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Friday, August 16, 2013

Morning Wink 8-16-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2 #Cheats4Change


BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS


TODAY

teacherken at Daily Kos
teacherken at Daily Kos: Jets versus Sharksmost of us of a certain age will immediately recognize those three words as a reference to West Side Story, a mid-20th century retelling of the Romeo and Juliet saga, set in NYC, with  "American" and Puerto Rican gangs standing for Capulets and Montagues, and the tragic consequences that flow therefrom, despite the very human connection of Tony and Maria.
by mike simpson / 8min 
DREAMer Activist: “I Am Undocumented, Unashamed, and Unafraid” | NEA Today
DREAMer Activist: “I Am Undocumented, Unashamed, and Unafraid” | NEA Today: DREAMer Activist: “I Am Undocumented, Unashamed, and Unafraid”August 16, 2013 by twalker  Filed under Featured News, Top StoriesLeave a CommentBy Angela HarveyCarlos Padilla crossed the border between Mexico and the United States on foot when he was only two years old. He was too young to remember the journey, but has hear
by mike simpson / 1h 
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: "Where I'm From" Using Poetry as an Introduction!
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: "Where I'm From" Using Poetry as an Introduction!(Back to School): "Where I'm From" Using Poetry as an Introduction!(Back to School)A teacher on Edmodo suggested this activity as a way to begin the year. I agree. It's not only a wonderful way for you to get to know your students, but it gives you insight into how they write without the pressure of a prompt. (Hope
by mike simpson / 1h 
8-16-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum:  The Fate of the Mann BuildingThe Horace Mann building at 24th and Cherry was the home of The NOVA Project for thirty years from 1979 to 2009 when misguided District leadership moved the school to the Meany building for no legitimate reason. New leadership quickly decided to move NOVA back into the Mann building and that has been the District's plan for about two y
by mike simpson / 1h 
8-16-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Saturday coffee.  August in New York. We are officially in the last half of August. Officially. Was last summer my first official summer of retirement? Or was this summer the official one? Retirement was supposed to mean that Anne and I would do our traveling off season. Not in summer. This summer we
by mike simpson / 1h 
Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics
Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics: Education Commissioner Pryor: Test scores dropped because we were teaching to the wrong test…Categories: Common Core Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) Education Reform Malloy Standardized Testing Stefan PryorTags: CMTCommon CoreEducation ReformMalloyStandard
by mike simpson / 1h 
Our Gilded Age Education System - In These Times
Our Gilded Age Education System - In These Times: Our Gilded Age Education SystemThe main lesson from the ongoing education debate has little to do with schools and everything to do with money.Former Indiana school superintendent Tony Bennett, in Sept. 2012 (Photo by Eric Bradner / Flickr / Creative Commons)BY DAVID SIROTANo matter how many kids they harm or how many scandals they create, educatio
by mike simpson / 2h 
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 8-16-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: My Advice to the Next Mayor of New York CityIn November, New Yorkers will elect a new mayor. It matters a lot for the future of public education in the city. The mayor has complete control of the city school system. The mayor appoints 8 of 13 members of the city school board, who serve at his pleasure. If one of his appointees dare
by mike simpson / 2h 
8-16-13 Perdido Street School
Perdido Street School:   Allegations That Anthony Weiner Had Relationship With Congressional StafferInevitable - more allegations involving Anthony Weiner:Before he married his wife, Anthony Weiner had a previously undisclosed relationship with an on-again-off-again congressional and campaign aide nearly two decades his junior. In pushing back against the publication of this story, the spokeswoman
by mike simpson / 2h 
8-16-13 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: AFT Drops Hammer on Dearborn Federation of School EmployeesIf I could Photoshop guess whose face you'd see?Randi must think she is Lincoln after the Fort Sumpter attack. Are you surprised that our wonderful national union leaders in the AFT would resort to goon tactics when questions of secession arise within a local? These AFT people showed up at 1107 Washington , the DFSE office
by mike simpson / 2h 
8-16-13 Schools Matter @ The Chalk Face
SCHOOLS MATTER @ THE CHALK FACE: Does @PeterMDeWitt like macaroni and cheese?You never know what might be said on @the chalkface radio.  Last night we interviewed the PRINCIPLED PRINCIPALS’ PRINCIPAL—Peter DeWitt.  How is it possible to talk about macaroni and cheese, AC/DC, “getting off”, data, common core, and ANGER?  Listen for yourself.  And if you actually learn how to kick a little reformer
by mike simpson / 2h 
Governor Andy Writes Education Policy Erotica southbronxschool.com
http://www.southbronxschool.com: Governor Andy Writes Education Policy Erotica Dear Forum;Just to let the readers know, I am a governor of a major Northeast state and dabble in educational matters. For reasons that are obvious I can’t really say who I am.I know the following might seem like a funny coincidence, but rest assured, everything is true.One day as I was working in the backyard of the Ex
by mike simpson / 2h 
Louisiana Educator: Good News! EBR Drops Teacher Firing Quota; Decimation Still Looms
Louisiana Educator: Good News! EBR Drops Teacher Firing Quota; Decimation Still Looms: Good News! EBR Drops Teacher Firing Quota; Decimation Still LoomsThe East Baton Rouge Parish School Board revised its strategic plan last night and dropped its 25% teacher firing quota. This was a sensible action that will remove a misguided threat that would have really damaged the morale of teachers in this la
by mike simpson / 2h 
How students are being set up to fail
How students are being set up to fail: How students are being set up to failBy Valerie Strauss, Published: August 16 at 4:00 amE-mail the writer1CommentsMoreAre school children being set up to fail? Jeff Bryant, an associate fellow at the Campaign for America’s Future, thinks so and explains in this post. Bryant is the owner of a marketing and communications consultancy that serves organizations i
by mike simpson / 3h 

YESTERDAY

An Idiot’s Guide to the Common Core The Santa Barbara Independent
An Idiot’s Guide to the Common Core The Santa Barbara Independent: An Idiot’s Guide to the Common CoreCalifornia Schools Adopt New StandardsThursday, August 15, 2013by BRANDON FASTMAN (CONTACT)Article Tools Print friendly E-mail story Tip Us Off iPod friendly Comments Share ArticleThis school year, teachers will begin to implement the most significant changes to classroom instruction since Califor
by mike simpson / 11h 
Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 8-15-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
Nite Cap UPDATEUPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATECORPORATE ED REFORMEmbracing The ElephantA Man and His Elephant, by Paula Bronstein When I first saw Michael Petrilli’s list of influential education policy tweeters, I laughed. As usual, it’s as important to see who’s left off the list as to see where they rank. We see through whichever lens is given to us at whatever time we read any piece, as well as cr
1 by mike simpson / 11h 
Nite Cap 8-15-13 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2 #Cheats4Change
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 CAPTODAYNYC Educator: Elections Obsolete, Declares Reformy John KingNYC Educator: Elections Obsolete, Declares Reformy John King: Elections Obsolete, Declares Reformy John KingBuffalo has not jumped when Reformy John King snapped his fingers, and that is unac
1 by mike simpson / 15h 
NYC Educator: Elections Obsolete, Declares Reformy John King
NYC Educator: Elections Obsolete, Declares Reformy John King: Elections Obsolete, Declares Reformy John KingBuffalo has not jumped when Reformy John King snapped his fingers, and that is unacceptable to Reformy John. Being King, Reformy John has decreed that the elected school boards ought to be replaced. Evidently, Reformy John is using the New York model. When Emperor Bloomberg found himself ter
by mike simpson / 16h 
The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education
The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education:  ASCD Leaders on Reflection: Matthew MingleA defining trait of leadership is a passion for success and continuous improvement. With progress comes new vistas and new goals, as well as new challenges to overcome in our never-ending quest for knowledge and excellence. Leaders envision a future and great leaders shape that future. With that in mind, we as
by mike simpson / 16h 
Helen Gym: SRC statement: Going to war on your own soldiers | Parents United for Public Education
Helen Gym: SRC statement: Going to war on your own soldiers | Parents United for Public Education: Helen Gym: SRC statement: Going to war on your own soldiersPosted on August 15, 2013 by HELENGYMLeave a commentThese remarks were made at the Aug. 15 SRC special meeting which stripped seniority from the teachers’ contract. This means that the District has the right to arbitrarily determine which sta
by mike simpson / 16h 
Confessions of a Bad Teacher: Buy the Book! | Parents Across America
Confessions of a Bad Teacher: Buy the Book! | Parents Across America: Confessions of a Bad Teacher: Buy the Book!We were delighted when teacher/author John Owen asked for a book jacket blurb from PAA, and even more thrilled to see that he concludes “Confessions of a Bad Teacher” by recommending that people join Parents Across America as a first step in addressing the concerns raised in the book. H
by mike simpson / 16h 
Study shows Jim Crow-era segregation persists in Texas schools
Study shows Jim Crow-era segregation persists in Texas schools « NewsTaco: Study shows Jim Crow-era segregation persists in Texas schoolsBy Phys.org A first-of-its-kind study from researchers in the College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin shows that, in addition to being isolated by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, English language learners in Texas schools also are separ
by mike simpson / 16h 
Choosing Democracy: New Data Shows School 'Reformers' Are Getting it Wrong | Perspectives, What Matters Today | BillMoyers.com
Choosing Democracy: New Data Shows School 'Reformers' Are Getting it Wrong | Perspectives, What Matters Today | BillMoyers.com: New Data Shows School 'Reformers' Are Getting it Wrong | Perspectives, What Matters Today | BillMoyers.comNew Data Shows School 'Reformers' Are Getting it Wrong | Perspectives, What Matters Today | BillMoyers.comDavid Sirota.Meanwhile, despite the fact that many “reformer
by mike simpson / 16h 
How to Survive Education Reform Without Losing Your Job, Your Ideals, or Your Mind | Gary Rubinstein's Blog
How to Survive Education Reform Without Losing Your Job, Your Ideals, or Your Mind | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: How to Survive Education Reform Without Losing Your Job, Your Ideals, or Your MindAbout a year and a half ago, The Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) contacted me to ask if I’d write something for the new teacher edition of the magazine Educational Leadership.  So
by mike simpson / 18h 
Diane in the Evening 8-15-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: How Albany Hurts ELLsState Commissioner John King, Regents’ Chancellor Merryl Tisch, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Chancellor Dennis Walcott are proud of the Common Core tests that failed 70% of the children of New York State. They say it is “”very good news” that the tests got much harder. They don’t care that the achievement gaps
2 by mike simpson / 18h 
A Society with Poor Critical Thinking Skills: The Case for ‘Argument’ in Education | toteachornototeach
A Society with Poor Critical Thinking Skills: The Case for ‘Argument’ in Education | toteachornototeach: A Society with Poor Critical Thinking Skills: The Case for ‘Argument’ in Education by Rabbi Shmuly YanklowitzResearchers have shown that most students today are weak in critical thinking skills. They do poorly on simple logical reasoning tests (Evans, 2002). Only a fraction of graduating high s
by mike simpson / 19h 
SBE Schedule - Meeting Minutes & Schedule
SBE Schedule - Meeting Minutes & Schedule (CA Dept of Education): SBE ScheduleMeeting calendar for the California State Board of Education (SBE).Meetings will be held in Room 1101 at the address shown below. Meeting agendas are available online.2013 Meeting DatesJanuary 16, 2013March 13-14, 2013May 8-9, 2013July 10-11, 2013September 4-5, 2013 [The preceding meeting date has been changed to Sep
by mike simpson / 20h 
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Not letting a good crisis go to waste, Philly Supt. goes after seniority rights
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Not letting a good crisis go to waste, Philly Supt. goes after seniority rights: Not letting a good crisis go to waste, Philly Supt. goes after seniority rights“You never let a serious crisis go to waste." -- Rahm EmanuelIf you doubt that the current school budget crisis is in large part, a manufactured one, just take a look a Philly where Supt. William Hite is using
by mike simpson / 20h 
Statement on $50 million in (maybe) city funds: It’s still not enough | Parents United for Public Education
Statement on $50 million in (maybe) city funds: It’s still not enough | Parents United for Public Education: Statement on $50 million in (maybe) city funds: It’s still not enoughPosted on August 15, 2013 by PARENTSUNITEDPHILALeave a comment“It’s not enough” Parents United for Public Education acknowledges the Mayor and City Council for their (albeit confused) efforts to ensure the opening of schoo
by mike simpson / 20h 
Frustrated with Philly schools stalemate, parents join District workers in fast | Philadelphia Public School Notebook
Frustrated with Philly schools stalemate, parents join District workers in fast | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Frustrated with Philly schools stalemate, parents join District workers in fastby thenotebook on Aug 15 2013 Posted in Latest news="" style="color: rgb(76, 153, 72); cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px;">Share on emailCOMMENTS (0)PRINTPhoto: Charlie Kaier/WHYYUNITE HERE
3 by mike simpson / 20h 
Will You Join the Supports-Based Education Movement? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights
Will You Join the Supports-Based Education Movement? | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights: Will You Join the Supports-Based Education Movement?By Joseph Bishop on August 15, 2013By Joseph Bishop, Director of the National Opportunity to Learn Campaign and Executive Director of Opportunity ActionLast week, New York education officials released scores from the first Common Core-align
by mike simpson / 20h 
Routines and Procedures to Start the Year Right — Whole Child Education
Routines and Procedures to Start the Year Right — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGRoutines and Procedures to Start the Year RightAugust 15, 2013 by ASCD Whole Child BloggersPost written by Kerry Griswold FitchPiano instructor Frances Clark once said, "Teach the student first, the music second, and the piano third." We must first teach our students our expectations and how to be successf
by mike simpson / 20h 
Promethean Plan: A Teacher on Fulfilling the Intent of the Common Core, Part 2
Promethean Plan: A Teacher on Fulfilling the Intent of the Common Core, Part 2 « The Core Knowledge Blog: Promethean Plan: A Teacher on Fulfilling the Intent of the Common Core, Part 2by Guest BloggerAugust 15th, 2013Tags: Common Core State Standards, Mark AndersonPosted in accountability, Assessment and Testing, Education Practice, Educational Policy,Literacy | No Comments »By Mark AndersonMark A
by mike simpson / 21h 
8-15-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education News News RoundupA couple of interesting contributors to Stephan Blanford's campaign - former Board member Nancy Waldman (ousted from office in the wake of the Olechefske financial scandal) and former Board member (and Seattle mover and shaker) Don Nielsen.    One oddity, though, is a contribution out of Indianapolis from the Eli Lilly company.  Why Eli L
by mike simpson / 21h 
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee wants to talk education reform with Alabama teachers | al.com
Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee  wants to talk education reform with Alabama teachers | al.com: Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee  wants to talk education reform with Alabama teachersIt's a Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee PartyShe will bring the cash, you bring the chipsMONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Controversial education reformer Michelle Rhee wants to talk with Alabama teachers.Rhee, the founde
3 by mike simpson / 22h 
Top Twitter Feeds in Education Policy: Full of Klout | The White Rhino: A Chicago Latino English Teacher
Top Twitter Feeds in Education Policy: Full of Klout | The White Rhino: A Chicago Latino English Teacher: Top Twitter Feeds in Education Policy: Full of KloutBy Ray Salazar, Wednesday at 9:06 pmInspired by a blog post about BAM! Radio Network's push to take on taboo education topics, I'm writing about the inequality that must be leveled--too many voices in the local and national education policy c
by mike simpson / 22h 
8-15-13 Jersey Jazzman: Criteria, Norms, NASCAR, and Driving Tests in NY
Jersey Jazzman: Criteria, Norms, NASCAR, and Driving Tests in NY: Criteria, Norms, NASCAR, and Driving Tests in NYHere's a bit of completely made up news: the New York State Education Department is taking over driving exams for the state's Motor Vehicles Department. As we all know, the unacceptable rate of accidents on New York's roads is due to a lack of "rigor" in driving instruction. John King,
by mike simpson / 22h 
The Network For Public Education | We are many. There is power in our numbers. Together, we will save our schools.
The Network For Public Education | We are many. There is power in our numbers. Together, we will save our schools.: Join Us in Welcoming New Board MembersWe are pleased to welcome four new members to the NPE Board of Directors! These new members have dedicated their lives to public education. They share the values and vision of NPE, and will bring great experience to our ever-growing Network. Dian
by mike simpson / 22h 
Oregon declared at 'high risk' of breaking agreement with U.S. Department of Education to rate teachers partly by test scores | OregonLive.com
Oregon declared at 'high risk' of breaking agreement with U.S. Department of Education to rate teachers partly by test scores | OregonLive.com: Oregon declared at 'high risk' of breaking agreement with U.S. Department of Education to rate teachers partly by test scoresThe U.S. Department of Education today declared Oregon at "high risk" of failing to rate teachers in part based on their students'
by mike simpson / 22h 
New Education Standards Face Growing Opposition - NYTimes.com
New Education Standards Face Growing Opposition - NYTimes.com: By MOTOKO RICHPublished: August 15, 2013 18 CommentsFACEBOOKTWITTERGOOGLE+SAVEE-MAILSHAREPRINTSINGLE PAGEREPRINTSRelated in OpinionROOM FOR DEBATEThe American Way of LearningShould education standards and funding be uniform across the U.S., or should they vary by state?Readers’ CommentsShare your thoughts.Post a Comment »Read All Comme
by mike simpson / 22h 
Teach For America’s ‘dirty little secret’
Teach For America’s ‘dirty little secret’: Teach For America’s ‘dirty little secret’By Valerie Strauss, Published: August 15 at 11:15 amE-mail the writerTeach For America founder Wendy Kopp (The Washington Post)Teach For America is famous for many things these days, including its five-week summer training institute in which newly selected corps members are “prepared” to take over classrooms with h
2 by mike simpson / 23h 
Cali Education Headlines Thursday, August 15, 2013
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: The Parent Trigger warriors of Watts: How a Special Forces Hero and a Group of Moms Took Back Weigand ElementaryEducation HeadlinesThursday, August 15, 2013The Parent Trigger warriors of Watts: How a Special Forces Hero and a Group of Moms Took Back Weigand ElementaryTo understand how far Weigand fell, on average 54 percent of the students ac
by mike simpson / 23h 
Morning Wink 8-15-13 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2 #Cheats4Change
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSTODAYDebunking Reformy “Messaging”: A Philadelphia Story | School Finance 101Debunking Reformy “Messaging”: A Philadelphia Story | School Finance 101: Debunking Reformy “Messaging”: A Philadelphia StoryPosted on August 15, 20130       Rate ThisLet’s take another trip back to Philadelphia for the day, because the reformy conversation around Philadelphia is
1 by mike simpson / 23h


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8-16-13 teacherken at Daily Kos

teacherken at Daily Kos:







Jets versus Sharks
most of us of a certain age will immediately recognize those three words as a reference to West Side Story, a mid-20th century retelling of the Romeo and Juliet saga, set in NYC, with  "American" and Puerto Rican gangs standing for Capulets and Montagues, and the tragic consequences that flow therefrom, despite the very human connection of Tony and Maria.   This morning I was reflecting on how man
3 by rss@dailykos.com ... / 3min 

8-15-13 teacherken at Daily Kos
teacherken at Daily Kos: shocking newly found video of Japanese Tsunamiyou will be able to watch the water coming in, which begins to be clearly evident about 3 minutes in, and then to watch the water recede.   So much water.  So much damage.2 by rss@dailykos.com ... / 8min 8-13-13 teacherken at Daily Kosteacherken at Daily Kos: Eugene Robinson asks "What NSA reforms?"In this Washington Post op ed
by mike simpson / 10h 
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DREAMer Activist: “I Am Undocumented, Unashamed, and Unafraid” | NEA Today

DREAMer Activist: “I Am Undocumented, Unashamed, and Unafraid” | NEA Today:

DREAMer Activist: “I Am Undocumented, Unashamed, and Unafraid”

August 16, 2013 by twalker  
Filed under Featured News, Top Stories
EmailShare
By Angela Harvey
Carlos Padilla crossed the border between Mexico and the United States on foot when he was only two years old. He was too young to remember the journey, but has heard his mother tell the story of how he and his brother, then six, and his four-year-old sister made the 12-hour journey from Tijuana to Los Angeles.
The Padilla family did not have documentation to reside in the country legally, so for years they lived in the shadows of society familiar to many undocumented immigrants. Padilla first became aware of exactly how his immigration status affected him when he began looking at college applications in his sophomore year of high school.
“When the Social Security number question came up, I knew that was not my reality,” Padilla said. Without being able to apply for financial aid he began to see college as an unobtainable goal. “I realized that I could only pursue my education so far, there was always going to be a wall between me and my dream and that hurt.”
Carlos Padilla
Padilla, now 21, and a student at the University of Washington, is currently a summer intern at the National Education Association. Recently, he and his colleague, David Liendo, shared their powerful stories to show support for comprehensive immigration reform and passage of the DREAM Act, which would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented high-school graduates and GED recipients who meet various requirements, including the completion of at least two years of college or four years of 
 
Back to School: A Surefire Strategy for Building Classroom Community
Without an excellent, intentionally designed, emotional environment (one which builds authentic community in the classroom), the standards and the technologies are of little value. There are three facets of a classroom and school environment: 1) the physical environment, 2) the emotional environment, and, 3) the academic environment. Source: Edutopia Related posts: New Teacher Support: Building a
by twalker / 1min mark as read  //  save
Duncan Pledges More Help for Parents Seeking Federal College Loans
The Education Department is taking new steps to help parents obtain federal college loans if their applications are rejected because of minor problems in their credit history — an effort to address complaints about tighter lending standards that has hurt enrollment at historically black colleges and universities. Source: The Washington Post Related posts: Must Reads – Immigrants and College Duncan
by twalker / 1min 
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DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: "Where I'm From" Using Poetry as an Introduction!(Back to School)

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: "Where I'm From" Using Poetry as an Introduction!(Back to School):

"Where I'm From" Using Poetry as an Introduction!(Back to School)

A teacher on Edmodo suggested this activity as a way to begin the year. I agree. It's not only a wonderful way for you to get to know your students, but it gives you insight into how they write without the pressure of a prompt. (Hopefully,"What I Did On My Summer Vacation" writing assignment has gone the way of the dinosaur.)

My intention is to use Google Docs to collaboratively brainstorm all the things we would want to tell people about ourselves. Then I will use the example that was written, and identify what we learned about the author from her poem. I've decided to use a student example I found online as well, to help them fully understand what this format is about. In the end though, I want them to define it themselves. There is a lesson on Scholastic designated for grades 9-12, but I am going to make it work for my 5th graders.

I will save these on Google, create a flipbook , or a Narrable, definitely find a way to present it as a class project. We have book binder machines so I will create a book to keep in the classroom all year.

I don't expect this to be done in one day. I hope my students will learn more about themselves as they write, so I, and the other students can understand who, and why, they are. I will also revisit their poems as we learn more about imagery and figurative language.

I created my own, "Where I'm From.."poem (Warning:Work in Progress)
I'm from BROOKLYN.
I'm from Panamanians, who for a better life, immigrated to the Estados Unidos.
I'm from running, bike riding, handball until it hurts, darkness telling you it's time to go in.
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8-16-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum

Seattle Schools Community Forum:





Seattle Schools Strategic Plan Motto
Every Student.Every Classroom.Every Day.Three Goals, 50,000 Journeys.What do you think?I'm good with this.  I just would like to see the entire plan more streamlined and focused as the motto.
by Melissa Westbrook / 5min 

Seattle School Board Meeting Next Wednesday - It Will Rock
And roll.Looks like there is going to be a LOT of activity at the Board meeting on Wednesday.  Apparently we may see:- teachers who are unhappy about the possible class size increase- community organizers unhappy about their exit from the Horace Mann building in order to make way for Nova to come backand now,- the so-called Our Schools group.  Here's their reason to be at the Board meeting:Nearly
by Melissa Westbrook / 0min 

Friday Open Thread
It's a map, map, map world.You saw the map I put up yesterday about the most highly paid public employee in each state (mostly sports coaches of some sort).  More interesting maps have crossed my path and some you might share with your children.ArtsEd Washington, a group that supports arts education in public schools,  has a map showing all the school districts in the state.  It does give you paus
by Melissa Westbrook / 19min 

 The Fate of the Mann Building
The Horace Mann building at 24th and Cherry was the home of The NOVA Project for thirty years from 1979 to 2009 when misguided District leadership moved the school to the Meany building for no legitimate reason. New leadership quickly decided to move NOVA back into the Mann building and that has been the District's plan for about two years now.During the brief intervening period the District rente
by Charlie Mas / 4min 

8-15-13 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Education News News RoundupA couple of interesting contributors to Stephan Blanford's campaign - former Board member Nancy Waldman (ousted from office in the wake of the Olechefske financial scandal) and former Board member (and Seattle mover and shaker) Don Nielsen.    One oddity, though, is a contribution out of Indianapolis from the Eli Lilly company.  Why Eli L
by mike simpson / 5h 
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8-16-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.

Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.:




Breaking. Demolition crews at Whittier School in Pilsen. Parents threatened with arrest.
  Outside Whittier School in Pilsen early Friday evening. La Casita, the building parents and community residents around Whittier School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood wanted for a library may not survive the night. Twitter and Facebook accounts say that demolition crews have arrived. Police are threatening parents with arrest. The National Lawyers Guild has posted: “We have been contacted rega
1 by Fred Klonsky / 2min

The in box. “You never want a good crisis to go to waste.” – Rahm Emanuel
- Kenzo Shibata In Klein’s book The Shock Doctrine, she explains how immediately after Hurricane Katrina, Friedman used the decimation of New Orleans’ infrastructure to push for charter schools, a market-based policy preference of Friedman acolytes. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was the CEO of Chicago Public Schools at the time, and later described Hurricane Katrina as “the best thing that ha
1 by Fred Klonsky / 11min 


The in box. The invisible (wo)man.
From Jose Vilson: If we believe in two sides of education reform (I don’t), then one side seems to do a better job of proffering their people of color more so than the other, at least from the outside. Even if we believe Michelle Rhee, Steve Perry (the principal), and the rest merely serve as puppets to a corporate agenda, to the casual observer, that side espouses diversity much more than “this”
by Fred Klonsky / 3min 


Saturday coffee.
  August in New York. We are officially in the last half of August. Officially. Was last summer my first official summer of retirement? Or was this summer the official one? Retirement was supposed to mean that Anne and I would do our traveling off season. Not in summer. This summer we traveled a lot. This week we are taking our final official summer trip. Saturday coffee is in Brooklyn. Sunday we
by Fred Klonsky / 5min
  
8-15-13 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: Senator Kwame Raoul and the disarray in the Illinois Democratic Party.  Pension bomber Representative Elaine Nekritz and Pension Committee Chair Senator Kwame Raoul. Illinois Democrats have a problem. In the eyes of many voters they appear to be Republicans. Democrats control both chambers of the stat
by mike simpson / 8h 
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Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics

Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics:







Education Commissioner Pryor: Test scores dropped because we were teaching to the wrong test…
Categories: Common Core Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) Education Reform Malloy Standardized Testing Stefan PryorTags: CMTCommon CoreEducation ReformMalloyStandardized TestingStefan PryorWait, What? According to the CT Mirror, “Pryor said some of the more pronounced decreases in lower grades may be due to the shift to the Common Core curriculum, which has a different pace and a more analytical app
20 by jonpelto / 26min 
 
8-15-13 Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics
Wait, What? - Working to educate, persuade and mobilize through "perceptive and acerbic" observations about Connecticut Government and Politics: “Superintendents get pre-school pep talk from Malloy and Pryor”Categories: Common Core Connecticut Mastery Test (CMT) Education Reform Malloy Standardized Testing Stefan PryorTags: CMTEducation ReformMalloyStandardized TestingStefan PryorAs the CT Mirror
by mike simpson / 10h 
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Our Gilded Age Education System - In These Times

Our Gilded Age Education System - In These Times:

Our Gilded Age Education System

The main lesson from the ongoing education debate has little to do with schools and everything to do with money.
Former Indiana school superintendent Tony Bennett, in Sept. 2012 (Photo by Eric Bradner / Flickr / Creative Commons)
BY DAVID SIROTA
No matter how many kids they harm or how many scandals they create, education 'reformers' continue getting jobs.
Paradoxes come in all different forms, but here's one that perfectly fits this Gilded Age: the most significant lesson from the ongoing debate about American education has little to do with schools and everything to do with money. This lesson comes from a series of recent scandals that expose the financial motives of the leaders of the so-called education “reform” movement—the one that is trying to privatize public schools.
The first set of scandals engulfed Tony Bennett, the former Indiana school superintendent and much-vaunted poster boy for the privatization push. After voters in that state threw him out of office, he was quickly given a job as the education chief in Florida. At the same time, his wife not-so-coincidentally landed a gig with the Florida-based Charter Schools USA—a for-profit company that not only has an obvious interest in Bennett privatizing Florida schools, but that also was previously awarded lucrative contracts by Bennett in Indiana.
Grotesque as it is to shroud such self-enriching graft in the veneer of helping children, the self-dealing controversy wasn't Bennett's most revealing scandal. That distinction goes to recent news that Bennett changed the grades of privately run charter schools on behalf of his financial backers. Indeed, as the Associated Press reported, “When it appeared an Indianapolis charter school run by a prominent Republican donor might receive a poor grade, Bennett's education team frantically overhauled his signature 'A-F' school grading system to improve the school's 
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