11*7*13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL:

November’s (2013) Best Tweets — Part One

Every month I make a few short lists highlighting my choices of the best resources I shared through (and learned from) Twitter, but didn’t necessarily include them in posts here on my blog. I’ve already shared in earlier posts several new resources I found on Twitter — and where I gave credit to those from whom I learned about them. Those are not included again in this post. If you don’t use Twit

3 by Larry Ferlazzo / 13min mark as read  //  save

Video: Multiple Optical Illusions In One Short Video

I’ve written in my New York Times column about how I use optical illusions with English Language Learners, and I certainly use them when teaching perception in my Theory of Knowledge class. You can many that I’ve previously posted here. Here’s a new neat one created by Honda and puts many different illusions into one short video:

11 by Larry Ferlazzo / 54min 

The Best Ways To Modify The Picture Word Inductive Model For ELLs

As regular readers know, I’m a huge fan of using the Picture Word Inductive Model (PWIM) as a primary instructional strategy for Beginning English Language Learners. I’ve described it in my books as an: “inductive learning process where students first brainstorm twenty words related to a picture, then put those words into categories and add new ones that fit those categories. Next they complete a

3 by Larry Ferlazzo / 20min 

The Best Sites For Learning About France

We’re just beginning a unit on France in my ELL Geography class. I have a number of related resources in The Best Geography Sites For Learning About Europe, but wanted to supplement it with this more specialized list: France Geography is from KidPort. France Facts World Fact Book — France Global Trek France is from Scholastic. National Geographic For Kids — France France Homework Links France: A

4 by Larry Ferlazzo / 21min 

The Best Ways To Use Mistakes When Teaching Writing

This is sort of an odd “The Best…” list. I’ve written a lot in this blog and in my books about using student mistakes as an opportunity and not as a problem, and have an extremely long The Best Posts, Articles & Videos About Learning From Mistakes & Failures list. This list, however, has a different take on the subject. I’ve only got three related resources now, but I’m hoping readers wil

14 by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

11-6-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Infographic: “National Teacher’s day around the world”I’m adding this infographic to The Best Resources To Learn About World Teachers Day: Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.11 by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h Literably Is An Excellent Reading Site — If Used With Cauti

by mike simpson / 9h

11-7-13 Fred Klonsky Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:

Wishing Diane a speedy recovery.

Bad News from Me Dear Friends, I wanted to share some not very good news about my health. This week, my hyperactivity and age caught up with me. It turns out I am not Wonder Woman but mortal me. I have been in a hospital for teo days in Brooklyn, where they determined I have blood clots in one leg and walking pneumonia. Doctors’ orders: rest. That means I cannot fly to Chicago or Madison this wee

by Fred Klonsky / 27min 

The in box. Ingram meeting provides little in the way of answers to our Medicare Advantage questions.

Fred, I talked with two friends who attended yesterday’s meeting at Andrew High School in Tinley Park that was hosted by Dick Ingram. According to my friends, the place was packed to the max. They were both frustrated by the inability to get answers to some general concerns and specific questions. They were encouraged to contact CMS for those issues even though several other people stated at the

by Fred Klonsky / 1h mark as read  //  save

Illinois veto session ends. No pension action. But retiree health insurance remains a confusing mess.

The Illinois General Assembly adjourned today taking no action on pensions. Here is the IEA statement: End of session report – Nov. 7, 2013 November 7, 2013 By IEA Government Relations Legislative Update – Nov 7 2013 Lawmakers have adjourned and are not scheduled to return to Springfield this year. IEA Director of Government Relations Jim Reed reports that while no pension bills impacting IEA me

1 by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

Note to IEA Retired members on voting.

When casting your IEA Retired ballot be careful to follow the directions exactly. Otherwise your vote will be discarded. After marking the ballot it must be placed in the smaller envelope that has the directions but no name on it. Place that envelope in the one marked, IEA RA RETIRED DELEGATE BALLOT RETURN ENVELOPE. IEA does this so that who you vote for will remain a secret once the smaller envel

by Fred Klonsky / 2h 

Know your fingerprinted: Peggy Critchfield.

  Peggy Critchfield, President of Accurate Biometrics. A little more about the $650,000 contract that CPS, allegedly without bothering with board approval, gave to Accurate Biometrics. Accurate Biometrics will set up four locations where every CPS parent volunteer will be required to go to get fingerprinted. A condition of the contract with Accurate Biometrics is that they will hold all the data

by Fred Klonsky / 0min 

Running for our pensions.

Trying to get recognized at an IEA Representative Assembly. I’ve never campaigned to be a delegate to the IEA Representative Assembly before, although I have been a delegate for all but one of the last twenty or so. My old local, the Park Ridge Education Association, could send five delegates. And frankly it was good if most years we had five people willing to spend three days in a large hotel co

1 by Fred Klonsky / 12min 

Life in Rahm’s Chicago. Every CPS parent volunteer will be fingerprinted.

Data driven? All the research suggests that the greater the parental involvement in their children’s school the better the students perform. So CPS is requiring every parent school volunteer to be fingerprinted. And local neighborhood parents will need to travel to one of four distant locations to go through the fingerprinting process. Accurate Biometrics will be paid $650,000 a year through 2014

1 by Fred Klonsky / 16min

11-6-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Bridgeport voters fire Paul Vallas.  Bridgeport, Connecticut school superintendent, Paul Vallas. Before Arne Duncan there was Paul Vallas. When Chicago’s Mayor Richard Daley the second was handed mayoral control of the public schools, he handed them over to Paul Vallas. When Vallas’ vision of corporat

by mike simpson / 9h 

11-7-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

New Haven Teachers Union Sells Out - Again - With Old Joel Klein Buddy Garth Harries

"Ciararella, who won reelection unopposed after the last contract..."? Seriously? Are we seriously at the level of discussion where these changes can occur in a New Haven and leadership doesn't even get challenged at the very next election?.... JG Posted to MORE-NewsHarries said Cicarella’s list is “an accurate description of a negotiation position.” But it was a negotiation tactic, he s

1 by ed notes online / 16min 

Portelos Hearing Continues Today/ Don't Tread on Educators Forum Next Week

I'm just running out to make the hearing and also want to alert everyone to the event Francesco is putting together next Thursday at 6PM in Elmhurst.While I am agreeing to not report details of the testimony at the hearing I will still blog about the atmosphere, who is in the room, who is testifying and any idiot things the DOE lawyers do. One of the major demands we need to make on de Blasio is t

4 by ed notes online / 41min 

Vido: Funeral for 168 Schools Chosed Under Bloomberg

http://youtu.be/USnAoe3vgEU

by ed notes online / 7h 

Will de Blasio Make Randi's Folly - er - the UFT Charter - Pay The Damn Rent?

Eva Moskowitz is viewed as a big loser in the election and the UFT even though they jumped on the bandwagon late is viewed as a winner. But what of the charters occupying public school space - given to the UFT by the way by their pal Kathy Cashin when she ran Region 5 (Dist. 19, 23 and 27)? My guess is that it is no longer politically tenable for the UFT to get free space if deB makes Eva pay.DeB

1 by ed notes online / 7h 

Time Out For Fun: Peter Lugers, Rockaway Ferry and My Backyard Project

I just can't stand to throw anything away – unless I'm blessed by a massive hurricane that floods my entire basement to the ceiling and leaves 5 feet of water in my house. I am wiping pics off my phone and what better place to store them than at ednotes?Peter LugerEvery year we celebrate my wife's cousin's birthday with steaks at Peter Luger in Williamsburg, which by the way is a few blocks from P

1 by ed notes online / 7h 

11-6-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: Turn on, Tune in, Opt Out: Change the Stakes Featured in Article in The NationDiana Zavala says parents are taking the reins of school governance, but with one key difference from administrators: “You can’t fire us.”... The Nation  Wooo hooo. Our awesome parent activists make the big time. Now I'm definitely going to the CTS steering committee meeting this afternoon at the very le

by mike simpson / 9h 

CAUTION: Technology! | the becoming radical

CAUTION: Technology! | the becoming radical:

CAUTION: TECHNOLOGY!

In the myriad debates surrounding implementation of Common Core and the concurrent tests, the sheer costs of this process tends to be ignored. Another issue related to both CC and the related costs is yet another series of commitments to technology as a part of the perpetual education reform process. Here is a reposting of a presentation [see Note below] I gave offering a stern caution about our repeated rush to embrace technology:

Author Kurt Vonnegut quipped, “Novels that leave out technology misrepresent life as badly as Victorians misrepresented life by leaving out sex.” As with novels, so with schools, I believe, but we must take one step beyond “whether schools should address technology” to “how.”

In Walden, Henry David Thoreau offered two warnings that should guide how we approach technology: “We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing important to communicate,” and, “We do not ride on the railroad; it rides upon us.”

It’s a Book, Lane Smith

VIDEO

Shifting from seeking technology for technology’s sake to critical technological awareness

• Caution: Inflated costs (market forces) in state-of-the-art technology

• Caution: Pursuing state-of-the-art technology is self-defeating since “state-of-the-art” is a moving target; teaching 

11-7-13 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE:

NAEP? Nope: Why (Almost) Everyone Will Misread (Again) Data on Gaps

NAEP? Nope: Why (Almost) Everyone Will Misread (Again) Data on Gaps. via NAEP? Nope: Why (Almost) Everyone Will Misread (Again) Data on Gaps.

1 by plthomasedd / 25min 

Schools Matter: Union Leadership as Political Sleight of Hand

Schools Matter: Union Leadership as Political Sleight of Hand. via Schools Matter: Union Leadership as Political Sleight of Hand.

2 by plthomasedd / 1h 

  

11-6-13 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: The Two Sides of Education Reform in Washington, D.C.Education reform is failing traditional D.C. public middle schools located east of the Anacostia River. Although certain popular education debates, i.e. discussions centered on the merits of school choice, common core, teacher evaluations, etc., may dominate the education policy world; The failures, or shortcomings, of educatio

by mike simpson / 9h 

11-7-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School:

John King: Learning Should Not Be Fun

.@SoniaBasko learning is fun for only Montessori students, the rest can eat Common Core cake. #roc forum— Chris Cerrone (@Stoptesting15) November 7, 2013With the Common Core and NYSED modules, I'd say John King's mission has been accomplished.

1 by reality-based edu... / 1h 

Bloomberg Plans To Spend His Post-City Hall Days On Propaganda Touting Himself

I've long said that we will never get a fair and accurate portrait of the Bloomberg Years - especially around the corruption and data manipulation in the various agencies, the DOE, the NYPD and FDNY, etc - because Bloomberg plans a huge post-City Hall propaganda offensive to tout himself as the bestest mayor ever and he owns so many media outlets (with the threat of buying even more) that there ar

by reality-based edu... / 30min 

Michael Mulgrew And Leo Casey Just Like The Fonz

.@PSulliv yup, wonder if @LeoECasey will apologize to @carolburris now & admit she was right— leonie haimson (@leoniehaimson) November 7, 2013Mikey and Leo now criticizing the teacher evaluation system they helped develop and defend against criticism from Carol Burris and Diane Ravitch.Mikey and Leo are criticizing the system for some of the very reasons Burris and Ravitch criticized it in the

by reality-based edu... / 5min 

Another Bloomberg Education Failure

From NY1:It's half school, half extracurricular, all hands on. For two years, the city's Summer Quest program has provided extra learning for thousands of struggling students in the South Bronx, nine hours a day, five days a week for five weeks.For the students, the goal is to prevent summer learning loss, a big problem for low-income kids. For the program, the goal is to prove that it works and t

1 by reality-based edu... / 24min mark as read  //  save

A Strategy For The First Year Of De Blasio's Term As Mayor

Lorenzo St DuBois in a comment here at Perdido Street School:In 2008 I could not believe what I was hearing out of a presidential candidate: thoughtful, intelligent, scornful of soundbites, refreshing rhetorical breaks from tepid democratic compromises. Talking about a more nuanced foreign policy, bringing back constitutional checks, bringing back regulation and a focus on the middle class, skepti

by reality-based edu... / 5h 

11-6-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: How De Blasio And His Team Ran A Very, Very Savvy CampaignGood summary in the Daily News on how de Blasio and his team crafted a message of change, stuck with that message, and rode it all the way to Gracie Mansion, with the help of his some affecting ads using his family and the ineptitude of his opponents.Nothing surprising in the article, but it does show how deft a campa

by mike simpson / 9h 

To Lisa Macfarlane and Suzanne Estey: And you thought it was a conspiracy theory? | Seattle Education

To Lisa Macfarlane and Suzanne Estey: And you thought it was a conspiracy theory? | Seattle Education:

To Lisa Macfarlane and Suzanne Estey: And you thought it was a conspiracy theory?

Either your comments have been overly scripted by your moneyed backers or you have been bold face lying but these are the facts:

Chris Christie’s demented “you people” movement: The right’s school-for-cash obsession

Chris Christie and Bill Gates

New data proves conservatives and moguls are spending huge sums to turn schools into Wall Street profit centers

It is easy to think of the concept of oligarchy as something distant and fantastical – something that involves exotic destinations like Manhattan, Monaco, Macau and Moscow but not the Middle America locales that you’d never see in, say, a glitzy Jason Bourne flick. I guess the assumption at work is that in a place so often derided as Flyover Country, there’s not much that any true oligarch might covet.

Of course, there’s a good case to be made that oligarchy is actually more of a powerful social, political and cultural force out here than anywhere else. From yesteryear’s Copper Kings in Montana to today’s epic land and water grab all over the Midwest and Rocky Mountain region, the heartland has always been the oligarchs’ playground. It is also their laboratory – the place where the ruling class brutally imposes its hare-brained schemes on the population, as if we are guinea pigs.

You can see what this local version of oligarchy looks like most clearly in education. Indeed, in the last few days, the national media momentarily reported on such oligarchy when the GOP’s prospective 2016 presidential candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, publicly berated teachers with the ugly “you people” epithet. The headline-grabbing exchange came after an educator dared to question him about his efforts to turn his state into a laboratory for the destructive ideology of anti-public-school