Sunday, November 4, 2012

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 11-4-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS


Jersey Jazzman: How To Buy a School Board 3000 Miles Away

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 minutes ago
Jersey Jazzman: How To Buy a School Board 3000 Miles Away: How To Buy a School Board 3000 Miles Away by Duke Why would California multi-millionaires be interested in a school board race in the small city of Perth Amboy, NJ? It seems absurd, and yet it's true: *four wealthy Californians and one wealthy Coloradan - heavy hitters in the tech, financial, and health care sectors - have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to a slate of candidates running for the school board in Perth Amboy*, a city of 50,000 with a majority Hispanic population. According to New Jersey election re... more »

Education During the Great Depression - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 minutes ago
Education During the Great Depression - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com: Education During the Great Depression Some say the Great Depression started on October 29, 1929, also known as Black Tuesday. This is the day approximately 28 million shares of stock were sold and the stock market collapsed. However, the worst years of the Great Depression were yet to come; those years being 1932 and 1933. During the Great Depression years not only did people suffer from lack of jobs, money, homes, and food, but the education of children suffered also. Children dropped out of school to sell ne... more »

Engaging Parents In School… » Is Spending $20 Million On Parent Centers In L.A. The Best Way To Increase Parent Engagement?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago
Engaging Parents In School… » Is Spending $20 Million On Parent Centers In L.A. The Best Way To Increase Parent Engagement?: Is Spending $20 Million On Parent Centers In L.A. The Best Way To Increase Parent Engagement? by Larry Ferlazzo Today, The Los Angeles Times published an article headlined LAUSD parent centers aim to boost involvement at schools. It reports on plans to spend $20 million to “upgrade” parent centers in the District. The article discusses a positive report on parent centers from the LAUSD “Inspector General.” I’d like to share my thoughts in two part — one, on... more »

Occupy Sandy Comes to the Rockaways : The New Yorker

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 29 minutes ago
Occupy Sandy Comes to the Rockaways : The New Yorker: OCCUPY SANDY POSTED BY LARISSA MACFARQUHAR [image: belle-harbor-sandy.jpg] Belle Harbor, Queens, about half way along the Rockaway peninsula, is four blocks across at its widest point—a splinter of East-West streets on a spit of land between the bay and the sea. Now that land is beach again. The roads are so densely packed under sand hardened into foot-high ruts and deep puddles that they seem like dirt paths, never paved. A car is suspended diagonally across the sidewalk of one of the main roads, its rear impaled on a low wa... more »

Righ Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee spends freely in Tennessee | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 46 minutes ago
Pro-school choice PACs spend freely in Tennessee | The Tennessean | tennessean.com: Righ Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee spends freely in TennesseeGroups fund pro-school choice candidates With education issues high on the agenda for the upcoming legislative session, two new groups that favor charter schools and vouchers have spent lavishly on Tennessee House and Senate races. - Continuing coverage of Election2012 The Tennessee PAC affiliated with StudentsFirst, a Sacramento, Calif.-based organization led by former Washington, D.C., Chancellor of ... more »

Righ Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee gives $100,000 to Christiana in October - Timesonline.com: Local News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 50 minutes ago
Righ Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee gives $100,000 to Christiana in October - Timesonline.com: Local News: Righ Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee gives $100,000 to Christiana in October Posted: Saturday, November 3, 2012 11:00 pm | *Updated: 9:42 pm, Sat Nov 3, 2012.* By J.D. Prose jprose@timesonline.com | 2 comments A political-action committee that has spent millions promoting school vouchers and charter schools in Pennsylvania gave state Rep. Jim Christiana, a leading proponent of their cause, $100,000 just in October, according to recentl... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-4-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 58 minutes ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Recipe for Privatization of Public Education by dianerav A reader from Washington State sends this comment: *Here is a satirical “Recipe for How To Change The Nation’s Schools.” I am a 33 year classroom teaching veteran currently working on the campaign to stop the charter school initiative in WA state. It doesn’t look good as Bill Gates and friends spend $9 million on ads (we have no ads).* *RECIPE for Taking over a Nation’s Public Schools* *Ingredients:* *• A Few Super Wealthy Families (that have never att... more »

Daily Kos: mother of bi-racial boy writes letter to Obama

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Daily Kos: mother of bi-racial boy writes letter to Obama: mother of bi-racial boy writes letter to Obama by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Her name is Elizabeth Messina, she is an award-winning photographer, and she wrote An Open Letter To President Obama at Huffington Post. On this, the 4th anniversary of Obama's election (yes, this is the actual date), it is worth reading this letter to remember how much that election meant in so many ways. As she notes, Neither my husband nor myself would ever be able to entirely comprehend what it felt like to grow up bi-racial child in a wo... more »

NYC Educator: Bring a Book

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
NYC Educator: Bring a Book: Bring a Book by NYC Educator Sitting on a gas line, and the word is they are actually pumping gas in front. Was here last night but they stopped before I hit the front of the line. Line was too short somehow, and seemed too good to be true. Today's line is not nearly too good to be true, and stretches blocks and blocks. Wouldn't be doing this except I have to go to work tomorrow, I had to go to work last Friday, and I had to go to a funeral last. Have been reading all about how Governor Cuomo has released millions of gallons of gas in a relief effort. ... more »

Schools Matter: What To Make of a Diminished Thing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Schools Matter: What To Make of a Diminished Thing: What To Make of a Diminished Thing by Storm Please forgive this presentation of something akin to an "*ars blogetica*." Paul's recent post, "Slaying the Two-Headed Dragon...,"points up a kind of fallacy as regards the reformation of the social management of large systems: when one moves towards a "critical" pedagogy one discovers that these systems are manifestations of the the very "evil" we have attempted to move against--the authoritarian state. It is only an evil from a particular orientation of course. The authoritarian s... more »

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Billionaire Lucas -- the new power philanthropist in education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Schooling in the Ownership Society: Billionaire Lucas -- the new power philanthropist in education: Billionaire Lucas -- the new power philanthropist in education by Mike Klonsky Not sure about this. But does this mean that George Lucas pays no taxes on the sale of his film company to Disney? The "Star Wars" director willreportedly "donate" the $4.05 billion he will receive from the sale of Lucasfilm Ltd. to Disney to his own Edutopia foundation. Like Bill Gates, who left his post atop Microsoft to run his $30 billion foundation, Lucas will now make the world of education reform hi... more »

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: The Problem of the Week(POTW):It's Not Just Math!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: The Problem of the Week(POTW):It's Not Just Math!: The Problem of the Week(POTW):It's Not Just Math! by Lisa M He ran across the room and yelled, "I got it! Poking at his head, he said, "I used my brain and I got it!" What did he get? He had just solved the Problem of the Week. :) I decided to use the *Problem of the Week* (POTW) more diligently this year, and it's a decision I do not regret. At least once or twice a week, my students form groups, (it changes between assigned and random), and they attempt to solve the POTW. Sometimes they get it,... more »

Teachers, You Must Do This - MyEdNext

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Teachers, You Must Do This - MyEdNext: Teachers, You Must Do This - Posted by Rita M. Solnet on November 3, 2012 at 7:55pm - View Blog I fought many battles with you over the years. I've organized rallies, spoken out, written articles, lobbied against harmful bills, brought speakers to enlighten others, and testified against a movement to privatize public education. For this reason, I feel comfortable saying this: *YOU MUST VOTE.* You feel betrayed by this administration. I get that. I really do. I am in awe of all you do and all you have endured the past three years ... more »

Daily Kos: An Honest Proposal: End Scholastic Sport in the U.S.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Daily Kos: An Honest Proposal: End Scholastic Sport in the U.S.: An Honest Proposal: End Scholastic Sport in the U.S. byplthomasEdDFollow While teaching the introductory education course at my university, I have taught many of our athletes, and they often immediately make an extra effort to engage with me once I explain to them that I was a high school English teacher for 18 years, including many years as the head soccer coach for the boys and girls teams. I also tell them that my wife is a P.E. teacher as well as a varsity/junior varsity volleyball coach and varsity assistant/jun... more »

Diane in the Evening 11-3-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Vote For Robert Skeels for LAUSD Board by dianerav I am happy to endorse the candidacy of Robert D. Skeels for LAUSD school board. He attended UCLA, is a veteran of the US Navy, and a staunch supporter of public education. He passionately defends the right of every child to a high-quality education. His knowledge, experience and perspective would add a greatly needed new voice to the deliberations of the school board. He would stand up for children, parents and teachers. The future of public education hangs in the balance, as the forces of privatization cir... more »

Schools Matter: NJ State Testing Just Washed Away

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Schools Matter: NJ State Testing Just Washed Away: NJ State Testing Just Washed Away by Judy Rabin Now what? Sandy is a game changer here in New Jersey. These endless standardized tests and the mounds of money spent on this garbage is now finally being exposed as the state grapples with no way to administer and account for the VAM, value added measures. How many points for what trauma. The social, psychological, emotional and financial toll from a storm like this one, and how many "points" should be subtracted or added to an already meaningless bean counting machine for children,... more »

Daily Kos: Ralston 's analysis of early NV Vote - not good for Romney

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Daily Kos: Ralston 's analysis of early NV Vote - not good for Romney: Ralston 's analysis of early NV Vote - not good for Romney by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) as you can read in Democrats end with 71,000-voter lead in Clark, near dead heat in Washoe some snips: bottom line: The credible polls on both sides would have to be wrong -- i.e. Romney would have to win independents by a large margin -- for him to win Nevada. No rural updates from Friday, but Democrats were losing by about 20,000 voters there. Some Latest from Sam Wang - more good news by rss@dailykos.com (teacher... more »

Mass Production of Individuals | Mr. Teachbad

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 18 hours ago
Mass Production of Individuals | Mr. Teachbad: Mass Production of Individuals by teachbad Every stu­dent is a *pre­cious gift* who deserves an edu­ca­tional expe­ri­ence that is at once self-paced and expertly guided; pro­vid­ing a con­stant but ever-changing and per­fect com­bi­na­tion of chal­lenge, rel­e­vance, sup­port and blah-bitty blah blah, etc. You know… And we all wish we could do that for our stu­dents. Or, if we don’t wish we could, we used to imag­ine that we might be able to or want to. Or, lack­ing that, we rea­son­ably assumed that our stu­dents might have endeav... more »

Chicago pays $78.4 million fine for stupid job test

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Parents United for Responsible Education » Blog Archive » Chicago pays $78.4 million fine for stupid job test: Chicago pays $78.4 million fine for stupid job test by admin People are getting more and more concerned about the cost of testing — and we really have no idea what we’re spending. But here’s a big number everyone can understand: a $78 million compensation award for Chicago African-American firefighter applicants who, according to a federal judge, were denied job opportunity as a firefighter because of the city’s discriminatory entrance test. The Sun-Times reported: “The 19... more »

The Final Push: It's On Us

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Published on Nov 3, 2012 by BarackObamadotcom Share this: http://OFA.BO/ssUvNt Tweet this: http://OFA.BO/GT6E7C There are less than 72 hours until Election Day. Now is time to get involved and help re-elect President Barack Obama: http://OFA.BO/7gYq7L Confirm your polling location here: http://OFA.BO/U6HcxB Get all the information you need to vote here: http://OFA.BO/wQHU9f

NYC Public School Parents: Important update on Sandy re closed & relocated schools!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Important update on Sandy re closed & relocated schools!: Important update on Sandy re closed & relocated schools! by Leonie Haimson I hope you are all recovering from Hurricane Sandy; I just got my power restored last night here in Greenwich Village, though there are still nearly one quarter of a million NYC residents and more than a million households in the tri-state area without power or heat. Immeasurable damage has occurred to people’s homes and even more tragically, lives have been lost, but I wanted to update you on new developments as regards ... more »

They're Furry And Furious: Puppets Protest At The U.S. Capitol : The Two-Way : NPR

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
They're Furry And Furious: Puppets Protest At The U.S. Capitol : The Two-Way : NPR: *They're Furry And Furious: Puppets Protest At The U.S. Capitol* by SHULA NEUMAN November 03, 2012 2:48 PM * * There's presidential politics and then there's puppet politics. You may recall that in the first presidential debate GOP contender Mitt Romney made a statement that caused the two worlds to collide. "I am going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I'm going to stop other things. I like PBS. I love Big Bird. I actually like you, too," Romney said, referring to moderator Jim Lehrer. "But I'm no... more »

A Seat in the Room? « InterACT

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
A Seat in the Room? « InterACT: A Seat in the Room? by Lisa Alva Wood [image: UTLA mtg]A recent UTLA meeting gets underway. Who will fill open seats in the union’s House of Representatives? (photo by the author) United Teachers Los Angeles may be on the brink of an unwelcome change. Currently, there is a groundswell of teachers nominating themselves for the UTLA House of Representatives – teachers who have not been actively involved in UTLA in the past but who are motivated to do something now. For teachers who are alienated by the current brand of union rhetoric or feel de-profe... more »

Schools Matter: Indiana DOE Stalls FOIA Naming Joel Klein and Jeb Bush and Detailing the Dog and Pony Tony Tour

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Schools Matter: Indiana DOE Stalls FOIA Naming Joel Klein and Jeb Bush and Detailing the Dog and Pony Tony Tour: Indiana DOE Stalls FOIA Naming Joel Klein and Jeb Bush and Detailing the Dog and Pony Tony Tour by Storm *GUEST POST: * *Indiana Department of Education Fails to Release Documents on Tony Bennett, Jeb Bush, and Other School Privatizers* *By Doug Martin* On Friday afternoon, just days before the next state supt. of public education will be elected, Indiana’s Public Access Counselor, Joseph B. Hoage, quietly voiced his opinion on the Indiana Department of Education fai... more »

Parent Jeanette Smith at City Hall Sit-In for Education Justice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
On Friday, November 2, 2012, parents, students, teachers and community members filled city hall and staged a sit-in, demanding an immediate moratorium on school closings and charter school expansion. Parent Jeanette Smith discusses why she is willing to be arrested to fight for a quality education for all students, not just those from families who can pay for it.

Vote NO on charter school Initiative 1240 (pass it on!) | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Vote NO on charter school Initiative 1240 (pass it on!) | Seattle Education: Vote NO on charter school Initiative 1240 (pass it on!) by seattleducation2011 [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] Friends, neighbors, countrymen/women! I urge you to join me in voting *NO on I-1240*, the charter schools initiative which is on the November 6 ballot, for the reasons outlined below. *Please pass it on!* My recommendation is to vote* No* on this flawed proposal which has been created and funded by a wealthy few, and whose core product is a very problematic concept with an extremely mixed... more »

All Things Education: Dear Reformies: Please stop speaking for my children.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
All Things Education: Dear Reformies: Please stop speaking for my children.: Dear Reformies: Please stop speaking for my children. by Rachel Levy To all of the Chris Arnolds out there: How many kids do you have? How many are in the public schools? How many kids have you taught? I ask because I am a teacher and am a parent with actual children in public schools and I haven't seen any evidence that the policies you endorse are helping students or helping my children. In fact, I see that the policies you support are harmful: harmful to public schools, harmful to quality education, ... more »

To be heard by the IEA leadership gets tougher. I still own the orange sweater. And I’m the new president of Skokie. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
To be heard by the IEA leadership gets tougher. I still own the orange sweater. And I’m the new president of Skokie. « Fred Klonsky: To be heard by the IEA leadership gets tougher. I still own the orange sweater. And I’m the new president of Skokie. by Fred Klonsky *Wearing the ugly orange sweater at the 2009 IEA RA. * * * * * When Bob Haisman was IEA President and I was the only delegate to the NEA RA from Illinois who supported the merger of the AFT and the NEA, Haisman was cordial and dismissive. I really posed no challenge to the outcome he wanted. I was for the unity of the tw... more »

INFOGRAPHIC: YOUTH AND THE 2012 ELECTION - CIRCLE

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
CIRCLE: * * *INFOGRAPHIC: YOUTH AND THE 2012 ELECTION* *For Immediate Release:* Friday, November 3, 2012 *Contact*: Brad Luna, 202-812-8140 (cell) brad@lunamediagroup.com *(Release continues below, after infographic)* [image: INFOGRAPHIC] *Premiere Youth Research Center Releases Infographic Showing Newly Released Poll Results on Youth and the 2012 Election**National Press Call Scheduled for November 7th to Provide Exclusive Youth Turnout #, Expert Analysis on Young Voters* *Medford/Somerville, Mass* – With just 4 days until the 2012 general election, the Center for Information and Res... more »

United Illuminating (UI): One of biggest donors to Mayor Finch’s effort to undermine democracy in Bridgeport - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
United Illuminating (UI): One of biggest donors to Mayor Finch’s effort to undermine democracy in Bridgeport - Wait, What?: United Illuminating (UI): One of biggest donors to Mayor Finch’s effort to undermine democracy in Bridgeport by jonpelto True the $10,000 donation from United Illuminating to Residents for a Better Bridgeport occurred before Hurricane Sandy hit. And true an extra $10,000 wouldn’t allow a substantively different response by UI to this natural disaster. But with 41,794 UI customers still out of power as of 11:00 a.m. today – November 3rd, 2012, – a week after ... more »

New AJC analysis: Fewer poor kids attend charter schools in metro area. Does that matter to you? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
New AJC analysis: Fewer poor kids attend charter schools in metro area. Does that matter to you? | Get Schooled: New AJC analysis: Fewer poor kids attend charter schools in metro area. Does that matter to you? by Maureen Downey [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] A new analysis by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution finds fewer low-income students enrolled in metro area charter schools. Whether these new findings alarm you will depend on whether you believe charters ought to focus on areas with high poverty and lower opportunity or whether they ought to be an o... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Playing One Card Too Many for I-1240

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Playing One Card Too Many for I-1240: Playing One Card Too Many for I-1240 by Melissa Westbrook [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] The Times, in its never-ending push for charter schools has one last salvo to throw out there and boy, it's big. Actually it's two. The first one is that this is a civil rights issue. Lynne Varner, who sadly writes about education for the editorial board and yet seems to never do her homework, says it is. She writes, constantly, about Rep. Eric Pettigrew (of the 37th) and how he believes his district has been un... more »

RACISM, SUPERSTORM SANDY & DISASTER CAPITALISM Coalition for Public Education/Coaliciรณn por la Educaciรณn Pรบblica

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Coalition for Public Education/Coaliciรณn por la Educaciรณn Pรบblica: RACISM, SUPERSTORM SANDY & DISASTER CAPITALISM *From: Marjorie Stamberg Sent: Thu, Nov 1, 2012 * Red Hook faces racist Katrina-like treatment Having been to housing projects in New Orleans, post-Katrina, where authorities were trying to force residents out by cutting off essential services, what's happening in Red Hook, post Sandy, has an eerie familiarity. Beyond the DOE's nasty harassment, making teachers "prove" and "appeal" why they can't get to school in the middle of a catastrophe where the trains aren't ru... more »

Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky PopoutIt is coffee at home on this gloomy autumn morning. And the coffee is good. I reported in the earlier post about the sit-in at Rahm’s fifth floor city-hall office last night. We begin the next big wave in the movement to save Chicago’s public schools from closings, charters and private management. There are some who love calling everything the *Civil Rights Movement* of our time. But since I am old enough to have been through the last Civil Rights Movement (granted, I was a teenager), I think I am qualified to... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Finding New Ways To Say "Schools Are Failing"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Finding New Ways To Say "Schools Are Failing": Finding New Ways To Say "Schools Are Failing" by Duke It's a booming cottage industry: blaming "failing" schools for just about everything: Top educators and advocates met Friday as part of NJ Spotlight’s Roundtable Series to discuss the growing consensus that high schools in New Jersey – if not nationwide – are not adequately preparing all students for college and careers. Even in higher performing suburban schools, business leaders see too many students without the necessary skills. One of the panel members was Jeffr... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Just what is wrong with Common Core in Vermont?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Just what is wrong with Common Core in Vermont?: Just what is wrong with Common Core in Vermont? by stlgretchen What's wrong in Vermont CCSS is also what's wrong in any of the CCSS states connected to Smarter Balanced Constortia. These are standards/assessments produced by private trade organizations and financially supported by the DOEd. What happens with common core standards in Vermont happens in Missouri since we are states in theSmarter Balanced Consortia. Susan Ohanian writes about the future of Vermont public education. As you read it, just... more »

Is Seniority for Teachers Bad for Students? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Is Seniority for Teachers Bad for Students? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Is Seniority for Teachers Bad for Students? by Anthony Cody Yesterday's post challenging the ability of some education reform "liberals" to shed core values such as support for unions, desegregation and the institution of public education apparently hit some sensitive nerves. In particular, Chris Arnold, whom we recently saw praising the "parent trigger" movie "Won't Back Down," took me on via Twitter. You may recall that Mr. Arnold caught some flak for initially failing to disclose his af... more »

Seattle, 259 other districts oppose charter schools - Local - MyNorthwest.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Seattle, 259 other districts oppose charter schools - Local - MyNorthwest.com: Seattle, 259 other districts oppose charter schoolsBY JOSH KERNS on November 2, 2012 @ 6:00 am (Updated: 7:30 am - 11/2/12 ) 3 [image: jose_banda.jpg] Seattle Schools Superintendent Jose Banda is one of several hundred education leaders signing a letter released Thursday urging defeat of I-1240. (Seattle School District image) With just days before the election, education leaders, teachers and parents from 260 of the state's 295 school districts are making a last ditch effort to defeat I-1240, the measu... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-3-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The North Carolina Vision by dianerav The many thousands of people who read the letter from a teacher in North Carolina explaining why he quit may be surprised to learn that the state board of education adopted a mission statement in early October. The state board asserted in its vision statement the importance of public education in the state. It was written with the help of the Duke economist Helen F. Ladd and her husband Edward B. Fiske, who is a a former education editor at the New York Times. I received ... more »

The most important element of student success?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
The most important element of student success?: The most important element of student success? Posted by loebv on November 3, 2012 at 10:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » How should we assess how much students are learning? Veteran educator Joanne Yatvin takes a new look in the following post. Yatvin, past president of the National Council of Teachers of English, now teaches part-time at Portland State University. By Joanne Yatvin Not long ago I wrote a post condemning rigor in education an... more »








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Jersey Jazzman: How To Buy a School Board 3000 Miles Away

Jersey Jazzman: How To Buy a School Board 3000 Miles Away:


How To Buy a School Board 3000 Miles Away

Why would California multi-millionaires be interested in a school board race in the small city of Perth Amboy, NJ?

It seems absurd, and yet it's true: four wealthy Californians and one wealthy Coloradan - heavy hitters in the tech, financial, and health care sectors - have contributed tens of thousands of dollars to a slate of candidates running for the school board in Perth Amboy, a city of 50,000 with a majority Hispanic population.

According to New Jersey election records, the slate of candidates calling themselves "Better Schools Now!" has collected $64,700, mostly from sources outside of Perth Amboy. In contrast, an opposing slate, "New Vision, New Voice" has collected $7,005, with all of its donations over $300 coming from within the city.

Why would such a large amount of money come into Perth Amboy from out of state to influence the outcome of a local school board election? Regular readers of this blog will know the backstory, but let me recap quickly:

In 2011, the Perth Amboy school board hired Janine Caffrey as its new superintendent. Caffrey almost 

Education During the Great Depression - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com

Education During the Great Depression - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com:


Education During the Great Depression


Some say the Great Depression started on October 29, 1929, also known as Black Tuesday. This is the day approximately 28 million shares of stock were sold and the stock market collapsed. However, the worst years of the Great Depression were yet to come; those years being 1932 and 1933.
During the Great Depression years not only did people suffer from lack of jobs, money, homes, and food, but the education of children suffered also.
Children dropped out of school to sell newspapers and shine shoes. Students were also forced to wear worn out, mended clothes and were too embarrassed to go to school.
People couldn't pay their property taxes so school districts were lacking funds. Few teachers were hired and there wasn't enough money to buy books and supplies. Students were forced to use worn textbooks which sometimes had pages missing.
Students were forced to bring their own supplies to school. Since many parents couldn't afford to buy these supplies, students dropped out.
Schools were forced to drop classes like home economics, physical education, art, and foreign languages. Just the basic courses of reading, writing, and arithmetic were taught.
By 1933 many public schools closed, leaving three million students with no school to go to.
Teachers were paid a flat fee regardless of experience or education. Many rural schoolteachers only had a high school diploma and were sixteen years old when they began teaching.
Many teachers during this time had their salaries cut or were paid in script. Some teachers received only room and board as compensation. Rural schoolteachers would live in the schoolhouse and cooked their food on a wood stove.
In the 1930s some city schools started what were called progressive classrooms. In these classrooms teachers let the students choose what subjects they wanted to learn. Teachers rarely used the standard textbooks and let the students work in small groups doing art and science projects and learning songs and dances.
Many parents were against these progressive classrooms. They wanted their children to learn the basics like reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Schools in rural areas mostly consisted of one-room schools, which meant that all the students, no matter what grade they were in, were in on classroom.
These schools had neither electricity nor running water. The school was heated with a wood stove and lanterns provided light. Water was gotten from an outdoor pump.
Students of one grade would recite their lessons while students in other grades did math problems on the blackboard in the front of the room or read their textbooks.
Many students who attended rural schools had to help with the spring planting and fall harvesting. During these seasons students went to school part-time or not at all. Many rural students quit school after eight grade to work full-time on the family farm.
President Franklin implemented his New Deal economic programs to help people get back on their feet.
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) gave money to schools to hire more teachers and buy supplies. It also enabled public schools to provide free hot lunches for students.
The WPA and PWA (Public Works Administration) built larger schools to replace the one-room schools. Separated rooms for different proved to provide a better education for the students.
The Great Depression lasted until World War Two. With the start of the war men and women were able to get jobs in factories building planes, ships, and weapons. With people working the economy recovered.

Engaging Parents In School… » Is Spending $20 Million On Parent Centers In L.A. The Best Way To Increase Parent Engagement?

Engaging Parents In School… » Is Spending $20 Million On Parent Centers In L.A. The Best Way To Increase Parent Engagement?:


Is Spending $20 Million On Parent Centers In L.A. The Best Way To Increase Parent Engagement?

Today, The Los Angeles Times published an article headlined LAUSD parent centers aim to boost involvement at schools. It reports on plans to spend $20 million to “upgrade” parent centers in the District. The article discusses a positive report on parent centers from the LAUSD “Inspector General.”
I’d like to share my thoughts in two part — one, on parent centers in general and, two, on the Inspector General report.
I’ve published quite a few posts about parent centers around the country and my reservations about them. I’ll 

Occupy Sandy Comes to the Rockaways : The New Yorker

Occupy Sandy Comes to the Rockaways : The New Yorker:



OCCUPY SANDY


Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee spends freely in Tennessee | The Tennessean | tennessean.com

Pro-school choice PACs spend freely in Tennessee | The Tennessean | tennessean.com:


Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee spends freely in Tennessee

Groups fund pro-school choice candidates







With education issues high on the agenda for the upcoming legislative session, two new groups that favor charter schools and vouchers have spent lavishly on Tennessee House and Senate races.
  • Continuing coverage of Election2012
  • The Tennessee PAC affiliated with StudentsFirst, a Sacramento, Calif.-based organization led by former Washington, D.C., Chancellor of Schools Michelle Rhee, has pumped $376,266 into Tennessee this year. That sum includes contributions to a handful of local school board contenders in Nashville and Memphis but far more to candidates seeking state legislative seats. Most of the recipients are Republicans.

Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee gives $100,000 to Christiana in October - Timesonline.com: Local News

Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee gives $100,000 to Christiana in October - Timesonline.com: Local News:


Right Wing Pro-voucher Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee gives $100,000 to Christiana in October



Posted: Saturday, November 3, 2012 11:00 pm | Updated: 9:42 pm, Sat Nov 3, 2012.

A political-action committee that has spent millions promoting school vouchers and charter schools in Pennsylvania gave state Rep. Jim Christiana, a leading proponent of their cause, $100,000 just in October, according to recently filed state campaign finance records.
Students First PA, based in Wynnewood, Pa., gave Christiana -- a member of the House Education Committee -- $10,000 on Oct. 9; $25,000 on Oct. 12; $15,000 on Oct. 14; $25,000 on Oct. 15 and $25,000 on Oct. 22.

Earlier this year, the group gave $25,000 to Christiana, R-15, Beaver.
"In the years past, whether it's the teachers' union or other education establishment groups, (opponents) have spent tens of thousands of dollars against me," Christiana said. "This is an organization that has supported me. I'm thankful for all contributions and all support."

MORNING UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-4-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:

Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch


Boldest Candidacy of the Season

TFA alum moves to Minneapolis in May.
Decides to run for school board to share his youth and spirit of innovation.
Raises seven times as much as experienced teacher from out-of-state friends.
Money can’t buy you love but can it buy a school board seat?
Are the voters fooled?
We will see soon enough.


Big $$$ Swamps Oakland School Board Race

School board elections in Oakland, California, are usually low-budget races, as they are in most places.
But this year, a PAC has amassed $185,000 to elect its slate of candidates. The California Charter School Association put up $49,995 and two wealthy individuals added nearly $100,000 more for the slate.
Also on the ballot is a $475 million bond issue. If it passes, the board will determine how it is spent.
Critics worry that the slate will favor charters and a privatization agenda. The head of the PAC says the thought never crossed her mind.

Big Out-of-State $$$ Floods Local Race in New Jersey: Why?

Big political contributions have poured into a local school board race in Perth Amboy, New Jersey.
Donors in California andColorado are supporting a slate of school board candidates in that small New Jersey district.
As Jersey Jazzman explains here, the school board in Perth Amboy has been trying to oust the district’s divisive superintendent. Acting Commissioner of Education Chris Cerf has protected her, preventing the board from getting rid of her. The election provides an opportunity to fire the board and install one that will defend Chris Christie’s agenda: anti-teacher, anti-union, anti-tenure, pro-privatization.
As Jersey Jazzman writes:
It seems absurd, and yet it’s true: four wealthy Californians and one wealthy Coloradan – heavy hitters in the 


Why So Many Young White Females?

EduShyster has noticed an ominous trend: as reform advances, as charter schools open, the number of black teachers and veteran teachers shrinks dramatically.
In Chicago, since “reform” started in 1995, the proportion of black teachers has dropped from 45% to 19%.
In Boston, the numbers in the new charters are shocking.
But, as our friend EduShyster notes: The achievement gap is the civil rights issue of our time—which is why it 

Recipe for Privatization of Public Education

A reader from Washington State sends this comment:
Here is a satirical “Recipe for How To Change The Nation’s Schools.” I am a 33 year classroom teaching veteran currently working on the campaign to stop the charter school initiative in WA state. It doesn’t look good as Bill Gates and friends spend $9 million on ads (we have no ads).
RECIPE for Taking over a Nation’s Public Schools
Ingredients:
• A Few Super Wealthy Families (that have never attended public schools)
• Powerful Religious Groups convinced that what is wrong with the nation is caused by public education.
• Lobbyists for Private Corporations Waiting To Cash In on Public Money.


Why Robert Skeels Should Be Elected to LAUSD Board

A retired educator in Los Angeles writes:
Los Angeles is the only city in the big 3(New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago) that is not run by a mayor. It almost happened and is still a threat. Several years ago, when Mayor Villaraigosa did not get control of the schools, he threw money and support behind friendly board member candidates. This has been a disaster for Los Angeles children. One of the mayor’s favorites, Yolie Flores Aguilar, presented a plan to put LAUSD schools out to bid. This lead to disruption and more privatization. As a result, funding for traditional schools has been severely cut back with thousands of teachers laid off including librarians and nurses.
Robert Skeels has been a tireless advocate for all the children in LAUSD and if elected, would unseat Monica Garcia, one of the mayor’s favorites. This would end years of gridlock and political cronyism. It is even more 



LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-3-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] The North Carolina Vision by dianerav The many thousands of people who read the letter from a teacher in North Carolina explaining why he quit may be surprised to learn that the state board of education adopted a mission statement in early October. The state board asserted in its vision statement the importance of public education in the state. It was written with the help of the Duke economist Helen F. Ladd and her husband Edward B. Fiske, who is a a former education editor at the New York Times. I received ... more »

Daily Kos: mother of bi-racial boy writes letter to Obama

Daily Kos: mother of bi-racial boy writes letter to Obama:


mother of bi-racial boy writes letter to Obama

Her name is Elizabeth Messina, she is an award-winning photographer, and she wrote An Open Letter To President Obama at Huffington Post.  On this, the 4th anniversary of Obama's election (yes, this is the actual date), it is worth reading this letter to remember how much that election meant in so many ways.
As she notes,
Neither my husband nor myself would ever be able to entirely comprehend what it felt like to grow up bi-racial child in a world that is not always embracing of things and people that are different. I was faced with trying to figure out how to prepare my son for issues that he may face in his life due to his ethnicity that I had no firsthand experience with.
Her son was 5 at the time of the last election.  The family watched the campaign, and the debates, attempting to 

How Romney Would Treat Women

IN this year’s campaign furor over a supposed “war on women,” involving birth control and abortion, the assumption is that the audience worrying about these issues is just women.Give us a little credit. We men aren’t mercenaries caring only for Y chromosomes. We have wives and daughters, mothers and sisters, and we have a pretty intimate stake in contraception as well.
Those are the first two paragraphs of this power column by Nicholas Kristof in the Sunday New York Times  (and don't worry, clicking on that link will not count against your 10 free articles for the month).One more sentence - from the end of the 3rd paragraph:
Just as civil rights wasn’t just a “black issue,” women’s rights and reproductive health shouldn’t be reduced to a “women’s issue.”
Please keep reading

NYC Educator: Bring a Book

NYC Educator: Bring a Book:


Bring a Book

Sitting on a gas line, and the word is they are actually pumping gas in front. Was here last night but they stopped before I hit the front of the line. Line was too short somehow, and seemed too good to be true. Today's line is not nearly too good to be true, and stretches blocks and blocks. Wouldn't be doing this except I have to go to work tomorrow, I had to go to work last Friday, and I had to go to a funeral last. Have been reading all about how Governor Cuomo has released millions of gallons of gas in a relief effort.

Yesterday, he sent 5,000 gallon trucks to armories 

Schools Matter: What To Make of a Diminished Thing

Schools Matter: What To Make of a Diminished Thing:


What To Make of a Diminished Thing

Please forgive this presentation of something akin to an "ars blogetica."

Paul's recent post, "Slaying the Two-Headed Dragon...,"points up a kind of fallacy as regards the reformation of the social management of large systems: when one moves towards a "critical" pedagogy one discovers that these systems are manifestations of the the very "evil" we have attempted to move against--the authoritarian state.  It is only an evil from a particular orientation of course.  The authoritarian state can surely be praised for many advances, even in the realm of humanitarianism.  This impulse to rectify injustice for individuals while retaining the machinery of "blind injustice" is our moral paradox.

The disconnect here is that writers and educators like Paul (and I include myself in this as regards "the 

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Billionaire Lucas -- the new power philanthropist in education

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Billionaire Lucas -- the new power philanthropist in education:


Billionaire Lucas -- the new power philanthropist in education

Not sure about this. But does this mean that George Lucas pays no taxes on the sale of his film company to Disney? The "Star Wars" director willreportedly "donate" the $4.05 billion he will receive from the sale of Lucasfilm Ltd. to Disney to his own Edutopia foundation. Like Bill Gates, who left his post atop Microsoft to run his $30 billion foundation, Lucas will now make the world of education reform his own.
“I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education. It is the key to the survival of the human race. We have to plan for our collective future –- and the first step begins with the social, 

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: The Problem of the Week(POTW):It's Not Just Math!

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: The Problem of the Week(POTW):It's Not Just Math!:


The Problem of the Week(POTW):It's Not Just Math!


He ran across the room and yelled, "I got it!
Poking at his head, he said, "I used my brain and I got it!"
What did he get?
He had just solved the Problem of the Week. :)

I decided to use the Problem of the Week (POTW) more diligently this year, and it's a decision I do not regret.  At least once or twice a week, my students form groups, (it changes between assigned and random), and they attempt to solve the POTW. Sometimes they get it, and sometimes they don't. But, that's not what matters.

What matters is what comes from the attempt to solve this problem.  Of course, the Math is important. It's not a