Rick Santorum on early childhood education

Yeah! We need to stop the gubmint from indoctrinating our kids!

I mean, they say they’re just teaching pre-schoolers their colors, but they teach kids the color RED! And letters! But did you know that letters are used to spell “communism”?

(via greaterthanlapsed)

teachersintiaras:

Below is a link to a website that has a list of books that correlates to each state and the common core standards. Each standard and indicator has a list of books that directly correlates to the content. This is so wonderful! SC is making the switch to Common Core Standards soon so I am definitely going to use this to assist with the shift in my curriculum. 

Common Core State Collections

Andrew Rotherham: Can Parents Take Over Schools? | TIME Ideas | TIME.com

Parent trigger laws scare the shit out of me.

(via girlwithalessonplan)

Best thing I’ve read all day. MIT announces they will make their pirate training courses (pistol, archery, sailing and fencing) official. Complete with certificate.

(via)

infoneer-pulse:

Although extending four-year guarantees has become something of a trend, not many students are taking advantage.

Last year at Juniata College, only seven students signed up out of a class of 354. John Hille, the college’s executive vice president for enrollment and retention, attributes the low number to hopeful thinking. “The advising process had given students confidence that they were on track and the guarantee wasn’t necessary,” he says. Still, the college intends to keep the pledge. “We must communicate to parents that Juniata is more affordable than they might imagine,” he says.

Columbia College at Missouri also offers a guarantee but sees little student interest. Since the program’s inception eight years ago, about five students each year have taken the offer, says Terry B. Smith, executive vice president and dean for academic affairs.

In response to low sign-ups last year—87 in a class of about 500—the University of Maine at Farmington is changing the language in its agreement form “to be less intimidating,” says Daniel P. Gunn, interim provost and vice president for public affairs.

» via The Chronicle of Higher Education (Subscription may be required for some content)

The slump in the economy, coupled with the acrimonious discourse over how much weight test results and seniority should be given in determining a teacher’s worth, have conspired to bring morale among the nation’s teachers to its lowest point in more than 20 years, according to a survey of teachers, parents and students released on Wednesday.

More than half of teachers expressed at least some reservation about their jobs, their highest level of dissatisfaction since 1989, the survey found. Also, roughly one in three said they were likely to leave the profession in the next five years, citing concerns over job security, as well as the effects of increased class size and deep cuts to services and programs. Just three years ago, the rate was one in four.

syeda:

Three California high school students have been on hunger strike since Wednesday in an effort to reverse a 7-0 vote by their school board to lay-off more than 50 full-time San Leandro High school personnel, including teachers, councilors, administrators, custodians and security.

According to local media reports, the three young women “stopped eating solid food Wednesday morning, after informing the San Leandro Unified School District board of trustees that they would take the action to demonstrate what proposed cuts would do their school.” It continues:The board has approved cuts of $1.4 million for the next year, and is preparing a contingency budget to cut an additional $2.5 million if voters in November do not approve tax initiatives proposed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The contingency budget also would lay off personnel and eliminate the district’s sports and music programs, among other cuts.

Ely, who said she is drinking water, Gatorade and Ensure, said she will continue her hunger strike until “the district admits there’s enough money to save our classes and teachers.” She said she wants the district to use reserve funds to stave off cuts.

The three students are members of San Leandro High’s Social Justice Academy, a small learning community that encourages activism, self expression and critical resistance, according to Erica Viray-Santos, a teacher and coordinator of the program, which has been involved in a project called “Reclaim our Education” to address school budgets.

twinklingrevenge:

When I can’t bear hear your name
For it hurts me
Realizing what all this could be
I spoke to you, to let you know

That even though I love you so
I feel like we’re going nowhere
Despite of the feeling “being there”

After that day, I felt so torn
My dignity forlorn
I hated myself so…

sijoshjimenez:

Whoever I am with tonight

No worries, for you have my eyes.

Whatever I may catch in sight

I’ll think of my beloved’s smile.

For this evening can’t compare

To when we sit down, hug and stare

Your arms around me, fix my hair

Embracing me with such good care.

Acquaintances yes, but nothing more

No worries, it’s not like before

For he had made my eyes cry sore

While you have reached to my heart’s core