Monthly Archives: April 2015

Teacher Writes Letter Using Pearson Vocabulary

Posted on by

Dear Governor Cuomo …. a note from the students who did not opt out of the NYS ELA tests last week.

dianeravitch's avatarDiane Ravitch's blog

A teacher wrote this little essay and dedicated it to Governor Andrew Cuomo:

“There is a man in Albany, who I surmise, by his clamorous paroxysms, has an extreme aversion to educators. He sees teachers as curs, or likens them to mangy dogs. Methinks he suffers from a rare form of psychopathology in which he absconds with our dignity by enacting laws counterintuitive to the orthodoxy of educational leadership. We have given him sufferance for far too long. He’s currently taking a circuitous path to DC, but he will no doubt soon find himself in litigious waters. The time has come to bowdlerize his posits, send him many furlongs away, and maroon him there, maybe Cuba?

She added:

I’m not supposed to say this, but all these insanely hard words appeared on the 4,6, and 8th grade tests last week.

View original post

Luca Valentino – Another Student Hero Speaks Out Against Ed Reform

Posted on by

Another Student Hero – for sure!

“This letter is written by Luca Valentino. He is 11 years old and a 6th grader in a Westchester NY Middle School.

This is how our children feel. This is why we are here.”

SCCNY's avatarstopcommoncorenys

This letter is written by Luca Valentino. He is 11 years old and a 6th grader in a Westchester NY Middle School.

This is how our children feel.  This is why we are here.

imageimageimageimage

Seems this child has had a pretty good education, even prior to common core. We couldn’t have said it better.

Shared with permission from his amazing parents. That’s an awesome kid you’re raising.

View original post

Sanise Lebron – My Student Hero and My Soulmate

Posted on by

My friend and fellow activist Michael Elliott was published in the Huffington Post the other day. His article, You Can’t Measure This, is a powerful critique of the newly adopted teacher evaluation law in New York State. In this article, I met my newest student hero – Sanise Lebron.

Michael and his co-author, Kemala Karmen, have reminded us of the most powerful force in the battle to reclaim our public schools. They have caused us to recognize the secret weapon for conquering the invading armies of reformers. They have presented to us STUDENT VOICE.

Please take 3 minutes and 33 seconds to watch as Sanise appeals to the hearts of our fathers and to the hearts of our daughters. As you watch this, remember that Sanise is only in 8th grade and is speaking to her peers at CASA Middle School in the Bronx. It is powerful.

<p><a href=”https://vimeo.com/123437662″>Sanise Lebron – CASA MIddle School, Bronx NY</a> from <a href=”https://vimeo.com/michaelelliot”>nLightn Media</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a&gt;.</p>

Now – all you fathers – go and hug your daughters. And all you daughters, know that you are greatly loved even if your Dad is not around. And you education reformers – get your hands off our public schools and our children.

A Call To Action – Tweet For Principal Jamaal Bowman and CASA Middle School Students

Posted on by

First – please watch this amazing video produced by the students and staff at CASA Middle School in the Bronx. It is based on Sean Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.

Second – TWEET out the following message:

VOTE 4 CASA MS Bronx NYC
100% GRAD RATE No bigger ROE THAN A LOVE OF LEARNING
@asugsvsummit @jamaalabowman #GSV2020vision

Jamaal and his students are in a competition. They need only 1,000 tweets today to beat PEARSON – yes, I said – PEARSON in The Voice of an Educator at an Ed Reform Event!

Third – share this far and wide.
If you are interested in reading more about the 7 habits – here is a document that summarizes them very nicely.     HB_Seven_Habits_of_Highly_Efffective_Teens8