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Friday, March 2, 2012

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top 3-2 AM Posts #soschat #edreform


Seattle Schools Community Forum: More Stellar Writing on Public Education

Seattle Schools Community Forum: More Stellar Writing on Public Education:More Stellar Writing on Public Educationby Melissa WestbrookFor the second time in a week, I have been dazzled by some great writing on education. The Times has an op-ed by SPS high school teacher, Dan Magill, in response to the op-ed by Brad Smith (whose piece was about needed ed reform).He very plainly sets out the challenge and the goal:I would like to reframe the reality. There aren't two sides. There ... more »

Modern School: Teachers: the New Satanic Serial Child Molesters?

Modern School: Teachers: the New Satanic Serial Child Molesters?:Teachers: the New Satanic Serial Child Molesters?by Michael DunnTeachers Just Wanna Have Fun (Image from Flickr, by SKPY)Attacking teachers’ unions, collective bargaining and due process rights, pensions, salaries and privacy has not ended the achievement gap nor mollified the critics of public education. Now the witch hunt for teachers is taking a new and twisted turn for the worse, thanks to several recent and coincidental abuse allegations against Los Angeles Unified School ... more »

How, and How Not, to Improve the Schools by Diane Ravitch | #soschat #edreform #edchat

How, and How Not, to Improve the Schools by Diane Ravitch | The New York Review of Books:How, and How Not, to Improve the SchoolsMARCH 22, 2012Diane RavitchFinnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland?by Pasi SahlbergTeachers College Press, 167 pp., $34.95 (paper) A Chance to Make History: What Works and What Doesn’t in Providing an Excellent Education for Allby Wendy Kopp with Steven FarrPublicAffairs, 229 pp., $25.99 Matt RothDavid Donaldson, a high school teacher in ... more »

Bill Gates Angers Peru After Saying Countries are More in Need - Hispanically Speaking News

Bill Gates Angers Peru After Saying Countries are More in Need - Hispanically Speaking News:Bill Gates Angers Many In Peru After Saying Other Countries are More in NeedMicrosoft founder Bill Gates recently made a number of people angry when he stated that aid agencies should be concentrating on the poorest countries in the world, not those like Peru, which he said actually has a median income of about $10,000 (adjusting for the price of goods), making it a median-income country.While ... more »

Today's Big Education Ape - PostRank Top Early Evening Posts 3-1 #SOSchat #p2 #edreform

What Florida is doing to its public schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington PostBig Education Ape - PostRank (PostRank: All)-26 minutes agoWhat Florida is doing to its public schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:What Florida is doing to its public schoolsBy Valerie StraussThis was written by Jean Clements, president of Florida’s Hillsborough County Classroom Teachers Association, representing more than 9,000 teachers and school personnel.By Jean ClementsHorace Mann called public education the “great equalizer.” Quite simply, ... more »

A corporate reform coup d’etat in Bridgeport « Parents Across America

A corporate reform coup d’etat in Bridgeport « Parents Across America:A corporate reform coup d’etat in Bridgeportby leoniehaimsonBy Norm Pattis, the attorney who litigated this case, cross-posted from his blog.An Open Letter to the Connecticut General Assembly In re: Bridgeport’s SchoolsA call came in moments ago. Mayor Bill Finch and his aides are busy at work in Hartford, lobbying lawmakers to pass legislation retroactively justifying the disbanding of the elected school board in Bridgeport. The governor’s men are also at ... more »

Reform critic speaking in Hub City today - The Independent Weekly

Reform critic speaking in Hub City today - The Independent Weekly:Reform critic speaking in Hub City todayWritten by Heather MillerThursday, March 01, 2012Diane Ravitch, a distinguished education writer, researcher and outspoken critic of charter schools, vouchers and other reform measures Gov. Bobby Jindal is touting, is scheduled to address attendees of the Louisiana School Boards Association annual conference at the Cajundome Thursday afternoon.Ravitch, who served in the U.S. Department of Education under former President George Bush, is the author of ... more »

At long last, Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's funders revealed | MinnPost

At long last, Michelle Rhee's funders revealed | MinnPost:At long last, Michelle Rhee's funders revealedBy Beth Hawkins | 10:09 amdol.govMichelle RheeWalking Rorschach test Michelle Rhee is back in the headlinesthis week, put there by a reporter who found a crack in the infamous wall shrouding the funding sources for her national education-reform lobbying powerhouse StudentsFirst.Whatever you thought of Rhee five minutes ago, prepare to have it confirmed. Her multi-million-dollar backers include top donors to the campaigns of both Barack Obama ... more »

Obesity Rate Slowdown in Students - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education)

Obesity Rate Slowdown in Students - Year 2012 (CA Dept of Education):State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson AnnouncesSlowdown in Rate of Obesity Among California School Children SACRAMENTO—Following years of preventive and legislative efforts to positively affect the health of children, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson announced today that the rise in obesity and drop in fitness levels have stabilized in California students. The results are in a peer-reviewed report titled "Obesity and Physical Fitness in California School Children," published ... more »

Making Learning Relevant for the Whole Child « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education

Making Learning Relevant for the Whole Child « The Whole Child Blog « Whole Child Education:Making Learning Relevant for the Whole Childby ASCD Whole Child BloggersPost submitted by Tim Magner, executive director of the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21), the leading national organization that advocates for 21st century readiness for every student. Magner has had an extensive career in education, serving most recently as the vice president of Keystone for KC Distance Learning as well as the director of ... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Did a TSA Note About Possible School Bus Terrorism Come Home in Your Child's Backpack?

Missouri Education Watchdog: Did a TSA Note About Possible School Bus Terrorism Come Home in Your Child's Backpack?:Did a TSA Note About Possible School Bus Terrorism Come Home in Your Child's Backpack?by stlgretchenEight school buses have disappeared within the last year in St. Louis and Jefferson counties (Missouri). Could school buses be used in terroristic attacks? The TSA is concerned about missing school buses and possible criminal use.From School Transportation News 02.29.12:The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reminded student transporters to ... more »

Hechinger Report | How New York City’s value-added model compares to what other districts, states are doing

Hechinger Report | How New York City’s value-added model compares to what other districts, states are doing:How New York City’s value-added model compares to what other districts, states are doingby Sarah ButrymowiczNew York City schools erupted in controversy last week when the school district released its “value-added” teacher scores to the public after a yearlong battle with the local teachers union. The city cautioned that the scores had large margins of error, and many education leaders around the country believe ... more »

Schools Matter: Rahm's Corporate Pals Running CPS School Closings and CPS School Openings

Schools Matter: Rahm's Corporate Pals Running CPS School Closings and CPS School Openings:Rahm's Corporate Pals Running CPS School Closings and CPS School Openingsby Jim HornAfter years of malignant neglect by the Daley Machine in Chicago, Rahm Emanuel is now in charge of completing the school corporatization plan that has fully taken shape since 2000. Emanuel last year appointed the former head of the corporate welfare outfit, the Academy of Urban School Leadership (AUSL), to head his covey of appointed toadies ... more »

Anti charter school resolution passed by The Nova Project PTSA | Seattle Education

Anti charter school resolution passed by The Nova Project PTSA | Seattle Education:Anti charter school resolution passed by The Nova Project PTSAby seattleducation2011Resolution from The Nova Project PTSA(also referred to as Nova High School)The Nova Project is an alternative public high school in Seattle that is committed to equitable education for all students. Our community believes that fully funded public education is fundamental to the survival of our democracy and collective well-being. We call upon all citizens to demand adequate ... more »

March 1st Day of Action for Education Transformation Blogger March #occupyeduM1 « Cooperative Catalyst

March 1st Day of Action for Education Transformation Blogger March #occupyeduM1 « Cooperative Catalyst:March 1st Day of Action for Education Transformation Blogger March #occupyeduM1by coopcatalystToday all over the country students, educators, parents and community members are taking part in Day of Action for Education Transformation. There are many ways to support this day of action. One way is to make your voice heard online. Today we will be collecting blog posts and twitter/facebook status message and pictures and posters in ... more »

Daily Kos: About Andrew Breitbart

Daily Kos: About Andrew Breitbart:About Andrew Breitbartby rss@dailykos.com (teacherken)"a special pile of human excrement,"“villain,” a “duplicitous bastard,” and a “prick.”he was a f@#$er. a big ass motherf@#$er. this aint a 24-hour zone, baby. he was a bad, bad dude. if mary jo were your kin youd be dancin'.I could go on.The words are all Breitbart's.They are those he chose to use on the occasion of the passing of Ted Kennedy in August 2009.He thought they were appropriate to use towards ... more »

Williamsburg Parents File Suit Against Success Charter Network « New York City Parents Union

Williamsburg Parents File Suit Against Success Charter Network « New York City Parents Union:Williamsburg Parents File Suit Against Success Charter Networkby adminWilliamsburg parents and community fight back seeking an injunction to stop PEP’s rubber stamp co-location vote.Williamsburg Parents Lawsuit Against Success Charter Network Seeking An Injunction To Prevent Co-location

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Democracy Now!

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: Democracy Now!:Democracy Now!by Mike KlonskyOccupy Education: Teachers, Students Fight School Closings, Privatization, Layoffs, RankingsPopout

A Parent Says: Enough of the Blame Game With Teachers – SchoolBook

A Parent Says: Enough of the Blame Game With Teachers – SchoolBook:A Parent Says: Enough of the Blame Game With TeachersFACEBOOKTWITTERPRINT0 Commentsr ResearchMarch 1, 2012, 11:56 a.m.By MARTHA FOOTE“TDRs are a four-letter word!” That was my son’s favorite slogan when the parents and teachers at his school, Public School 321 in Park Slope, held a rally in the fall of 2010 to protest the imminent release of the teacher data reports. We were not alone. Sister rallies were held the ... more »

What Florida is doing to its public schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post

What Florida is doing to its public schools - The Answer Sheet - The Washington Post:What Florida is doing to its public schoolsBy Valerie StraussThis was written by Jean Clements, president of Florida’s Hillsborough County Classroom Teachers Association, representing more than 9,000 teachers and school personnel.By Jean ClementsHorace Mann called public education the “great equalizer.” Quite simply, he believed that without a strong system of public schools in this country, the elite would get an education while the middle class ... more »

School Tech Connect: Demented Ed Reform Tweet of the Day

School Tech Connect: Demented Ed Reform Tweet of the Day:Demented Ed Reform Tweet of the Dayby noreply@blogger.com (Tim)In reference to this. I'm not sure who the "we" is to whom the author refers, but this is quite an indictment. It's sort of the baseline hyperbole that you find on Twitter.I love the reference to Gatto, the most overquoted arch-conservative in educational history. I didn't see him at CPAC this year-- I hope he's okay.Here's another sample:A new way of thinking ... more »

Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble's Speech at Saint Nicholas Owen College

Kimble's Corner: Congressman Kimble's Speech at Saint Nicholas Owen College:Congressman Kimble's Speech at Saint Nicholas Owen Collegeby Representative KimbleThanks for inviting me to speak to your organization. I wish we had had a abstinence club at Notre Dame back when I was in college, but I guess we never really needed it. I graduated in 1985 and in the 1980s, nobody in college was having sex. A lot of people would tell stories, but I knew they were making it ... more »

Trigger bill gets more guardrails | EdNewsColorado

Trigger bill gets more guardrails | EdNewsColorado:Trigger bill gets more guardrailsby Todd EngdahlA significantly amended version of House Bill 12-1149, this year’s milder “parent trigger” bill, got preliminary House approval Wednesday despite Democrats’ energetic efforts to amend or stop it.Two familiar sports team mascots joined the governor and lieutenant governor Feb. 29, 2012, at a rally promoting early childhood literacy.The vote was just one development in a busy day that also saw the proposed testing reduction bill die in committee, ... more »

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Teachers Need To Give Our Support To Pascale Mauclair

SOUTH BRONX SCHOOL: Teachers Need To Give Our Support To Pascale Mauclair:Teachers Need To Give Our Support To Pascale Mauclairby noreply@blogger.com (Bronx Teacher)The righteous rise/With burning eyes/Of hatred and ill-will/Madmen fed on fear and lies/To beat and burn and kill....Neil Peart 1981Last night before the radio show I was reading Edwize to do catch up on what I wished to discuss with Leo Casey. But before I could I get the information I was seeking I came across an excellent ... more »

MORE SOCIAL WORKERS NEEDED ? « Teachers Fight Back

MORE SOCIAL WORKERS NEEDED ? « Teachers Fight Back:MORE SOCIAL WORKERS NEEDED ?by alkleenThe school shooting in Ohio and the reports about the shooters background has once again spurred calls for more social workers in our schools. People are asking how kids like that are able to go unnoticed and why students and teachers weren’t able to spot a potentially troubled student and refer them to a social worker. There is no way to tell if any of the recent ... more »

Schools Matter: If The Plan Is to Kill Us With Tests, Then We Will Kill the Tests

Schools Matter: If The Plan Is to Kill Us With Tests, Then We Will Kill the Tests:If The Plan Is to Kill Us With Tests, Then We Will Kill the Testsby Jim HornAs Michael Winerip points out in his commentary below, the line has been drawn between those who believe that a 26 point margin or error is good enough to make high stakes education policy decisions, and those who now ask Cuomo, Bloomberg, Duncan, and Gates: "Have you no ... more »

The Guerilla Teacher's Handbook Part 2 by Espiritu Makiguchi - Perdaily.com

The Guerilla Teacher's Handbook Part 2 by Espiritu Makiguchi - Perdaily.com:The Guerilla Teachers Handbook Part 1 by Espiritu Makiguchiby Leonard Isenberg(Mensaje se repite en Español)(For a national view of public education reform see the end of this blog post)The term "Guerrilla" is Spanish for "little war." It originated in the Napoleonic Wars. The French took over Spain. A "Guerrillero" was a soldier in the Spanish Rebel Army. However, during the Battle of Puebla, in Mexico, the French met a new ... more »

The Educated Reporter: Occupy Education, NCLB and Community Colleges

The Educated Reporter: Occupy Education, NCLB and Community Colleges:Occupy Education, NCLB and Community Collegesby Emily Richmond The Occupy Education movement is calling for a national day of action today, aimed at "turning back the tide of austerity" through coordinated large-scale public action."We refuse to accept the dismantling of our schools and universities, while the banks and corporations make record profits," according to a statement on the organization's Web site. "We refuse to accept educational re-segregation, massive tuition increases, outrageous student ... more »