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Monday, October 29, 2012

Big Education Ape - Morning Wink 10-29-12 AM Posts #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2



BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS



Daily Kos: Keeping an eye on the Latino vote

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 minutes ago
Daily Kos: Keeping an eye on the Latino vote: Keeping an eye on the Latino vote by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) If as I do you follow Latino Decisions, you would yesterday have found out that 8 percent of Latinos have already voted early, enthusiasm up again in final week. There are some important takeaways in this post and the related polling data upon which I would like to focus: Forty-five percent of Latino voters say they are more enthusiastic about voting in 2012 compared to 2008. That number is up from 37% from ten weeks ago when the initial impreMedia-Latino Decisions ... more »

The Massachusetts Miracle | EduShyster

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 4 minutes ago
The Massachusetts Miracle | EduShyster: The Massachusetts Miracle by edushyster2012 UP Academy is a genuine miracle school, achieving miraculous results in its brief existence. Now UP has its sites set on one of Boston’s largest elementary schools, and the miracles have started already. Massachusetts is home to plenty of miracle schools, those wonder academies of excellence and innovation that teach EXACTLY THE SAME students as our union-stifled public schools but achieve miraculous results. One of these is working such marvels, such magic that it deserves a special stop on our wo... more »

SI&A Cabinet Report – SPI Torlakson suggests districts assume role in some statewide testing

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 minutes ago
SI&A Cabinet Report – News & Resources: SPI Torlakson suggests districts assume role in some statewide testing A white paper on the future of K-12 testing in California public schools, suggests some lower stakes assessments could be managed by local educational agencies instead of the state as a means of saving money. A white paper on the future of K-12 testing in California public schools, suggests some lower stakes assessments could be managed by local educational agencies instead of the state as a means of saving money. The report, issued late last week from state schools chief ... more »

The in box. CPS teacher’s letter to Newark teachers on lessons learned. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
The in box. CPS teacher’s letter to Newark teachers on lessons learned. « Fred Klonsky: The in box. CPS teacher’s letter to Newark teachers on lessons learned. by Fred Klonsky Xian Barrett is a CPS teacher and CTU activist. *The Newark Teachers Union is facing a critical contract vote that was supposed to be Monday, October 28th although the hurricane is pushing back the date. It’s a particularly interesting vote in light of the emergence of the NEW (Newark Education Workers) Caucus as a group within the union opposing the contract and the current NTU leadership, along with Rand... more »

When Reporters Preach the Party Line :: Frederick M. Hess

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
When Reporters Preach the Party Line :: Frederick M. Hess: When Reporters Preach the Party Line For more than a decade, I've regarded my pal Richard Colvin as one of the nation's best education reporters. But even the best of us whiff sometimes. And Richard's most recent monthly column for the *Phi Delta Kappan* ("Movement even during inaction") is a whiff that also sharply illuminates the bias that colors so much education coverage today. In a piece that doubles as an enthusiastic brief for President Obama's education efforts, Colvin serves up a raft of self-serving lines from Obam... more »

Modern School: Cutting Services Okay, Except for Special Ed

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Modern School: Cutting Services Okay, Except for Special Ed: Cutting Services Okay, Except for Special Ed by Michael Dunn "Education, It's Your Time to Go." (Image from Flickr by dullhunk) As school districts across the country grapple with dwindling revenues and growing budget deficits, they are cutting more and more programs and services. So far, there has been a lot of whining and complaining by teachers and parents, but not much action. Now, the California Department of Education is planning to investigate whether San Francisco Unified School District violated federal law by de... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: Teacher Says "I QUIT": The (Un) or Intended Consequences of Common Core?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: Teacher Says "I QUIT": The (Un) or Intended Consequences of Common Core?: Teacher Says "I QUIT": The (Un) or Intended Consequences of Common Core? by stlgretchen One more bullet point: Ask school administration how much Common Core mandates had to do with the resignation. Explain that to a small child: a "one sized fits all" education is good enough for her. Parents, when you go to conferences, take a copy of a teacher's (Kris Nielsen) letter below and ask your child's teacher and administrators their thoughts on what this teacher has written. Ask: ... more »

Louisiana Educator: VAM Based on False Assumption

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Louisiana Educator: VAM Based on False Assumption: VAM Based on Invalid Assumption by Michael Deshotels “Research has shown that teacher effectiveness is the greatest determinant of student outcomes followed closely by principal effectiveness”. *This totally inaccurate statement* which is based on an incorrect quote of research findings is included on page 113 of Louisiana's ESEA Waiver proposal as part of the justification for using student value added data as part of the COMPASS evaluation system to evaluate and certify teachers in Louisiana. It is inexcusable that State Superi... more »

Maybe Representative Reuven Carlyle will reconsider his stand on Initiative 1240 | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 2 hours ago
Maybe Representative Reuven Carlyle will reconsider his stand on Initiative 1240 | Seattle Education: Maybe Representative Reuven Carlyle will reconsider his stand on Initiative 1240 by seattleducation2011 [image: No on 1240 (click on picture)] The 36th Legislative District Democrats voted overwhelmingly in favor of opposing Initiative 1240 in a vote held this month. Unfortunately Representative Reuven Carlyle is not on the same page as his constituents. Maybe when he realizes that even his children’s schools could be converted into charter schools without his knowledge he might c... more »

Time, Not Calories, May Leave High School Students Feeling Hungry - High School Notes (usnews.com)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Time, Not Calories, May Leave High School Students Feeling Hungry - High School Notes (usnews.com): Time, Not Calories, May Leave High School Students Feeling Hungry By KELSEY SHEEHY October 29, 2012 RSS Feed Print [image: New school lunch guidelines put fewer calories but more fruits and vegetables on students’ plates.] New school lunch guidelines put fewer calories but more fruits and vegetables on students’ plates. High school students are grumbling over their school lunches—and so are their stomachs. Their complaints aren't about mystery meat or inedible entrees. Instead, studen... more »

Morning UPDATE: LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 10-29-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Charter Sponsor Is Very Successful by dianerav Vavan Gureghian runs a successful charter school called the Chester Community Charter School. The school is nonprofit, but Mr. Gureghian supplies its good and services through his for-profit company and collects millions of dollars as a management fee. Meanwhile the local Chester Upland public schools–whose funds pay for the students in the charter school–is in bankruptcy and under the control of a Governor-appointed “chief recovery officer.” Poor Chester Upland... more »

Ann Romney: ‘We need to throw out’ public school system

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Ann Romney: ‘We need to throw out’ public school system: Ann Romney: ‘We need to throw out’ public school system Posted by Valerie Strauss on October 29, 2012 at 3:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » Ann Romney on “GMA.” (IDA MAE ASTUTE – ABC) The magazine Good Housekeeping has a new interview with Mitt Romney’s wife, Ann, in which she reveals “the answers” to ensuring that all students get “a proper education.” Here’s the relevant question and answer: *GH: Can you tell me, what campaign issu... more »

Does Popularity In High School Add to Future Earnings? | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Does Popularity In High School Add to Future Earnings? | toteachornototeach: Does Popularity In High School Add to Future Earnings? by aristotlethewise *Does Popularity In High School Add to Future Earnings?* If you were hoping that the popular high school football player and the cheerleader he dated didn’t go very far in life once they graduated, the National Bureau of Economic Research has some bad news for you. According to a new study released earlier this week, popularity among peers can translate to a wage premium of as much as 10% even four decades after graduation. The goo... more »

Renewing California’s commitment to new teachers | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Renewing California’s commitment to new teachers | EdSource Today: Renewing California’s commitment to new teachers - by Ellen Moir by Ellen Moir [image: Ellen Moir]Ellen Moir Over the past year, I was privileged to serve on State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson’s Educator Excellence Task Force. As a native Californian and founder of a nonprofit that does extensive work developing teachers and leaders in this state, I am pleased at the Task Force’s vision for how the state can broaden educator effectiveness in districts to provide a much higher quality of educa... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: WEEKEND QUOTABLES: WEEKEND QUOTABLES by Mike Klonsky "Throw out the [public school] system."Ann Romney *I've been a First Lady of the State. I have seen what happens to people's lives if they don't get a proper education. And we know the answers to that. The charter schools have provided the answers. The teachers' unions are preventing those things from happening, from bringing real change to our educational system. We need to throw out the system. *-- Good Housekeeping Ben Joravsky *The board members are like the two characters in Waiting for Godot... more »

Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy | Larry Cuban on School Reform and Classroom Practice: Emperor Has No Clothes: Fairy Tales about Schools and the Economy by larrycuban For those readers who may have forgotten the story line of the fairy tale, as I had, here it is: A clothes-mad king who spent the coin of the realm on colorful fashions and changed suits every few hours heard of two weavers–really grifters out to con the king out of royal coins–who wove the most beautiful suits that were invisible to anyone serving the king those telling the monarch t... more »

Who cuts the barber’s hair? or Wither “accountability”? | AMPS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Who cuts the barber’s hair? or Wither “accountability”? | AMPS: Who cuts the barber’s hair? or Wither “accountability”? by Thomas J. Mertz Professor Longhair, “Bald Head” (click to listen or download). Educational “accountability” is in the news and on the agenda again this week. It seems it is always in the news and on the agenda these days. I have many problems with most conceptions of educational “accountability,” especially those that are based largely on standardized tests (a visit to the National Center for Fair and Open Testing is in order if you don’t agree, or even if yo... more »

Schools Matter: How the VAM/AGT pseudoscience worm turns

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 3 hours ago
Schools Matter: How the VAM/AGT pseudoscience worm turns: How the VAM/AGT pseudoscience worm turns by Robert D. Skeels * rdsathene *While value-added models are intended estimate teacher effects on student achievement growth, they fail to do so in any accurate or precise way — Dr. Bruce D. Baker* [image: VAM and AGT are discredited and harmful to public education]Maybe it's karma, but Kyle Hunsberger of the Gates Foundation backed astroturf TeachPlus, and one of Los Angeles Unified School District's biggest cheerleaders of the highly discredited VAM/AGT pseudosciences, is*now a vic... more »

School Tech Connect: Art Class Is In Session

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
School Tech Connect: Art Class Is In Session: Art Class Is In Session by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Saw this little collage on a dumpster in Rogers Park today. Thought I'd add it to my Rogers Park Rothko series. Close enough. Hugely busy Sunday. I can only tell you this much: the Rogers Park stop-the-charters group doubled in size today, and I'm pretty sure it's going to double again at the next meeting. People are sick of the bullsh*t. These school-destroyers and school-privatizers have overplayed their hand. Indeed, I'm putting the whole vulture community on notice righ... more »

A Parent Hero of Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
A Parent Hero of Public Education « Diane Ravitch's blog: A Parent Hero of Public Education Sharon Higgins of Oakland, California, is a hero of public education. As a parent of children in the local public schools, Higgins was upset by the Broad Foundation’s takeover of her district. One Broad superintendent after another made decisions without consulting anyone who lived in the community. Then, with the encouragement of the Broad superintendents, charter schools began opening, drawing students and funding away from the public schools. Sharon Higgins did what she could. She starte... more »

Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either | The Jose Vilson

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 12 hours ago
Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either | The Jose Vilson: Short Notes: You Don’t Have Any Bruce Lee Jokes, Either by Jose A few notes: - Pernille Ripp writes up a few lessons she’s learned that could inspire some blog posts. [Blogging Through The Fourth Dimension] - Renee Moore gets a bit radical in her post on helping our most impoverished students. Do you have the courage? [EdWeek Teacher] - Malala’s fine. Still

Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers - NYTimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers - NYTimes.com: Merit Pay Contract Is Tough Sell for Newark Teachers by By KATE ZERNIKE The leaders of the local teachers union in Newark have agreed to a compromise with city management that includes merit pay with peer evaluations, although many teachers oppose the measure. By KATE ZERNIKEPublished: October 28, 2012 - FACEBOOK - TWITTER - GOOGLE+ - E-MAIL - SHARE - PRINT - SINGLE PAGE - REPRINTS - NEWARK — On one side of the table was the union firebrand Randi Weingarten, president of the American Fed... more »

Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is 'Immoral,' 'Makes No Sense At All' | ThinkProgress

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 13 hours ago
Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is 'Immoral,' 'Makes No Sense At All' | ThinkProgress: Mitt Romney: Federal Disaster Relief For Tornado And Flood Victims Is ‘Immoral,’ ‘Makes No Sense At All’ By Brad Johnson on Jun 14, 2011 at 12:40 pm Obama meets victims of the Joplin tornado. Asked about federal disaster relief for recent tornado and flood victims at last night’s GOP debate, candidate Mitt Romney called the spending “immoral” and said the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be privatized. With greenhouse pollution on the rise, the United S... more »

Hurricanes | Ready.gov Hurricane Sandy: Essential Links

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Hurricanes | Ready.gov: HURRICANES [image: View from space of a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico] Inspire others to act by being an example yourself,Pledge to Prepare & tell others about it! [image: Pledge to Prepare] Get *Hurricane Sandy* updates at the National Hurricane Center A hurricane is a type of tropical cyclone or severe tropical storm that forms in the southern Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and in the eastern Pacific Ocean. A typical cyclone is accompanied bythunderstorms, and in the Northern Hemisphere, a counterclockwise circulation of winds near the eart... more »

Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy | The White House

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy | The White House: Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy by The White House THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary ________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release October 28, 2012 Remarks By The President on Hurricane Sandy FEMA Headquarters Washington, D.C. 1:55 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Well, good afternoon, everybody. Obviously, all of us across the country are concerned about the potential impact of Hurricane Sandy. This is a serious and big storm. And my fir... more »

Teachers Don't Suck !: Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 14 hours ago
Teachers Don't Suck !: Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members: Unions Suck! - Until You Need Help From Their Members by Walt S. More stuff by Walt at: www.wsautter.com

13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 15 hours ago
13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments - Wait, What?: 13 of Malloy’ Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners receive longevity payments by jonpelto When it came to extra money in the state paycheck this month, most of the Connecticut news coverage related to the 21 Board of Regents employees who received illegal pay raises. However, although state employees are going another year without any pay raise, longevity payments were made as part of the Malloy-SEBAC State Employee Agreement. Among the recipients were thirteen (13) of Malloy’s commis... more »

One Teacher's Perspective: Another Distractor: School Report Cards

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
One Teacher's Perspective: Another Distractor: School Report Cards: Another Distractor: School Report Cards by Imagine Wisconsin Thrown under the school bus this week by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) were 76 Wisconsin schools, which "Failed to Meet Expectations" as calculated under the state's new-fangled school accountability system. DPI's new school report card system is pay off to Arne Duncan's Department of Education so most Wisconsin schools can avoid federal sanctions imposed by the poorly-designed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation. Trying to spin this f... more »

Democurmudgeon: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Democurmudgeon: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program.: Illinois Democrats Medicare Ad Most Effective Way to Defend the Program. I was in Chicago over the weekend, and came across this ad on one of the local channels for Democratic congressional candidate Brad Schneider. The ad features a clip of President Lyndon Johnson describing the reason why he pushed so hard for Medicare. This ad should have been from the Obama campaign. Incredibly effective, it shows Medicare was created to solve a problem, not spread socialism.

Fort Hernandez | California Father

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 16 hours ago
Fort Hernandez | California Father: Fort Hernandez by California Father Every weekend I drive to Fort Hernandez in Van Nuys a few miles away from where I teach and drop off food. The Hernandez’s have been fighting eviction for years and now are getting help from 50+ Occupiers camped in their front yard. Housing *is *a human right. I hope they can keep there home.

Diane in the Evening 10-28-12 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 17 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Stand for Children Failed in Chicago by dianerav Jersey Jazzman points out in an illuminating post that Jonah Edelman was hired by the plutocrats to make sure teachers would never be able to strike again. So Jonah Edelman and his deceptively-named group Stand for Children drafted legislation, bought up most of the high-priced lobbyists, and pushed through a bill to make the hedge fund managers happy. Now, said Jonah, the teachers will never be able to get enough member votes to strike again. This is what it means today to bear the mantle of “civil rights l... more »

Bullies in School (They’re Bad) | Mr. Teachbad

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Bullies in School (They’re Bad) | Mr. Teachbad: Bullies in School (They’re Bad) by teachbad Mr. Teach­bad is tak­ing the unusual step of invit­ing a guest blog­ger to do the work today. It is also a bit of a depar­ture in that the sole pur­pose with this one is to be helpful. It’s an arti­cle by about address­ing the prob­lem of bul­ly­ing in schools. At the end I have added my own com­ments about LGBT bullying. *Deal­ing with a Bully Stu­dent: What to Do, How to Cope* by Patrick Del Rosario Every class has at least one bully, or shall we say at least one poten­tial bully. How far ... more »

Jersey Jazzman: The Newark Teachers Contract: My Final Word

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Newark Teachers Contract: My Final Word: The Newark Teachers Contract: My Final Word by Duke *Uh, wait... er... what I meant was... um...* Newark teachers were scheduled to vote Monday, 10/29, on the contract negotiated by their union. But the approach of Sandy could delay the vote. Regardless, this should be my final post about the deal. Once again - and contrary to what some of my commenters here have said - I am not urging anyone to vote either yes or no on this contract. I only ask that every Newark teacher understand what's at stake before they cast their ... more »

Walmartization of Washington Schools? Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Seattle Education: Alice Walton is now the 2nd biggest donor to charter school initiative at $1.7M. From the Walmart 1% website and posted on July 6, 2012: *Walmartization of Washington Schools?* Yesterday, the Washington Secretary of State’s officecertified Initiative 1240 for the state’s November ballot. I-1240 would essentially permit charter schools in Washington, which currently doesn’t accommodate them. The signature filing deadline was July 6; five days later, Alice Walton—who lives in Texas, not the Pacific Northwest—gave $600,000 to the pro-charter school committee. If pa... more »

Connecticut seeks to lead the “Local Control is a White People Thing” bandwagon? - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 20 hours ago
Connecticut seeks to lead the “Local Control is a White People Thing” bandwagon? - Wait, What?: Connecticut seeks to lead the “Local Control is a White People Thing” bandwagon? by jonpelto *Banned Halloween Costumes* Yesterday, fellow pro-public education blogger, Jersey Jazzman, wrote a great piece about the fact that a number of school districts in New Jersey – all populated by black and Hispanic citizens – have been under state control for years. (See: Local Control of Schools: It’s a White People Thing.) Diane Ravitch, in turn, picked up the piece on her national blog, notin... more »

Are these Illinois students getting the wrong lesson about Twitter and free speech? | Dangerously Irrelevant

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Are these Illinois students getting the wrong lesson about Twitter and free speech? | Dangerously Irrelevant: Are these Illinois students getting the wrong lesson about Twitter and free speech? by dr.scott.mcleod@gmail.com (Scott McLeod) If a student calls a teacher a MILF on Twitter, should he be suspended? If other students retweet his tweet – or give it a thumbs up – should they be suspended? The school administrators at Granite City High School in Granite City, Illinois think so. They’ve suspended multiple students for 5 to 10 days apiece (the longer suspensions were related to... more »

Snookered by Bill Gates and the U. S. Department of Education - Dailycensored.com | Dailycensored.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
Snookered by Bill Gates and the U. S. Department of Education - Dailycensored.com | Dailycensored.com: Snookered by Bill Gates and the U. S. Department of Education by Susan Ohanian *Attention people who care about children* in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming. You’ve been snookered. The truth of the matter is that we’ve all been snookered by the U. ... more »

In the Face of 'Superstorm' Sandy, Parents are Reminded to "WATCH" your PUBLIC SCHOOLS

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
*In the Face of 'Superstorm' Sandy, * *Parents are Reminded to * *"WATCH" your PUBLIC SCHOOLS* * * * * KARRAN HARPER ROYAL KICKOFFS SCHOOL BOARD CAMPAIGN (CLICK PICTURE) [image: Karran Harper Royal kickoffs school board campaign (click picture)] “We need volunteers, we need your donations and we need you to tell everyone you know in District 3 to vote for Karran Harper Royal,” she said to rounds of applause during her speech. Harper Royal’s campaign web site can be found at www.karran4kids.com.

Two High School Teachers May Be Better Than One | toteachornototeach

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Two High School Teachers May Be Better Than One | toteachornototeach: Two High School Teachers May Be Better Than One by aristotlethewise *Two High School Teachers May Be Better Than One* By Kelsey Sheehy *Coteaching can help educators address a variety * *of learning levels in one high school classroom.* Two heads are better than one, or so the saying goes. But in a high school classroom, are two teachers better than one? “It’s all in how you implement it,” says Susan Fitzell, an educational consultant. “It doesn’t work if you just have two bodies in the room.” To be effective, both ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Teacher's Goodbye (with reasons)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Teacher's Goodbye (with reasons): A Teacher's Goodbye (with reasons) by Melissa Westbrook This farewell to teaching comes from a teacher in North Carolina via Diane Ravich's blog. It is heartbreaking. This could have been written any time in the last 5 years but that it comes as we face the challenge of I-1240 make it particularly applicable. Why? *Because there are those who want to lay the blame for everything - everything - that is wrong in public education at the feet of public education.* The principals, the administrators and especially... more »

Daily Kos: Ann Romney: "Throw out" the American public education system.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Daily Kos: Ann Romney: "Throw out" the American public education system.: Ann Romney: "Throw out" the American public education system. bynoweaselsFollow 754 PERMALINK338 COMMENTS / 338 NEW Ann Romney wants to "throw out" the public education system. [image: Photobucket] Ann Romney and First Lady Michelle Obama were interviewed for the November issue of *Good Housekeeping* magazine, just out. Our First Lady, of course was charming, positive and well-informed. Mrs. Romney? Well . . . Among her talking points, this: I've been a First Lady of the State. I have seen what happens to pe... more »

"Forward" (Official Video)

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
A brand new grassroots song and music video in support of President Obama's re-election produced by the Executive Producer behind the iconic "Yes We Can" music video of 2008 with will.i.am. #forwardsong http://www.forwardsong.com

Jersey Jazzman: The Charter School Fairy

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: The Charter School Fairy: The Charter School Fairy by Duke Meet the Merit Pay Fairy's second cousin: the Charter School Fairy: Popout All you people who keep telling me, "Charters *are* public schools," let me ask you this: if a kid showed up mid-year and demanded entrance at a charter school, would they have to take him? OK, then what about a public school? Or try this one: if the democratically-elected school board of community didn't want to take tax money away from the local schools to fund a charter, should they be compelled to anyway by an *unelected* commis... more »

State overuses easier special ed tests - SFGate

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
State overuses easier special ed tests - SFGate: *State overuses easier special ed tests*PUBLIC EDUCATION State should expect more of students with disabilities, say federal officialsJill TuckerUpdated 10:37 p.m., Friday, October 26, 2012 [image: San Francisco’s Sanchez Elementary is among schools that use the easier test disproportionately. Photo: Michael Short, Special To The Chronicle / SF] California schools have lowered the academic expectations for tens of thousands of students in special education over the past few years, allowing them take a shorter and easier set o... more »

Education Reform: Democracy Left Behind | Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
Education Reform: Democracy Left Behind | Seattle Education: Education Reform: Democracy Left Behind Posted on October 28, 2012 by seattleducation2011 | Leave a comment By its nature, democracy presumes the value of local control. Democracy trusts in the people to rule themselves, based on their collective judgment, freed from externally imposed dictates. From the National Education Policy Center, policy brief: *How Recent Education Reforms Undermine Local School Governance and Democratic Education* This video provides an overall understanding of the brief. Some of the recommendat... more »

The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 23 hours ago
The Sunday Mail. « Fred Klonsky: The Sunday Mail. by Fred Klonsky *I guess TRS Executive Director Dick Ingram got to keep his job.* The TRS board of trustees met in executive session last week but we don’t get to hear what they said. Tom White, TRS retiree and retired Executive Director of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Retirement Fund has plenty to say. *NY keeps last week’s testing secret from parents.* Why? Because if has nothing to do with the kids and parents could choose to opt out. *David Stieber and CPS’s open seats.* School closings will be announced by Decemb... more »

My Reality Check - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
My Reality Check - Woodbridge, VA, United States, ASCD EDge Blog post - A Professional Networking Community for Educators: Looking Ahead My Reality Check How do you know if your worldview is based in reality…if your expectations are well-grounded? You need reliable perspective. How do you get solid perspective? You step outside of your own realm of experience and see how others live. In my fourteenth year of teaching, I was also leading a number of professional development offerings for Spotsylvania County Schools. And like so many of us in ed tech, I was being pushed more and mor... more »

October’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
October’s Best Posts From This Blog | Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day…: October’s Best Posts From This Blog by Larry Ferlazzo I regularly highlight my picks for the most useful posts for each month — not including “The Best…” lists. I also use some of them in a more extensive monthly newsletter I send-out. You can see my previous Best Posts of the Month at Websites Of The Month. These posts are different from the ones I list under the monthly“Most Popular Blog Posts.” Those are the posts the largest numbers of readers “clicked-on” to read. I have to admit, I’ve been a bit lax ... more »









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