11-18-13 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University)

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University):

Do We Really Care about the Education of Other People’s Children? | janresseger

Do We Really Care about the Education of Other People’s Children? | janresseger

by P. L. Thomas / 11min 

empathyeducates – the archeology of white people

empathyeducates – the archeology of white people

1 by P. L. Thomas / 2h 

How to Make Sense out of Educational Reform

How to Make Sense out of Educational Reform

1 by P. L. Thomas / 2h 

11-17-13 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness

the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): Secretary Duncan and the Politics of White OutrageSocial media and even mainstream media appear poised to leap on Secretary Arne Duncan with both feet due to his swipe at white suburban moms. The nearly universal sweeping outrage—some with a level of glee that must not b

by mike simpson / 9h

11-18-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

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

Today Is World Toilet Day!

Today is World Toilet Day to recognize the tragedy of poor sanitation throughout the world. You might be interested in The Best Resources For Learning About World Toilet Day & The Issue Of Public Sanitation In The Third World.

5 by Larry Ferlazzo / 29min 

“Choice Equals Power: How to Motivate Students to Learn”

Choice Equals Power: How to Motivate Students to Learn is a nice article over at KQED’s MindShift blog about an online conversation I had during Connected Educators Month. People might find it useful/interesting…

2 by Larry Ferlazzo / 27min 

Lesson On John F. Kennedy

Learn about John F. Kennedy, the past tense, and how to use inductive text data sets with English Language Learners in my latest NY Times post for ELLs. A student interactive is included. I’m adding it to The Best Online Resources About President John F. Kennedy.

5 by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h 

Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"

Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": The Best Resources For Learning About The “Word Gap”There has recently been a flurry of media attention to what is called the so-called “word gap.” It’s the term used to describe the difference in vocabulary development of low-income children and middle-and-high-income children during their pre-school years. In addition to

by mike simpson / 7h  

11-17-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: ‘There Is No Such Thing As An Unmotivated Student’‘There Is No Such Thing As An Unmotivated Student’ is my new post over at Education Week Teacher. Today’s “line-up” of contributors is impressive with guest responses from Cris Tovani, Josh Stumpenhorst and Eric Jensen. It’s the first in a three-part series on the topic.6 by

by mike simpson / 10h 

11-18-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky

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

Ten minute drawing. Clumsy phrases.

by Fred Klonsky / 8min 

The in box. Richard Ingram. If you know are an Illinois teacher retiree affected by yesterday’s storms.

Just received from Teacher Retirement Director Richard Ingram: Sally Sherman, TRS Director of Member Services has confirmed with the US Postal Service that all the areas affected by yesterday’s tornados have operational postal facilities.  If individual members  have issues with receiving mail, they should be able to contact their local post office to determine if their mail has been held, which

3 by Fred Klonsky / 44min

Ten minute drawing. Rahm and Arne think our kids are stupid.

3 by Fred Klonsky / 12min 

Adenia Linker sent her photo to me after seeing this morning’s Sunday Reads.

Curie banner at Chicago’s Neighborhood School Fair. Photo: Adenia Linker.

69 by Fred Klonsky / 11min 

Bob Lyons: “You should know.”

  From Bob Lyons, retiree representative on the Teacher Retirement System board of trustees: I went to the post office Saturday to mail TRS my selection for health care insurance and, as has been reported elsewhere, the envelope required a 66 cent stamp.  TRS suggests that the need for a registered letter is only if you are mailing your selection in the very last days.  If you have an email addre

by Fred Klonsky / 2min 

The in box. “I feel betrayed by the system.”

Fred, Thank you for all that you have done on our behalf. I have a husband with Alzheimer’s. I am wondering how I am going to afford my health insurance as CMS does not include our doctors in any of our plans. I am pretty much felling very betrayed by the system. Medicare and insurance pays for skilled nursing, not Alzheimer’s. My husband was a teacher and our pensions are no where near the $50,00

by Fred Klonsky / 1min 

There is only one political party in Illinois. It is meeting in Springfield on December 3rd.

The state’s pundits are enamored with the concept of getting something done about pensions. It doesn’t matter who it hurts. It doesn’t matter who is paying for getting it done. It doesn’t matter if it is constitutional or not. If you own a computer and work for what passes for a newspaper in Illinois you can call yourself a journalist or a columnist. After all, you’re not a blogger. The only poli

2 by Fred Klonsky / 11min 

The in box. Jose Vilson. “I’ve been mad. Perhaps you should have been angry with us, back when the levees broke …”

First They Came For Urban Black and Latino Moms (For Arne Duncan) 11/17/2013     A few months ago, I walked past a “successful” charter school here in Harlem, NY, speed-walking to get my school supplies for the coming school year. I noticed a huge crowd of mostly Black and Latino families all waiting to pick up their children when a taut, pony-tailed White man came out with a c

by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

11-17-13 Fred Klonsky | Running for our pensions. | VOTE 4 Fred Klonsky.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: The in box. CMS is pleading with retirees to help them reach out to those who have infirmities and/or live out of state.From SORE member Robert Zahniser: Saturday’s Illinois Central Management Services meeting at the Buffalo Grove Performance Center hosted by Senator Morrison and Representative Drury

by mike simpson / 7h 

11-18-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School:

Cowardly Cuomo Refuses To Own Up To His Own Education Reform Agenda

Here was Governor Cuomo talking about his pro-active education reform agenda this year during his State of the State speech in January:In terms of education, Governor Seward said the standard of education ought to be elevated. It is the highest; education is the chief of our responsibilities. He said that in 1839; it is true today. When it comes to education, I say two words: more and better. We n

by reality-based edu... / 21min 

Cuomo Says He's Considering Pushing Legislative Changes To Common Core

Well, like I've noted here at Perdido Street School, Governor Cuomo has been silent as NYSED Commissioner King and Regents Chancellor Tisch have gone on their "We're Listening, But We're Really Not Hearing" Common Core tour the past few weeks after King gotten verbally beaten up in Poughkeepsie last month at a state PTA-sponsored forum on the Common Core.I've written that Cuomo's silence

by reality-based edu... / 23min 

Arne Duncan Doesn't Get To Frame The Common Core Debate

Excellent piece by Stephanie Simon in Politico on the fallout from Arne Duncan's "Common Core opponents are just white suburban moms who have discovered their kids aren't as brilliant as they thought" attack.Simon writes that Duncan and other Common Core proponents are frustrated because the debate over Common Core has splintered into different fights in different localities over differe

by reality-based edu... / 1h 

Where Is Cuomo On His Education Reform Agenda Now?

A commenter on a Newsday article about the Common Core protests makes the following point:Let's not forget that Cuomo started all of this. He hasn't had much to say lately however..interesting.The louder parents get over the Cuomo/Tisch/King Common Core reform agenda, the quieter Governor Cuomo seems to be.There is some evidence that Cuomo has been polling his education reform agenda, including the APPR teacher evaluation system and charter schools.A Siena poll out this morning shows a plurality of NYers does not like the Common Core and a clear majority think there is too much testing in scho

11min 

The Reformers Play The Race Here In New York State

On the heels of Arne Duncan saying Common Core opponents are simply white suburban mothers who have found out their children are not "as brilliant as they thought" comes this doozy in the NY Times:Some of Dr. King’s supporters blame teachers’ unions for whipping up some of the emotion. Timothy Daly, the president of the New Teacher Project, a group focused on teacher effectiveness and al

by reality-based edu... / 1h 

Siena Poll: A Clear Majority Of NYers Say There Is Too Much Testing In Schools

Some interesting results in the latest Siena poll:New Yorkers are closely divided on whether they believe Common Core standards will make students more college or career ready, with 45 percent confident they will and 49 percent not confident, according to a Siena College Poll of New York voters released today. About a third of voters (34 percent) think Common Core standards are too demanding, whil

by reality-based edu... / 2h 

NYSED And Regents: We Are Committed To "Uninterrupted Implementation" Of Common Core

In response to the widening protests over the Common Core and the SED/Regents reform agenda, the NYSED released this statement on Friday:"The Board of Regents and the commissioner are committed to the uninterrupted implementation of the Common Core in New York's classrooms. At the same time, however, we will continue to seek public input and will make adjustments along the way."In short,

by reality-based edu... / 5h 

11-17-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Mulgrew's Recess From The Tests Petition Went Into My JunkmailFound this between the junk mail selling Viagra for 70 cents a pill and a plea from a Hong Kong banker telling me he has $300,000 of my own money he found in a bank account at HSBC:New York's youngest students need teaching and learning, not standardized testing. Sign the Recess from Tests petition » Bloomberg-sty

by mike simpson / 10h 

Shining the Light on Mental Health – 50 Years of Chasing Shadows | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

Shining the Light on Mental Health – 50 Years of Chasing Shadows | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:

Shining the Light on Mental Health – 50 Years of Chasing Shadows

By National School Public Relations Association on November 18, 2013

By Karen Kleinz, APR, Associate Director, National School Public Relations Association(NSPRA)
As the nation marks one of our most solemn, watershed moments this week with the 50^th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination, I find myself taken aback by the reality that five decades have passed (how many times have those of us who were alive then uttered the phrase, “I remember exactly where I was when…”?) and at the same time bemused and saddened by how much remains the same.
Senseless violence continues in our communities, in spite of our horror and belief that we can be better. And what is most disturbing are the incidents involving youth perpetrators. From Columbine to Newtown, Conn., to Aurora, Colo., to Danvers, Mass., to the unchronicled incidents that occur daily on city streets – the list of tragic events continues to grow, and we continue to struggle with how to address the root causes.
Fifty years ago, President Kennedy delivered a Special Message to Congress on Mental Illness and Mental Retardation (note that the term had different connotation at the time), discussing his plans for national mental health program legislation, which proposed comprehensive community mental health centers, improved care in state mental institutions, and increased research. Earlier this month, the Obama administration issued a final ruling requiring insurers to treat mental health and substance abuse problems the same way physical illnesses are 

ALEC Behind Common Core Education Standards Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública:

ALEC Behind Common Core Education Standards

 by Alisha Mims • ringoffireradio.com

September 9, 2013-- In 2010, the United States adopted the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI), purportedly to streamline states’ education curricula using standards-based education reform principles. The controversial decision to implement national educational content standards has been referred to as an “uncommonly bad idea” for American education by many. Recently, educator and education advocate Morna McDermott has illuminated the initiative’s extensive corporate ties, many stemming from the American Legislative Exchange Council.

McDermott, an associate professor in the College of Education at Towson University, has mapped out CCSSI’s corporate connections in a flowchart. Her chart shows that many corporations and organizations that are members of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) have “funded and perpetuated Common Core standards throughout the states,” Truthout reports.

The CCSSI initiative is part of a broader movement for “accountability” in education, which began with educational trends of the 1970s. According to Allan Ornstein’s, “The Evolving Accountability Movement,” the 

My attempt at completing my first grader’s Common Core math homework – and a little historical CCSS context | Crazy Crawfish's Blog

My attempt at completing my first grader’s Common Core math homework – and a little historical CCSS context | Crazy Crawfish's Blog:

Crazy Crawfish's Blog

Zesty Louisiana Education Politics

My attempt at completing my first grader’s Common Core math homework – and a little historical CCSS context

Posted on November 15, 2013

1

I know that many people are thinking the commotion over Common Core, CCSS, is much ado about nothing.  I’ve heard some folks liken this change to the Affordable Care Act (AKA) Obamacare.  There are some similarities to how these things were implemented and rolled out nationwide, but while the ACA was voted on by national elected officials, held to be constitutional in a Supreme Court ruling, and a referendum item of the last national general election and Presidential contest. Common Core has undergone no such tests or review process.  When Obamacare was passed, thousands of pages of legislation were created and reviewed by corporate stakeholders, media organizations, political groups, and private citizens, and one of the common complaints was Obamacare contained too much info to review in a short amount of time, CCSS contained no documentation when many states, including Louisiana signed up to promote and endorse it after receiving millions in grants from the Gates foundation to do so.  Louisiana agreed to implement Common Core in its first Race to the Top application submitted January 19 of 2010 during the depths of the recession to pursue some of the 5 billion dollars in grants the US Department of