on the topic of crazy gasoline prices

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2013/02/130225-us-gas-price-spike-refineries


Not sure I buy this

learn to appreciate what you hate

This should apply in many other areas as well. Art, languages, mathematics, science, culture, etc. Now to get kids, and more importantly, their parents, to buy in...

http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2013/02/15/172120886/can-you-learn-to-like-music-you-hate

role of data

Finally, someone who recognizes that data is not the end-all be-all of decision making. It can guide our decisions, but should not rule them. Now if only this could be extended to my classroom...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/19/opinion/brooks-what-data-cant-do.html?ref=opinion&_r=0

You might be a reformer if...

...you have bought the lie that an "effective" teacher can single-handedly counteract the effects of inadequate nutrition, parenting, medical care, clothing and housing.

...you believe that minority students in the city need hours of test prep instead of authentic, problem-based learning.

...you cut Science and Social Studies lessons from your elementary classroom in favor of what "counts".

I could go on and on..,.

http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/living-in-dialogue/2013/02/yes_virginia_there_really_is_a.html

Is the morning after pill turning us into tramps?

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2013/02/emergency-contraception-plan-b-women

I guess not. A small segment of women have ever used it, most of them just once. One of these days I'll sit down and calculate the actual numbers.

The myth of a STEM 'shortage'

http://vtdigger.org/2013/02/17/mathis-stem-as-vermonts-urban-myth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mathis-stem-as-vermonts-urban-myth

Just like the mythical teacher shortage that we've heard about since I was a kid in school. It's not really true.

Just follow the rules, please

Years ago a friend told me “There is a place in this world for people who won't follow the rules.” How true. And, how sad that some don't figure it out until it's too late. By then the damage is done, and irreparable. It's a bellthat you can't unring. A felony record is forever, and it will disqualify you from many of life's most desirable employment options. Serial suspension is no walk in the park either.

More bad news from the Met Life teacher survey

Met Life has done this since 1984. This year they included leadership in thier survey. The picture doesn't get better. Teachers and their principals are less satisfied and more stress due to increasing mandates with fewer resources to meet the demands.

How about cursive writing?

I know from experience that many parents have complained about their babies being 'made' to practice and learn this skill. After a while, like homework completion, it's just not a fight worth pursuing. Besides, it's not tested, therefore not balued, so it gets short shrift. a couple of days of modeling, maximum, and then it's time to move on to test prep. Consequently, my students complain even about my connected letters, b/c they can't read them...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/23/should-cursive-writing-be-required-a-n-c-bill-would-mandate-it/

charters and those left behind

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2013/02/19/parent-trigger-and-charters-as-we-offer-more-school-choice-what-happens-to-children-left-behind/

what's up with the price of gas?

I don't hear any explanations/lies offered for why this is happening. Pay close attention to the line for crude in camparison with the lines for retail prices of gasoline. And Ga has nothing on California...
Again, I'd just like to know whyit's gone up 50 cents at the pump in a munth's time.

Here's why NCLB is a bust

And race to the top is no better. The model it was all based on is a failure at best, fraud at worst.

Thank you, Dr. Naison, from a career teacher

Mark Naison is a professor at Fordham University in the Bronx (NY). Recently he wrote on the subject of how to tell whether your charter school is a bad one. He does not allow TFA to recruit in his classes. Here he explains why.

By the way, his interests are broad: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bronx/fordham-university-professor-mark-naison-eats-boro-research-food-lecture-italy-article-1.1169783

CCSS

Finally, some truth about the process. Those of us on the fornt lines already knew how this went down.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/13/former-education-commissioner-blasts-common-core-process/

how the charters do it

If I had to jump through these kinds of hoops to get a job, I'd be unemployed. And even in this economy, the job applications still aren't quite this bad.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/15/us-usa-charters-admissions-idUSBRE91E0HF20130215


And then there's the funding discrepancy...
http://schoolfinance101.wordpress.com/2013/02/16/from-portfolios-to-parasites-the-unfortunate-path-of-u-s-charter-school-policy/

Pants on the Ground

Funny how a behavior pattern originating in prison became a fashion statement. Of course, this is the habit of young men (and boys) wearing their pants so loose and low that you see more of their butts than you ever saw of your own child's. There are two versions of this. One of them claims that when in prison, the only way to get some action is to advertise your availability by wearing low-slung pants, exposing your undergarments. The other version maintains that it results from prisoners doing without belts, which could be used to harm oneself or others. It is the thing (still) to show one's underwear by wearing baggy oversized pants. Kids used to call it “bustin' a sag”. Think of General Larry Platt who sang “Pants on the Ground” at his American Idol audition a few years back. Why do these guys think the rest of us want to see their tired drawers, or worse, their bare behinds? Nobody who didn't come from my womb should ever show me their bottom. Just not attractive.

Georgia education chiefs vote to oust 6 on DeKalb County...

Georgia education chiefs vote to oust 6 on DeKalb County...

After 14 hours, finally a recommendation. Governor still to announce his decision.

downton- guilty pleasure

I LOVE this program. It's well written, well-acted, well-directed, and who can complain about the scenery? Highclere Castle makes an absolutely GORGEOUS backdrop. I've watched every episode going back to the first season. Most of them multiple times, thanks to PBS bringing it back out at every pledge drive. One day PBS needs to create their own original drama(s) and not rely so much on the BBC.
Meantime, I eagerly await the resolution and aftermath of Matthew's death in such a silly road accident.


http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-downton-abbey-recap-finale-matthew-death-20130217,0,4394373.story?page=1&fb_xd_fragment=&fb_xd_fragment=


http://blog.zap2it.com/frominsidethebox/2013/02/downton-abbey-season-3-finale-season-4-promises-new-love-and-a-new-face-at-downton.html

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/showtracker/la-et-st-downton-abbey-dan-stevens-interview-20130128,0,3826712.story

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Why-Downton-Abbey-Why-Julian-Fellowes-Explains-52690.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/18/arts/television/killing-off-tv-characters-carries-risk.html?_r=0

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/16/travel/downton-abbey-us-style/

Classic example of how things go

A metro school board is in danger of being removed. Several boards around the state have been replaced, but this would be the largest, and the first truly urban board to go. They tried to get an injunction to delay/prevent this hearing, currently under way, but the court did not see things their way. More on this later, as reports come in. A rumor is out that the Governor has a press conference set for 3 this afternoon...

food fight

This is why some local kids had the book thrown at them. I'm sure the parents of the injured students in Minneapolis want some serious consequences for the culprits. Wouldn't you? It's simple- you can't mindlessly do things that could cause harm to others and then expect a pass.

http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/191259371.html?refer=y

Un-reality

So glad to hear that Kim K has learned something about privacy. "… I’m realizing everyone doesn’t need to know everything. I’m shifting my priorities." This apparently doesn't include maintaining or establishing any actual privacy, since she is still tweeting and commenting on the topic. It also won't keep her from participating in the show for another season. So much for privacy...

Guess you need to know what's important

I get a daily 'headlines' email from one of the local newspapers. There were 5 headlines today. Four were about high school sports. Four out of five! Seriously? And we wonder why the kids don't take anything seriously except fame and fortune...

DC cheating and the IG's

Jay Matthews has turned up some interesting info about how two consecutive IGs in DCPS ignored cheating allegations and failed to thoroughly investigate. Wonder wht their value-added ranking is? After all, we must all be assessed objectively, based on our performance....

Meanwhile, if you read through the comments, there are several attempt to justify the conclusion of no cheating based on someone's statement that there might be some other explanation. We don't know what that would be, however, as they do not say. And, I must point out, that there was a huge investigation of SAT cheating in Connecticut over 20 years ago, and it rested heavily on erasure patterns. When I locate one of those original articles, I'll add it here.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/class-struggle/post/sad-failure-of-two-inspectors-general/2013/02/10/932bb526-73a9-11e2-aa12-e6cf1d31106b_blog.html#pagebreak

Strange days

How did it come about that asking everyone to do something is considered singling out one person? It's confusing me in the worst way.How is it unfair to me when the police enforce the speed limit in front of the school? Isn't it the same for all of us? Why wouldone person get a pass for hollering “no fair, you're picking on me?” And yet we let our kids pull it, every day. What is the take-home lesson from that?

"Secrets" of a happy family

Guy writes a book on this topic, and GMA goes to Kyle Richards for tips on putting it into action. Really? We are really getting our advice from reality TV? And, don't get me started on The Bachelor....

Buckle up, here come the NCLBers!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/09/a-warning-to-college-profs-from-a-high-school-teacher/

It's going to be a bumpy ride.
And it will continue to feed the destructive narrative that our schools (k-12) are lousy, if the kids graduate and start college umable to think, write, or function.

the Lady Pen

I wonder if you've seen the Bic for Her pen. It's a retractable ballpoint pen in pink and purple, at twice the cost of 'man pens'. Check out Ellen's take on it, and make sure to watch her mock commercial beginning at 2:15:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCyw3prIWhc

Oh, brother

And I thought today's faculty meeting about the new lesson plan requirements was a colossal waste of time... this I can't even imagine:
 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/02/11/a-teacher-evaluation-session-out-of-star-wars/

Be nice

Many, many years ago, in a school far, far away, a there was a girl named Abby in my class. She was a new student, and we students quickly realized there was something different about her. She didn't automatically do the things we did, like follow directions or cooperate with teachers. She challenged authority in a million small ways. Then she upped the ante. It all came to a head one day when she was being particularly stubborn and mouthy. She wound up yelling at the teacher, who yelled right back, and then Abby swore. Out loud. At the teacher. We went absolutely silent from the shock of it. It was almost a trumatic experience, as we had aboslutely never, EVER, heard of such a thing, much less witnessed it. In less than 30 seconds, the principal's voice came from above, calling Abby to the office. Clearly she had listened to the entire exchange. It was Abby's last day in the school. We never saw her again, though I sometimes wonder how things turned out for her.

Funny thing is, if that were to happen today, in a public school, she would be suspended a few days and return as a conquering hero. Instead of shocked silence, that outburst would be met with cheers and applause from her classmates. For the teacher and administrators, it would be all downhill from there. Times have changed, and so has the behavior. Instead of avoiding association with the “bad” boy or girl, students make that kid the most popular in the class/grade/school. They speak in admiring tones of his or her shenanigans, and the legend grows. Think of The Legend of Billy Jean, except without the righteous cause. More like Rebel Without a Cause.

Clearly, I was educated in a different time and place. There were some absolute expectations of me as a student, and among them was the clear message not to screw with your teachers. That must be why I don't deal well with students who try to screw us over, and the parents who think every word that falls from their child's mouth is Gospel. Your kid has just lied to you, not for the first time, and then you buy the next thing they tell you. It happens to fit your preconceived notions, so you don't question it, even if there are a million reasons to do so. Believe it or not, your kid is not an angel. We are talking about an adolescent, and adolescents will say almost anything that achieves the desired outcome. That outcome might be simply avoiding discipline for some mischief, or it might be creating trouble for someone else. Classmate, rival, outcast, even teacher. And it's so common that it becomes tolerated, and even expected, behavior. Excuses are made for why it's not the child's fault. Blame is laid at the feet of the recipient of this shameful and shameless behavior. No one else in the room (indeed, the city) can confirm the claims of the student, but that doesn't matter. My child has been wronged/provoked/disrespected/etc, and you will pay for it is the message that comes across the table, right behind the irate parent.

Puh-lease. Get a clue, people! Your adolescent is no different from all other adolescents. They talk back, argue, skip assignments, blow off tests, ditch school, pick on classmates, treat others rudely, lose things, spent lunch money on junk food, and any number of other silly things. Then, they tell you whatever you want to hear that might smooth things over with you, if not with the injured party. Wake up, smell the coffee before things really get out of hand. As long as you allow and tolerate this shit, it will escalate. Think where this naturally leads. There are plenty of examples on the evening news.

“Elections shouldn’t exist”: The new war on school boards

“Elections shouldn’t exist”: The new war on school boards

Maybe elected officials need to be done away with... after all, if elections shouldn't exist...?

coffee, anyone?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/02/dining/learning-to-create-the-perfect-cup-of-coffee.html?pagewanted=2&ref=general&src=me&pagewanted=all

Gotta have your priorities straight. Why spend time and energy on literature or drama, or history or science, when you can spend days on end learning to  make a masterpiece mocha?

it's a fine line between involved and micromanaging

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2013/01/03/college-student-complains-parents-stalked-her-and-court-agrees/

OK, I understand wanting to look after your little girl, but this is ridiculous. Helicopter parents crash and burn, anyone?
If you've done such a great job raising your child, then there shouldn't be much to worry about, doncha think? Cut the cord, untie the apron strings, and go redecorate your empty nest!