Latest News and Comment from Education

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

VAMs in U.S. Healthcare: A Parody |

VAMs in U.S. Healthcare: A Parody |:



VAMs in U.S. Healthcare: A Parody



 Remember the AZ teacher who has written some great posts for us at VAMboozled (seehere and here)? She’s at it again. Read this one for an (unfortunately) humorous parody on the topic of VAMs and how they might also be used to evaluate America’s doctors.

We have a real problem in this country. People are dying. They are dying from heart and blood pressure related illnesses. They are dying from diabetes. In 2010, close to 70,000 people in the U.S. died from diabetes. For heart and blood-pressure related illnesses, the news is even worse: over 700,000 people died. Healthcare in this country is going down the tubes. And when you compare American healthcare with the healthcare in countries like Finland or other some Asian countries, the problem is made even clearer.
How did things get so out of control? And what can be done to fix the problem?
The answer lies in the research: doctors. Research has shown that a doctor’s intervention is the single most important factor in whether a patient lives or dies. Additionally, the research has shown that the quality of a doctor impacts patients’ health outcomes. The solution to our healthcare woes, then, is our doctors. Imagine a country where we have a high-quality doctor in each and every doctor’s office and hospital!
But how might we do this? And how might we ensure that every patient in the United States has access to a high-quality doctor?
Fortunately, we need not look far. The United States education system has, for some time now, been “successfully” using an evaluation system to ensure that every student in VAMs in U.S. Healthcare: A Parody |:

Brazile: It's all about the children by Donna Brazile | The Herald-News

Brazile: It's all about the children | The Herald-News:



Brazile: It's all about the children


Time and again, we hear this refrain from everyone who ever talks about education, from every angle. It’s been the purported basis of speeches, documentaries and now lawsuits.

But how can it be all about the children when you have some – under the guise of “education reform” – undermining America’s public schools?

As kids across the country go back to school, it’s time to get back to the basic values that bind us together. As one of the chairs of a new organization called Democrats for Public Education, I’m part of a group focused on just that – supporting public education. We believe in instilling critical thinking skills needed for 21st-century jobs and the new economy.

We support superior standards and finding ways to make classrooms challenging and rewarding for both teachers and students. And we’re committed to a level playing field for all with well-resourced schools responsive to the needs of our communities.

As a proud graduate of Louisiana’s public schools, I know the importance of a good public education. I know just how tough it is to make something of yourself when you start off with little or nothing. Right now, a galling 22 percent of children in America – the richest country in history – live in poverty, and nearly half come from low-income families struggling to meet basic needs. The only way we can break cycles of poverty, while revitalizing and growing our middle-class, is to support our public schools. Frankly, it’s the way we can provide a springboard for the working poor and preserve our American values.

Education is not a business. Students aren’t robots, and they shouldn’t be treated like assembly line workers at the test prep factory. Attempts to move our classrooms toward an unregulated, survival-of-the-fittest, business-first mentality ignores the purpose of education. Indeed, the very premise of “market-driven education reform” rests on a lie. It’s an outright fallacy that our public school system is in crisis and that the only solution is to let the market pick winners and losers. Our kids are not losers! We must measure success not by how children score on a narrow standardized test, but by how they deal with the varied tests of life.

Tests don’t inspire learning. Teachers and parents do. We should be championing educators as heroes. They’re the ones dedicating their lives to shaping young minds. They’re the ones in the classroom day in and day out. So when education professionals with decades of first-hand experience give constructive criticism, we should listen with open ears and an open mind. Simply put, they’re the ones who know best.
Previous Page|1|2|Next Page

When (A)=(B), neither is the lesser of two evils. | Reclaim Reform

When (A)=(B), neither is the lesser of two evils. | Reclaim Reform:



When (A)=(B), neither is the lesser of two evils.

When (A)=(B), neither is the lesser of two evils.
When (D)=(R), neither can claim to be a Democrat or a Republican.
(Who ever said you would never find a use for algebra?)
Quinn Rauner
When one has damaged public education, ignored the state Constitution, or broken contracts while the other promises to damage public education, ignore the state Constitution, and break contracts… Well, how does a voter choose between the lesser of two evils?
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is the (D), and billionaire Bruce Rauner is the (R).
Both are lining up money and political support by demonizing the other. FEAR. BE AFRAID. BE VERY AFRAID. – of the other guy.
Why be so afraid? Rauner says Quinn did all of those things as he himself promises prosperity and the strength to make tough choices.
Why be so afraid? Quinn says Rauner will do all of those things as he himself promises prosperity and the strength to make tough choices.
If, there is any doubt about how much harm either can cause, look at their choices for When (A)=(B), neither is the lesser of two evils. | Reclaim Reform:

L.A. school board member Ratliff pushes for release of iPad report - LA Times

L.A. school board member Ratliff pushes for release of iPad report - LA Times:



L.A. school board member Ratliff pushes for release of iPad report








Los  Angeles school board member Monica Ratliff will seek the release of an internal probe into the decision to provide iPads to every student in the nation’s second-largest school system.



Officials had classified the report, by the school district’s inspector general, as a confidential investigation when it was completed earlier this year. But the Board of Education has the authority to make it public with a majority vote. Members have come under increased pressure to reveal its findings as new questions arise about the bidding process in the $1.3-billion effort.



Concerns about the contract and other issues prompted L.A. schools Supt. John Deasy last week to suspend new purchases under the Apple contract. He also authorized a new bidding process for future purchases. To date, the district has spent about $61 million to purchase 109,000 iPads and carts to store and charge the devices; 62,000 of these iPads have curriculum provided by education publishing giant Pearson under the same contract.



Ratliff's proposal, which she will make next week, would declassify “any report or reports prepared by its Office of the Inspector General relating to the procurement process” for the iPads. Her resolution would direct that future reports also be released “as soon as practicable.”



The proposal justifies the release because “there has been much public and media interest” and because the school board “seeks to promote transparency regarding the procurement of computing devices” that will be used with L.A. school board member Ratliff pushes for release of iPad report - LA Times:




Nite Cap 9-2-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT



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



empathyeducates – Why ‘Funny Kid Shaming’ Isn’t Really Funny
empathyeducates – Why ‘Funny Kid Shaming’ Isn’t Really Funny: Why ‘Funny Kid Shaming’ Isn’t Really FunnyPhotograph; Teenage girl (16-18) sitting by laptop, woman in background. A mother? A stranger? What is the relationship and if the girl is shamed what will she think?By Vicki Hoefle | Originally Published at Huffington Post. august 21, 2014 2:11 PMWe live in a society of over-sharing, thanks to
Back to School Recommendations for Superintendent Banda | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education
Back to School Recommendations for Superintendent Banda | The Sacramento Coalition to Save Public Education: Back to School Recommendations for Superintendent Bandapublished by Kate_Lenox on Tue, 09/02/2014 - 11:30amIt's back to school today in Sacramento and the Sunday Bee opinion page had some advice for Sac City Unified's new Superintendent, Jose Banda. The Bee editorial board are self-appointe
Legislative Wrap Up - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education)
Legislative Wrap Up - Year 2014 (CA Dept of Education): State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson Applauds Legislative Progress, Education Reform as 2013-14 Session Wraps UpSACRAMENTO—Describing the past two years as easily being the best for public education in California in a decade, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson today praised the efforts of state lawmakers in their support of
Student Voice in a Box: Week 4
Student Voice in a Box: Week 4: Student Voice in a Box: Week 4 This is the fourth of six weekly installments of Student Voice in a Box. This week, we are featuring the story of a special student voice group from Iowa.  Below our feature, you will find a student podcast and project ideas to empower student voices in your classroom.We hope you enjoy! - The Student Voice in a Box teamAaron Maurer and
OMG BEE said something Nice: Superintendent Jose Banda launches 100-day campaign as Sacramento city schools start class - Education - The Sacramento Bee
Superintendent Jose Banda launches 100-day campaign as Sacramento city schools start class - Education - The Sacramento Bee: Superintendent Jose Banda launches 100-day campaign as Sacramento city schools start classBy Loretta Kalblkalb@sacbee.comPublished: Tuesday, Sep. 2, 2014 - 12:16 pmNew Sacramento City Unified Superintendent Jose Banda launched his 100-day campaign to familiarize himself with
9-2-14 Living in Dialogue - Back to School Advice: Opt Out of High Stakes Standardized Testing
Home - Living in Dialogue: Back to School Advice: Opt Out of High Stakes Standardized TestingBy Denisha Jones. As many parents prepare to send their child(ren) off to school this year they are hopeful that their children will return home each day with reports that they learned something new or made a new friend. Unfortunately for many parents their children will come home and report that they spen
9-2-14 @ The Chalk Face
@ THE CHALK FACE: Lessons To Be Learned from Elizabeth Green’s Building a Better TeacherElizabeth Green’s Building a Better Teacher contributes explicitly and implicitly to two key school reform debates. Although I’m not fully convinced by her main argument, she makes a great case that we can build a better teacher. The implicit issue is whether a concerted effort to improve teacher quality could
U.S. History Instruction Damaged By Common Core Literacy Standards | Truth in American Education
U.S. History Instruction Damaged By Common Core Literacy Standards | Truth in American Education: U.S. History Instruction Damaged By Common Core Literacy StandardsFiled in Common Core State Standards by truthed on September 2, 2014 • 0 Comments11(Boston, MA) A new study authored by a Founding-era historian, a content expert, and a high school history teacher with standards-writing experience find
The Common Core Should Be Implemented Properly By Randi Weingarten - US News
The Common Core Should Be Implemented Properly - US News: Don't Rush the Common CoreProper implementation is key to reforming education standards.By Randi WeingartenThis week, we learned from a PDK/Gallup poll that support for the Common Core State Standards has dropped drastically in the last year. Unfortunately, the fall in support comes as no surprise. Botched implementation and a rush to high-
9-2-14 Seattle Schools Community Forum
Seattle Schools Community Forum: Tuesday Open Thread The Times is reporting that five more Seattle area schools will have speed cameras at key intersections.  They name Roxhill (with private school, Holy Family nearby), Dearborn Park, Eckstein, and Bailey Gatzert.  The city made over $7M last year from four other schools with cameras and they say they will be using that revenue for more traffic sa
Mother Crusader: Teacher Bloggers vs. Moran = No Contest
Mother Crusader: Teacher Bloggers vs. Moran = No Contest: Teacher Bloggers vs. Moran = No ContestOne Newark must end and Tom Moran must stop writing about things he doesn't understand. Period. Full stop.I am so proud of my fellow NJ education bloggers Teacherbiz, Jersey Jazzman and Marie Corfield. With their "combined total of seven degrees, a PhD in the works, and 38 years of teaching exper
9-2-14 LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD
LA School Report - What's Really Going on Inside LAUSD (Los Angeles Unified School District): Morning Read: CA student attendance above national averageMorning Read: CA student attendance above national average Analysis finds California students attend school more than U.S. peers California students attend school more consistently than most of their U.S. peers, and such attendance directly relates
Can We Talk? (I Mean Really…) | EduShyster
Can We Talk? (I Mean Really…) | EduShyster: Can We Talk? (I Mean Really…)The 49er says that Education Post can’t start a conversation—because its founders and funders already have all of the answers.By *The 49er*In a recent offline conversation, EduShyster and I were trying to figure out a name for the group of people that are opposing reformers. You see reformers are easy to place in a camp. Even
9-2-14 Ed Notes Online
Ed Notes Online: Eva Moskowitz Success Academy - Changes Locks on Renovated Faculty Restrooms to Shut Public School Teachers OutMy solution? Pee on the outside of the door.A co-located public school teacher in an Eva invaded school. By the way, sources tell me that in this Success School you will find a hell of a lot of white kids, a bunch of them Jewish out of a Hebrew school - not corroborated -
9-2-14 Hemlock on the Rocks
Hemlock on the Rocks: Gates and the Teacher Wars: It Matters Where You Stand | Cult of Pedagogyhttp://www.cultofpedagogy.com/gates-teacher-wars/ Gates and the Teacher Wars: It Matters Where You StandDoes staying out of the ed reform debate make you out of touch, a peacekeeper, or a self-serving a-hole? There was a time, not long ago, when I was a Bill Gates defender. His foundation has done incred
California’s 2014-2015 budget attacks education - World Socialist Web Site
California’s 2014-2015 budget attacks education - World Socialist Web Site: California’s 2014-2015 budget attacks educationBy Theo Mclean 8 August 2014California’s recently enacted 2014-2015 budget codifies the continuation of the attacks on education by the ruling class. Teachers and students are among those relegated to foot the bill of the economic crisis they did not create.Over the past three
A Poison Pill for Learning: The Common Core Standards Are Bad for Teachers - US News
The Common Core Standards Are Bad for Teachers - US News: A Poison Pill for LearningThe Common Core education standards harm students and teachers.No thanks, Common Core.By Robin Hiller and Anthony CodySept. 2, 2014 | 8:00 a.m. EDT+ MoreMost teachers choose the profession because they have a passion for helping children achieve success. To do that, educators have never shied away from academic sta
Which States' Kids Miss the Most School? | Mother Jones
Which States' Kids Miss the Most School? | Mother Jones: Which States' Kids Miss the Most School?Not everyone is going back to class this fall.—By Julia Lurie| Tue Sep. 2, 2014 6:00 AM EDTEmail36September is upon us, and American kids are filling up their backpacks. But lots of kids won't be going back to school—at least not very much. The map above shows the results of a national report released
Why Do Americans Love to Blame Teachers? - The Atlantic
Why Do Americans Love to Blame Teachers? - The Atlantic: Why Do Americans Love to Blame Teachers?Healthcare has its critics, but few of them are calling for doctors to be replaced. Education is different—and as a new book reveals, it has been throughout U.S. history.  America hates teachers.That's not exactly the thesis of Dana Goldstein's The Teacher Wars, but her account of 200 years of educatio
Morning Wink 9-2-14 AM Posts #edchat #edreform
BIG EDUCATION APE - MORNING WINK  AM POSTS9-2-14 Schools MatterSchools Matter: Testing Hysteria Lite, by Marc TuckerIf you were to believe the spin in the New York Times the other day, you would think that Marc Tucker, who has long been Hillary Clinton's main man on education issues, had decided that high stakes testing was a thing of the past: "Tucker would not abolish tests, but he would ha
9-2-14 Schools Matter
Schools Matter: Testing Hysteria Lite, by Marc TuckerIf you were to believe the spin in the New York Times the other day, you would think that Marc Tucker, who has long been Hillary Clinton's main man on education issues, had decided that high stakes testing was a thing of the past: "Tucker would not abolish tests, but he would have fewer of them. And they would have a different purpose."
LISTEN TO DIANE RAVITCH 9-2-14 Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all
Diane Ravitch's blog | A site to discuss better education for all: Why Does the U.S. Test More Often and Earlier than Any High-Performing Nation?Education policymakers in the U.S. seem to think that more tests will produce higher achievement, but there is no evidence for this assumption. As this article from the Center on International Education Benchmarking shows, the U.S. tests more frequently t
9-2-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness
the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindness (the public and scholarly writing by P. L. Thomas, Furman University): It’s Time to Stop Treating Black and Brown Kids Like ‘Other People’s Children’ | AlternetIt’s Time to Stop Treating Black and Brown Kids Like ‘Other People’s Children’ | Alternet1 by plthomasedd / 6min 9-1-14 the becoming radical | A Place for a Pedagogy of Kindnessthe b
9-2-14 Curmudgucation
CURMUDGUCATION: A (Not So) New Education ConversationA new website debuted September 1st, devoted to bringing a "new conversation" to the world of education. Education Post is here to create this new conversation by relaunching some old familiar reformster talking points. Just four articles in on Day One, and you know that we've seen this movie before. Let me walk you through it so that
9-2-14 Answer Sheet
Answer Sheet: A former university president gets schooled on sexual assault and drinkingFormer George Washington University president Stephen Joel Trachtenberg was at the center of an international debate recently when he appeared on a radio show and made some comments about sexual assault and drinking on college campuses. My colleague Nick Anderson wrote this article about it: “Without making the
9-2-14 Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL
Larry Ferlazzo’s Websites of the Day… | …For Teaching ELL, ESL, & EFL: The New York Times Learning Network Begins Another Year!The New York Times Learning Network, one of the best resources out there for teachers (I said that before I began writing for it, and I’ll continue to say it), just published a useful post describing its upcoming activities for the new school year. Last year, I wrote a
9-2-14 Jersey Jazzman
Jersey Jazzman: An Open Letter to Star-Ledger Editorial Board Director @tomamoranNote: Shortly after I read Tom Moran's piece in the Star-Ledger this past Sunday, I got an email from fellow teacher-blogger Marie Corfield, who suggested we write a response together with our friend and colleague Ani McHugh. We're posting this at all three of our blogs simultaneously, and over at Blue Jersey.Moran ha
9-2-14 Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher
Fred Klonsky | Daily posts from a retired public school teacher who is just looking at the data.: I’m always optimistic.National Association President Lily Eskelsen Garcia and me at the NEA RA in Denver. The new school year has started. The third without me. How have they survived? For me, the start of a new school year was a moment for optimism. It is like the optimism I felt leaving this year’s
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit 9-2-14
4LAKids - some of the news that doesn't fit: LEGISLATIVE ANALYST’S OFFICE PROPOSES PARADIGM SHIFT IN MANAGING STATE EDUCATION: Beyond compliance to true collaborative oversight – not “permissible” …but “effective”By Jane Meredith Adams | EdSource Today  |  http://bit.ly/1lFtm52 The California Department of Education building in Sacramento. August 29, 2014 |  Proposing a fundamental change in the w
9-2-14 With A Brooklyn Accent: In the US " Improving Teacher Quality" really means Humiliating and Firing Veteran Teachers
With A Brooklyn Accent: In the US " Improving Teacher Quality" really means Humiliating and Firing Veteran TeachersAll over the nation, the imperative to "improve teacher quality" has morphed into a campaign to marginalize, humiliate and force out veteran teachers. Not only has this caused tremendous distress to the individuals thus targeted, it has deprived our public schools
9-2-14 Perdido Street School Week
Perdido Street School: Why Isn't The Press Covering The Moreland Investigation Any Longer?Thomas Kaplan reports many people around the state are taking the primary season to publicize their unhappiness with Governor Cuomo:He has been snubbed by unions representing teachers and state workers. Editorial boards are skewering him. Political rivals are lobbing attacks from his left and his right.A year
SES IS A MESS - Tutoring Companies Stand to Cash In on States That Lose Waivers - Politics K-12 - Education Week
Tutoring Companies Stand to Cash In on States That Lose Waivers - Politics K-12 - Education Week: Tutoring Companies Stand to Cash In on States That Lose WaiversBy Lauren Camera on September 2, 2014 9:58 AMWritten by guest blogger Michele Molnar. This post first appeared on Marketplace K-12.Private tutoring companies in Washington are likely to get an influx of new students this fall, a direct res
Two Schools of "School Reform:" The Conservative and the Progressive :: Frederick M. Hess
Two Schools of "School Reform:" The Conservative and the Progressive :: Frederick M. Hess: Two Schools of "School Reform:" The Conservative and the Progressiveby Frederick M. Hess  •  Sep 2, 2014 at 8:33 amCross-posted from Education Week Print Send RSS ShareHidy, all. I'm back. My thanks to August's stellar guest bloggers. Meanwhile, I've been working to finish The Cage-Bustin
The Most Important Figure in School Reform We Never Talk About | Dana Goldstein
The Most Important Figure in School Reform We Never Talk About | Dana Goldstein: The Most Important Figure in School Reform We Never Talk AboutIt’s the principal.Check out my new piece at Slate:There is good reason for reformers and policymakers to pay much more attention to principals. When McKinsey surveyed top teachers on what it would take for them to move to a higher-poverty school, they resp
School Reformers’ Pledge of Good Conduct | InterACT
School Reformers’ Pledge of Good Conduct | InterACT: School Reformers’ Pledge of Good ConductSEPTEMBER 2, 2014by David B. CohenDavid B. Cohen:Larry Cuban has another great post here! I missed this when it first went online, but love the idea of a reformer’s pledge. This should go far and wide – not only to the think-tank crowd, researchers and punditry, but also legislators, school board members,
Marie Corfield: An Open Letter to Star-Ledger Editorial Board Director Tom Moran
Marie Corfield: An Open Letter to Star-Ledger Editorial Board Director Tom Moran: An Open Letter to Star-Ledger Editorial Board Director Tom Moran(Note: This piece was co-authored by Ani McHugh, aka. TeacherBiz, and Mark Weber, aka. Jersey Jazzman, and is cross-posted on both their blogs.)Dear Tom,This week, you crossed a line. Until now, your pieces in the Star-Ledger about Newark’s school system
Shanker Blog » Research And Policy On Paying Teachers For Advanced Degrees
Shanker Blog » Research And Policy On Paying Teachers For Advanced Degrees: Research And Policy On Paying Teachers For Advanced DegreesPosted by Matthew Di Carlo on September 2, 2014There are three general factors that determine most public school teachers’ base salaries (which are usually laid out in a table called a salary schedule). The first is where they teach; districts vary widely in how mu
NYC Educator: No Comparison
NYC Educator: No Comparison: No ComparisonWhen I was very young, my mom decided to cook a tongue. I'm not sure what possessed her. I saw it, and said, "That looks like a tongue."My mom said, "It is a tongue. It's a cow's tongue."I said, "Well, I'm not gonna eat that." And I didn't.The next day, my mom gave me a sandwich. "Is that good?" she asked. "Yeah
The Testing Obsession and the Disappearing Curriculum | NEA Today
The Testing Obsession and the Disappearing Curriculum | NEA Today: The Testing Obsession and the Disappearing CurriculumSeptember 2, 2014 by twalker  Filed under ESEA/NCLB Reform, Featured News, Top StoriesLeave a CommentBy Tim WalkerNot that long ago, elementary schools were places where students could discover what they were good at, explore the subjects that appealed to them, or maybe just be c

YESTERDAY

Poaching Students the Publishers Clearing House Way - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher
Poaching Students the Publishers Clearing House Way - Teacher in a Strange Land - Education Week Teacher: Poaching Students the Publishers Clearing House WayBy Nancy Flanagan on September 1, 2014 10:04 PMWhen our daughter, Christine, was ready to start kindergarten, we were not convinced that the K-12 public school in the district where we lived, a tiny farming community in mid-Michigan, was a goo
The Pain and Isolation of an ATR southbronxschool
http://www.southbronxschool.com: The Pain and Isolation of an ATROne of the first people I thought of yesterday when I read the Daily News article with Chancellor Farina's hopes for the upcoming year was blogger Fidgety Teach.Fidgety was a highly regarded and loved pre-K teacher in Brooklyn when she got caught up in the evilness of her principal, Kristine Mustillo. One mistake, forever altered the
Gates Grant to “Further Hardwire the Common Core Curriculum” ?? | deutsch29
Gates Grant to “Further Hardwire the Common Core Curriculum” ?? | deutsch29: Gates Grant to “Further Hardwire the Common Core Curriculum” ??September 1, 2014One way to ensure permanence in the field of electronics is to “hardwire”– which means to “permanently connect.”In electronics, “hardwiring” refers to circuitry.For billionaire public education purchaser Bill Gates, circuitry and mass educatio
BETRAYAL | Bob Braun's Ledger
BETRAYAL | Bob Braun's Ledger: BETRAYALNTU President Joe Del Grosso–”Say it ain’t so, Joe!”On Labor Day, the day we celebrate working men and women and their unions, the Newark Teachers Union said this to the anxious parents of New Jersey’s largest city: “We cannot be seen as aiding or abetting anything that would disrupt the operation of the Newark Public Schools. ”In short, the NTU told Newark’s
A Florida County opts out of ALL state tests | Seattle Education
A Florida County opts out of ALL state tests | Seattle Education: A Florida County opts out of ALL state testsAnother good piece of news from Valerie Strauss.Florida county opts out of all state-mandated testing in ‘act of civil disobedience’Florida’s Lee County became  on Wednesday night the first school district in the state to vote to opt out of all state-mandated testing, including exams that
Kimble's Corner: The History of Labor Day
Kimble's Corner: The History of Labor Day:The History of Labor Day            One of the most misunderstood days on the American calendar is Labor Day.  Labor Day is perhaps the only sarcastic holiday in the entire world.  The day traces its roots back to New York City in 1882.  At that time there was a benevolent factory owner named John Fitzpatrick.   Fitzpatrick had been an Irish immigrant hims
School Absence Can Set Students Back Between 1 And 2 Years: Report
School Absence Can Set Students Back Between 1 And 2 Years: Report:School Absence Can Set Students Back Between 1 And 2 Years: ReportAn installation of 857 empty school desks, representing the number of students nationwide who are dropping out every hour of every school day, is on display at the National Mall June 20, 2012 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) | Alex Wong via Getty
The Poor Pay the Highest Price for Charter School Experiments — Part 3 — Newark | Life at the Intersections
The Poor Pay the Highest Price for Charter School Experiments — Part 3 — Newark | Life at the Intersections: THE POOR PAY THE HIGHEST PRICE FOR CHARTER SCHOOL EXPERIMENTS — PART 3 — NEWARKNewark parents and students wait in long lines to find out their school assignment. Next, they stand in line at another location to actually enroll. Credit: myfoxtampabay.comThis is the 3rd in a series of three p
9-1-14 Wait What?
Wait What?: To blog or not to blog?That is the question… In these difficult times, many of us are grappling with the question – How can one be useful and relevant in what increasingly appears to be a new dystopian age.  (Look up the word dystopian if you don’t know what it means). Coming off my recent “campaign” for governor, I find […] The post To blog or not to blog? appeared first on Wait What?
Why is Teaching the Most Controversial Profession in America? | Dana Goldstein
Why is Teaching the Most Controversial Profession in America? | Dana Goldstein: Why is Teaching the Most Controversial Profession in America?Vox’s fabulous education reporter, Libby Nelson, was one of the first people to read The Teacher Wars, and was kind enough to publish this Q&A with me about the book.Libby Nelson: We spend a lot of time talking about who should be a teacher, or why good t
Nite Cap 9-1-14 #BATsACT #RealEdTalk #EDCHAT
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 CAPNYC Public School Parents: NYSAPE Governor's Candidate Scorecard; take a look!NYC Public School Parents: NYSAPE Governor's Candidate Scorecard; take a look!: NYSAPE Governor's Candidate Scorecard; take a look!FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  September 1,