Monday, March 17, 2014

Nite Cap 3-17-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2



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




4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 3-17-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: L.A. Unified’S Decision To Move Students Sparks FurorOfficials didn't take into account long-standing (community+gang) rivalries when they decided to transfer about 280 students from Boyle Heights to Lincoln Heights, critics say. By Teresa Watanabe, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1hsMzj0 Students protest the possible closure of the Academy of Environmental an
CURMUDGUCATION: Another Style of CCSS Profiteering
CURMUDGUCATION: Another Style of CCSS Profiteering: Another Style of CCSS ProfiteeringCommon Core profiteers are becoming wise to the ways of the interwebs.There at the top of my search results was a paid ad-- in large letters "Blame Common Core" with the link to the blamecommoncore.com website and the single line of copy "What's wrong with Common Core? Is it as bad as you have hear
IEA/NEA and Cognitive Dissonance | Reclaim Reform
IEA/NEA and Cognitive Dissonance | Reclaim Reform: IEA/NEA and Cognitive DissonancePosted on March 17, 2014by Ken PrevitiWhat happens to people’s brains when they receive messages from a trusted source that are in total contradiction to facts they themselves know are based in reality?Cognitive dissonance occurs which produces fear, uncertainty and doubt. Eventually, this can lead to depression, di
Blended Learning from the Ground Up | Gatsby In L.A.
Blended Learning from the Ground Up | Gatsby In L.A.: Blended Learning from the Ground Up Call me cautiously optimistic.  Emphasize “cautious.”  I hesitate to express all-out enthusiasm for what’s called “blended learning” because right now the term is so often conflated with the term “cost-effective,” a euphemism for “eliminating human jobs and leaving a single teacher in charge of 45-60 high-nee
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: The Custodian Made Them Walk: School as a Community!
DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: The Custodian Made Them Walk: School as a Community!: The Custodian Made Them Walk: School as a Community!The other day I was on my way to pick up my students from Special. Our custodian, older gentleman, was speaking to two kindergartners.He stated firmly, "Ok, now walk down the hall."The two kindergartners looked at him, looked at me, and began walkin
Support Jesse Hagopian for Union President: Educators Deserve RESPECT | I AM AN EDUCATOR
Support Jesse Hagopian for Union President: Educators Deserve RESPECT | I AM AN EDUCATOR: We need your help in the struggle to defend public education. To endorse or donate to the RESPECT union campaign for leadership of the Seattle Education Association, click on the links.Also, spread the word by following us on facebook, twitter (@RespectSeattle), and our website.Dear Friends,Elections for lead
3-15-14 The Whole Child Blog — A New Framework for Health and Education — Whole Child Education
A New Framework for Health and Education — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOGA New Framework for Health and EducationMarch 17, 2014 by Klea ScharbergThis is not a launch that calls for health for education's sake. Nor is it education for health's sake. Rather, it is a call for health and education for each child's sake.In 2013, ASCD and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Paul Horton: Free Market Education Reform -- Evidence vs. Ideology - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher
Paul Horton: Free Market Education Reform -- Evidence vs. Ideology - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Paul Horton: Free Market Education Reform -- Evidence vs. IdeologyBy Anthony Cody on March 17, 2014 1:00 PMGuest post by Paul Horton.Law Professor and Political Scientist Bernard Harcourt published an important book in 2011 called The Illusion of Free Markets. I went to his local book
Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart Emails FL Teachers – New Name for Standards & Tests #MoreGates #Florida ? | Continuing Change
Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart Emails FL Teachers – New Name for Standards & Tests #MoreGates #Florida ? | Continuing Change: Florida Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart Emails FL Teachers – New Name for Standards & Tests #MoreGates #Florida ?March 17, 2014Educationaccountability, education, FEA, Florida, Gates, Pam Stewart,reforms, teachers, testing      Rate ThisI am a t
3-17-14 Ed Notes Online Week
Ed Notes Online: Evaluation Law Suit on Poverty: NYSUT Leadership Supports Rochester TAInteresting news here given that Adam Urbanski is supporting the Mulgrew/Revive takeover of NYSUT. Will Rochester delegates to the April 5 NYSUTRA vote for  Iannuzzi/Stronger Together because of this support? Ravitch reports:Rochester Teachers Sue State Over Teacher Evaluationsby dianeravitch The Rochester Teach
3-17-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): Morning Read: LAUSD moves students into rival territory and incites protestL.A. Unified’s decision to move students sparks furor Officials didn’t take into account long-standing rivalries when they decided to transfer about 280 students from Boyle Heights to Lincoln Heights, critics say. The two schools a
IS HIGH STAKES TESTING THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE EDUCATION Coalition for Public Education/Coaliciรณn por la Educaciรณn Pรบblica
Coalition for Public Education/Coaliciรณn por la Educaciรณn Pรบblica: IS HIGH STAKES TESTING THE BEST WAY TO IMPROVE EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE AMONG STUDENTS OF COLOR AND STUDENTS LIVING IN POVERTY?By: Dr. Mark Naison March 17, 2014      Since the passage of No Child Left Behind, there has been a concerted effort to reduce gaps in educational  performance  by race and class by promoting regular testing
Shanker Blog » Valuing Home Languages Sets The Foundation For Early Learning
Shanker Blog » Valuing Home Languages Sets The Foundation For Early Learning: Valuing Home Languages Sets The Foundation For Early LearningPosted by Candis Grover on March 17, 2014 Our guest author today is Candis Grover, the Literacy & Spanish Content Manager at ReadyRosie.com, an online resource that models interactive oral language development activities that parents and caregivers of young
Just Tryin to Make My Momma Proud | Cloaking Inequity
Just Tryin to Make My Momma Proud | Cloaking Inequity: Just Tryin to Make My Momma ProudFrom the Huffington Post:Expert Slams ‘Education On The Cheap’ For Latino StudentsVOXXI is dedicated to recognizing those working in the field of education for making a difference and setting the example for our future generation.Inequality continues to be the plight facing Latino and minority students in Ameri
Gates’ Poor Defense of the Common Core on This Week | Truth in American Education
Gates’ Poor Defense of the Common Core on This Week | Truth in American Education: Gates’ Poor Defense of the Common Core on This Week Bill Gates went on This Week with George Stephanopoulos to defend the Common Core. Here’s the video below:Some observations:First of all the Common Core’s failure to launch is not because of “confusion.”  We are not confused about what it is.Secondly we also unders
FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Monday, March 17, 2014
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: UPDATE: New Issue of Cream and Cherries: Los Angeles charter schools outperform traditional district schools | Pass / Fail | 89.3 KPCCEducation HeadlinesMonday, March 17, 2014FCMAT provides links to California K-12 news stories as a service to the industry. However, some stories may not be accessible because of newspapers' subscription polici
Test scores or jobs? I’ll have both | Hechinger Report
Test scores or jobs? I’ll have both | Hechinger Report: Test scores or jobs? I’ll have bothBy Andre PerryThis week, the Black Alliance of Educational Options (BAEO) convenes its Annual Symposium in New Orleans, a battleground city for school reform validation (some may say disapproval). As a Symposium participant, I’m leading a town hall dialogue described as “[a] discussion of the progress that h
Morning Wink 3-17-14 AM Posts #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTSLISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-17-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for allDiane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Jack Hassard: Why Bill Gates Defends the Common CoreWe have long known on this site that Bill Gates’  foundation underwrote every aspect of the Common Core standards. Mercedes Schneider has docu
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 3-17-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Jack Hassard: Why Bill Gates Defends the Common CoreWe have long known on this site that Bill Gates’  foundation underwrote every aspect of the Common Core standards. Mercedes Schneider has documented nearly $200 million in grants specifically for the writing, evaluation, review, implementation, and advocacy for the Common Core sta
3-17-14 Wait What?
Wait What?: Testimony on the Common Core Bill at last week’s hearingDespite the best efforts of the Malloy administration and Democratic leaders in the General Assembly, the Education Committee conducted a hearing on legislation impacting the he Common Core on March 12, 2014. Connecticut residents provided and submitted incredibly powerful testimony.  Here are just a few of the best examples.  Mor
The Answer Sheet 3-17-14
The Answer Sheet: Are American students grossly unprepared for college?It has become a common refrain from school reformers that a very large percentage of high school graduates must take remedial classes when they get to college. Are they right? Award-winning Prinicipal Carol Burris of South Side High School in New York  looks at this issue in the following post. She has been exposing the […]    
3-17-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: The Source/Fusion: Likes, Dislikes, Confusion?I noted that at the strategic plan community meeting I attended at Hale, several parents said they (and some teachers) have frustrations with using The Source/Fusion.One reader replied:As an SPS teacher I would love to hear what parents like/dislike about the Source & Fusion. Is it limitations in the tool (and if so
3-17-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: The common core and testing feverSent to the Oregonian, March 19, 2014Brett Bigham suggests that we need more standards and less testing ("Common Core Standards are not insidious: Guest opinion," March 16).  The Common Core,  however, is requiring an astonishing amount of standardized testing, far more than No Child Left Behind (NCLB) required. The new tests include the u
3-17-14 Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida
Scathing Purple Musings | Color me purple in Florida, red in Washington, dark sky-blue in Israel and public school in Education: The Florida Voucher Cap Cost Limit Allows for a Stunning Rise to Almost $1 BillionWhen a Florida superintendent of schools said last week that the expansion of Florida’s voucher program would rise to $1 billion in five years, he knew what he was talking about. From the t
3-17-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: Learn English By Reading About Eating Bugs At My Latest NY Times PostLearn about eating bugs, categorizing words, and using online tools to create “word webs” in my latest New York Times post for English Language Learners. It includes a student interactive and teaching ideas. You can see all my previous NY Times posts here.
3-17-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
http://preaprez.wordpress.com/ | Fred Klonsky: A war on charters?Bill de Blasio ran for mayor of New York with a promise that if he is elected, New York’s charter schools will have to pay their own way. No more free rides at the cost of neighborhood public schools. He got elected. He’s trying to carry out the promise. Weird, right? A politician tries to carry out a campaign promise. Now he’s getti
3-17-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: NPR Whitewashes “Grit” NarrativeNPR Whitewashes “Grit” Narrative. via NPR Whitewashes “Grit” Narrative.Filed under: PAUL THOMAS: Becoming Radical1 by plthomasedd / 1h Who Is Unprepared? US Students? Or Arne Duncan?While Arne Duncan continues his ugly swipes at students, parents, teachers, and schools, I believe it is time to turn the focus on the accuser. Are U.S. students unprep
3-17-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness by P. L. Thomas, EdD
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): NPR Whitewashes “Grit” NarrativeAlbeit from different ideologies, NPR and Fox News have something really disturbing in common: Bias masked as, to use the Fox slogan, “fair and balanced.” In fact, the breezy tone of NPR makes its masked bias even more sinister than Fox’s
empathyeducates – The Consciousness Gap in Education – An Equity Imperative
empathyeducates – The Consciousness Gap in Education – An Equity Imperative: The Consciousness Gap in Education – An Equity ImperativeBy Dorinda Carter Andrews | Originally Published at AcademiaEdu. March 10, 2014In this talk, Dorinda Carter Andrews challenges us to consider how gaps in critical consciousness and mindsets for adults and students in schools prevent us from providing equitable schoo
3-17-14 Perdido Street School Week
Perdido Street School: Adivce For De Blasio To Recover From His Early MisstepsI've talked about how de Blasio needs to start getting savvier in his handling of the press and these phony "scandals" that have popped up like "forkgate" (when he ate a slice of pizza with a fork and some in the the press, barely out of middle school, mocked him for days over it) and the UES snow plo
Are schools ready for the new online Common Core tests? | EdSource Today
Are schools ready for the new online Common Core tests? | EdSource Today: Are schools ready for the new online Common Core tests?March 16th, 2014 | Add a Comment | By Kathryn Baron11California is just weeks away from learning whether its test of the test will pass or fail.For nearly 12 weeks, beginning March 25, more than 3 million students in grades 3 through 8 and 11 will take the computer-based
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words – March, 2014 | Live Long and Prosper
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words – March, 2014 | Live Long and Prosper: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words – March, 2014Here are some graphic images from around the net — plus my own 2 cents worth of comments. Click on any image to see the full sized version.What CCSS Really MeansThe Common Core State Standards – Standards we didn’t need, which require that billions of tax dollars are spent on
Walter Dean Myers: When Books Mirror Children’s Lives, Reading Validates Identity | janresseger
Walter Dean Myers: When Books Mirror Children’s Lives, Reading Validates Identity | janresseger: Walter Dean Myers: When Books Mirror Children’s Lives, Reading Validates IdentityPosted on March 17, 2014 by janressegerToday, St. Patrick’s Day,  is a good time to reflect on the ways people can cherish multiple identities—cultural, national, and global.  This issue is fraught with controversy in toda
Teachers union adds three firms to list of DB busters - Pensions & Investments
Teachers union adds three firms to list of DB busters - Pensions & Investments: Teachers union adds three firms to list of DB bustersBY ROB KOZLOWSKI | MARCH 17, 2014COMMENTSENLARGEJesse Nemerofsky/ZUMAPRESS.comAFT President Randi Weingarten calls the list an exercise in disclosure and transparency.The American Federation of Teachers added three firms to its list of money managers and others t
Every Child Matters | Randi Weingarten
Every Child Matters | Randi Weingarten: Every Child Matters New Yorkers don't hold back. They took a strong stand in the last mayoral election on many things, particularly on education: They want a new direction in public schooling, one that helps all kids, not just some, from prekindergarten through college. And that's what they got--a mayor devoted to the educational needs of every child in the
NYC Public School Parents: A St. Patrick's Day Wish for The Democratic Party
NYC Public School Parents: A St. Patrick's Day Wish for The Democratic Party: A St. Patrick's Day Wish for The Democratic PartyAuthor Terry Golway has a new book out about Tammany Hall, the Irish-dominated political machine that ran the Democratic Party and NYC for the better part of a century.  While he doesn't ignore the corruption, he focuses on the machine as a great provider of services, espe
NYC Educator: Why Skedula Still Sucks but Online Grading May Not
NYC Educator: Why Skedula Still Sucks but Online Grading May Not: Why Skedula Still Sucks but Online Grading May NotI'm on a UFT committee to study online grading. Since we're supposed to discuss it, I figured I'd better start doing it. It's something I've thought about, but put off. A lot of my colleagues do it. Many favor other programs. Some use spreadsheets, but most people I know who love it
The List: New Jersey's 'Edubloggers' Talk Policy, Politics -- and Technology - NJ Spotlight
The List: New Jersey's 'Edubloggers' Talk Policy, Politics -- and Technology - NJ Spotlight: THE LIST: NEW JERSEY'S 'EDUBLOGGERS' TALK POLICY, POLITICS -- AND TECHNOLOGYJOHN MOONEY | MARCH 17, 2014Ten of the state's leading education bloggers make every aspect of learning and teaching (and administering) their businessNever short of voices questioning and commenting on education policy and practic
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLESHoboken Board of Education president Leon Gold“We are creating separate but equal school systems." By capping property taxes and fueling charter expansion, Christie “is increasing the segregatory effect of charter schools, while raiding our budget.” -- SalonJohn HagedornUIC Criminology Prof. John HagedornBut the reasons for Ch

YESTERDAY

My Review of Proposed Privacy Legislation for Louisiana | Crazy Crawfish's Blog
My Review of Proposed Privacy Legislation for Louisiana | Crazy Crawfish's Blog: My Review of Proposed Privacy Legislation for LouisianaPosted on March 16, 20140My apologies for not getting to this topic (and many others I’ve neglected) sooner. I may have finally bitten off more than I can effectively chew in things I’ve agreed to do. I have the best of intentions, I promise you, but sometimes my
Gates and Duncan and Their Common Core “Freedom” Charade | deutsch29
Gates and Duncan and Their Common Core “Freedom” Charade | deutsch29: Gates and Duncan and Their Common Core “Freedom” CharadeMarch 16, 2014In his purchased keynote at the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) (I know, huh?), billionaire-with-zero-teaching-experience Bill Gates insisted that the feds are getting the bum rap when it comes to the Common Core State Standards (CCS
Keeping Important Pinky Promises? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog
Keeping Important Pinky Promises? | Gary Rubinstein's Blog: Keeping Important Pinky Promises?On the subway yesterday, I saw this advertisement for KIPP:The claim is that “Our K-12 public schools promise to see each child to and through college.”One problem with this claim is that even in the most generous study possible, KIPP’s own, only a third of students who completed KIPPs middle schools event
3-16-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Call Your State Senator Tomorrow in TennesseeLocal TV news in Knoxville has typical coverage below of the move by the TN House last week, which voted overwhelmingly to delay implementation of Common Core testing. Note that Mike Edwards, who leads off the "fair and balanced coverage," is the President of Knoxville Chamber of Commerce, a Board of Director member of the Tene
Is High Stakes Testing the Best Way to Improve Educational Performance Badass Teachers Association
Badass Teachers Association:  Is High Stakes Testing the Best Way to Improve Educational Performance Among  Students of Color and Students Living in Poverty?By: Dr. Mark Naison      Since the passage of No Child Left Behind, there has been a concerted effort to reduce gaps in educational  performance  by race and class by promoting regular testing in all grades and subjects and rating schools and
Colorado Parents: Push Back Guide for Bullying During Opt Out/Refusal | United Opt Out National
Colorado Parents: Push Back Guide for Bullying During Opt Out/Refusal | United Opt Out National: COLORADO PARENTS: PUSH BACK GUIDE FOR BULLYING DURING OPT OUT/REFUSAL Colorado parents have received their share of bullying and intimidation tactics during the month of March. We have created this guide specific to the situations they have experienced which include armed security guards meeting them a
A Primer for Engaging Teach For America Supporters | Cloaking Inequity
A Primer for Engaging Teach For America Supporters | Cloaking Inequity: A Primer for Engaging Teach For America SupportersHave you ever found yourself trapped in the insufferable position of having to tolerate a Teach For America true believer relentlessly bombarding you with justifications for Teach For America’s placement atop the corporate org chart of educational excellence?Teach for America i
NYC Public School Parents: Video of our student privacy panel at the NPE conference in Austin last month
NYC Public School Parents: Video of our student privacy panel at the NPE conference in Austin last month: Video of our student privacy panel at the NPE conference in Austin last monthCheck out our Network for Public Education panel presentations on student privacy, held in Austin on February 29, with a short slice of my powerpoint (the rest of it is here), along with some amazing parent advocates
LISTEN: Ed Reform Stories from the perspective of people most directly affected by education policy Full film on Vimeo
LISTEN - Full film on Vimeo: LISTEN - Full filmfrom Ankur Singh PLUS 4 days ago NOT YET RATEDOn TV, we have Bill Gates, Michelle Rhee, Arne Duncan and “Waiting for ‘Superman’” talking about failing schools, low standards, and China, but rarely do they ever talk about students.Who is going to tell the story of public education? Is it going to be the corporate-education reformers who haven’t spent a
Nite Cap 3-16-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT #P2
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 CAPCURMUDGUCATION: Another Standards AnniversaryCURMUDGUCATION: Another Standards Anniversary: Another Standards AnniversaryI stumbled upon a government website that has a few things to say in support of the move to develop standards.It opens by poi




4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 3-17-14

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit:







L.A. Unified’S Decision To Move Students Sparks Furor

Officials didn't take into account long-standing (community+gang) rivalries when they decided to transfer about 280 students from Boyle Heights to Lincoln Heights, critics say. By Teresa Watanabe, LA Times | http://lat.ms/1hsMzj0 Students protest the possible closure of the Academy of Environmental and Social Policy at Roosevelt High School in February. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times


4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 3-16-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: Mayor Garcetti’S Top Education Deputy Thelma MelรฉNdez Leaves City Hall For LausdBy Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Daily News | http://bit.ly/1iRcRkd 3/15/14, 6:31 PM PDT   ::  Just seven months after joining Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti’s administration, his top education deputy Thelma Melรฉndez is leaving to take a position at Los Angeles Unified School D

CURMUDGUCATION: Another Style of CCSS Profiteering

CURMUDGUCATION: Another Style of CCSS Profiteering:



Another Style of CCSS Profiteering



Common Core profiteers are becoming wise to the ways of the interwebs.

There at the top of my search results was a paid ad-- in large letters "Blame Common Core" with the link to the blamecommoncore.com website and the single line of copy "What's wrong with Common Core? Is it as bad as you have heard?"

Interesting point #1. My google search terms were "common core standards." Nothing negative. Just a search based on those three terms. Yet this ad was primed to attract my attention by playing to my imagined dislike and distrust of the CCSS. Even the website name and address is set to appeal to CCSS non-fans. This tells me that even the market knows that the prevailing winds are not blowing in a CCSSesterly direction.

So where does blamecommoncore.com take us? Well, it's not a place that wants to blame the Core for much of anything.

The site is actually entitled "Blame Common Core? Common Sense for the Common Core." And once we get past that, it's koolaid all the way. The site is basically a blog, and its articles are deeply 

UPDATE Don’t you dare call me disloyal or anti-teacher! + IEA/NEA and Cognitive Dissonance | Reclaim Reform

IEA/NEA and Cognitive Dissonance | Reclaim Reform:



Don’t you dare call me disloyal or anti-teacher!
Because thousands of active teachers, retirees, a few bloggers and I do not believe it is in the best interests of anyone to endorse and fund the recent IL Chair of ALEC, Kirk Dillard, for governor in Illinois, don’t you dare point at me and call me names. President Cinda Klickna and the Illinois Education Association board have endorsed Kirk Dillard in the Republican Primary election rather than



IEA/NEA and Cognitive Dissonance

What happens to people’s brains when they receive messages from a trusted source that are in total contradiction to facts they themselves know are based in reality?
Cognitive dissonance occurs which produces fear, uncertainty and doubt. Eventually, this can lead to depression, distrust and confusion – mental health issues. Read HERE.
This is precisely what is happening to teachers across Illinois today.
HERE is the Illinois Education Association website telling teachers to vote for the recent past Chair of ALEC in IL, Kirk Dillard. Governor Dillard? Why?
IEA Board - Vote for Dillard
“IEA board of directors members made calls to their constituents on behalf of Kirk Dillard after Saturday’s board meeting.”
According to IEA President Cinda Klickna’s non-fact based claim, “Sen. Dillard supports 

Blended Learning from the Ground Up | Gatsby In L.A.

Blended Learning from the Ground Up | Gatsby In L.A.:



Blended Learning from the Ground Up



 Call me cautiously optimistic.  Emphasize “cautious.”  I hesitate to express all-out enthusiasm for what’s called “blended learning” because right now the term is so often conflated with the term “cost-effective,” a euphemism for “eliminating human jobs and leaving a single teacher in charge of 45-60 high-needs, at-risk students.”   As I mentioned in an earlier post, the original vision—still in circulation, as far as I can tell—was that technology would make enormous class sizes possible, in order to offset the initial outlay of money for computers, software and internet access.  All I can say about this notion is that it’s clearly a marketing move by tech companies, which they are fully entitled to try, but we are not fully entitled to buy into. 

On the other hand, some of what I’m seeing looks very interesting—when it’s done thoughtfully, not from some corporation’s top-down cost-saving idea, and when it’s done with the idea ofenhancing close human relationships, not replacing them.  A couple of weeks ago, I was invited to visit Lou Dantzler Middle School, an ICEF charter in South Los Angeles, where they’re now using the blended learning model schoolwide.
What impressed me about the program here was that ICEF is proceeding slowly.  Peter Watts, ICEF’s Director of Blended Learning, told me that the system they’re using began with a group of 25 teachers who volunteered to use laptops and iReady software in their classrooms for a year as 

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: The Custodian Made Them Walk: School as a Community!

DIARY OF A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER!: The Custodian Made Them Walk: School as a Community!:



The Custodian Made Them Walk: School as a Community!


The other day I was on my way to pick up my students from Special. Our custodian, older gentleman, was speaking to two kindergartners.

He stated firmly, "Ok, now walk down the hall."

The two kindergartners looked at him, looked at me, and began walking.

He turned to me, shaking his head, and said, "They were running down the hallway!"

I said, "Good for you. They could have hurt themselves."

Another adult might  have watched those kids run, and thought, "They're not my kids."

Too often, our school is just that, a school. A place where everyone has a position, and they don't budge from it.

The custodians clean, administrators lead, lunch staff serves lunch, teachers teach etc...

But it shouldn't be that way, we should all be involved in the well-being of our students. Not just the ones in our classroom, but the students in our school.

I speak to every student I see in the hallway, even if they don't answer. Sometimes, I get a big, cheery, hello. Other times the eyes are averted, or downcast, and a squeak of a hello comes 

Support Jesse Hagopian for Union President: Educators Deserve RESPECT | I AM AN EDUCATOR

Support Jesse Hagopian for Union President: Educators Deserve RESPECT | I AM AN EDUCATOR:



We need your help in the struggle to defend public education. To endorse or donate to the RESPECT union campaign for leadership of the Seattle Education Association, click on the links.

Also, spread the word by following us on facebook, twitter (@RespectSeattle), and our website.
YouDeserveRespect
Dear Friends,
Elections for leadership of the Seattle Education Association (SEA) are coming right up and ballots will be cast at the end of April. On behalf of Social Equality Educators (SEE) and the many brothers and sisters working with us on the RESPECT campaign toward the common goal of strengthening our union, we are writing to ask for your endorsement and to ask you to make a financial contribution to support our campaign. We have assembled a remarkable group of educators on the SEE “RESPECT” ticket –award-winners and National Board Certified Teachers, experienced educators and those newer to the profession – to run for union office. We have over a dozen candidates, including Jesse Hagopian for SEA president, Marian Wagner for SEA Vice President, and Dan Troccoli for SEA Treasurer.
Together, we are confident we can achieve the contract educators deserve, the schools our students deserve, and the city our families deserve.  Our record of supporting the MAP test boycott showed we could unite students, parents, and educators in a common struggle to defend–and transform–public education.
We have already been endorsed by Dr. John Carlos, 1968 Olympic medalist, medal stand protester, Gerald Hankerson, President of the King County/Seattle NAACP, Nick Licata, Seattle City Council Member, Dr. Wayne Au, Editor at Rethinking Schools and Professor at University of Washington Bothell, and Robert Wood, Professor President of the UW American Association of University Professors (AAUP), Bob George, National Director, Save Our Schools, Dave Zirin,sports editor The Nation Magazine, Dora Taylor, President of Parents Across America, Tim Harris, Founder and Director of Real Change newspaper, and many others!
JesseKickoff

Jesse Hagopian at the RESPECT campaign kickoff rally
The SEE Respect slate of candidates believes we need courageous union leaders who will listen to the members, stand up for their rights in the work place, and work hard to achieve the members’ vision for public education.
The Respect slate of candidates stands for:
  • A union that will fight for a strong contract. When we ask for less than what is required to do our jobs well, we cannot serve our students effectively, or be true to the passion that brings us into the classroom.
  • A union that will demand full funding of education. This will only happen if we insist lawmakers adhere to the law.
  • A union that will stand for fair and sustainable teacher evaluation. Evaluation should empower us to continually improve our professional practice and care for our students—it should not simply serve as a “gotcha” tool for administrators.
  • A union that protects our right to teach culturally relevant curriculum and works to replace disproportionate disciplinary procedures with restorative justice. Seattle’s students deserve a holistic education that fosters critical thinking and civic engagement.
  • We need a union that brings families and community members into the schools as partners and collaborators.
  • A union that empowers the union membership to be an active voice.
  • A union that keeps us updated with accurate information and invites us to take an active role in a truly member-driven association.
  • A union that will join the growing national movement to fight for fair and meaningful student assessments, including opportunities to pilot performance-based alternatives to high-stakes testing.
PUBLIC EDUCATION IS IN THE CROSSHAIRS
Teachers and school staff are feeling the insidious effects of what is known as the “corporate education reform agenda.”  It has been set by those occupying the highest ranks of power in our country and one of its primary financiers lives in our own backyard. With corporate education reform comes increased class size, privatization of public schools through expansion of charter initiatives, decreased access to wrap-around services, unfair and biased teacher evaluation methods, racist and disproportionate discipline measures, union busting, and the degradation educators’ contracts.  In Seattle, at the same time that our class sizes are increasing and resources are shrinking, we face pressure to meet standards set by unfair and biased measures of evaluation. Circumstances beyond our control dictate whether or not we may expect to keep our jobs for another year, keeping us in a constant state of anxiety. How does this benefit teachers and students? SEA members are fully aware that unless we want to continue down the path of losing more job protections, we have no choice but to transform our union into one that can turn the tide.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
The Social Equality Educators (SEE) seek to strengthen our union to become one that prioritizes the needs of our colleagues, students and families over accommodating the agenda of those who wish to profit from public education and deny us fully funded schools with rich curriculum.  In the struggle to “scrap the MAP” test, we on the Respect slate discovered for ourselves that building coalitions with parents, students, and community organizations is the key to successfully defending the integrity of our workplaces and quality of education for our students. We organized, strategized, built alliances, took direct action, and won the important victory of making the MAP test optional at the high school level.  We achieved solidarity among families, students, and community members, because ultimately the fight for education justice affects all of us. Our work in the schools can reach its fullest potential if we have a winning strategy for protecting and strengthening the soul of public education. This is the strategy will need if we are going to win the contract that educators deserve.
YOU DESERVE RESPECT
The SEE RESPECT slate and our allies are running for union leadership because we want to cultivate a member-driven union that respects teacher voice and dignity along with the voices and dignity of our students and families.  Let’s build a struggle make an education system that empowers educators to educate, unfettered by over-testing and unsustainable evaluation systems.
To achieve this vision we need your help: ENDORSE RESPECT,  DONATE TO THE CAMPAIGN, and pass along this post to others who want to build a stronger education union movement. 
Yours in struggle,





3-15-14 The Whole Child Blog — A New Framework for Health and Education — Whole Child Education

A New Framework for Health and Education — Whole Child Education:




Klea Scharberg

A New Framework for Health and Education

Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child ModelThis is not a launch that calls for health for education's sake. Nor is it education for health's sake. Rather, it is a call for health and education for each child's sake.
In 2013, ASCD and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened leaders from the fields of health, public health, education, and school health to develop the next evolution of school health to ensure that the health of the student, the teacher, and the school are taken seriously by educators and, in particular, by those involved in the school improvement process. The result is the 2014 launch of theWhole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model.
"The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model developed by ASCD and the CDC takes the call for greater collaboration over the years and puts it firmly in place. For too long, entities have talked about collaboration without taking the necessary steps. This model puts the process into action."
—Dr. Gene R. Carter, ASCD CEO and Executive Director
The WSCC model combines and builds on elements of both the original coordinated school health model and the whole child framework. It aims to strengthen a unified and collaborative approach to learning and health 

3-15-14 THE WHOLE WEEK @ The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education
The Whole Child Blog — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE WEEK @ The Whole Child Blog Understanding the Whole Child Approach with Tenets, Indicators, and ComponentsAll educators want to improve the work they do for students, their families, and the community. Whether it's instruction, school climate, leadership, family engagement, or any of the other issues schools face on a daily basis, all educato

Paul Horton: Free Market Education Reform -- Evidence vs. Ideology - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Paul Horton: Free Market Education Reform -- Evidence vs. Ideology - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:



Paul Horton: Free Market Education Reform -- Evidence vs. Ideology

Guest post by Paul Horton.


Law Professor and Political Scientist Bernard Harcourt published an important book in 2011 called The Illusion of Free Markets. I went to his local book talk and chatted with him a couple of times about the book before he left Chicago to travel to the Sorbonne on some fancy fellowship. So did my brother Scott at Harper's. 
Bernard basically argues that markets have always been regulated, paying special attention to market regulation by guilds in early modern France.
The real question to ask is, who should do the regulating, some sort of outside governmental entity or the market itself?
As we all know a debate grew out of this argument, Adam Smith articulated the possibilities of an expanded and unregulated local and international marketplace bracketed by phrases like "nature suggests" or "nature recommends."
The thirties global depression poured sugar into the gas tank of global capitalism and governments grew to create demand by creating jobs, and reform and regulate markets.
Some of these governments turned out to be more than just scary and conservative economists