More Teaching, Less Testing on Path to Certification

To Earn Classroom Certification, More Teaching and Less Testing.
(source MER, thanks Brian)

By AL BAKER New York Times

Brief excerpts:

New York and up to 25 other states are moving toward changing the way they grant licenses to teachers, de-emphasizing tests and written essays in favor of a more demanding approach that requires aspiring teachers to prove themselves through lesson plans, homework assignments and videotaped instruction sessions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/30/nyregion/with-new-standards-going-beyond-paper-and-pencil-to-license-teachers.html.

What Can Mississippi Learn From Iran?

What Can Mississippi Learn From Iran?  (source MER, thanks Brian)

By SUZY HANSEN New York Times Sunday Magazine.

This is a wonderful story which shows how backward Mississippi’s health program for the rural poor is as compared to that in Iran.

The Fundamentalist Islamic revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini brought much better medical care to impoverished people than they had previously.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/29/magazine/what-can-mississippis-health-care-system-learn-from-iran.html\

Peace with the Taliban is Possible

Lessons from my talks with the Taliban
By Anatol Lieven

(source M.E.R. thanks Brian)To judge by discussions I had with figures close to the Afghan Taliban in Dubai last week, on certain key issues the Taliban leadership and the US administration are far closer than most analysts believe.

The writer is a professor in the War Studies Department of King’s College London. His latest book is ‘Pakistan: A Hard Country’

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/45b83f50-d59b-11e1-af40-00144feabdc0.html

“By some estimates, more than half of all college grads under age 25 are either looking for work or stuck in jobs that don’t require a bachelor’s degree.”
 http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2012/07/25/why-kids-today-have-it-worse-than-their-parents/tab/print/

Chicago Public Schools to hire 477 teachers for longer school day

Chicago Public Schools to hire 477 teachers for longer school day

Agreement between CPS and teachers union ------BOTH sides give and take...more teachers added (500) instead of layoffs but school day extended....strike probably averted, negotiations over raises are last remaining sticking point.....

WHEN BOTH SIDES NEGOTIATE IN GOOD FAITH, WITH GIVE AND TAKE, BOTH BENEFIT....

more to come soon....


http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-ctu-longer-school-day-being-scaled-backat-least-for-teachers-20120724,0,1125149.story

Elizabeth Warren: 'Libor Fraud Exposes Rot At The Core Of The Financial System': via HuffPost http://huff.to/Pkm0xl

Matt Taibbi: 'I Can't Imagine How A Sane Person Could Possibly Describe This As A Victimless Crime': via HuffPost http://huff.to/PjUD6C

David Letterman On Fracking: 'We're Screwed' (VIDEO): via HuffPost http://huff.to/O0SI5F

Mitt Romney Bain Capital Document Lists Him As 'Managing Member' In 2002: via HuffPost http://huff.to/NARpKy

Spain Defeats Italy, 4-0, In Euro 2012 Final: David Silva, Fernando Torres Among Goal Scorers (VIDEO): via HuffPost http://huff.to/MLXzv7

Mississippi Abortion Law Temporarily Blocked By Federal Judge: via HuffPost http://huff.to/MMpPOl