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 CAP
Education Week: School Board Transparency a Challenge in Digital Age
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
Education Week: School Board Transparency a Challenge in Digital Age: School Board Transparency a Challenge in Digital Age Santa Fe school board members turned over nearly 40 pounds of business correspondence from their personal email accounts. —Luis Sánchez Saturno/The New Mexican By Nora Fleming Premium article access courtesy of Edweek.org. Read more FREE content! [image: Article Tools] - [image: Print]Printer-Friendly - [image: Email]Email Article - [image: Reprint]Reprints - [image: Comments]Comments - - - School board members are struggling to interpre... more »
Schools Matter: America Awakening to Refreshing New Possibility: Tell Bill Gates to Take His Money and Go to Hell
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
Schools Matter: America Awakening to Refreshing New Possibility: Tell Bill Gates to Take His Money and Go to Hell: America Awakening to Refreshing New Possibility: Tell Bill Gates to Take His Money and Go to Hell by Jim Horn When the LA Times starts having doubts about the wisdom of His Aged Geekiness, Billy Gates, then you have to know the worm is turning quickly. After all, it was the LA Times that published Gates-approved teacher ratings that ended in the suicide of Rigoberto Ruelas in 2010. Perhaps Team Obama should have a second look at its decision to put corporate founda... more »
The in box. Why the silence at home Congresswoman Schakowsky? | Fred Klonsky
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
The in box. Why the silence at home Congresswoman Schakowsky? | Fred Klonsky: The in box. Why the silence at home Congresswoman Schakowsky? by Fred Klonsky [image: jan]Fred, The ironic part is that Schakowsky has NOT tolerated the same logic for cutting Social Security benefits by Republicans in DC that Springfield Democrats like Biss are employing in their attempts to gut Illinois pensions.Attacks from Republicans such Social Security adding to the deficit have been transformed by “progressive” Democratic like Biss into claiming pension benefits add to the state budget deficit. S... more »
Student Suspension and Expulsion Rates - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 minutes ago
Student Suspension and Expulsion Rates - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Releases First Detailed Data on Student Suspension and Expulsion Rates [image: Fix School Discipline]*Support for AB 420 (Dickinson) – Disruption and Defiance: **Reducing Grounds for Harsh Discipline **National Lawyers Guild of Sacramento* * * * * *Milestone for CALPADS sets baseline for this data collection* SACRAMENTO—About one California student in 20 was suspended from school and one in 1,000 was expelled in the 2011-12 school year, according to data released for the first... more »
@john_merrow blames teachers’ unions as potential “creator” of Rhee. Hmm. – @ the chalk face
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 59 minutes ago
@john_merrow blames teachers’ unions as potential “creator” of Rhee. Hmm. – @ the chalk face: @john_merrow blames teachers’ unions as potential “creator” of Rhee. Hmm. by Chalk Face, PhD Diane Ravitch reported this. Then, Fred Klonsky got in on it, who should be respected for his positions on teachers’ unions. Merrow made his comments thusly: And finally U created her. “U” is my shorthand for teacher unions. This is simple physics: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” The “Michelle Rhee” phenomenon is the inevitable product of, and reaction to, intransig... more »
Approved Substitute System for Time Accounting - Correspondence (CA Dept of Education)
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Approved Substitute System for Time Accounting - Correspondence (CA Dept of Education): April 9, 2013 Dear County and District Chief Business Officials, Categorical Program Directors, and Charter School Administrators: Approved Substitute System for Time Accounting for Federal Programs We are pleased to announce that the United States Department of Education (USDE) has approved a new substitute system for time accounting for federal programs for use by all local educational agencies (LEAs). This new substitute system is in addition to the substitute system previously approve... more »
PPIC Statewide Education Survey: Special Survey on Californians and the Initiative Process, September 2005 (PPIC Publication)
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Californians and the Initiative Process, September 2005 (PPIC Publication): [image: Public Policy Institute of California] PPIC Statewide Survey: Special Survey on Californians and the Initiative Process, September 2005 Mark Baldassare September 2005 Full Report[PDF, 1355K] Press Release[HTML] Read in Spanish *Some findings of the current survey* - Californians think that initiatives (39%) should have more influence than the legislature (32%) or governor (18%) over state policy. - Most residents (74%) feel that initiatives raise impo... more »
What Makes or Breaks a Principal? — Whole Child Education
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
What Makes or Breaks a Principal? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: ASCD Whole Child Bloggers]What Makes or Breaks a Principal? April 19, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child Bloggers In this *Educational Leadership* article, Gordon Donaldson, George Marnik, Sarah Mackenzie, and Richard Ackerman focus on the relational skills school leaders must use to build strong, sustainable, solid relationships and thriving schools—skills not typically taught in workshops or courses, so many principals have to figure them out on their own. The first skill to focus on is becoming an *activ... more »
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Let's ALL Get On This: Let Your Legislator Know What Matters
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Let's ALL Get On This: Let Your Legislator Know What Matters: Let's ALL Get On This: Let Your Legislator Know What Matters by Melissa Westbrook I normally don't agree with a lot of the thought process over at LEV. But here's something I agree with: *Which of these makes more sense to you? A) Keeping questionable industry tax breaks on the books? OR B) Amply funding our schools? If you picked "B," it's time to voice your choice. Please take two minutes of your time sending a message to your legislators. * We need to get a tsunami of e-mails to... more »
Diane in the Evening 4-19-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: *Oh Look Arne, a Picture of Diane Ravitch!* A Fawning Interview with Bill Gates by dianerav Read this and prepare to gag unless you are the president of your regional Bill Gates Fan Club. Did you know that Bill is warm and cuddly when he talks about how he plans to make US education the very best in the world without spending more? Don’t doubt for a minute that he knows how to do it. He has been reforming education for years, and think of all he has done. Well, let’s see, there is….. The article begins: “Afte... more »
Randi Weingarten's Pension Veto - WSJ.com
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Review & Outlook: Randi Weingarten's Pension Veto - WSJ.com: *Randi Weingarten's Pension Veto* The teachers union chief tries to blackball hedge funds that support school reform. Public pension funds are frantically chasing higher yields to reduce their roughly $3 trillion in unfunded liabilities. But don't tell that to Randi Weingarten, the teachers union el supremo, who is trying to strong-arm pension trustees not to invest in hedge funds or private-equity funds that support education reform. That's the remarkable story that emerged this week as the American Federation of Tea... more »
The Bylaws of the Bridgeport Board of Education: Policy 9270: Conflict of Interest - Wait, What?
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The Bylaws of the Bridgeport Board of Education: Policy 9270: Conflict of Interest - Wait, What?: The Bylaws of the Bridgeport Board of Education: Policy 9270: Conflict of Interest by jonpelto As a member of the Bridgeport Board of Education, Hernan Illingworth took actions that directly benefited him and the company that he works for. *That is an ethics violation.* *It is a serious ethics violation and it requires action.* *Mayor Finch, the state is waiting to see how you handle this issue*. *The Bylaws of the Bridgeport Board of Education: Policy 9270: Conflict of Interest* *(1) ... more »
April 24th, 2013: A Pivotal Day for Louisiana Education | deutsch29
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
April 24th, 2013: A Pivotal Day for Louisiana Education | deutsch29: April 24th, 2013: A Pivotal Day for Louisiana Education by deutsch29 The 2012 Louisiana legislative session yielded two mammoth, anti-teacher, pro-privatization laws, Acts 1 (Teacher Evaluation and Tenure; Role of School Boards, among other changes) and Act 2 (Vouchers). Fortunately, canning both teachers and schools is not proceeding as smoothly as both Governor Bobby Jindal and State Superintendent John White would have liked. Both Acts 1 and 2 are currently under appeal with the Louisiana Supreme Court. Both ... more »
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Responds to Cheating Accusations, Takes on Teachers Unions | The Conference Channel Blog
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Responds to Cheating Accusations, Takes on Teachers Unions | The Conference Channel Blog: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Responds to Cheating Accusations, Takes on Teachers Unions Culture, Politics by Zain Iqbal Long considered a failing institution, the D.C. public school system was overdue for a shake-up when newly elected Mayor Adrian Fenty took office in 2007. Enter Michelle Rhee, a education professional who sparked interest among mid-career professionals who sought opportunities as public school teachers through The New Teacher Proje... more »
Mother Crusader: Hebrew Charters Hit The Broadway Stage
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Mother Crusader: Hebrew Charters Hit The Broadway Stage: Hebrew Charters Hit The Broadway Stage by darciecima It's Their Party And We're Not Invited Are you free this Sunday? Do you have an extra $50,000 lying around? If you answered yes to both of those questions, then you could be eligible to attend the inaugural benefit for the five charters in the Hebrew Charter School Center's (HCSC) network (including Hatikvah, which is taking almost $300,000 from my small district next year). "Afternoon at the Theater" is a *private *performance of Roald Dahl's "Matilda The Musical" at t... more »
Test Resentment and the Politics of the Common Core - Dana Goldstein
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Test Resentment and the Politics of the Common Core - Dana Goldstein: Test Resentment and the Politics of the Common Core by Dana Goldstein There is a growing national movement to opt one's children out of public school standardized tests, and much of its energy is flowing out of New York state, which this week debuted Common Core-aligned exams in English, created by the Pearson corporation. These tests ask much more challenging free response and essay questions than students are accustomed to, and were rolled out before many schools and teachers received all the new curriculum m... more »
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Friday, April 19, 2013
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Math Framework Public Comment Period Opens - **Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)* Education Headlines *Friday, April 19, 2013* Alisal school chief's spending under scrutinyThe personal use of official credit cards by the superintendent of the Alisal Union School District is being investigated on two fronts, officials said Thursday. San Jose's Metropolitan Education District names new superintendentThe Metropolitan Education District board has named Alyssa Lynch of Campbell as its next superintendent. Lynch replaces Paul Hay, who ... more »
Education Research Report: PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION: ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Education Research Report: PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION: ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL: PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN EDUCATION: ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* * * *This Week's Education Research Report 4-6-13 * Schools seeking to boost parental involvement will need to tailor their approaches to match parents' differing views and concerns, according to a new report from Public Agenda. The report, "Ready, Willing and Able? Kansas City Parents Talk About How to Improve Schools and What They Can Do to Help," indicates that parental involvement means ve... more »
Leading PBL Schoolwide? Tips to Get Started — Whole Child Education
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Leading PBL Schoolwide? Tips to Get Started — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Andrew Miller]Leading PBL Schoolwide? Tips to Get Started April 19, 2013 by Andrew Miller Many schools are making major changes in structures and professional development (PD) to make sure teachers are implementing effective project-based learning (PBL) schoolwide. I've been honored personally to be part of that journey with many schools. I have seen many different kinds of PBL schools, and with it, many kinds of PBL projects. This work has also reaffirmed the belief that the principal ... more »
NYC Public School Parents: One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School: One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessment of School by Molly Earlier this year, Molly Moody of Class Size Matters interviewed Nikhil Goyal, seventeen-year old student writer and international speaker, to discuss his new book, *One Size Does Not Fit All: A Student’s Assessmentof School*. Goyal is well known as an advocate for student voice. In addition to his book, published in 2012, you can find his writing in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, MSNBC, NPR, NBC Ni... more »
Criminalizing Children at School - NYTimes.com
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Criminalizing Children at School - NYTimes.com: Criminalizing Children at SchoolBy THE EDITORIAL BOARD The National Rifle Association and President Obama responded to the Newtown, Conn., shootings by recommending that more police officers be placed in the nation’s schools. But a growing body of research suggests that, contrary to popular wisdom, a larger police presence in schools generally does little to improve safety. It can also create a repressive environment in which children are arrested or issued summonses for minor misdeeds — like cutting class or talking back — that once... more »
UPDATE: Indiana C of C History of Backing Poor Education Policy + Ohio House Strips PARCC Funding from Budget | Truth in American Education
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Ohio House Strips PARCC Funding from Budget | Truth in American Education: Indiana Chamber of Commerce’s History of Backing Poor Education Policy by Erin Tuttle [image: Indiana Chamber of Commerce]The Indiana Chamber of Commerce promotes itself as a steward for the people and businesses of Indiana. No doubt it has done a lot of good for the state. But its support of the Common Core, a new national set of K-12 academic standards and tests in math and English, isn’t doing Indiana any favors. The Chamber has a poor track record on education issues. From *A Nation at Risk* in 1986, thr... more »
Who Created Excuses for Michelle Rhee? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Who Created Excuses for Michelle Rhee? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Who Created Excuses for Michelle Rhee? by Anthony Cody Educators are living an absolute nightmare of absurd accountability. Guided by the misguided notion that teachers are capable of singlehandedly overcoming the blight of poverty, "reformers" have created systems that have them evaluated based on test score growth, sometimes even for students they have never even taught. Yet when it comes for taking accountability for their own actions, some people are willing to give the reformers all sorts ... more »
UPDATE: Breaking: They won’t call the pension bomb to a vote this time. Next try is the week of April 29th. | Fred Klonsky
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Data driven. | Fred Klonsky: Breaking: They won’t call the pension bomb to a vote this time. Next try is the week of April 29th. by Fred Klonsky They still don’t have the votes in the Illinois House to ignore the state’s constitution. The House adjourned today. HB3411 wasn’t called. HB34511 cuts the cost of living adjustment and raises the age when retirees can receive it, limits pensionable earnings and creates a 3rd tier of TRS employees that would have their defined benefit turned into a defined contribution. The House sponsors of HB3411 are Tom Cross - Elaine Nekritz - David H... more »
Rhee's Credibility Questioned as High-Stakes Testing is Exposed Again | California Progress Report
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Rhee's Credibility Questioned as High-Stakes Testing is Exposed Again | California Progress Report: Rhee's Credibility Questioned as High-Stakes Testing is Exposed Again by callen *By Lisa Schiff* Last week, high-stakes testing queen Michelle Rhee, was exposed. Thanks to the impressive investigative work of reporterJohn Merrow, the final dots have been connected making it clear that when Rhee was superintendent of Washington D.C.'s public schools, serious levels of cheating were occurring spurred on by the unrealistic pressure she put on principals and that she was fully aware of ... more »
NPE Webinar #2: How to Organize a Student Group | The Network For Public Education
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
NPE Webinar #2: How to Organize a Student Group | The Network For Public Education: NPE Webinar #2: How to Organize a Student Group by admin NPE Webinar #2: How to Organize a Student Group - Tuesday, April 30, 8:30 pm Eastern Featuring student activists Stephanie Riviera, Sarah Smith and Israel Munoz, plus guests from the Newark student walkout! These dynamic students will discuss the ways they have taken action to affect change around their own educational futures, and provide suggestions and advice for other students who want to do the same. Stephanie is enrolled at Rutgers, and... more »
UPDATE: GUEST POST: Nipping Dissent + ANNOUNCEMENT: At the Chalk Face and Schools Matter to join forces – @ the chalk face
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
ANNOUNCEMENT: At the Chalk Face and Schools Matter to join forces – @ the chalk face: GUEST POST: Nipping Dissent, By Edwin Mayorga and Julie Gorlewski by plthomasedd Nipping Dissent: The Hollow Centrality of Neoliberal Democracy and Multiculturalism By Edwin Mayorga and Julie Gorlewski (with support from reclaimAERA) “I am weary of the abuse of social media by writers hurling anonymous, venomous insults—a practice that encourages the general retreat to intellectual neighborhoods. Our work and our interactions with one another should model productive conversation about the nature ... more »
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: NYT: More cops in schools wrong approach to school safety
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: NYT: More cops in schools wrong approach to school safety: NYT: More cops in schools wrong approach to school safety by Mike Klonsky Thank you, New York Times Editorial Board, for affirming what many of us have been arguing for years. School violence is not mainly a policing problem, and adding more cops in schools doesn't make those schools any safer. Instead, it tends to criminalize students, especially students of color, and raises the expectation of violence, contributing to a culture that is antithetical to teaching and learning. According to ... more »
Missouri Education Watchdog: The "Stop Common Core" Movement Consists of Right Wing Whackos and Third Party Whackos. It's All Good.
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: The "Stop Common Core" Movement Consists of Right Wing Whackos and Third Party Whackos. It's All Good.: The "Stop Common Core" Movement Consists of Right Wing Whackos and Third Party Whackos. It's All Good. by stlgretchen The growing displeasure about the adoption/implementation of Common Core has united disparate groups of folks concerned about the privatization and centralization of education. Edweek.com featured*A Progressive and a Conservative Find Common Ground Opposing the Common Core *and* *how different political philosophies are set aside by... more »
» AFT Report Highlights Hedge Fund Managers Who Secretely Work to Undermine Pensions
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
» AFT Report Highlights Hedge Fund Managers Who Secretely Work to Undermine Pensions: AFT Report Highlights Hedge Fund Managers Who Secretely Work to Undermine Pensions by Chaz Bolte AFT President Randi Weingarten A new report from the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) lists 34 executives at hedge funds and investment firms who help make contributions to or are leaders of organizations with a negative view on traditional pensions. In naming these executives the union is hoping to persuade other unions to stop investing the flow of pension funds to groups with close ties to ... more »
MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 4-19-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Handwriting Expert to NC and SC: Don’t Mandate Cursive Writing by dianerav In their eagerness to drag the schools and children of their states back to the early 20th century, legislators in North Carolina and South Carolina want to mandate the teaching of cursive writing. (North Carolina Los wants to pass a law mandating that all children memorize the multiplication tables.) these legislators usually spend their time coming up with ways to privatize public scho... more »
Louisiana Educator: Jindal Tries to Resurrect Act 1
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: Jindal Tries to Resurrect Act 1: Jindal Tries to Resurrect Act 1 by Michael Deshotels *Dear Educator:* Next Wednesday April 24 at 1:00 PM could be the most important day of the legislative session for teacher issues. If you care about the future of the Education profession, you should contact the members of the House Education Committee about several important bills that are scheduled to be heard, *especially if you live and vote in any of their districts!* (Click here to go to the Ed Committee web site where you can get the email address of members by click... more »
Daily Kos: Boston Police Commissioner announces Black Hat dead (Updates below fold)
mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Daily Kos: Boston Police Commissioner announces Black Hat dead (Updates below fold): Boston Police Commissioner announces Black Hat dead (Updates below fold) by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *5:58: I will no longer update this diary. Someone else can keep up with the ongoing news.* *Now 5:29. I will put future updates below this line in pushdown fashion, LIFO* *5:47*basically now a lockdown of much of the area just west of Boston - Newton, Waltham, Cambridge, Allston, Brighton, as well as Watertown. Watertown on total lockdown. Situation is described as "Grave." *5:45* The... more »
Common Core Standards attacked by Republicans
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Common Core Standards attacked by Republicans: Common Core Standards attacked by Republicans Posted by Valerie Strauss on April 19, 2013 at 4:00 am 3 Comments More [image: commoncore1]Republicans have launched an attack on the Common Core State Standards, an initiative that more than 45 states and the District of Columbia signed onto but that has been facing increasing opposition in recent months from both right and left. This new effort could undermine what has largely been bipartisan cooperation on the Core and is coming even as some states are already implementing the Common Core... more »
Ed Notes Online: MORE's Patrick Walsh: Fear and Loathing and the Common Core
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Ed Notes Online: MORE's Patrick Walsh: Fear and Loathing and the Common Core: MORE's Patrick Walsh: Fear and Loathing and the Common Core by ed notes online *... everything about the Common Core State Standards * ** *Initiative, beginning with its name, stinks to high heaven. Everything about this privately funded, privately owned, secretly created scheme, sponsored by the un-elected National Governors Association and given pseudo academic legitimacy by the equally unelected but lofty sounding Council Of Chief State School Officers, is meant to obscure or hide altogether what the ... more »
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 4-18-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE* * * ** *UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* ** *CORPORATE ED REFORM* Chicago Students Organizing to Save Our Schools Like This Page · about an hour ago Now is the time to fight for what is right. It's never to late to go back to the times of building- NOT destroying! Support the Chicago Students Organizing to Save our Schools on a student-led city-wide Boycott on April 24TH (2ND Day of PSAE) to send the message to Rahm Emanuel and CPS Board of Education- that CPS students are Under-resourced, Over Tested, and Fed UP! Now is the time to fight for what is right! CSOS... more »
MichelleRhee is the fault of the teacher unions. Just ask John Merrow. | Fred Klonsky
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
MichelleRhee is the fault of the teacher unions. Just ask John Merrow. | Fred Klonsky: Michelle Rhee is the fault of the teacher unions. Just ask John Merrow. by Fred Klonsky [image: john_merrow]John Merrow is freakin’ unbelievable. The guy once was in love with MichelleRhee.* *While I don’t think my reporting for the NewsHour was puffery, we did produce twelve (!) pieces about her efforts over the 40 months — about two hours of primetime coverage. That’s an awful lot of attention.* *Did anyone else get that much air time from us? Well, yes, we also produced twelve reports about Pa... more »
New York ELA day 3 more #pearson & #NYSED fail – @ the chalk face
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
New York ELA day 3 more #pearson & #NYSED fail – @ the chalk face: New York ELA day 3 more #pearson & #NYSED fail by Chris Cerrone [image: @TCF on Blog Talk Radio] Here are some early updates: - *Nike sneakers in 6th grade reading passage. * Our children face enough commercialization in their lives as it is. We do not need this is our schools. I guess we can call the passages *“Infomercial texts”* (credit to Leonie for that quote) - From the NY Post on product placement. ( Yeah, I know) The future of our schools thanks to Common Core? Or are they the “Corporate ... more »
Leaders Develop Leaders — Whole Child Education
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Leaders Develop Leaders — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Steven Weber]Leaders Develop Leaders April 18, 2013 by Steven Weber Do you remember your first year in the classroom? It was an adrenaline rush everyday! We wanted to change the world, inspire students to become great, support struggling students, establish our own reputations as excellent teachers, and earn the respect of our colleagues. I would not trade my first year of teaching for other opportunities. Whether we recognize it or not, the first several years of teaching and administration focus on pers... more »
Math Framework Public Comment Period Opens - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Math Framework Public Comment Period Opens - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Announces Public Comment Period Open on New Common Core Math Framework SACRAMENTO—California is moving one step closer to implementing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics with the release today of the draft *Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools, Kindergarten through Grade Twelve*for public comment, said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson. "This draft *Math Framework* is an important step on California's path toward the... more »
NYC Educator: Authentic Assessments
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NYC Educator: Authentic Assessments: Authentic Assessments by NYC Educator It's remarkable that the geniuses at NYSED came up with new tests replete with product placements. They're very proud that the materials are all authentic. Perhaps this will teach our children how to more accurately process the next Diet Coke with Bacon ad, or the next coupon they find online. It will certainly help our kids if we are able to tell them, "Buy one, get one free," is advantageous to "Pay for two, and get one." Now I was personally never taught that, and as a result, I had to learn it on the ... more »
Position paper: Why Parents Across America. opposes mass school closings | Parents Across America
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Position paper: Why PAA opposes mass school closings | Parents Across America: Position paper: Why PAA opposes mass school closings by pureparents *What are mass school closings?** ** *Mass school closings occur when school districts decide to close large numbers of public schools in a community within a single year, citing a variety of reasons like “underutilization” or academic failure. These closures go far beyond the periodic need to close schools because of drops in a district’s school-age population. Rather, they result from policies pushed by the corporate education refo... more »
Jersey Jazzman: Buyer's Remorse in Newark
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Jersey Jazzman: Buyer's Remorse in Newark: Buyer's Remorse in Newark by Duke *NJ's new teacher evaluation system: Operation Hindenberg* The head of the Newark Teachers Union, Joe Del Grosso, is not very happy these days Six months since Newark and its teachers union agreed to a historic new contract,* the president of the NTU has publicly blasted Superintendent Cami Anderson over the district's finances.** * “I am writing to you about a serious problem that has persisted in the state-operated district of Newark,” wrote Joseph Del Grosso, president of the Newark Teachers Union, i... more »
Student Non-Discrimination Act: Jared Polis, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Reintroduce Anti-Bullying Bill
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Student Non-Discrimination Act: Jared Polis, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Reintroduce Anti-Bullying Bill: Student Non-Discrimination Act: Jared Polis, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Reintroduce Anti-Bullying Bill by Joy Resmovits Bayli Silberstein, an eighth-grade student in a Florida public school, saw it firsthand. Her friends, she said, were routinely bullied for their sexual orientation. "Watching it tear apart my friends is what scared me the most. It's not right, I don't like it, and I don't see my friends going through it." But when she tried to start the Gay-Straight Alliance in her school,... more »
Math framework for Common Core ready for your critique | EdSource Today
coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Math framework for Common Core ready for your critique | EdSource Today: Math framework for Common Core ready for your critique - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald A draft of the California math curriculum framework went online Wednesday for public comments and suggestions. While weighing in at 1,200 pages, the document is actually a readable grade-by-grade manual that puts meat on the bare-bones Common Core standards that the state adopted in 2010. It explains the rationale for key standards and puts them in context of what students will learn, while providing guidance on... more »
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