Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top AM Posts #ows #edreform

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty Matters

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Jersey Jazzman: Poverty Matters:Poverty Mattersby DukeA conversation about poverty and international test score comparisons from the comments:Stuart Buck said..."But for a woman who is so worried about defining poverty, it seems like quite a stretch to claim so assuredly that this is a "more valid" comparison than Ravitch's."The reason it's more valid is that even if it's a flawed way to measure poverty, at least different

Occupy the Academy Awards | California Father #ows

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Occupy the Academy Awards | California Father:Occupy the Academy Awardsby California FatherAs we gear up for Occupy The Tournament of Roses Parade can thoughts of occupying the Oscars be very far off? Thinking about it put me in mind of two fellow CalArtists who crashed that glamorous event nearly 25 years ago, bringing down the Hollywood 1% before it was in style.

Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1% | Labor Notes #ows

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Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1% | Labor Notes:Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1%Howard Ryan| December 26, 2011Rahm Emanuel, whom Occupy Chicago has dubbed Mayor 1%, fired another shot at the city’s public schools this month. He's proposed to close schools, fire teachers and staff, and hand over space to private charter school operators. Photo: Chicago Teachers Union.Rahm Emanuel, whom Occupy Chicago has dubbed Mayor 1%, fired another shot at the city’s public schools December 1. He proposed seven school closings and ...more »

Blue Jersey:: Winning charter school strategy: protect wealthy towns?

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Blue Jersey:: Winning charter school strategy: protect wealthy towns?:Winning charter school strategy: protect wealthy towns?by the_promised_landHere is a curious turn of events in the ongoing debate over whether local school districts can be forced to spend taxpayer money on charter schools at the expense of public schools and without any local vote.It concerns the Hua Mei charter school proposal, a Mandarin-immersion school. Earlier this year, the proposal would have included - and thus drawn funds from - Christie hometown Livingston, ... more »

The Touchy-Feely Future Of Technology : NPR

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The Touchy-Feely Future Of Technology : NPR:The Touchy-Feely Future Of Technologyby NPR STAFFIn 1975, when then-composer and performer Bill Buxton started designing his own digital musical instruments, he had no way of knowing he was helping to spark the next technological revolution. But nine years — and a master's in computer science — later, that all changed."I wasn't trying to make a computer interface, I was just trying to make a drum," Buxton tells NPR's Robert Siegel. "Did I envision ... more »

A December of Deceptions, Misleads and Misteps by Florida Republicans on Education Policy | Scathing Purple Musings

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A December of Deceptions, Misleads and Misteps by Florida Republicans on Education Policy | Scathing Purple Musings:A December of Deceptions, Misleads and Misteps by Florida Republicans on Education Policyby Bob SikesEducation commissioner Gerard Robinson had a nice little spin on this month’s release of state graduation numbers.“I want to commend Florida’s teachers, students, parents and school leaders for their dedication to helping their students learn and earn their high school diplomas,” Florida Education Commissioner Gerard Robinson stated in a release. ... more »

What to expect in January from the corporate privatizers in the state of Washington | Seattle Education

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What to expect in January from the corporate privatizers in the state of Washington | Seattle Education:What to expect in January from the corporate privatizers in the state of Washingtonby seattleducation2011Remember: There is nothing “public” about charter schools except the funding of these franchises by our tax dollars.This began as a memorandum to a group of political and education activists in the state of Washington but as I started writing this, I realized that everyone in the state of Washington ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CHRISTMAS QUOTABLES

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Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: CHRISTMAS QUOTABLES:CHRISTMAS QUOTABLESby Mike KlonskyCommunity activist Martha Sanchez, right, shares an emotional moment with her children, Gonzalo Romero, 17, and Catherine Romero, 12, celebrating victory in an eight-year battle to shut down a metal-finishing plant across the street from 28th Street Elementary School in Los Angeles. (Luis Sinco, Los Angeles Times)Danny SchechterI did my Christmas penance back in a very cold and all too empty Zuccotti Park on Christmas day. There had been a 24 hour ... more »

He dresses up history and his students like the fit - latimes.com

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He dresses up history and his students like the fit - latimes.com:He dresses up history and his students like the fitRoosevelt High teacher Chuck Olynyk uses costumes and props to encourage his students to become engaged with distant times and connect their own lives to history. But beneath the period garb, says a school principal, is a good instructor who cares about his classes.Comments1Share25Sophomores Ricardo Plascencia, left, and Guillermo Bazan, right, help Roosevelt High School world history teacher Chuck Olynyk ... more »

Occupy the Dream #ows

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Occupy the Dream:Members of the African-American faith community have joined forces with Occupy Wall Street to launch a new campaign for economic justice inspired by the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. Faithful to its philosophical origin, the "Occupy the Dream" coalition has called for a National Day of Action on Martin Luther King Day – Monday, January 16, 2012 – to focus attention on the gross injustice visited upon the 99% by the financial elite.Occupy the Federal Reserve ... more »

Quality Blogging & Commenting Audit Meme | Langwitches Blog

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Quality Blogging Commenting Audit Meme | Langwitches Blog:Quality Blogging Commenting Audit MemeDecember 25, 2011 Assessment, Collaboration, Featured Carousel, MemeNo CommentsAs a follow up to the series Stepping it Up: Learning About Blogs FOR your Students, I would like to crowdsource more samples of blog posts and comments for teachers to practice recognizing, evaluating and assessing various levels of quality work.A meme might be a good way to get the ball rolling.Wikipedia defines a Meme as:A meme is “an idea, behavior ... more »

Lesson #2 – Leadership is IMPORTANT | Connected Principals

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Lesson #2 – Leadership is IMPORTANT | Connected Principals:Lesson #2 – Leadership is IMPORTANTby sharrisNBCS SCIL 2012 Leadership FrameworkI find leadership a fascinating topic. If something typifies our 21st century world for me, it is the lack of leadership where and when it is needed. This is evident in micro and macro contexts – in countries, communities and schools. The issue is possibly that the media focuses way too much on political leadership and political leaders seem way too concerned ... more »

ASCD Inservice: College, Careers, Citizenship

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ASCD Inservice: College, Careers, Citizenship:College, Careers, Citizenshipby ASCD BloggersCollege, Careers, Citizenship"College and career ready" has become a catchphrase for public schools. But what does it actually mean? It makes sense for schools to hold themselves accountable not just for student proficiency scores and graduation rates but also for students' success after graduation. But many educators are concerned that high schools are now treating college as the only desirable option and neglecting career and citizenship goals.ASCD Express is looking for short, ... more »

Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom. « Fred Klonsky

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Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom. « Fred Klonsky:Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom.from Fred Klonsky's blog by Fred KlonskyWhen former Vice President Dick Cheney appeared in a military courtroom at Fort Meade, Maryland, last week, it was his first public appearance in more than 19 months. Cheney has been held without trial for the past year and a half; only now is a hearing being conducted to determine if there is sufficient evidence to refer his case ...more »

Connecting the Classroom to the Capitol « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

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Connecting the Classroom to the Capitol « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Connecting the Classroom to the Capitolby Klea ScharbergWhat works best for children? What must we all—educators, families, policymakers, and community members—do to ensure their success? Answering those questions pushes us to redefine what a successful learner is and how we measure success. ASCD’s Whole Child Initiative seeks to change the conversation about education from a focus on narrowly defined academic achievement to one that encompasses a ... more »

Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan

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Now is not the right time for more charter schools in Michigan:OPINION: Now is not the right time for more charter schools in MichiganOn Dec. 14, our state legislators passed Senate Bill 618 to allow more charter schools in Michigan. Wasting no time, Gov. Rick Snyder signed it into law on Dec. 20. The leaders in Lansing like the idea of choice and competition, and when the population in Michigan is growing, that way of thinking would be just fine.But ... more »

Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ - NY Daily News

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Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ - NY Daily News:Charter schools are not the solution: The widow of famed UFT leader Albert Shanker blasts ‘reformers’ They are unwilling to work within the systemBY EADIE SHANKER NEW YORK DAILY NEWSMonday, December 26 2011, 3:50 AMLegendary teachers union leader Al Shanker would not have supported the current charter school movement.Battle over airwaves pits UFT vs. pro-charter forcesEditorial: Jobbing school reformBam education plan ... more »

SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reform - Washington Times

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SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reform - Washington Times:SIMMONS: Keep a watchful eye on high cost of school reformBy Deborah Simmons-The Washington TimesSunday, December 25, 2011**FILE** D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray (Associated Press)STORY TOPICSEducationD.C. Public Education Finance Reform CommissionChristmasFOLLOW US ONFACEBOOKQUESTION OF THE DAYDid you spend less this Christmas because of the economy?YesNoUndecidedOtherLogin to VoteView resultsCOMMENTS (1)RECOMMENDTWITTERLINKEDINREAD LATEREMAILPRINTTEXT SIZE: +| -CLICK-2-LISTENSHAREANALYSIS/OPINIONThere’s a na... more »

Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board -- WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

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Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board -- WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --:Education Inspector General Kathleen Tighe Selected to Lead Recovery Board WASHINGTON, Dec. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Kathleen S. Tighe, the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Education and a strong proponent of transparency and accountability in government, has been selected by President Obama to serve as the new Chair of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board.(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100702/RECOVERYLOGO)... more »

The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011 - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

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The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011 - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:The Quiz: Test yourself on education in 2011by Valerie StraussThe year 2011 was monumental in education — monumentally good or monumentally bad, depending on your view.School reformers who believe in using business principles to run public schools had a banner year. More states expanded the number of charter schools, promoted vouchers and moved toward using student test scores to evaluate teachers.Read full article

Supervisors learn to use critical eye on teachers - NorthJersey.com

Supervisors learn to use critical eye on teachers - NorthJersey.com:

Supervisors learn to use critical eye on teachers

MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2011 LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY DECEMBER 27, 2011, 5:57 AM

BY LESLIE BRODY

STAFF WRITER

THE RECORD

PAGES: 1 2 3 4 5 > DISPLAY ON ONE PAGE | PRINT | E-MAIL

Administrators searching for clues to good teaching in Bergenfield on a recent morning weren't looking for charm, brilliance or chemistry with kids.

BUY THIS PHOTO

They were hunting for nitty-gritty. Was the goal of the day's lesson written someplace students could see? Did everyone participate? How much time did students spend — or waste — putting their names on their papers?

Details like these mattered to supervisors learning to conduct more keen-eyed classroom observations.Bergenfield is part of the Christie administration's pilot project to devise more precise, uniform teache

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: While public schools go begging...

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: While public schools go begging...:

While public schools go begging...

by Mike Klonsky

Cities spend billions on militarization

Thousands of local police departments nationwide have been amassing stockpiles of military-style equipment in the name of homeland security, aided by more than $34 billion in federal grants since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, a Daily Beast investigation conducted by the Center for Investigative Reporting has found. Obvious question for Occupiers is, who are these WMDs really pointing at?

Answers could come from Chuck Wexler who runs the govt.-funded Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). Despite implausible denials here and in this

Special Ed Parents to Schools: Don’t Give Us Your Stinking High Stakes Tests | California Father

Special Ed Parents to Schools: Don’t Give Us Your Stinking High Stakes Tests | California Father:

Special Ed Parents to Schools: Don’t Give Us Your Stinking High Stakes Tests

by California Father

After reading this post by Nirvi Shah, California Father commented tersely:

I guess no one in the NCLD teaches. Keeping schools accountable by teaching children with disabilities to the same mind-numbing, spirit-killing tests we subject general ed kids to is doing them no favors. NCLD should get off the “accountability” band wagon and focus on individual student needs not the arbitrary mandates of ignorant politicians.

It just ticks me off when organizations like the National Center for Disabilities and Easter Seals whine because,

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty Matters

Jersey Jazzman: Poverty Matters:

Poverty Matters

by Duke

A conversation about poverty and international test score comparisons from the comments:

Stuart Buck said...

"But for a woman who is so worried about defining poverty, it seems like quite a stretch to claim so assuredly that this is a "more valid" comparison than Ravitch's."

The reason it's more valid is that even if it's a flawed way to measure poverty, at least different

Occupy the Academy Awards | California Father #ows

Occupy the Academy Awards | California Father:

Occupy the Academy Awards

by California Father

As we gear up for Occupy The Tournament of Roses Parade can thoughts of occupying the Oscars be very far off? Thinking about it put me in mind of two fellow CalArtists who crashed that glamorous event nearly 25 years ago, bringing down the Hollywood 1% before it was in style.

Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1% | Labor Notes #ows

Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1% | Labor Notes:

Chicago Teachers Battle Mayor 1%

Howard Ryan

| December 26, 2011

Rahm Emanuel, whom Occupy Chicago has dubbed Mayor 1%, fired another shot at the city’s public schools this month. He's proposed to close schools, fire teachers and staff, and hand over space to private charter school operators. Photo: Chicago Teachers Union.

Rahm Emanuel, whom Occupy Chicago has dubbed Mayor 1%, fired another shot at the city’s public schools December 1. He proposed seven school closings and phase-outs, 10 “turnarounds” in which all the teachers and staff get fired, and six “co-locations,” where private charter school operators grab portions of existing public schools.

Two days later, the Chicago Teachers Union and community groups responded with a teach-in that brought 500 to a high school in South Chicago. CTU and allies pledged to fight through grassroots organizing, street mobilization, maybe even occupying schools.

Chicago communities have fought school closings for years, sometimes successfully, sometimes not. About 100 public schools have been shuttered since 2004, when the city’s Commercial Club unveiled its Renaissance 2010 sch
o

Missouri Education Watchdog: What did your kids (or kids you know) receive for Christmas? Will those Gifts Make them Creators or Consumers?

Missouri Education Watchdog: What did your kids (or kids you know) receive for Christmas? Will those Gifts Make them Creators or Consumers?:

What did your kids (or kids you know) receive for Christmas? Will those Gifts Make them Creators or Consumers?

by stlgretchen

Blogger David McElroy has an article about the Christmas presents children receive and how these presents reveal what adults expect of them. He has some interesting thoughts on how children learn to create (or not).

I remember one of my favorite gifts at Christmas when I was seven

2011 Lesson #3 – “Do then think”: take risks | Connected Principals

2011 Lesson #3 – “Do then think”: take risks | Connected Principals:

2011 Lesson #3 – “Do then think”: take risks

by sharris

Avalon learning space in action - kids love the ideas wall

Okay … this lesson probably commenced in my early childhood if I count the number of hospital visits from bumping into (stupidly designed) concrete telegraph poles in Auckland, slipping off high chairs to raid the top kitchen cupboards or eating poisonous plants because they looked nice. But the notion of learning by doing really took ground in 2005 when I visited the Icelandic Ministry of Education. Their motto: ‘do then think’. Why,

Daily Kos: A good part of what is wrong with Congress

Daily Kos: A good part of what is wrong with Congress:

A good part of what is wrong with Congress

by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)

can be seen in this Washington Post article, just posted, from which I quote the following:

Between 1984 and 2009, the median net worth of a member of the House has risen 2 1 / 2 times, according to the analysis of financial disclosures, rising from $280,000 to $725,000 in inflation-adjusted dollars.

Over the same period, the wealth of an American family has declined slightly, with the median sliding from $20,600 to $20,500, according to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics from the University of Michigan.

All figures have been adjusted for inflation and exclude home equity, which is not included in

Being a Student Ally: Teachers as Necessary Voices of Protest « Cooperative Catalyst

Being a Student Ally: Teachers as Necessary Voices of Protest « Cooperative Catalyst:

Being a Student Ally: Teachers as Necessary Voices of Protest

by rad fag

Standing up to authority is about standing up for our students, our communities and ourselves.

A few months ago I was teaching a somewhat uninspiring writing curriculum to a group of sixth graders as part of teacher training program. As young educators, participants in the training were expected to prepare original lessons from a pre-written curriculum and teach them to classes of about twenty students on a daily basis. We were observed by mentor teachers several times a week, and met with those mentors about once a week to receive feedback on our growth as aspiring teachers. Even with many great supports in place, my colleagues and I were struggling to make the curriculum our own, as well as making it engaging for our students. The program, which was private and in league with many of the standard “reform” movements of the day, put a great