Education community rethinks 'pennies for peace' support

What a let down for everyone involved. Greg Mortenson is a very interesting story. Whether or not everything he has done was intentional does not negate the fact that at least some good came from his organization. Why did he exagerate everything? Was it a cover up so that money could be funnaled into his tours for his personnel fame? His story is interesting because I suspect that he belives a lot of the things he says. Is it possible that he could have deluded himself all this time? Or in interviews was he simply unable to control the empulse to impress? It would be deeply ironic and sad if really wanted to be the person he was presenting.

Delaware Pushes to meet race to top promises

It is amazing what teachers are being put through. Now they have to experiment with different test models to see which are most effective. Unfortunately, what teacher has the time to approach this from a scientific perspective. There is a data coach as she is called or the person who is supposed  to help them comb over all the testing information they have been acquiring in their professional development meetings, but how much can they really due. This is the federal governments race to the top program funding. Well... the Delaware department of education claims the to do list is long and that they are methodically going through it. If this is just one of the necessary objectives then the project is doomed. How much can they really learn from these testing experiments in one year? Possibly a great deal for statisticians and evaluators in the future or over the next few years which may have been the objective all along but I doubt it because I do not think this program had that much for-sight. It feels like a political quick fix.

Testing the test

Most departments of education have testing over sight so I am very curious as to what exactly they are looking to different here. Apparently it is nothing, but now that there is an article about it I would imagine that many people will feel that the issues of testing is being looked at sincerely. I wonder as always how efficient and costly will this new over sight be. Because this is a commentary piece in ed weekly we get one mans view on what he has experienced with testing as the test evaluator for the Massachusetts department of education. He proposing some changes that he believes would improve the test. I think we should put this process of over sight into play, that is have various experienced and concerned individuals donate their commentary evaluations to a forum paper that would then be considered by various district educational departments. no harm done and no money lost or wasted.

California deficit clouds picture for K-12 funding

Jerry Brown proposed an idea to balance the budget in California without  cutting funding for schools. It called for a rise in taxes which the Republicans did not like, go figure. They are fighting Mr. Brown vehemently on this one. He has decided to go around their uncompromising nature and take it to the streets or the residents. He wants to gather enough votes to place tax measures on the ballet. The fight goes on. I wonder how this one will turn out.

Lawmakers set curriculum demands

In Utah a bill was considered that dictated to schools in more detail what should be taught, specifically as concerns U.S. social studies. Is this a scary new trend toward states and our nation telling districts and school more specifically what to teach. It has already been happening indirectly so I am not surprised that the next step is more control from the top down. I think this is just another swing in the pendulum. Not because the sates do not want to be in control but because they can not afford to put that wheel into turning. Imagine the oversight, educational committees and policy makers that would need to be paid.

States curb Exemptions on testing

Districts are being pressured to use fewer exemptions for students with "severe cognitive impairments." It is insane, because I do not know and apparently no one does whether or not the system is being taken advantage of or the school are using their rights to help disadvantaged children. This is all very confusing. I wonder if we have the money to do greater oversight of this issue, well, no. Of course not. Why should we use founds to police for any potential testing scams. More than likely the persons policing for scams would probably scamming the system themselves.

The Red Tree By Shaun Tan

The Red Tree by Shaun Tan

The age level for this book is young on up, because its major theme is isolation and how individual perspective and circumstance can change a person’s view of themselves and the world. It takes place in the imagination of a young adult. The language is very simple and mostly intended to support the illustrations. The illustrations are intended to relay the psychological aspects of the themes, which are expressed in the text.

There is a wonderful quote that goes some thing like “talking about music is like trying to dance architecture.”  I feel this applies to illustrations as well. Descriptions do not do justice to the actual sensation of observing these illustrations. For instance the first illustration has simple text “darkness overcomes you” there is an image of girl walking isolated along a city street under the shadow of a ghost like unearthly dieing fish that is over 100 times her size. The colors and detail are astounding and the affect of this image is arresting.

The illustrations are paintings in a style that uses very subtle shading and coloring. This is consistent throughout the book. Shaun Tan’s style is very psychological and emotional. One often feels a blurring in the lines of reality of fantasy.

The size of the book fits the content perfectly. The cover is of  a red haired girl floating in a paper boat on an endless calm sea staring down at a leaf beside the boat. This perfectly fits the story theme. Nothing about the beginning of the book gives a clear indication of the depth of the emotional and psychological journey to come, which is exactly how it feels that it should. Which is to say there is an unfolding of emotional states that lead further and further into an ambiguous sense of self. This helps the illustrate the main themes idea of isolation and perfectly impacts the final idea that perspectives can change sometimes divorced from the individual will.

This book and the author/illustrator have numerous awards and very justifies recognition. I believe that I have never seen this theme done in such a powerful and unique way. I am thankful to have had the privilege to be have been exposed to this artists work and to have passed it on to others whose reaction were similar to mine.  

Ed weekly via statesman Journal online

Money spent on sports could save 39 teaching jobs

We are seeing the results of the economic recession trickle over to government programs from the areas were the economy was initially hit, such as business. Yet that is how it works. We loose some jobs, we loose some taxes we loose programs. What is happening in S/K is the result of our economic problems, yet it is personal. What interests me, beside the fact that I may loose my job is that, the types of conversations  are so relevant to the lives of the people having them. I do not know what will happen but watching and listening to people research and discuss with passion their interests on how we should handle this situation is very interesting. It makes me hopeful because I see some genuine education taking place.

Proposed Rules Guide States on Managing Student Privacy

It is interesting that in our discussions about student assessments we don't discuss how the information may be used beyond teacher evaluations. As the article points out it could be a great resource for statistics to help better understand effective teaching practices but needs to have some regulations as concerns the privacy of the students. The specifics of the rules was not what interested me in the article but what did catch my eye was the rules surrounding who has the rights to see student data. In some cases it can help kids get grants while in other situations it will hurt their chances at acceptance to universities. This is definitely a case where we need a scalpel and not a meat cutter.

'Funding Cliff' Hits Special Education in N.C. District

The article describes a situation that many, if not all districts in the country are dealing with, and that is funding problems. This is one of those particular instances where a program was developed with assumptions that the funding or structure of that program (IAs and so forth) would still be involved. In this situation when the funding runs out the structure of the whole program is severely compromised.  Perhaps the teacher did not use enough foresight in assuming that IAs could permanently be a part of the class, but I am confused that they are cutting IAs in special education classrooms when that is supposed to be federally funded. However, the point is that in special situations, like the ones described in the article, the present economic problems are unable to adapt in such a way as to be equitable in their distribution of funds.

Students' stress linked to class environment

Poor resources, rundown schools, teachers burnt out over discipline problems, low expectations, and a large number of peers below grade plus and an assortment of many other issues add up to a stressful and unhealthy environment and this is not to mention a place where education is supposed to be happening. What surprised me about this article was the fact that they felt a need to draw on research in order to justify that these factors are problematic for kids. What can I say? I know a 3rd grader that sadly and seriously lamented to his mother that school was like prison. He said "we move with bells, we eat at the same time, we walk in lines.. etc" he continued giving examples. His mother could only correct him in one way, which was to say "it is not a prison but an institution."

Wanted: Ways To Measure Most Teachers

After our class discussion on this topic I read this article with a little more perspective, which I can appreciate because of all the lack of perspective I feel when looking at these issues. I can say that I still wonder very much about the engine behind this movement and its exact intentions. I doubt or perhaps hope that it is not the trojan horse that I have heard suggested, but it very well could be. We are now looking for a standard, not only to measure students but to evaluate teachers. We need something. I hope that "value added" measures can act in a truly scientific way by adding more data, but not as the sole manner for evaluation. These "snapshots" do not help to "determine what needs to happen next" says one of the principal investigators for teacher quality. What happens next? I hope portfolios, projects and better classroom assessments, as the article suggested. In the article there were some very thoughtful, well planned and executed ideas, and I was impressed that the people involved pointed out the short-comings with some of the ideas, in the hopes of finding a solution.
I do not believe the social sciences are a hard science. This is not a greek drama, where we have to choose between killing our army or our daughter. As a matter of a fact, I do believe that kind of thinking is what gets us in trouble. Less fear, more hope. Take a deep breath and a chance. What are the possibilities? If "value added" measures becomes a fact alone for measuring teachers, then we are going backward and it makes me seriously consider the intentions of the engine running this movement.

School restructures student grouping

After reading the article I am still unsure about how exactly a teacher run  school works. Do they still teach on top of their administrative positions? Is it split? They mentioned other teacher run schools around the country but did not give specifics about the type of successes that they have recorded. Do they feel their training as teachers is sufficient to be in an administrative position? I know this school had a clause that the 4 teachers involved in taking over the admin roles needed to receive some training. I would like to know a little more. All the principals I have worked under thus far were once teachers. What is the main difference?

The regrouping ideas were also confusing. I like that they are trying to understand how to implement differentiated instruction. One way they are doing this is by regularly evaluated and regrouping student classes along student levels and instructional focus. The students can be moved from class to class, even on a daily bases. I would like to understand more how these transition work. Also the students can have an input into their placement. The curriculum is still traditionally focused but the evaluations are done more often. The teachers day is extended in order to have professional development and meetings that look over the progress of the students. It all sounds very interesting and shows a great deal of dedication. I look forward to see how this school progresses and would like to understand a little more about how the schedule works.

Obama Makes Education a State of Union Centerpiece

I really liked the overhaul of student loan policies. One estimate, as is stated in the article, is a savings of 67 billion dollars, which is to be reinvested into Pell grants for college students. I love these type of policy changes. They are practical. What I do not understand is what the purpose was for "middlemen" who were making all this money off student loans in the first place.
Incentive pay for teachers is going to be difficult to implement. Although training or firing teachers who are not effective is something that seems needed.
I do not understand the particulars of his DREAM ACT. It is interesting and would like to know more but I think the criteria for illegal immigrants to stay in the country should not be whether or not they are educated and can add something to the economy.
I was interested in the article but all of these policies that could come into play in education in the next few years are I am sure very complicated and difficult to sum up in a quick speech.

Recession's Toll on K-12 Budgets Both Wide and Deep

The article discusses the effects of the recession on K- 12 education. It looks at the issue state by state. Budget analyst Bill Oliff says that every state was effected, just to different degrees. However, some states like natural resource-rich Montana and agrarian driven Nebraska have seen increases in education spending. Also Alaska and Arkansas ended the 2010 year with a budget surplus. Michigan on the other hand is facing a $3 billion shortfall with a yearly budget of only 6.4 billion. These situations are not the same. It is my guess that all states will be screaming for government assistance, if any is available with the federal stimulus is drying up, and surplus or shortfall will not stop them from asking. I hear people tell me to ask for twice as much as you need so that hopefully they will give you half. I wonder if this is the mind set of the budget analysts. I know very little about economics, which is why I tend to feel a little cynical.
The new government initiative race to the top has 11 states and the district of Columbia making proposals for education reform that others criticize as, in the case of Florida, not very well thought out. But states are scrambling to either acquire new funds or protect the ones they have.

6 girls arrested in Facebook teacher attack invite

Strange story, particularly for Ed weekly. A girl made a comment on her facebook page about attacking a teacher in school and invited other students to join her.
The girls were arrested and charged with a misdemeanor offense. Teachers were shocked because the girls were considered good students, even holding leadership roles in the school. For their defense the girls claimed it was all a joke. Due to the level of violence in the schools today however the school administration and the law enforcement  did not consider it funny and sent the message out.
This sort of thing happens quit often in the schools albeit in smaller forms. For instance, a kid makes his hand look like a gun and points it at another kid and this can get them suspended.