio

Lessons from Washington State « InterACT

Lessons from Washington State « InterACT:

Lessons from Washington State

by David B. Cohen

Jim Meadows, WA Education Assoc.

Last Friday I had the opportunity to spend most of the day in the company of one of my favorite people in education land. Jim Meadows is on the staff of the Washington Education Association, and has been playing an integral role in making Washington one of the states to watch in education reform. He’s doing it within the umbrella of the state teachers union, and he was in California last week at a CTA Good Teaching Conference talking to California teachers and union leaders about how we too might work within the union to promote better teaching and learning.

You might not hear the self-annointed education reformers of the charter school and fake accountability

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Schools Matter: Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytes

Schools Matter: Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytes:

Jeff McQuillan: Books before bytes

by skrashen

Jeff McQuillan: "Books before bytes"
re (Michael Hiltzik)

Sent to the Los Angeles Times, Feb. 5, 2012
To the Editor:

Kudos to Michael Hiltzik for his column ("Hyping tech will not help students," February 5) criticizing federal officials for overselling the benefits of technology to K-12 schools. As co-producer of the most popular educational podcast in the world (ESLPod.com's English as a Second Language Podcast), I'm no enemy of new technology.

But our students need nutrition, health care, quality teachers and librarians, and (especially here in California)

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Monday, February 6, 2012

More CalSTRS pressure on lawmakersShare

Sunday, February 5, 2012

More CalSTRS pressure on lawmakers
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