tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post3421964781970038046..comments2024-03-16T13:43:21.762-04:00Comments on Schools Matter: Is SOS Being Hijacked by Corporate Education Insiders?James Hornhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04462754705431590571noreply@blogger.comBlogger90125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-48838170760582091892012-05-14T21:22:00.385-04:002012-05-14T21:22:00.385-04:00Bob George's company, Catapult Learning LLC se...Bob George's company, Catapult Learning LLC sells a line of professional development services aimed at getting school staffs up to speed on the Common Core, which Catapult and the rest of the testing industrial complex is salivating to get ushered in nationwide. <br /><br />As SOS considers its position on Common Core, do you think there could be an appearance of a conflict of interest by having a Senior VP for Catapult on the Steering Committee that is making that decision? <br /><br />As I have said before, if Bob George was as concerned about the public perception of SOS as he is about his own agenda, he would have already addressed the issue, rather than parading forward his surrogates to open fire on the messenger.James Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04462754705431590571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-5334970299078673782012-05-14T19:50:22.053-04:002012-05-14T19:50:22.053-04:00When you wrote "Bob owes no explanation to me...When you wrote "Bob owes no explanation to me, personally...", you seem to have forgotten who wrote this article. Your protestations only belie the very dark nature of your attack on a man who has given his heart, time, energy and soul to SOS.george siglerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05318981381993325168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-2499942229293066572012-05-13T16:54:05.863-04:002012-05-13T16:54:05.863-04:00I thought the SOS platform was to push back agains...I thought the SOS platform was to push back against harmful school reforms which I would think includes fighting Common Core Standards. <br /><br />I thought the original problem had to do with an individual who fights harmful school reform while being employed by a questionable corporation. It seems like this individual is serving two masters. And it is a concern no matter how likable this person is or how hard he works. I have sat in on too many meetings where organizations like Stand for Children preach murky messages to the general public when they have bold intentions to go after public schools. So I can’t help but wonder if this person has ulterior motives. Perhaps he should explain. Why doesn’t he on this blog?<br /><br />One thing is for sure, SOS will lose members if the message is murky. <br /><br />A good organization needs a strong platform so the general public understands what it is about and who it is up against. The general public doesn’t always check into these blogs like educators and some parents. The clearer the message the better to reach the general public. <br /><br />THEN act on the message with action! <br /><br />Unfortunately, if the message isn’t clear and the platform wishy-washy, which seems to be the case right now, the organization is probably in danger of falling by the wayside. Especially with inside arguing. <br /><br />Steering board, GET WITH IT! Decide what SOS is about so I know whether or not I want to support you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-54013194905686766892012-05-13T03:24:18.043-04:002012-05-13T03:24:18.043-04:00I am new to SOS and appreciate the chance to get s...I am new to SOS and appreciate the chance to get some answers to questions that have been bugging me: like, 'if the CC are so bad and all this started to accelerate in the 90's, what has taken so long to build consensus to resist?' Oh yeh, I get it, good people got bought out one-at-a-time and piece by piece. And then there came to be privatization and ALEC and .... <br />I think now about all the hours we at Occupy Phoenix have spent discussing issues surrounding whom we should link up with (and still remain true to what we believe) and how we can include everyone (even our online members, some of whom might not be known to all) in our GA deliberations and I can tell you this type of conflict of interest would get 'hands-down' all the way round. It can't be tolerated especially because the reason we all have our backs to the wall like this is because we all accepted lies and deceptions over and over. I speak for myself but I believe that the people at Occupy know that getting the process right and keeping it pure of compromises is most essential. A social movement cannot take such risks of being co-opted.sixtiessmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16690402553239759342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-19634854675779020022012-05-12T21:02:25.033-04:002012-05-12T21:02:25.033-04:00Posted to an earlier response, but deserves attent...Posted to an earlier response, but deserves attention here.<br /><br />Rosemarie Jensen 6:06 PM<br /><br />Here's my two cents having attended the march last summer and Occupy in March/April and been involved in this fight since, I believe, the attack started here in Florida since the late 90s. An apparent conflict of interest is evident. Period. And we have watched others worm their way into our Federal DOE and State DOEs under the cover of wanting to do what is best for children. And they have worked long and patiently to meet their ends. I don't know Bob but it would behoove him to answer the question. Period. I am not an influencial member, just a small voice, and I would NOT approve of my husband consulting with Charter USA when asked because I would not want anyone to question my intent if I should ever play a bigger role or have a larger audience. And it was a huge loss of revenue for our little consulting business.<br />Second, It seems a no brainer that SOS should be public in it's stance against Common Core. We know what the ultimate goal of that is and it goes against all the previously stated planks.The fact that there are people who are reticent about that concerns me. We aren't here to make friends...we are here to change the course of education policy and history. <br /><br />Everyone here who has posted I respect and am appreciative of your perspective, but everyone must realize we don't have YOUR experience with Bob and sometimes when something walks like a duck, quack likes a duck, ...it's a duck. He needs to answer the question and there is nothing wrong with asking the question. Instead of getting feathers ruffled, if there is no conflict, it should be an easy question to answer and Bob should understand that. It was very easy for my husband to understand my perspective that his work my jeapardize my legitmacy in a movement I feel so strongly about. There's my two cents for what it's worth.James Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04462754705431590571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-19580562888330596492012-05-12T18:06:16.325-04:002012-05-12T18:06:16.325-04:00Here's my two cents having attended the march ...Here's my two cents having attended the march last summer and Occupy in March/April and been involved in this fight since, I believe, the attack started here in Florida since the late 90s. An apparent conflict of interest is evident. Period. And we have watched others worm their way into our Federal DOE and State DOEs under the cover of wanting to do what is best for children. And they have worked long and patiently to meet their ends. I don't know Bob but it would behoove him to answer the question. Period. I am not an influencial member, just a small voice, and I would NOT approve of my husband consulting with Charter USA when asked because I would not want anyone to question my intent if I should ever play a bigger role or have a larger audience. And it was a huge loss of revenue for our little consulting business.<br />Second, It seems a no brainer that SOS should be public in it's stance against Common Core. We know what the ultimate goal of that is and it goes against all the previously stated planks.The fact that there are people who are reticent about that concerns me. We aren't here to make friends...we are here to change the course of education policy and history. <br /><br />Everyone here who has posted I respect and am appreciative of your perspective, but everyone must realize we don't have YOUR experience with Bob and sometimes when something walks like a duck, quack likes a duck, ...it's a duck. He needs to answer the question and there is nothing wrong with asking the question. Instead of getting feathers ruffled, if there is no conflict, it should be an easy question to answer and Bob should understand that. It was very easy for my husband to understand my perspective that his work my jeapardize my legitmacy in a movement I feel so strongly about. There's my two cents for what it's worth.Rosemarie Jensennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-82763123500537929452012-05-12T12:52:57.874-04:002012-05-12T12:52:57.874-04:00The conversation that I think all the supporters o...The conversation that I think all the supporters of SOS deserve, rather than just the Steerers of SOS, is a public answer to my question that Bob would not post at the SOS website: Do you think, Bob, that there could be a perceived conflict of interest resulting between a senior VP who works a company that preys on the poorest public schools by day, while "steering" an org that stands in opposition to these practices on weekends?<br /><br />With Bob's refusal to address the question on the SOS site, he guaranteed that it would appear here. Bob George has been invited to respond here, to engage in a public dialogue, but he has refused. <br /><br />Bob owes no explanation to me, personally, but he does owe one to ALL the folks who have supported SOS in the past, and the ones who want to support it in the future. I thought I would let him speak for himself. But maybe he is not interested in that, as long as exec buddies continue to carry water for him.James Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04462754705431590571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-13315654315019953242012-05-12T12:09:31.838-04:002012-05-12T12:09:31.838-04:00Nobody has responded DIRECTLY to the repeated requ...Nobody has responded DIRECTLY to the repeated requests from me and Susan Ohanian that SOS oppose the common core standards and tests,except to say that we will take it later.<br />This is a simple action. If you vote to oppose the common core, it does not mean that you have to go on strike, you don't have to refuse to do anything, you can still work to make life better if the common core is implemented in your school. <br />The NCTE did not allow our resolution to be voted on by the members of NCTE. <br />Can we vote on this, by mail, before the meeting? Not everybody will be able to attend the meeting. Not everybody can afford it and people have other pressing obligations.skrashenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02243115140886175946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-65197565955168912322012-05-12T11:33:34.512-04:002012-05-12T11:33:34.512-04:00Wow..what a title for this post. It's more li...Wow..what a title for this post. It's more like a public lynching of a good man. If Mr. Horn had met with Bob George and interviewed him or at the very least talked with him before he wrote this screed, he would have known more about his subject and realized that Bob George is an ethical man who has balanced his role with Catapult and SOS in an honorable and honest manner.<br />The big question I have is why didn't Mr. Horn talk to Bob George before writing this article and posting it?<br />The importance of that old adage" know and understand your subject before you write about it" certainly flew out the window in this post. It's something that all good writers have followed, once upon a time.george siglerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05318981381993325168noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-35070155807664644032012-05-11T23:21:03.770-04:002012-05-11T23:21:03.770-04:00Can SOS support the resolution we presented two ye...Can SOS support the resolution we presented two years in a row at NCTE?<br />Why can't SOS oppose the standards/tests? The individual principles that SOS officially supports.<br />Can somebody answer this in a few sentences?skrashenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02243115140886175946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-23677604208285037302012-05-11T14:17:02.041-04:002012-05-11T14:17:02.041-04:00Thanks to you and Jim -- I am off to the library t...Thanks to you and Jim -- I am off to the library to absorb some of these refs. I had thought that the biggest objection to CC would be derived from knowledge of how the brain functions to help us produce order from disorder as per the following:<br />"The essential task of brain function is to construct orderly patterns of neural activity from disorderly sensory inputs, so that effective actions can be mounted by the brain, a finite state system, to deal with the world's infinite complexity." Walter J Freeman Department of Molecular & Cell Biology University of California ....<br />That is, by training the brain to memorize standard approaches to problem solving you are not helping it learn to do what it is designed to do; that is, exclusively teaching standard approaches essentially atrophies the brain.<br />Is this an important part of what you (we) are saying?sixtiessmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16690402553239759342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-33229619030454755652012-05-11T13:35:24.649-04:002012-05-11T13:35:24.649-04:00I have posted 253 articles about the Common Core o...I have posted 253 articles about the Common Core on my website, many with hotlinks to research. So it's hard for me to be brief, but I will try. You can start with these facts:<br /><br />1. The Common Core is a product of private enterprise calling on very little educator knowledge. Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, much of the development was handled by Achieve, an organization founded by governors and business leaders to further corporate goals in education. <br /> <br />2. David Coleman and Susan Pimentel are credited as 'chief architects' of the Common Core in literacy. She's a lawyer with a long history in consulting. Coleman set up an organization to disseminate his views. He has never taught and has a radical view of teaching not backed by any research or practice. For starters, he says teachers must indoctrinate students with the realization "No one gives a shit what you think." (because this is the way it is in the business world.) This is not a paraphrase. You can go to the NY State Department of Education website and watch his 2-hour presentation.<br />http://usny.nysed.gov/rttt/resources/bringing-the-common-core-to-life.html<br />You can read a transcript here, but you'll have to put up with my introductory polemics:<br />http://susanohanian.org/show_research.php?id=437<br /><br />The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has given the Coleman enterprise millions. They gave the Hunt Institute more millions to distribute films of Coleman & Pimentel showing teachers how to teach the Common Core way. The G. E. Foundation has just given Coleman enterprises $18 million to align teachers to the Coleman way.<br /><br />I happen to feel it's very dangerous stuff to pour all this money into forcing everybody into this one way of looking at text. I don't say 'literature' because Coleman insists most of the school day should be spent with nonfiction. . . because nonfiction is where kids learn about the world.<br /><br />3. The highly regarded Brookings Institute recently issued a report concluding, "Despite all the money and effort devoted to developing the Common Core State Standards--not to mention the simmering controversy over their adoption in several states--the study foresees little to no impact on student learning." <br /><br />http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/reports/2012/0216_brown_education_loveless/0216_brown_education_loveless.pdf<br /><br />4. The purpose of the Common Core curriculum is to serve as a vehicle for the national test. We don't yet know what this test will look like but the two testing consortia keep leaking info that it will be continuous online testing, totally driving the curriculum.<br /><br />5. Finally, and most important, the Common Core is a deliberate diversionary tactic, getting the public to believe that a standardized curriculum is the key to student success. The truth of the matter is that POVERTY trumps everything. The research on the effects of poverty is plentiful. If we want to solve school problems, we must solve poverty. This is not an excuse; it is a fact. I would suggest reading Richard Rothstein at the Economic Policy Institute on this topic. He has books well worth reading. I'd start with "Class And Schools: Using Social, Economic, And Educational Reform To Close The Black-white Achievement Gap." <br /><br />Here are a couple of Rothstein articles.<br /><br />http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/apr08/vol65/num07/Whose-Problem-Is-Poverty%C2%A2.aspx<br /><br />http://www.epi.org/publication/ib286/<br /><br />Also read Rothstein on the fact that schools AREN'T failing:<br />http://www.epi.org/blog/reformers-playbook-failing-schools-facts/Susan Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14462129579304912310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-67422481642793204872012-05-11T12:48:40.237-04:002012-05-11T12:48:40.237-04:00And the GE Foundation is sending 16 Milwaukee teac...And the GE Foundation is sending 16 Milwaukee teachers to sit at the feet of Common Core entrepreneur David Coleman, who will "align" them.<br /><br />We are already so late for this train. . . . The notion of waiting for a summer platform baffles me and makes me realize that corporate power wins because they know how to steamroll ahead.<br /><br />I wouldn't even make it as complicated as our NCTE Resolution. Using the methods of the echo chamber U. S. Department of Education/National Governors Association/Bill Gates team, that if you repeat something 63 times, it must be true, I'll just say it again: <br /><br />Platform Item:<br />Save Our Schools is opposed to the Common Core State Standards funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and forced on the states by Race to the Top bribes administered by the office of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.<br /><br />I would be satisfied that the item stop after the word 'Standards,' but offer the rest for clarity.Susan Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14462129579304912310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-89276306089963386942012-05-11T12:43:26.173-04:002012-05-11T12:43:26.173-04:00Hey, Gary,
I do not know HOW I missed you in D. ...Hey, Gary, <br /><br />I do not know HOW I missed you in D. C. last time. (You're usually pretty hard to miss.)<br /><br />I continue to rail against Common Core with every breath I have. See the new section on my website. <br /><br />But I'm not spending $$ and soul to go to SOS meetings at the Marriott. <br /><br />I'm with you on less polite actions. And local. A couple of years ago I made it my mission to attend meetings of the Vermont State Board of Education--only an hour's drive but an hour in sleet & snow can be hairy. Most of the time at these excruciating meetings I'm the only "public" there. And I make a very short statement against the Common Core. This is too little and too lame but it's difficult to have a one-person demonstration. . . although last August I wore a sandwich board every Friday in Burlington, handing out anti-Common Core pamphlets. Common Core is barely on the radar in VT. NCLB didn't hurt us all that much and teachers still think they're independent.<br /><br />Now that our governor--who carries a progressive label and who mouths ed policy straight from the mouths of IBM executives and the National Governors Association--has persuaded the legislature to gut the board of ed and give him policy-making power, I don't know what my 'local' tactic will be. <br /><br />I don't see what's so complicated about a platform. I repeat what I posted above.<br /><br />Platform Item:<br />Save Our Schools is opposed to the Common Core State Standards funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and forced on the states by Race to the Top bribes administered by the office of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.<br /><br />I would be satisfied that the item stop after the word 'Standards,' but offer the rest for clarity.Susan Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14462129579304912310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-88493711830757927772012-05-11T12:21:05.527-04:002012-05-11T12:21:05.527-04:00Bess and Mike,
I have not attacked SOS.
I sugge...Bess and Mike,<br /><br />I have not attacked SOS. <br /><br />I suggest this platform item:<br /><br />Save Our Schools is opposed to the Common Core State Standards funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and forced on the states by Race to the Top bribes administered by the office of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.<br /><br />I would be satisfied that the item stop after the word 'Standards,' but offer the rest for clarity.Susan Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14462129579304912310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-13918036599834454962012-05-11T10:23:40.846-04:002012-05-11T10:23:40.846-04:00anyone, anyone?anyone, anyone?James Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04462754705431590571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-12440261599962844902012-05-11T10:19:44.753-04:002012-05-11T10:19:44.753-04:00One of the most poignant and beautifully written b...One of the most poignant and beautifully written books on the alienating effects of the imposed, single curriculum is Richard Rodriguez's book, "Hunger of Memory." Now almost 30 years old, the book offers a terrific place to begin to understand, especially, one Hispanic man's experiences, which ended in a doctorate in English lit and a deep sense of alienation. Shouldn't be missed. (Don't order from Amazon, please.) CC promises to provide the kind of cultural alienation that Rodriguez experienced on a universal scale.<br /><br />Another very good introduction to some of the issues around the single imposed curriculum can be found in this web piece by Nel Noddings, (http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/Dkitchen/TE652/noddings.htm) who includes some good references, especially the Michael Apple reference. Noddings makes a compelling case that the one best curriculum for all is the best curriculum for no one.<br /><br />Here is another from Noddings, which does a nice job going back to summarize the debate between Dewey and Hutchins from the early 20th Century. This is very good at getting to the root differences in philosophy. Just a taste: <br /><br />Consider the Dewey/Hutchins debates. Both men were avowedly strong advocates of democracy, but Dewey saw conjoint living (speaking, listening, working together) as a way of creating common values and understandings, whereas Hutchins saw common values and understandings as necessary precursors of cooperative (or democratic) life. Hutchins deplored ignorance of the “Graeco-Hebraic tradition,” knowledge of which he claimed was necessary for participation in democratic life." (http://ojs.ed.uiuc.edu/index.php/pes/article/viewFile/1706/423)<br /><br />David Coleman, nor the oligarchs that hired him to put together big chunks of the CC, even acknowledge these basic differences in values and philosophies. The current effort represents an ahistorical and anti-intellectual jamming down of a technocratic process whose advocates do not even understand the implications for people and our educational system, or even the implications for the economy. As diversity is minimized by uni-cultualism, our real abilities to solve real problems is reduced. <br /><br />I hope other will chip in here with some more recent materials. As you will see, however, this bad idea has been around for a long time. Best to start near the beginning. It will be assurance for you, too, that you understand more on the subject than anyone at the U. S. Department of Education/Gates Foundation.James Hornhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04462754705431590571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-19902814683681080082012-05-11T03:27:09.297-04:002012-05-11T03:27:09.297-04:00I am a retired PH.D. Management Systems Analyst (n...I am a retired PH.D. Management Systems Analyst (not an Education professional) who spent 30-years working on efficiency-effectiveness evaluation methodologies for government projects inside and outside the federal government and who, at age 75, recently settled in this large Southwest city. On arriving, I immediately sought involvement with Occupy (after years of non-involvement following the demise of the New Left in the early 70’s and subsequent attempts to raise a family and have a career). I spent the last 5 to 6-months trying to educate myself enough about the problems being experienced in public k-12 arena to be able to convince the local Occupy movement to start some sort of anti NCLB/RTTT reform actions. We managed to have one teach-in kind of event but then couldn’t come together on what else to do. I kept at it.<br />I was surprised recently when I attended the monthly meeting of a local group that advocates for the rights of teachers, students and parents which, because of their location and the anti immigrant stance of the state government, seems to be more into the plight of Mexican Americans wanting and not getting a quality education for their children. That's fine with me, Mexican American children sure need people to stand up for their education rights in this state. At any rate, I attempted to engage one of the leaders -- who was identified to me as one of the more active k-12 teachers -- in conversation regarding the CCSS and the RTTT testing and teacher-evaluation program. The testing subject did not seem to resonate with her at all -- I got the feeling that she saw so many other real everyday problems (like those having to do with the struggles of ESL students and the combined effect of ESL and poverty) that she classified it as an academic problem, relatively speaking -- but CC was unequivocally a good thing. She saw CC as something that helped her and the newer teachers in developing their day-to-day teaching plans and definitely an improvement of what they had before. It was evident that I was not going to get anywhere generating resistance to testing if I was going to package my arguments with a need to resist CC.<br />I have spent several hours reading and rereading the exchange regarding SOS and the need to make a definitive rejection of CC. At first, I was convinced that it would be tactically most prudent to come together in opposition to the plan to bubble-test kids’ minds into states where they had totally lost interest in learning and then somehow use test results to evaluate teachers. I figured, stopping or stalling the test-and-evaluate plan had top priority because it is so insidious and that doing so would buy more time for refining problems we had with the CC. I now see understand the depth of your resistance to these standards but I am nowhere near being able to go back to that group of inner-city teachers and make a case for opposing the CC. Telling them that the National Council on Education and the Economy (NCEE) and it's subsidiary America's Choice (now owned by Pearson), Achieve and all of it's corporate sponsors, and ultimately Lumina, ALEC, Gates, etc. were instrumental in developing these standards would not help me. If I am to convince others I have to have the sources to read to obtain a more comprehensive understanding. I would appreciate if someone could give me some references.<br />Thankssixtiessmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16690402553239759342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-74643863039211282902012-05-11T02:11:05.550-04:002012-05-11T02:11:05.550-04:00Does anyone think it would be feasible to get repr...Does anyone think it would be feasible to get representatives from different states to put together a 20-30 page publication (coordinated by SOS) that we can hand out at School Board Meetings, Malls, Occupy Events, etc., that would cover the subjects like:<br />1. The truth about how US students compare with other countries and the degree to which this has really changed over the past 20-years. I have seen some articles report that SAT scores have not really declined that much and that the statistics used to turn the country against teachers were based on biases between the samples that were used by other countries (when compared to the USA) and that most differences could be explained by the growth in those in poverty in the US,<br />2. Spending per child (your state vs National avg)current and 25-year trends; <br />3. Dropout and graduation rates (your state vs avg) and increased prison populations<br />4. What Science has discovered about learning and the brain and how it converts to the need for small class-sizes especially in the early years;<br />5. How increases in community college and on-line courses have been used to keep the employed managers up to date with increases in knowledge compared to what we have spent upgrading Teachers' knowledge base. <br />6. Explain Federal, state and local funding; Formula grant program and NCLB and Obama’s discretionary RttT. <br />7. Growth of Charter and Voucher schools – the story of New Orleans post Katrina<br />8. Distribution of power and control: School Boards, Districts, types of schools and State and Federal laws re fulfilling the education of normal and special-needs children; number of districts and schools of different types in your state.<br />9. The Homeschooling alternative.<br />10. Privatization of schools and testing. How are expenditures for Charter schools and testing justified especially when the money comes from savings realized by replacing experienced teachers by TFA's (explain what a TFA is and how they are subsidized by your federal tax dollars). <br />11. Materials to debunk the 'bad teacher' myth. <br />There is so much good material on the internet but most parents don't browse the same sites we do or have the time to learn the good sites much less read the material. I am sure there are many out there who can refine this outline better than me (I am only a concerned citizen and not a professional educator).<br />We need to fight back beyond demonstrating to ask for support from people who don't understand the problem. Could SOS pick up coordinating an initiative like this? It seems like we have a little analysis paralysis going on here.sixtiessmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16690402553239759342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-45676801185597499032012-05-11T01:29:24.247-04:002012-05-11T01:29:24.247-04:00Is there anything stopping SOS from opposing the c...Is there anything stopping SOS from opposing the common core standards and tests now?skrashenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02243115140886175946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-47356149570004512832012-05-11T00:05:01.927-04:002012-05-11T00:05:01.927-04:00I agree with much of what you say. Allow me to re...I agree with much of what you say. Allow me to reinterpret using some military-tainted terms.<br />While addressing these subjects (CC and the Testing Initiative) we need to be clear whether we are discussing Strategy (appropriate for discussing complex objectives) or Tactics (which need to be very specific so as to promote more cohesive action). <br />•CC issues are more complex; opposing the testing initiative is a simpler concept;<br />• Someone who opposes CC may be easier to convince to stand with you against the testing initiative but one can have mixed thoughts about CC and still be resolutely opposed to the testing initiative;<br />• Convincing someone to join with you in your stand against the testing initiative does not require that you first convince them to agree with you regarding all or most CC issues.<br />• Numerous School Boards (like around 40 in Texas) and others are already on record as opposing the testing initiative; its time to join in and route the enemy with a single tactical action<br /><br />At this point, we should be concerned with stopping or seriously delaying the testing initiative because that objective is clear and has unanimous consensus. Tactics, almost by definition can’t have overly complex objectives. However, a successfully carried out tactic can have implications for more complex objectives. For example, if we stop or delay implementation of the testing-evaluation program, there will be more time to define and build up consensus regarding CC-issues; on the other hand, compounding our tactics by requiring agreement regarding less clearly identified CC-issues can confound interpretation of the success of the action as well as reduce the likelihood of success. In general, if strategic objectives are not broken down first any tactics can produce chaotic results.sixtiessmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16690402553239759342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-5482933078163628552012-05-10T23:43:55.051-04:002012-05-10T23:43:55.051-04:00"SOS" was hijacked well before the march..."SOS" was hijacked well before the march even took place. It became a hollow shell of what it was intended to be. Egos, advanced degrees, and people with supposed "connections" pushed their way to the forefront, leaving those who truly matter in all of this, those who have the ambition and the fire to do whatever it takes to produce positive change (as opposed to doing whatever it takes to gain name recognition)to be not much more than cheerleaders. The problem is, people may be starting to realize that this version of "SOS" hasn't given them much to cheer about.Mehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16397508482868613685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-11416356912283408532012-05-10T18:34:05.966-04:002012-05-10T18:34:05.966-04:00REMINDER: The Common Core Standards and Tests marc...REMINDER: The Common Core Standards and Tests march on<br /><br />A partnership between universities, community colleges and K-12 school districts in 30 states is aimed at aligning teacher-preparation programs in secondary mathematics with the new Common Core State Standards. The so-called Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership was announced this week, and already has received a $200,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. Education Weekskrashenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02243115140886175946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-53093923560792081302012-05-10T17:55:34.817-04:002012-05-10T17:55:34.817-04:00I agree with Jim Horn; what are the boundaries of ...I agree with Jim Horn; what are the boundaries of this big tent? Are there any?<br /><br />Either we are sure about the damage reform is doing or we're not.<br /><br />Some of us are sure. SOS seems to be unsure.<br /><br />Perhaps a purity test should be applied to committee members? No corporate folks; no charter folks; only educators. Seems reasonable.<br /><br />Or you all can continue to send out mixed signals.<br /><br />I am "this close" to disassociating myself from the "large" SOS tent out of pure frustration (imagine that!).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04089587797789660734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14707730.post-40635283495380871792012-05-10T17:55:28.505-04:002012-05-10T17:55:28.505-04:00REMINDER: The Common Core Standards and Tests marc...REMINDER: The Common Core Standards and Tests march on - this is today's news - <br /><br />NYC schools to expand use of Common Core State Standards<br />Education officials in New York City on Tuesday directed school principals to step up efforts to integrate the Common Core State Standards into next year's instruction. A pilot program this year has some schools using the new standards in math and English classes. Under the guidance for next year, the standards will be further expanded in those subjects and used for some science and social studies as well. The New York Timesskrashenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02243115140886175946noreply@blogger.com