Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, September 8, 2012

School Tech Connect: The Missing Metric

School Tech Connect: The Missing Metric:

School Tech Connect


The Missing Metric

I've been thinking about the rise of meaningless data-worship in schools over the past decade, and how it's taken a toll on the communities that need the most help. I remember when it started, at the start of NCLB. You'd get these consultants from Texas visiting your school, talking about their miraculous data-driven model that had transformed their state into a beacon of academic excellence.

All the while Texas remained basically stagnant and near the bottom of on the various NAEP measurements.

Now, I work in a place where data is valued, and I understand the difference between data used to inform decisions, and data used to reinforce a narrative. NCLB was about the narrative. RTTT is about, as George W. 

The Prison Analogy

Nobody ever privatized a prison to improve prisons, criminal justice, or rehabilitation. Prisons are privatized for two reasons: to spend less money on prisons and to funnel the money that is spent on prisons to politically connected people.

It's the same with privatizing schools via the charter movement. There is nothing else to it. It's about 

What A Cast of Characters!

Great piece by George Schmidt on who's who over at CPS. There is nobody remotely connected to the actual parents of the actual students.

I wonder what it's like to be JC Brizard, rolling from one town to the next, racking up huge salaries and buyouts just for the minor inconvenience of being used as a prop by the actors on the stage.

I just hope that when I die, people can name three things I stood for and was willing to fight for, or for the things I tried to build rather than the things I tried to tear down.

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-8-12 #SOSCHAT #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



Schools Matter: The Atlantic's Love-fest for Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Inexcusable

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 minutes ago
Schools Matter: The Atlantic's Love-fest for Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Inexcusable: The Atlantic's Love-fest for Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Inexcusable by P. L. Thomas *The Atlantic* is championing the self-aggrandizing agenda of non-educator Michelle Rhee: How Michelle Rhee Is Taking Over the Democratic Party The writer of the article needs to hear from the progressive education community that Rhee and the Obama education agenda are not popular or credible; email Molly Ball at mball@theatlantic.com Note this response from Diane Ravitch: Is Michelle Rhee Takin... more »

Jersey Jazzman: K12, Booker's Reformy Patrons, In Hot Water

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 25 minutes ago
Jersey Jazzman: K12, Booker's Reformy Patrons, In Hot Water: *K12's money is turning into kryptonite! * K12, Booker's Reformy Patrons, In Hot Water by Duke Oh, my: The new school year appears to be starting off with plenty of headaches for leading online educator K12. Like a seventh-grader caught flipping to the answers in the back of the book, a Florida county nailed the one-time Wall Street darling for apparently misleading regulators and parents about who was teaching its students. From the moment it secured its contract to run Seminole County’s Virtual Instruction Program in

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, will join the Secretary for Back To School Tour | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 26 minutes ago
Back To School Tour | ED.gov Blog: *Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, will join the Secretary for the W.Va., events * * * [image: Tour Logo] ** The “Education Drives America” Back-to-School Bus Tour takes Secretary Arne Duncan and senior ED staff coast-to-coast highlighting education successes and engaging communities in conversations about school reform (P-12), college affordability and completion, and the link between education and jobs. Bus Sneak Peek and Final Details Released Posted on September 7, 2012 by Cameron Brenchley ... more »

The in box. My neighborhood teacher writes to us. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
The in box. My neighborhood teacher writes to us. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. My neighborhood teacher writes to us. by Fred Klonsky *“People who have lost their hunger for justice are not ultimately powerful. * *They are like sick people who have lost their appetite for what is truly* *nourishing. Such sick people should not frighten or discourage us. They* *should be prayed for along with the sick people who are in the hospital.* *“The love for justice that is in us is not only the best part of our being* *but it is also the most true to our nature.”* *-Cesar Chavez* *Hello Neighbors,*... more »

An Open Letter to Our Black Youth Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: *An Open Letter to Our Black Youth* *www.theafricanamericanchild.com* We, the individual members of the NATIONAL BLACK EDUCATION AGENDA (NBEA) are mothers and fathers, grandparents, God-parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers and sisters entrusted as the loving adults and tradition-keepers who hold together our own Black families. We are also your neighbors, mentors, counselors, coaches, pastors, teachers and professors. It is in the spirit of love and family responsibility, that we write to you— our urban Af... more »

Diane in the Evening 9-8-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Is Michelle Rhee Taking Over the Democratic Party? by dianerav An article in The Atlantic by a political reporter named Molly Ball claims that Michelle Rhee is “taking over” the Democratic Party. It curious that Rhee owns the party but was not invited to speak and explain her views. So many speakers ridiculed Mitt Romney because, they said, he likes to fire people. Funny, Rhee likes to fire people too. When she ran the DC schools, she invited a PBS camera crew to watch her fire a principal. I wrote to the author of this article. You should too. Post a copy he... more »

A Terrifying Way to Discipline Children - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
A Terrifying Way to Discipline Children - NYTimes.com: A Terrifying Way to Discipline ChildrenBy BILL LICHTENSTEIN Published: September 8, 2012 *Ward Zwart* IN my public school 40 years ago, teachers didn’t lay their hands on students for bad behavior. They sent them to the principal’s office. But in today’s often overcrowded and underfunded schools, where one in eight students receive help for special learning needs, the use of physical restraints and seclusion rooms has become a common way to maintain order. It’s a dangerous development, as I know from my daughter’s experience. ... more »

Public School Supporters Meeting With Governor Dean and Randi Weingarten at the DNC | K-12 News Network

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Public School Supporters Meeting With Governor Dean and Randi Weingarten at the DNC | K-12 News Network: Public School Supporters Meeting With Governor Dean and Randi Weingarten at the DNC by admin While at the DNC, I was lucky enough to be invited to a small gathering of public education supporters with Governor Dean and Randi Weingarten, who heads the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). I’m a tremendous fan of Governor Dean — in fact, I was a Deaniac before there was a netroots. I still think he’s fantastic on so many issues close to the hearts of progressives. And I love ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Why The F#@& Does Anyone Listen To Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee?!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Why The F#@& Does Anyone Listen ToFailed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee!: Why The F#@& Does Anyone Listen To Michelle Rhee?! by Duke Is it too much to ask that the next time anyone writes a piece about Michelle Rhee they include a look her record as an educator? Take this latest puffery from *The Atlantic*: Rhee, the controversial former Washington, D.C., schools chancellor known for her hard-charging style, has worked with Republican governors to push her reform ideas in states across the country. Her ongoing pitched battle with the teachers unions has put her at ... more »

21 reasons to oppose charter schools, Initiative 1240 | The Stand

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
21 reasons to oppose charter schools, Initiative 1240 | The Stand: 21 reasons to oppose charter schools, Initiative 1240 *This fall, Washington voters will vote on Initiative 1240, yet another attempt funded by a handful of very wealthy individuals to legalize charter schools — taxpayer-funded schools that operate independently of traditional public school districts. Charter schools have been rejected by Washington voters three times, in 1996, 2000 and 2004.* ------------------------------ *By REP. MARCIE MAXWELL* ------------------------------ 1. Charters have NOT outperformed publ... more »

Grumpy Educators: Washington State Ballot Initiative: Redefining School Choice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Grumpy Educators: Washington State Ballot Initiative: Redefining School Choice: Washington State Ballot Initiative: Redefining School Choice by Sandra Parents, community members, and taxpayers across the nation have been loud and clear regarding what they expect from public schools. 1) They want accountability; but do not want schools turned into centers of testing and test preparation instead of centers of learning. 2) They want safe, student-centered, and instructionally-rich environments that include art, music, and P.E. 3) They want

Jersey Jazzman: Power To The People - Over Their Schools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Power To The People - Over Their Schools: Power To The People - Over Their Schools by Duke Oh, dear: old Uncle Eli in California is not going to be happy about this: City and school officials from Jersey City, Newark and Paterson gathered in Newark City Hall today to urge federal education and law-enforcement officials to investigate what they call the state’s “refusal” to hand control of the three cities’ school districts back to local officials. State Sen. Ron Rice, leading the charge, said New Jersey’s control of the districts has led to poor performance that is... more »

The CPS scab tool kit. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The CPS scab tool kit. « Fred Klonsky: The CPS scab tool kit. by Fred Klonsky The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting that the Chicago Public Schools will try to open 144 scab schools if there is a strike Monday. The will be operated by non-union personnel and administrators. CPS is providing a scab tool kit for those who will be filling in for real teachers. To be fair, *many of the non-union, non-administrative employees will have no choice but to show up.* As a teacher who has been on strike, and as a parent of children who went to CPS the last time there was a strike, I would not fe... more »

Figures…Another Bush Loyalist Cites Bush Study to Justify Bush Reforms | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Figures…Another Bush Loyalist Cites Bush Study to Justify Bush Reforms | Scathing Purple Musings: Figures…Another Bush Loyalist Cites Bush Study to Justify Bush Reforms by Bob Sikes Keeping with their current propaganda campaign, another Bushie has published an opinion piece in a big Florida newspaper to support Jeb Bush’s reforms. Writes his former lieutenant governor Toni Jennings in the* Orlando Sentinel*: Florida schools received good news this summer from researchers at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. In analyzing test scores fro... more »

Did Malia, Sasha go to school on day after convention? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Did Malia, Sasha go to school on day after convention? - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post: Did Malia, Sasha go to school on day after convention? By Valerie Strauss President Obama started his speech at the Democratic National (Lynne Sladky/AP)Convention this way: Michelle, I love you. The other night, I think the entire country saw just how lucky I am. Malia and Sasha, you make me so proud. But don’t get any ideas, you’re still going to class tomorrow. So, did the girls actually go totheir school, the exclusive private Sidwell Friends in the District, the day after the night... more »

WALL STREET HEDGE FUND MANAGERS – PERFECT PEOPLE FOR EDUCATION REFORM « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
WALL STREET HEDGE FUND MANAGERS – PERFECT PEOPLE FOR EDUCATION REFORM « Teachers Fight Back: WALL STREET HEDGE FUND MANAGERS – PERFECT PEOPLE FOR EDUCATION REFORM by alkleen The Tribune newspaper just showed a seemingly disinterested and lethargic group of about 40 “parents” protesting outside of Chicago Teachers Union headquarters. They were protesting against the teachers’ union and against the potential teachers’ strike. The group supposedly belonged to an organization called, “Democrats for Education Reform”, also known as, “Education Reform Now”. The organization was starte... more »

Chicago Teachers Union opening strike headquarters - SFGate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Chicago Teachers Union opening strike headquarters - SFGate: Chicago Teachers Union opening strike headquartersPublished 5:43 a.m., Saturday, September 8, 2012 0 inShare Comments (0)Larger | SmallerPrintable VersionEmail This Font CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Teachers Union says it will open a strike headquarters on Saturday in anticipation of a possible walk-out on Monday. Union and district officials also plan to continue contract negotiations at noon Saturday, though a union spokeswoman has said they remain far apart on issues such as job security and pay. The union says it is ope... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Math Rant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Math Rant: Math Rant by Charlie Mas Fair warning. *This is going to be a rant.* Those of you who come to this blog for news and information should just do yourselves a favor and not read it. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, and I've concluded that I need to write rants like this from time to time. I just need to keep them separate from the news - like the newspaper separates the news from the editorials - so the folks who want to read the news aren't offended by having to read an opinion from outside their bubble. This is going to be a... more »

UPDATE: Saturday coffee 9-8-12 « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Saturday coffee. « Fred Klonsky: Ten minute drawing. Rahm Emanuel’s teaching manual. by Fred Klonsky Click on drawing to enlarge. Saturday coffee. by Fred Klonsky *The Logan Square subway station on Labor Day morning. Red shirts heading down to the CTU rally.* It is a beautiful Fall-like morning in Chicago. A slight chill in the air, but the sky is cloudless and blue. Last night we sat on the lawn at Ravinia and listened to Yo Yo Ma and The Knights play Schumann. The air was cool and damp last night too. But the sound of Yo You Ma’s cello was magical. There is a guy on the Loga... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What's at stake?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: What's at stake?: What's at stake? by Mike Klonsky *I am reprinting David Sieber's Op-Ed on Gapers Block just because I think it is so good. David is a CPS teacher, and is currently completing a Masters degree in Urban Education Policy Studies.* Op-Ed Fri Sep 07 2012 What's At Stake for Chicago Public Educators? By David Stieber You have undoubtedly heard the news reports, radio attack ads, CPS representatives, the "CEO" of Chicago Public Schools, and the Mayor saying how teachers are walking out on the students if we strike. Parents, students, r... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Why Are Progressives Wrong On Education?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Why Are Progressives Wrong On Education?: Why Are Progressives Wrong On Education? by Duke Longtime readers know that Digby, proprietor of the blog Hullabaloo, is one of my role models. Aside from being wicked smart, she manages to find just the right mix of snark, wonk, and earnestness in her prose. She's also a shrewd judge of talent: adding David Atkins to her blog is one of the best moves she's ever made. So Digby's endorsement, coupled with Atkins's own volume of work, are more than enough for me to trust his reporting. Why the prelude? Because Atkins wrote a ... more »

Does milk still belong on school lunch menus? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Does milk still belong on school lunch menus? | Get Schooled: Does milk still belong on school lunch menus? 11:08 am September 8, 2012, by Maureen Downey [image: Schools are finding it tough to ban chocolate milk. (AP Images)] Schools are finding it tough to ban chocolate milk. (AP Images) Does milk still have a place on school menus? The question is provoking debate locally and nationally. And at issue is not just chocolate milk, but plain milk as well. This week, a Decatur schools committee recommended banning chocolate milk in k-3 and phasing it out for grades 4 and up. The school... more »

About that New Chairman of the Florida Board of Education | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
About that New Chairman of the Florida Board of Education | Scathing Purple Musings: About that New Chairman of the Florida Board of Education by Bob Sikes [image: (Photo Source: www.pmrn.fcrr.org)] I missed a subtlety in Leslie Postal’s *Orlando Sentinel *story last month that *StateImpact’s* John O’Connor didn’t. This from Postal’s story about the search for a new commissioner: Applicants to replace Gerard Robinson, who stepped down after a little more than a year on the job, have until Sept. 27 to get their resumes to the search firm, Ray and Associates, Inc. But board member... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's quickie guide for non-teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Rahm's quickie guide for non-teachers: Rahm's quickie guide for non-teachers by Mike Klonsky At Peet's this morning, I'm practically choking on my coffee while reading, "CPS’s How To Guide for workers at strike contingency school" in the Sun-Times. The guide is supposed to be a quickie preparation handbook (are you watching, TFA?) for the gaggle of principals, assistant principals, Central Office Staff and non-CTU employees, as well as yet-to-be-approved scab vendors. and anyone else Brizard can scrape up to man his 144 (don't-call-them-schools) "ho... more »

Amid Protest, Hong Kong Backs Down on ‘Moral Education’ Plan - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Amid Protest, Hong Kong Backs Down on ‘Moral Education’ Plan - NYTimes.com: Hong Kong Backs Down on ‘Moral Education’ Plan Bobby Yip/Reuters Protesters gathered to demonstrate against the launch of national education outside government headquarters in Hong Kong on Saturday. By KEITH BRADSHERPublished: September 8, 2012 HONG KONG — Faced with tens of thousands of protesters contending that a Beijing-backed plan for “moral and national education” amounted to brainwashing and political indoctrination, Hong Kong’s chief executive backpedaled somewhat on Saturday and revoked a 2015 dead... more »

It’s Okay to Call Racists Racist. « Student Activism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
It’s Okay to Call Racists Racist. « Student Activism: It’s Okay to Call Racists Racist. by Angus Johnston I’m a big fan of Jay Smooth’s take on why telling people they’re racist is often counter-productive, but there are moments when *not* calling people racist is indefensible. I just got a heads-up that the student who’s trying to start a White Student Union at Towson University is planning on bringing a guy named Jared Taylor to campus next month. Here’s what Wikipedia has to say about Taylor: Taylor believes that white people have their own racial interests, and that it is intel... more »

The Weekly Update: Following the money on everything | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
The Weekly Update: Following the money on everything | Seattle Education: The Weekly Update: Following the money on everything by seattleducation2011 *The Weekly Update for the news you might have missed.* For more information on Initiative 1240 go to *No on 1240*. This week all eyes have been on Chicago where representatives of the Chicago Teachers Union are negotiating with the mayor and his appointed school board members: *Selling the Soul of Public Education* *As we traipse through these weeks of conventioning, I know that the my-parents-showed-me-what-hard-work-means tales are g... more »

Looking out from SKYPE « My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Looking out from SKYPE « My Island View: Looking out from SKYPE by tomwhitby SKYPE is an application that allows your image to be broadcast to another computer anywhere in the world. It is great for Skyping authors, experts, or even NASA scientists into a classroom. An entire class can “Skype” with another class anywhere a computer has a feed. The potential for lecture, collaboration and learning is unlimited. I thought it might be interesting to share the Skype experience from the point of view of the presenter. I was fortunate and honored to be asked by the organizers of Edcamp A... more »

Afternoon UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-8-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Advice from a Private School Teacher by dianerav Some people assume that private schools are inherently better than public schools. Not really. They select their students and remove those who don’t meet their demands. One big advantage they have is they are free of meddling politicians. This private school parent gives her views: What He Learned by Studying the History of Education by dianerav David Lentini, a reader in Maine, comments (in response, I promise to do some instruction on this blog about the histo... more »

Cool Cat Teacher Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Cool Cat Teacher Blog: Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 09/08/2012 coolcatteacher@gmail.com (Victoria A Davis, Cool Cat Teacher) at Cool Cat Teacher Blog - 5 hours ago - Context and the Calendar: An Introduction to Chronofencing Chronofencing is the principle of delivering contextually important information at the right time. It is like geofencing (triggers of contextual information at a location) but perhaps more useful. Learn to understand this term as it has important implications in education. For example, students can have triggers before leaving school remindi... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Local School Districts and States Don't Set School Policies...They're Controlled by the White House.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Local School Districts and States Don't Set School Policies...They're Controlled by the White House.: Local School Districts and States Don't Set School Policies...They're Controlled by the White House. by stlgretchen "The ultimate outcome of Obama’s education scheme will actually be economic: a sweeping redistribution of suburban education funding to the cities". At the link is an article by Stanley Kurtz about how your local and state school boards are useless in the educational direction of the school you support with your local taxes. *Should t... more »

Schools Matter: A Former KIPP Teacher Shares Her Story

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Schools Matter: A Former KIPP Teacher Shares Her Story: A Former KIPP Teacher Shares Her Story by Jim Horn *A Former KIPP Teacher Shares Her Story* *Jim Horn* * * Ever since KIPP students were recruited to do a skit at the National Republican Convention in 2000, KIPP has been the darling of venture philanthropists, Wall Street hedge funds, corporate donors like the Fisher family (of Gap fame), and corporate foundations, including the Gates and Walton Foundations. Hundreds of millions of dollars have poured in to the KIPP home office in San Francisco, and tens of millions more are... more »

Judge allows more time for 'complex' charter school fraud case - Philly.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Judge allows more time for 'complex' charter school fraud case - Philly.com: Judge allows more time for 'complex' charter school fraud case September 07, 2012|By Martha Woodall, Inquirer Staff Writer [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] - - - A U.S. district judge has ruled that a fraud case against charter school mogul Dorothy June Brown and four codefendants is so complex that he will allow more time to begin the criminal trial. In a decision signed Thursday, R. Barclay Surrick said that because of the multiple charges, number of ... more »

Is Every Single Subject Taught in High School a Mistake? - Education - GOOD

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Is Every Single Subject Taught in High School a Mistake? - Education - GOOD: Is Every Single Subject Taught in High School a Mistake? by Liz Dwyer [image: bored.student] Artificial intelligence theorist and education reformer Roger Schank is no fan of the high school curriculum and he bets America's teens aren't either. Indeed, many kids hate school because what they're learning doesn't seem relevant to real life. Schank, author of *Teaching Minds: How Cognitive Science Can Save Our Schools*, has penned an op-ed for the *Washington Post* breaking down the uselessness of every sing... more »

Texas Backs Away From No Child Left Behind Law, Its Own Bush-Endorsed Creation

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Texas Backs Away From No Child Left Behind Law, Its Own Bush-Endorsed Creation: Texas Backs Away From No Child Left Behind Law, Its Own Bush-Endorsed Creation by Joy Resmovits Texas, the state that launched school accountability as an experiment, has applied to untangle itself from parts of the federal No Child Left Behind mandate, the same law that experiment eventually yielded. The deadline was Thursday for states to take President Barack Obama's administration up on its offer to waive parts of the law in exchange for implementing elements of the White House's education agenda... more »

Parents Across America announces national Board of Directors | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Parents Across America announces national Board of Directors | Parents Across America: Parents Across America announces national Board of Directors by pureparents PAA co-founder Juilie Woestehoff files organization’s incorporation papers in CHicago. On July 13, 2012, the State of Illinois issued Articles of Incorporation to Parents Across America, establishing the group as an official not-for-profit charitable corporation. The first Board of Directors for the new non-profit organization was selected from among the PAA founders. The members are: Andrea Mérida, Denver, CO Dora T... more »

Fellow Blogger Jersey Jazzman on The Progressive Education Narrative - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Fellow Blogger Jersey Jazzman on The Progressive Education Narrative - Wait, What?: Fellow Blogger Jersey Jazzman on The Progressive Education Narrative by jonpelto Jersey Jazzman writes an outstanding blog, with a focus on education issues. We’ve communicated and shared information a number of times. It is a sad and strange situation when Governors Christie and Malloy generate the need for a common defense. In the fight against the corporate “education reformers,” reading Jersey Jazzman’s blog should be a regular endeavor. You’ll find him by following this link: http://jerseyj... more »

Daily Kos: The give and take of America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Daily Kos: The give and take of America: The give and take of America by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) She appeared to be in her eighties. Standing alone, tightly clutching her purse, anxiously watching the cash register.When the total was announced, she handed first one, then two cans of soup back to the cashier. She didn’t have enough money. So begins an incredibly powerful column in today's *Washington Post* by Colbert King, which I am going to urge you to read and to pass on.THe woman is able to leave with all of her intended purchases because the person in line behind her qu... more »

Acquiring Media Literacy and Using Technology | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Acquiring Media Literacy and Using Technology | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Acquiring Media Literacy and Using Technology by larrycuban I described three teachers integrating film into their lessons in the previous post. The content of each film was connected to the unit that each teacher had developed and, presumably, the content standards that California wanted teachers to follow. The hardware they used were DVD players or teacher laptops connected to LCD projectors. What they did not do was investigate the assumptions and biases in the films themselve... more »

This Week's Radical Scholarship 9-8-12

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Radical Scholarship: PAUL THOMAS Public Education's Eight Ball: Student Poverty | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity P. L. Thomas at Radical Scholarship - 13 hours ago Public Education's Eight Ball: Student Poverty | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity Making Sure That Poverty Is NOT Destiny « Diane Ravitch's blog P. L. Thomas at Radical Scholarship - 1 day ago Making Sure That Poverty Is NOT Destiny « Diane Ravitch's blog Blaming the Mirror: Lolo Jones and US Public Education P. L. Thoma... more »

4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-8-12

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: *4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit* LAUSD BOARD MEMBER STEVE ZIMMER WANTS TO STRENGTHEN OVERSIGHT OF CHARTER SCHOOLS smf at 4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit - 27 minutes ago By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer, L.A. Daily News | http://bit.ly/P3BMiA 9/7/2012 | 7:35:18 PM PDT :: School board member Steve Zimmer is taking aim at two of the most contentious issues facing Los Angeles Unified, with separate proposals to exclude high-stakes test scores from teacher evaluations and to strengthen the oversight of charter schoo... more »

Top Content this Week - 9-8-12 The Educator's PLN

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Top Content this Week - The Educator's PLN: 1[image: 50 SMARTPHONE APPS FOR TEACHERS]50 SMARTPHONE APPS FOR TEACHERS Added by Gianfranco D'Aversa on August 27, 2012 2[image: How Does This Work For All Learners? - FAQ - Katie Gimbar's Flipped Classroom]How Does This Work For All Learners? - FAQ - Katie Gimbar's Flipped Classroom Added by Thomas Whitby on August 27, 2012 3[image: Managing Challenging Behaviour: Podcast interview with Nancy Rappaport]Managing Challenging Behaviour: Podcast interview with Nancy Rappaport Added by Richard Nelson on September 4, 2012 4[image: iPads in the... more »

This Week's Answer Sheet 9-8-1212 - School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
The Answer Sheet - School Survival Guide for parents (and everyone else). - The Washington Post: [image: Answer Sheet] A caveat on reading fiction in school Valerie Strauss at The Answer Sheet - 1 day ago The new Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts call for students to read a lot more non-fiction and less fiction than they used to, a requirement that has caused some consternation among educators. Read full article >> [image: Add to Facebook] [image: Add to Twitter] [image: Add to Reddit] [image: Add to StumbleUpon] Why kids hate school — subject by subject Valerie ... more »

This Week's Education Research Report 9-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Education Research Report: *THIS WEEK'S EDUCATION RESEARCH REPORT* Can videogaming benefit young people with autism spectrum disorder? Jonathan Kantrowitz at Education Research Report - 17 hours ago According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 88 children in the U.S. has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a broad group of neurodevelopmental disorders. Children and adolescents with ASD are typically fascinated by screen-based technology such as videogames and these can be used for educational and treatment purposes as described in an insightful Roundtable Disc... more »

Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… 9-8-12 …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EF

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL *Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day* [image: Helping Students Motivate Themselves: Practical Answers To Classroom Problems.] “PTA Opens Magazine to Public with Online Edition” Larry Ferlazzo at Engaging Parents In School... - 1 day ago PTA Opens Magazine to Public with Online Edition is a post from Education Week’s K-12 Parents and The Public blog. Here’s how Michele Molnar begins her post: Our Children magazine, the National PTA’s publication, is now available online. For more than 100 years, the magazine has ... more »

CTU, Nitzberg - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
CTU, Nitzberg - Perdaily.com: Contribute to the Chicago Teachers Union Solidarity Fund posted by Roy Nitzberg by Leonard Isenberg [image: Roy Nirenberg.jpeg] - http://www.unionbook.org/profiles/blogs/contribute-to-the-chicago-teachers-union-solidarity-fund?xg_source=activity The Chicago Teachers Union is currently on the front lines of a fight to defend public education. On one side the 30,000 members of the CTU have called for a contract that includes fair compensation, meaningful job security for qualified teachers, smaller class sizes and a better school day with Art, Mu... more »

Teach For America Alumna Vanessa Lugo-Acevedo Receives Presidential Honor - Hispanically Speaking News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Teach For America Alumna Vanessa Lugo-Acevedo Receives Presidential Honor - Hispanically Speaking News: Teach For America Alumna Vanessa Lugo-Acevedo Receives Presidential Honor [image: Teach For America Alumna Vanessa Lugo-Acevedo Receives Presidential Honor]President Obama and the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics recognized Teach For America alumna Vanessa Lugo-Acevedo (Colorado Corps ’10) and 9 others as White House Champions of Change Latino Educators. The 10 honorees attended a special ceremony at the White House on Friday, August 31st. T... more »

No Fab Formula for Jalen Rose - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
No Fab Formula for Jalen Rose - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: [image: Teacher in a Strange Land] No Fab Formula for Jalen Rose by Nancy Flanagan Shortly after I retired from a 31-year stint as a public school teacher, I applied for a part-time job in a Detroit charter school. Why? Because they were seeking a twice-weekly middle school jazz band teacher plus someone to lead professional development for a crew of mostly novice teachers. I was, shall we say, highly qualified. Plus--I had spent nearly my entire career in a "safe"--and wonderful--small town dist... more »

LAUSD board member Steve Zimmer wants to strengthen oversight of charter schools - LA Daily News

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
LAUSD board member Steve Zimmer wants to strengthen oversight of charter schools - LA Daily News: LAUSD board member Steve Zimmer wants to strengthen oversight of charter schools by By Barbara Jones, Staff Writer School board member Steve Zimmer is taking aim at two of the most contentious issues facing Los Angeles Unified, with separate proposals to exclude high-stakes test scores from teacher evaluations and to strengthen the oversight of charter schools. Both resolutions on Tuesday's board agenda have generated heated debate behind the scenes, with critics worried that the pr... more »

Schools Matter: New York Principals Fight Continues

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Schools Matter: New York Principals Fight Continues: New York Principals Fight Continues by Jim Horn From Sean Feeney and Carol Burris: We thank you for your support and would like to provide you with an update on activities since the end of the 2011-12 school year. As always, the most recent version of the APPR Position paper (with all signatures) is available at: http://www.newyorkprincipals.org/appr-paper Given that the paper with signatures is over 140 pages long, we have also created a separate link for the four-page paper alone. As of the beginning of this new school year, ... more »

A Message from a CTU Member | United Opt Out National

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
A Message from a CTU Member | United Opt Out National: A Message from a CTU Member by admin Michelle Strater Gunderson, Chicago teacher and CTU member says: *How strange it was to clock out at school today and realize that Monday I might not be coming back to teach. I gave my plants a big drink of water and locked my door. I left behind me a room filled with materials I’ve purchased for children over the last two decades, over 2,000 books, unfinished history projects, and my lesson plan book on the back table. It wasn’t until I got home that I started to cry.* *I have worked alongs... more »

Public Education's Eight Ball: Student Poverty | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Public Education's Eight Ball: Student Poverty | National Opportunity to Learn Campaign | Education Reform for Equity and Opportunity: Public Education's Eight Ball: Student Poverty *Posted on: Friday September 7th, 2012* * * *Steve Strieker, Social Studies Teacher, Janesville School District* *The following post was written by Steve Strieker, a veteran Social Studies teacher in Janesville, WI. This has been reposted, with Strieker's permission, from his blog "**One Teacher's Perspective**."* --------- As noted in an earlier blog, one of my summer reads was P.L. Thomas’ book, *Ignorin... more »

Charter schools call proposed L.A. moratorium illegal - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Charter schools call proposed L.A. moratorium illegal - latimes.com: Charter schools call proposed L.A. moratorium illegal [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] Charter school advocates are mounting a campaign against a proposed moratorium on new charters in the Los Angeles Unified School District. The moratorium is one provision of a resolution, by school board member Steve Zimmer, that is scheduled for discussion on Tuesday. Any moratorium would violate state law, according to the California Charter Schools Assn., in a Friday letter to L.A. Unified. The pro... more »

Civil Rights Assistant Secretary to Address Statewide Hearing on School Discipline Policies, Discuss Equity in Education | U.S. Department of Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Civil Rights Assistant Secretary to Address Statewide Hearing on School Discipline Policies, Discuss Equity in Education | U.S. Department of Education: Civil Rights Assistant Secretary to Address Statewide Hearing on School Discipline Policies, Discuss Equity in Education *Contact: * Press Office, (202) 401-1576, press@ed.gov *Event Date 1: *September 10, 2012 03:00 pm - 06:00 pm Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali will address a statewide hearing on school discipline policies and education equity Monday in Los Angeles. Ali will discuss findings of her office'... more »

Pass / Fail : Manhattan Beach Unified offers teachers 3 percent raise, no health cuts | 89.3 KPCC

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Pass / Fail : Manhattan Beach Unified offers teachers 3 percent raise, no health cuts | 89.3 KPCC: Manhattan Beach Unified offers teachers 3 percent raise, no health cuts by By Tami Abdollah [image: MBUSD Manhattan Beach]*The two-year contract includes a 3 percent raise without initially proposed cuts to health care. It's the first raise the teachers have seen in five years. Credit: Tami Abdollah/KPCC* Manhattan Beach Unified and its teachers' union reached a tentative agreement that includes a pay raise for teachers, officials said Friday. The two-year contract includes a 3 percent ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Knowles wants Chicago to be "Silicon Valley of education"

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Knowles wants Chicago to be "Silicon Valley of education": Knowles wants Chicago to be "Silicon Valley of education" by Mike Klonsky Rahm's vision, building on the legacy of the Daley regime, includes the privatization of everything public. Take away the last vestiges of democratic public decision making, weaken the labor unions and put everything into the hands of his corporate patrons. But Rahm's vision would remain unframed and unfocused without the help of his academic brain-trust. One of Rahm's closest such academic confidants, especially on e... more »

My Writings « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
My Writings « Deborah Meier on Education: Published Writings by Deborah Meier Books Book Chapters Book Forewords Articles Conference Proceedings Audio / Video Link to publisher *Books by Deborah Meier* (2010) (with Brenda Engel & Beth Taylor).*Playing for keeps: Life and learning on a public school playground.* New York: Teachers College Press.(2004) (Edited, with George Woods).* Many children left behind: How the No Child Left Behind Act is damaging our children and our schools*. Boston: Beacon Press. (link to excerpt by George Wood–html)(link to review-html) (2004) (with Ted & N... more »




Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-8-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post

Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 9-1-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-25-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-18-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-11-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 8-4-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post




Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-6-12 #DNC2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-5-12 #DNC2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-4-12 #DNC2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-2-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 9-1-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-31-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-30-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-29-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-28-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-27-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-26-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-25-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-24-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-23-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-22-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2
Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-21-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-20-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 8-19-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #