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I missed the transition to when it was announced that South Africa had actually made it into the world cup championship. So I continued to watch the game, but when the last game was played and they brought out the giant, gold trophy, I felt a bit let down, because I had been expecting the movie to continue! I thought that they had only made it to the finals, at that point. I was sorely disappointed that I’d missed the opportunity to build up my excitement to the fullest potential. I thought about this, as I read a few bios about some great figures with humble beginnings and thought about my students. Part of the reason why urban education is so exciting is because it’s that great build up and challenge. Everyone expected me to attend college, and getting into Harvard wasn’t even that big of a deal in my family (my older sister had also attended, and my parents both attended Columbia). Si

If you love education, you should really watch this program. It gives a visual look and multi-sided perspective on Michelle Rhee’s reign in DC. It misses some of what DC has learned in the aftermath of the Rhee reform efforts, but it is still worth seeing to see and hear the voices. I also always think that its good to know what people are watching and talking about. And, if you haven’t read the Brill book, Class Warfare, you should really check that out. But you have to read the whole thing, as Brill sets up his case, and then takes a sharp turn at the end—a necessary one, if you have ever taught in the public school system.http://www.amazon.com/Class-Warfare-Inside-Americas-Schools/dp/1451611994 Here is a weighty review on the book :http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/books/review/class-warfare-by-steven-brill-book-review.html?pagewanted=all And in celebration of today, I’d like to say t

Cheating runs rampant in today’s current educational climate. See:http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/22/education/22winerip.html?_r=2&ref=education& See:http://www.ajc.com/news/investigation-into-aps-cheating-1001375.html See:http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=132376&page=1 See: http://www.npr.org/2011/08/10/139345533/atlantas-schools-work-through-cheatin… But cheating isn’t limited to schools, as the July, 2004 issue of Business2Business reported: “Employee fraud is on the rise, soaring from $400 billion in lost revenue for U.S. businesses in 1996 to over $600 billion in 2003.” And we should be alarmed to have created a system where students cheat to get good grades and educators cheat to qualify for bonuses and avoid penalties. By far, the most concerning examples include that of Atlanta schools, described as a “culture of fear,”

If you love education, you should really watch this program. It gives a visual look and multi-sided perspective on Michelle Rhee’s reign in DC. It misses some of what DC has learned in the aftermath of the Rhee reform efforts, but it is still worth seeing to see and hear the voices. I also always think that its good to know what people are watching and talking about. And, if you haven’t read the Brill book, Class Warfare, you should really check that out. But you have to read the whole thing, as Brill sets up his case, and then takes a sharp turn at the end—a necessary one, if you have ever taught in the public school system. http://www.amazon.com/Class-Warfare-Inside-Americas-Schools/dp/1451611994 Here is a weighty review on the book :http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/books/review/class-warfare-by-steven-brill-book-review.html?pagewanted=all And in celebration of today, I’d like to say

The Administation for Children & Families (ACF) at the Health & Human Services Department, like HUD, traditionally starts its solicitation season in the spring. But this year is different, with both agencies planning to release the bulk of their solicitations this fall and winter. HUD started its grant making season in September, with the release of its General Section. ACF is on the verge of starting its season, with program officials Suad Jama and Elaine Stedt telling FAM that their solicitations are being readied for December, about four months earlier than usual. They aren’t alone, FAM has learned, with at least 30 other ACF funding solicitations being planned for early release. Jama oversees ACF’s University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities Education, Research & Service program and tells us that the solicitation is due in early December, a