Cruisin' the Blogs

Everyone's favorite "reformer," Michelle Rhee, wants to put a bunch of teachers on a 90-day program before firing them. But PREA Prez Fred Klonsky doesn't much care for the fact she doesn't want to tell anyone who those teachers are.

EdNotes Online offers a very insightful thought for Ms. Rhee and her ilk.

Young Adolph Hitler Campbell's parents couldn't get those spoilsports at Shop-Rite to put his name on a cake. Now Joanne Jacobs writes state protective services have removed Adolph, along with his sisters Aryan Nation and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie.

Miss Cellania, perhaps growing weary of the Campbell saga, offers some comic relief about baby names.

Sluggish students? Going Today offers a fine looking bugle guaranteed to get their attention, today only for $49.95. You can save a few bucks with one of these, but it may not be as effective.

Johny McCain has put the kibosh on wife Cindy's plans to appear on Dancing with the Stars. McCain staffers claimed the show wasn't mavericky enough.

I love quotes. Mamacita at Scheiss Weekly offers a whole page of them every Saturday, and today is no exception. Today she's featuring quotes from women, and here's one I really like:

Reality is the leading cause of stress amongst those in touch with it.
-Jane Wagner

Small Talk marvels at a New York Post editorial commemorating the "freedom" of charter schools to not unionize. As usual, the rights of working people mean nothing whatsoever to Murdoch's mouthpieces.

A literate student of Miss Malarkey offers some crucial advice.

And make no mistake--spelling counts.

Last but not least, my friend and occasional guest blogger Yo Miss (formerly in Bushwick) has rechristened herself Miss Eyre and started her very own blog: Life in the Morton School. She's a great writer, so check it out.

Thanks to Schoolgal

Provocative

Two of my favorite bloggers, Mamacita and Ms. Cornelius, have nominated this blog as one that makes them think. Mamacita has instructed that I must do the same, and that's enough for me. I'd put both their blogs on this list, actually, but you can already find them above.

1. April May is funny and perceptive, and of late has been posting translations of what it means when parents and administrators say things. I really enjoy the humor with which she colors everything, and the universal nature of her topics. If you're a teacher, you shouldn't miss her.

2. Schools Matter is on top of every "innovator" looking to experiment with our public school children. Nothing gets past the critical eye of Jim Horn.

3. Anonymous Educator is cynical and outrageous. I haven't got the faintest idea how much (if any) is truth, and it makes no difference to me whatsoever. I can't stop reading this character.

4. Get Lost Mr. Chips is clever and surprising, and though Mr. Lawrence has become more serious of late, I never miss it. I also like Graycie at Today's Homework, who's smart and perceptive, and more passionate about English grammar than anyone has a right to be.

5. A couple of NYC teacher blogs I don't miss are EdNotes Online and Pissed-Off Teacher. Though EdNotes is more political, and POd more personal, they both lead me to similar conclusions about the school system.

6. My favorite political bloggers are reality-based educator (another NYC teacher), with whom I almost always agree, and the Prof at Right Wing Nation, with whom I almost never agree. I find myself hanging out with the right-wing history teachers where I work, and while we don't see eye-to-eye on GW Bush, we share almost exactly the same view of hizzoner Michael Bloomberg.

They tell me if I run for Congress they'll go out and work for my opponent, but if I ever decide to run for Chapter Chairperson I'll have their full support.

7. The Education Wonks may have started this whole teacher-blogging thing. Ed has boundless energy and a great eye for quirky education stories.

8. Two blogs I like immensely (despite the fact I frequently disagree with them) are Eduwonk and The Chalkboard. They're both clever, lively, and well-written.

9. I'm fond of Mrs. T. (no relation to Mr. T., as far as I know) at Chucheria, who has a sense of humor and isn't afraid to use it.

10. And finally, I always read Chance at Sapient Sutler, who's got a very quirky view of everything, an absolute necessity in anyone who aspires to be a teacher.

I apologize for going way over 5, for cheating and inserting 2 blogs here and there, and most of all to the many bloggers I neglected to mention. Feel free to register your complaints and vehemently demand apologies.

Blog Tour

What do teachers make? Find out right now, at School Me.

Right Wing Nation has very particular notions about how to use American English, and woe to those who defy them.

Jon Swift suggests President Bush is utilizing the Castanza method of doing the opposite.

Ms. Cornelius wants to know what the best satirical song ever is, and she's counting votes at A Shrewdness of Apes.

Ay, dios mio! Over at Siempre Fiel, Nic's Spanish 1 students plan to sell children (and worse), while others are merely selling their boyfriends (prices are not specified).

Around the Blogs

Mamacita of Scheiss Weekly doesn't suffer fools lightly, and she is absolutely on fire writing about them.

California Teacher Guy offers a thoughtful post of biblical quotes that relate to education. He's also kindly provided interpretations for those of us hopelessly baffled by "thees" and "thous."

The Chalkboard fails to discern the prestige in having crappy schools named in your honor.

April May has a list of resolutions she wishes other teachers would make. They make perfect sense (which is probably why no one's ever proposed them before).

Peter Campbell has a few serious reservations about KIPP schools, often hailed as the best thing since sliced bread.

And Pissed Off Teacher, whose very name suggests the end of the line, now wants to keep teaching. Go figure.

Highly Recommended

Check out Anonymous Educator. This teacher works in an unnamed private school and has the most outrageous sense of understatement I've bumped my head on lately.

You might want to scroll back to follow his adventures in Mexico and Vegas, or his various dealings with friends, neighbors and school administration.

Please support your friendly neighborhood blogger. As you can see, he can't be expected to get by on looks alone.