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Los Angeles Times staff writer, Jason Song, tells what is becoming an all too familiar story today in Schools operate in crisis mode. He tells of teachers facing layoffs "as their districts struggle to balance their books in anticipation of a $4.8-billion education cutback proposed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger." Here in Indiana, the state legislature is wrestling with property tax reform. The current proposal would establish property tax caps (by statute and constitutional amendment) without sufficient alternative funding that will leave schools cutting teachings and communities cutting back on services (possibly police, fire, roads, etc.). Silly Season The first sentence of Nanette Asimov's article, Quaker teacher fired for changing loyalty oath, pretty well tells this story.
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Avalanches on Mars
Merit Pay in Texas An Associated Press article says a state funded study has revealed "mixed results in the first year of the nation's largest merit pay plan." The Texas Educator Excellence Grant program delivered smaller than expected payouts to teachers. "Although the Legislature recommended awarding teacher bonuses between $3,000 and $10,000, the average bonus awarded across the state was $2,263." Typically, the state's director of education initiatives and performance lauded the program while a representative of the Texas State Teachers Association stated, "What did the $100 million accomplish? These teachers were already doing a good job." Someone needs to find a better way. Moodle 1.9 Released The popular, open source course management system, Moodle, is now available in version 1.9. According to Moodle founder and lead developer Martin Dougiamas, "after the longest beta-testing period in our history (over 5 months) including a successful Bugathon and nearly a year after Moodle 1.8, I am very glad to announce that Moodle 1.9 is now ready for use! See the Moodle download page for free downloads. I downloaded and installed the MAMP version of 1.9 last night and haven't found anything amiss with the release. I've been playing around with Moodle 1.9 alpha and beta since last spring and think the newly rewritten gradebook is a valuable addition. No Increased Risk of Future Substance Abuse from ADHD Meds A report by National Institutes of Health concluded that ADHD Drugs Won't Raise Risk of Substance Abuse. "The results should reassure clinicians who might be hesitant to treat ADHD because of concerns about future substance abuse," said study co-author Michael C. Monuteaux. Moving It Out I'm clearing out some surplus computer equipment I acquired over the last few years on eBay. It's all in good shape but is now surplus since I'm working from home these days. Currently posted is a 733 MHz Digital Audio Mac and a dual 800 MHz chip for QuickSilver Macs (good chip than came up when I upgraded my QuickSilver). My dual 1.8 GHz G5 from work along with a number of other goodies will be going on sale later on this week. A Snow Day When I started posting regularly again last week to Educators' News, I never dreamed I'd have a good, old fashioned snow day. And I really guess it was a bit unusual, but when I got started yesterday morning, the dish for our satellite wireless was covered with ice and snow. Pages loaded at glacial speed, if at all. So, I took the hint from mother nature and worked on other stuff. Merit Pay for Students and Teachers We've all used incentives to encourage our students, but one of many test programs in New York City actually gives students (and teachers) cash awards for improved scores on math and reading tests. Next Question: Can Students Be Paid to Excel by Jennifer Medina tells of the program and others that are being tried. I find that I have mixed feelings about the programs described, especially those that offer cash rewards for improved standardized test results. But I also believe that incentives can be a positive thing for students. Let me post something about rewards from a 1999 View from the Classroom column, Teacher Tools 4: A Roll-Your-Own Spelling Program:
Pilot Plan for Incentive Pay Unveiled tells of a merit pay plan developed cooperatively by the administration and teachers of Prince George County Schools. Washington Post staff writer Nelson Hernandez relates that the voluntary program "will allow teachers to make as much as $10,000 above base salary for improving the performance of their students, teaching in hard-to-staff schools and subjects, and participating in evaluations and professional development." Proverbs Christian Science Monitor staff writer Stacy Teicher Khadaroo tells the interesting story of Wolfgang Mieder's quest for proverbs in Meet the 'proverbial' scholar. Professor Mieder has made a career of collecting and publishing books of proverbs. Although an academician, Mieder's favorite proverb comes from the song Everyday People by Sly & the Family Stone, "Different strokes for different folks." Through Khadaroo, Mieder relates, "I would argue it had to grow on American ground, because it doesn't tell you what to do. It says, 'Accept the differences in people,' " Mieder says. "I think it's a truly liberating proverb." Alternative Education Programs If you teach in an alternative education program, you should probably read Dropout factories. You won't like it, but you still should read it. The Open Forum piece by Camille Esch appears in the San Francisco Chronicle. She writes, "Research on alternative schools and programs is scant, but what little there is has uncovered major problems: low-level expectations, haphazard instruction and grading policies, and ineffective teachers who aren't wanted in regular schools." She may be correct, but not from the alternative ed folks I've worked with over the last six months. Other Stuff The "other stuff" I alluded to in today's lead is the surplus computer equipment I'm clearing out via sales on eBay. Rather than my usual banner ad at the bottom of today's posting, I'll just show and link some of the cool stuff I'm getting rid of.
I have a nice stack of boxes and items on my computer workshop desk to photograph and post yet today, so stay tuned. It's an online garage sale! Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day It just seemed fitting that Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for today is "muckety-muck." Having armed you with this tiny piece of wisdom, I hope it doesn't get you into trouble! :-) New Charter to Pay Hefty Salaries In today's New York Times, Elissa Gootman tells of a new charter school that will pay its teachers $125,000 a year plus performance bonuses. In At Charter School, Higher Teacher Pay, Gootman describes Zeke Vanderhoek's plan for the new TEP Charter School that will open in September, 2009. Vanderhoek, a former middle school teacher, believes "that teacher quality — not star principals, laptop computers or abundant electives — is the crucial ingredient for success." Teachers will have expanded hours and duties beyond that normally required in other schools. This article and the the concept for TEP are intriguing. Homeschooling in California San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Bob Egelko and Jill Tucker report today on a court ruling that will threaten non-certified homeschooling parents. Homeschoolers' setback in appeals court ruling tells of the Second District Court of Appeals ruling "that California law requires parents to send their children to full-time public or private schools or have them taught by credentialed tutors at home." The ruling could leave "an estimated 166,000 children as possible truants and their parents at risk of prosecution." More Stuff on eBay
Here's another bunch of computer items that went up for sale on eBay this morning.
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©2008 Steven L. Wood