The Teacher Bashers Lost
This is a very good analysis of the election results that should gladden the hearts of teachers.
John Wilson points out that in one state after another, those who disparaged and demeaned teachers lost.
They blame their loss on the unions, but the unions have limited numbers.
And most of the rightwing candidates (maybe all) had far greater resources from Wall Street than the teacher-back candidates.
John Wilson points out that in one state after another, those who disparaged and demeaned teachers lost.
They blame their loss on the unions, but the unions have limited numbers.
And most of the rightwing candidates (maybe all) had far greater resources from Wall Street than the teacher-back candidates.
Don’t Forget the Hurricane Victims
Robert Pondiscio writes movingly about a school that was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy.
PS 333 was a Core Knowledge school, exemplary in many respects.
It was unprotected from the ferocity of the storm surge.
It had 578 students before the storm. It has 30 or so now, and they have been relocated to a school more than an hour and a half away.
The principal is distraught, while the city administration pretends that what matters most is to get back to the routines of preparing for the next test:
With the loss of instructional time, the lack of continuity, and the disruption wrought by Sandy, [principal Angela]
PS 333 was a Core Knowledge school, exemplary in many respects.
It was unprotected from the ferocity of the storm surge.
It had 578 students before the storm. It has 30 or so now, and they have been relocated to a school more than an hour and a half away.
The principal is distraught, while the city administration pretends that what matters most is to get back to the routines of preparing for the next test:
With the loss of instructional time, the lack of continuity, and the disruption wrought by Sandy, [principal Angela]
The Lowdown on $tudents for Educational Reform
EduShyster has done the research and digging on Students for Educational Reform that has thus far eluded mainstream journalists.
(This should not be surprising since few journalists have paid much attention to Democrats for Education Reform, the Wall Street hedge fund managers group, which is able to direct millions of dollars to state and local political elections from a small number of very rich donors. Typically DFER is described in news stories as just another Democratic advocacy group interested in education reform rather than as a small group of billionaires who want to promote privatization of public education.)
EduShyster gives us insight into their $uccess, their board, their ties to the financial elites, and the current focus
(This should not be surprising since few journalists have paid much attention to Democrats for Education Reform, the Wall Street hedge fund managers group, which is able to direct millions of dollars to state and local political elections from a small number of very rich donors. Typically DFER is described in news stories as just another Democratic advocacy group interested in education reform rather than as a small group of billionaires who want to promote privatization of public education.)
EduShyster gives us insight into their $uccess, their board, their ties to the financial elites, and the current focus
Data-Driven Ignorance
The Shanker blog published a badly needed critique of our policymakers’ insatiable appetite for data by sociologist Esther Quintero.
Quintero makes the sage observation that you need to know why you are collecting data before you acclaim its value. You need to have a theory that you are testing. Without knowing which idea you seek to validate, the data prove nothing other than your ability to accumulate lots of it.
She writes:
“At a basic level, it [collecting data] seems to signal a general orientation toward making decisions based on the best information that we have, which is a very good thing. But there are two problems here. First, we tend to have an extremely narrow view of the information that counts – that is, data that can be quantified easily. Second, we
Quintero makes the sage observation that you need to know why you are collecting data before you acclaim its value. You need to have a theory that you are testing. Without knowing which idea you seek to validate, the data prove nothing other than your ability to accumulate lots of it.
She writes:
“At a basic level, it [collecting data] seems to signal a general orientation toward making decisions based on the best information that we have, which is a very good thing. But there are two problems here. First, we tend to have an extremely narrow view of the information that counts – that is, data that can be quantified easily. Second, we
That Deeply Flawed Report About Rhee’s IMPACT Program
Gary Rubinstein closely examined the report written by The New Teacher Report about teacher retention in DC and found it to be deeply flawed.
Aside from the obvious conflict of interest inherent in an evaluation of DC schools by an organization previously run by Chancellors Rhee and Kaya Henderson, the report itself says nothing useful about the reforms it claims to appraise.
First, the report shows that teachers in low-poverty schools get higher ratings than those in high-poverty schools. Either the school system has been assigning its worst teachers to high-poverty schools, or the evaluation system favors those who teach in low-poverty schools.
Rubinstein concludes that Rhee’s IMPACT system favors those who teach in low-poverty schools. He wonders,
Aside from the obvious conflict of interest inherent in an evaluation of DC schools by an organization previously run by Chancellors Rhee and Kaya Henderson, the report itself says nothing useful about the reforms it claims to appraise.
First, the report shows that teachers in low-poverty schools get higher ratings than those in high-poverty schools. Either the school system has been assigning its worst teachers to high-poverty schools, or the evaluation system favors those who teach in low-poverty schools.
Rubinstein concludes that Rhee’s IMPACT system favors those who teach in low-poverty schools. He wonders,
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 11-10-12 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] What Grades Do You Give to a First Grader? by dianerav This rural teacher says his head is about to explode. The state says he has to give test after test after test to his first graders. Then he has to convert those scores into a letter grade. This doesn’t make any sense to him. The children are just beginning to make sense of letters and words. Rhee’s Organization Vindicates Rhee’s Reforms by dianerav Michelle Rhee founded The New Teacher Project. Rhee, of course, was then chancellor of the DC school sys... more »
