Sunday, March 30, 2014

Morning Wink 3-30-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS




3-30-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Of Me I Sing …. Really?A response from the United Opt Out organizers: Morna McDermott, Tim Slekar, Ruth Rodriguez, Peggy Robertson, Ceresta Smith and Shaun Johnson) In the effort to stay “current” in reporting about the rising tide of the Opt Out movement (aka high stakes standardized testing refusal), journalists are eager to tell the story…but do they do their […]7 by education
3-30-14 Wait What? All Week
Wait What?: A MUST WATCH Video of public school students, teacher and administrators fighting back“No Mo Cuomo Music Video – New York Middletown High School” In response to Coumo’s decision to fund charter schools while failing to provide money to public schools. Swap Malloy for Coumo and you have the same thing in here in Connecticut! Watch these amazing students, teachers and administrators figh
Sunglasses and Advil, Last Edit Was Mad Real - The Jose Vilson
Sunglasses and Advil, Last Edit Was Mad Real - The Jose Vilson: Sunglasses and Advil, Last Edit Was Mad Realby JOSE VILSON on MARCH 30, 2014in JOSEI’m surprised a few of you haven’t put out on APB or Missing Persons Report for me since I haven’t blogged on any site for the last two weeks.Instead, I’ve focused exclusively on my new book, This Is Not A Test. The endorsements, pre-orders, and events 
3-30-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: A Response to NPR's Corporate Socialist "Understanding" of United Opt OutUOO Response to NPR's Total Misunderstanding of What United Opt Out:Of Me I Sing?… Really?(A response from the United Opt Out organizers: Morna McDermott, Tim Slekar, Ruth Rodriguez, Peggy Robertson, Ceresta Smith and Shaun Johnson)In the effort to stay “current” in reporting about the rising tide of
3-30-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: Step Up For Students Finds That Waiting List After AllTwo hours after Scathing Purple Musings pointed out that the administrative agent for Florida’s voucher system, Step Up for Students, did not really have a waiting list that Rep. Erik Fresen has been telling everybody
3-30-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Sunday reads.  “When it comes to the news, the corporate view is `objective,’ all else is `propaganda.” – Studs Terkel No Mo Cuomo. “We didn’t know that we had the right.” Walmart. A business model that depends on poverty. Who is kissing the ring of Sherman Adelson? CPS board members caught on camera
Louisiana Educator: The Common Core Bills; Tell Your Legislator What You Want!
Louisiana Educator: The Common Core Bills; Tell Your Legislator What You Want!: The Common Core Bills; Tell Your Legislator What You Want!Attention educators and Parents! The anti-Common Core and anti-PARCC bills are going to be debated in the House Education Committee this Wednesday. This may be your best opportunity to make your concerns known to your legislator about Common Core and PARCC.In Ja
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-30-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: A Hero Superintendent in Massachusetts Speaks Out Against the MadnessTodd Gazda, superintendent of schools in Ludlow, Massachusetts, posted a blog that expresses the outrage that so many educators feel today as a result of federal and state meddling in the work best left to educators.   Gazda writes: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! For his coura
teacherken at Daily Kos 3-30-14 - A different approach to education
A different approach to education: A different approach to educationBy now, most people interested in education and international comparisons among countries is aware both that Finland performs very well on such comparisons while the US does not - although a large part of the difference is because we have far more economic inequity. Pasi Sahlberg is internationally known for his work on education,
3-30-14 Perdido Street School Week
Perdido Street School: Making Andrew Cuomo Pay For His BudgetArthur Goldstein dubbed Andrew Cuomo's budget this:@kenne2 @noahegotbaum @rweingarten @AFTunion It would be great if we could publicly label it the Moskowitz budget.— Arthur Goldstein (@TeacherArthurG) March 28, 2014And indeed, it truly is the Eva Moskowitz budget.Cuomo told Moskowitz's Albany rally a few weeks ago that he would protect
Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog 3-30-14
Ms. Jablonski's Class Blog: Fun with North Korea: "Mind Your Own Busniness"(This post will be written in the style of Dick and Jane books to reflect the mental age of Kim Jung Un)  See Democratic People's Republic of North Korea. See Supreme Leader Kim Jung Un. Un sends So Se Pyong to U.N. Human Rights Council. Un questions So about human rights."What are human rights?" says Un
3-30-14 Ed Notes Online Week
Ed Notes Online: The Work of Change the Stakes: Some History and How Organizing Bears FruitYES, word is spreading in Bed Stuy!... The teacher said the parent had the Change the Stakes refusal form!... Teacher in Bed-Stuy I left this as a comment on the Diane Ravitch bloggers network when the issue of Who is Our Audience came up.Organizational building: Blogging is a tool, not an end.After over 40
3-30-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Around The Web In ESL/EFL/ELLI’ve started a somewhat regular feature where I share a few posts and resources from around the Web related to ESL/EFL or to language in general that have caught my attention: What kind of teacher are you? is a fun little Facebook quiz that the British Council has developed for ESL/EFL Teachers.
3-30-13 Curmudgucation Week
CURMUDGUCATION: A Message from Andrea RediskeIt's a tough contest these days to determine which state legislature is most hostile to public education, but Florida legislators (motto "Finding New Ways To Make Things Worse") has been giving it the old college and career ready try.Nobody knows that better than the family of Ethan Rediske. His mother Andrea has been working tirelessly to ins
Standing Up to Testing - NYTimes.com
Standing Up to Testing - NYTimes.com: Standing Up to TestingDavid Rapheal, Brooklyn borough assessment implementation director for New York schools, at a meeting on the opt-out movement on Tuesday. CreditAnthony Lanzilote for The New York TimesIn the coming weeks, children in New York City and across the state will begin taking annual standardized tests in math and language that will run over the
Shame on Chicago Board of Ed Members for Mocking / Bullying a Parent: Caught. Picture. #SHAME | Continuing Change
Shame on Chicago Board of Ed Members for Mocking / Bullying a Parent: Caught. Picture. #SHAME | Continuing Change: Shame on Chicago Board of Ed Members for Mocking / Bullying a Parent: Caught. Picture. #SHAMESay it isn’t so … ?Say I didn’t just read that Chicago Board of Education Members, Henry Bienen and Mahalia Hines, were making fun of an impassioned parent who chose to speak up for her childr
Data: Education’s New “Dirty” Word | Connected Principals
Data: Education’s New “Dirty” Word | Connected Principals: Data: Education’s New “Dirty” Wordby Tom Martellone • March 30, 2014 • 0 CommentsIt seems that in some circles, data has come to be one of education’s “dirty” words.  I suspect I know why, and unfortunately, it is difficult to convince those people who think that way otherwise.Many professions, such as medicine, law, finance, and even cons
The Inner Work of Transforming Whiteness | educarenow
The Inner Work of Transforming Whiteness | educarenow: The Inner Work of Transforming WhitenessPosted on March 30, 2014 | Leave a commentMy biggest concern with talk about the achievement gap is that it is used as one more code for blaming people of color.Gary Howard, in We Can’t Teach What We Don’t Know, suggests a different approach:“I am convinced there is a prior and equally compelling need fo
Teaches union fights new plan by Sacramento and other school districts to address low-performing schools - Education - The Sacramento Bee
Teaches union fights new plan by Sacramento and other school districts to address low-performing schools - Education - The Sacramento Bee: Teaches union fights new plan by Sacramento and other school districts to address low-performing schoolsBy Loretta Kalblkalb@sacbee.comPublished: Sunday, Mar. 30, 2014 - 12:00 amIn the seven months since Sacramento City Unified School District won unprecedented

YESTERDAY

Mother Crusader: Parent Fights Principal Who Uses Common Core To Deny A Teacher's Request For A Holocaust Speaker
Mother Crusader: Parent Fights Principal Who Uses Common Core To Deny A Teacher's Request For A Holocaust Speaker: Parent Fights Principal Who Uses Common Core To Deny A Teacher's Request For A Holocaust SpeakerBelow is a guest blog from a dear college friend of mine. I've known for quite some time that she is passionate about Holocaust education, both speaking to students herself and also arrangi
Under fire, proposed voucher expansion advances | Tampa Bay Times
Under fire, proposed voucher expansion advances | Tampa Bay Times: Under fire, proposed voucher expansion advancesKathleen McGrory, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau The proposed expansion of the state school voucher program cleared another hurdle Tuesday, winning the support of the House Choice and Innovation Subcommittee.The bill (HB 7099) received a favorable vote in the House Finance and Tax Sub
Nite Cap 3-29-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
James Baldwin said it best: "For these are all our children, and we will profit by or pay for whatever they become."A BIG EDUCATION APE NITE CAPLAUSD and UTLA Collude to End Collective Bargaining and Civil RIghts for Teachers Part 1 - Perdaily.comLAUSD and UTLA Collude to End Collective Bargaining and Civil RIghts for Teachers Part 1 - Perdaily.com: LAUSD and UTLA Collude to End Collecti
LAUSD and UTLA Collude to End Collective Bargaining and Civil RIghts for Teachers Part 1 - Perdaily.com
LAUSD and UTLA Collude to End Collective Bargaining and Civil RIghts for Teachers Part 1 - Perdaily.com: LAUSD and UTLA Collude to End Collective Bargaining and Civil RIghts for Teachers Part 1(Mensaje se repite en Espaรฑol)(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)If you are a teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) you have no civil rights a
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » How Does PISA Put the World at Risk (Part 4): Misleading the World
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » How Does PISA Put the World at Risk (Part 4): Misleading the World: How Does PISA Put the World at Risk (Part 4): Misleading the World29 MARCH 2014 143 NO COMMENTHow Does PISA Put the World at Risk: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3Part 4China’s poorest beat our best pupils—The Telegraph (UK), 2-17-2014Children of Shanghai cleaners better at math than kids
How Right-Wing Media Common Core Distortion Plays Out in State Politics
How Right-Wing Media Common Core Distortion Plays Out in State Politics: How Right-Wing Media Common Core Distortion Plays Out in State PoliticsSaturday, 29 March 2014 11:03By Hilary Tone, Media Matters | News AnalysisThe 5 Most Incendiary Media Fueling The Common Core Outrage MachineConservative media's incessant campaign to demonize the Common Core State Standards, often confined to the right-wi
Does Today Show Know Michelle Rhee's Record?
Does Today Show Know Michelle Rhee's Record?: Does Today Show Know Michelle Rhee's Record?By Peter Hart 4 CommentsOn March 26, NBC's Today show did a pretty moving report about Susan Sluyter, a veteran Massachusetts teacher who decided to leave the field because of the dramatic changes she's seen as a result of an overemphasis on standardized testing.But it was the segment after the report that wa
The Biggest Public School Problem Might Be the Brand - Yahoo News
The Biggest Public School Problem Might Be the Brand - Yahoo News: The Biggest Public School Problem Might Be the BrandThis article was created as part of the social action campaign for the documentary TEACH, produced by TakePart's parent company, Participant Media, in partnership with Bill and Melinda Gates. Most people believe that charter and private schools are preferable alternatives to tradi
Hannah Nguyen And Empowered Take On #Edreform 10-5 Pst, Sat. March 29 On Schoolhouse Live
Schoolhouse Live: Watch live streaming video from schoolhouselive at livestream.comHANNAH NGUYEN AND EMPOWERED TAKE ON #EDREFORM10-5 PST, SAT.  MARCH 29 ON SCHOOLHOUSE LIVEStudents all over the country are tired of feeling powerless and unheard when it comes to decisions that affect their education. Now they’re fighting back. 
2nd Banana 3-29-14 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #RealEdTalk #p2
BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANARECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POSTSuccess Academy parent's secret tapes reveal attempt to push out special needs student - NY Daily NewsSuccess Academy parent's secret tapes reveal attempt to push out special needs student - NY Daily News: Success Academy parent's secret tapes reveal attempt to push out special needs studentThe Upper West Side Success Academy charter school
Morning Wink 3-29-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSCalifornia Mom “Suspended” From Son’s School Over Testing Opt-Out Forms | Caffeinated ThoughtsCalifornia Mom “Suspended” From Son’s School Over Testing Opt-Out Forms | Caffeinated Thoughts: California Mom “Suspended” From Son’s School Over Testing Opt-Out FormsMARCH 29, 2014 BY SHANE VANDER HART LEAVE A COMMENT5517Katherine Duran is a concerned mom whose 1



3-30-14 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE:





Video: iRefuse Rally in Long Island, NY (March 29, 2014)
My thanks to Mert Melfa for posting the complete iRefuse video (3 1/2 hours) to youtube. Thanks also to Michael Bohr for sending it my way. And thanks to Yvonne Gasperino and others for indulging me as I “condensed” 30 minutes into 40. I begin speaking at 2:09:40. I open with the story of my […]


We are officially in syndication, and have an updated show page
At the Chalk Face is now officially in syndication, with our first two stations secured in the Boston area. I also updated our main show page, and then stuck it to the blog’s homepage. We have to get this show out there as an oppositional voice to the corporate reform movement. Let any local radio […]
The Deceptive Push to “Implement” Common CoreThe Deceptive Push to “Implement” Common Core
I just returned home from speaking at the iRefuse Rally on March 29, 2014, in Port Jefferson Station, New York. My trip was an adventure in many ways, not the least of which was in my managing to get to New York. In short, my flight to NYC was canceled; I was able to fly to Baltimore […]

Unions? We Don’t Need No Stinking Unions
Unions? We Don’t Need No Stinking Unions. via Unions? We Don’t Need No Stinking Unions.


The Edtech Trinity: Time, Training, and Tools
Edtech tools will never replace teachers, but teachers who use edtech tools will replace those who don’t. There’s absolutely no denying that edtech tools are changing the teaching profession. As a result, I’ll argue that the edtech trinity in education must include time, training, and tool searching. As the edtech industry grows and becomes more […]

Of Me I Sing …. Really?

A response from the United Opt Out organizers: Morna McDermott, Tim Slekar, Ruth Rodriguez, Peggy Robertson, Ceresta Smith and Shaun Johnson) In the effort to stay “current” in reporting about the rising tide of the Opt Out movement (aka high stakes standardized testing refusal), journalists are eager to tell the story…but do they do their […]
All Week 3-29-14 @ THE CHALK FACE
@ THE CHALK FACE : All Week @ THE CHALK FACE College Athletes’ Academic Cheating a Harbinger of a Failed SystemCollege Athletes’ Academic Cheating a Harbinger of a Failed System. via College Athletes’ Academic Cheating a Harbinger of a Failed System.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical1 by plthomasedd / 1h YESTERDAYKatherine Duran Shares More of Her StoryI’m the mom who was “suspended” from


3-30-14 Wait What? All Week

Wait What?:







A MUST WATCH Video of public school students, teacher and administrators fighting back

“No Mo Cuomo Music Video – New York Middletown High School” In response to Coumo’s decision to fund charter schools while failing to provide money to public schools. Swap Malloy for Coumo and you have the same thing in here in Connecticut! Watch these amazing students, teachers and administrators fight back! CLICK Here: http://youtu.be/7CKOJ6PzgCII  or here: No Mo […] The post A MUST WATCH Video o


3-29-14 Wait What? All Week
Wait What?:  Wait What? All WeekAn Open Letter to Parents from a Connecticut ParentAn open letter to parents, Over the next few weeks, children will spend countless hours taking new tests that have no meaning.  As a parent, I’ve decided that my sixth grade daughter will not be one of them. The new test, called the SBAC in some states and PARCC in others, goes hand-in-hand with the […] The post An




Sunglasses and Advil, Last Edit Was Mad Real - The Jose Vilson

Sunglasses and Advil, Last Edit Was Mad Real - The Jose Vilson:



Sunglasses and Advil, Last Edit Was Mad Real

by JOSE VILSON on MARCH 30, 2014
in JOSE
kanye-west-grammys-performance-1I’m surprised a few of you haven’t put out on APB or Missing Persons Report for me since I haven’t blogged on any site for the last two weeks.
Instead, I’ve focused exclusively on my new book, This Is Not A Test. The endorsements, pre-orders, and events have rolled in steadily, with very few hitches. It’s gone so smoothly in fact, I’m fully anticipating a disaster coming in the next few weeks. I want to make this look easy, because to a certain extent it was.
Then I remember I just spent the better part of this weekend (13 hours to be exact) poring over every word, phrase, fact, and space to make sure the book is perfect. Every two weeks, I’m asked to go deeper, harder, more precise about the experiences I’ve had in the last three decades. So, whenever you do get the book, please know: I put everything into this one.
If you haven’t already, please do order the book. Get it here.
Thank you for blowing into my sails. I’m almost past the lighthouse now.
- See more at: http://thejosevilson.com/sunglasses-advil-last-edit-mad-real/#sthash.PNF6jc2r.dpuf

3-30-14 Schools Matter

Schools Matter:







Misinformed about the common core
Too many people remain misinformed about the common core. Here is the latest distortion.Alan Greenblatt just attacked the Opt-Out movement, saying that it is irresponsible and selfish.  There are over 300 comments on the website.  Greeenblatt and most of those who commented have no idea what is going on. His review appears at: > http://www.npr.org/2014/03/28/295270259/of-me-i-sing-americans-cons

A Response to NPR's Corporate Socialist "Understanding" of United Opt Out

UOO Response to NPR's Total Misunderstanding of What United Opt Out:Of Me I Sing?… Really?(A response from the United Opt Out organizers: Morna McDermott, Tim Slekar, Ruth Rodriguez, Peggy Robertson, Ceresta Smith and Shaun Johnson)In the effort to stay “current” in reporting about the rising tide of the Opt Out movement (aka high stakes standardized testing refusal), journalists are eager to tell


3-29-14 Schools Matter All Week
Schools Matter:  Schools Matter All WeekKnow any social justice oriented UCLA students? Get them to #resistTFAI wrote the Op-Ed following this introduction for the Daily Bruin when I first returned to UCLA as an undergraduate last September. It was patently ignored by the editorial staff, as were my requests for modification guidelines to get it published. While I have a haunting suspicion that so


3-30-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida

Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education:







Step Up For Students Finds That Waiting List After All

Two hours after Scathing Purple Musings pointed out that the administrative agent for Florida’s voucher system, Step Up for Students, did not really have a waiting list that Rep. Erik Fresen has been telling everybody about, SUFS CEO Doug Tuthill produced one: For new families who apply and get shut out, or who try to apply in the summer after we’ve already stopped accepting applications, we invit
3-29-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida ALL Week
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education:Scathing Purple Musings  Color me purple in Florida ALL WeekErik Fresen’s Claim of a “Pent-Up Demand” for Florida Vouchers Cannot Be VerifiedStep Up for Students, the organization which administrates Florida’s voucher program watched Friday’s hearing in the House Appropri


3-30-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher

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



19





Ten minute drawing. Representative Grijalva.


Sunday reads.
  “When it comes to the news, the corporate view is `objective,’ all else is `propaganda.” – Studs Terkel No Mo Cuomo. “We didn’t know that we had the right.” Walmart. A business model that depends on poverty. Who is kissing the ring of Sherman Adelson? CPS board members caught on camera mocking a parent. Watch her testimony. Cubs’ fans. Don’t blame Billy’s goat. Blame racism. BILL MOYERS: We’re



3-29-14 Fred All Week Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Fred All Week Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacherKeeping retirement weird.This is the story I tell. I went to college originally in the 60s in California. There were a lot of diversions back then and I was diverted by all of them. After two years at Los Angeles City College, I d

Louisiana Educator: The Common Core Bills; Tell Your Legislator What You Want!

Louisiana Educator: The Common Core Bills; Tell Your Legislator What You Want!:



The Common Core Bills; Tell Your Legislator What You Want!


Attention educators and Parents! The anti-Common Core and anti-PARCC bills are going to be debated in the House Education Committee this Wednesday. This may be your best opportunity to make your concerns known to your legislator about Common Core and PARCC.

In January, this blog encouraged all my readers to respond to a survey on the Common Core State Standards and PARCC. The results were as follows: A total of 2,724 readers responded to the survey. Only 61 respondents, or 2% said that Louisiana should continue implementing CCSS as has been prescribed by Superintendent John White with the approval of BESE. 709 respondents, or 26% said they would prefer that CCSS and PARCC be phased in over a longer period of time starting with lower elementary grades and progressing one or two grades each year until it covers all grades. 1,954 respondents stated that they would prefer to do away with CCSS and PARCC and substitute an improved version of GLEs as the standards for our basic core subjects. Louisiana would implement its own testing as has been done in the past.

Partly based on these results and my own opinion, I have written the following email to my State Representative. He is not on the Education Committee so I am writing to him about general issues involved instead of specific bills.

Dear Representative __________,
I am a retired educator who lives in your district.
It is my understanding that various bills relative to the Common Core State Standards and the PARCC testing will be debated in the House Education Committee this week. We do not know yet what bills on these matters will be sent to the full House for your vote. Based on a survey I conducted about CCSS and PARCC in January I would like to recommend the following for your