Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Education Reform: Teachers Have Always Been at the Forefront | VIVA Teachers

Education Reform: Teachers Have Always Been at the Forefront | VIVA Teachers:


Education Reform: Teachers Have Always Been at the Forefront


By Mary Cathryn Ricker
I was intrigued by Jay Mathews’ Washington Post column that proclaims “Teachers leaning in favor of reforms.” I do appreciate that he points out he has never once written about unions hindering reform, even if he back-hands the compliment withthat is not the same as saying the unions have worked hard to make all teachers more successful in the classroom.”
That is where I part very good company with him.
I appreciate the parsing of teacher’s feelings toward current education hot topics in the research he sites by Teach Plus and Education Sector. As the current president of my teacher’s union in St. Paul, Minnesota it is helpful to learn what 

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 1-2-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2


Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE




It's Official: Charters are NOT Public Schools

The National Labor Relations Board gives its verdict: charter schools are NOT public schools!
Teachers at a Chicago charter school are now subject to private-sector labor laws, rather than state laws governing public workers. The move could impact how public schools are run down the road.
The ruling, made by the National Labor Relations Board last month, said the Chicago Math and Science Academy is a “private entity” and therefore covered under the federal law 


My Interview with Seattle Channel's Eric Lui

I was invited to be a guest on Seattle Voices with Eric Lui and I wanted to provide a link to the interview.  Eric Lui is a great interviewer and this is probably the best interview I have ever done (and Eric and his crew are great professionals).

Eric is the author of several books including "Guiding Lights; How to Mentor and Find LIfe's Purpose".  He also served as a speechwriter in the Clinton White House  one term and deputy domestic policy adviser in the second term.  He has serve/serves on several civic boards including LEV.  He has children in SPS.


The Black and White of School Closures in DC


By Candi Peterson

As 2012 comes to an end,  two unmistakable trends have emerged from studies that public schools are being sold down the river to private interests and the rush to close schools has not resulted in any measurable improvement in standardized test scores. The Chicago Teacher’s Union (CTU) just issued The Black and White of Education in Chicago’s Public Schools report on the “underutilization crisis” in the Chicago Public Schools system. CTU contends that this crisis that has been manufactured largely to justify the replacement of neighborhood schools by privatized charters.
“When it comes to matters of race and education in Chicago, the attack on public schools is endemic,” 

Wendy Katten's letter to BBB

Letter sent to CEO Byrd-Bennett on Space Utilization: 1/2/2013

January 2, 2013
CEO Barbara Byrd-Bennett
Chicago Public Schools
125 S. Clark Street
Chicago, IL 60603

Dear Ms. Byrd-Bennett,

We are sending this letter because we have made numerous requests through various staff members at CPS to set up a meeting with you to discuss our space utilization findings presented at the last CPS board meeting and have not yet received a response. We also presented to the CEFTF and at Horner Park space utilization meeting where Frank Clark called our analysis "excellent" and stated that he does not refute our data findings at all.
As Chicago parents we are concerned that CPS is still using a flawed formula that exaggerates under utilization, under-reports overcrowding and ignores other factors reducing classroom size such as percent of 

JUDGE JUDY

I’m in love with Judge Judy.  The Judge Judy that is on television from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
I love her because of the way she “disciplines” the people that come before her. It brings back such warm memories of the bygone times when teachers didn’t put up with any nonsense and ran their classrooms in a dictatorial manner.  I love the way Judge Judy can spot a liar in the blink of an eye. I love how she tells people exactly what they need to hear and in no uncertain terms and no political correctness involved. I love the way she preaches common sense and has almost no patience for dealing with foolishness. I love the way she uses a humorous sarcasm to show people how ridiculous they are. I love how she commands respect and usually 

Flagler Charter School Closes – Lets Parents Know the Afternoon Before

From Orlando Sentinel reporter Dave Weber:
Happy New Year!
And, by the way, your school is closed for good!
That’s the word that students attending Global Outreach Academy, a Flagler County charter school, got Tuesday. Parents got phone calls from the school just hours before classes were to resume Wednesday after Christmas break.
That left parents scrambling this morning to find seats for their kindergarten through eighth grade 

I think the next time I hear somebody defend using test scores to evaluate teachers with the “95% of all teachers are found to be above average using the old system therefore it must be broken” I going to scream like I do when have a kidney stone (7 last year).
Below is a letter to the editor that I submitted to the Pittsburgh Post Gazetteconcerning a story about the city of Pittsburgh and how it plans to be the first in the state of Pennsylvania to use test scores to evaluate teachers working in the city’s schools.
How is it possible after all the research that has been conducted on Value Added 

In the News: Poverty's role in education draws attention

A Sun-Times editorial takes up the role of poverty in academic achievement, citing a speech by CTU President Karen Lewis to the City Club of Chicago in which she said,  “We cannot fix what’s wrong with our schools until we are prepared to have honest conversations about poverty and race.”


‘Armed Teacher Training Program’ Launches In 15 States

An Ohio gun owners’ group is launching an “Armed Teacher Training Program” to instruct teachers and school staff on how to shoot off firearms in the classroom.
Perhaps at the outlandish suggestion of the National Rifle Association, who last monthcalled for armed guards in every school as a response to the tragedy at Sandy Hook elementary, such programs are popping up around the country. In Ohio, the Buckeye 















4. Why Dyslexia is a Learning Difference

Learning Difficulty/Learning Difference.
We can call dyslexia a learning difference - rather than a learning difficulty.   This is a positive and useful term because it highlights key aspects of the causes of dyslexic difficulties, which particularly affect acquisition of literacy skills.
Differences in Brain Structure
Research suggests that dyslexia originates in differences in brain structure.  Scans taken of dyslexic and non-dyslexic brains – whilst looking at text – show that different parts of the brain 

unhistorical: January 2, 1492: Granada surrenders to Spanish...




unhistorical:
January 2, 1492: Granada surrenders to Spanish forces, ending Muslim rule in Iberia.
In the year 711, the first Muslim troops crossed from North Africa across the Strait of Gibraltar to Hispania, which they subsequently conquered over a seven-year campaign; the Umayyad drive north was ultimately halted at the Battle of Tours (Poitiers), but Muslim control over the Iberian Peninsula, formerly ruled by a Christian Visigothic kingdom, was complete. Yet even as the foundations of the state of Al-Andalus were being laid, the Reconquista had already begun 

On “building readiness” to see learning

Dissident studentsMy travel in November derailed some of our work to make a skateboard wheel RPM counter; while that project is idling, some of its participants have gotten deeper into using our MaKey MaKey boards for other projects.
I’ve posted about one of those projects on Democratizing Composition (#demcomp), a kind of companion blog to the Coöp for any and all interested in documenting and reflecting on their work to broaden the definition of literacy in public schools to include more than the consumption and production of printed text. #demcomp is 




Promised Land TRAILER (2012) - Matt Damon Movie HD




Big Education Ape Nite Cap 1-2-13 #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



SHOW ME THE MONEY « Teachers Fight Back

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 36 minutes ago
SHOW ME THE MONEY « Teachers Fight Back: SHOW ME THE MONEY by alkleen [image: Moving picture cash money wallet gif animation] Some of the suggestions for improving our schools and education system that appear in the newspaper just amaze me. I’m sure the people who suggest these improvements are well-meaning, but the cost of many of these suggestions is prohibitive. A group of American pediatricians is urging all school districts to have a doctor to oversee school health services. The group recommends having a doctor in every school district and a nurse in every school. A nice i... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: New Year comes in with roar of Chicago gunfire

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: New Year comes in with roar of Chicago gunfire: New Year comes in with roar of Chicago gunfire by Mike Klonsky The new year rolled into Chicago the same way the old year rolled out -- in a blaze of gunfire. Chicago ends 2012 with a total of 506 murders, a `16% jump from Rahm's first year in office. 2013 didn't exactly come in like a lamb. Three homicides, and 15 more other non-fatal shootings were reported around the city's South and West sides between the early morning hours and early evening on New Year's Day. Rahm's people, including top-cop Mc... more »

Common Core, Whole Child, Teacher Leadership, & Action Research: A Perfect Storm? — Whole Child Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Common Core, Whole Child, Teacher Leadership, & Action Research: A Perfect Storm? — Whole Child Education: THE WHOLE CHILD BLOG [image: Craig Mertler]Common Core, Whole Child, Teacher Leadership, & Action Research: A Perfect Storm? January 2, 2013 by Craig Mertler My sense is that most educators are viewing the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) as another inconvenience, yet another requirement to be met in our classrooms. However, I would argue that the CCSS presents us with an incredibly unique set of opportunities, if we choose to embrace them as a collective "opportunity." Know... more »

Five Questions to Ask about the Common Core* by YongZhao - Education in the Age of Globalization

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Education in the Age of Globalization » Blog Archive » Five Questions to Ask about the Common Core*: Five Questions to Ask about the Common Core* by YongZhao If you are reading this, you know the world didn’t end in 2012. But the world of American education may end in 2014, when the Common Core is scheduled to march into thousands of schools in the United States and end a “chaotic, fragmented, unequal, obsolete, and failing” system that has accompanied the rise of a nation with the largest economy, most scientific discoveries and technological inventions, best universities, and... more »

Last Stand for Children First: 2012 - A Banner Year in Education Reform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Last Stand for Children First: 2012 - A Banner Year in Education Reform: 2012 - A Banner Year in Education Reform by Last Stand for Children It was a banner year for education reform. We told our story on the big screen in Won't Back Down and the movie broke 25 year old box office records. It was also a heartwarming story of what can happen when parents band together to turn over public resources to corporations looking to take over a school. It was easily one of the three most realistic school movies of the year along with Pitch Perfect and Red Dawn, which also demonstrated jus... more »

'Tennessee Waltz' singer Patti Page dies at 85 | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
'Tennessee Waltz' singer Patti Page dies at 85 | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com: 'Tennessee Waltz' singer Patti Page dies at 85 - By Chris Talbott - Associated Press - 0 Comments *Nashville, Tenn.* ) — Patti Page, the "Singing Rage" who stumbled across "Tennessee Waltz" and made it one of the best-selling recordings ever, has died. She was 85. Page died on New Year's Day in Encinitas, Calif., according to publicist Schatzi Hageman. Page was the top-selling female singer of the 1950s with more than 100 million records sold. Her most enduring songs remain "Tennessee ... more »

EDjango Unchained: The Coming Revolt against ‘No Excuses’ Schools Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Coalition for Public Education/Coalición por la Educación Pública: *EDjango Unchained: The Coming Revolt against ‘No Excuses’ Schools* * * *An elementary student at a ‘no-excuses’ charter school in Memphis.* *<> * January 2, 2013-- http://edushyste... more »

“…the quality of an idea doesn’t justify an… « Deborah Meier on Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
“…the quality of an idea doesn’t justify an… « Deborah Meier on Education: “…the quality of an idea doesn’t justify an… by debmeier As the management theorist Peter Scholtes used to say, “People don’t resist change. They resist being changed.” (Note: people includes students of all ages.) Thank you, Alfie, for this quote from management theorist Peter Scholtes. It’s a good thing to reflect upon as we welcome 2012. Then read the whole column: “…the quality of an idea doesn’t justify an attempt to shove it down people’s throats. Nor does it increase the likelihood that such an effo... more »

UPDATE: Seattle Schools Community Forum: WEA to Fight-1240 In Court

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: WEA to Fight-1240 In Court: WEA to Fight-1240 In Court by Melissa Westbrook *But the WEA DID NOT!* I have received word that the WEA Board of Directors has decided to fight I-1240 in court. From their statement: *“Though our candidates won, we are disappointed that corporate interests with their $11 million were able to pass the charter school initiative. Looking forward, your board of directors has decided to fund a legal challenge against the new charters law and, as we did with McCleary, are seeking partners and developing an approach and time... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Cuomo Commission report predictably leaves out class size

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
NYC Public School Parents: Cuomo Commission report predictably leaves out class size: Cuomo Commission report predictably leaves out class size by Leonie Haimson Welcome back and Happy New Year. The first report of the Cuomo Commission on Education Reform was released today. As expected, given the pre-established views of the Commissioners selected by the Governor, the report makes a big push for more full day preK, more extended school time and more online learning, higher standards for acceptance into teacher prep programs, measuring the quality of those programs through analyz... more »

House Republicans like Indiana for education panel

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 hours ago
House Republicans like Indiana for education panel: House Republicans like Indiana for education panel by Valerie Strauss *Death to Public Schools* The Republicans have chosen their lineup for the U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce in the 113th Congress, and it turns out that Indiana took top honors in terms of number of seats. Indiana is the state where voters in November removed controversial State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett and elected veteran teacher Glenda Ritz in his place. Bennett, a leader of the national market-driven school reform mo... more »

Diane in the Evening 1-2-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Jonathan Pelto Reports: Has CNN Dropped Dr. Steve Perry? by dianerav According to Connecticut blogger Jonathan Pelto, CNN has severed its relationship with Dr. Steve Perry. Dr. Perry became best known for his putdown of teaches and unions, as well as his claims about his own miraculous achievements as director of a magnet school in Hartford. Pelto does a good job deconstructing those claims. Jersey Jazzman deconstructed his claims last year in multiple posts. See here. And here. And here. Could it be that CNN executives read Jersey Jazzman? When Students Lo... more »

"If You Would Take a Bullet for a Child..." - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
"If You Would Take a Bullet for a Child..." - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: "If You Would Take a Bullet for a Child..." by Nancy Flanagan Roseanne Eckert posted this comment on one of the many ed-reform Facebook pages. Eckert, who is an attorney and parent, not a teacher, gave permission for use. *WARNING: Unpopular comment coming! I have seen many teachers bask in the glow of the extraordinary bravery displayed by the teachers at Sandy Hook. I have seen comments that suggest that all teachers would take a bullet for their kids. This is in direct contrast to... more »

Tiburcio Vasquez School In California Named After Bandido Ignites Controversy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Tiburcio Vasquez School In California Named After Bandido Ignites Controversy: Tiburcio Vasquez School In California Named After Bandido Ignites Controversy By GOSIA WOZNIACKA 01/01/13 01:17 PM ET EST [image: AP] [image: Tiburcio Vasquez] FRESNO, Calif. -- Scaffolding climbs the walls of the new elementary school in Salinas, an agricultural city celebrated as John Steinbeck's birthplace but plagued by gang violence. Although still under construction, the school is already embroiled in controversy because the school board decided to name it after Tiburcio Vasquez, one of the sta... more »

Pew Research Year in Review The Year in Data – Pew Research Center for the People and the Press

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Pew Research Year in Review The Year in Data – Pew Research Center for the People and the Press: The Year in Data [image: The Year in Data] Take a look at Pew Research Center’s top findings of the year that told us a bigger story about the trends shaping our world. - « Previous - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14 - 15 - 16 - 17 - 18 - 19 - 20 - 21 - Next» REPORT INFOGRAPHICS - The Year in Data -... more »

Daily Kos: Living and Learning in Perpetual Crisis

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Daily Kos: Living and Learning in Perpetual Crisis: Living and Learning in Perpetual Crisis byplthomasEdDFollow What do the fiscal cliff and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have in common? For the answer consider this scenario: An arsonist sets a home on fire, and then risks his life fighting the blaze—but the house eventually succumbs to the flames. The media and the public praise the arsonist a hero, choosing to consider the heroic effort to fight the fire while ignoring that he caused the disaster. This scenario is not far-fetched and captures exactly the "manufactured cri... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Parenting

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Parenting: Parenting by Melissa Westbrook A couple of good parenting ideas have come across my desk. One is an article from Parent Map on how to get your children to do their homework. This mom made a "homework hour" for the entire family. (I assume she got out her bills, etc. to work on while they did schoolwork.) Any thoughts/tips from you about how you handle homework? Do you feel like your child is getting too much/too little/not effective homework or is it just right? The other story is from a mom's blog - Janel Burley Hofmann about an iP... more »

UPDATE: Florida Media Finally Shines the Light on Voucher, Charter School and Online Education Money in Florida Politics | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Florida Media Finally Shines the Light on Voucher, Charter School and Online Education Money in Florida Politics | Scathing Purple Musings: Florida Media Finally Shines the Light on Voucher, Charter School and Online Education Money in Florida Politics by Bob Sikes The narrative the Florida media is advancing on education policy has changed. And not in a way which is favorable for the state’s education power brokers. Jeff Solochek published a column in the *Tampa Bay Times *on the last day of 2012 in which he observed that “Florida’s reform movement faced its first significant pu... more »

UPDATE: Schools Matter: New York Principals Lead Fight Against More Guaranteed Testing Victims

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Schools Matter: New York Principals Lead Fight Against More Guaranteed Testing Victims: New York Principals Lead Fight Against More Guaranteed Testing Victims by Jim Horn Please sign the petition. From Carol Burris: Dear friends and colleagues, Happy holidays to all. The spring testing season is just around the corner. The Commissioner and Chancellor have already warned us that the 3-8 tests will be more difficult, and fewer students will reach proficiency. We know what that means-more frustrated and upset students, more confused parents who will fear that their child is not... more »

UPDATE: Fiscal cliff? Welcome to Illinois. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Fiscal cliff? Welcome to Illinois. « Fred Klonsky: Fiscal cliff? Welcome to Illinois. by Fred Klonsky [image: eric_cantor_betting_against_america] *Tea Party Congressman Eric Cantor would be an Illinois Democrat.* It went into overtime, but the battle in Washington over tax cuts for the wealthy and misnamed “entitlements” didn’t exactly have the excitement of a good NBA game. What was common to both is that most of us were merely spectators. The inestimable Paul Krugman points out the obvious: Things aren’t settled yet. Many more cliffs to follow. Kudos to Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, the... more »

Van Roekel: ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Package A Source of Hope and Concern for America’s Students | NEA Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Van Roekel: ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Package A Source of Hope and Concern for America’s Students | NEA Today: Van Roekel: ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Package A Source of Hope and Concern for America’s Students January 2, 2013 by twalker Filed under Featured News, Top Stories Leave a Comment [image: Email][image: Share] *National Education Association President Dennis Van Roekel issued the following statement in response to the vote in U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday night to deal with the Fiscal Cliff of 2012:* “While tonight’s House vote represents a major step toward addressing the needs of ... more »

UPDATE: FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, January 2, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: *Brown plans extensive changes for school funding in 2013* Education Headlines *Wednesday, January 2, 2013* School uses laptops to enable learningABLE Charter doesn't use textbooks. It's an all-digital high school that uses an online curriculum and Web-based research tools in all of its courses. 3 more indicted in South Bay corruption probeA probe into corruption among South Bay school leaders has widened to include another district, with indictments against three additional officials. Calif. school named after bandido ignites debat... more »

President of Center for Education Reform Calls Me and SOS Bullies « @ the chalk face

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
President of Center for Education Reform Calls Me and SOS Bullies « @ the chalk face: President of Center for Education Reform Calls Me and SOS Bullies6 September 7, 2012 by stephrrivera Founder/CEO of Center for Education Reform, Jeanne Allen, wrote an opinion piece on Tuesday titled, “Parents vs. The Blob.“ In this opinion piece, she puts some lovely words into my mouth: “Shame on you for supporting a movie that sensationalizes locking kids in dark closets as ubiquitous ‘punishment,’ bellowed someone named Stephanie Rivera When actually I said:

Shaun Johnson: Educators Testing Their Courage After Newtown

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Shaun Johnson: Educators Testing Their Courage After Newtown: Educators Testing Their Courage After Newtown Posted: 01/02/2013 11:10 am Swimming midstream between holiday reflections and New Year's resolutions, there will be a lot more time, attention, and line space devoted to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. A mild kerfuffle erupted in the last couple of weeks over who in the education community could claim ownership of some of the selfless heroism displayed by Sandy Hook staff. Notable reform opponent Diane Ravitch, in a blog post paying tribute to these educators, h... more »

Being a Physics Teacher and Father: The Story of Jeffrey Wright | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Being a Physics Teacher and Father: The Story of Jeffrey Wright | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Being a Physics Teacher and Father: The Story of Jeffrey Wright by larrycuban *The following article and YouTube selection comes from a story written by Tara Pope published in theNew York Times, December 24, 2012. It is an uncommon story of a gifted teacher whose life story becomes part of the physics lessons that he teaches. I saw this story on Joanne Jacob’s blog, “Linking and Thinking on Education” (http://www.joannejacobs.com/)* Jeffrey Wright is well known ar... more »

UPDATE: 5 Reasons You Should Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) | ED.gov Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
5 Reasons You Should Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) | ED.gov Blog: 5 Reasons You Should Complete the *Free Application for Federal Student Aid* (FAFSA) Posted on January 2, 2013 by Nicole Callahan [image: FAFSA January Free Logo] The new FAFSA for the 2013-14 school year is now available. *1. It’s the only way to gain access to the more than $150 billion available in federal student aid.* Completing the FAFSA is the first step toward getting federal aid for college, career school, or graduate school. Federal Student Aid provides more than $150 billion ... more »

UPDATE: This Week In Education: Morning Video: Matt Damon's School Reform Movie

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
This Week In Education: Morning Video: Matt Damon's School Reform Movie: Morning Video: Matt Damon's School Reform Movie by Alexander Russo The new movie "Promised Land" looks like it has lots to offer education types, especially those who are critical of the current school reform movement: Popout Celebrity school reform critic Matt Damon plays a leading role. The actress from "My Sister's Sister" who's not Emily Blunt plays a teacher who is the moral center of the film. And the topic -- whether it's better to "save" small rural towns with natural gas leases (aka, fracking) or to t... more »

Community College Spotlight | College textbook bubble will burst

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Community College Spotlight | College textbook bubble will burst: College textbook bubble will burst by Joanne Jacobs The college textbook bubble will burst when the “open educational resources” movement breaks the textbook cartel, writes Mark Perry on AEIdeas. Since 1978, the cost of education books and supplies (mostly college textbooks) has increased by 812 percent, his chart shows. That’s much more than the very high inflation rate for medical services or new homes and way more than the 250 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index. It’s “unsustainable,” Perry writes. Never Pay ... more »

EDjango Unchained: The Coming Revolt against ‘No Excuses’ Schools | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
EDjango Unchained: The Coming Revolt against ‘No Excuses’ Schools | EduShyster: EdJango Unchained: The Coming Revolt against ‘No Excuses’ Schools by edushyster2012 An elementary student at a ‘no excuses’ school in Memphis. For tens of thousands of black and brown students who attend what are billed as “college-prep” academies, today’s return to school begins as always: in straight, silent lines. For these students, more and more of them in our cities every day, school is now synonymous with discipline. While the specific systems of rewards and punishments vary from one urban charte... more »

Hot Times in the Kelly Center Tonight! « PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Hot Times in the Kelly Center Tonight! « PWC Education Reform Blog: Hot Times in the Kelly Center Tonight! by pwceducationreform There is a school board meeting tonight, January 2, 2013, and it should be interesting. There will be a Work Session on the CIP following the regular meeting. Both the meeting and work session are open to the public. *ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING* First is the organizational meeting where the interim appointee to the Woodbridge seat will be announced. I assume the school board / division will also announce the date of the election to fill the seat, which will... more »

Something to be thankful for: Public education - The Item: Opinion

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Something to be thankful for: Public education - The Item: Opinion: Something to be thankful for: Public education - - ShareShare PrintCreate a hardcopy of this pageFont Size:Default font sizeLarger font size [image: Something to be thankful for: Public education]Something to be thankful for: Public education IVEY Posted: Wednesday, January 2, 2013 6:00 am | *Updated: 5:44 pm, Tue Jan 1, 2013.* BY TREVOR IVEY With the season of giving upon us, it is time to sit down and reflect on all of the things for which we are thankful. For many, it's family and good friends. For o... more »

LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 1-2-13 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] Protest in Australia Against Our Corporate Reformers by dianerav Here is a website in Australia that keeps watch on the damage done to Australian education by bad ideas imported from the USA. The question is why Australia–which ranks above the US on those international tests–should be copying the methods of the US. *The Treehorn Express* Treehorn is the hero of an easy-to-read, sad children’s book, “*The Shrinking of Treehorn”* by Florence Heidi Parry. She cleverly exposes adults’ couldn’t-care-less attitu... more »

Federal cuts to education left unresolved | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Federal cuts to education left unresolved | EdSource Today: Federal cuts to education left unresolved - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald [image: FiscalCliffSign010113]Congress’ New Year’s Day drama, ending a stalemate over extending tax cuts for all but the wealthy, delays rather than resolves an across-the-board 8.2 percent decrease in federal education spending. That’s the spending piece of the “fiscal cliff” that Congress decided to put off deciding until early March. For California districts, that means a two-month reprieve from facing potentially hundreds of millions o... more »

Congress Pushing College Students Over Fiscal Cliff | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Congress Pushing College Students Over Fiscal Cliff | toteachornototeach: Congress Pushing College Students Over Fiscal Cliff by aristotlethewise *Congress Pushing College Students Over Fiscal Cliff * [image: 121119035415_fiscal-cliff,-money] by Sheila SimonThe clock is ticking as we approach the “fiscal cliff,” and it is important to understand how falling over the cliff will hurt college students — and Illinois’ future job prospects. If Congress fails to act in the coming hours on President Obama’s plan, student aid experts predict middle- and low-income students will pay about $5,... more »

Engaging Parents In School… » This week’s #PTchat On Twitter

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Engaging Parents In School… » This week’s #PTchat On Twitter: This week’s #PTchat On Twitter by Larry Ferlazzo Guest post by Joe Mazza On Wednesday, January 2, 2013, weekly #ptchat returns with a goal setting conversation. We’ll discuss short and long term family engagement goals from the classroom, administrative and parent leadership lens. How can we best involve student voice to maximize our engagement goals? Join us at 9PM EDT for our first conversation of 2013. Happy New Year! *New to Twitterchats?* After logging on to Twitter, visit Tweetchat and simply enter “ptchat” in the ... more »

UPDATE: Daily Kos: Loyalty Oaths

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Daily Kos: Loyalty Oaths: Please trust me on this one by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) My good friend Diane Ravitch put out a blog post titled "Love is the Answer" from which I am going to borrow two links, those links being the point of her post. I am going to ask you first to take 12 minutes from your life to watch Wright's Law, an award-winning video. Only then should you read Laws of Physics Can’t Trump the Bonds of Love. Trust me, you will be glad you did both. But watch the video first. senior former CIA interrogator - torture does not work by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) Giv... more »

Newtown shooting demands we consider our “call of duty” as parents | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Newtown shooting demands we consider our “call of duty” as parents | Get Schooled: Newtown shooting demands we consider our “call of duty” as parents by Maureen Downey [image: Snow-covered stuffed animals with photos attached sit at a memorial in Newtown, Conn. Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. People continue to visit memorials after gunman Adam Lanza walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Friday, Dec. 14, and opened fire, killing 26, including 20 children, before killing himself. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)]Snow-covered stuffed animals with photos attached sit at a memorial in Ne... more »

UPDATE: Robbed and Judges look at whether charter schools are public by Valerie Strauss

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Robbed: Judges look at whether charter schools are public by Valerie Strauss Charter schools are publicly funded but increasingly people are asking whether many of them more resemble private schools. Here's a different look at this notion from Julian Vasquez Heilig, an award-winning researcher and Associate Professor of Educational Policy and Planning at the University of Texas at Austin. A version of this appeared on his Education and Public Policy blog. Read full article >> Robbed by Valerie Strauss To start off the new year, here’s a personal look at the problems that face... more »

Ten Edu-Stories We'll Be Reading in 2013 :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Ten Edu-Stories We'll Be Reading in 2013 :: Frederick M. Hess: Ten Edu-Stories We'll Be Reading in 2013 Last year, I took a shot at predicting some of the key edu-headlines we'd be reading in 2012. You can check 'em here to score my accuracy for yourself. Meanwhile, here's a guess at some of the key edu-headlines we'll be reading in 2013: 10] "The Common Core fight turns increasingly nasty, as embattled Tea Party conservatives lash out at Republicans who they see as apologizing for Obama administration overreach. A few additional states opt out of the standards, while many more e... more »

Happy New Year! Suggestions for a Successful School Year! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Happy New Year! Suggestions for a Successful School Year! « Diary of a Public School Teacher!: Happy New Year! Suggestions for a Successful School Year! by Oldschoolteach *Have a wonderful 2013!* *I share these ideas twice a year. At the beginning of the school year, and the beginning of the year. I’ve made some changes to my list.* * * Some suggestions for the new year: 1. treat all students fairly, regardless of race, gender, age, behavior, a parent’s nasty attitude, the comments from last year’s teachers, or a seemingly lack of interest in learning 2. to realize ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Break's over...

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Break's over...: Break's over... by Mike Klonsky As I head out the door this cold Chicago morning, free from fear of the *fiscal cliff*, why does that old "Break's over -- Everyone back on their heads" joke keep popping into my head? Obama was the big winner over the T-Party *fiscal-cliff * ferrets. It's a tiny taste of what happens when the message is framed as the 99% vs. the 1%. Thanks Occupy! But we the people remained largely as spectators to the grand deal and as a result, the deal falls short on making up for the revenue lost due to the Bush t... more »

Malloy affiliated Political Action Committee cashes in on education reform bill: - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Malloy affiliated Political Action Committee cashes in on education reform bill: - Wait, What?: Malloy affiliated Political Action Committee cashes in on education reform bill: by jonpelto In the financial world, I think they call it Return on Investment, or, in the parlance of Wall Street ROI. On May 29, 2012, Governor Malloy’s education reform bill became Public Act 12-116. Twenty-four hours later, Malloy was ensconced at the 10,000 square foot, $8.5 million, Greenwich, Connecticut home of corporate education reform financier Jonathan Sackler for a fundraiser that netted the Mal... more »

Schools Matter: Bloodless Abstractionism

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Schools Matter: Bloodless Abstractionism: Bloodless Abstractionism by Storm A dedicated advocate for putting the reality of a living being, a child, back into the actuarial equations of our political considerations, Peg With Pen posts this on the first day of 2013: Teachers, as you plan how to resist corporate education reform and rebuild public schools on National Opt Out Day (Jan.7th) - or any day for that matter - here is one way to do it - do not allow others to refer to children based on their test scores. Children cannot be called "UnSats" or "Partials" or any other labe... more »

Jersey Jazzman: Millionaires' Spawn to Teachers & Cops: Suck It!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Millionaires' Spawn to Teachers & Cops: Suck It!: Millionaires' Spawn to Teachers & Cops: Suck It! by Duke *America speaks! Inflation adjustments for her...* I just saw this about the latest fiscal cliff deal. And you people have got to be freakin' kidding me: As for estate taxes, the rates will rise from 35 percent to 40 percent for estates valued at over $5 million dollars, however *the Republicans did succeed in building in a provision which allows the amount of the exemption (currently five million dollars) to be indexed to the rate of inflation*. [emphasis mi... more »

NYC Educator: Geniuses at Work

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
NYC Educator: Geniuses at Work: Geniuses at Work by NYC Educator One of the reasons I voted for President Obama in 2008 was his promise to end the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. At first, he ignored that promise. Later he made a deal and extended them. He's finally changed that, to an extent, and has protected people who've made up to 450K per year. Apparently, they cannot pay any more or they will move to Australia. However, President Obama neglected to extend cuts to the payroll tax, and that effectively cuts the income of working people by 2%, immediately. For me, not having ha... more »

Your Student’s Privacy | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Your Student’s Privacy | Seattle Education: Your Student’s Privacy by seattleducation2011 *This article, without the sidebars provided at the end of this post, was originally published on August 27, 2012 at EducationNews.com and is republished here with permission from the author.* [image: internet-privacy] *Parents Need to Know About Student Data Privacy* *Trusting Parents* When enrolling or filling out forms during the school year, parents give schools personal information about themselves and their child. A school employee

CTA'S PRESIDENT KAREN LEWIS & THE RELENTLESS ATTACK ON PUBLIC EDUCATION - Perdaily.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
CTA'S PRESIDENT KAREN LEWIS & THE RELENTLESS ATTACK ON PUBLIC EDUCATION - Perdaily.com: CTA'S PRESIDENT KAREN LEWIS & THE RELENTLESS ATTACK ON PUBLIC EDUCATION by Leonard Isenberg [image: Karen Lewis.jpg] Take a moment and listen to Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) President Karen Lewis talk about "the class war between rich and poor in Chicago, Los Angeles, and the rest of the country" that is being carried out in our public schools that has made the "American dream a scary nightmare." It is hard to be one nation under g-d or under anything that even remotely resembles an equitable de... more »

Group Files Department of Education Complaint on UVa’s ‘Warning’ - Higher Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Group Files Department of Education Complaint on UVa’s ‘Warning’ - Higher Education: Group Files Department of Education Complaint on UVa’s ‘Warning’ by cmaadmin [image: Teresa Sullivan]Teresa Sullivan overcame the University of Virginia’s attempt to fire her as president. RICHMOND, Va. — A nonprofit group representing trustees and alumni from colleges around the country is seeking an investigation by the U.S. Department of Education into an accreditation agency’s decision to put the University of Virginia on warning for its failed attempt to fire its president last summer. The Ame... more »

School Tech Connect: Get To Aurora. Then Get To Springfield

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Get To Aurora. Then Get To Springfield: Get To Aurora. Then Get To Springfield by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) It's going to be a busy couple of days... These are things you should be attending, if you live in Illinois and you're a teacher: Jobs For Justice Town Hall (Pension Discussion) *Town Hall Pension Forum When: Wednesday January 2nd, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Where: East Aurora High School (Auditorium) 500 Tomcat Ln., Aurora, IL 60505 Ample parking–enter through Door 5* * *This event will feature the long-awaited reunion of pension-buster Elaine Nekritz and l... more »

Peg with Pen: Children are NOT Numbers: National Opt Out Day, January 7th

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Peg with Pen: Children are NOT Numbers: National Opt Out Day, January 7th: Children are NOT Numbers: National Opt Out Day, January 7th by Peggy Teachers, as you plan how to resist corporate education reform and rebuild public schools on National Opt Out Day (Jan.7th) - or any day for that matter - here is one way to do it - *do not allow others to refer to children based on their test scores*. Children cannot be called "UnSats" or "Partials" or any other label attached to a number. It is beyond disrespectful and allows teachers to become removed from the actions they are taking, t... more »

2012 ten minute drawing sample. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
2012 ten minute drawing sample. « Fred Klonsky: 2012 ten minute drawing sample. by Fred Klonsky [image: bipartisanship] [image: boehner] [image: brizard] [image: cartoon1] [image: columbus] [image: dan-biss] [image: debate3] [image: ella-baker] *More Fred 2012 ten minute drawing sample. « Fred Klonsky:*

Twelve lessons we learned from New York City’s schools in 2012 | GothamSchools

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Twelve lessons we learned from New York City’s schools in 2012 | GothamSchools: Twelve lessons we learned from New York City’s schools in 2012 by Philissa Cramer 2-12 Jan. 1, 2012, dawned just as 2013 will tomorrow: with the city at odds with the UFT over teacher evaluations, under the threat of a bus strike, and in the process of closing down dozens of schools. But just because the city’s education news sometimes seems like it’s on a loop doesn’t mean we can’t learn from it. Here are a dozen of the lessons we took away from the city’s schools this year:** *1. The Department of E... more »

Ed Notes Online: Back to Brooklyn College with Julie and Jack

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Ed Notes Online: Back to Brooklyn College with Julie and Jack: Back to Brooklyn College with Julie and Jack by ed notes online Recently Julie Cavanagh (and Jack) and I were invited by professor Charisa Kiyô Smith as GEMers to speak to a class at Brooklyn College that had watched our movie in class the week before. She wanted us to talk about activism. She described the class, Children and The Law, this way: 90% of my students are either already paras or teacher's aides, or seek to go into teaching full time. They would like to learn about becoming more involved in combating som... more »






Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-29-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-22-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-15-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-8-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 12-1-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-24-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post Big Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-17-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-10-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 11-3-12 Recap of Last Week's Best PostBig Education Ape 2nd Banana 10-27-12 Recap of Last Week's Best Post 






Big Education Ape Nite Cap 1-1-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-31-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-30-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-29-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-28-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-27-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-26-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-25-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-24-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-23-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-22-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-21-2012 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-20-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-19-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-18-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-17-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-16-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-15-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-14-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-13-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-12-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-11-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-10-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-9-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-8-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-7-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-6-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-5-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-4-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-3-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-2-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2Big Education Ape Nite Cap 12-1-12 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2