LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

Reader: GERM in Spain

A reader describes the impact of GERM in Spain, where she teaches. The Finnish educator Pasi Sahlberg coined the term GERM in his book “Finnish Lessons.” It refers to the Global Education Reform Movement. GERM refers to interlocking strategies of testing, choice, competition. PISA spreads GERM. GERM turns education into a competition for test scores, instead of a process of human development. “Th

by dianeravitch / 7min hide  //  save

Ohio Parent on State’s Dual System of Publicly Funded Schools

Susie Kaeser lives in Cleveland Heights and is former director of Reaching Heights. She serves on the national board of Parents for Public Schools. She writes: I prefer to ignore charter schools. I know good people who work in them and use them. Charters don’t appear to have much to do with my school district. How much good can they do? How much harm? Reports of fraud, profiteering and failure pu

19 by dianeravitch / 2h 

Gulen Charter Schools Embroiled in International Disputes

Sharon Higgins has followed the expansion of the Gulen charter chain for years. The Gulen schools are now the largest charter chain in the nation. They were founded by allies of a reclusive Turkish cleric, Fetullah Gulen, who lives in the Poconos. She writes: A political crisis has overtaken the Republic of Turkey. Most Americans don’t know that it has a direct relationship to charter school expa

5 by dianeravitch / 36min hide  //  save

Why Does Chicago’s Michael Madigan Love Gulen Charters?

What a fabulous story! Chicago Public Schools, known for their love of charters, turned down a proposal to open two new Concept charters. The one existing Concept charter school in Chicago had unimpressive test scores. So Concept went to the Illinois State Charter School Commission and won their charters! What a coup! How did it happen? Well, it seems that Concept charters are affiliated with th

7 by dianeravitch / 1h 

Bruce Baker: The Ignorati Honor Roll of 2013: Pundit Edition

Bruce Baker of Rutgers is a one-man truth squad, policing the excessive claims of the “reform” movement. In this post, he begins by defining “Ignorati,” then identifies the pundits who reached the top of his charts. Here is his definition of “Ignorati”: “Elites who, despite their power, wealth, or influence, are prone to making serious errors when discussing science and other technical matters.

8 by dianeravitch / 2h 

Jason Stanford: Time to Investigate Pearson in Texas

Jason Stanford, an independent political journalist in Texas, calls for an investigation of Pearson in Texas. Stanford noticed that New York’s State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman extracted a settlement of $7.7 million from Pearson because of the co-mingled activities of its charitable foundation and its for-profit activities. He believes that is similar problems would be found in Texas. Pea

31 by dianeravitch / 3h 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 12-26-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Teacher: Child Abuse in My ClassroomMark Naison, co-founder of the BATs, sent me this story by a teacher: The Child Abuse Imposed by Testing: By Bronx Teacher Chris Whitney I had a student leave my classroom in an ambulance last year during the middle of a practice test. He was having an asthma attack brought on by panic. He kept s

by mike simpson / 7h 

12-27-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:

Paul Krugmam on the imbalanced boss-worker power relationship applied to NYC principals and teachers

The massive power imbalance between principal and teacher in NYC is not due to a weak economy but to a weak union. Let me expound on this point....employment generally involves a power relationship: you have a boss, who tells you what to do, and if you refuse, you may be fired... We don’t know how much of this profit surge can be explained by the fear factor — the ability to squeeze workers who kn

by ed notes online / 16min 

Not a Wonderful Life: Education Writer’s Block

The Wave - Published Friday, Dec. 27, 2013 - www.rockawave.com

by ed notes online / 3h

12-26-13 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online: Farina Delay: Charter lobby, ed deformers and UFT and allies working behind the scenes?Who might be opposing a Farina appointment? I know some people are left scratching their heads at what seems on the surface an unholy alliance. Can we talk?We know that de Blasio has been getting pressure from the Obama administration to appoint a pro-test person. As Naison says, given that she

by mike simpson / 14h 

12-27-13 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet:

Four tough questions about charter schools

Mark Naison, a professor of African American Studies and History at Fordham University and director of Fordham’s Urban Studies Program, has some important questions about charter schools. He is the author of three books and over 100 articles on African American History, urban history, and the history of sports, and he is a founder of […]    

4 by Valerie Strauss / 1h 

The invisibility of teachers

It’s one of the great ironies of modern school reform that the very people who you would think should have some input into policy decisions — teachers —  don’t. They are, for that purpose, invisible (though they someone wind up front and center when it comes time for reformers to find people to blame for […]    

by Valerie Strauss / 35min hide  //  save

How hard is teaching?

How hard is teaching? Here are some answers to the question: “Giving a presentation to NASA about how the thermal protection system of a spacecraft is connected to its primary structure is a cakewalk compared to getting 30 teenagers excited about logarithms.” – Ryan Fuller, a former aerospace engineer who now teaches high school in Colorado […]    

16 by Valerie Strauss / 6h 

12-26-13 The Answer Sheet

The Answer Sheet: Islamic cleric linked to U.S. charter schools involved in Turkey’s political dramaA Muslim cleric who lives in seclusion in Pennsylvania and has been linked to a network of more than 135 public charter schools in the United States is believed to be deeply involved in the political drama that is unfolding in his home country of Turkey. The reclusive cleric is Fethullah Gulen, who

by mike simpson / 8h 

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: How about telling the Tale of 2 Cities in Chicago?

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: How about telling the Tale of 2 Cities in Chicago?:

How about telling the Tale of 2 Cities in Chicago?

Lovely Warren (left) celebrates victory

The two-cities movement is spreading beyond New York City, where it swept Mayor-elect Bill de Blasiointo office. This same focus on inequality is also what led to the election last month of Lovely Warren as Mayor of Rochester.

According to the New York Times:

Warren won election as mayor of Rochester last month with a campaign lamenting what she called the “two Rochesters,” challenged by crime and poverty, but also boasting prosperous neighborhoods.

 The push in New York comes as a variety of elected officials across the nation have begun talking more insistently about income inequality, an issue that has 

12-27-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

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

This Week’s “Round-Up” Of Useful Posts & Articles on Education Policy

Here are a few recent good articles and posts on education policy issues: Ken Bernstein reviews what looks like a book that’s definitely worth reading, Public Education Under Siege. How hard is teaching? is by Valerie Strauss at The Washington Post. The invisibility of teachers is by P.L. Thomas in the Washington Post. Simple Approaches to School Improvement is by David B. Cohen.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h hide  //  save

Two Days Left To Share The Best Education-Related Book You Read This Year!

As I’ve done every December for the past several years, I’m inviting readers of this blog to share the best education-related book that you read over the past twelve months. Forty readers have already contributed, and there are only two days left if you want me to include your choices in my post.  December 29th is the deadline. Leave a your choice in the comments section with no more than a sente

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

Resources On Making New Year’s Resolutions Succeed

It’s that time of year, and I wanted to remind readers that I have previously posted The Best Ways To Help Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Succeed. Additional suggestions are welcome!

by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Resources

Martin Luther King Day in 2014 is on Monday, the 20th of January, in the United States. You might be interested in: The Best Websites For Learning About Martin Luther King The Best Resources To Remember Dr. Martin Luther King’s Death (& Life), which focuses on resources specifically related to his assassination. The Best Sites For Learning About The Martin Luther King Memorial

by Larry Ferlazzo / 35min 

Free Monthly Newsletter Sent Out…

I’ve just emailed this month’s free newsletter to 2,000 subscribers. If you’re interested, you can easily subscribe here.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 49min hide  //  save

December’s “The Best…” Lists – There Are Now 1,245 Of Them!

Here’s my monthly round-up of new “The Best…” lists I posted this month (you can see all 1,245 of them categorized here): The Best Web Tools For English Language Learners (In Other Words, The Ones My Students Regularly Use) The Best Websites For English Language Learner Students In 2013 – Part Two The Best Fun Videos For English Language Learners In 2013 – Part Two The Best Resources, Articles &a

by Larry Ferlazzo / 49min 

December’s Best Posts From This Blog

I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see older Best Posts of the Month at Websites Of The Month (more recent lists can be found here). Here are some of the posts I personally think are the best, and most helpful, ones I’ve written during this pas

by Larry Ferlazzo / 45min 

Infographic: “Good Luck Food for New Year”

I’m adding this infographic to The Best Sites For Learning About New Year Celebrations: by angelvicky. Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually. Via Gourmandia

by Larry Ferlazzo / 8h 

12-26-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Quote Of The Day: “Teaching Isn’t Rocket Science. It’s Harder”In case you haven’t already seen the excellent article in Slate by Bryan Fuller titled Teaching Isn’t Rocket Science. It’s Harder, here’ an excerpt: It’s definitely worth checking out the entire piece….by Larry Ferlazzo / 10h hide  //  saveGuest Post From Nationa

by mike simpson / 7h 

12-27-13 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.:

Breaking: Illinois Retired Teachers Association goes to court for our pensions.

Crain’s Two groups representing educators today filed suit against the state’s new pension-reform law late today, contending that it violates provisions of the Illinois Constitution.  In an action filed in Cook County Circuit Court, the Illinois Retired Teachers Association and the School Administrators Association contend that, by recently voting to reduce cost-of-living hikes and other benefits

by Fred Klonsky / 25min 

Pension Thieves.

  State Sen. William Cunningham, D-Chicago, whose district runs from Chicago’s Beverly community to Orland Park, voted for the bill but expressed strong sympathies with government employees. “I want to make it clear that I understand these people did nothing wrong,” Cunningham said. “They did everything right. They made their payments into the pension system, but the state did not, or made partia

by Fred Klonsky / 55min 

Mayoral Tutorial. Our pensions situation is not a crisis.

  Me, Don Washington and Chicago Newsroom’s Ken Davis. From my friend Don Washington, The Mayoral Tutorial: Our pension situation is not a crisis in the sense that pensions will suddenly run out of money or not be able to pay benefits. – Don Washington – Paul Krugman – Dean Baker – Richard Wolff – Joseph Stiglitz Good people as the year ends and various bankers, conservatives, libertarians and Si

by Fred Klonsky / 2h 

12-26-13 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.: We need a fair income tax in Illinois.  Ken Griffin, hedge fund manager and head of Citadel LLC, is Illinois’ richest person and is worth $4.4 billion. He pays the same state income tax rate as an associate at Walmart. Want to know why Illinois is broke? Maybe that’s why Representative Elaine Nekritz,

by mike simpson / 13h