reading fiction- necessary for the soul

William Styron: You live several lives while reading.
Bradbury: “You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them.” 
Fran Lebowitz: “Think before you speak. Read before you think.” 
Joseph Brodsky: “There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” 
Willliam Nicholson: We read to know that we are not alone.
George R.R,Martin: “A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies, said Jojen. The man who never reads lives only one.” 
Stephen King: “Books are a uniquely portable magic.” 
Cassandra Clare: “Only the very weak-minded refuse to be influenced by literature and poetry.” 
Jules Verne:“We are of opinion that instead of letting books grow moldy behind an iron grating, far from the vulgar gaze, it is better to let them wear out by being read.” 
Emerson: “I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.” 
Jane Smiley: “Many people, myself among them, feel better at the mere sight of a book.” 

http://www.rotary.org/en/mediaandnews/therotarian/pages/business1303.aspx


all quotes found at goodreads.com

No Child Left Behind, unless they are gifted...

Not only did NCLB gut gifted programs along with Special Education, but Jacob JAvits funding was also cut by the feds about 4 years ago. I was earning my gifted endorsement at the time (still haven't gotten to use all that learning, like many of my classmates) and found the notice while working on research for a class assignment.


http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2013/03/26/no-child-left-behind-neglected-gifted-students-that-is-about-to-change-in-georgia/

"failing school" as a historical concept

I've also seen a comment somewhere that the notion of 'failing' or inadequate schools arose in the aftermath of forced desegregation...

http://federaleducationpolicy.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/historic-use-of-the-term-failing-school/

I know the feeling

This was my thought when I found out about the new statewide evlauation formula that passed the legislature last week with no media coverage whatsoever. Even my professional organization didn't mention it.

Cheating investigations: A Tale of Two Cities

Sol Stern of the Daily Beast has an interesting comparison of how the APS cheating scandal was handled by Gov Perdue, vs Bloomberg's handling of cheating allegations in NYC. One could easily toss in Rhee's handling of cheating 'investigation' in DC schools.
He also points out what all of us know: there are always those who will game the system, and play the rules that are make for personal advantage; a few people (not necessarily those who were directly changing answers) profited mightily from this culture of coercion for results.
As other states prepare to impose teacher evaluation systems heavily based on test results, they need to consider carefully the likely responses of those they propose to 'incentivize' for higher achievement. While I know that my kids are doing their personal best, despite their parents, the test will not reflect their growth because it is below-grade-level growth. That means, that sometime after 2014-15, my job will be on the line for being "ineffective". My principal's job will be on the line shortly after that, if too many of us are "ineffective". Do you really think no one will try something? I've got a lovely bridge to sell you.

SAT by any other name...

It wasn't so great when I took it back in 1984, and I doubt it will be improved in upgrade 3.0. Maybe it's time to accept that it doesn't really give us any real or useful information.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-nelson/the-college-board-fails-t_b_2801884.html?utm_source=Alert-blogger&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Email%2BNot

professional standing (or falling?)

From tne Times, a year ago: "By all accounts, the teaching profession is at a crossroads. Since the early 1980's, when a presidential commission and the Carnegie Foundation declared a crisis of confidence in the public schools, attention has increasingly shifted to the poor quality of many teachers and of teacher education programs as sources of what the commission called ''a rising tide of mediocrity.''    
"At first, his friends admired him for being brave and daring enough to teach in what they considered a ghetto school. ''People said, 'Wow, that's so cool, so noble. Aren't you scared?' '' he recalled. But as the years went by, they started asking him when he was going to get a real job."   
"Mr. Plaks is struggling against the cynicism of both people like his mother and some of his colleagues."
"In the last year, he has seen five of his most senior and most skillful colleagues at Public School 192 retire."

They got it wrong. It's not about Social Status. It's about professional image and perception. We are not longer treated as educated professionals, but a production workers with no independent judgement. The legislature here has just passed a new law that will mandate test scores to comprise a minimum of 50% of teacher evaluations.
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/17/nyregion/as-social-status-sags-teachers-call-it-a-career.html?gwh=638D3268A32FA2B971CE69C10E241E17

Should Ga Tech change mascot?

A survey has been released today, ecplaining the various reasons to consider giving up on the yellow jacket (my favorite- In a series of tests, an actual bulldog was put in a room with an actual yellow jacket and the bulldog killed the yellow jacket 99 percent of the time. This is demoralizing for the football team, who would prefer a mascot that can, in real life, kill a real bulldog.)

You can vote here: http://newbuzz.gatech.edu/

But wait: http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2013/04/01/to-bee-or-not-to-bee-is-it-time-for-georgia-tech-to-introduce-a-killer-buzz-or-a-robotic-one/

this is the primary consideration?

Now, I agree there are silly reasons why school calendars are set as they are, or changed. But, should tourism dollars and summer jobs for teens be the primary considerations? Here we get annual reports about how the school calendars affect revenue at Six Flags. You would think that the park gets no out of town/state visitors...

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2013/03/25/shorter-summers-short-teens-chances-to-earn-money/

now, THAT'S what I'm talking about

AP makeover

Maybe it's time to stop putting all our eggs in one basket. And every day, we change the stupid basket! How about if there were thoughful discussions, followed by some sane decisions, instead of running around looking for the silver bullet that will cure the werewolf?

http://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2013/03/06/advanced-placement-courses-need-more-than-a-makeover-jack-schneider/

untold Holocaust story

over the next week, PBS stations across the country will air "Rescue in the Phillippines", the story of a WWII rescue of some 1200 jews from the Phillipines. As the Japanese troops advanced, the Jews directly in harm's way. Some of them were desscended from Spanish families who fled the Spanish Inquistion, others had evacuated Europe or Shanghai.
http://rescueinthephilippines.com/

Marry my son, please!

So a Princeton grad and mom (and 'pioneer' of 1973) has written an open letter advising Princeton women to marry Princeton men, and to hurry up about it. After all, you only have 3 years before you are down to a limited pool because you will be older than 3/4 of them. Great advice, pioneering mom.
Wonder how her son feels?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301415/Susan-A-Patton-wrote-Princeton-student-newspaper-urging-female-students-snag-man.html

poisoned by students

I thought the rudeness and lies were bad to deal with, now we have to worry that students might spike our drinks. Isopropyl alcohol is not meant for consumption- not only will you be buzzed, there's risk of permanent organ damage. This is no joke!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/middle-school-teacher-says-she-was-unaware-hand-sanitizer-was-being-put-in-her-tea/2013/03/29/4b9033f6-987d-11e2-b5b4-b63027b499de_story.html

this may really be how it started...

something to think about while watching Andy Murry getting creamed in Miami

Fantastic (NOT) idea

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2013/03/27/new-race-to-the-top-teacher-evaluations-with-strong-reliance-on-test-scores-begin-in-2014-2015/?cp=3#comment-273225

Our esteemed and infallible legislators/policymakers/school detsroyers have finally enshrined VAM in state law. There is every reason to believe the Gov will sign this piece of toilet paper. He certainly has not said anything suggesting he wouldn't. 'At least' 50% of this score is now mandated to come from test scores.
Not one of these nitwits has spent time in a classroom to see students go to more effort avoiding their work than it would take to just do it. None of them has had the joy of hearing a student announce his/her intention to 'get' you in trouble, even if it requires a conspiracy of lies that rivals Watergate. Non of them has been grabbed by a student and dragged up and down the hallway in front of students and teachers. None of them has ever witnessed a student DELIBERATELY blow the test, for personal reasons (avoid higher demands, get parental attention, get out of the gifted classes, compete with peers for lowest possible results, etc.)
 Keep in mind the tests in question have yet to be written as we are in the middle of switching to Common Core standards, and the CCSS-based tests (from the PARCC Consortium) do not yet exist. Also keep in mind that NO ONE has yet shown that these tests measure ANYTHING other than the ability to distinguish the four letters A,B,C, and D. Further, keep in mind that the children and grandchildren of the aforementioned wonks attend non-public schools and will never be subjected to this bullshit of a system.
It's time to get the hell out of this place, if it's the last thing we ever do.

VRM evaluation system...

Love the idea. Let's expand it to include our legislators and business leaders...
http://protectportelos.org/new-nyc-firefighter-evaluations/

No thanks for the 'miracle', Florida

Umm, if this is what 'success' looks like, I'll pass.

http://m.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/opinion/editorial-florida-needs-no-advice-from-jeb-bush-on/nWYCy/

What happens when the 'war' is won?

Personally, I like the "Pottery Barn rule". Absolutely, you break it, you bought it.
Absolutely, there are a lot of factors that have not been considered in this data-driven, value-added, BS model we are being handed. Not just homeless kids and SWD, but also families that just move, sometimes 3 or 4 times in a year. And 'accountability' of the charters, private schools and other non-public entities that receive our students courtesy of 'vouchers', 'scholarships', or whatever sweet term is concocted. The comparison with mental health 'reform' is especially apt.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-epstein/the-education-reformers-e_b_840831.html

Thinking about how we measure learning...

What does it mean to say that a student (or group of students) has gained a year of learning, half a year of learning, whatever?
When we use a standardized test as the basis for such statements, what kind of raw scores are we talking about? Even the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Acheivement (3 ed), used with my students with disabilities and individually administered, sometimes makes me wonder.
So, what if we were talking about a generic test 40 questions long? How do you use that to gauge the amount of learning that has occurred?
TFA says you can claim a year of growth based on answering 3 more questions correctly compared to a control group... http://garyrubinstein.teachforus.org/2013/03/09/is-a-half-year-of-learning-equivalent-to-one-question-on-a-multiple-choice-test/

So, we aren't the only stupid ones

The push to privatize public education continues in England as well, to the detriment of the schools and their students:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/04/education-capitalist-command-economy

Glowing soldiers at Shiloh

Yep, during the Civil War.
After the battle of Shiloh, weather prevented medics from reaching the wounded soldiers. They lay in the mud during an overnight rain, getting filthy and hypothermic. When it was finally possible to go out and offer treatment, reports came back that some of the men's open wounds were glowing. Those who had the myssterious glow seemed to have better prospects for recovery than those who did not, and it became known as "Angel's Glow".
A while back, someone figured out a possible scientific explanation for the Angel's Glow: http://mentalfloss.com/article/30380/why-some-civil-war-soldiers-glowed-dark#ixzz2M1f5U4PV

Fascinating.

consistency- hobgoblin of little minds?

At my school, it's a running joke that if a decision is made by administration, it will get changed in no time. You can count on it. We might be told to tighten up on enforcing the dress code on Monday, then we'll be told Wednesday to ease up and concentrate on 'the important things'. The following week, when the kids are starting to look like MTV video stars, suddenly it's important to jump on that dress code again. You can get whiplash trying to keep up with the shifts in policy. And that's just one example. We've been given contradictory instructions about the school discipline plan, RTI procedures, and most anything else you can imagine. My favorite is when we get nailed for not doing something correctly, after following the only instructions we were provided, because the new expectation was never communicated to us. We have to constantly ask questions to clarify exactly what someone wants us to do, because it changes frequently and without notice.

ravitch remembers

So do I. It was all about what I was willing, and able to do. It never occured to me that the teacher was responsible for my test results.

http://dianeravitch.net/2012/07/27/do-you-remember/

the changing ways we communicate

The Social Century: 100 Years of Talking, Watching, Reading and Writing in America - The Atlantic

I wonder, what is the societal effect of these changes in the last 50 years?

sound and fury

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/01/science/discord-sound-noise-and-our-elusive-quest-for-quiet.html?pagewanted=1&src=recg&_r=0

There are times we just crave quiet, though we don't always realize that's what is happening.
And so, sometimes, I just want to lock my door and eat lunch, by myself, in relaive peace and quiet. Or at least accompanied by sounds of my choosing, instead of someone else's.

editorial on high stakes testing.

http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/article/20130213/OPINION01/302130015/Editorial-High-stakes-tests-killing-our-schools?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1

This writer said last month "deprivation of financial resources coupled with a regimented, dispassionate approach to measuring outcomes will by design sort out winners and losers". Ironically, it was exactly that kind of sorting system that we educators have been trying to get away from for many years. Race To the Top has revived it, on steroids. After all, how many can actually win the "race"?

Here's how I want to go out when te time comes

with a bang, not a whimper: http://www.upworthy.com/see-the-teacher-s-resignation-video-that-280-000-people-have-already-watched?g=3&c=ufb1

Define 'effective'

that''s the easy part.
Now, measure it.
"While the MET project has brought unprecedented vigor to teacher evaluation research, its results do not settle disagreements about what makes an effective teacher and offer little guidance about how to design real-world teacher evaluation systems."

Basically, they figured out that 'teacher effectiveness' is very difficult to measure in any meaningful way. I could have told them that, for a lot less money.

Diane Ravitch posted this today on her blog.

Finally, a rationale for student phones

When you get caught at school with liquor on your person, you have to be able to call your lawyer before speaking with the resource officer... Frankly, I'm surprised he got such prompt advice. When I need legal advice from my professional association, it takes several calls over a couple of days.

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2013/03/15/heres-why-students-need-cellphones-in-school-to-call-their-lawyers/

http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2013-03-15/oconee-student-calls-lawyer-when-found-gin-school

Which way to lean?

We have the CEO of Facebook telling us to lean in. The former CFO of Goldman Sachs says watch out. We have Pew Research telling us that others think we should lean back.

How about we each do what works (or is necessary) in our own lives? and what if everyone else just quit telling us how wrong they think we are?

Bullying, or not

Here are a couple of letters to the NY Times about bullying.
The original piece, "Defining Bullying Down", got my attention becuase it reflects my observations over the years. More and more, simple social behavior and disputes are categorized as bullying, making it something for the adults to address, instead of something for the kids to learn from. And, if we call every unpleasant encoutner 'bullying', then we diminish the real, awful experiences of true victims in favor of coddling kids who haven't learned social skills.

Common-Core Tests to Take Up to 10 Hours

Common-Core Tests to Take Up to 10 Hours

Umm, excuse me, but the CRCT already takes about 10 hours, before extended time for SWD... I might be glad (shudder) if that were reduced to 8 or so.

Now I just HAVE to read it!

Persepolis is being pulled from some, or maybe all, CPS classrooms. Story here. You can also google it and find plenty more.
That's all I need to hear. This is a book I MUST read, as soon as I locate a copy. If it's banned in Chicago, I've got to have it!

I'm still trying to manage my vortex

http://larrycuban.wordpress.com/2013/03/02/teaching-math-the-driftwood-and-the-vortex-michele-kerr/

I've done this before, but this time it's not working. Don't know what to do with this one.

"most" kids drop out?

Recently it was revealed that my kids have this perception that "most" teens drop out of school. We were discussing someone who had entered college early, and I asked what most kids that age would be doing. Amost without exception, the class yelled out "drop out of school". There was no acknowledgement that, at least, someone that age should be in high school. It was eye-opening, in the sense of a window on their world. Even more upsetting was the girl who assumes that "most" teens are pregnant at that age. We'll be looking at dropout rates for different demographic groups and regions of the county to talk about why this is the case.
http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/tables/2008353_03.asp
http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/tables/2010313_08.asp
http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/tables/ESSIN_Task5_f2.asp

teacher voice

Read this yesterday. Here are my thoughts.

I am not a DeKalb County teacher. With 20 years in education, I am in my fifth year in a different metro area school district, where we are suffering from whiplash due to the shifting winds and changing plans and mandates. It seems that every year there is a new intitiative or program rolled out with much fanfare, and then incompletely implemented, only to be half-forgotten by spring testing. We have dutifully tackled Lerning Focused Schools, Understanding by Design, backwards design, differentiated instruction, inclusion, Working on the work, Results Now, schoolwide discipline, Marzano's research on Instruction that Works in Classrooms that Work ('high yield' strategies, which he himself says are no cure all), and on and on and on. Each time, we're put through a crash course or 'boot camp' on the new plan for making miracles, then quickly realize we are underprepared and under-resourced to truly implement the plan. Worse, the administrators who will evaluate us may not even understand what we are trying to accomplish, so we worry about a bad rating caused by misunderstanding.

We have to beg for common, basic supplies- pencils, pens, paper, board markers, but there are interactive whiteboards all over the place. One day, we may even have the time to learn how to use them to full advantage. I waited 4 months for basic stationery items. That's not a typo; it really took 4 months. It gets frustrating having to buy my own supplies and materials to work with, especially with a consultant coming through several times a year, at what is surely an astronomical cost, while we go without basics. I am paid less today than I was when I strted at this school. Between furloughs (pay cut), reductions in local supplement (pay cut), reduction in contributions to my retirement (future pay cut), increase insurance costs (ouch), and inflation, there's not much left for treats. Please don't expect me to provide school supplies as well.

Meanwhile, my students are less prepared and more needy every year. For too many, learning takes a backseat to dreams of fame and fortune on the athletic field or the stage. Sadly, their parents encourage this magical thinking instead of being realistic and insisting on education as a priority. They arrive without basic supplies, without even their schoolbooks. Paper disappears like candy. I've given out around 200 pencils to a small group of students with disabilities, and my closet is empty. They come to me with tremendous gaps in their skills, things they just never learned. The expectation laid at my feet? Fill the gaps while teaching grade-level curriculum to students who can't read or write fluently, or do basic arithmetic, or both.

Oh, and they desperately need social skills, never having mastered the fine points of listening to the person speaking to you before telling them off. They have learned survival socialization, meaning they draw a line and dare others to cross it so that then they feel obligated to prove that 'no one can diss me and get away with it'. The proof may be verbal, or physical. It comes daily, even hourly. In my classroom, as much time is spent on social skills as on our subject area. Fortunately, many of my kids' parents have no illusions about their young one's charms, but that doesn't substantially reduce the disruptions. There are others who look at us like we're nuts to expect a quiet and cooperation once in a while, as if incessant talking should be acceptable even it if keeps someone else from functioning. (“My child needs...” Yes, but what about all the OTHER children in the room?)

Please understand: I LOVE teaching. Really love it. In between their outbursts, I like the kids, too, even though they try hard to make themselves as unlikable as possible. The problem is that there is precious little teaching taking place many days. At this time of year, it's a balancing act to make sure students have at least seen everything that may be on the CRCT, while also trying to review from early in the year so that it's not forgotten. The test looms large on the horizon, like a sea monster in the distancee, and it's getting closer and closer by the day. I have no illusions about the validity of the test for my students, but at the end of the day, their success and mine come down to that number, and how close they come to the magic number of 800. Is this really the joy of learning that we are supposed to be sharing? Whatever happened to following an investigation where it leads? Whatever happened to students pursuing their interests? Whatever happened to reading a book and enjoying the journey, instead of taking a quiz on it? And then, after we the adults have made THE TEST into the end-all-be-all of this enterprise, we have the nerve to be upset with students' perception that there's nothing of importance going on at school after the end of April. Parents know this; your kids come home and tell you they aren't doing anything meaningful for the entire month of May. The truth is that is when we try to squeeze in the fun, interesting, student-directed learning opportunities that have been postponed for so long; it's just that the kids are no longer interested.

tackiling causes of incarceration

http://www.npr.org/2013/03/02/173303515/dealing-with-root-causes-to-tackle-incarceration-rates

How about declining budgets and availablility of school services to ensure these young people all develop the ability to read and write before leaving school? Could that possibly be a factor? Hmmm...

Believe or not believe, that is the question...

You came in with a complaint based on what your child told you. (nothing in the account rang familiar, and I don't know what you are referring to. As if I'd had a blackout in class that day.)  Almost in the next sentence, you tell me about how your child got hold of some important school forms and filled in all kinds of crazy lies, so it had to be redone.
Which part of the above should we take seriously? It's worrisome, and confusing.

Conference days

In this district, a couple of times a year, students are dismissed early and we use the afternoon (or evening) for parent conferences. For my students, we are already mandated to meet every year to review progress and update IEPs. Consequently, conference day is usually a pretty boring one for me. Parents of my kids just don't usually bother to come in, even when specifically asked to meet, so I wander around without much to do.

On our last conference day, I had just 4 parents coming in. It wasn't bad, just a headache making sure everything went ok. Starting with the parent who returned the form requesting a conference with me, signed, but minus her child's name. I made the extra effort to figure out who this was, which involved going to the office and looking up permanent records (the name she signed is not the name we have in the computer system, thereby requiring a visit to the records). She also did not make a preference as to time, and the form only reached me on the day before conferences. So, I picked a time for her and sent home an appointment slip. The afternoon of the conferences, guess who showed up 20 minutes late, having forgotten to arrange to leave work early?

For the same conference day, another parent texted the homeroom teacher after hours Wednesday (conferences were Friday), wanting a conference. It was set up, and I decided I would join them, as case manager for his child. I also sent home the invitation for the child's IEP meeting, as I had promised on the phone a few days before. When the day came, guess who didn't show up and didn't bother to let anyone know? By the way, he also emailed the other day to say he won't be attending the IEP meeting either. Nice to know my time listening to his complaints over the phone was wasted.

When I make an appointment with a professional service provider and then don't show up, they charge me for the time. We need to start doing the same. When we set up an appointment with you, that means someone else can't have that opportunity and gets upset. Then you don't show up, and we could have met with someone else.

A little courtesy and consideration for others is all that's needed.

Watch out for those marauding trees...

every tree deemed tall enough to fall across interstates and other limited-access highways.
Well, that would include most every 20-30 foot tree near the  road, wouldn't it?
http://www.walb.com/story/21541026/ga-highway-trees-on-chopping-block

I stand with the teachers of Stongsville, OH

They are fighting for survival in a district that is determined to break the union.
I live in a state where there is no collective bargaining, no unions, and strikes are illegal.
http://dianeravitch.net/2013/03/08/why-the-teachers-in-strongville-ohio-are-striking/

Don't know how

I'm in the doghouse again. She who shall not be named blasted me two days in a row, both times while I was on the phone with parents. No clue why, either. This came out of nowhere. There's nothing to do but stay out of her way. After the second encounter, I just went outside (on a cold day) and walked abit till I didn't feel so much like quitting and going home to cry. Made for along day, though, since it happened before 11 in the morning, and there were 4 classes still to be taught before dismissal.
My working conditions are your child's learning conditions. If there is an administrator making teachers miserable (not just unhappy, but absolutely miserable), don't you think that affects the students? Don't you think this person is treating them the same way?

Why Camden?

Written last night after the Rock Center broadcast:

Just watched the Rock Center story about Camden, NJ. Most viewers probably found it eye-opening. Shocking. Tragic. Shameful. Horrifying. They might be moved to do something.

I, on the other hand, found the piece irritating. It made me angry, but not for the reasons some might expect. I'm pissed because 30 years ago, I was a teenager living in a neighborhood very much like the places Brian Williams rode through with the Chief of Police. No reporters ever came around to see what it was like. Our parish priest never would have answered any questions. The local police commander was never seen, so I can't imagine him driving on a tour of the area. Bottom line: nobody gave a shit about us. We weren't worth the effort.

There was a man on my block raising fighting dogs. Yes, pit bulls. We had a cop living on our block. A younger boy we played with through his brother off the roof one day and was arrested. He was home a day or two later. Nobody wrote about it. It wasn't important.

We couldn't even get police to respond if there was no weapon in evidence. I was out of school by the time of the Simpson case. Late one night there was a loud argument on the street in front of the house. I looked out the window and say a couple having it out in the middle of the street. In half a minute he was not just hitting, but punching her in the face. An emergency dispatcher actually asked me what I expected the police to do about it. I finally got pissed and told her that they could choose between stopping the beating and waiting till he killed her. Nobody cared.

We came home one Sunday from a trip to find out there had been a drive-by shooting at the corner. When the cops were around, everyone was deaf, dumb, and blind. A few days later I heard kids talking about what had happened and who was involved. I called and tracked down the detective on that investigation to tell him what was being said. There were no news reports; it was just another shooting.

There was a drug dealer operating out of the building on the corner. It was across the street from a city bus stop. It was one block north from our parish church. The father of one of my classmates ran a taxi service, and his drivers came by regularly. The drug dealer provided drive-up service; the taxis would pull up in front, and someone would run outside to deliver the goods. During the summer, I sat on the front steps and counted how many of those cars, with the company name on them, pulled up in 10 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour. We lost track of how many times the place was “raided”. They would be released and back in business in 4 hours flat. Local police knew about it. My mother made sure of that, and even gave them license plate numbers. They still couldn't or wouldn't do anything about it. It didn't make the news. It wasn't newsworthy.

Eventually, after several years of this, a federal raid finally cleaned out the place one night. They had to go in shooting, killed several people as they went, and discovered the escape tunnels that came out somewere on the next street. No reporter came around to do interviews. We weren't interesting.

Starting when I was in high school, gunshots would wake me in the middle of the night. After a while you get to know from the sound whether it's a handgun, whether it's automatic or revolver, and the echo lets you figure out how many streets away it is. To this day, I automatically start counting when I hear shots. I can still tell a handgun from a shotgun by the sound.

I used to ride public transportation in that city, and walk down streets that would make most of my colleagues run for cover. I shopped in tiny little ethnic grocery stores in places that would make your skin crawl. You looked both ways, not for cars, but for criminals out to empty your pocket for you. No news people were interested except for when President Carter came to visit. Those of us living it weren't worth thinking about after he left.

Why is it newsworthy today, but not back then?

My bad

That's something commonly said around here by way of acknowledging your mistake. It's not exactly an apology, just sort of saying 'I blew it'.

My turn
I thought I was supposed to have high expectations for my students, but you refused to even try. My bad.
I think you should be able to hear what's going on in class, not just what I say, but your classmates' responses as well, but it made you angry when I asked you to listen without interrupting. My bad.
I thought you wanted to be able to see the interactive whiteboard, so I changed your seat and then you stormed out. My bad.
I thought I was supposed to help my kids behave properly, but your feelings were hurt when I corrected your behavior. My bad.
I thought I was supposed to keep parents informed, but you were offended when I let you know what's going on. My bad.
I thought the counselor was here to help us, but you think I 'got' you in trouble by bringing in the counselor. My bad.
I thought you wanted advance notice when I set up a parent meeting, so I did that, but you still didn't show up. My bad.
I think my students need to learn basic calculation rather than algebra. At least then they'll be able to manage their finances. My bad.
I thought I was supposed to send the disruptive students to the team leader's classroom, but instead he made a ruckus in the hallway. My bad.
I think my students need to learn to read a newspaper and job aevertisements. My bad.
I thought the students were supposed to follow rules and procedures without outside intervention, but apparently you only take instructions from the school secretary. My bad. Guess we should have her teach class next week.

The dream

My dream, shared by other teachers:
studetns come to school to learn
students have paper and pencils to complete their assignments
students take responsibility for books and don't lose them
students demonstrate common courtesy for others
students cooperate with each other to solve problems
students listen to each other, not just at lunch, but during lessons
students willling to make an effort to achieve goals

Each of these is an individual choice. I'm not even talking about parent involvement, although certainly parents need to lay a proper foundation for the above.
Notice, I didn't say anything about grade-level skills or income levels. Lots of money at home is not necessary to get a good education. Our grandparents can attest to that.

SAT redesign

So, the College Board is going to revamp the SAT. There's considerable information out there to show that the SAT doesn't do what it's supposed to do, doesn't measure what we assume it measures. My question, then, is this: What is the Value-Added Measure for the SAT? How effective a tool is it?

Folllow the money

http://www.pressherald.com/news/virtual-schools-in-maine_2012-09-02.html

If Finland has figured it out, why don't we try their approach?

They outperform us on the almighty International Assessments, yet instead of looking closely at how they do it, we are doing the opposite. This list of 10 facts is eye-opening.

http://www.takepart.com/photos/ten-surprising-facts-finlands-education-system-americans-should-not-ignore#

Pinterest is cool

I can keep and access lots of resources, personal and professional, both at home and at work (it's not blocked yet) for later use. Love it. When there's an interesting article or infographic that might be useful for a lesson later, or good reading when there's more time, I just Pin It. Then i can go back later and do whatever I had in mind.
www.pinterest.com

from the state of Mississippi...

and the state of Georgia. Not so different. Even now, and this is not a remote rural community...

http://www.takepart.com/article/2013/01/21/diary-first-year-teacher-racism-still-alive-and-well-mississippi-delta?cmpid=tp-ad-outbrain-general

Educators Issue VAM Report for Secretary Duncan - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

This is a great idea. We need a VAM report and ranking for all of our public officials. No results, and you are out. Of course, we'll use an "objective" metric to make this decision...

Educators Issue VAM Report for Secretary Duncan - Living in Dialogue - Education Week Teacher

and they probably have kids

Let's see, the best you can think of for making money involves multiple violations of state AND federal laws. Really?!? How is this behavior going to be justified? 99 counts. Guess he got carried away...

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/state-regional/three-charged-with-bear-poaching-more-arrests-expe/nWTdT/

When the Minimum Wage Makes Economists Smile

http://blogs.hbr.org/fox/2013/02/the-minimum-wage-and-textbook.html

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!

I stand with unionized teachers

every day of the week, and twice on Sunday. I teach in a non-union state, with minimal protections and no collective bargaining. Hence 5 years of furlough days, loss of local supplements, no supplies, no heat this week (seriously, I kept my jacket on every day). I seriously doubt our esteemed leaders in politics and commerce would have the balls to face a crazed gunman, or even a pissed off parent.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/12/17/americas-teachers-heroes-or-greedy-bastards/

Who needs to learn, really?

This sounds like an extreme extension of everything I need to know I learned in kindergarten- and I say this as a certified science teacher. But, I'm also a certified social studies teacher, which warps my perspective.

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/egan-in-ignorance-we-trust/?nl=opinion&emc=edit_ty_20121214

This is no "revolution", it's just good teaching

The New Dorp HS turnaround that was largely based on focusing on the students' writing skills- why is this revolutionary? It's what we SHOULD be doing, if only we weren't busy training students to fill in bubbles on answer sheets for multiple-choice questions that measure exactly SQUAT about their written expression. Imagine, a school where every kid has to write, properly, clearly, grammatically, for every teacher. No exceptions, no excuses, no more "but why is the math teacher critiquing my baby's writing?" Imagine, a school where the expectations are universal and inexcapable. Where the students are accountable for learning, and teacher accountable for helping them do so.
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/10/the-writing-revolution/309090/?single_page=true

Here's the problem with student surveys

If all you do is use them to prove that the test scores show what you think you want to measure, then the surveys will become pointless. I can't use something like that to improve on what I'm doing in the classroom. (Of course, it would help if my assignment didn't change every bloody year, but who cares about having a second shot, right?) It will only be another metric to be manipulated. And, if you've never had the pleasure of witnessing somebody's little angel exercise their own agenda through these "instruments", then you live a deprived life. But, take a look:
http://blogs.reuters.com/felix-salmon/2012/09/23/what-education-reformers-did-with-student-surveys/
and for the original Atlantic article: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/10/why-kids-should-grade-teachers/309088/ 

And here's why it should be scrapped

Value added 'measurement' simply doesn't measure what it claims, if in fact it measures anything. I'm not personally convinced it does measure anything, not even the growth of a particular student over time. Perhaps you've been fortunate, but I have personally witnessed students deliberately throwing the test for their own reasons. Some because they realized they couldn't possibly pass, so why bother trying? Some because they knew high scores would qualify them for more demanding classes, and they wanted to stay in 'easy' classes. Some have even done it because they are satisfying a grudge against a particular teacher and wanted to screw up the teacher's pass rate. If you think adolescents don't do these things, you must be smoking the kool-aid.

http://schoolfinance101.wordpress.com/2012/11/17/air-pollution-in-ny-state-comments-on-the-ny-state-teacherprincipal-rating-modelsreport/

What's that you say, Warren Buffett?

You think Jamie Dimon, the man who almost ran JPMorgan Chase into the ground singlehandedly, should be Secretary of the Treasury? Puhleease! You have got to be kidding me! Does anyone seriously want him to duplicate his "achievements" on a national scale? Not me, that's for sure.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/27/warren-buffett-jamie-dimo_n_2197455.html

The same Jamie Dimon who allowed 'performance' bonuses to be paid to the managers and executives who lost billions of dollars trading derivatives on Wall Street created the subprime real estate debacle?

Is this the same Jamie Dimon who spent a million on office renovations while his company was in shambles?

Jamie Dimon who thinks he did the right thing? Is this really the person who should be setting the nation's economic policy?

Shock doctrine all over again

A good crisis should never go to waste. So goes the thinking of the behind-the-scenes folk who think they know what the rest of us need. Find a flaw, spin it a s crisis, and then swoop in like a hero, offering to provide the 'solution' (for a fee, of course).  Thus is our current situation in education. See the guest commentary in Valerie Strauss' column from last Friday. Thanks to Diane Ravitch for picking up on it.

Here's Bloomberg's model at work

I might be wrong about the originator, but my recollection is that Mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York came up with this approach to running schools and "improving" them: bring in someone whose entire professional career was spent not in education, but in business. The corporate world. After all, you don't need to be a teacher in order to run a school and supervise teachers. You just need management experience, right? Someone who understands finances, resource management, performance review, etc. That's all you need ("...you don't need nothing else", says Latka). Right?

We saw how that's worked out. Witness the chancellorship of Joel Klein, formerly US Assistant Attorney General. And, in it's most extreme incarnation, it brought us the Cathie Black debacle.

Now, Atlanta is facing the realities of following this approach, in the person of Errol Davis, a businessman whose only prior connection to education is that he served as Chancellor of the University System of Georgia. Before that, he spent his career at Alliant Energy and Wisconsin Power & Light. He appears to have last set foot in a classroom (any classroom) in 1967, when he completed the MBA with which he followed his Carnegie Mellon degree in electrical engineering. No question he is intelligent, but that alone doesn't make a successful educator, or superintendent.

Now, after upsetting folks with his handling of the APS CRCT cheating scandal, he has continued to draw fire by pursuing decisions without making sure of community buy-in. He has repeatedly misjudged the climate, and understimated the need to have the public, especially parents, on board with your decisions and policies for the school district. You'd think that someone with a seat on the Board of Directors of General Motors would have better people skills than that, but apparently not. Tonight, as I write this, the APS Board is deciding (maybe) the future of Davis' tenure as superintendent. http://www.ajc.com/news/news/fate-of-superintendent-erroll-davis-unclear/nTNGM/

UPDATE:
Board votes to extend Davis' contract: http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local-education/atlanta-school-board-extends-embattled-superindend/nTR5J/

Sorry, Thomas Friedman

So, Thomas Friedman, normally a very astute man, thinks Arne duncan would make an excellent Secretary of State after Sec Clinton steps down. I think he's completelylost track of what a good Secretary of State has to be able to do: formulate a plan, implement foreign policy, develop relationships, bring diverse groups to consensus. So far, as Sec of Ed, Duncan has done exactly the opposite.

 http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_22082363/thomas-l-friedman-my-secretary-state-arne-duncan

Arne Duncan thinks the way to “measure” success or failure is to give a test and 'analyze' the results. I can just see this enshrined in US foreign policy, can't you? He'll withhold foreign aid for literacy programs and universal education from nations that don't demonstrate adequate progress on a poorly designed instrument full of cultural bias. He'll require that public health be administered on a voucher basis, so that the recipients can 'vote with their feet' and chase after services offered by privately operated for-profit operators. He will go overseas to negotiate a treaty and leave behind people who are more polarized than when he walked in, and thoroughly insulted by his attempts to dictate his 'values' to them. Forgive me if that doesn't inspire confidence in the future of the US State Department.

Couldn't tell by looking at the shelves

Common core standards for English Language Arts call for much mor nonfiction reading (and writing) than fiction. Because, supposedly, that's what the kids will be mostly reading as adults. Now, I love to read. and I enjoy a hefty nonfiction title as much as anybody. But a look at my book collection (paper and e-book) will show that I read considerably more fiction than I do nonfiction.  At the public library the other day, I was amazed that at least 2/3 of a small branch library was filled with fiction titles. And that doesn't include the children's collection.
Now, I agree that primary sources should be a bigger part of our instruction, but I don't believe that the reason teachers object is 'lack of training' in using informational material. That's baloney, in my book. The reality is that human nature demands storytelling. No amount of practicality can change that fact.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/class-struggle/post/non-fiction-vs-fiction-smackdown/2012/10/18/08355a3c-1713-11e2-a55c-39408fbe6a4b_blog.html

Rigor, or Vigor?

So, while sitting through endless workshop on teaching with rigor, how do I infuse my math class with vigor?
Keep in mind that my middle-schoolers struggle with basic computations, and our curriculum calls for algebra (stuff I didn't see till HS). And then, there's this College Board product and all its issues.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2012/11/03/the-most-important-element-of-student-success/

A student's perpective

If you haven't seen it yet, this is from the account of a college student who shares his testing experience in the Washington Post:

 

 I enrolled in AP English due to my great experience with English the previous year hoping it would be more rigorous and I would grow even more as a writer and as a person. I was wrong. The entire purpose of AP English was not to improve our critical thinking or our writing, but to prepare for the AP Exam in May and to get ready for college. We read great pieces of literature that I highly enjoyed and wanted to learn more about. But, instead of analyzing themes or characters our teacher would give us questions which we would have to write essays about in a 50 minute class period similar to what we would find on the AP Exam and in college classes. It frustrated me to no avail and I ended up doing very poor in AP English.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2012/11/09/one-teens-standardized-testing-horror-story-and-where-it-will-lead/

 

Guess my problem is not unique

I've been struggling for a while with issues surrounding a College Board product that I'm required to teach from. Only one of my problems is accuracy. When i work problems with my class, I don't always get the answer that is in my TE. I try multiple approaches and still can't make their answer work. They can only say, "maybe we can get thatcorrected". When? This thing has been piloted for several years all over the country! When were you going to fix the answer key?
apparently this is not an isolated issue:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2012/11/23/sat-problem-of-the-day-gives-wrong-answer/