Tuesday, November 2, 2010

MOVIE REVIEW: The Lottery | Taking Note

MOVIE REVIEW: The Lottery

by JOHN MERROW on 02. NOV, 2010 in CHARTER SCHOOLS, MEDIA, PARENTING, PARENTS, TEACHERS UNIONS, TEACHING

Put one notion to rest: The Lottery is not a poor cousin of Waiting for Superman. In some respects it’s a purer and more honest film, ferocious in its anger. And although an NPR reviewer called it “a devastating piece of propaganda,” the filmmaker begs to disagree.

Madeleine Sackler, not yet 30 years old, says The Lottery simply tells the stories of the lives of four families as they struggle to find better educational opportunities for their children. “That word, propaganda, has a negative connotation,” she said. “This movie is true.”

The Lottery follows four families in a poor part of New York City, a neighborhood with failing schools but also one that is becoming gentrified. As poorer residents see wealthy (generally white) families moving in, they end up fighting for what is theirs, and that means, ironically, that they end up fighting to keep their failing schools.

Sackler has sympathy for the families, whether they are pro- or anti-charte

Union Election Could Shape D.C. Ed. Reform's Future - Teacher Beat - Education Week

Union Election Could Shape D.C. Ed. Reform's Future

by Stephen Sawchuk

Last week, the American Federation of Teachers released results from the internal Washington Teachers' Union election, in which four candidates were vying to run the roughly 4,000-member D.C. affiliate.

You'd be forgiven for expecting a high degree of turnout given all the attention that D.C. has received in the press, but you'd be wrong: A surprisingly low number of teachers voted, just over 20 percent of the teaching force. The outcome was very close, with current WTU Vice President Nathan Saunders' slate coming out 21 votes ahead of incumbent President George Parker. A runoff commences this month with the results due out in early December.

The low turnout doesn't make the stakes any less high for the D.C. school system, though. The winner of this election will be working with interim Chancellor Kaya Henderson on the continuing implementation of the district's teacher contract, including the new IMPACT Plus performance-bonus system. And he'll have the

This Week In Education: Thompson: The Two Sides of Testing

Thompson: The Two Sides of Testing

by john thompson

Bill Gates benefited from a transfer from a public school where testing was not "cool." Gates then became #1 on a math test. So the way to help all students learn is to impose standardized tests on everyone? Gates should read Teacher in a Strange Land and the story of Ryder. Ryder loved to read until the third grade regime of "worksheet after worksheet after worksheet." The smart little boy's love of learning slowly disappeared as he was assigned three timed math fact pages a night. The Accelerated Reading goals and the high-stakes TAKS Math test forced Ryder cry himself to

White Supremacist Group Pours Money Into Private Mississippi Schools | Education | Change.org

White Supremacist Group Pours Money Into Private Mississippi Schools

by Carol Scott

For only $25 a year, you, too, can become a member of the hate-spewing Council of Conservative Citizens, a group that preaches the inherent Christianity of America, the belief that the U.S. is a "European" nation and that "the American people and government should remain European in their composition and character." Translation: White supremacism.

If you're not already repulsed, check out the group's "traditional family values" platform, which opposes homosexuality and "mixture of the races."

There are about a zillion things wrong with this group, but perhaps the scariest thing is that group members

SacCity Breeze - Scholastic Journalism Initiative - Teens resort to fighting

Teens resort to fighting

Tuesday, November 02, 2010 By Anh Minh Tran Gerber Community Road School

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So why does fighting keep occurring at high schools inSacramento? Fighting among students in school is a serious problem in the area. A 2002 national survey of high school student found that more than one in three students had been in a physical fight and about one in seven had been in a physical fight on school property and outside of school.
Those who fight often are hurt badly enough to need medical treatment. A fight typically happens with three or more teens who have chosen to use fighting to resolve conflicts or arguments.
Because fights are so common, many people think that is a normal part of growing up. While it is true that teens (teenage boys in this particular area) have always engaged in fist fights, today most of them carry deadly weapons. A self -administered questionnaire was given to a group of ninth through 12th grade students nationally verified this fact.
Fights that involve weapons, such as guns, knives and bats, are a major cause of serious injuries and deaths among teenagers in school.
Fortunately, an increasing number of teenagers are learning that while disagreements are inevitable, there are more effective ways to resolve a conflict or an argument and keep the peace in the surrounded areas.
Why do some teens fight? When a group of junior and senior high students from the Sacramento area were asked to identify the causes of their most recent fights. The most frequent response was that someone insulted someone or treated them with disrespectfully ( 54 percent). Forty

Will the IEA take solidarity seriously? Seriously. � Fred Klonsky's blog

Will the IEA take solidarity seriously? Seriously.

by Fred Klonsky

Hi Fred,

My name is Pine, and I’m the boycotter working on the Hyatt O’Hare with Unite Here Local 1 and Local 450. I’ve read your blog posts, and wanted to thank you for your strong support for our members and their struggles at the Hyatt. It is clear that you take solidarity seriously, a loyalty that advances all worker struggles.

Today we sent a letter to Ken Swanson signed by the President of Local 1 and the Secretary-Treasurer of Local

Courthouse News Service

Christian Curriculum in Public Schools

By MARIA DINZEO
ShareThis

SACRAMENTO (CN) - A public schoolteacher says she was harassed and reprimanded and that her principal called her an "anarchist" because she objected to Christian faith-based curriculum in her elementary school. She claims the Yuba City Unified School District "has a history of promoting Christianity and/or accommodating Christian faith-based organizations and churches in violation of the California and federal Constitutions."
Lisa Polonsky-Britt, who is Jewish, claims Yuba City schools retaliated by suggesting she transfer to one of two other schools: "St. Isidore's and Faith Christian, both religious schools."
Polonsky-Britt sued the Yuba City Unified School District and four of its administrators in Federal Court.
Polonsky-Britt says that in March 2008, April Lane Elementary School in Yuba City incorporated Christian education into its curriculum, "based, in part on a program called 'Character Counts' a Christian faith based program."
Polonsky-Britt says defendant Angela Huerta, the principal, pushed the unconstitutional program at a staff meeting, saying "that she needed the entire faculty to be 'on board' with the program."
Polonsky-Britt says she "expressed concern about this particular program insofar as it might violate federal and state laws regarding separation of church and state by requiring district resources, i.e., teachers, to implement

High Impact Strategies for Education Philanthropy - National Committee For Responsive Philanthropy

Education Philanthropy

Confronting Systemic Inequity in Education:
High Impact Strategies for Philanthropy

by Kevin Welner and Amy Farley

Every year, foundations provide billions in grants for education. Yet, our education system is in crisis: American schoolchildren – especially those from vulnerable communities - remain trapped in a continuous cycle of inequities in educational access and opportunities.

How can philanthropy be more effective at deploying its limited resources to help reform and improve our nation's school systems? How can philanthropy help break the cycle of persistent inequality, which undermines our American ideals that public education strengthens democracy and our economy, and promotes justice, equity and opportunity?

Confronting Systemic Inequity in Education offers two high impact strategies for education grantmakers to more effectively achieve their missions and help address the root causes of intergenerational inequalities. It recommends a deliberate focus on the needs of students from marginalized communities and on supporting efforts that seek to influence education policy in the country through advocacy, community organizing and civic engagement.

This is the first in a series of Philanthropy at Its Best reports from the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) that invites grantmakers that focus on specific issues to rethink their funding strategies to generate the greatest impact. Future reports will be issued for funders concerned about health, the environment and the arts.

Full Report ( PDF | Order hard copy) | Executive Summary | Media Kit

Press Release | Authors' Bio (Dr. Kevin Welner | Ms. Amy Farley)

Advisory Committee

Learn more about Criteria for Philanthropy at Its Best: Benchmarks to Assess and Enhance Grantmaker Impact

Districts Developing Leaders: Lessons on Consumer Actions and Program Approaches from Eight Urban Districts

Download PDF Now (1,725KB)

Summary:

Many candidates for the job of principal in urban schools are ill-equipped for the work because the training they received too often fell short in providing the skills and experience necessary to improve teaching and learning. This report, commissioned by The Wallace Foundation, looks at efforts in eight Wallace-supported districts to revamp university leader preparation programs. It finds that the districts landed on three consumer-like approaches to promote the preparation of future leaders more likely to succeed in improving troubled city schools. One approach was used by all eight: acting like a “discerning customer” to establish clear expectations for principals, so preparation programs could craft training accordingly.

Published: October 2010, 146 pages

Author(s): Margaret Terry Orr, Cheryl King and Michelle La Pointe

Publishing Organization: Education Development Center, Inc.

Companion Document(s): Executive summary
Wallace Knowledge in Brief

Download PDF Now (1,725KB)

We Also Suggest You Read:

Preparing School Leaders for a Changing World: Lessons from Exemplary Leadership Development Programs – Final Report

Becoming a Leader: Preparing School Principals for Today’s Schools

Learning From Leadership: Investigating the Links to Improved Student Learning

Leadership for Learning Improvement in Urban Schools

Central Office Transformation for District-Wide Teaching and Learning Improvement

How Leadership Influences Student Learning

STUNNING - 'I REMEMBER, SO I'M VOTING, AND NOT REPUBLICAN.'

Insurance Companies are Buying Mike Villines. Are you?

Insurance companies have spent $5.7 million to elect Mike Villines, an anti-consumer, pro-insurance industry candidate for California Insurance Commissioner. They are laundering their contributions through the California Chamber of Commerce so voters don't know who is funding the attack ads against consumer champion Dave Jones.

Tom Torlakson for State Superintendent of Public Instruction 2010 Video

Seattle Public Schools community blog: An SPS Teacher who is a TFA Alum Speaks

An SPS Teacher who is a TFA Alum Speaks

Now you know that normally I wouldn't print anything that is posted anonymously (and this person's original post at the thread will be eliminated). But I decided to print one here so that you can read it for yourself. It is from a Seattle teacher who is a TFA alum (and hey, turns out one of our new Executive Directors is too - Aurora Lora).

As I pointed out in my comments, there seems to not be some clear thinking here - evidence not given for statements made, lack of connection, etc. I would say the last paragraph is, to me, shocking. Because it puts TFA in a status above all other "conventionally" trained new teachers. Not that they are all "better" but really, a better class of people to be teachers.

I find that last paragraph profoundly disrespectful and disturbing.

As a TFA alum teaching in Seattle, I find that many of the comments posted in opposition to TFA go against my direct experience.

First, people seem terribly worried about the five weeks of training

I wanted to vote for peace. But it wasn’t on the ballot. � Fred Klonsky's blog

I wanted to vote for peace. But it wasn’t on the ballot.

by Fred Klonsky

Okay. I voted for the kids.

I voted for education.

I voted against a Tea Party backed candidate for governor.

I voted against Mark Kirk. I really don’t like Mark Kirk.

I voted for Luis. I always vote for Luis. He’s not great. But he’s a good voice for immigrant rights and there’s not too many of those voices these days.

Future teachers must show, not just tell, skills - Boston.com

Future teachers must show, not just tell, skills

By Chris Williams

Associated Press / November 2, 2010

Text size – +

ST. PAUL, Minn.—Standing at the edge of a pond surrounded by her class of fourth-graders, Jasmine Zeppa filled a bucket with brown water and lectured her pupils on the science of observing and recording data. Many of the children seemed more interested in nearby geese, a passing jogger and the crunchy leaves underfoot.

Zeppa's own professor from St. Catherine University stood nearby and recorded video of it all.

"I think it went as well as it possibly could have, given her experience," the professor, Susan Gibbs Goetz, said. Her snap review: The 25-year-old Zeppa could have done a better job holding the students' attention, but did well building on past lessons.

Aspiring teachers like Zeppa are preparing for new, more demanding requirements to receive their teacher license. Under a new system being tested in 19 states, video of student teachers in their classroom will be evaluated and

The Answer Sheet - What other countries are really doing in education

What other countries are really doing in education

My guest is Sean Slade, director of Healthy School Communities, part of the Whole Child Initiative at ASCD, an educational leadership organization. By Sean Slade Are we moving forward or chasing our own tail? As the education reform debate continues – and is fueled by educational documentaries, educational forums and manifestos - let’s take a moment to look at what these countries that we are propping up on a pedestal. For a while now we have been told that the United States is falling behind and that we must catch-up. As Education Secretary Arne Duncan said last Aug. 25: Today, there are many different approaches to strengthening the teaching profession -- both here in America and in countries that are outperforming us such as Finland and Singapore.

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Vote Today! MA Polls Open Until 8 Tonight! �

Vote Today! MA Polls Open Until 8 Tonight!

November 2, 2010 by Irene Sege

Election Day 2010 has arrived! Voting is the cornerstone of a democracy. In today’s close and hotly contested election, turnout matters and every vote counts. We urge our supporters to vote for candidates who support resources and policies that benefit children and promote high-quality early education and third grade reading proficiency.

We also urge our supporters to vote “no” on Question 3, which would roll back the sales tax and cost the commonwealth an estimated $2.5 billion a year in lost revenue – revenue that supports children and families, education and other critical services.

To find out where you vote, visit wheredoivotema.com and enter your home address.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010