Friday, December 30, 2011

If you pay peanuts, do you get monkeys?

If you pay peanuts, do you get monkeys?

Old and busted: Taking on a student teacher to help out a future educator and to benefit the teaching profession. New hotness: Scared to allow a student teacher to take over your classroom because it might cost you your job.

28 years old.... taught for 2 years, director of a farmers market for 5 months. Yep, that launched her career as an education expert. And now she is the Education Policy Director for the state of Alabama. But, but, but...she's a disciple of Michelle Rhee!

On a more personal note, I'd like to pay tribute to an educator who had a major influence on my life.  Coach John Lacava coached track, football, and baseball in addition to being a guidance counselor at the junior high school I attended in the mid-70's.

Three years ago at age 77 he was still going strong working for the school system when he sustained a traumatic brain injury after slipping on a patch of ice on his way into work.  Needless to say, that marked the end of his 50+ years as an educator.

Coach Lacava died this week.  His obituary can be read here.
May he rest in peace.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Finally... An Accurate Pie Chart

Newt Gingrich uses his cerebralness to pick an education advisor who has ZERO experience as a teacher.

The education system in the U.S. is behind other countries because we spend less time school. Wait, WHAT? That's not true????

12 Most Useful Ways Kids Can Learn With Cell Phones... In other news, devices banned from most schools can enhance student learning.

Something too serious for a smarmy headline...

Infographic of the Day: Is College Really Worth It? 

Picture of the day... A real pie chart.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Flying Cars and Solar System Chocolates?

Peter DeWitt asks the question of the century... "What Has Happened To Common Sense?"

"Students Are Bored"... Thanks Captain Obvious, and actually your ideas seem reasonable!

Warning male college students... A winning football team can be harmful to your grades.

School bus hit by flying car, no one inju...wait...WHAT??? FLYING CARS ARE FINALLY HERE???!!!

A great candy gift idea... Solar System Chocolates!

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Links and a Snow Globe...

Should "too big to fail" also be too big to "contribute"?

OMG!!! An education reform group that includes ONE TEACHER!!! (out of 17 members) 

12 Things that are most likely not included on any teacher evaluation system.

The Mackinac Center asks "Can Schools Require Students To Purchase Wireless Devices?"... I asked the Mackinac Center if they would have a similar opinion if charter schools had the same requirement?


Picture of the Day:  The NRA Holiday Snow Globe: 

Monday, December 26, 2011

The 12 Days of Christmas... Is today one of those 12 days?

Avoid the false dichotomy of the vocational OR academic track... That and 11 other great "Unschooling" rules...

The Top 5 Edu-speak Buzzphrases To Eradicate From Your Vocabulary ...

Ah yes....let's appoint a community college dropout as chairman of the Workgroup on School Quality...


WOW! Another school "reform" group that has zero teachers on their board of directors.


Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Eve, 2011

I wonder how the teachers at this school are evaluated?

The Republican party gets an early Christmas gift...or the real reason Republicans opposed the payroll tax cut extension.

15 worst gift ideas... noticeably missing - Chia Pets, Snuggies, and Mr. Microphone.

Twenty-three Christmas props and 30,000 lights: $1500; Telling your Homeowners Association and their $25 biweekly fine to stick it: priceless!

Bad gift idea #21:

Friday, December 23, 2011

Where is the outrage?

George Orwell would be proud. One year ago Congress defined unqualified teachers as highly qualified.

Leech for America, er I mean Teach for America, Inc. will receive $55,000 for each Ohio teacher it provides. (And no, that doesn't include the salary for the teachers.)

"...it's not just a sport here: It's part of the culture and a big part of the community's identity. The district should pare down the curriculum before it cuts football." (If you guessed that quote was made in Texas, give yourself 100 bonus points.)

Bad gift idea #42:

Thursday, December 22, 2011

It's the First Day of Winter!

Teachers... add "Cyberbaiting" to the list of things to worry about.

Alabama was worrying about teachers getting gift cards from students while Pearson, the largest education publisher, could be trying to buy influence with education officials...

Reason #1037 why the current standardized testing craze for evaluting teachers is a bad idea.

What Lessons Do Military Base Schools Offer? (Hint: "GIMME 50 PUSHUPS JARHEAD!" is not one of them.)

And finally... Bad gift idea #57:

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

It's the Last Day of Autumn!

In School, Why Can't a Boy Be More Like a Girl?

Online Learning? Follow the money....

Education "Reform" in Idaho? Follow the money there also.

Professor, the tutiion for college is really expensive so why are people in India grading your papers?

Picture of the Day:

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Back to Blogging?

Alrighty...I'm attempting to get a jump-start on my New Years resolutions, one being reviving my blog and updating it more often than I did in 2011.  Sometimes it might be a full rant, other times it might be a few links with a line or two of my commentary. 

Today's will be just the latter.

From "The Innovative Educator": 10 "Do’s" and "Don’ts" for more interesting and engaging social media updates
 
The Mackinac Center takes a voyage on the Failboat with this attempt at comparing teacher salaries.


Doing the math: Why putting yourself through college is so much harder today...

Skilled Workers Beat Out Degree Holders for Jobs


A great analysis of the Alabama Legislature's epic fail on restricting gifts from students to teachers.