Chicago Teachers Union leader Karen Lewis pushed back — and won

[DGuller]

Interesting how nobody's bitching about the Chicago PD's bill for overtime this year clocking in at over $29 million over budget, though.

Hmm, I didn't know about that.  Why do they need so much overtime?  So what if cops miss a gang shooting scene or two, another one is just around the corner.

[CountDeMoney]

Interesting how nobody's bitching about the Chicago PD's bill for overtime this year clocking in at over $29 million over budget, though.

Hmm, I didn't know about that.  Why do they need so much overtime?  So what if cops miss a gang shooting scene or two, another one is just around the corner.

$15 Million for the NATO conference, and $14 million requested in July for the rest of the year "to reduce crime".

[KRonn]

Douchebag eh? Hey, I understand that you as a Democrat will support the over bearing, incestuous relationship of Dems and Dem supported public sector unions, especially the powerful teacher's unions. Huge cash cow for your party, and a rather despicable system, as you'd surely realize if the same were going on for the Repubs.

Teacher unions aren't there for the working guy. I and other taxpayers are the little guy, paying the freight for teacher unions so they can get better benefits and pay than those paying the freight. Add in the incestuous relationship with a political party and there you have the anger and dislike as more and more people wake up.

  You used "incestuous" twice.

Silly me.   

[Razgovory]

Oh no!  Someone is actually making a living off my tax dollars for doing work!  God Forbid.

[CountDeMoney]

In a related note, some interesting developments from today's Torygraph:

GCSEs axed: True test to restore faith in exam system
Michael Gove declared the end of more than two decades of "dumbing down" yesterday with the biggest overhaul of the examinations system in a generation.

In the Coalition's most ambitious education reforms to date, the Education Secretary announced that exams sat at the age of 16 would be redrawn to drive up standards and prevent schools "teaching to the test".

GCSEs will be scrapped in favour of new English Baccalaureate Certificates (EBaccs) focusing on traditional academic disciplines such as English, maths and science, Mr Gove said.

He added that the reforms would represent the end of an "exam system that has narrowed the curriculum, forced idealistic professionals to teach to the test and encouraged heads to offer children the softest possible options".

"It is time for the race to the bottom to end," said the Education Secretary. "It is time to tackle grade inflation and dumbing down. It is time to raise aspirations, restore rigour to our examinations and equip children for the 21st century."

According to a consultation document published yesterday, GCSEs, which were introduced by the Tories in 1988, will be scrapped in favour of EBaccs in core subjects. New courses in English, maths and science will be introduced in 2015, with exams taken in 2017, before syllabuses in foreign languages, history and geography are adopted 12 months later.

A new "suite" of qualifications will be created for other subjects such as art, religious studies and design and technology, although they will not retain the GCSE or EBacc title. It was also announced that:

• Competition between exam boards, which has helped create a "race to the bottom", will be abandoned in favour of a system in which subjects are set by just one provider. The move follows a Daily Telegraph investigation into exam board standards last year.

• The Government will outline the minimum standards that must be covered in each discipline, but the exact specifications will be left to exam boards working with universities and learned societies.

• League tables will be scrapped in their current form to focus on traditional subjects and stop schools promoting "soft subjects".

• Exams will be required to cover the full breadth of knowledge in each subject — and provide unpredictable questions — to end "teaching to the test".

• Combined science courses covering biology, chemistry and physics may be scrapped in favour of three separate subjects for all pupils.

• Controlled assessment, coursework-style projects sat under supervision, which is currently worth half the marks in some subjects, is likely to be ended.

• Subjects will be assessed almost wholly through end-of-course exams.

• Exam aids such as calculators, periodic tables and source materials may be restricted to "allow students the best opportunities to demonstrate their true abilities and competence".

Original drafts of Mr Gove's plans suggested that bright pupils would sit exams in the style of O-levels while less able peers sat CSE qualifications, but in a concession to the Liberal Democrats, this has been removed from the plans. It is proposed that all pupils will sit EBaccs.

Pupils who fail to sit exams at 16 will get a "statement of achievement" outlining their strengths and weaknesses. They will also be given the chance to take exams later at 17 or 18.

The proposals were criticised by teaching unions and Labour, who claimed they would fail to meet the needs of the modern world. Stephen Twigg, the shadow education secretary, said the plan "doesn't reflect the needs of society and the modern economy".

"We need to face the challenges of the 21st century," he said. "I don't accept that we achieve that by returning to the system abolished as out-of-date in the 1980s."

Chris Keates, the general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union, said: "The proposals are entirely driven by political ideology rather than a genuine desire to reform the examination system in the best interests of children."

Baron Baker of Dorking, the former Conservative education secretary and the architect of GCSEs, suggested that the reform failed to recognise the importance of work-based vocational qualifications. "It's vital that schools provide education which develops practical skills as well as subject knowledge. This has to include opportunities to learn by doing," he said.

But the changes were backed by business leaders. "The Government is right to focus on delivering rigorous assessment in our school system, which is part of raising achievement," said Neil Carberry, of the Confederation of British Industry.

Unanswered questions: Gaps in the syllabus that ministers have failed to cover

The reforms fail to cover subjects such as art, music, PE religious studies and design and technology. These do not come under the English Baccalaureate but they will also no longer be called GCSEs. What will happen to these subjects? And how will the Government maintain standards?

Ministers appear to suggest that the GCSE A* to G grading system fails to properly differentiate between pupils. Exam boards will "propose new and different grading structures". How will this look?

The consultation document raises questions over the shape of the curriculum for 14 to 16 year-olds. Exam boards running single subjects will be expected to draw up syllabuses with universities and learned bodies, but what safeguards will be in place? And how will ministers guarantee access to a core curriculum?

The Government wants to do away with coursework assessment. But not all subjects can be tailored in this way. What happens with subjects such as art, PE and drama that are unsuited to the exam hall?

League tables have been criticised for promoting "teaching to the test" and soft subjects. But most parents are in favour of national rankings. How will ministers tread the line between accountability while avoiding the damaging effects of the existing system of league tables?

GCSEs are sat in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. But the new exams are proposed for England. Will this lead to a two-tier system?

[OttoVonBismarck]

Germany ranks 16th overall in the OECD World Education Rankings for 2010.

I would've lost money on that bet.

I was actually shocked by the U.S. ranking on the OECD list for 2010...not sure if they've released a newer one yet. Shocked mainly that we were like...middle of the pack. Everything I usually read about our educational rankings is that we're like apocalyptic fail.

I will say this, the note about the Finnish girl having to basically take an extra year because she studied in the U.S. is pretty typical. Through the Lions Club I've known a lot of kids that come to the U.S. for a year from Thailand, Vietnam, Germany, Japan etc...you'd think maybe the third world shitholes like Vietnam our educational system might be okay, but the Vietnamese girls that a friend of mine had as exchange students basically said the senior year courses at our school were equivalent to what you'd take at age 12/13 in Vietnam and that they'd basically have to take a whole year of missed school when they went back. So not sure how that jives with us being just "average" on the OECD list.

Something I've heard said about a lot of Asian countries (and that term is so broad as to be almost stupid to talk about, but you know what I mean) focus heavily on rote-memorization, extreme cramming and "teaching to the test", which results in really good generic academic performance but which is actually much worse than the U.S. at creating rounded individuals who can actually be decision makers and such in life.

[CountDeMoney]

Something I've heard said about a lot of Asian countries (and that term is so broad as to be almost stupid to talk about, but you know what I mean) focus heavily on rote-memorization, extreme cramming and "teaching to the test", which results in really good generic academic performance but which is actually much worse than the U.S. at creating rounded individuals who can actually be decision makers and such in life.

I can believe that; saw that at Hopkins.  More advanced degrees you could shake a stick at, but can't open a damned door.  Throwing trays of mouse brains worth more than you and I at each other in a snit.

[CountDeMoney]

Strike's over.  CTU voted 98% to 2% to return to classrooms tomorrow.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Germany ranks 16th overall in the OECD World Education Rankings for 2010.

I would've lost money on that bet.

Something I've heard said about a lot of Asian countries (and that term is so broad as to be almost stupid to talk about, but you know what I mean) focus heavily on rote-memorization, extreme cramming and "teaching to the test", which results in really good generic academic performance but which is actually much worse than the U.S. at creating rounded individuals who can actually be decision makers and such in life.

Generally true - in countries like China and Korea, huge emphasis is placed on tests, especially the college entrance exam. If you don't do well on them and get into one of the top 3 universities (in Korea) or a top university or get party membership (in China), you're a failure. Students spend long hours cramming and studying for those exams, and as a result are really good at memorization and test-taking, but not so good at creativity or critical thinking.

[derspiess]

Strike's over.  CTU voted 98% to 2% to return to classrooms tomorrow.

Damn.  Was like the Germans vs. Soviets

[Admiral Yi]

Some interesting info from The Economist:

Chicago teachers have recieved raises averaging 7%/year for the last eight years.  Rahm-man's proposal that led to the strike was for 16% more over the next four years.

[Phillip V]

Some interesting info from The Economist:

Chicago teachers have recieved raises averaging 7%/year for the last eight years.  Rahm-man's proposal that led to the strike was for 16% more over the next four years.

Poorly-performing leeches that need to be destroyed.

[Admiral Yi]

Poorly-performing leeches that need to be destroyed.

Hard working middle class Americans who deserve your solidarity against the fat cats and millionaires.

[FunkMonk]

Huddled masses yearning to breathe free.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Some interesting info from The Economist:

Chicago teachers have recieved raises averaging 7%/year for the last eight years.  Rahm-man's proposal that led to the strike was for 16% more over the next four years.

Well, being teachers they were probably only making minimum wage to begin with and will somehow still be making far below the average income when its over.