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Sunday, May 18, 2014

Morning Wink 5-18-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS




LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-18-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: The Nation Investigates: Teacher Jail in Los AngelesAre classrooms overflowing with sexual predators? Some school leaders in Los Angeles think they are. The Nation reports on a special investigation where teachers are challenged to clear their names. It starts here with the question of how teachers can prove their innocence. “Iris
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement"
Engaging Parents In School… | Going Beyond Parent "Involvement": “Does Family Engagement Matter?”Does Family Engagement Matter? is a response to the now infamous “Broken Compass” book questioning the usefulness of parent involvement. It’s written by three of the top experts in the field – Karen L. Mapp, Anne T. Henderson, and Nancy E. Hill. I’m adding it to The Best Commentaries On The “
5-18-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: UFT Contract: An Attack on WomenThe contract proposal is an attack on feminism. 75% of UFT members are woman. The leadership expects the contract to pass because they anticipate that woman are willing and deserve to accept much lower pay in creases than they deserve.... Comment on Ed Notes After the UFT Brooklyn borough contract meeting, a pregnant teacher came up to ask [Borough
5-18-14 With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs
With A Brooklyn Accent: Charter Schools: The Education Equivalent of Subprime MortgagesCharter Schools are looking more and more like the educational equivalent of subprime mortgages---a short cut to greater equity and opportunity that becomes the basis of a huge unregulated industry, which gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to make quick profits, and the very wealthy tax breaks and opportunities
5-18-14 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School: Grand Jury Investigating Bridgegate Continues Its WorkThis is bad news if you're Chris Christie - and maybe if you're Andrew Cuomo too: The top Port Authority executive who ended the George Washington Bridge lane closings testified before a Jersey grand jury probing the punitive shutdowns. Pat Foye appeared earlier in May before the federal panel in Newark as its Bridgegate
How History is Erased with Digital Media. Revisionism Reigns. | Missouri Education Watchdog
How History is Erased with Digital Media. Revisionism Reigns. | Missouri Education Watchdog: How History is Erased with Digital Media. Revisionism Reigns.inShareI saw the above meme about Michelle Obama and was curious where she made this remark and to whom.  And that’s the beginning of an interesting journey.I searched for “Michelle Obama and a piece of the pie”.  It led me to a Charlotte Observe
Hey, Ras–you’re not going to rock the boat, are you? | Bob Braun's Ledger
Hey, Ras–you’re not going to rock the boat, are you? | Bob Braun's Ledger: Hey, Ras–you’re not going to rock the boat, are you?Mayor-elect Ras BarakaThe hedge-fund managers, the mainstream media, Cami Anderson’s friends in Montclair and Glen Ridge–during the election, they all tried to depict Ras Baraka as a revolutionary, as a radical, as a dangerous man with “fiery” and “incendiary” ideas and cl
5-18-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Autonomy Must Precede AccountabiltyAutonomy Must Precede Accountabilty. via Autonomy Must Precede Accountabilty.1 by plthomasedd / 51min  All Week 5-17-14 @ THE CHALK FACE@ THE CHALK FACE : All Week @ THE CHALK FACE The Conversation: Racial segregation returns to US schools, 60 years after the Supreme Court banned itThe Conversation: Racial segregation returns to US schools, 60 y
5-18-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): Autonomy Must Precede AccountabiltyNearly 2.5 years ago, I wrote directly about the essential flaw with the thirty-plus-years accountability movement in K-12 U.S. public education. That essential flaw is that accountability built on standards and high-stakes testing is a
5-18-13 Curmudgucation Week
CURMUDGUCATION: Serious PeopleWhy is it that I'm so hard on some people I disagree with here and so gentle with others? Because I have a hard time taking people seriously when they aren't serious people.Certain positions in the current debates indicate clearly how serious a person is. I don't support the idea of national education standards; I think it's a bad idea, doomed to failure, that will no
5-18-14 Wait What?
Wait What?:   Wait What? Wendy Lecker and Diane Ravitch on the 60th Anniversary of Brown v. Board of EducationDiane Ravitch, the nation’s leading voice for public education explains, As segregation grows worse than it has been for decades, the problems are worsened by current “reforms.” School privatization intensifies segregation, high-stakes testing creates cause for closing struggling schools i
5-18-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: TED-Ed Video: “What Is The World Wide Web?”TED-ED has a new video (and accompanying lesson) on “What Is The World Wide Web?” I’m adding it to The Best Sites To Learn About The Internet.by Larry Ferlazzo / 11min hide  //  saveYESTERDAY“Quill” Could Be A Very Useful Tool For Reinforcing Grammar ConceptsThanks to Richard Byrne
Happy 60th Birthday, Brown v. Board of Educaton! | Bill Ayers
Happy 60th Birthday, Brown v. Board of Educaton! | Bill Ayers: Happy 60th Birthday, Brown v. Board of Educaton!All children need to develop a sense of the unique capacity of human beings to shape and create reality in concert with conscious purposes and plans. This means that our schools—both within and way beyond the existing institutional spaces called “school”—need to be transformed to provide
We All Play a Part | Connected Principals
We All Play a Part | Connected Principals: We All Play a Partby dkerr • May 18, 2014 • 0 CommentsSo I received an email this past week from a former student of mine who wanted to check in and catch up. He’s just now finishing his degree in sports medicine, and at the end of the message he thanked me for playing a part in his success, and for helping him grow into the man that he has become. It was
Cursive Writing and Coding: Conflicts over School Goals (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice
Cursive Writing and Coding: Conflicts over School Goals (Part 1) | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Cursive Writing and Coding: Conflicts over School Goals (Part 1)Schools as “museums of virtue”* and schools as engines of change have been dominant and conflicting metaphors in the history of school reform. In the mid-19th century, tax-supported public schools pursued Reading, ‘R
Why We Are Here: Evette Jones at the PCAPS Rallly Yesterday | WeArePCAPS
Why We Are Here: Evette Jones at the PCAPS Rallly Yesterday | WeArePCAPS: Why We Are Here: Evette Jones at the PCAPS Rallly YesterdayPosted on May 18, 2014by wearepcapsEvette Jones, PFT staffer and PCAPS leader, at yesterday’s rally.   Also pictured here from right to left are Rev. Larry Patrick, PA-AFT President Ted Kirsch, PFT President Jerry Jordan and State Rep. James RoebuckPFT’s Evette Jones
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week in Class: Week 33 Primary Documents
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week in Class: Week 33 Primary Documents: Week in Class: Week 33 Primary DocumentsSince we’ve finished with our Language Arts text for the year, I’ve been trying to implement a “replacement” unit for Common Core featuring closed readings. The examples modeled centered on short stories or poetry, but I’ve opted to use primary documents. One of the best resou

YESTERDAY

Jersey Jazzman: Another Day, Another "Miracle" Charter School Debunked
Jersey Jazzman: Another Day, Another "Miracle" Charter School Debunked: Big Education Ape: 5-10-14 Jersey Jazzman NJ Ed News Round-up Jammin' All WeekJersey Jazzman:Jersey Jazzman Jammin' All WeekWould Linda Brown's Parents Have Wanted a "Choice" District?This weekend is this 60th anniversary of Brown v Board of Education, the landmark case that ended separate but equal public
Lawyer For Teachers; Bryan Glass Attorney-at-Law southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Lawyer For Teachers; Bryan Glass Attorney-at-LawI should be writing about the contract and upcoming vote, but everyone else is, I'm in a contrarianmood, and I have something to share.Back in December I raised $665, less the 10% fee, through GoFundMe so I can put down a deposit on hiring an outside attorney. That turned out not to be quite enough for the lawyer, and
National union leader leads rally for funding, against Brownback | CJOnline.com
National union leader leads rally for funding, against Brownback | CJOnline.com: National union leader leads rally for funding, against BrownbackVisit from AFT's Weingarten takes political tone as unions blast Brownback, laud DavisPosted: May 17, 2014 - 10:01amTHAD ALLTON/THE CAPITAL-JOURNALEducators with the American Federation of Teachers and the Kansas National Education Association listened Sa
Nite Cap 5-17-14 #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 CAPWelcome to Paris ISD - Our students are much more than a once-a-year pencil and bubble sheet testParis ISD - Welcome to Paris ISD:  Welcome to Paris ISDDear Parents and Friends of PISD,Next week, you will be receiving your child's STAAR/TAKS resu
Welcome to Paris ISD - Our students are much more than a once-a-year pencil and bubble sheet test
Paris ISD - Welcome to Paris ISD:  Welcome to Paris ISDDear Parents and Friends of PISD,Next week, you will be receiving your child's STAAR/TAKS results for the 2013-2014 school year. I'm writing this letter on behalf of PISD administrators, teachers, staff, and board members. These results should be considered as one of many instruments used to measure your child's growth, not the end-all of your
Here’s what the superintendent of Paris ISD is telling parents about this year’s STAAR results –Yikes! | Dallas Morning News
Here’s what the superintendent of Paris ISD is telling parents about this year’s STAAR results –Yikes! | Dallas Morning News: Here’s what the superintendent of Paris ISD is telling parents about this year’s STAAR results –Yikes!By Jeffrey WeissJWeiss@dallasnews.com4:23 pm on May 17, 2014 | Permalink1601http://unitedoptout.com/This is posted on the Paris ISD website:Next week, you will be receiving
Overtesting Students: Some Truths about Standardized Testing | Connected Principals
Overtesting Students: Some Truths about Standardized Testing | Connected Principals: Overtesting Students: Some Truths about Standardized Testingby Tom Martellone • May 17, 2014 • 0 CommentsMany of us have heard the expression, “Too much of a good thing is bad for you”.  It is no wonder that when people, groups, or organizations take things to the extreme, that misconceptions come about.  Addition
Are we abandoning public education 60 years after historic Brown ruling? | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!
Are we abandoning public education 60 years after historic Brown ruling? | Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Are we abandoning public education 60 years after historic Brown ruling?Filed under: Civil Rights Movement Today,New Jim Crow,Vouchers — millerlf @ 4:02 pm From Valerie Strauss’ Blog at Washington Post Updated: May 16By Barbara MinerIn Milwaukee, one of the country’s most segregat
An Open Letter to Michael Petrilli | Missouri Education Watchdog
An Open Letter to Michael Petrilli | Missouri Education Watchdog: An Open Letter to Michael PetrilliinShareHB1490 is the start to reclaim educational development/delivery by Missourians for Missourians.Anne and I were at the Capitol yesterday for a press conference about the passage of HB1490.  We talked to various legislators about the bill and plans for next year.  It was a full day and we have
Bigotry Is Back, 60 Years After Brown v. Board of Education - The Daily Beast
Bigotry Is Back, 60 Years After Brown v. Board of Education - The Daily Beast: Bigotry Is Back, 60 Years After Brown v. Board of EducationDiscrimination is all around us. But we’re always going to fight to end it, as the sign at Linda Brown’s former elementary school in Kansas reminds us.“The Struggle Continues.” I was almost moved to tears (and I’m not really an emotional guy) after reading these
A Skewed View of EDU | My Island View
A Skewed View of EDU | My Island View: A Skewed View of EDUMay 17, 2014 by tomwhitbyAs I was picking up my Hawaiian shirts from my local dry cleaners last week, I was approached by a former student of 30 years ago, who managed to recognize me all these years and extra pounds later. He mentioned a few of the memories that he had of our student/teacher time together and then offered his view of educ
2nd Banana 5-17-14 Recap of Last Week's Best Post #EDchat #EDreform #RealEdTalk #p2
BIG EDUCATION APE 2ND BANANARECAP OF LAST WEEK'S BEST POSTEducation Buzz / AFT urges use of social media to protest kidnapping of Nigerian school girls #BringBackOurGirls,Education Buzz / AFT urges use of social media to protest kidnapping of Nigerian school girls: AFT urges use of social media to protest kidnapping of Nigerian school girlsPublished: May 7, 2014, 2:01 pm, by Carol McGrawThe Americ
Morning Wink 5-17-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSA Review of My Book by Someone Who Had Never Heard of Me | deutsch29A Review of My Book by Someone Who Had Never Heard of Me | deutsch29: A Review of My Book by Someone Who Had Never Heard of MeMay 17, 2014D.  Forman had never heard of me. She had never read my blog, and she did not know that I had recently published my first book, A Chronicle of Echoes, a





LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-18-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

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








The Day Mark Naison Caught the Attention of TFA
Mark Naison, a co-founder of the Badass Teachers Association (BATS), is America’s Education Gadfly par excellence (that is, assuming that a BAT can also be a gadfly). NAISON, a professor of African-American studies at Fordham University, knows how to get under the skin of the powerful. He recently released a sharp video from his very own EduNews, criticizing Teach for America. TFA—that financial


The Nation Investigates: Teacher Jail in Los Angeles
Are classrooms overflowing with sexual predators? Some school leaders in Los Angeles think they are. The Nation reports on a special investigation where teachers are challenged to clear their names. It starts here with the question of how teachers can prove their innocence. “Iris Stevenson hurt no child, seduced no teenager, abused no student at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles. This is what
Family Cat Saves Boy from Vicious Dog Attack
This is a wonderful video posted on YouTube of a cat saving a little boy from a vicious dog. Does it have any meaning for the world of education? Maybe not. Maybe so, but I won’t strain the obvious metaphor. Is your child that little boy? Who is the dog? Who is the cat? What is the evidence? Use your critical thinking skills.
A Reader Explains the Purpose of Charter School Waiting Lists and Lotteries
A reader left this comment: **************************     I worked in the front office of a charter school for two years. We marketed heavily in the neighborhood and would get hundreds of applications for a school that had anywhere from 30-40 seats available in Kindergarten and 0-2 seats per class available in grades 1 and up. I remember the crestfallen looks on parents’ faces when it was announc
How Much Money Was Spent on the Newark Race and Who Spent it?
The recent victory of Ras Baraka in the mayoral race in Newark was truly a people’s victory. The central issue was the future of Newark’s schools, which have been under state control since 1995. Baraka was opposed by a charter school supporter named Shavar Jeffries, who was bankrolled by out-of-state hedge fund managers, Democrats for Education Reform, and other Masters of the Universe. Blogger
Wow! Detroit EAA Spends $240,000 on Credit Card Debt
Legislators called for an investigation of the Educational Achievement Authority after the Detroit News revealed that Governor Rick Snyder’s favorite “reform” had piled up $240,000 on credit card debt. “Among the findings: $178,000 was spent on hotel and airfare to 36 cities from April 2012 to February, while another $10,000 was spent on gas for Covington’s chauffeured car, $25,000 for IKEA furni


LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONG Diane Ravitch's blog 5-17-14 #thankateacher #EDCHAT #P2
Diane Ravitch's blogLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH ALL WEEK LONGDIANE RAVITCH'S BLOGRhode Island Supreme Court Rejects Equality of School Funding: Sorry, Kids!Almost sixty years to the day of the U.S. Supreme court’s historic Brown decision, the Rhode Island Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit against the stste’s inequitable funding system. The court said it was “deeply concerned” and acknowledged that the


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

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












“Does Family Engagement Matter?”
Does Family Engagement Matter? is a response to the now infamous “Broken Compass” book questioning the usefulness of parent involvement. It’s written by three of the top experts in the field – Karen L. Mapp, Anne T. Henderson, and Nancy E. Hill. I’m adding it to The Best Commentaries On The “Broken Compass” Parent Involvement Book.
Sorry For Multiple Emails To Readers Using That Subscription Option — Problem Should Be Fixed Now
Readers who subscribe to this blog by email received multiple email notifications of yesterday’s post. I know it hasn’t been the first time this has occurred, but Edublogs has gotten on the problem and it should be fixed for good now. I apologize for any inconvenience…


MAY 15

“Scoreboards and butterfly gardens: Is parent fundraising equitable in Montgomery?”
Scoreboards and butterfly gardens: Is parent fundraising equitable in Montgomery? is an article that appeared in The Washington Post. Here’s an excerpt: Parent fundraising and private donations have produced enviable results at some Montgomery County schools: athletic scoreboards, artificial turf, a nearly $250,000 elementary school improvement project. Other schools have seen little of such large

MAY 13

Zuckerberg’s $100 Million Donation To Newark Schools — Parents & Children Lose
I’ve published a number of posts about the $100 million donation Mark Zuckerberg made to Newark’s schools, particularly its sham parent engagement program (see The Best Posts & Articles For Learning About Newark’s $100 Million From Facebook). There’s a big new article in The New Yorker about it but, if you don’t have time to read it, Salon has a very useful summary. Definitely check it out…

MAY 11

“District of Columbia Expands Family-Engagement Program”
District of Columbia Expands Family-Engagement Program is the title of an Education Week post. Here’s an excerpt: Twenty-one schools will participate in the parent partnership program during the 2014-15 school year. Each participating school receives a grant for up to $25,000, Melissa Salmanowitz, spokeswoman for the District’s school system, wrote in an email. According to the release, the Family

MAY 10

Guest Post: Report From The National Family Engagement Conference
I’ve previously published short reports on last month’s National Family Engagement Conference. Today, Carrie Rose, Executive Director of the Parent-Teacher Home Visit Project, has written this guest post about it: Parent-Teacher Home Visits Fit DOE’s Vision Researcher Karen L. Mapp’s lifts up PTHVP in Family Engagement Framework CINCINNATI- Back in the day, did your grandma help with costumes for


5-18-14 Ed Notes Online

Ed Notes Online:











UFT Contract: An Attack on Women
The contract proposal is an attack on feminism. 75% of UFT members are woman. The leadership expects the contract to pass because they anticipate that woman are willing and deserve to accept much lower pay in creases than they deserve.... Comment on Ed Notes After the UFT Brooklyn borough contract meeting, a pregnant teacher came up to ask [Borough Rep] Howie Schoor if anything was added to the co
5-17-14 Ed Notes Online Week
Ed Notes Online: Ed Notes OnlineLayoffs in Newark and Jaisal Noor: Video on Ras Baraka Election in NewarkA mayoral election in Newark becomes a battle for the soul of the city... Jaisal Noor, The Real News, delivers - as usual.Newark may be a future model for the NYC school system despite the Baraka win, who in the New Yorker article admitted he was for a bunch of ed deform - like ending tenure. W

5-18-14 With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs

With A Brooklyn Accent:









Charter Schools: The Education Equivalent of Subprime Mortgages

Charter Schools are looking more and more like the educational equivalent of subprime mortgages---a short cut to greater equity and opportunity that becomes the basis of a huge unregulated industry, which gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to make quick profits, and the very wealthy tax breaks and opportunities for investment.What makes both the charter school and subprime mortgage seductive is t


5-17-14 With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs All Week
With A Brooklyn Accent:With A Brooklyn Accent Go BATs All WeekMark Naison EduNews Takes on Teach for AmericaHere it is!!! Mark Naison EduNews takes on Teach for America!!! http://youtu.be/PREZXh4coIoby Mark Naison / 2d MAY 11On the "Civil Rights" Defense of Common CoreIt is a grave error to portray the Common Core Standards as a Civil Rights measure opposed largely by right wing fanatics




5-18-14 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School:






Daily News Picks Up Deadspin Report On Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Kevin Johnson
From the NY Daily News: In the days leading up to Donald Sterling’s lifetime ban from the NBA, one of the strongest advocates for disciplining the Clippers’ owner was former All-Star guard and current Sacramento, Calif., mayor Kevin Johnson. “The players are waiting for the commissioner to act decisively,” Johnson said in late April, speaking on behalf of the players’ union. “They want the maximum

What NYSED Commissioner John King Finds Disturbing
From Chalkbeat:King spoke at length in defense of the Common Core learning standards during a panel discussion at the conference, which was hosted by Schools that Can, a national nonprofit that helps district, charter, and independent schools collaborate. At one point, when assessing different arguments that he has heard educators make against the Common Core, he noted that some say the standards

Grand Jury Investigating Bridgegate Continues Its Work
This is bad news if you're Chris Christie - and maybe if you're Andrew Cuomo too: The top Port Authority executive who ended the George Washington Bridge lane closings testified before a Jersey grand jury probing the punitive shutdowns. Pat Foye appeared earlier in May before the federal panel in Newark as its Bridgegate investigation continued, the Bergen Record reported. The PA executive directo


5-17-14 Perdido Street School Week
Perdido Street School: Perdido Street School WeekWhat Comes After?There's a lot of talk in schools and around the Internet about voting the UFT contract agreement down and forcing de Blasio to give teachers a better deal in a second agreement.People say this will show the public that teachers are starting to stand up for themselves, they're not going to take getting humiliated or beaten up by the