8-21-13 The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education

The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education:

ASCD Leaders on Reflection: Mary Beth Luttrell

A defining trait of leadership is a passion for success and continuous improvement. With progress comes new vistas and new goals, as well as new challenges to overcome in our never-ending quest for knowledge and excellence. Leaders envision a future, and great leaders shape that future. With that in mind, we asked ASCD leaders to share their thoughts on what reflection means to them as learners, t

by ASCD Whole Child ... / 28min 

Braving the Common Core Waters: Reflection as Our Raft

We, as educators across the United States, are spending precious time this summer reflecting upon the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and our professional practices. Some of us are just now dipping our toes into this new thinking, and others are comfortable wading out a bit further into the water. A number of educators are fully swimming in this transition, some even lifeguarding the waters as

by Celina Brennan / 28min 

ASCD Leaders on Reflection: Sue Kessler

A defining trait of leadership is a passion for success and continuous improvement. With progress comes new vistas and new goals, as well as new challenges to overcome in our never-ending quest for knowledge and excellence. Leaders envision a future, and great leaders shape that future. With that in mind, we asked ASCD leaders to share their thoughts on what reflection means to them as learners,

by ASCD Whole Child ... / 28min mark as read  //  save

Ain’t No Rocky Mountain High Enough

As a classroom teacher, it was easy to take the time to reflect in the summer. Even though I often did curriculum work, taught summer school, or other did education-related jobs between the end of June and late August, I also spent a good deal of down time with my family to decompress. To be honest, I needed it. Badly. Life as a middle school teacher was a thrill ride that is like no other job I'

by Kevin Scott / 28min 

Advanced Placement classes failing students | toteachornototeach

Advanced Placement classes failing students | toteachornototeach:

Advanced Placement classes failing students

By Stephanie Simon

Taxpayers have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to nudge more students into Advanced Placement classes — but a close look at test scores suggests much of the investment has been wasted.

Expanding participation in AP classes has been a bipartisan goal, promoted by U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan and by Republican governors including Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and John Kasich of Ohio. In the last five years, the federal government has spent $275 million to promote the classes and subsidize exam fees for low-income students; states have spent many millions more.

Enrollment in AP classes has soared. But data analyzed by POLITICO shows that the number of kids who bomb the AP exams is growing even more rapidly. The class of 2012, for instance, failed nearly 1.3 million AP exams during their high school careers. That’s a lot of time and money down the drain; research shows that students don’t reap any measurable benefit from AP classes unless they do well enough to pass the $89 end-of-

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: A pack of lies + some truths

THE PERIMETER PRIMATE: A pack of lies + some truths:

A pack of lies + some truths

EXCERPT	SOURCE
Yet [the Gulen movement’s] structure, ambitions, and size remain opaque, making assessment of its impact and power difficult... Fethullahci are often loath to declare themselves openly as such.	“The Fethullah Gulen Movement.”Global Politician, 12/31/2008
The precise number of [Fethullah Gulen Community] members is difficult to estimate since some publicly deny affinity or membership with the movement.	“Gulen Movement: Turkey’s Third Power.” Jane's Islamic Affairs Analyst, 2/1/2009
Erdogan said [Beehive Science and Technology School] is not affiliated with any religious group	"Utah charter school's ties to Turkey draw scrutiny.” Salt Lake Tribune(UT), 7/17/2009
... Mehmet Argin, principal of Tucson's Sonoran Science Academy, says his school's parent corporation, Daisy Education Corp., "has no legal or organic ties" with other schools...	“Objectives of charter schools with Turkish ties questioned.”  USA Today, 8/17/2010
[Ahmet Cetinkaya head of Albuquerque School of Excellence] said his school has no links to Islam or Gulen's philosophy.	"Texas Charter School Chain's Resources Used at Local, But Unrelated, Campus." Albuquerque Journal (NM), 10/11/2010
Karen Fontenot at 3:38 min.: “I’m on the advisory board of the schools, the Gulen schools in Louisiana.” Fontenot is

Poll: Most Americans sick of high-stakes standardized tests:

Poll: Most Americans sick of high-stakes standardized tests

By Valerie Strauss, Published: August 21 at 12:46 pmE-mail the writer

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(Correcting description of AP poll)

The results of a well-regarded annual poll show that most Americans don’t like the high-stakes standardized testing that dominates education reform today and have never heard of the Common Core standards, which are currently being implemented in most of the country.

One of the more interesting results is a reversal of the majority position on whether to evaluate teachers with student standardized test scores. In 2012, a majority supported the concept. In the 2013 poll, a majority reject it.

The 45th annual PDK-Gallup poll, released Wednesday, has long been seen as a solid picture of where public sentiment lies in regard to public education and specific reform initiatives. (PDK is a professional association for educators that brings together leaders, thinkers and doers.) Some of the results conflict with those of other recent polls — 

Criticizing Common Core Coverage | Taking Note

Criticizing Common Core Coverage | Taking Note:

Criticizing Common Core Coverage

by JOHN MERROW on 21. AUG, 2013 in 2013 BLOGS, COMMON CORE

In the business of journalism, criticism is part of the deal. We are taken to task for leaving out important parts of the story or for getting the facts wrong, and sometimes we get criticized for not doing the story that the viewer wanted to see. That’s the preface to the question of this piece: “Was our 2-part report on the Common Core national standards an infomercial,” as one viewer charges? That was the harshest criticism leveled at us (as far as I am aware), but two other viewers wrote to say that we missed important parts of the story. The harshest critique came from Jamie Gass of the Pioneer Institute, a Massachusetts-based, right-leaning think tank that opposes the Common Core.

This piece really seems like an infomercial for Common Core that doesn’t provide any opposing view or criticism of either the academic quality of the Common Core, the legal issues (three federal law explicitly prohibit the federal govt from funding, validating, or directing national standards, tests or curricula), or the costs to states/districts. For three years, Pioneer Institute has done nationally recognized research on all these topics.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324659404578503561386927962.html
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-03-09/opinions/35449136_1_unesco-laws-national-curriculum

This is an interesting segment, John, I’m just not sure this is actually what I would call 

#StuVoiceStories – Student Voice Initiative Student Voice

Student Voice:

#StuVoiceStories – Student Voice Initiative 

The Student Voice Initiative is a student advocacy organization based in Canada. Article written by Leah Bae, National Ambassador for SVI.
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Student Voice Initiative operates on a foundation of support from policy-makers, school administrators, academics, and students from across North America and the world in support of giving students a greater voice in their own education. Through a decentralized network of student advocates across Canada, we have presented before the Canadian Student Leadership Conference, held audiences with staff from the Council of Ministers of Education of Canada, hosted the Canadian School Boards’ Association in a 90-minute plenary at their Annual Congress, and spoke before student leaders, administrators, and US Department of Education representatives at the inaugural Student Voice Live! at Microsoft’s offices in New York City in April 2013. Our core mandate arose from the success of the ‘student trustee‘ position within the Ontario education community, which has fostered a student voice framework ranging from student councils at every school, to student senates and student trustees at the regional or district school board level, to the formation of a provincial stakeholder in the Ontario Student Trustees’ Association.

We act as a supportive network and forum for knowledge exchange to movements being coordinated in BC, Alberta, and Quebec. We support the establishment of a student voice framework and student trustees at every level of educational decision-making in every province and territory in Canada.

If you are a student and want to get involved, or an interested policy-maker

You should contact us at info@studentvoicei.org.

Schools, technology community asked to weigh in on E-rate changes SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources

SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources:

Schools, technology community asked to weigh in on E-rate changes
By Kimberly Beltran
Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The Federal Communications Commission is seeking public input on an ambitious plan to recast its E-rate program, created in 1997 to provide funding to schools and libraries for discounts on telecommunications services.

Comments on the FCC proposal – outlined in a lengthy Notice of Proposed Rulemaking published late last month – are due Sept. 16. The commission asks for feedback on a range of possible actions designed to meet three specific goals: Increase Internet broadband capacity, streamline program administration and lower costs.

While the FCC says it started the modernization process in 2010, it was President Barack Obama’s recent call to connect all schools to high-speed broadband and wireless Internet that prompted the rulemaking notice.

“We are living in a digital age, and to help our students get ahead, we must make sure they have access to cutting-edge technology,” Obama said in statement this summer announcing his ConnectED initiative.

To meet his goal of connecting 99 percent of the nation’s schools to high-speed, wireless Internet, Obama called on 

8-21-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:

The Mann Building

Based on statements made by Superintendent Banda and President Smith-Blum, I believe the district is doing its best to be diplomatic and pragmatic with the former tenants in the Horace Mann building. The Superintendent has said he wants to try to find solutions. President Smith-Blum says staff made it clear when leasing the building that it was for a limited time and has a "claw back" clause (as n

by Melissa Westbrook / 2h 

Listening In at the School Board Meeting

One thing to note: the 30-second interruption before you are done.  I don't get it because you get a light to tell you this but I expect it is because people are going over their time.  (Do I blame them?  No, because two minutes is not enough time.)Side note: It appears that the class size rise may have been taken off the table by the comments I am hearing but we will have to wait until the contra

by Melissa Westbrook / 16min 

NBA Players to Give Out School Supplies to SPS Students

From the Central District News:Three NBA stars, each Garfield High School alumni, are returning to the Central District to distribute school supplies to neighborhood students. The project is run by humanitarian organization World Vision.The participating players are Will Conroy, currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves; Tony Wroten, currently with the Memphis Grizzlies; and Brandon Roy, who playe

by Melissa Westbrook / 21min 

Washington State Charter Commission Meeting Update

Looks like TVW will be televising this meeting.  They will be shooting from 11 am -12:30 pm, then back at 2:30 pm.  In Seattle, TVW is Comcast channel 23. 

by Melissa Westbrook / 26min 

Odds and Ends

In advanced of tonight's School Board meeting, a few updates:- packed speakers list.   Unfortunately, Mr. Garrett, who is one of the leaders of the groups at the Horace Mann building, is on the list.  He generally is not the most graceful and tactful of speakers so I expect that to be an unpleasant two minutes.As well, there are plenty of TFA people, including three of the four new ones up for con

by Melissa Westbrook / 6h mark as read  //  save

Once Again, it was a Staff Member Who Got Between Children and a Bullet

I'm sure most of you saw the news yesterday about a heavily armed man entering a large (850 students) elementary school in Georgia.  (Again, it was a locked-down school - meaning you had to be buzzed in but somehow he got in.)And yet, within a hour or so, he gave up his weapons (after a couple of shots back and forth with police).   Why?  Because school clerk, Antoinette Tuff, took the chance to t

1 by Melissa Westbrook / 6h 

8-20-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Superintendent To Meet with Native American ParentsI understand that the Superintendent is scheduled to have a long meeting today with Native American parents and leaders.  I'm sure it will be a compelling discussion and I hope he listens.Like all of U.S. history with Native Americans, the Seattle Schools' history doesn't have a whole lot to hold its head up about.

by mike simpson / 5h

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Yuck, Tuck

Schooling in the Ownership Society: Yuck, Tuck:

Yuck, Tuck

Marshall Tucker Band

When I first got this news from a friend in L.A.,  I thought she was talking about Marshall Tucker, the S. Carolina piano tuner after whom one of my favorite '70s bands ("Heard it in a love song") was named.  But alas, it was about Marshall Tuck, the corporate f*%k, who just announced he's running for State Supt. of Education in California.

Tuck is the head of the Partnership for LA Schools and former Green Dot Charter exec. He's also big in the so-called Parent Revolution, the group behind the so-called "Parent Trigger", one of the great hoaxes ever played on public school parents and their children.

Tucker will be running against the incumbent Tom Torlakson, who I'm sure will be baited for being a "union lover" (a Class 1 felony in some parts of the state). Tuck will most likely have a huge pot of money in his war chest coming from the likes 

High Stakes Tests For 3-Year-Olds?:

High Stakes Tests For 3-Year-Olds?

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21ST, 2013 AT 9:59 AM

If you’re a parent of a young charter school student in DC – or just someone who cares about early education – you need to know what’s happening here in the nation’s capital, and fast.

In less than a week, all charter schools that serve young children will start being held accountable to their students’ test scores on reading and math.

Just to clarify: we’re talking about three-, four-, and five-year-olds. Being Tested. In Reading and Math. With High Stakes attached for the schools that care for them.

First, some context: Like many other cities, DC is a place where daycare waiting lists can last for years, and where the costs of childcare can amount to a second mortgage. Unlike other cities, however, Washington ranks first in the nation for its percentage of 3- and 4-year-old children enrolled in preschool programs – 88% in all, and at an expense of nearly $15,000 per child. That’s a huge advantage for DC’s families, and a huge influence on the overall development and growth of the city’s youngest residents.

As DC inches closer to its goal of providing universal preschool by 2014, our civic