The Carnival Of Education: Week 64

Welcome to the midway of the Carnival Of Education! What we have here is a selection of entries that have been submitted from throughout the EduSphere. We believe that the posts represent a wide variety of political and educational viewpoints. All entries were submitted by the writers unless labeled otherwise and are grouped into several categories.

If you are interested in guest hosting an edition of The Carnival Of Education, please let us know via the email address given below.

Thanks to everyone who helped spread the word about last week's midway. Links are much appreciated, trackbacks are adored.

Next Week's Carnival midway will be hosted by us here at The Education Wonks. Please send contributions to: owlshome [at] earthlink [dot] net. We should receive them no later than 9:00 PM (Pacific) Tuesday, May 2nd. Please include the title of your post, and its URL, if possible. Barring unforeseen circumstances, the midway of should open next Wednesday morning.

Visit last week's Carnival here. See the archives (Which I'll update later this week.) there. For our latest posts, please visit our home page.

Let the free exchange of thoughts and ideas begin...

EduPolicy:

What happens when a public charter school meets its No Child Left Behind obligations, sends 100% of its first two graduating classes to college, and has a long waiting list of students eager to get in? The school gets protested by some group calling itself "Save our Schools!" More about 'em here.

Up-and-coming EduBlogger KDeRosa of D-Ed Reckoning takes on Jonathan Kozal in a two-parter here and over there. Here's a peek:

Let's dispense with his main argument right off the bat. Kozol contends, without any proof, that you can easily improve student performance of poor kids by sending them to affluent school districts. Supposedly, the teaching that is going on is these affluent school districts is so superior that the deprived children would naturally just learn everything they need to. If but this were true.

Apparently, no one has told Kozol that NCLB now requires school districts to disaggregate their data by race and SES so it's now pretty easy to show that he is wrong.

It's a sad tragic fact that only some 6 percent of high school freshmen in Chicago's public school will complete a college degree before their mid-20s. Cold Spring Shops offers a comprehensive look at the problem of students who finish high school but are unprepared to tackle college work.

I think that most folks would agree that substitute teaching offers some of the most challenging work in public education. But here's a brand new idea: Why not require a year of substitute classroom teaching for all new teachers? Definitely some food for thought.

Should the sexual orientation of historical figures be a factor for their inclusion in California's public school textbooks? Spunkyhomeschool raises the issue. (Consider following the link she provides to UCLA's Daily Bruin.)

Editor's Choice: When it comes to California's public school textbooks, there's no shortage of controversy. Joanne Jacobs is showing us that a number of ethnic and cultural groups are clamoring for inclusion in the state's history texts. (As a California history teacher, this hits close to home.)

Editor's Choice: Matthew I. Pinzur, education reporter for the Miami Herald, has launched a brand-new EduBlog. Looks like it's going to be a good one. Say "hello" to Miami Gradebook: Inside South Florida Education. Don't miss their first post.

Teaching And Learning:

Over in A History Teacher's classroom, they're talking wikis. Here's a taste:

Essentially, each group is given a topic that we have covered in varying degrees over the course of the year. Once they have research the topic and created a short and concise article addressing the important elements of topic, they are to post it on the wiki. Then, in phase two, the groups go through and validate two other articles – making corrections and additions where needed. If all goes as planned, by next Friday (five days before the exam), my students will have a solid collection of study guides.

What would you think about a private school in the Washington, D.C. area that charges some $6800 per year per student yet has no curriculum, no homework, and, apparently, no structure? I guess education is in the eye of the parent who pays the tuition...

From The Classroom:

Consider making Mamacita's place one of your daily reads. She tells it like it is....the good, the bad, and the simply awful. In this entry, see what happens to the principal who got caught "desk dancing" with his pants down.

What happens when you take a microscope, some tongue scrapings, latex gloves, and add a few 3-5 year olds? You get Microbiology for Preschoolers!

In this age of increased fuel costs, I didn't know that there were still schools out there that took numerous field trips. But it seems that there are and Three Standard Deviations to the Left fills us in on the logistical nightmare for those teachers left behind.

New York City middle school teacher Ms. Frizzle is sounding a clarion call for bloggers and readers to lend a helping hand to a kindergarten teacher who needs to purchase science kits for the classroom.

Is use of the "N-word" ever appropriate? I wouldn't think so. Yet substitute teacher Mr. Lawrence is hearing it all the time. Sad.

Higher Education:

Radagast is designing an online college-level course in biology and is looking for readers' suggestions. Wow. This is so far out of my league that I'm not even in the ballpark...

Using the institution of slavery as an example, Pulitzer Prize recipient Professor David Brion Davis shows us how our perception of historical events is subject to substantial change over time.

From the "What On Earth Were They Thinking Department," we have this story about the university president who was shown the door after it was disclosed that she'd spent nearly $650,000 in university funds on personal expenses. Truthfully, it was the golf lessons that got to me...

I wonder what kind of connections Kaavya Viswanathan has: She got a half million dollar book deal from a publisher without ever having written a single word. And now this young lady is a student at Harvard University. But there's trouble in Paradise: It seems as though there's credible evidence that she plagiarized entire passages of her book, How Opal Mehta Got Kissed, Got Wild and Got a Life. Oh, well...

Humor:

And now for something completely different. Did you hear the one about the math teacher that was was suspected of being a member of the Al-Gebra terrorist movement? He was arrested while at the airport.

Here's a short post that manages to put across an effective message about assessment.

EduTesting:

Here in California, the day of reckoning is approaching for those students who must pass the state's exit examination in order to collect their high school diplomas. But the controversy continues with Friends of Dave linking to a story about some students who have yet to pass.

I have to admit (possibly to the surprise of some) that I support California's High School Exit Examination. (the CAHSEE) Respectfully submitted for your consideration, Kimberly Swygert presents our take on two lawsuits that were filed to delay the implementation of the exam's "must pass" provisions.

Parent And Student Survival Guide:

Here's some good advice for college students who are looking for that first job in a science laboratory.

What would you do if a school administrator told your child to "leave your faith is the car." Amazingly, that's what seems to have happened in Poway, California.

Short but sweet, this post has yet another warning about MySpace.com but is of particular interest to those who're applying to the college of their choice.

The allegation of rape that has been leveled at members of the Duke Lacrosse team is on the mind of Multiple Mentality who asks for a measured approach when it comes to disseminating the names of those involved.

The Secret Lives of Educators:

Have you given any thought at all about retirement? Sooner or later, we'll all get there. Coach Brown of A Passion for Teaching and Opinions warns us about the sweetheart deals that the NEA apparently has made with some underperforming investment services in order to get the union's seal of approval.

The Upside Down World has some thoughts about the Chicago teacher who blogged a little too candidly about his out of control high school.

The Median Sib is letting us know about the sacrifices that are being made in Iraq and Afghanistan by school support personnel who are now serving on the front lines.

Beware of playing sports with former students. As Muse reminds us, time marches on but even though our bones crack and our muscles ache, somebody's got to motivate our students to get out there.

Inside The EduBlogs:

Over at What It's Like on the Inside, the Science Goddess does an excellent job of explaining why so many of us EduBloggers prefer to write using pseudonyms. Recommended.

Rhymes With Right asserts that some students' political speech is well-protected by the courts but the political statements of others seem to be relegated to second-class status.

Why on earth would a third-grade teacher talk to her class about abortion procedures? Apparently, that's what happened. The Prof over at Right Wing Nation has the disturbing details.

Scott Elliott of Get on the Bus ponders a tough question: [Are] Americans Not Deep Thinkers?

NY Educator has been keeping an eye on young Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Could it be that RFK has aspirations for 2012?

Our friends over at The Common Room are hosting the 17th edition of The Carnival of Homeschooling. Consider checking it out!

Editor's Choice: Over at This Week in Education, Alexander Russo provides us with a handy edumap that shows the various places around the country where folks who speak languages other than English are living. A great resource for the E.L.D. teacher in your life.

And finally: As always, this journey around the EduSphere has been both enjoyable and informative. Thanks to all the contributors whose submissions make the midway's continuing success possible, the folks who help spread the word, and the readers who continue to make it rewarding.
----------------------------This midway is registered at TTLB's carnival roundup. See our latest posts here, and the (soon to be) complete Carnival archives over there.