10-28-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL:

“What do You do When You’re Having a Bad Day in The Classroom?”

What do You do When You’re Having a Bad Day in The Classroom? is the new “question of the week” at my Education Week Teacher column. Feel free to leave your responses there or in the comments section here. Long time readers might remember that I asked a similar question here four years ago.

by Larry Ferlazzo / 9min 

Supporting School-Wide Social Emotional Learning

Quite a few teachers at our school have helped developed the lessons in my student motivation books and taught them over the past few years. Our school is now looking at various ways to be a little more systematic about developing SEL skills, and one of the ways is having our Small Learning Communities choose three lessons from the book; have one-to-four teachers in the SLC actually teach them, an

by Larry Ferlazzo / 2min 

Nice Review Of My New Classroom Management Book

Julie Dermody has just written a very positive review of my new book on Classroom Management. It appears at MiddleWeb. Here’s an excerpt: Collected and refined from posts at Ferlazzo’s Education Week blog “Classroom Q&A,” the information shared in this new digital book will have you reflecting on your current classroom practices. Better yet, the combined wisdom offered here will have you chang

3 by Larry Ferlazzo / 24min 

Video: “Developing Leadership in Classrooms, Schools and Communities”

Here’s my keynote for the K-12 Online Conference. You can find supporting materials for it here.

8 by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

Excellent Halloween Article For IB Theory of Knowledge Classes

A Halloween scare can sharpen the brain is an excellent article on emotion for IB Theory Of Knowledge classes. It’s from The Los Angeles Times. Here’s how it begins: Halloween is the time to indulge those seemingly pathological cravings to get scared out of your skull. Who in their right mind would subject themselves to blood-splattery horror movies or haunted houses blaring high-pitched screams

7 by Larry Ferlazzo / 1h 

Learning About Literal & Interpretative Questions Through The Day Of The Dead

My latest post at The New York Times Learning Network helps students learn the different between literal and interpretative questions by exploring The Day of the Dead. A student interactive is included. I’m adding it to The Best Websites For Learning About Halloween.

5 by Larry Ferlazzo / 2h 

10-27-13 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: LARRY FERLAZZO’S WEBSITES OF THE DAYHere Are Some More Vocabulary Videos By ELLsOver the past week, I’ve posted examples of short vocabulary videos created by my English Language Learner students. They used either Vine or Instagram. On Friday, our Beginners taught the advanced ELLs in another class how to create them. Here

by mike simpson / 9h 

10-28-13 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.:

List of currently scheduled Illinois Medicare Advantage information meetings.

SEMINAR SCHEDULE Any impacted retiree may attend any meeting. All locations will host two sessions (9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) unless noted otherwise. November 11, 2013 Rock Island High School 1400 25th Avenue Rock Island, IL 61201 (Sponsored by Senator Mike Jacobs and Blackhawk Unit (Rock Island Cty) IRTA) November 12, 2013 Legacy Theatre 101 E Lawrence Avenue Springfield, IL (Sponsored by Repre

2 by Fred Klonsky / 2h 

Chicago Halloween protest. Unbury the TIF surplus.

Amisha Patel of the Grassroots Collaborative. “Unbury the TIF money.” Over 75 students, parents, and community members joined together at City Hall Tuesday to demand that the TIF Surplus Ordinance be released from the Rules Committee and brought to a vote in City Council. Participants held signs with photos of Rules Chair Michelle Harris and Rule Vice-Chairs calling on them to unbury the TIF Su

5 by Fred Klonsky / 2h 

The in box. TRS’ Dick Ingram in Tinley Park.

by Fred Klonsky / 42min 

Bev Johns’ PPO Adventure

CMS has posted a number for UnitedHealthcare Group Medicare Advantage PPO: 888-223-1092. Good sign: recorded voice answering said thank you for calling about plan “offered for members of an Illinois State sponsored plan”. Within a minute transferred to a real person in North Carolina: friendly and patient person. But it took 41 minutes to get the answer to “what is the cost for going to an emergen

1 by Fred Klonsky / 1h

The in box. Illinois CMS has just posted customer service phone numbers for the Medicare Advantage providers on their web site.

CMS has just posted customer service phone numbers for the Medicare Advantage providers on their web site:   Plan Component Administrator’s Name Customer Service Phone Numbers UnitedHealthcare Group Medicare Advantage PPO UnitedHealthcare (888) 223-1092   Coventry Advantra HMO Coventry Advantra (855) 223-4807 Humana Medicare  Employer HMO The Humana Benefit Plan HMO a

by Fred Klonsky / 15min 

Ten minute drawing. The end of Art.

1 by Fred Klonsky / 1h mark as read  //  save

Steps and lanes and Dennis Van Roekel.

  NEA Prez Dennis Van Roekel. I’m writing this morning as a guy who has done more bargaining than a used car salesman. Mine have been union contracts. So, I was interested when NEA President Dennis Van Roekel spoke out against the traditional step-and-lane salary schedule. “Let’s get rid of step-and-lane. I don’t like it. It forces people to work for peanuts when they start, and if you stay there

1 by Fred Klonsky / 14min 

New York is poised to elect De Blasio. Chicago needs a candidate for the 99%.

  New York City’s next first family. This morning the latest polls show New York Democrat Bill De Blasio ready to win the election on November 5th by historic margins. It is as deep and thorough a rejection of the Bloomberg and Giuliani years as it gets in electoral politics. Their candidate, Republican Joe Lohta, has become a joke. “Knock, knock. Who’s there?” De Blasio has run a campaign of low

8 by Fred Klonsky / 1h 

10-27-13 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.: A bill that would exclude special education parents and teachers.H/T: Bev Johns. On October 22, 2013, Senate Bill 578 was completely changed by an amendment in the Illinois House of Representatives. House Amendment Number 1 LIMITS who can provide CPDUs to ONLY the following: (1) ISBE (2) ROEs (3) Illi

by mike simpson / 9h 

10-28-13 @ THE CHALK FACE

@ THE CHALK FACE:

On a code of conduct and ethics for teachers

Some interesting interactions with a quickie I put up the other day on a practice sheet for Kindergarteners to teach them how to bubble properly. Our own Chris Cerrone made another contribution in this regard. I won’t say that having children fill in bubbles, or even test preparation, is akin to child abuse. That diminishes the […]

by Shaun Johnson / 32min 

Of Babies and Bathwater: Can We Separate the Common Core, Various Materials, and Assessments?

Back in the ’90s, when the Math Wars raged (and they still do), I thought that if only the US Dept. of Ed was like the Ministry of Education in Japan, and could impose a national curriculum in mathematics, with a well-organized method of getting feedback on a lesson-by-lesson basis, fed through carefully-constructed local, state, […]

1 by Michael Paul Gold... / 2min 

Where in the World is The Indignant Teacher???

I am in Dubai…in the middle of the Middle East – United Arab Emirates, to be exact. Communication with the western world has been difficult, at best, and this is not in any way helping the homesickness!! Not quite sure where to begin this post…   Life here over the other side of the world […]

by jillconroy / 1h 

Political Cowardice Is Political Courage

In the opening pages of George Orwell’s 1984, readers are introduced to Oceania along with the work and world of Winston Smith: Winston kept his back turned to the telescreen. It was safer; though, as he well knew, even a back can be revealing. A kilometer away the Ministry of Truth, his place of work, […]

4 by plthomasedd / 11min 

Is This Why AFT Leadership Sold Its Members Up The Common Core River?

  It’s pretty widely known by now that American Federation of Teachers (AFT) received funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, leading many to question the motives of AFT leadership in their silent acquiescence to the gods of Common Core.  But apparently there may be more reasons as well. My friend and trusted colleague Bess Altwerger […]

3 by educationalchemy / 10h 

10-27-13 @ The Chalk Face

@ THE CHALK FACE: Can leaders be activists?I have been very critical of just about every implementation facet of the common core standards and I have always but forth the reasons for my criticism. The standards were not developed with input from experts. Teachers, childhood development specialists and parents were supposedly “consulted” but the actual work was done by a secret panel—and […]42 by T

by mike simpson / 9h 

10-28-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School:

NYSED Commissioner King Pretends To Listen, Still Hears Nothing

#KingForum King and audience in Westchester speaking in different worlds. This will not end well.— Carol Burris (@carolburris) October 28, 2013I think that's exactly right. Commissioner King and SED, Regents Chancellor Tisch and the Board of Regents - they're putting on a "We're Listening!" show.But they're really not listening.As Fred LeBrun wrote in the Times Union yesterday, unless th

by reality-based edu... / 55min

Obamacore Implementation Just Like Obamacare Implementation

Parents and educators can't figure out what the new Common Core Federal Standards call for:The 2013-14 school year began with the full implementation of the Common Core State Standards in Maryland, the District of Columbia and 44 additional states. The new national standards in English/language arts and mathematics symbolize a shift in what it takes for students to be "college and career read

by reality-based edu... / 48min

Cuomo Targeted By Frackers

Not only does Sheriff Andy have an angry legislature looking to stick a shiv in him, he's got the business interests that happily backed him the first time around asking him what he's done for them lately:State GOP Chairman Ed Cox plans an all-out-attack on Gov. Cuomo for “caving in to environmental Luddites’’ by refusing to approve “fracking’’ for natural gas in upstate’s Southern Tier, The Post

by reality-based edu... / 17min 

Cuomo Accused Of Abuse Of Power

From the Daily News: ALBANY — The state Legislature is expected to argue in court that Gov. Cuomo abused his power by using his corruption-fighting commission to try and force a deal on ethics reform, the Daily News has learned. “That’s the crux of the separation-of-powers issue,” said a legislative insider. “You can’t blackmail the Legislature into submission. It’s not legal and it’s not effectiv

by reality-based edu... / 1min 

De Blasio Still Up Big

Joe Lhota never closed the gap:Bill de Blasio is poised to win the race for mayor of New York City by a historically large margin, powered by optimism that he will bring about change and by overwhelming voter disapproval of the Republican Party. Mr. de Blasio, a Democrat who is currently the public advocate, leads his Republican opponent, Joseph J. Lhota, a former chairman of the Metropolitan Tran

by reality-based edu... / 2h 

Extra Evaluation Paperwork And Documentation Do Not Make For Better Teachers!

Sheriff Andy said last week that his vaunted new teacher evaluation system is "exactly right".Teachers around the state beg to differ:And although 91.5 percent of teachers statewide were ranked effective or highly effective on the 2012-13 annual teacher review plan, Victor third grade teacher Ted Isham said the measuring system leaves a lot to be desired. He said he’s not alone.“In my di

by reality-based edu... / 5h 

10-27-13 Perdido Street School

Perdido Street School: Cuomo Loves His Teacher Evaluation System Even If He Can't Vouch For It's AccuracyJust in case you think getting rid of NYSED Commissioner John King would solve the problems with teacher evaluation systems in districts around the state, here's Sheriff Andy Cuomo touting APPR:Cuomo said New Yorkers typically seek change in state government, but they are also resistant to it b

by mike simpson / 9h 

Proposed spending regs give districts leeway to choose how to serve high-needs students | EdSource Today

Proposed spending regs give districts leeway to choose how to serve high-needs students | EdSource Today:

Proposed spending regs give districts leeway to choose how to serve high-needs students

October 28th, 2013 | Add a Comment | 
By John Fensterwald

Much anticipated draft regulations that the State Board of Education will discuss next week would give school districts lots of latitude –  too much so, say some advocates for disadvantaged students – to deal with a thorny issue: how to account for the extra money that districts will receive for low-income kids, English learners and foster children.

The proposed regulations (see pages 1-4), posted in the agenda for the Nov. 6-7 State Board meeting, interpret a critical section in the law establishing the Local Control Funding Formula. Broad in intent and short in length, it requires school districts, county offices of education and charter schools “to increase or improve services” for high-needs students “in proportion to the increase in funds apportioned on the basis of the number and concentration” of those students.  The board must adopt the regulations at its next meeting in January to meet a deadline imposed by the funding law.

While providing substantial funding for low-income children and English learners in the Local Control Funding Formula that he pushed through the Legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown has made it clear that the state should not micromanage how districts choose to spend money on those students.

The new funding system provides additional dollars for low-income children and English learners: 20 percent more funding per targeted student plus additional dollars when a district has large concentrations of those students. Advocacy organizations for low-income kids had argued that the extra dollars should be spent on programs for those students at the schools they attend. But they 

Pending lawsuit, if successful, could precipitate monumental changes - by Seth Rosenblatt / commentary

With all of the discussion around the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), the Common Core State Standards, and Smarter Balanced Assessments, we may be missing the biggest potential change to sweep California public education since Serrano v. Priest. This change could come from a small organization called Students Matter, which ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit the Edsource Today webs

by Seth Rosenblatt /... / 5h 

Migrant education programs make Saturday school a family affair - by Susan Frey

School on Saturday? Most students would protest such an intrusion on their free time, but for children of migrant workers, Saturday school is a family affair. Combined with after-school and summer programs, Saturday courses are a required part of the federally funded Migrant Education Program, which gives some of the country’s ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit the Edsource Today websit

38 by Susan Frey / 8h 

Civic leaders mobilizing to support LA schools chief - by Louis Freedberg

A University of California regent is gathering support from civic, business and philanthropic leaders to pressure the seven member Board of Education of the Los Angeles Unified School District to “make every effort” to retain the services of John Deasy, its embattled school superintendent. George Kieffer, a prominent attorney in the ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit the Edsource Today

by Louis Freedberg / 9h