Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Nautilus Live

An eSchool News article from last week, Oceanographer touts deep sea web surfing, led me to an interesting site for students and science teachers. Nautilus Live uses live feeds from cameras on the Okeanos Explorer and Nautilus to share their exploration this summer of ancient wrecks in the Black and Aegean Seas and the Pacific Ocean. The site is the creation of Dr. Bob Ballard, the explorer best known for the discovery of the Titanic.

When I checked the site this morning, one of the ships was recovering the submersible vehicles after a dive in the Aegean. Last week, I caught one of their dives and was impressed with the live feed from the submersible with sound from the vehicle and the controller on the surface.

Another Ballard site, Immersion, has lots of science info that could be useful to teachers.

Teachers' Unions Send Obama a Message

Sam Dillon's Teachers’ Union Shuns Obama Aides at Convention tells of both the NEA and AFT passing on having Obama Administration officials speak at their national conventions. Dillon explores the backlash from the Obama/Duncan education "reform" strategy, quoting NEA President, Dennis Van Roekel, as saying, "Today our members face the most anti-educator, anti-union, anti-student environment I have ever experienced."

Education Week's Stephen Sawchuk covers some of the same ground in NEA's Delegates Vote 'No Confidence' in Race to the Top. Sawchuk also looks at the division in the NEA of delegates supporting and not supporting the Obama/Duncan strategy. He notes that the no confidence vote did not mention the President by name, saying, "For the NEA, Barack Obama is quickly becoming the equivalent of Voldemort: He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Home Schooling is School Choice

Walt Gardner's The Home Schooling Option is a good read about an option "lost in the debate over school choice." It's a good read, but Walt never points out that many special interest groups and for profits have nothing to gain from homeschooling.

Odds 'n' Ends

AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner's Study shows teens benefit from later school day is an interesting read. Bill McCleery and Andy Gammill's Many 1st-graders are behind the minute they step into classroom tells of the low percentage of preschool-age children in Indiana enrolled in public pre-kindergarten programs.

An email from Amazon Associates came in this morning with the subject line, "Earn on Back to School Deals." For many teachers just recovering from the 2009-2010 school year and those who may be going back to work in a month or less, the offer may be pertinent, but an uncomfortable reminder of how short our summers have become.

But if you're on top of things and ready to do some back to school shopping, Amazon is offering a $20 promo code on School Supplies for those who purchase $100 or more in one order of eligible school/office products.

Send Feedback to

Thursday, July 8, 2010

More Testing in D.C.

Bill Turque relates in D.C. schools chancellor plans to expand use of standardized tests that Chancellor Michelle Rhee plans to add more testing for D.C. Schools students "to measure academic progress and the effectiveness of teachers." In a related blog posting, Walt Gardner asks, Will D.C.-Union Contract Benefit Students? He asks "whether the deal reached will help students get a quality education," and proceeds to the use of standardized tests.

First, teacher evaluation will be largely based on student progress on standardized tests. So much has already been written about the subject that I hesitate to comment on it. Nevertheless, it's important to emphasize once again that this obsession leads to the conversion of classrooms into test preparation factories. For the disadvantaged students in D.C. schools, this strategy will certainly boost scores, but it will not provide the enrichment that they so desperately need.

Walt also discusses "when heavy emphasis is focused on standardized test scores, the stage is invariably set for Campbell's Law to make itself felt...With teachers in D.C. able to add upwards of $30,000 to their salaries if they show progress on high-stakes tests, the provision will create enormous pressure to engage in unethical practices." Walt previously talked about the effects of Campbell's Law in a June posting, Campbell's Law Strikes Again.

Odds 'n' Ends

A press release Tuesday from the Indiana Department of Education stated, "Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett thanked the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA) for offering strong written support for the Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) grant application submitted by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) today" to use the TAP system for teacher and student evaluation. The Indy Star's Andy Gammill wrote in State teachers union backs bonus program that ISTA has indeed given "the green light to its locals to do that if they wish, despite some hesitations at the state level." Andy quotes ISTA President, Nate Schnellenberger, as saying, "We would support our locals that want to use it, and we would also support our locals that don't want to use it. This should be in no way an endorsement of the TAP program statewide."

Schnellenberger's comment doesn't sound anything like strong support "for differentiated pay and bonuses for teachers based on how students perform," but it does ring of a dangerous foot in the door.

Have a great weekend!