What happens after the tests are over? – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

What happens after the tests are over? – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:

What happens after the tests are over?

by Chalk Face, PhD

Apparently, “Spirit Week!” Wait, isn’t learning supposed to be fun ALL YEAR ROUND? I guess not. Can we also think of new things to do in schools on these Spirit Days? I remember them as a teacher and an entire grade level wearing the same color really isn’t all that fun.

Maybe I’m being too cynical. But I remember Field Days at the end of the year. Classes had to pick a country. I recall teachers practically running down to the office to sign their classes up as the United States or France or something easy like that. We never really worried about that because we wanted to learn about new countries. One year, and I can’t believe we got away with this, we because Vatican City. Yes, and students made and wore Pope hats during the opening 

Malcolm London doing his thing at PBS TED talk event

by Chalk Face, PhD

The cult of TED is kind of strange. In any event, Chicago student poet and activist Malcolm London was invited to speak and perform. You heard him here At the Chalk Face recently with Israel Munoz. Here’s Malcolm’s performance. But I’m told that his work was edited. We’re not sure how or why. We’ll find [...]

6 year olds of America, we need to talk #commoncore

by Chalk Face, PhD

You’ve been hopped up on paste, stickers, finger paint, and the overall ignorance of your ego-centricity for far too long. We need to have a “Kintervention,” followed by some KIDBELS, and a little Response to Kintervention time, just to see if the Kintervention was successful.

Thank you Education Week. Thank you for all that you do.

Immersion or segregation? Trost Elementary becomes a language-immersion-only school | OregonLive.com

Immersion or segregation? Trost Elementary becomes a language-immersion-only school | OregonLive.com:

Immersion or segregation? Trost Elementary becomes a language-immersion-only school

by Heather Steeves, The Oregonian

CANBY -- Trost Elementary kindergartener Brisa Vega, 6, looks on as her friend Paola Cabello, 6, paints an octopus. The girls are among hundreds of children enrolled in Trost's dual language immersion program, where students learn to speak both Spanish and English. Next year Trost will become a magnet school and will only use the language immersion model. All English-only students will be moved elsewhere in the district.Heather Steeves

Canby's Trost Elementary will become a Spanish-English immersion magnet school next year, a change that will save the school district $400,000 but oust 100 English-only students.

The realignment reflects a changing community, but some parents criticize the move as favoring Latino and bilingual students at the expense of the school's remaining and generally white native English speakers.

A decade ago, Trost was a neighborhood English-only school. But as numbers of Latino students grew, the school added special classes of students, half who speak English at home and half who speak Spanish at home. Students whose parents chose to place them in the immersion program started in kindergarten speaking Spanish most of the day. The goal is to teach the Spanish-speakers English, as is required by law, and to make 

Bill Gates' TED Talk: Are Video Cameras the Missing Link? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

Bill Gates' TED Talk: Are Video Cameras the Missing Link? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher:

Bill Gates' TED Talk: Are Video Cameras the Missing Link?

by Anthony Cody

I watched Bill Gates' TED Talk last night, to hear him explain why we should spend $5 billion to put video cameras in every classroom in the nation. But before I get to what he said, I want to share some of the wisdom that preceded him.
Rita Pierson starts us off with a bang, speaking of how human relationships are the prerequisite for learning.

Kids don't learn from people they don't like. Apologize... Tell the kids you're sorry - they're in shock... We listen to policy that doesn't make sense, and we teach anyway. Teaching and learning should bring joy. How powerful would our world be if we had kids who were not afraid to take risks, and who had a champion. Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give 

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » My Kid and Our Kids

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » My Kid and Our Kids:

My Kid and Our Kids

by alicemercer

Recent news has focused on the educational choices that those on both sides of the education reform debate have made with their own kids. My first discomfort with this is the disclosure of the actual schools these children are attending. Given the high profile of both these ladies, and the animus they generate, as a teacher I worry about having  information that specific (the actual schools) out there. I’m a firm believer that one should not bear the burden of ones parents, most especially if one is under 18.
I’ve also been trying to work out how to discuss the choices I’ve made for schooling my own child since last summer, but I hadn’t figured out the proper tone, or approach. Complicating matters, I have tried to include less and less about my son in my blog as time has gone, and he has gotten older, since it’s his privacy. Most of it has been in posts about being a special education parent, because I feel I have useful information to impart in my dual role as both a parent and an educator.
I haven’t talked about the school my son goes to, which is a local independent charter. I’m going to talk about 

NYC Educator: Reformy John and the Magic Mirror

NYC Educator: Reformy John and the Magic Mirror:

Reformy John and the Magic Mirror

by NYC Educator

Every day Reformy John King peered into his magic mirror and asked, "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the reformiest one of all?"

Inevitably the mirror would answer, "You're reformy, this I like, but reformier still is Emperor Mike."

Reformy John was sad. What can I do to be as reformy as Emperor Mike, he wondered. And furthermore, does an emperor outrank a king? Despite these illuminating ruminations, every morning it was the same.

"Reformy yes, this you can do, but Mike's reformier than you."

Curses!

Then one day, the evil UFT Guild got into the act. They said they would get reformy, but only if they could 

UPDATE: We’re Going on a “DIG”! + Real News Report on Rhee and the Epidemic of Test Cheating – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER

Real News Report on Rhee and the Epidemic of Test Cheating – @ THE CHALK FACE knows SCHOOLS MATTER:

We’re Going on a “DIG”!

by antiqueteacher60

It’s time to do some “digging for artifacts”! In order for my District to evaluate my performance on Domain 4 of the Danielson Rubric.

I must produce 2 pieces of EVIDENCE of  each of the following:

1. Reflection on Teaching

2. Maintaining Accurate Records

3. Communicating with Families

4. Participating in a Professional Community

5. Growing and Developing

Real News Report on Rhee and the Epidemic of Test Cheating

by Jim Horn

From a couple weeks back, but excellent reporting (if Merrow spoke such honesty on PBS, he would be much more credible).

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Subtracting to Add | Taking Note

Subtracting to Add | Taking Note:

Subtracting to Add

by John Merrow

The first time I heard this big idea was in a conversation with Zell Miller, the gruff former Senator from Georgia, in the fall of 2002. His quote didn’t make our documentary, “The Promise of Preschool,” but he basically said that, if he had his way, he would get rid of 12th grade and spend the money on free, universal, high quality preschool.

At the time, Georgia was leading the nation in providing preschool, and it’s still near the top of the list.

But Georgia and every other state and territory still have 12th grade.

Should they?

I am guessing that many of you read Sean Reardon’s thoughtful essay in the New York Times recently,“No Rich Child Left Behind.” If you haven’t, please do.  Mr. Reardon, a professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Education, makes a strong case for large investments in early education, which, he says, are the most likely avenue to closing the ever-wider performance gaps between the rich and everyone else.

He does not argue in his essay that senior year of high school is a waste of time for most kids, so please allow me. States with exit exams generally peg them to a 10th grade level, which ought to tell you something about official expectations.  Across the nation, savvy (and bored) kids are enrolling in college courses while still in high school–if their system allows.  You may recall our profile of one Texas school district on the Mexican border where many students have a substantial number of college credits under their belt when they graduate high school. Some actually receive their Associates Degrees from the local 

Virginia second-graders suspended for pointing pencils at each other:

Virginia second-graders suspended for pointing pencils at each other

Posted by Valerie Strauss on May 8, 2013 at 3:42 pm

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Have you heard about the two 7-year-old boys who were suspended from their Suffolk County, Va. school for pointing pencils at each other while making shooting sounds? One boy was pretending to be a Marine and the other a bad guy.

There is a zero tolerance policy in the school system and so, the second-graders had to stay home for two days instead of go to class at Driver Elementary School, according to the Associated Press.

Paul Marshall, one of the boys’ fathers, who is a former Marine, was quoted as saying:

When I asked him about it, he said, ‘Well I was being a Marine and the other guy was being a bad guy.’ It’s as simple as that.

But not to Suffolk Public Schools officials. The AP quoted spokeswoman Bethanne Bradshaw as saying that under the disciplinary code in the district, a pencil pointed at 

Why it is hard to monitor bullying at schools — report

by Valerie Strauss

A new report that reviewed years of research says that it is hard to accurately monitor levels of bullying in schools because there is still no consensus on exactly what it is and that educators and scholars “should not limit … Continue reading →

Day of the Teacher 2013 - California Teachers Association

Day of the Teacher 2013 - California Teachers Association:

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California Teachers: Honoring our past. Guiding the future.

TODAY we mark the 31st anniversary of California’s Day of the Teacher. To honor teachers and the150th anniversary of CTA, we have chosen “California Teachers: Honoring our Past, Guiding the Future” as this year’s theme.

CTA has been making a positive impact on education for 150 years now. Our victories during that time include the establishment of free public schools for all children, the creation of our higher education system, the passage of significant funding initiatives and bonds to build and renovate schools, due process rights for teachers, class size reduction, and increasing respect for our profession.  In fact, California’s Day of the Teacher arose out of legislation co-sponsored by CTA and the Association of Mexican American Educators in 1982.

We continue to be engaged in and lead the efforts to improve education for all students in this state, now and for the future. 

 Check out TODAY'S California Day of the Teacher EVENTS - and JOIN IN!

TEACHERS ARE REVERED: A SAMPLE THANK-YOU LETTER

Thank You, Teacher!

Day of the Teacher is a special day for all of us. It’s a day to celebrate our profession the work we do with our students and in our schools. To remind us of the role we play in the lives of others, CTA created a “Thank You Teacher!” project last year - for Day of the Teacher's 30th Anniversary  - in which we asked our members to send in the letters and notes they received from grateful students and parents.  They’re sure to bring a smile on this year’s Day of the Teacher, and beyond.  Here's one example:

Mathieu H. Austin, a member of the Acton-Agua Dulce Teachers Association and a business teacher at Vasquez High School in Lancaster was pleased to find out the impression he made on one former student. Austin writes, “This is the most humbling letter I’ve ever received.”

Dear Mr. Austin,
On Monday I started college. I chose business as my major, not because I expect to be a rich entrepreneur or because I want to rule the stock market. I chose business because the theories and relevance of the field of flowing money and transactions interest me. The relationship between the details of the legal aspects and the general picture of a successful venture is something that I want to learn more about and ultimately apply in my life. I might not always succeed in everything I pursue, but I will be knowledgeable enough to pursue dreams without getting caught in loopholes and (hopefully) debt. You were my favorite teacher, and not just because of my grade. You made sure things weren’t vague, you took an active role in teaching, you graded fairly based on content and not semantics, and you gave me hope for a higher education. I wanted to take the time to thank you for all you’ve taught me, and the way you taught it. I hope many more students of all kinds get as much out of your class as I did. And, I appreciated your sense of humor.    Read more letters from our 30th Anniversary project. 

 For Day of the Teacher this year, post your note about a favorite teacher to our Facebook page.

UPDATE: Jason Richwine is even too racist for his bosses at the wing-nut Heritage Foundation. But not too racist to support Rahm’s school closings. | Fred Klonsky

Jason Richwine is even too racist for his bosses at the wing-nut Heritage Foundation. But not too racist to support Rahm’s school closings. | Fred Klonsky:

Jason Richwine is even too racist for his bosses at the wing-nut Heritage Foundation. But not too racist to support Rahm’s school closings.

by Fred Klonsky

PopoutJason Richwine of the Heritage Foundation with Michael Klonsky and Jitu Brown last March.
Jason Richwine?
I know that name.
Oh, right. He was involved in a March televised discussion with my brother and Jitu Brown, Chicago schools and community activist.
Representing the right-wing Heritage Foundation, he argued that public schools were a waste of money and should be closed. He defended Rahm Emanuel’s school closing agenda.
Jason Richwine is in the news today.
A 2009 report authored by Richwine surfaced during the debate on immigration reform and is so racist that even

You want to cut my pension? I’m old, I’m cantankerous and I vote.

by Fred Klonsky

Popout.
Who the hell do they think they’re picking on?
They want to cut Social Security, Medicare and the state pension we paid into our entire working lives.
In the 2012 election, check out which two age groups had the highest turnout:

Diane in the Evening 5-8-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all:

Will the Children of Buena Vista Go Without an Education?

by dianerav

The public schools of Buena Vista are closed. The teachers offered to work for free, but they were rebuffed. Some have filed for unemployment. The children are out of school, and no one knows when school will open again. Or if it will.
Joy Resnovits is following this story on Huffington Post.
Buena Vista is a town that got left behind when the American auto industry collapsed.

Michigan in a Nutshell

by dianerav

A comment on the blog about the state of public education in Michigan:
I am a retired high school English teacher in Michigan. After I retired I served 8 years on our board of education. I retired in 2000 and have a son, daughter and daughter-in-law in the teaching profession.
What has happened in Michigan since I retired is appalling. Our teachers are being demoralized, our school aid fund has been raided to give tax breaks to big business, tenure is gone, and evaluations are being based on test scores. Benefits have been reduced for teachers and right to work is in play.
Our legislators believe the EAA which has taken over some schools in Detroit should be expanded when it hasn’t

Selling Out Black Children in Michigan

by dianerav

In the previous post, I noted that the emergency manager in Detroit was instructed to “blow up” the district.
In the other districts controlled by emergency managers–Muskegon Heights and Highland Park–the emergency managers closed down public education and handed the buildings and students over to for-profit operators.
This article in Education Week brings out important facts.
1. “African-Americans make up 88 percent of the students in the Muskegon Heights system, and 98 percent of

Detroit: The Most Sickening Story of the Day

by dianerav

Detroit’s Emergency Manager Roy Roberts announced he was stepping down. But then he said something utterly astonishing. He said that when he took the job, his instructions were to “blow up” the district.
He didn’t say who told him to destroy the district.
Interesting that all of the districts in Michigan that have emergency managers are predominantly African 

8th Grade Student: Why So Much Advertising on Pearson Tests?

by dianerav

A student in a gifted program wrote this piercing analysis of the state tests he and his classmates just endured.
The tests he took had many brand names and registered trademarks. He realized this is product placement.
He wrote:
“Non-fictional passages in the test I took included an article about robots, where the brands IBM™, Lego®, FIFA® and Mindstorms™ popped up, each explained with a footnote. I cannot speak for all test takers, but I 

A Teacher Responds to Obama Proclamation On National Charter School Week

by dianerav

Earlier I posted President Obama’s proclamation on National Charter School Week, which happens to coincide with Teacher Appreciation Week.
A charter school teacher responded with this comment:
“I’ve been an educator in Columbus, Ohio since university. In my 8th year, I currently earn 34,000 before taxes at a 9-12 charter school. I can be fired at any time. I have no tenure, no union, and scarce resources to teach. I 

MI District Broke, Teachers Offer to Work for Free, But Then…

by dianerav

In little Buena Vista, Michigan, the schools have been decimated by budget cuts and declining enrollments. Faced with the threat of bankruptcy, the teachers offered to work for free. The district laid them all off and is closing the schools.
Who says that Americans don’t care about education? Maybe Governor Snyder will send in an emergency manager to give the children to a for-profit charter chain that will rehire the teachers and cut their pay and benefits.
The schools close officially on Tuesday, which is Teacher Appreciation Day.

MI District Broke, Teachers Offer to Work for Free, But Then…

by dianerav

In little Buena Vista, Michigan, the schools have been decimated by budget cuts and declining enrollments. Faced with the threat of bankruptcy, the teachers offered to work for free. The district laid them all off and is closing the schools.
Who says that Americans don’t care about education? Maybe Governor Snyder will send in an emergency manager to give the children to a for-profit charter chain that will rehire the teachers and cut their pay and 

Brian Ford: Why Pressure and Greed Are Not Good

by dianerav

Brian Ford, teacher and author, writes in a comment, responding to John Merrow’s investigative reporting:
It was John Merrow’s interview with Michelle Rhee, when she was still in charge of DCPS, that first raised my hackles. She said, “Pressure is good.” It was a bit like two decades ago, when Gordon Gekko declared, ‘Greed is good.’ In both cases the statement is presented as the hard, unvarnished truth that people are unwilling to accept because they are too politely unrealistic. That the declaration of the goodness of pressure and greed also serves the interest of the speaker is left unsaid.
That was the goal of Michelle Rhee and the others:
Creating A System Of Pressure –
–a system of pressure that would have people teaching children doubt themselves and blame themselves for 

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 5-8-13 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all

mike simpson at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago

Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Texas: The Surefire Plan to Destroy Public Education by dianerav You think it can’t happen here? You think your state is immune? Read about the war on public education in Texas and think again. Some part of this radical agenda is being promoted in almost every state. Yours too. This comment was written by Bonnie Lesley of “Texas Kids Can’t Wait”: “I worry a lot whether public schools will continue to exist in some states. Our organization, Texas Kids Cant John ... more »