Saturday, May 21, 2011

'Two Teachers And A Microphone' Rap About Standardized Testing

WATCH: Pink Slips Prompt Teachers To Rap

by Huffington Post News Team

They served Los Angeles' youth, got served pink slips, and now they are serving up fresh educational rhymes over the internet.

The anonymous teacher-turned-hip hop duo, Two Teachers and a Microphone, have gained a small, educational cult following for their informative rap videos that protest teacher layoffs and ask the public to take a stand.

This week, Two Teachers are back at it again with a new video about standardized testing and a specific message directed towards policy makers: "we teach human beings, not test takers."

Their catchy chorus captures the essence of their frustration:

"Because the kids we teach we are so much more than a value assigned from a test score. And the same is true for the teachers too so don't use it as a tool to bury our schools."

WATCH:

The youtube account that hosts their videos provides a blurb about the teaching renegades:

We are both products of LAUSD schools and have spent our careers teaching in LAUSD schools.

Little Red Schoolhouse: gone, but unforgettable

School days, school days,

Dear old golden rule days

Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic

Taught to the tune of the hickory stick

You were my queen in calico

I was your bashful, barefoot beau

And you wrote on my slate, "I love you, Joe"

When we were a couple of kids.

Google Chrome: It Gets Better

Beginning with one inspiring video, Dan Savage used the web to create the It Gets Better project--a movement that has generated thousands of uplifting videos that give hope to teens.

David Morris: And the Winner Is ... the Public Sector

by David Morris

Unlike the public sector, the private sector is bred for efficiency. Left to its own devices, it will always find the means to provide services faster, cheaper, and more effectively than will governments.

-- James Jay Carafano, Private Sector, Public Wars

I suspect the vast majority of Americans would agree with Mr. Carafano. They probably consider the statement self-evident. The facts, however, lead to the opposite conclusion. When not handicapped by regulations designed to subsidize the private sector, the public sector often provides services faster, cheaper and more effectively.

Consider the results of recent privatization initiatives in three key sectors: health, education and national defense.

Health

Alone among all industrialized nations, the U.S. relies on private for profit insurance companies to manage its health care system. The result? The U.S. has by far the most expensive health care system in the world both in total cost and as a percentage of GDP.

But we don't have to look abroad to evaluate the comparative costs of private and public health systems. Consider Medicare.

Small privatization efforts under Medicare began in the 1980s but did not become full-borne until 1997 when the Republican Congress, with the support of President Clinton, created Medicare+Choice. Secure in their faith that the private is always superior to the public, the Republicans agreed to a program in which private insurers would receive the same amount as the service cost under Medicare.

The public sector proved uncompetitive. Private insurers began pulling out en masse. In 2000, more than 900,000

U.S. Government Starts Digital Literacy Site

STEPP Program

A new pilot program that aims to improve access to electronic textbooks for students with disabilities announced today that it has received funds from the U.S. Department... > Read more

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Basic Computer Skills

A training on basic online skills (computer, email, word processing, and web skills).

GCFLearnFree.org

The Goodwill Community Foundation offers free, great online learning on a wide range of basic and intermediate skills in Microsoft office applications, computer basics, Internet basics, social... Read more

Best practices for web design or redesign

A collection of best practices for each step of the web design process.


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NTIA Increases Digital Literacy in the San Bernardino Community

The Housing Authority of San Bernardino, in partnership with the Career Institute National Federation Center, is using a 12-week workforce training program to improve digital literacy among low-... Read more

New Mexico State Library Provides Digital Literacy and Workforce Training Throughout the State

The New Mexico State Library’s Fast Forward New Mexico project provides digital literacy and small business development training sessions at public and tribal libraries throughout the state. In... Read more

Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Bedford Dwellings Offers Free Computer Access and Digital Literacy Classes

The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Bedford Dwellings offers free computer and internet access to help residents further their education and find employment opportunities. The Bedford... Read more

Modern School: Reality Banned in Tennessee (Again)

Reality Banned in Tennessee (Again)

by Michael Dunn

It has been nearly 90 years since the infamous Scopes Monkey Trial, which made the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, the laughing stock of the nation, as they successfully punished a science teacher for teaching evolution. The state is at it again, only this time the reality that is being prohibited is homosexuality.

The Tennessee Senate has approved Senator Stacey Campfield’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which would prohibit K-8 teachers from acknowledging that there is such a thing as homosexuality. The bill outlaws any curriculum or discussion of “any sexuality other than heterosexuality,” ostensibly to protect children from the complex and confusing nature of homosexuality. The law would also prevent counselors from discussing homosexuality with gay and questioning youth. The bill won’t go before the House until next year.

Contrary to the misinformation put out by the law’s backers, the law does not put into place reasonable controls over the discussion of a controversial topic at school—it seeks to completely eliminate all discussion of the topic. If a child complains to a teacher or counselor that he or she has been bullied because of their actual (or

The Spirit of America: a Short Story About Standardized Testing (and Other Sins)

by California Father

Giving this crazy effed up CST test to my courageous students has put me in mind of this short story by one of my favorite authors. Enjoy:

The Spirit of America
By Vincent Precht
Boys and girls, please be seated and let me have your attention. It is Thursday, April 6, 2011.
First I have a few announcements.
Number one. We have a new student. Hervé. Hervé’s father is from Martinique. Where is that, class? It’s here, on this dusty globe. As he cannot speak English, we must all learn French.
Number two. As I have told you before, my mother is very ill. I may have to leave you to be with

How to destroy a school system - Isthmus | The Daily Page

How to destroy a school system
The public needs to wise up to the GOP's true agenda
Ruth Conniff on Thursday 05/19/2011, (1) Comment

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U.S. Government Starts Digital Literacy Site | Larry Ferlazzo's Websites of the Day...

U.S. Government Starts Digital Literacy Site

by Larry Ferlazzo

Last week, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke unveiled DigitalLiteracy.Gov, “a new website that provides libraries, community colleges, schools and workforce training centers a variety of resources and tools for teaching computer and Internet skills, which are increasingly necessary for success in today’s economy.”

I don’t think most teachers familiar with tech are going to find a whole lot of new resources in the site’s “educator tools” section, but I did find the “learn the basics” list interesting. There are other sections, too, and people can contribute resources to them.

I’m adding the site to The Best Websites For Students To Learn About Computers.

Thanks to Josie Fraser for the tip.