Latest News and Comment from Education

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Diane in the Evening 2-6-13Diane Ravitch's blog

Diane Ravitch's blog:








Uncommon assessments for common core?

Guest Post by Gary Rubinstein
garyrubinstein.teachforus.org
‘Rigor’ is in, and the common core standards promise to raise the achievement in this country by raising expectations which students always rise to meet.
As a staunch “status-quo defender,” it might surprise ‘reformers’ that I have some pretty radical ideas about how I’d change the math curriculum in this country if I could. While they tinker around with teacher evaluation formulas which could, at best, raise test scores by a little, I would like to see a complete overhaul of what we teach in math.
When I heard that the common core was going to address the problem that the math we teach is “a mile wide


MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-6-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Charter Schools and the New Segregation by dianerav A reader offers his observations: Charter Schools, a failure that cannot be measured. January 12, 2013 by Joe Hernandez As I drive happily and optimistically through our South Florida roads, I can’t fail to notice the familiar signs we are all accustomed to viewing, the burger chains, gas stations and the strip malls. As an educator and more specifically, a school psychologist, something catches my eye in a decrepit, run down strip mall, a charter school. ... more »

School closures: “Too many questions, too little time.” | Sacramento Current

School closures: “Too many questions, too little time.” | Sacramento Current:


School closures: “Too many questions, too little time.”

Note: This is a somewhat longer version of a column that will appear tomorrow in the Sacramento News and Review. 

The more you peel back the layers of the Sac City school district’s brutal “right-sizing” plan, the weirder it gets.
The administration wants to shutter 11 elementary schools–one out of every five run by the district. It’s a drastic solution, suited for a drastic problem. Unfortunately, it’s not at all clear just what problem the school board and Superintendent Jonathan Raymond are trying to solve.
Is it the immediate problem, the district’s short-term budget deficit? We won’t know the size of the shortfall until the state budget becomes more clear; could be $10 million, $5 million, $8 million, who knows? We do know school closures–estimated to save only $2.5 million a year–likely won’t close the gap. Where will the rest of the money come from?  What alternative cost saving measures have been considered, and then rejected, before escalating to the nuclear option of closing schools?  None, so far.
Or is the district trying to solve a long-term problem of declining enrollment and structural deficit? That problem has not just suddenly materialized, requiring emergency action. And the solution to that problem ought not be rammed down the public’s throat.  Yet, district 

Won’t you be my neighbor? A lesson in community relations | Baltimore Brew

Won’t you be my neighbor? A lesson in community relations | Baltimore Brew:


Won’t you be my neighbor? A lesson in community relations

Anger over a proposed greenhouse at a Hampden high school leads a community activist to reflect on the need for educators to reach out to local communities.

green house at ACCE
Site of a dispute: this hoop house in Hampden has
 spawned opposition from residents on Berry Street, in background.
Photo by: Mark Reutter

The words “civic engagement” are the stuff of academic symposium titles and armchair posturing about the salience of citizen action. But the words actually mean something to me. Maybe it comes from having been transplanted as a nine-month-old to a foreign country, but I think it’s important to put down roots.
I am a naturalized citizen (1976). I am also a relative newcomer to Baltimore (1999) and to Hampden (2008). I don’t take the privilege of living on U.S. soil or this particular patch of it for granted. That’s one reason why I care so much about my neighborhood public school.
Which brings me, or brought me, to the most recent general meeting of the Hampden Community Council last week. I was there on behalf of the new vice president of my neighborhood school’s PTO to invite the community to 

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 2-6-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2


Nite Cap UPDATE

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE




Fairy Tale Jeopardy! JeopardyLabs:This is Not Powerpoint!

When I created my Fairytale Jeopardy, I used a PowerPoint template. (And, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that).  The hard part for me was keeping score. The kids and I would get all mixed up. It was a hot mess! :) Then I discovered JeopardyLabs. Love it. The game is online so it can be played wherever, or on whatever,you use to access the Internet. It keeps score with a click and the


Jeb Bush at the Trough

A picture is worth a 1000 words...



provided by

Susan Smith

President

Democratic Progressive Caucus of Florida

A Sexy Anne of Green Gables?

Yes, unbelievably one boxed set of the beloved tale has a blonde (!) Anne who is clearly not 11 with a come-hither look.  Here's Amazon's page for the book.  You'll stroll down and see a red-headed, freckled Anne until at about listing #10.   Happily, the reviews are low based on that cover decision.

Then there's another sexed up book - The Bell Jar.  Again, what?!  This is a UK anniversary edition of the famed Sylvia Plath book.

“If Sylvia Plath hadn’t already killed herself, she probably would’ve if she saw the new cover of her only novel The 

What are Windham education officials hiding?

Windham’s school administrators refuse to reveal public information… Windham, Connecticut is one of the poorest communities in Connecticut.  With a per capita income of about $20,000, life in Windham and Willimantic is a bit different then in New Canaan where the per capita income of $101,000. With inadequate funds, Windham’s school programs are being cut.  [...]
(Read more...)

Small study says gender stereotypes may still play role in who chooses to teach

Brock Cohen Humanitas
Brock Cohen, a Humanitas program teacher at Grant High School, teaches 11th grade American Literature and 9th grade Humanities. He has been teaching for 11 years. Credit: Grant Slater/KPCC
For a long time, women have dominated k-12 teaching jobs. This article in the British newspaper The Telegraphsheds a bit of light on perceptions of some male teachers that may be behind those numbers.
In a small study, university scholars found that gender stereotypes play a role when men discount going into 


Remainders: Against using attendance data to screen students

  • A parent and child psychologist says attendance is a problematic way to screen students. (SchoolBook)
  • Advocates for physical education in schools will rally Thursday, not for the first time. (Insideschools)
  • An Idaho legislator wants to make all students read Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged.” (Spokesman-Review)
  • The new early childhood education chief in North Carolina has lobbied against pre-K. (WRAL)
  • Negotiations over education legislation are an essential plot point of Netflix’s “House of Cards.” (Russo)
  • A student at the Seattle school where teachers are boycotting state tests offers support. (Facebook)
  • Even states that collect lots of data about teachers collect little about principals, a study found. (EdWeek)
  • Germany’s education minister was found to have plagiarized her dissertation but won’t resign. (BBC)

Food Fight: MILLION$ IN STUDENTS' MEAL MONEY DIVERTED FOR OTHER PURPOSES

L.A.Unified Misused $158 Million in Student Meal Funds LAUSD redirected funding for nearly a decade – ignoring reports from its own inspector general by Stephen Ceasar, LA Times/LA Now | http://lat.ms/X66Wud Photo: Students at Bravo Medical Magnet High School choose their lunches in April 2011. Credit: Ricardo DeAratanha / Los Angeles Times February 6, 2013 |  4:01 pm  ::  At least

Cal State outreach to African Americans yields gains

Efforts to attract African American students at the California State University system are paying dividends with applications up for the third year in a row, officials said Wednesday.
About 17,663 African American students applied for fall 2013, up from 16, 588 in 2012 -- a 6% gain.
Overall, nearly 174,000 freshmen and 109,000 transfer students applied to one of Cal State's 23 campuses, increases of 4.8% and 17.2% respectively.
Officials said applications from African Americans have risen steadily during the last decade and they attribute 

#Florida, #Bush, I get the point, but…

#Florida, #Bush, I get the point, but...
…does anyone else find this image deeply disturbing? This will be in my nightmares, for sure.

Filed under: CHALK FACE: General News & Commentary Tagged: bushfloridapigpublic schools 

#MAP #boycott may lead to “sanctions”

This from the Answer Sheet:
 The superintendent of schools, Jose Banda, ordered administrators to  pull students out of classrooms to take the test in the library, but many students refused to take it and turned in letters signed by their parents giving them permission to opt out of the test, teachers reported.
This seems to be a pretty harsh political consequence, the image of forcing students to take tests. I wonder if any images could be taken because the impact of forced academic testing, despite the objections of those charged with students’ direct care, could be quite provocative.
Of course, there are problems with making these kinds of images public. Too bad, that might be powerful.



No go for school supplies tax credit

Picture of school suppliesFreshman Rep. Tom Dore made a spirited pitch but wasn’t able to convince Democrats on the House Finance Committee that it would be a good idea to give parents a tax credit of up to $500 a year for what they spend on school supplies and fees.
After more than an hour of debate, the committee voted 7-5 to kill the Elizabeth Republican’s House Bill 13-1094. All seven committee Democrats opposed the bill; five Republicans supported it.
The measure was one of four education-related tax credit bills introduced so far this year.
“These are real dollars for Colorado’s working families,” Dore told the committee, referring to the money parents 


Christian school takes on teachers fired for refusing to state religious status

Two preschool teachers at a Christian school in Thousand Oaks are facing a legal battle after they were fired for refusing to fill out forms about their faith and church attendance.


School turnarounds prompt community backlash

LOS ANGELES - The federal government's push for drastic reforms at chronically low achieving schools has led to takeovers by charter operators, overhauls of staff and curriculum, and even school shutdowns across the country.

New Director of School Fiscal Services Division - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education)

New Director of School Fiscal Services Division - Year 2013 (CA Dept of Education):


State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Appoints
New Director of School Fiscal Services Division



SACRAMENTO—State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today congratulated Peter Foggiato on his appointment as the new director of the California Department of Education's (CDE) School Fiscal Services Division.
"Peter brings a wealth of knowledge to his new position at the department," said Torlakson. "School districts across the state rely on the department's fiscal experts for help navigating the complex world of school finance, and we're lucky to have Peter heading up that outstanding team."
Peter has worked at the CDE for seven years having served most recently as an education fiscal services administrator in the Office of Principal Apportionment and Special Education. Prior to joining the CDE, Foggiato spent seven years as an auditor evaluator at the Bureau of State Audits.
He replaces Scott Hannan, who directed the School Fiscal Services Division for nine years before retiring at the end of last year.
For additional information please visit the School Fiscal Services Division, which apportions funds to local educational agencies and guides them from the state level on fiscal solvency, audit resolution, and financial reports. 
# # # #
Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

California Department of Education
Responds to Student Meal Programs Report

SACRAMENTO—The California Department of Education's Chief Deputy Superintendent Richard Zeiger responded today to the recent report on student meal programs prepared for the California Senate Rules Committee:
"Our goal is to be sure every dollar set aside to feed California's children is spent for that purpose, and that purpose alone. The California Department of Education shares the concerns raised in the Senate report, and worked closely with the legislative staff who prepared it.
"As the report notes, our enforcement efforts have led to the repayment to districts' cafeteria funds of more than $170 million in the last two years alone. Still, we recognize that more needs to be done. While our previous monitoring efforts primarily emphasized food nutrition, program eligibility, civil rights protections, and U.S. Department of Agriculture food requirements, we are increasing our focus on oversight of cafeteria fund expenditures. 
"Accordingly, we have updated our guidance to school districts, begun training California Department of Education nutrition monitors to flag accounting issues, and are in the process of hiring additional program analysts and monitors. And in accordance with new federal requirements, the Department will begin more frequent reviews of district programs later this year."
# # # #
Tom Torlakson — State Superintendent of Public Instruction
Communications Division, Room 5206, 916-319-0818, Fax 916-319-0100

Big Education Ape Nite Cap 2-6-13 #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




No Pools For Schools « PWC Education Reform Blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 minutes ago
No Pools For Schools « PWC Education Reform Blog: No Pools For Schools by pwceducationreform I spent most of my childhood swimming. Springboard pool in Springfield was my home, from early mornings at swim team practice to afternoons lounging around the pool. I remember the frozen hair after leaving practice in the winter and the chlorine smell that permeated everything I owned. One of the girls I swam with, Susie Rapp, received a silver medal in the 1984 Olympics for the 100 meter breaststroke. I swam on our neighborhood and high school teams until I turned 16, got a job, and d... more »

Glendale Unified, police settle suit over racial profiling - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 24 minutes ago
Glendale Unified, police settle suit over racial profiling - latimes.com: Glendale Unified, police settle suit over racial profiling [image: Glendale Unified students take part in the ACLU lawsuit announcement in 2011. Credit: Raul Roa / Times Community News] The ACLU of Southern California announced Wednesday that it had reached settlements with the city of Glendale and the Glendale Unified School District on behalf of eight Latino students who alleged that officials engaged in racial profiling and illegal searches during a 2010 incident at Hoover High School. On Sept. 24, 2010, mo... more »

School Tech Connect: Call Madigan

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 29 minutes ago
School Tech Connect: Call Madigan: Call Madigan by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) Tomorrow is call/fax Mike Madigan day. I believe we're also calling our representatives and senators. For me the morning will begin with a short, pleasant call to Madigan, followed by a better, more hopeful call to Kelly Cassidy. I will think very carefully before calling my senator, given that I have called on her to resign on more than one occasion. *Rep. Michael J. Madigan(D-Chicago)* *22nd District**District Office* 6500 South Pulaski Road Chicago, IL 60629 (773) 581-8000 (773) 581-9414 (fax... more »

Council of the Great City Schools / Council of the Great City Schools - Homepage

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 42 minutes ago
Council of the Great City Schools / Council of the Great City Schools - Homepage: - *Read the January/February edition of the Urban Educator* - *PRESS RELEASE: Statement on the Passing of Arlene Ackerman by the Council of the Great City Schools* - *PRESS RELEASE:* *Thousands of Educators Nationwide Taking Advantage of Resource to Help Urban School Districts Implement New Standards* - *NEWS RELEASE: New Common Core Academic Standards Advancing in Nation's Urban School Districts, Report Shows* - *NEW REPORT: Implementing the Common Core State Standards in Urba... more »

Daily Kos: Rebranding

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Daily Kos: Rebranding: Rebranding by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) as we listen to all the blather about Republican attempts to rebrand their party, it usually phrased in terms of taking an established product and presenting it in a different way, sometimes to differentiate it from competitors, in other cases to reintroduce the potential market to get them to reconsider the product or service. But there is an older and far more sinister use of the term, dating back to the last century and the American frontier. Remember the way one demonstrated ownership of certain livestock, es... more »

Enon Tabernacle seeks to counter 'top-down' approach to Philly school closings | Philadelphia Public School Notebook

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Enon Tabernacle seeks to counter 'top-down' approach to Philly school closings | Philadelphia Public School Notebook: Enon Tabernacle seeks to counter 'top-down' approach to Philly school closingsby thenotebook on Feb 06 2013 Posted in Latest news ="" style="color: rgb(76, 153, 72); cursor: pointer; float: left; padding: 0px 2px;">Share on email COMMENTS (0)PRINT Reverend Dr. Alyn E. Waller is the senior pastor at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Mt. Airy. *By Benjamin Herold for NewsWorks, a Notebook news partner* Add Alyn Waller, the influential pastor of the 15,000-member Enon ... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Kinder, Gentler Michelle Rhee? Don't Count On It

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: A Kinder, Gentler Michelle Rhee? Don't Count On It: A Kinder, Gentler Michelle Rhee? Don't Count On It by Melissa Westbrook IS MICHELLE RHEE THE ANN COULTER OF EDUCATION? You may well have heard or seen Michelle Rhee on tv in the last week. She has a new book, Radical, that's she pushing. I have read a few excerpts and they don't fail to startle. As I had previously mentioned, the PBS series, Frontline, had Ms. Rhee as a focus of one show. It was quite the show as this was during the time period when she was DC Chancellor of schools. The re... more »

NYC Public School Parents: Carol Burris on grants for charters to share their "successful" practices

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
NYC Public School Parents: Carol Burris on grants for charters to share their "successful" practices: Carol Burris on grants for charters to share their "successful" practices by Leonie Haimson *Carol Burris has been the principal of South **Side High School** in Rockville Centre, N.Y., for 12 years*. South Side is ranked as one of the top high schools in the country by Newsweek every year, and in 2010, she was named the NYS Outstanding Educator by the School Administrators Association of New York. She is one of the co-authors of the principals’ letter against evaluating teacher... more »

Big Education Ape - SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 2-6-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 hour ago
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* Chicago parents pass petitions at 37 schools to limit CPS testing by admin [image: standardized-tests]More Than a Score press release – Feb 6, 2013 Chicago parents pass petitions at 37 schools to limit CPS testing Joining National Day of Action to Support Seattle MAP Test Boycott Chicago, IL: Demanding fewer standardized tests in their children’s schools, and more test transparency from the district, parents of children in 37 Chicago public schools gathered signatures before and after school today on a new petition created by the parent, te... more »

RheeFirst! » Michelle “I don’t love publicity” Rhee hits the press circuit

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
RheeFirst! » Michelle “I don’t love publicity” Rhee hits the press circuit: Michelle “I don’t love publicity” Rhee hits the press circuit by admin In a New York Times Magazine interview last Friday, Rhee balked at the notion that she “loved publicity.” Well, for someone that doesn’t love publicity, she seems to be hitting the press circuit pretty hard. Rhee is currently making the press rounds to peddle her new memoir. Rhee has commiserated with Hannity, and been grilled by John Stewart, coddled by Pierce Morgan, and adored by the right-wing talkshow circuit this morning. And t... more »

Pushing Arne Duncan to Fast-Forward

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Pushing Arne Duncan to Fast-Forward: Pushing Arne Duncan to Fast-Forward JAMES CERSONSKY FEBRUARY 1, 2013 Activists demand that the Department of Education address discriminatory policies. 25InstapaperShare on readitlaterPocketShare on emailEmailShare on printPrint At a March 15, 2011, sit-down at the Children’s Defense Fund, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan sent an unequivocal message to black community and faith leaders. “What we’re desperately missing in this country is parents who will demand better for their children,” he said. “I wish to God I had parents knocking on my do... more »

1943 Guide to Hiring Women

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
[image: Guide to hiring women] *The following is an excerpt from the July 1943 issue of Transportation Magazine. This was written for male supervisors of women in the work force during World War II.* “Eleven Tips on Getting More Efficiency Out of Women Employees: There’s no longer any question whether transit companies should hire women for jobs formerly held by men. The draft and manpower shortage has settled that point. The important things now are to select the most efficient women available and how to use them to the best advantage. Here are eleven helpful tips on the subjec... more »

The Revolution Will Not Be Quantified (Seattle boycott solidarity) « Cooperative Catalyst

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
The Revolution Will Not Be Quantified (Seattle boycott solidarity) « Cooperative Catalyst: The Revolution Will Not Be Quantified (Seattle boycott solidarity) by iteach4change *This post was a submission to my local Patch news site as part of the national Garfield solidarity day today. Also I would like to thank Katie Strom for some of the information and wording on high stakes tests.* Revolutions are rarely, if ever, sudden. They are a final breaking point – the product of collective acts of resistance over a period of time. When we teach our own American Revolution, it is importan... more »

My Bus Ride and the Children of Sandy Hook | Taking Note

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
My Bus Ride and the Children of Sandy Hook | Taking Note: My Bus Ride and the Children of Sandy Hook by John Merrow The second graders on the bus were one year older than the 20 kids murdered in Sandy Hook. They were enjoying life in ways that Sandy Hook’s children will not. Why is life so unfair? As the bus approached my stop this morning, I could see through the windows that lots of seats were empty. Great, I thought, I can read the paper on my way to work. But as I boarded the bus, I realized I was mistaken. Those apparently empty seats had tiny occupants, close to 40 little ki... more »

Missouri Education Watchdog: King Arthur Won't be Taught in this Private School Classroom Because of Common Core

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Missouri Education Watchdog: King Arthur Won't be Taught in this Private School Classroom Because of Common Core: King Arthur Won't be Taught in this Private School Classroom Because of Common Core by stlgretchen King Arthur's Knights Was Arthur a true, historical figure or only a hero of legend? This is truly up to each and every one of us to decide for ourselves. Arthur represents a man who was the epitome of good against evil, light against darkness, and that eternal, never-ending struggle between what is right and that which is wrong. Students at Cathedral High School in India... more »

Student Voice 101 - Student Voice

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Student Voice: Student Voice 101 by Student Voice Staff Writer We are Student Voice. I am student voice. YOU are student voice. Student voice is “a movement for students, by students, connecting and organizing America’s most underrepresented population – the students. We aim not to change a culture that ignores student voice, but rather create a culture that embraces it.”Our website, stuvoice.org is a platform for students to share their thoughts and be heard. We additionally connect through twitter using #stuvoice chats every Monday on various topics relating to students in edu... more »

Thunderclap , A New Tool For Amplifying Your Tweet Into a Sonic Boom

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 5 hours ago
Thunderclap: BE HEARD BY SAYING SOMETHING TOGETHER What is Thunderclap? ------------------------------ *If a tweet falls in the forest...* Social media is an easy way to say something, but it’s a difficult way to be heard. Thunderclap is the first-ever crowdspeaking platform that helps people be heard by saying something together. It allows a single message to be mass-shared, flash mob-style, that rises above the noise of your social networks. By boosting the signal at the same time, Thunderclap helps a single person create action and change like never before. *You don't need a huge ... more »

Today We Are All Garfield Teachers! - John Wilson Unleashed - Education Week

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 6 hours ago
Today We Are All Garfield Teachers! - John Wilson Unleashed - Education Week: Today We Are All Garfield Teachers! By John Wilson on February 6, 2013 7:35 AM [image: John Wilson Unleashed] We all knew that we would get to this point someday, that, somewhere, teachers would decide that their students were not served well by the proliferation of testing, test preparation, and test stress. We knew that someday and somewhere, teachers would declare that their students should come first and that their declaration would be written in civil disobedience. That is the American way, not to me... more »

UPDATE: Bush’s Education Foundation Sought to Influence Other State’s Employees + New Mexico Ed Boss – With Close Ties to Jeb Bush – Overrules State Commission in Favor of Another Bush Foundation Donor | Scathing Purple Musings

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
New Mexico Ed Boss – With Close Ties to Jeb Bush – Overrules State Commission in Favor of Another Bush Foundation Donor | Scathing Purple Musings: Bush’s Education Foundation Sought to Influence Other State’s Employees on Louisiana School Board Races by Bob Sikes Maine was among the states which In the Public Interests obtained emails in an FOIA request regarding contacts between Bush’s Foundation for Excellence in Education (FEE) staff and numerous state employees. Only 13 emails were acquired, but one cloud included an exchange which revealed to what length FEE staff and state e... more »

FCMAT » Cali Education Headlines Wednesday, February 6, 2013

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
FCMAT » Fiscal Crisis & Management Assistance Team: Fensterwald: Brown details how to hold districts accountable under funding reform Education Headlines *Wednesday, February 6, 2013* Former school official sues districtA former Lodi Middle School vice principal who ordered a citizen's arrest against a physical education teacher for allegedly shoving her in 2011 has filed suit against the Lodi Unified School District, claiming she was forced to resign and has suffered "extreme and severe emotional distress." Committee says it didn't break law in decision on Cayucos student transfe... more »

Pencils down and dukes up: Two views of the growing anti-testing campaign among teachers. Is it for students or self-preservation? | Get Schooled

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Pencils down and dukes up: Two views of the growing anti-testing campaign among teachers. Is it for students or self-preservation? | Get Schooled: Pencils down and dukes up: Two views of the growing anti-testing campaign among teachers. Is it for students or self-preservation? by Maureen Downey [image: crcted.0920 (Medium)]Two views of the growing organized resistance to standardized testing: From the Chicago Teachers Union, which is distributing an anti-testing petition today: As part of its “Pencils Down” campaign against high-stakes standardized testing, the Chicago Teachers Uni... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Wear Red for Ed Day

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 7 hours ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Wear Red for Ed Day: Wear Red for Ed Day by Melissa Westbrook Don't forget to wear red today in support of teachers, parents and students against the MAP. This is especially true if you are going to the Board meeting tonight. *Updates from yesterday at Garfield:* From Scrap the MAP: *A bunch of substitute teachers were called in this morning, to cover the many weeks of testing the 430+ ninth graders. Asst Principals came into the classrooms and tried to pull out students to take the MAP. Many of the students stared straight ahead and would not... more »

Education reform: The San Jose lesson - latimes.com

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Education reform: The San Jose lesson - latimes.com: Education miracles that aren'tIn seeking reform models, L.A. Unified should be cautious about untested solutions. [image: Protesters demonstrate outside an L.A. school board meeting] Protesters demonstrate outside an L.A. school board meeting over a proposal to require high school students to pass rigorous college-prep courses. (Los Angeles Times / May 5, 2005) February 6, 2013 Beware of education miracles. Too often, there's less there than meets the eye. Remember the extraordinary gains in test scores and lowered dropout rat...more »

National Day of Action-Seattle Testing Boycott « Cooperative Catalyst

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
National Day of Action-Seattle Testing Boycott « Cooperative Catalyst: National Day of Action-Seattle Testing Boycott by Paul Freedman Scrap the MAP! [image: Scrap the MAP!]Sorry for the late notice on this, Co-op friends. But in case you haven’t heard… Teachers at the Garfield School in Seattle have been boycotting the mandated administration of the MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) test here in Seattle. This is a WA State mandated standardized test. Garfield teachers say they have been forced to administer this test up to three times a year for kids in grades K-12. They cla... more »

UPDATE: Malloy’s incredible and stunningly irresponsible budget plan makes an appearance - Wait, What?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Malloy’s incredible and stunningly irresponsible budget plan makes an appearance - Wait, What?: Malloy presents his blueprint for Connecticut: Record borrowing, cuts to vital services and non-tax tax increases by jonpelto Governor Malloy told the Connecticut General Assembly; “The budget I am proposing today keeps Connecticut moving forward… [and is] “an honest, balanced budget [that emphasizes] living within our means.” A proposed state budget that Coddles the rich by refusing, once again, to require them to pay their fair share in taxes Includes the largest gas [...]*(Read mor... more »

Modern School: Another Domino Falls--UTLA Rolls Over and Accepts Student Test Data to Evaluate Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 8 hours ago
Modern School: Another Domino Falls--UTLA Rolls Over and Accepts Student Test Data to Evaluate Teachers: Another Domino Falls--UTLA Rolls Over and Accepts Student Test Data to Evaluate Teachers by Michael Dunn United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA), which represents teachers at the nation’s second largest school district, recently signed what some are calling a landmark agreement to use student test scores to evaluate teachers. 66% of the 16,892 members who voted approved the agreement, the Los Angeles Times reported, bringing L.A. in line with Chicago, New York and many smaller ci... more »

Seattle MAP Boycott update: Students refuse to take the MAP test « Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Seattle MAP Boycott update: Students refuse to take the MAP test « Seattle Education: Seattle MAP Boycott update: Students refuse to take the MAP test by seattleducation2011 [image: garfield's got] After being pressured by the superintendent to administer the MAP test days earlier than required, students refused to take the MAP test. School administrators went into classrooms to pull students out of their classes to take the test in the library but instead the students stared ahead and would not budge. Most of the handful of students who ended up in the library in front of computers

Jersey Jazzman: Rhee on Stewart: A Breakdown, Part II

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 9 hours ago
Jersey Jazzman: Rhee on Stewart: A Breakdown, Part II: Rhee on Stewart: A Breakdown, Part II by Duke *sinfest.net* As I said last post, I thought Jon Stewart did a pretty good job, all things considered, in interviewing Michelle Rhee. You should watch the entire, extended interview, and not just what aired, to get the full effect. This isn't the skewering of Rhee I and so many others crave, but Stewart does take her on in a way the mainstream media - which has had a love affair with St. Michelle for quite some time - does not. That said, I have a real problem with something Stewa... more »

MORNING UPDATE LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 2-6-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: [image: Click on picture to Listen to Diane Ravitch] Charter Schools and the New Segregation by dianerav A reader offers his observations: Charter Schools, a failure that cannot be measured. January 12, 2013 by Joe Hernandez As I drive happily and optimistically through our South Florida roads, I can’t fail to notice the familiar signs we are all accustomed to viewing, the burger chains, gas stations and the strip malls. As an educator and more specifically, a school psychologist, something catches my eye in a decrepit, run down strip mall, a charter school. ... more »

Brown details how to hold districts accountable under funding reform | EdSource Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Brown details how to hold districts accountable under funding reform | EdSource Today: Brown details how to hold districts accountable under funding reform - by John Fensterwald by John Fensterwald Responding to criticism that he is offering flexibility without accountability, Gov. Jerry Brown has offered up specifics on how he would hold school districts responsible for extra money he is proposing to give them for high-needs children under his proposed sweeping reforms of how California schools are funded. Under his plan: - Districts and charter schools would be required ... more »

Joy Resmovits: Bill Gates's Education Philanthropy Over Time; New York City Parents Sue Over School Funding: Ed Today

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Joy Resmovits: Bill Gates's Education Philanthropy Over Time; New York City Parents Sue Over School Funding: Ed Today: Bill Gates's Education Philanthropy Over Time; New York City Parents Sue Over School Funding: Ed Today by Joy Resmovits *Gates's Gigantic Growth?* Michigan State University Professor Sarah Reckhow takes a look at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's funding patterns over on Alexander Russo's blog. "The decade from 2000 to 2010 was a time of enormous growth and evolution for the Gates Foundation," Reckhow writes. "Warren Buffett's pledge of more than $30 billion ... more »

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The growing revolt against testing madness

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: The growing revolt against testing madness: The growing revolt against testing madness by Mike Klonsky Seattle NAACP announces support for test boycott. The teachers revolt at Seattle's Garfield High has lit a spark that's growing into a prairie fire. Today is being called a National Day of Action to Support Seattle MAP Test Boycott. The Seattle Times reports that despite *Supt. Banda's*insistence that widely criticized tests be given, angry parents are joining the revolt and pulling their kids out of the testing process. On Tuesday, only 97 of the r... more »

Parents joining teachers’ test boycott as Garfield High principals give exam | Local News | The Seattle Times

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 10 hours ago
Parents joining teachers’ test boycott as Garfield High principals give exam | Local News | The Seattle Times: Parents joining teachers’ test boycott as Garfield High principals give exam Seattle Superintendent JosĂ© Banda has ordered Garfield High’s principal and assistant principals to give the tests that Garfield teachers have been protesting, but many students are opting out anyway., By Linda Shaw Seattle Times education reporter [image: Seattle Schools Superintendent JosĂ© Banda] Seattle Schools Superintendent JosĂ© Banda MOST POPULAR COMMENTS HIDE / SHOW COMMENTS Go Bulldog teach... more »

Is school reform making America less competitive?

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Is school reform making America less competitive?: Is school reform making America less competitive? Posted by Valerie Strauss on February 6, 2013 at 4:00 am - [image: Smaller Text] [image: Larger Text] Text Size - Print - Reprints - Share: - - - More » [image: test]Many school reformers say that their efforts are aimed at helping to improve schools so Americans can be competitive in the 21st Century economy. Here’s an argument saying that school reform is doing exactly the opposite, from David Bernstein, a nonprofit executive who lives in Gaithersburg, Md.... more »

UPDATE: Is the common core "an extraordinary opportunity" for libraries? Schools Matter: How the .01% will profit (and profit and profit) from the common core: It’s not the standards. It’s not the tests. It’s the online testing.

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Schools Matter: How the .01% will profit (and profit and profit) from the common core: It’s not the standards. It’s not the tests. It’s the online testing.: Chalkface Has It Right about Jon Stewart by Jim Horn I do not blame Jon Stewart for not being a policy wonk on education, but I do blame him for not asking the questions that have never been answered Questions For Michelle: - What do you hope to accomplish from your '"radical" project? - Who pays your salary, and who put up the money for Students First? - What is your connection to Jeb Bush and Forum for Educatio... more »

Chicago Public School parents Joining National Day of Action to Support Seattle MAP Test Boycott « Seattle Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Chicago Public School parents Joining National Day of Action to Support Seattle MAP Test Boycott « Seattle Education: Chicago Public School parents Joining National Day of Action to Support Seattle MAP Test Boycott by seattleducation2011 [image: scrap the map3] *February 6 is the National Day of Action to Support Seattle MAP Test Boycott.* Parents from at least 34 Chicago Public Schools (CPS) will be passing petitions opposing the misuse and overuse of tests in CPS. The petitions ask CPS and the Chicago Board of Education to limit standardized testing and provide more transparency... more »

UPDATE: Bernie Madoff for financial advice? + New feature: Springfield’s Biggest Loser Legislator of the Week. + A retired teacher supports the faculty at Garfield High School in Seattle. Wearing red today. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
A retired teacher supports the faculty at Garfield High School in Seattle. Wearing red today. « Fred Klonsky: Standard and Poor’s and Illinois pensions. Would you go to Bernie Madoff for financial advice? by Fred Klonsky [image: 2a5f77f0727f9ef8a4d68980d106b977] The big financial news yesterday was the release of documents by the Justice Department showing that the Standard and Poors fraudulently inflated credit ratings, “with dire consequences for the entire economy. In a series of e-mails, tensions appeared to be escalating inside the firm’s headquarters in Lower Manhattan as it... more »

Daily Kos: Another sign of what is wrong in public education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Daily Kos: Another sign of what is wrong in public education: Another sign of what is wrong in public education by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) is the desperate need for money as local and state governments either see tax revenues dropping (from depressed house prices and sales taxes or from deliberate attempts to starve revenues as Republicans slash tax rates on corporations and the wealthy). We have seen schools and districts selling naming rights to football stadiums, we have seen charging of fees for participation in athletics and other extracurricular activities. This week ... more »

Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 19 2013: Public Speaking

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Reflections on Teaching » Blog Archive » Week 19 2013: Public Speaking: Week 19 2013: Public Speaking by alicemercer [image: 19signs] For reasons I’m not going to go into, many of my plans for the classroom did not come to fruition. The one lesson I did manage to teach my students though, was just FABULOUS! First, I must thank Andrew Dlugan at the Six Minutes site. This site is a great resource on public speaking and presentations for adults, but much of the material is accessible enough to use with older children (10+ years) with some modification. I wanted to prepare students to c... more »

Independent Report: Teachers Remain Skeptical About New Evaluation System - NJ Spotlight

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Independent Report: Teachers Remain Skeptical About New Evaluation System - NJ Spotlight: * * Independent Report: Teachers Remain Skeptical About New Evaluation System Study also raises concerns about deadlines and reliability, but lead author finds reasons to be optimistic print | email | share By John Mooney, February 6, 2013 in Education |Post a Comment With less than nine months and counting, New Jersey’s rollout of a statewide teacher evaluation system is moving ahead, but the deadlines are tight, reliability remains an issue -- and the system has yet to win the confidence o... more »

NYC Educator: The Making of a Supervisor

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
NYC Educator: The Making of a Supervisor: The Making of a Supervisor by NYC Educator *by Recovering ATR * I have a friend who I've written about before on this blog. He is putting the finishing touches on getting his AP license. We've continued our oddball opposites attract friendship. Since I knew him ever since he was a first year teacher, it's interesting to see him "develop" into a supervisor-to-be. In order to finish his internship he was sent to some large school in January to oversee Regents grading, with the new system and whatnot. He was supposed to be monitoring the tea... more »

Scrap the MAP! Webinar with Garfield High School Teachers

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 11 hours ago
Scrap the MAP! Webinar with Garfield High School Teachers: Scrap the MAP! Webinar with Garfield High School Teachers by Server Support High Stakes Test Resistance*SCRAP THE MAP! WEBINAR WITH GARFIELD HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS* *Originally Posted on February 5, 2013* *Support High Stakes Test Resistance—Scrap the MAP! Webinar with Garfield High School Teachers:* *Why* they did it, *How* they did it, *Where* the struggle is headed next. Earlier this month, teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle, Washington, voted unanimously to stop administering a widely used, yet highly unfair stand... more »

Special Late Nite Cap UPDATE 2-5-13 #SOSCHAT #EDCHAT #P2

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 19 hours ago
*Nite Cap UPDATE**UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE* Standard & Poor's -- No standards but a lot of folks made poor by Mike Klonsky Forget for a brief moment that the current Illinois teacher-pension crisis is a manufactured one, caused primarily by the state's inability or unwillingness to raise enough revenue to make it's necessary contribution to the pension fund. Forget also for a brief moment, that the state legislature grabbed millions from that fund, into which retirees had been paying out of their take-home pay for decades and used that money to pay off other debts. Let's lo... more »

S.128: Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 21 hours ago
S.128: Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act - U.S. Congress - OpenCongress: Student Bill of Rights Bill Introduced: S.128 Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act Open Congress : Major Bill Actions in Education - 4 minutes ago A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve education and prevention related to campus sexual violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. Bill Introduced: H.R.379 Fiscal Fairness Act Open Congress : Major Bill Actions in Education - 4 minutes ago To amend section 1120A(c) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to ... more »

Michigan Tea Partier: Charter Schools Are for Kids From "Ethnically Challenged Families" | Mother Jones

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Michigan Tea Partier: Charter Schools Are for Kids From "Ethnically Challenged Families" | Mother Jones: Michigan Tea Partier: Charter Schools Are for Kids From "Ethnically Challenged Families" —By Andy Kroll | Mon Feb. 4, 2013 9:03 AM PST [image: Charter Schools - Dividing Communities since 1991] A few weeks ago, the Michigan chapter of Americans for Prosperity, the Koch-backed conservative advocacy group, held a "citizen watchdog training" in a suburb of Detroit. The training was billed as a workshop for regular folks to learn "the best tools and techniques in investigative jo... more »

Parents Across America statement in support of Portland student test boycott | Parents Across America

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 22 hours ago
Parents Across America statement in support of Portland student test boycott | Parents Across America: Parents Across America statement in support of Portland student test boycott by pureparents Parents Across America (PAA) stands in support of the Portland Public Schools Student Union and the Portland Student Union in their opt-out campaign against the state-mandated OAKS test. Excessive reliance on standardized exams narrows the curriculum, promotes teaching to the test, and leads to unfair and unreliable evaluations of students, teachers, and schools. The No Child Left Behin... more »

Joy Resmovits: George Miller Marks Digital Learning Day With New EdTech Bill

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Joy Resmovits: George Miller Marks Digital Learning Day With New EdTech Bill: George Miller Marks Digital Learning Day With New EdTech Bill by Joy Resmovits When it comes to education, the role and effects of technology has been a tough nut to crack. As tomorrow'sDigital Learning Day approaches, education groups and officials are offering up their recommendations. Congress is marking the event with a bill. On Tuesday afternoon, Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat of the House education committee, introduced legislation that aims to make schools' transition to inte... more »

Big Education Ape - SPECIAL Mid Day Banana Break 2-5-13 #soschat #edreform

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
*Big Education Ape - Mid Day Banana Break* PSAT for 2-5-13: Fight the tests – and school closings by admin The enemy has us fighting on at least two fronts: school closings and testing. [image: psat_logo]Most of the time, the two things are completely connected. Low test scores – which are most closely related to economic status - provide corporate reformers with the excuse to close schools. This year CPS has changed it up a bit by crying poor and “underutilized” using a bunch of data (100,000 “lost” city children, 50% empty schools) that is just as fishy as the test scores. Th... more »

Pending Amendment to Indiana SB 193 Requires Public Input on Common Core | Truth in American Education

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Pending Amendment to Indiana SB 193 Requires Public Input on Common Core | Truth in American Education: Pending Amendment to Indiana SB 193 Requires Public Input on Common Core by Shane Vander Hart Joy Pullman writing for the Heartland Institute’s *School Reform News* reported that Senate Bill 193 in Indiana has “morphed” into a bipartisan bid to have Indiana reconsider the Common Core allowing more public input. When 46 states signed the initiative in 2010, few held public hearings. Kentucky even agreed to adopt the requirements for what K-12 kids should know in English and math... more »

A graduated income tax: Giving with one hand. Taking away with the other. « Fred Klonsky

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
A graduated income tax: Giving with one hand. Taking away with the other. « Fred Klonsky: A graduated income tax: Giving with one hand. Taking away with the other. by Fred Klonsky [image: g2e22e20000000000008fe0a4d2d3a16b1c041ec1617b42f799a8ac3e92] *Senate President John Cullerton. “More sacrifice from the pensioners.”* I admit that I am a suspicious guy. Especially of politicians. So I was curious about how quickly Senator Dan Biss responded to my question last night: Why aren’t you a co-sponsor of Representatives Linda Chapa-LaVia and Naomi Jacobsen bill to change the state constitu... more »

Mother Crusader: Reformy Cage Match; CER Takes Down CREDO, NACSA, NJDOE And Cerf!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Mother Crusader: Reformy Cage Match; CER Takes Down CREDO, NACSA, NJDOE And Cerf!: Reformy Cage Match; CER Takes Down CREDO, NACSA, NJDOE And Cerf! by darciecima Oh dear! In a press release titled "National Charter Research Misfires On Charter Schools", Jeannie Allen of the Center for Education Reform (CER) puts the smack-down on Center for Research on Education Outcomes (CREDO). A national research study across 23 states and DC assessing charter school performance over time makes erroneous conclusions about the impact of charter schools on students, while *ignoring critical dis... more »

NYC Educator: Another Day

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
NYC Educator: Another Day: Another Day by NYC Educator A language teacher and I have a very special relationship. Basically, every time she sees me, she screams at me. I'm no slouch, so I scream back. In fact, we've altogether stopped listening to one another, and when we see each other, we just begin. Frankly, I have no idea what she's screaming about, and since she's not listening to me either, I'm fairly certain she doesn't know what I'm saying either. We make a colorful pair, walking around yelling at one another. Sometimes people think we're married. Why else would we be so a... more »

Petition | PPS and Portland Student Unions: We support your Opt-Out Campaign, keep up the good work! | Change.org

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Petition | PPS and Portland Student Unions: We support your Opt-Out Campaign, keep up the good work! | Change.org: [image: PPS and Portland Student Unions: We support your Opt-Out Campaign, keep up the good work!] Petitioning PPS and Portland Student Unions PPS and Portland Student Unions: We support your Opt-Out Campaign, keep up the good work! Petition | PPS and Portland Student Unions: We support your Opt-Out Campaign, keep up the good work! | Change.org: 1. 1. 2. Petition by PPS and Portland Student Unions 2. This is important to the futu... more »

Diane in the Evening 2-5-13 Diane Ravitch's blog

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Diane Ravitch's blog: Who Abandoned Detroit? by dianerav Marcie Lippsett writes about the bipartisan failure to save Detroit. The public schools of Detroit, like those of Muskegon Heights and Highland Park, have been put under the unilateral rule of an Emergency Manager appointed by the governor. In the latter two districts, the public schools were abolished, and the children were given to a for-profit charter chain. In Detroit, public education is being privatized and snuffed out with all deliberate speed. All of these districts are majority black, which perhaps made it easi... more »

Daily Kos: Warnings From The Trenches

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Daily Kos: Warnings From The Trenches: Warnings From The Trenches by rss@dailykos.com (teacherken) *A high school teacher tells college educators what they can expect in the wake of No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top.* *Reprinted with permission from the January-February issue of Academe, the magazine of the American Association of University Professors* where you can read it online here You are a college professor. I have just retired as a high school teacher. I have some bad news for you. In case you do not already see what is happening, I want to warn you of what to expect... more »

Right-Wing Kicks-off Wisconsin Voucher Campaign Following School Choice Week « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Right-Wing Kicks-off Wisconsin Voucher Campaign Following School Choice Week « Larry Miller's Blog: Educate All Students!: Right-Wing Kicks-off Wisconsin Voucher Campaign Following School Choice Week by millerlf *Following is a news release from the Koch brothers funded organization, Americans for Prosperity.**Americans for Prosperity-Wisconsin: AFP Foundation launches School Choice Academy Series, website* 2/4/2013*Juan Williams to headline Green Bay event* MADISON – Today, Americans for Prosperity Foundation – Wisconsin announced the start of their educational series on School Ch... more »

School Tech Connect: Congratulations Are In Order

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
School Tech Connect: Congratulations Are In Order: Congratulations Are In Order by noreply@blogger.com (Tim Furman) I'd like to take this moment to congratulate all teachers who have made it into their fourth year of teaching. Already you have spent more time practicing the profession than Michelle Rhee did. I have admitted before on this blog that I myself was just as misinformed and arrogant as Ms. Rhee is after my third year of teaching. I'd like also to congratulate all teachers who have made it to their seventh year.Your experience is longer than Michelle Rhee's teaching e... more »

Does the Battle in Seattle Foreshadow Trouble for the Common Core? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Does the Battle in Seattle Foreshadow Trouble for the Common Core? - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher: Does the Battle in Seattle Foreshadow Trouble for the Common Core? by Anthony Cody Tomorrow is National Solidarity day with the teachers at Garfield High and elsewhere in Seattle, who have stood together in refusing to administer the district-mandated MAP tests. This is hugely important, not only because of the courageous stand of these teachers, but for what it tells us about the highly touted "next generation" of assessments that will accompany the Common Core. *Her... more »

A Digital worksheet is still a worksheet. « My Island View

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
A Digital worksheet is still a worksheet. « My Island View: A Digital worksheet is still a worksheet. by tomwhitby I have read what seems like several, but in reality is probably a few blog posts recently that have claimed to have examined technology in schools and found that it has made little difference in learning. Of course many of these speak in generalities lacking specifics other than there is technology and there is a classroom and they observed stuff. When it comes to technology too many believe that by dropping it into a classroom magic happens. Even the most ardent sup... more »

Seattle Schools Community Forum: Banda Speaks Out on MAP

coopmike48 at Big Education Ape - 1 day ago
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Banda Speaks Out on MAP: Banda Speaks Out on MAP by Melissa Westbrook The Superintendent issued this statement which has a few puzzlers in it. My comments in red. *Dear Garfield staff and families:* * * *I want to thank you for sharing your concerns about MAP assessments. After careful consideration of what is in the best interest of all of our students across the district, I have asked schools to proceed with administering the MAP assessment as scheduled. *(I don't know if this means the administrators will give the test or if they are ordering... more »