Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Oregon Save Our Schools: Increasing Teacher Stress is a Recipe for Disaster!

Oregon Save Our Schools: Increasing Teacher Stress is a Recipe for Disaster!:

Increasing Teacher Stress is a Recipe for Disaster!

Yeats Quote


At a recent meeting, it came to my attention that the Oregon Teaching Standards and Practices Commissionhas been receiving an increasing number of complaints about teachers who have engaged in conduct that is extremely out of the ordinary for them as individuals, or who have acted before thinking, resulting in interactions that were then judged to be unprofessional. The Commission Director indicated that she felt this was an indicator of rising stress in the teaching force.

Rising teacher stress is painfully obvious to any objective observer and is approaching epidemic proportions. We must change it before we completely lose the excellent teachers that we now have.

But this is only the latest reminder about the scope of the problem that I have encountered. This really should not be news to those who make educational policy. Two different studies now nearly two years old sounded the alarm loud and clear. Unfortunately, both have been alternatively “spun” or just plain ignored.

One was the 2012 release of the prestigious MetLife Survey of the American Teacher - Challenges for School Leadership. This was the twenty-ninth in a series sponsored annually by MetLife since 1984 to give voice to those closest to the Classroom.

The other is the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index (2013).

The way in which these two were presented to the public, however, was strikingly different. The Atlantic headlined its story on the MetLife survey "Teacher Job Satisfaction Hits 25-Year Low" and said: 

Principal and teacher job satisfaction is declining. Principals’ satisfaction with their jobs in the public schools has decreased nine percentage points since it was last measured in 2008. In that same period, teacher satisfaction has dropped precipitously by 23 percentage points, including a five-point decrease in the last year, to the lowest level it has been in the survey in 25 years. A majority of teachers report that they feel under great stress at least several days a week, a significant increase from 1985 when this was last measured.
But Brandon Busteed, Executive Director of Oregon Save Our Schools: Increasing Teacher Stress is a Recipe for Disaster!:


The Terrible Choice and Other Peoples' Children | Peter Greene

The Terrible Choice and Other Peoples' Children | Peter Greene:

The Terrible Choice and Other Peoples' Children








For much of our history, Americans have operated under a simple premise -- we will educate other people's children.
Educating your own offspring is an old idea; human beings have done it for most of history. This has had many implications. You can't teach your own children things you don't know. If you're not wealthy (or even wealthy-ish), you can't hire people smarter than yourself to teach your offspring; if you are well-to-do, you can hire those smarter people -- and since they're your personal employees, you can tell them what sorts of things you want your children to be taught.
But from the beginning, some American communities provided schools for all their children. The system was not remotely perfect from Day One (for one thing, it was only for white children). But the idea was established -- as members of the community, we join to educate all children. We join to educate other people's children.
This commitment was part of a long, slow-motion argument. Only educated folks should be full citizens. No, every person should be a full citizen. Therefore all folks should be educated. It's a simple progression, but it took us a couple of centuries to work our way through it.
It is a point of American pride that we have set that task for ourselves. It is a point of American shame that we have tried to weasel out of it.
Our commitment to educating other people's children has collided with the class divide and the racial divide, like an Evel Education Knievel who can't quite clear the row of school buses, stacked too high and wrapped in a big sign that says, "I've got mine, Jack."

If I've got to spend money educating other people's children, can't I just buy them the absolute minimum? I don't really want to spend the money to educate Those Peoples' Children. What -- you want to take my tax dollars to educate Black Peoples' Children?!
Over the past several decades, our unwillingness to educate other peoples' children has stretched and trained the system. Well, parts of the system. Just as the rich have made sure they have good security and fine infrastructure in their isolated communities, they have also made sure that their own children are well-educated. But as the public system (you know -- the one for educating other peoples' children) has The Terrible Choice and Other Peoples' Children | Peter Greene:

Who supports public schools for all? Who opposes high stakes testing and corporate education reform? | Reclaim Reform

Who supports public schools for all? Who opposes high stakes testing and corporate education reform? | Reclaim Reform:

Who supports public schools for all? Who opposes high stakes testing and corporate education reform?



Which candidate and party to vote for? Who supports public schools for all? Who opposes high stakes testing and corporate education reform? Who supports raising the minimum wage? Who supports food stamps for the working poor and their children? Who voted against sane regulations for the banking industry such as the Dodd-Frank Act
Democrat (D) and/or Republican (R)?
“Wish I could have been there. Would have loved to have asked him (Patrick Murphy, ex-Republican US Representative and present Democratic US Senate candidate) about why he voted recently with Republicans to cut food stamps by $90 a month for poor people, to pass CISPA, to set up the House Benghazi panel, or to gut minimum coverage requirements for the ACA, or reduce restrictions on for-profit universities. Or, well, all the other awesome Republican bills that have come forward and earned his strong support. He’s come a long way since maxing out donations to Mitt Romney in 2008 and other GOP candidates and then joining the Democratic Party right before the 2012 qualifying period. It’s great to have him with us, really it is. Maybe he’ll be Florida’s next Senator?”
(Sarcasm intended.)
– Joe Pishgar, former Democratic candidate for Brevard County, FL Commissioner
Crist and Murphy
In Florida, we have just experienced the insanity of running our last Republican Governor Charlie Crist as the Democratic candidate for governor. Crist was the protege of ex-Governor Jeb Bush (R). Crist, of course, lost.
“Kudos to Florida Democratic Senatorial Candidate Patrick Murphy (recent-R) for raising a ton of money this last quarter, mostly from the banking industry – go get ’em, Pat! In completely unrelated news, we just hit the six month anniversary of Patrick Murphy’s vote to dismantle the Dodd-Frank 
Who supports public schools for all? Who opposes high stakes testing and corporate education reform? | Reclaim Reform:

Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 8/8/15


SPECIAL NITE CAP 

CORPORATE ED REFORM




Charter school board may get rare perk – pay | The Sacramento Bee
Charter school board may get rare perk – pay | The Sacramento Bee: Charter school board may get rare perk – payCharter schools, unlike big school districts, don’t usually pay their board members. But trustees of a single charter school in Del Paso Heights will start receiving $600 a month if a proposal to amend the school’s bylaws gets final approval.Highlands Community Charter School, approved la
CPS's Opinion of Parents and Teachers: Idiots Windy City Teachers
Windy City Teachers: Tales of Urban Reform: CPS's Opinion of Parents and Teachers: Idiots: CPS's Opinion of Parents and Teachers: Idiots Windy City TeachersCPS teachers and staff recently received the following email:"Dear Colleagues,The first day of school for students is Tuesday, September 8 and we need your help to get the word out.There are several ways to participate in our Back-to-Schoo
Wendy Lecker: Want to know how a student is doing? Ask a teacher - StamfordAdvocate
Wendy Lecker: Want to know how a student is doing? Ask a teacher - StamfordAdvocate: Wendy Lecker: Want to know how a student is doing? Ask a teacherA friend of mine had a priceless reaction to the specious claim by education reformers that our children need standardized tests so parents can know how they are doing in school. He laughed and said that in 20 years of parent conferences no teacher ev
NPR Is Gaga about PARCC and Its State-comparison Potential | deutsch29
NPR Is Gaga about PARCC and Its State-comparison Potential | deutsch29: NPR Is Gaga about PARCC and Its State-comparison PotentialOn August 07, 2015, NPR released this piece concerning setting the cut scores for the PARCC tests that students took in the spring.NPR makes this statement:…Until last year, it was all but impossible to compare students across state lines. Not anymore.This is not true.
solidaridad: Join Voices Against Privatizing Public Education's efforts to repeal the California charter school law
solidaridad: Join Voices Against Privatizing Public Education's efforts to repeal the California charter school law: Join Voices Against Privatizing Public Education's efforts to repeal the California charter school lawThere is a small grass-roots group that has been working diligently to create a ballot proposition to repeal the charter school laws. While a seemingly daunting task, there might no
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The fall of Chancellor Wise
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The fall of Chancellor Wise: The fall of Chancellor Wise Asked if she was taking the fall for the Board of Trustees, Wise said, “no,” she was sharing the responsibility. -- Illinois Public Media, September 04, 2014Phyllis Wise has been forced to resign from her $549,069/yr. job as University of Illinois Chancellor. I say, good riddance to you Chancellor Wise and may
White House was ‘grateful’ to Jeb Bush for helping with Common Core, says former Obama aide - The Washington Post
White House was ‘grateful’ to Jeb Bush for helping with Common Core, says former Obama aide - The Washington Post: White House was ‘grateful’ to Jeb Bush for helping with Common Core, says former Obama aideThis can’t be a tweet that Jeb Bush is going to like.Daniel Pfeiffer, a former senior advisor to President Obama for strategy and communications, expressed the White House’s gratitude to the for
SKrashen: CAN ACCESS BALANCE THE EFFECT OF POVERTY?
SKrashen: August 2015: Webinar Presentation 4CAN ACCESS BALANCE THE EFFECT OF POVERTY?Predictors of NAEP grade 4, 2007, 51 statespredictorsbetatPPoverty-0.727.420Access0.531.620.055r2 = .63Access = bks/student in school libraries, circulation in public librariesPredictors of PIRLS:Predictors of the reading test: PIRLS 2006predictorPpoverty-0.410.005independent reading in school0.160.14library: 50
Public Schools to Teachers: Run Your Class on Fear or Get Fired - The Daily Beast
Public Schools to Teachers: Run Your Class on Fear or Get Fired - The Daily Beast: Public Schools to Teachers: Run Your Class on Fear or Get FiredAs part of a burgeoning new public school program called “No Nonsense Nurturing” teachers are required to wear earpieces. They’re reminded to be less enthusiastic and “expect 100 percent compliance.” And in at least one high profile case, the teachers wh
Teachers pose some pointed questions for next GOP debate - The Washington Post
Teachers pose some pointed questions for next GOP debate - The Washington Post: Teachers pose some pointed questions for next GOP debateRepublican presidential candidates from left, Chris Christie, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Scott Walker, Donald Trump, Jeb Bush, Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, and John Kasich take the stage for the first Republican presidential debate at the Quicken Loans Arena
Major charter school expansion in the works for L.A. Unified students - LA Times
Major charter school expansion in the works for L.A. Unified students - LA Times: Major charter school expansion in the works for L.A. Unified studentsA Prominent local education foundation is discussing a major expansion of charter schools in Los Angeles aimed at boosting academic achievement for students at the lowest performing campuses.Details of the project are not yet fully clear. But charte
Did Jeb Bush pass the first school voucher program in the nation? - Business Insider
Did Jeb Bush pass the first school voucher program in the nation? - Business Insider: We fact-checked Jeb Bush's claim that he launched America's first-ever statewide voucher programAt last night's Republican presidential debate, K-12 education made its way onto the agenda with a question posed to former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) about his support for the Common Core.Bush deflected an answer about
Carol Burris, former LI principal, takes post with education advocacy group | Newsday
Carol Burris, former LI principal, takes post with education advocacy group | Newsday: Former LI principal Carol Burris takes post with education advocacy groupnetworkforpubliceducation.org/Carol Burris, former principal of South Side High School in Rockville Centre, has been named executive director of The Network for Public Education's NPE Fund, through which she will advocate for public schools
Georgia’s Problem with Students with Behavioral Disabilities is Everyone’s Problem
Georgia’s Problem with Students with Behavioral Disabilities is Everyone’s Problem: Georgia’s Problem with Students with Behavioral Disabilities is Everyone’s Problem How does one teach a student who shows up at school angry, defiant and/or sullen and depressed, who might hear voices—who acts so atypical that there is worry they might lash out at other students or hurt themselves? When they throw
CTU's Lewis Threatens Strike After Contract Talks Rebooted by CPS - River North - DNAinfo.com Chicago
CTU's Lewis Threatens Strike After Contract Talks Rebooted by CPS - River North - DNAinfo.com Chicago: CTU's Lewis Threatens Strike After Contract Talks Rebooted by CPSRIVER NORTH — The president of the Chicago Teachers Union threatened a strike Friday after Chicago Public Schools abruptly rebooted talks on a contract extension.CTU President Karen Lewis said teachers could take a strike vote at an
Black Parents Should Opt Their Children Out of High Stakes Testing | Black Agenda Report
Black Parents Should Opt Their Children Out of High Stakes Testing | Black Agenda Report: Black Parents Should Opt Their Children Out of High Stakes Testinghigh stakes testingA Black Agenda Radio commentary by executive editor Glen FordAs usual, the Black Misleadership Class is on the wrong side of democracy, urging Blacks to submit to a high stakes testing regime that is designed to fail Black st
Sacramento Integrity Project | Open Governenment Ordinance
Sacramento Integrity Project | Open Governenment Ordinance:  Open Government Ordinance – Make City Hall More Transparent and AccessibleOpenness in government strengthens democracy, promotes the delivery of efficient and effective services to the public, and contributes to better policy. There are three core elements of Open Government: transparency, participation, and collaboration. Open Governmen
With A Brooklyn Accent: The Key to Great Teaching is Finding the Genius in Every Child
With A Brooklyn Accent: The Key to Great Teaching is Finding the Genius in Every Child: The Key to Great Teaching is Finding the Genius in Every ChildAfter 50 years of teaching , my greatest accomplishment has been persuading my students that their voice matters, giving them the opportunity to have their voice heard, and helping them sharpen their means of expression, be it in written or spoken fo

YESTERDAY

Study of brain scans shows impact of poverty on academic achievement | EdSource
Study of brain scans shows impact of poverty on academic achievement | EdSource: Study of brain scans shows impact of poverty on academic achievementLess gray matter in key areas of the brain could account for as much as 20 percent of the achievement gap between children living in poverty and those who are not, according to a new study.The results of brain scans of 389 typically developing childre
Those State-level Common Core “Reviews”: Useful for Fashioning “Public Support” | deutsch29
Those State-level Common Core “Reviews”: Useful for Fashioning “Public Support” | deutsch29: Those State-level Common Core “Reviews”: Useful for Fashioning “Public Support”The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) in Louisiana and elsewhere are now “under review.”This seems that the new in-thing to do in CCSS states. According to Politico’sMorning Education on July 31, 2015, Arkansas, Mississippi, Lo
“Talking Crap” Focus on Teacher Bathroom Breaks Misses the Point on Problems Impacting Teachers | gadflyonthewallblog
“Talking Crap” Focus on Teacher Bathroom Breaks Misses the Point on Problems Impacting Teachers | gadflyonthewallblog: “Talking Crap” Focus on Teacher Bathroom Breaks Misses the Point on Problems Impacting TeachersBy Yohuru Williams and Steven SingerNearly 18 years ago in his 1997 State of the Union address, President Bill Clinton urged Americans to prioritize education. He suggested beginning wit
Rightwing Groups Sponsor GOP Debate in New Hampshire | Diane Ravitch's blog
Rightwing Groups Sponsor GOP Debate in New Hampshire | Diane Ravitch's blog: Rightwing Groups Sponsor GOP Debate in New Hampshire This is something new. Two rightwing, pro-voucher advocacy groups aresponsoring a debate on August 19 among Republican hopefuls in Londonderry, Néw Hampshire.In the past, presidential debates have been sponsored by the League of Women Voters or national television chann
Special Nite Cap: Catch Up on Today's Post 8/7/15
SPECIAL NITE CAP CORPORATE ED REFORM“Slave” market education reform in NOLA? #NOLAEdWarning | Cloaking Inequity“Slave” market education reform in NOLA? #NOLAEdWarning | Cloaking Inequity: “Slave” market education reform in NOLA? #NOLAEdWarningOn August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and communities across the Gulf Coast. The destruction and displacement that followed the storm crea