Latest News and Comment from Education

Saturday, July 26, 2014

7-26-14 Ed Notes Online Week

Ed Notes Online


Ed Notes Online





The Wave: Memo from the RTC: Backstage at “Gypsy”
So I am so involved with the play, the usual education stuff I put up on Ed Notes is taking 2nd place even though I think about the issues all the time - and in fact have written dozens of blog posts -- in my mind -- they disappear almost immediately. I have been deeply involved in all the MORE stuff but haven't had a chance to write much about it. And who actually reads this stuff? It seems more
Rockaway Theatre Company "Gypsy" Highlights
Catch some of the magic in 2 minutes. Only 7 shows left - including tonight (tickets still available), sold out tomorrow (Friday). Call 718 374 6400.

JUL 23

14 More Schools for Avaricious Eva - Coming to a School Near You - Or in Your Own School
....with so many schools how can Eva assure a consistent quality of cheating that keeps her scores so far above any of the other charters?By way of example, the application points to one Harlem district school co-located with a Success school has started posting college flags in school hallways, based on a Success practice....I'm trying not to fall off my couch laughing at this major impact Succes

JUL 22

MORE Steering Committee: A Lesson in Democracy
You can't talk about democracy in the UFT unless your own group has established democratic procedures itself. And if done openly, so much the better. And boy is this tough, especially as you grow and try to scale up. If I was in a caucus in contention with Unity that was not practicing democracy, I would walk because we don't need a "new boss, same as old boss scenario." Democracy is not
Lee Sustar on #AFT14 Convention: Lots of Tough Talk - But Watch What They Do
....to Randi Weingarten, "fighting forward" apparently means embracing the New York contract as a template for the entire union. The supposed benefits of the deal were hammered home throughout the convention. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, whose administration negotiated the agreement, spoke to delegates through a recorded video message, following a breathless introduction by UFT Pr

JUL 21

Rockaway Theatre Company's Gypsy: Weekend Sellout - Some Photos
It's tough to have to spend less than 5 minutes on stage with no lines and basically nothing to do other than have the actors move you around and then spend the next 2 hours backstage until the curtain call trying to get out of everyone's way. When I'm done I'll share the column for The Wave I'm working on the total experience of observing and participating (even as a sliver) in a massive undertak

JUL 20

My Video of Randi Press Conf at #AFT14
Some interesting insights from Randi on Vergara, Duncan and other issues. But not enough of a rigorous defense of tenure - rather a sense of - we are willing to help get rid of teachers. Left hanging are those teachers who have been chopped due to political persecution. Lenny Isenberg from LA asks Randi a question as do I. A few days later there was a press conference with Mary Catherine Ricker de

JUL 19

The Ravitch Wars - Lois Weiner Reveals Fault Lines in Ravitch Position
About 10 years ago the UFT gave Diane Ravitch the John Dewey Award. When I posted about it there was outrage from the anti-testing community which viewed Dewey as turning over in his grave in outrage at Standardista Ravitch getting this awar - Jerry Bracey was ready to fly in from Seattle if we held a protest rally. My fellow ICE founder John Lawhead had loads of stuff exposing Diane's roll in ini