If you haven’t already seen it, take a look at this pitiful preparation for a pointless state test, in Chicago. And next here’s an explanation of the occasion for the video, since some people questioned whether it was taken out of context (I hope you can access this — it’s on Anthony Cody’s Education Week – […]

Rochester teachers are getting slammed by new evaluations that fail to take account of widespread student poverty. 40% of the teachers across the city have been told they are below par and must prepare remediation plans. The Rochester Teachers Association has filed suit with the New York Supreme Court. In Syracuse, even high school gym […]

Following up on New York, opposition to excessive testing is heating up in Chicago. Teachers at two Chicago schools, Saucedo and Drummond, supported by large numbers of parents, have unanimously voted to boycott the upcoming state tests, which are about to be replaced by the PARCC exams. Kids are over-tested as it is, these teachers […]

Here’s a quick report on the New York testing struggle: The NY Regents’ recommendations for delay in consequences for the new tests includes a number of important points. And even state legislators are getting in on the act. It’s really important for teachers everywhere to be aware of what’s happening, and to speak up in […]

While it’s all too rare, it’s great to see when two outstanding high schools get news coverage. The Chicago Tribune, in it’s “Trib Local” online edition spotted, somehow, that the two Downers Grove high schools, in Chicago’s west suburbs, are doing great things to help kids strengthen their reading in all subject areas, with teachers […]

Peter Smagorinsky explains with great clarity what happens for teachers and students when real kids are turned into data points. Cheers for reporter/blogger Maureen Downey and the Atlanta Journal Constitution for publishing Peter’s cogent reflections for the larger public to read.

BULLETIN! NEW YORK DELAYS COMMON CORE TESTING. Thanks to outspoken parents, teachers, school leaders, and community members, the NY Board of Regents just announced that it has delayed implementation of new tests. The announcement naturally claims foresight, asserting that ‘We knew we’d need to do things like this, all along.’ Of course, there’s far more […]

Many of us grow discouraged when we see that our voices, even when we use them, go unheard and are left all too isolated. But maybe the pain has to really get intense to motivate more of us to begin to step up. In any case, as challenges increase teachers ARE speaking up — and […]

She may now be a darling of Fox News, but at least this passionate parent speaks up against Common Core testing. Watch her on Youtube (sorry if an ad comes on first – you can skip past it). We’re going to need lots of people speaking out like this if we are to stop the […]

If only the public knew how things really work in schools . . . They would be so much more supportive of us! But we’re the only ones who can explain it to them. Here are two examples, one rather discouraging, the other more hopeful. So in California, teachers are beginning to learn how “close […]